AutumnXd
patreon
XGO CHAPTER 9
🕑 Added 2025-04-11 10:26:14 +0000 UTCThe sun hung high in the sky, casting warm light over the courtyard.
The air was alive with laughter, shouting, and playful arguments.
Mutant students of all ages were scattered around the field—some playing basketball, others training, some just relaxing in the grass.
It was the kind of day most people would take for granted.
The kind of day Alex had never had.
He stood at a distance, leaning against a tree, his arms crossed, watching but never participating.
His crystal-blue eyes followed their movements with an unreadable expression—like a researcher observing test subjects.
Not out of suspicion.
But because he didn't know how to look at the world any other way.
"Alright, last shot!" Bobby Drake, Iceman, called out, spinning a basketball on his fingertip.
He flicked his wrist, and a thin layer of ice coated the ball before he tossed it toward the hoop.
Before it could land, a blue blur appeared out of nowhere.
Bamf!
Kurt Wagner, Nightcrawler, teleported mid-air, grabbing the ball and twisting mid-spin.
"Not today!" he laughed, tail flicking.
"Seriously?!" Bobby groaned.
Kurt went to slam-dunk the ball, but just as he moved—
Phhhht!
The ball phased through his hands.
A moment later, Kitty Pryde, Shadowcat, walked straight through his body and snatched the ball.
"Too slow, elf!" she teased before landing smoothly on the ground.
"Hey, that's cheating!" Kurt complained.
Kitty grinned. "Oh, says the guy who teleported for a layup?"
Bobby chuckled, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Alright, fine. No phasing, no teleporting—"
Kurt scoffed. "Well, now it's boring."
The group burst into laughter, shoving each other playfully.
Alex just watched.
Expression blank.
Noticing Alex standing alone, Rogue peeled away from the group.
She had tried talking to him before, but he barely gave her anything.
Still, she was stubborn.
"Alright, broody, I know you ain't plannin' on just watchin' all day," she said, walking up to him.
Alex's gaze barely flickered.
"I am," he said simply.
Rogue huffed, hands on her hips. "You're real determined to be a wallflower, huh?"
Alex shrugged. "No reason not to be."
Rogue rolled her eyes. "You ever tried not actin' like the main character in a horror movie?"
Alex tilted his head slightly. "I don't see the problem. They're usually the last ones alive."
Rogue snorted. "Okay, that was funny, Ah'll give ya that."
Alex said nothing.
Rogue sighed, nodding toward the others.
"Look, Ah get that you ain't exactly the social type. But maybe tryin' to exist with other people ain't the worst thing in the world?"
Alex glanced at her.
Then back at the others.
He didn't respond.
Rogue sighed. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Keep bein' creepy, then."
She walked away, shaking her head.
Alex returned to silence.
"Okay, but seriously, is he always like that?"
Jubilation Lee, Jubilee, nudged Kitty, nodding toward Alex.
"Like what?" Kitty asked.
Jubilee made an exaggerated frown, crossing her arms. "The 'I just walkedout of a tragic backstory' thing. He's like, one step away from brooding on a rooftop in the rain."
Kitty giggled. "Oh yeah. That is definitely his whole aesthetic."
Jubilee hummed. "Okay, new plan—I'm making him talk."
Kitty blinked. "Uh… good luck with that?"
Before Kitty could stop her, Jubilee was already walking up to Alex.
"Hey, Mr. Mystery, question for ya."
Alex exhaled quietly but didn't look at her.
"Not interested."
Jubilee smirked. "Oh, cool, I wasn't actually giving you an option."
Alex finally turned his head slightly, staring at her.
Jubilee didn't flinch. "So. What's your deal?"
Alex blinked. "My deal?"
Jubilee gestured vaguely. "Yeah. Y'know. The vibe. Mysterious new kid. Always brooding. Eyes look like you've seen some stuff. I mean, c'mon, you're practically begging for people to be curious."
Alex stared at her for a long moment.
Then, slowly, he spoke.
"You don't want to know."
Jubilee raised an eyebrow. "And that just makes people more curious, dude."
Alex sighed and looked away again.
Jubilee pouted. "Laaaame."
Kitty, watching from a distance, gave Jubilee a thumbs-up. "Nice try!"
Jubilee groaned and walked off. "This is not over, broody boy."
Alex closed his eyes briefly.
This place was exhausting.
From across the field, Jean Grey and Scott Summers watched.
"He's not great at talking, huh?" Scott mused.
Jean sighed. "I don't think he knows how."
