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Just as Professor X, now Benjamin, arrived at the college, a drama was unfolding in a student dormitory.
Even after settling in, the new environment still felt strange to Rogue. Separated from Clark and Logan, the two people she knew best, she found herself unable to sleep. She tossed and turned, her mind racing.
Although she was starting to accept her new life, she couldn't forget about Logan and Clark. Clark, especially. She knew he wasn't staying here, but the image of his back, standing protectively in front of her even though he was smaller, kept replaying in her mind.
She had heard that Clark had contacted his parents and might be leaving the very next day. Overwhelmed by an urge to see him one last time, she slipped out of her room in a thin pair of pajamas and walked to Logan and Clark's dorm. In the quiet of the night, she was oblivious to her own power, unaware that every inch of her exposed skin was a potential weapon.
The door to their room was ajar, and she stepped inside. Her plan was simple: go to Clark's bed and just look at him one last time. But as she passed Logan's bed, she saw him stirring in his sleep, his face twisted in pain.
"Logan? Logan, what's wrong?"
Before this, Jean Grey had attempted to use her psychic abilities to help Logan regain his memories, a process that was supposed to have failed. However, it was clear that in his sleep, Logan was now reliving his past.
This part of his memory was steeped in agony, as if his life had been a constant battle with pain. The intense discomfort finally jolted him awake, and his survival instincts kicked in, telling him someone was near. In a flash, Logan's sharp claws unsheathed, instinctively piercing the person beside him.
"Ugh!"
Rogue was hit. Logan's claws tore through the upper right side of her body, near her shoulder. A brief cry of pain escaped her lips before she was rendered silent, every muscle tensed and her brain unable to form another scream.
"Rogue... Rogue..."
It was at that moment that Logan realized he had hurt her. Looking at the wound's location, he feared he might have pierced a lung.
"Someone! Help!"
He screamed for help. He knew how to apply a basic bandage, but an injury like this required much more. Logan's shouts woke Clark, who saw what had happened in an instant.
"What's going on... How did Rogue..."
There was no time to question why Rogue was in their room. With a physique no different from an ordinary person's, she would surely die without immediate medical attention. It was the middle of the night, and even if people heard Logan's cry, it would be a while before they arrived.
Logan pulled his claws out and tried to press his hands on her wound to stop the bleeding, but the moment his skin touched hers, something strange happened. Black lines spread from his palms, instantly covering his entire body. Logan, who had always seemed so indestructible, began to shrivel and weaken within seconds. At the same time, Rogue's wounds began to heal at a rapid, unnatural pace.
"Is this her ability?"
Clark suddenly remembered Rogue mentioning that anyone who touched her skin would get hurt. The surprise only lasted a moment before he quickly pulled Logan away, breaking the contact.
By this time, a crowd had gathered at the door, drawn by Logan's screams. But what they saw wasn't Logan accidentally injuring Rogue. Instead, they saw Rogue standing there, seemingly unharmed, while Logan lay unconscious on the floor.
"Clark, what happened?" Professor X, Benjamin, arrived, relieved to see Clark safe.
"Dad, it's okay, it's just..."
Clark was distracted by Benjamin's presence and didn't notice Rogue trembling.
The teachers might have understood the situation, but the students didn't. They hadn't seen Rogue get hurt; they had only seen her standing over an unconscious Logan. A target was painted on her back. The students looked at her with fear. Unlike Clark, she couldn't master her powers and prove she was harmless. The truth was, anyone who touched her skin would be hurt.
In that moment, Rogue felt like this place was no different from her old home. People who didn't understand her felt no fear, but those who did would instinctively stay away. A mix of sadness and confusion washed over her. Lowering her head as if to hide her face, she squeezed through the crowd and ran.
Everyone, except for Clark, was so focused on Logan's condition that they ignored her reaction. Clark's super senses and intellect allowed him to process multiple things at once, and he noticed her leave. Still, like everyone else, he was more concerned with Logan and didn't chase after her.
Meanwhile, on the college lawn, an inconspicuous student watched the commotion from a distance. As he observed the unfolding scene, a plan began to form in his mind.
"So, you, Charles, can't handle the child? Then we'll do it for you."