Nick Fury POV
The phone buzzed on his desk. Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., was already on his feet with a mug of black coffee in one hand and a file in the other. As soon as he picked up, Maria Hill's voice piped in, sharp as ever.
"Director, you're going to want to hear this. That space cloud? The one happened at the same time when X-Men launched into orbit to save astronauts?"
"Yeah, what about it?" Nick took a sip.
"It's gone."
"…Gone?"
"Dispersed. Completely. Like it just blinked out of existence. And here's the kicker—telemetry from our satellites picked up something coming out of it just before. Something big, but it didn't match any known ship profile."
Nick raised an eyebrow. "And you're just tellin' me this now?"
"I didn't want to call until I had something solid. Also, there's more: one of Xavier's students—Jean Grey—was caught midair, flying unaided above the school last night. Also we found something is crossing the world. We sent groups to investigate the objects from space."
Nick froze mid-step. His memory flickered—Cosmic radiation. Mutations. A space cloud. Powers awakening suddenly. Space objects.
He looks at the tablet and saw the report Maria sent him.
"…Oh hell no." He looked up, voice tight.
"Tell me that girl didn't have flight before."
Maria continued, "Negative. According to SHIELD's old mutant registry, she's a powerful telepath and normal telekinetic, but flight? Not listed."
Nick slowly set his coffee down. "Son of a bitch…"
Deja vu.
He grabbed his earpiece and growled, "Patch me through to Richards. Now."
Scene Shift – Reed Richards' Lab, Baxter Building
Reed's voice came through, half distracted and focused on calculations.
"Nick, I'm a little occupied."
"Yeah, I gathered. You got a theory on this damn space cloud?"
"It's…complicated. The readings were unlike anything I've ever seen. It's not just radiation—it's something beyond observable cosmology. Like it was alive. Or watching."
"Can you measure it?"
"Not with our current tech. But I'm designing new scanners now. Give me a week."
Nick's face darkened. "Of course. Another genius tellin' me 'the science is too big to understand.' That never ends badly."
Click.
Scene Shift – SHIELD Surveillance Room, Unknown Location
Phil Coulson was exactly where Nick figured he'd be...seated comfortably in a room filled with glowing screens, sipping tea like he wasn't illegally watching people's lives in 4K ultra-high-def.
"Morning, sir," Coulson greeted as the encrypted call connected. "Good news. We've identified the targets from hotel records. Name: Ritsuka Fujimaru. Japanese national. No birth record here, though. His girlfriend, Hakuno Kishinami. And their associates are… well, interesting. We've got data on Karna—metahuman level readings, and James Moriarty. That name is likely an alias."
Fury's eye narrowed. "What's our latest visual?"
Coulson cleared his throat. "We, uh… temporarily stopped watching."
Nick squinted. "Why?"
Coulson shifted. "Yesterday, The thermal sensors picked up, ah… increased bodily proximity between Ritsuka and Hakuno, so we stopped spying. And then morning she climbed into his lap. I figured they deserved some privacy, you know, personal boundaries and all. I mean they must be tried after doing whole night."
He is gentleman.
Nick leaned in close to the monitor. "Coulson. That man might be the biggest damn threat on the planet and you gave him a privacy break?"
Coulson shrugged. "Sir, he was shirtless, the girl was feeding him food. It was either turn off the cameras or put on mood lighting."
Nick exhaled like the last two brain cells had just fought to survive. "Christ…"
Suddenly, Coulson turned serious. "They're on the move again. Looks like they're heading toward Xavier's School. Based on facial recognition and body language tracking, I'd wager it's not a casual visit."
Nick's jaw tightened. Xavier. Jean. That damn cloud.
Everything was beginning to converge.
"Coulson."
"Sir?"
"You've got full clearance. I want you to follow them. Take a squad, stay the hell outta sight. But if they try anything—you have permission to intercept. Use a metahuman collar if you have to."
"Yes sir."
"And Coulson…"
"Sir?"
"That kid—Ritsuka Fujimaru—he ain't from here. You know it. I know it. Aliens are more dumb than humans. His kind of power? It never comes without baggage. Keep an eye on him. And keep your people alive."
Coulson nodded, dead serious now. "Understood. I'll handle it."
Fury disconnected, muttering as he walked back toward the main command room.
"I hate Mondays. Now I need to know what that space motherfucking object is."
---
Ritsuka POV
The yellow taxi cruised down the dusty New York road, sunlight slipping through buildings and trees as Ritsuka Fujimaru sat in the backseat of the cab beside his girlfriend, Hakuno Kishinami, while James Moriarty sat by the window sulking, and Karna sat in front. The cab was familiar, the driver even more so.
"We meet again, Sir Fujimaru!" chirped Dopinder, his wide grin flashing in the rearview mirror. "Three times in two days! It must be fate!"
"Good to see you again too," Ritsuka smiled politely. "You weren't around last evening, though."
"Ah, yes," Dopinder nodded solemnly. "I had to help a friend. Mr. Deadpool. He needed assistance removing a chainsaw from a vending machine."
