Chapter 51: The Tiger & The Phoenix (2)

—

Enrique didn't wait long about Anna’s admission. Just a week after the new year, after the holidays ended, he grabbed Anna and flew to the school.

The Midtown High School.

The students were surprised to see him in the sky, as he lowered the flight to land. He had come here three times by now, but the kids still were surprised.

"Huh?"

"It's Supernova again!"

"Is he here for Parker again?"

"Wait, that girl in his arms… So hot."

"What the hell?! How dare you look at our Queen with bad eyes?"

"W-wai- ak! It hurts, sto- ak!"

It seemed Rogue caught most of the attention this time, being in his arms as she was. It was her first time coming here, so the students were excited to take a glimpse of her. In the past two months, she earned quite a popularity across the nation; such reactions were natural.

Enrique ignored the kids fooling around and landed near the entrance. Another group of kids ignored the fools and came rushing for autographs or selfies. Sadly, today wasn’t their day.

“Later, kids.”

Enrique waved at them and flew past them, narrowly entering the door to the school and landing on the other side.

“The Principal’s room, anybody?”

Enrique asked the nearby students, and one of them stuttered and pointed in the western direction.

“Thank you.”

He thanked the kid and continued flying. Soon he found himself in front of the principal’s office.

However, on top of the door, the board said [Teacher’s Room] instead.

It appeared that the kid had misdirected due to nervousness. Regardless, Enrique dropped Anna to her feet and knocked on the door—in case he found someone here who could help.

“Ah-? Come in.”

A strangely familiar voice said from the other side. Enrique frowned before pushing the door open.

Just as the door opened, his eyes caught on the red-haired, glasses-wearing woman on the other side. She held a bunch of books in her arms, hugging them, as she looked at him and Anna with a surprised expression.

“…Why are you guys here?"

Enrique frowned deeply hearing her question.

‘Why in hell's name is she here?’

*  *  *

Enrique’s instant reaction was to leave right away. Sure, he was safe around mind readers, but Anna was not. It’s not a good thing if she went through Anna’s memories.

“Anna, pray.”

Before leaving right away, however, Enrique nudged Anna’s shoulders so that she prayed for protection from Mut.

“A-alright. Hi Professor Jean.”

Anna cleared her throat and clasped her hands in front of her chest. Then, she closed her eyes and prayed aloud.

“Our lord and savior, the great mother, please protect me from mind-reading evil witches…!”

“Good.”

Enrique patted her head even as he felt a strange energy, possibly magic, wrap around her head like a cocoon.

“….”

Meanwhile, Jean Grey stared still in her spot and blinked. Soon, she sighed.

This level of protection wasn’t exactly something that she couldn’t break, but it was something that she couldn’t bypass without noticing. If she tried to break it, Mut will notice, and Mut will notify Enrique about it. Enrique could then distract Jean just enough for Anna to leave the vicinity.

Jean didn’t look amused by the development and rubbed her temple.

“I just expressed my surprise, you know? The first thing I do after I see you two, wouldn’t be to barge into your heads. Also, am I that untrustworthy? You two really have a bad opinion of us telepaths.”

Jean explained while Enrique continued frowning at her.

“I would suggest you don’t play the victim here. You took over Anna’s body to sit on my lap two months ago, remember? It's a pity if you forgot. Perhaps the next time you sit on me, I should give you an unforgettable experience.”

Jean frowned and looked at Anna questioningly.

“Anna, are you sure you are fine being with a man like this? Who speaks in this manner, even while you are present right by his side?”

“Again, you are assuming things. Speaking as if Anna and I are dating. Anna, are we dating?”

Enrique looked at Anna who gently shook her head.

“We are not. Professor Jean, I don’t mean any disrespect, but I agree with Enrique. Perhaps he just wants a woman like you, since he is single. Why must you put him in a bad light? You would hurt his feelings.”

“….”

While Enrique looked at Jean with a pained expression, Jean gave the both of them a dry look. She knew they were joking about the hurting feelings part, but she was unsure about his earlier words.

At last, she shook her head and said.

“I swear, the way the media presents you, you two don’t just seem like a normal master and side-kick.”

Enrique shrugged, “Media presents me nice enough; it’s the social media that is to blame. Anna isn’t yet 18, you know? How could I and her be dating?”

“Well…”

Jean tried to reason it in her head but failed. In the end, she sighed and apologized.

“Alright, sorry, I seem to have made the situation uncomfortable.”

“I don’t really care. Speaking of, how did you know about my plan to admit Anna to this school? I didn’t even tell her, so the possibility that you read her mind in the last two weeks and learned about this, is nigh impossible.”

Enrique asked her outright, to which she gave him an annoyed look.

“Perhaps you’re just paranoid and this is just a coincidence. Have you thought of that? I should be the one antagonizing you after what you did to the X-Men last time—but it’s you who’s calling me out.”

Enrique looked nonchalant in front of her barrage of words, which made Jean frown harder. At last, once again, she just sighed as the frown in her head melted away.

