52: Chapter 52 Separation

In Jean Grey's living room, the air still held the lingering scent of the recent skirmish.

Several girls huddled on the sofa, wearing tin foil hats, their fingers twisting uneasily.

That stuff couldn't stop a true psychic powerhouse, but time was short, and Peter could only do so much for now.

Logan and Ororo stood on either side of Charles Xavier.

Eric was still unconscious, tied up tightly with Peter's strongest Webbing, lying limp to the side.

Peter himself sat on a recliner, staring at his phone.

"What are you doing?" Logan asked in a low voice.

"Calling S.H.I.E.L.D.." Peter lifted his chin, gesturing toward Magneto on the floor. "Getting them to prepare a cage."

"I don't think that's wise," Charles spoke up.

Peter looked up at him. "First, I don't care if you like it or not. Second, this is not up for negotiation."

He routed the call to his helmet. The phone rang twice before David answered.

"What is it?"

"Magneto, you know this guy, right?"

"What?! Why?! Peter, don't do anything stupid! What the hell happened?"

"Earlier tonight, Magneto attacked me and my friends. He's currently unconscious in Jean Grey's living room. Tell Fury to prepare a cell—no ferromagnetic metals, titanium alloy is fine, but it needs to be treated. Get here fast, I don't know how long he'll be out."

"What?! What on earth are you—"

Peter hung up directly. Annoying.

"Don't worry, Peter," the bald man said calmly. "I have him in an induced coma; he won't wake up for a while."

Peter narrowed his eyes. "Don't call me that."

Charles paused. "W...what?"

"I wear this suit for a reason, you bald idiot," Peter said, suppressing his anger. "Why don't you just broadcast my secret identity to the whole World?"

"My apologies, Pe... Spider-Man," Charles corrected himself immediately. "It won't happen again."

"I don't believe you."

"I am not in the habit of reading others' minds at will," Charles sighed, his gaze falling on Felicia. "Ms. Hardy, I am truly sorry; I had no choice at the time."

Felicia shivered slightly.

"Don't look at her!" Peter growled. "Once a person crosses a line for a goal, they'll do it a second time. Since you want to be the peace leader for Mutants, act like a leader."

"Show some respect, kid," Logan threatened in a low voice.

"You barged in suddenly and blurted out my secret," Peter countered. "What do you actually want?"

"Because of Jean," Charles smiled at Jean. "I only recently discovered her abilities. I didn't expect Eric to have noticed as well."

"Discovered? How?" Jean couldn't help but ask.

"A machine capable of detecting Mutants," Charles explained. "The moment your abilities awakened, it captured your presence."

"A giant Mutant detector," Peter rolled his eyes. "It definitely won't be abused, right?"

Logan chuckled. "This kid has a sharp tongue."

Charles sighed helplessly. "Indeed."

"Are you looking for me because you want to recruit me like Magneto?" Jean asked.

"Of course not," Charles shook his head. "I want to teach you. I have a school in upstate New York dedicated to helping gifted Mutants master their abilities and learn to coexist harmoniously with humans. Jean, I truly hope you will join us."

"Me... me?" Jean was stunned.

Charles nodded, then closed his eyes. Jean gasped sharply. "What... what are you doing?"

The bald man didn't speak. A moment later, Jean also slowly closed her eyes.

Logan growled irritably. "I hate it when they do that."

"What's wrong?" Mary Jane asked.

"Telepathic communication," Peter sighed. "It's incredibly rude."

"You'll get used to it," Ororo finally spoke. She looked at Peter and the girls, smiling gently. "Hello, I am Ororo Munroe. This is Logan. We are both teachers at the school."

"You... are you Mutants too?" Liz Allan's voice still trembled, but her courage was slowly returning.

"Yes," Ororo nodded. "I can control the weather. Rain, snow, whatever I desire."

Logan snorted, raised his hand, and clenched it, his metal claws extending. "I'm nothing special."

Peter finally took a good look at him—short, broad build. Judging by the outfit, the X-Men of this World looked more like the version from a certain cartoon. But since he had already fought them, the timeline had likely deviated long ago.

"I say, fuzzball, why do you growl all the time?" Peter asked.

Logan raised an eyebrow and growled again.

"See? What did I tell you?"

Ororo chuckled. Logan's mouth twitched as well.

The next second, Liz shouted as if she were exploding: "Peter! You're actually Spider-Man!"

Peter leaned back against the chair. "Finally figured it out?"

"But, but how?! When?! Why?!"

"Peter, how long have you been Spider-Man?" Mary Jane looked him up and down, examining his suit.

"Since the day Hulk destroyed Harlem," Peter nodded. "When I told you I was going to help, I was actually going to stop those two big guys."

"Wait, you're that kid in the red and blue hoodie? The one who stopped the gray Abomination?" Logan asked.

"Yes."

Ororo's eyes widened slightly. "Impressive."

"It was nothing," Peter shrugged. "I just blocked its airway and let it suffocate."

"So you really are Spider-Man?!" Liz still hadn't recovered.

"Yes, Liz, I am. I'll explain the details later. For now, let's settle things regarding Jean."

Liz covered her mouth, her brain clearly spinning.

Mary Jane turned to Felicia, her tone laced with jealousy. "You knew all along?"

Felicia smiled faintly. "Of course, why wouldn't I?"

Mary Jane immediately glared at Peter. "Why tell her and not me?! I'm the friend you've known the longest!"

"I trust her more."

Mary Jane looked as if she had been stung. "You... you don't trust me?"

"I do, really. But this is too big. And back then, you were still dating Harry Osborn, and I couldn't risk whether you would keep the secret."

"Peter, I would never do that!" Mary Jane was anxious. "Regardless, I'm the friend you've known the longest. You could have told me anything!"

"Sorry. We'll talk about this later," Peter turned his gaze back to Jean and Charles. "Let's deal with what's in front of us first."

Jean opened her eyes and exhaled. "That was so strange."

Charles smiled. "Communicating telepathically is faster and freer."

"Yeah, I see what you mean."

"So, Jean, have you made up your mind?"

"I... I accept," Jean said slowly.

"What?!" Liz jumped up. "Jean, you can't go with them! You heard what Peter said; he read Felicia's mind! And ours too!"

Jean nodded. "I know. But I have to learn, Liz. I need to know my limits... I can't do that here."

Peter stood up, his gaze locked on Charles. "Do you know what the biggest problem with your choice is? You can't tell if she's making the decision herself, or if the person who can control minds is making it for her."

"I assure you, Spider-Man, I would never manipulate my students like that."

"Students? What about everyone else? Do we not count?"

"I mean, I won't force anyone to enroll," Charles remained calm.

Peter knew he was being a bit unreasonable. But who cares? This guy had forcibly invaded his girlfriend's consciousness.

"Jean, you can't go," Mary Jane's voice softened. "At a time like this... we need you."

Jean lowered her head. "No, Mary Jane, you don't. Peter can protect you. And me... until I figure out my own abilities, I'm useless to anyone."

"Don't say that," Felicia interjected. "Peter didn't become who he is today in a single day. He spent a lot of time training and learned to control his abilities bit by bit. You can too."

"But we all know Peter is different," Jean smiled at him. "I still can't believe you're Spider-Man."

Peter smiled back. "You'll realize it sooner or later, Jean. You always sell yourself short, too self-deprecating."

"Jean, are you really going to leave?" Liz asked.