"…What?" Hakuno blinked.
James Moriarty muttered, "That name alone makes me uncomfortable."
"Oh, he's a good guy once you get past the murder jokes and casual disregard for physics," Dopinder said, eyes still on the road. "He's been helping me win over the woman of my dreams. So he is good friend. Isn't that right, Sir Karna?"
Karna, graceful as ever in his human guise with crimson eyes glowing faintly, glanced sideways. "You have courage. That's commendable. I wish you and him success."
"You saying that just made my year," Dopinder whispered emotionally.
Ritsuka chuckled softly, resting his hand on Hakuno's lap. But his thoughts were already drifting—about Jean Grey, around the Phoenix.
"Driver," Moriarty said suddenly, "You said something about X-Men on the news?"
"Yes!" Dopinder answered with a nod. "Something crazy's going on at that school of theirs. One of them flew through the air last night. Boom, like a shooting star! They say it's the red-haired one."
"Jean…" Ritsuka whispered.
"We're heading there now to find out," Hakuno said calmly. "Hopefully before things get worse."
The cab fell into a comfortable lull. Until Hakuno leaned over with a mischievous glint.
"I love you," she whispered sweetly.
Ritsuka turned, his face utterly innocent. "Yes, I love myself too."
"…"
Hakuno blinked once. Then twice.
She tried again. "I love you."
"Yeah, it's a great day today."
"Ritsuka!" she tried again, this time with full pout and emotion. "I love you!"
"Hmm?" He gave her a sideways look. "Yeah, I know."
Hakuno's face puffed up like a furious kitten, and she lunged forward to hug him tightly, wrapping her arms around his chest and pressing her body into his.
"I'm not letting go until you say it back."
Ritsuka's smirk grew. "Really?"
"Really."
He leaned close. "What a good day, right?"
"Whyyyy~!" Hakuno wailed, voice muffled in his chest. "Why are you like this?"
'Because your reactions are too adorable,' Ritsuka thought to himself.
She gave him a sharp little bite on the cheek. "Say it, or I'll escalate."
Ritsuka gave in, whispering into her ear in a warm murmur, "I love you."
Hakuno flushed, grinning triumphantly. "See? I knew you could say it."
She leaned back, feeling accomplished—until she repeated it again, "I love you."
"…Great day," Ritsuka said immediately with a poker face.
"BAKA!!" Hakuno cried and pounced into his lap like a cat, clinging to him.
James Moriarty snapped his book shut. "You two! Do you mind? Some of us are trying not to be reminded of our eternal singleness. And let me remind you—we're on a mission that could determine the fate of the world!"
Dopinder nodded sagely. "Flirting is common in this part of the world, Professor. It's healthy. Builds emotional resilience."
"You wouldn't understand," Moriarty sighed.
"I don't understand math either," Dopinder replied cheerfully, "but I know when someone needs to get over themselves."
Ritsuka and Hakuno both laughed. Hakuno gave Dopinder a thumbs-up.
Karna, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke. "Moriarty. We must respect others' personal relationships. It is dishonorable to interfere."
Moriarty sighed in exasperation. "Fine. Fine. I shall remain quiet. But if I see tongue, I'm jumping out of the car."
Ritsuka leaned closer to Hakuno, whispering, "Should we make him jump?"
Hakuno smirked. "Don't tempt me."
Eventually, Moriarty gave up and closed his eyes, muttering to himself about probability equations and contingency plans. He started to doze off, deciding not to waste his genius on romantic absurdity.
Meanwhile, Ritsuka stared out the window, his smile slowly fading as the Xavier Institute came into view in the distance.
'Jean… please be safe until we get there. Whatever the Phoenix is planning, I have to stop it before it turns into another Lostbelt.'
He squeezed Hakuno's hand gently.
The taxi pulled away, Dopinder giving a cheerful wave.
"Good luck, Team Good Guys!" he called. "Tell Mr. Logan I said hi! It's been awhile I met him."
Ritsuka handed him the fare and gave a small nod. "Thanks, Dopinder."
As the cab disappeared down the road, the four travelers turned to face the gates of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. The once-peaceful mansion grounds bore fresh scars: flowerbeds scorched, trees snapped at the trunks, and the once-flourishing garden had withered under the sheer pressure of Phoenix's awakening.
Hakuno, her hands tucked into her jacket pockets, frowned.
Ritsuka remained silent, his eyes scanning the building with sharp purpose. Beside him, Karna walked with grace but alertness. Moriarty, book in hand, was muttering to himself about "socio-psychological meltdown catalysts." He too was taking mental notes.
No classes were in session today. The school was too tense, too hollow in Jean Grey's absence.
As they stepped into the main hall, they saw the X-Men gathered in solemn tension.
The air was thick with worry. Quiet conversations broke off when Ororo Munroe—Storm—spotted them.
"You made it," she greeted. Her voice, firm and respectful, broke through the heavy silence. "Thanks for coming."