“I am on my professor training. As a professor at Xavier’s School, I have to be updated with how normal schools teach their students. So that the students at Xavier’s School do not feel left out from the modernity of the world.”

“Aha.”

“Yes, mister Nova. Not only I, but my other fellow professors are also going through such training. On top of that, this year there was a little change brought to the system. The owner of Midtown High happened to be a friend of professor Charles, and so he listened to one of Charles’ requests.”

Enrique frowned upon hearing that. He had somewhat of a weird feeling about the next words that Jean spoke.

“We called some students from Xavier’s over here— as transfer students. They're not permanent, but instead, a pack of mutant students will come to study here twice a week."

Huh. Why did they suddenly decide that would be a good idea?

As if his mental block didn't work against Jean Grey anymore, she answered the question in his head 

"Because we mutants are building a good reputation. And that's thanks to your heroic actions along with Anna,  much as I hate to admit it. The human kids are most open to us; superpowers are beginning to be seen as a gift rather than a curse. Just as Professor Charles dreamed of. So he planned this little move of his. Depending on the reaction of the students, we will decide on larger things later."

"Okay,"

Enrique stood a step forward.

"Let me get this straight. Basically, this school's gonna be a mutant fest starting from now on?"

Jean looked a little taken aback because of the way he asked the question. She let out a slow answer.

"Yes…?"

"Alright then, Anna. Let's leave."

Enrique turned around, grabbed Anna, and walked away.

"Huh? Hey? Mister Nova, listen here-"

Jean called, but Enrique didn't stop. Just when he was about to walk through the door, the door slammed on its own. Jean had used her telekinesis to close it.

Enrique turned around with a frown.

"Are you trying to instigate a fight?"

"I am not. I am simply delighted that you plan to admit Anna here, and it saddens me to see you go like this. We can talk about it, don't you think?"

"Listen, what can I do? I don't want my girl to grow up between a bunch of lowly racist brats who think they're hot shits."

"...."

Enrique walked to Jean and pressed a finger on her chest.

"You know I am not wrong. Your school tried to make the mutant kids feel more confident, as they thought lowly of themselves. But instead, you only succeeded in making racist brats who think they're an entire race superior to humans."

Enrique knew those kids’ thoughts weren’t entirely false— but that was exactly the point. The kids thinking that way went against the whole point that Xavier claims to be teaching mutant kids. Enrique didn’t want Anna to be around them.

That, and there was another point. The main point. Superior ‘race’? No they were not.

Enrique believed in individual superiority, not in racial one. There were monkeys smarter than certain humans, did that mean the entire race of monkeys were superior to humans? 

It did not.

So, if Anna Marie wanted to see herself as superior than everyone else, Enrique Nova was there himself to teach her how to do that. In a competent way, also.

Before leaving, he decided to give a little advice to the Host of the Phoenix Force.

"This is infighting, Miss Grey. Mutants are humans too, but with superpowers. Learn to think that way instead of assuming you are an entirely different race. Because, entire different races exist out in the universe. Races who are far from friendly, and when they attack humans, they won't hold back just because you identify as 'Mutants'."

Enrique spat some facts to her face. Seeing her eyes flutter in doubt was a feast to the eyes, but he couldn’t wait to enjoy it. He wanted to leave.

He was just about to leave, and he turned to the door too. However, the hottie with red-head grabbed him by the arm.

He frowned and turned to growl. But he rather found himself surprised when he stared into the eyes of two twinkling stars.

The end of Jean Grey's hair caught on fire, as her eyes were two bright suns. 

No, it wasn't Jean Grey anymore. Those eyes belonged to a Beast.

“Hey,”

The Phoenix had descended.

"That was quite a great speech, I just wanna say I agree."

Her voice was ethereal and sounded like music to his ears, but her expression was like that of a devil.

"However, I can't care less about any of that."

The phoenix stepped forward and brought her face closer to Enrique.

"Say, you met with that old tiger, didn't you? I can smell it. And that thing on the girl's neck… Isn't that the White Tiger's amulet?"

Enrique suddenly found himself in a very dangerous situation. Who knew things would turn out like this? Well, a part of him did expect this, but had discarded the possibility.

Rulers of opposing forces, and thereafter natural rivals. That was what the Phoenix Force and the White Tiger were.

Her hand wrapped around his forearm, coated by his indestructible suit. Yet, he still felt the heat that her palm was generating.  

The Phoenix’s eyes stared deep into his own, as if peering out something from him, as if her mind was trying to dive into his own. As if she wanted to know what he had talked about with the White Tiger.

…It seemed, whilst giving Jean a speech, Enrique entirely forgot the monster that was hidden inside her.

At that moment, something weird started to twirl in the deepest part of his being, and Enrique couldn’t be sure if it was a good sign… or if the Phoenix had just dived into his head.

**

**

**

If you want to read the next 20 chapters right away, visit my Patreon.

Link: Patreon.com/Master4thWall