SCARS - WOLVERINE X READER FF

NINE

Morning sunlight streamed through the curtains, spilling soft light across the room. I blinked against the brightness, the lingering warmth of a finally good nights' sleep making it hard to fully wake up. Memories of last night's party flitted through my mind, a brief escape from the tension that had been hanging over the mansion lately.

I dragged myself out of bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, and threw on some clothes. The mansion was unusually quiet, the usual buzz of students and staff muted in the early morning.

As I made my way downstairs, the stillness felt almost unsettling. It was as if the whole mansion was holding its breath. Then, the intercom crackled to life, cutting through the silence. Professor Xavier's voice filled the air, calm but with an edge that set my anxiety aflame.

"Attention all X-Men, please report to my office immediately. This is an emergency. I repeat, all X-Men report to my office immediately."

His words sent a shiver through me. Whatever this was, it was serious. My mind raced as I quickly changed direction and headed for Professor X's office, the urgency in his voice pushing all other thoughts aside.

~

The others were already inside—Jean, Storm, Cyclops, Rogue, and Logan. Our eyes met briefly before he looked away. There was no time to think about that now. When Professor X called a meeting like this, it meant something big was going down.

We filed into the office, where Professor X was already waiting behind his desk. His face was serious, more so than I'd ever seen. The room was thick with tension as we all waited for him to speak.

"Thank you for coming so quickly," he began, his voice calm but edged with tension. "There's something you all need to know."

The room was thick with anticipation as we all listened intently.

"Years ago, before Magneto and I became... enemies, we worked on a project together," Professor X explained. "The idea was to create a device that could amplify mutant powers, to help those struggling to control their abilities. We thought it could be used for good."

He paused, his eyes darkening with the memory. "But Magneto saw another use for it. He wanted to turn it into a machine that could force humans to become mutants, thinking it would make mutants the more superior species."

I felt a cold dread settle in my stomach as a murmur went through the group. The implications of such a device were terrifying.

"I obviously realized the danger and stopped working on it," Professor X continued. "But Magneto didn't. He continued developing the machine, and now it's nearly complete. He calls it The Mutation Engine. If it's activated, it could cause widespread mutations, and most humans wouldn't survive it."

I hesitated before speaking, my voice uncertain. "Who... who is Magneto?"

Cyclops glanced at me, his expression softening. "Magneto is a very powerful mutant. He controls magnetism, can manipulate metal, and has a vision of mutant superiority. He believes mutants should rule over humans, and he's willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen."

"But, using the machine would greatly decrease his own powers and strength. He wouldn't survive if he used it alone," Professor Xavier added. "I read his mind a few weeks ago... just to see if he was still going ahead with it."

"Well?" Rogue asked impatiently, her voice laced with worry.

Professor X's gaze shifted to me, his expression full of sadness. "He's after you, Y/N."

I felt my breath hitch in my throat. "After me? But... how does he even know about me? And why me?"

"When you were held captive, it's possible that information about your abilities were taken from the Purifiers," Professor X explained. "Magneto works closely with Mystique, a mutant with the ability to morph into anyone or anything. Maybe she was involved..."

"Who's Mystique?" I asked, feeling a new wave of anxiety. All of this was so confusing. It felt like that day I had first lost my memory.

"She's one of Magneto's most trusted allies," Storm answered. "And she's incredibly dangerous. Her ability to change her appearance makes her a master of deception. She must have disguised herself as one of the guards at the lab where you were held."

"And broke into the database..." Cyclops finished, his voice trailing off as he realized the gravity of the situation.

Professor Xavier nodded reluctantly. "Magneto is always looking for ways to gain an advantage. Once he learned about you, he must have realized the potential you hold. He believes your abilities are the key to making the Mutation Engine work. With your powers, he can amplify the machine's effect without the catastrophic consequences it would have if he used it alone."

My mind was spinning, trying to process everything. "So, what now?"

Logan's jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing as he seemed to be deep in thought. The tension in the room was strong, and I could feel the weight of everyone's concern pressing down on me.

As I stood there, it was like I could hear everybody's thoughts all at once, crashing together like a storm in my mind. Everyone was planning something, their strategies forming, fears surfacing, and beneath it all, a strong determination to protect me.

Logan's resolve was clear, though—he was already thinking several steps ahead, considering every possibility, every move that could be made. Jean's thoughts were focused on preparing me, strengthening my abilities for whatever might come. Cyclops was strategizing, his mind already mapping out the safest routes, the best ways to attack if it came to that. Rogue was just panicked.

"We can't just rush into this," Storm interjected, her voice calm but firm. "We need a plan. We need to know exactly where he is, and what we're dealing with."

"Is there any way you can locate him with your mind, or something?" Logan asked, his gaze fixed intently on Professor X.

Professor X shook his head with a thoughtful frown. "Locating Magneto directly is challenging. He has shielded his mind from me for years. However, there is a way to search for him indirectly—through Cerebro."

"Cerebro?" I echoed, confused and a little impatient. "My god, guys, please catch me up. I'm so lost right now."

Jean looked at me. "It's a device that amplifies Professor X's telepathic abilities. It allows him to locate any mutant, anywhere in the world. We've used it before to find missing students or detect threats."

Logan's eyes flickered with hope. "So we can track him?"

Professor X nodded. "It's our best chance. I'll need to use Cerebro to scan for any signs of his presence or that of his close allies."

I swallowed hard, trying to push down the gnawing fear in my stomach. "Alright. But what do I do?"

Professor X turned to the others. "Jean, Logan—focus on Y/N's training. Rogue, I'll need your help with the search. We can't waste any time."

Both Logan and Jean nodded, their expressions serious.

As the meeting broke up, the gravity of what was ahead weighed heavily on me. I felt like a storm was brewing, one that would test me in ways I couldn't yet comprehend.

As us three walked down the hallway together, I couldn't help but feel that this was only the beginning.