Ritsuka nodded. "We said we'd help."
But before he could say more, his eyes landed on someone new.
A young woman stood silently by the window. Her brown hair fell to her shoulders, a single white streak prominent. Rogue. She wore long sleeves and gloves despite the summer warmth. Her eyes, however, revealed sharp awareness—she wasn't just watching, she was listening.
'That must be Rogue,' Ritsuka thought. 'The one the kids said never left her room. So she came out today....'
She didn't say anything. But she met his gaze with quiet curiosity.
Ritsuka exhaled slowly, then stepped forward.
"I want to say something to everyone," he announced clearly, turning to face the entire group.
The silence grew deeper. One by one, the X-Men looked at him:
Wolverine, arms crossed. Storm, calm and poised. Kitty Pryde, nervous but attentive. Colossus, standing firm. Nightcrawler, solemn and respectful. Psylocke, calculating behind purple eyes. Iceman, arms folded, worry plain. Scott Summers, his jaw set in guilt. Mystique, unreadable as always. Quicksilver, fidgeting impatiently. Gambit, unreadable behind red-on-black eyes. Jubilee, biting her lip.
Charles Xavier, seated at the center, his mind visibly heavy.
Ritsuka drew in a breath and spoke with conviction.
"I want to help Jean. And I think I can help her. I'm not a mutant...but I do have powers. You've all been kind to us. You let us stay, even though you had every reason to suspect us. And I want to repay that trust—not with words, but with action."
A brief silence followed.
Ororo's eyes widened slightly. She had not expected Ritsuka to reveal this so freely.
'He's not holding back…'
"Fujimaru," Xavier said gently. "You don't need to—"
Ritsuka shook his head. "I do. Secrets cost people. I've learned that in the worst ways. You took me and my team in. So I'm showing you who I am."
He turned his palm up—and let a small ripple of blue magical energy dance across it. The aura was unfamiliar to them. Not mutant power. Not mutant at all. Something danger.
Xavier nodded slowly. "He's telling the truth. I've scanned him in the past. He's powerful. And more than that... he's sincere."
He looked around at the others.
"I brought them here because I believed observe them. Sorry for hiding it."
But before anyone could speak further—
"I never believed you."
The voice was rough, gruff, and sharp as claws. Logan.
Everyone turned toward Wolverine, who leaned against a wall, his arms folded tightly across his chest.
Ritsuka didn't flinch. "Understood."
The two locked eyes. For a moment, the air was electric.
No hatred. No accusation.
Just… mutual understanding.
From the beginning, Logan had watched Ritsuka without interference, without warmth—but also without hostility. It was how warriors measured each other: not by talk, but by how they stood.
Logan gave a small grunt, then turned away. That was his version of respect.
Charles Xavier sat in his chair, unmoving, his mind clouded, his heart heavy. As the others digested Ritsuka's words, a soft murmur slipped past Xavier's lips:
"It's all my fault... Jean left because of me."
His voice was low, nearly inaudible—but one man heard it clearly.
James Moriarty.
He wasn't like the others. Where others saw guilt and sorrow, Moriarty saw cracks.
The professor's posture, the slight tension in his brow, the tremor in his fingers—they weren't just signs of guilt. They were signs of a man who had done something wrong and was grappling with the fear of it coming to light.
Moriarty stepped forward. His voice, calm but cutting, sliced through the tension in the room.
"Professor Xavier... I believe you owe everyone here the truth. What did you do to Jean Grey?"
Gasps filled the air.
Piotr Rasputin scowled and stepped forward. "What nonsense are you speaking, professor? Watch your mouth."
Ritsuka stayed silent, eyes narrowed. He knew Moriarty didn't speak without cause.
Xavier looked up. His expression was tight, eyes cloudy with remorse. "I didn't hurt her. Everything I did... it was for her own good. For the greater good of our kind."
Moriarty chuckled. Not cruelly—but with grim certainty.
"And there it is. The line every manipulator uses to justify the betrayal of trust."
A beat passed.
"You did something to her mind. Didn't you?"
Xavier lowered his eyes.
Storm turned to him, her voice cautious but demanding. "Charles... is that true?"
Scott looks at him.
Mystique immediately interjected, stepping forward with fury in her voice.
"Enough! This man's accusing the one who built this school! Who saved mutants all over the world! You bring someone like him here to stir chaos, Fujimaru?"
Ritsuka didn't flinch.
Before the argument could escalate further, a sharp click echoed from the mansion's front doors.
Everyone turned.
Standing at the entrance, bathed in the daylight, was a woman dressed in white.
Emma Frost.
Her platinum blonde hair glimmered, and her diamond-sharp eyes held nothing but disdain.
"I told you, Charles... one day, all your secrets would come back to haunt you."
Xavier stiffened.
Emma walked forward slowly, her heels tapping against the floor like a ticking clock.
"And now, look where it's brought you. Jean is gone, and your house of cards is starting to collapse."
---
Note: sorry for the late. I will try to upload more chapters. Now I know how to end this arc.