Scott gave her a look. "What, you mean like literally?"
Jean shook her head. "No, I mean… I don't think he's ever been in a place where casual conversation existed for him. Everything about him is… precise. Controlled. As if every word he says is calculated."
Scott frowned. "Like he was trained that way?"
Jean nodded. "Exactly."
Scott glanced back at Alex, watching the way he stood apart from everyone.
"Y'know, if you're planning on trying to fix him, good luck with that."
Jean sighed. "I'm not trying to fix him. I just…"
She trailed off.
Scott raised an eyebrow. "You just what?"
Jean crossed her arms. "I don't know. I just feel like… he's standing on the edge of something. And if we don't pull him back, he's going to fall."
Scott exhaled. "Yeah, well, let's just hope he doesn't pull us down with him."
Jean didn't say anything.
But the thought was already in her mind.
More laughter.
More voices.
More things he had never been a part of.
Alex's fingers twitched slightly.
A long time ago, he might have wondered what it would be like to join them.
To run, laugh, play.
To have a normal life.
But now—
Now, it was just a reminder.
Of what he had lost.
Of what he had never really had in the first place.
He turned away.
Walked back toward the mansion.
Away from the noise.
Away from the people.
Away from a world that wasn't his.
And maybe never would be.
Alex walked away from the courtyard, his footsteps calm, steady, distant.
The sound of laughter and shouting faded behind him as he moved through the hallways of the mansion.
He didn't care where he was going.
Just as long as it was away.
But as he turned a corner—
He heard snickering.
A small group of students—three boys, maybe a year or two younger than him—stood by the lockers.
And they were looking right at him.
The Provocation
"Hey, freak boy," one of them sneered.
Alex stopped mid-step.
Slowly, he turned his head toward them, expression blank.
The second kid smirked. "What, you too good to talk to people now? Oh, wait—"
He leaned forward mockingly.
"You only talk to people when you're eating them, right?"
His friends laughed.
Alex said nothing.
He just stared.
And something about that unmoving, empty gaze made one of the boys shift uncomfortably.
But the leader wasn't done.
"You walk around like you're better than everyone," he scoffed. "Like you're some kind of badass."
He smirked. "But the only thing you're good at is freaking everyone out."
His friend nodded. "Yeah. Maybe Xavier should've left you in that lab where you belong."
Alex exhaled slowly.
Not out of anger.
Not out of irritation.
But out of boredom.
They were so used to normal fights—mutant abilities clashing, words exchanged.
But Alex wasn't normal.
And right now, he was too tired to care about words.
But if they wanted something to be scared of?
He could give them that.
Alex's eyes flickered blue for a second.
A bright flash of light engulfed him.
For a moment, the hallway was swallowed in a brilliant glow.
And when it faded—
A giant, purple-scaled serpent loomed in the narrow corridor.
Arbok.
Its massive, coiling body took up the entire hallway.
Its golden eyes gleamed, locking onto the boys with a predator's gaze.
Then—
It hissed.
The sound was low, drawn out, dangerous.
And when it opened its mouth—
Two long, curved fangs dripped with venom.
The boys froze.
Their breathing hitched.
The leader—who had been smirking moments ago—stumbled backward.
"W-What the hell—?!"
One of his friends tripped over his own feet, scrambling away.
The other kid's eyes went wide with sheer terror.
Alex coiled his body slightly, rearing up—
And then lunged forward.
Not to strike.
Not to bite.
Just enough to make them run.
And run, they did.
Screaming.
One of them practically fell over himself trying to escape.
Another bolted so fast he crashed into the lockers.
Alex watched them disappear around the corner, their terrified footsteps echoing down the hall.
Then—
With another flash of light—
He transformed back.
Back into his human form, standing in the now-empty hallway.
He adjusted his sleeves calmly, expression unreadable.
And then—
He turned around.
And froze.
Because standing right behind him was Professor Xavier.
Xavier's expression was…
Patient.
Not angry.
Not amused.
Just patient.
He sighed, shaking his head slightly.
"It will be hard to make friends like that, Alex."
Alex stared at him for a long moment.
Then—
He shrugged.
"Not like I care."
Xavier exhaled through his nose. "You may say that now, but—"
Alex was already walking away.
Not interested.
Not listening.
Xavier watched him go, his expression unreadable.
Then, he simply sighed and turned his wheelchair toward his office.
Alex could push people away as much as he wanted.
But sooner or later—
He would have to decide if he wanted to be alone forever.
