Location: Xavier's School, Training Room
Time: Evening, the day after the incident
Riven stood alone in the center of the reinforced training room, its steel walls lined with impact-resistant panels and observation windows. His black T-shirt clung to his body with a sheen of sweat, muscles taut and coiled like cables beneath his skin. The echoes of his precise strikes against a heavy combat dummy reverberated through the room—each punch calculated, each kick driven by a restrained fury.
He moved through a regimen of strikes, dodges, and controlled bursts of telekinetic force. Small objects floated in controlled orbits around him as he meditated mid-combat, using motion as a focus. His breathing was steady. His eyes were calm.
Outside the room, a few of the younger students had gathered behind the safety glass to watch him. Some whispered. Others stared wide-eyed.
"He's scary," one muttered.
"I heard he took down three Hydra sites alone," another added.
"He looks like he could snap a car in half," someone said. "And he's not even using all his powers."
Behind the crowd, Rogue stood quietly, arms folded. She was watching him with a mixture of curiosity and something harder to define.
Bobby Drake came up beside her, a tray of snacks in one hand. He glanced at Riven, then at her.
"You watching him again?" he asked, eyebrows raised.
Rogue didn't answer, just kept watching. Bobby followed her gaze, then squinted into the room.
"I mean… yeah, he's strong," Bobby muttered. "But it's all grimdark with him, right? No style. No flair."
Riven had just finished a combination of kicks when he finally stopped, standing still with one hand raised in concentration. The floating objects settled to the ground gently.
That's when Bobby stepped through the entrance.
"Hey," he called. "How about a little spar? Unless you're afraid to lose to a kid."
Riven didn't respond at first. He just turned to look at Bobby, his eyes unreadable.
From the upper observation deck, Beast, Jean, Storm, and Cyclops had joined the audience. Logan was leaning against the doorframe with a toothpick in his mouth, grinning faintly.
"This should be interesting," Logan muttered.
Riven finally nodded once. "Fine."
He stepped back into position.
The room grew quiet.