11 11... (EDITED FOR FLOW)

Two days had slipped by within the confines of the mansion. During that time, I remained holed up in the same room, disconnected from meeting anyone else. Luckily, I'd fully recovered from my recent scuffle. No more lingering soreness for me.

Over the last couple of days, I took my time examining my body. Surprisingly, with my slight height increase, my fat seemed to have distributed more evenly, leaving me as a regular, chubby person—no longer teetering on the edge of obesity. Quite a change, huh?

*Knock!*

*Knock!*

The door's sound broke the monotony. "Come in!" I said.

*The door creaked open...*

"Good morning, Alex. You seem to be doing well," a feminine voice greeted me. I quickly nodded in response.

"Hey, Ororo. I'm alright. I think I'm finally ready to get out of this bed." Being cooped up had worn thin on me. I had grown somewhat acquainted with her over the past few days, but the lack of interaction with anyone else hadn't bothered me much.

"Is that so? That's great news!" she replied, a smile gracing her face.

Have I mentioned how much I admire this person?

"Your clothes and other belongings should be in that drawer... I'll give you some space." she said, stepping back.

'I wouldn't mind if you stayed, to be honest...'

"Yeah, I'll be done in a jiffy." I actually said.

As I stepped out, I spotted Ororo waiting by my room.

"Good, that was fast. But we should get moving... I need to take you to meet someone," Ororo said, her tone pleasant.

"Ah, sure. Why not?" I felt a twinge of curiosity about who I'd meet right after leaving the room.

As we journeyed, I scrutinized every detail of the surroundings. My heightened perception made everything feel both familiar and strange simultaneously. I observed things moving in slow motion but could adjust it back to normal, as if it were second nature...

Glancing out the windows, I saw others—people with powers. Fire wielders, limb stretchers... It was an odd sensation. I might have been abnormal, but these individuals had actual abilities. It was undeniably fascinating.

"Hey, we've arrived," Ororo announced, pulling me from my thoughts.

Ahead stood a massive metallic door, seemingly weighing tons from its sheer thickness. A bunker, perhaps? The high level of security was unmistakable.

Ororo gestured for me to enter. As I stepped inside, my eyes fell upon only one person seated in a wheelchair in the spacious, almost futuristic room. It was slightly eerie... but not entirely unpleasant in its design.

"Hello, Ororo. Hello, Alex," the man greeted us, his gaze fixed on me.

"Hello," I replied tentatively, slightly taken aback by how he knew my name.

He smiled. "My student, Ororo, has briefed me about you since you regained consciousness," he explained, a faint smile lingering on his lips.

'That clears that up,' I thought to myself.

"Professor..." Ororo's tone held a hint of irritation at her teacher's revelation.

"...Well, I think it's time to get down to business," the elderly man continued, his voice carrying a weight that shifted the atmosphere. I noticed Ororo's smile had vanished too...

"My name is Professor Xavier. I lead, care for, and guide mutants and even humans who seek nothing but peace and coexistence—you must have seen some on your way here," he finished, smiling.

However, his commitment to 'coexistence' felt deadly serious. The term 'mutants' seemed apt for the people I had observed.

He glanced at Ororo, who nodded and left us alone.

"To be candid... for the past week and two days, I've been observing and studying you, Mister Alex. I ask for your forgiveness for both," he confessed, genuine in his demeanor.

'Oh, for heaven's sake... already?' I inwardly sighed.

...Was this real? Maybe my friends from a past life were onto something. The Marvel universe seemed like a paranoid mess...

"I had my reasons. I wasn't certain if you posed a potential threat, and truthfully, I still don't... I'm not fond of the methods I used to find out. However, this is where I draw the line," he asserted.

'Ok?' I thought.

"None of the measures I took could determine what makes you who you are... I examined your body to discern if you were a mutant, but the tests came back negative. You aren't a mutant..."

So? Perhaps there were, looming dangers out there. But rushing into tests without consent was sending all the wrong signals and was downright unethical. I'd been contemplating to myself about leaving before, but this actually solidified my decision...

"Look... I appreciate your assistance. But that doesn't justify your actions. I need to leave." Staying here didn't feel so safe. Figuring things out on my own seemed a better option.

Wait... Ororo, Xavier, and Logan knew about me being in that room, at least my memory served me right. He and some of his associates were likely aware of my body too...

'...She probably knows...' I felt a pang of disappointment. I'd need to ask her about if she knew of the experimentation later...

"Wait, Alex... You can't just—" He began, but I wasn't inclined to listen.

"What? I can't leave? Watch me." I interjected calmly, striding away. They might have saved me, but I couldn't trust someone who conducted such tests without consent, even if he disclosed them afterward...

"Just think for a moment. You aren't an ordinary human. You're different, yet oddly similar. When I first conducted the, tests. I discovered your body metabolizes the nutrients much faster than a regular human's. Your inexplicable growth in height and muscles is far from normal, and your sheer regeneration..." He sighed.

"...Do you comprehend your density right now? And yet, how light you are? We've assessed you to be superhuman, quite easily too..." Was he trying to uplift me with praise?

Still, I halted in my tracks. Still, as much as I didn't wan to listen, he had a point. I wasn't just a regular human—I was something more, something exceptional. My panel confirmed that. I continued listening.

"Your life won't be ordinary anymore, Alex... Leaving now means you'd be trying to live a life that isn't meant for you, at least not for now. Take it from me, young man. That kind of life never ends well."

Now, he sounded concerned...

"Look, Alex, in just this past week, we've conducted every conceivable test to understand what makes you unique. I don't think you fully comprehend the significance... If you could stay, just for a little while longer, and see, you'd be amazed by what we can discover about you," he urged.

His arms remained steady on the wheelchair. Despite his raised voice, he exuded composure...

It seemed he wanted to know more about my physiology than me. Not a surprise. Yet, his technology couldn't delve into the reasons behind my uniqueness—only surface-level analyses. A promising sign...

However, this level of calm suggested he would let me go if I chose to. I didn't want to entertain the alternative. He seemed determined, but not desperate.

Considering my future wasn't the wisest idea at the moment, but my mind raced with possibilities...

'Perhaps I could use this to my advantage?' I mused slyly. If he exploited me, why couldn't I reciprocate?

Suddenly, an idea sparked within me. Honestly, this person didn't strike me as evil per se... But someone willing to bend morals for their goals. He sounded like that type...

"...Alright, I'll stay for a while." I decided. With his resources, I knew what I could and would do from now on...

I wasn't going to go all evil on him or anyone else. He sounded like he was genuinely sorry for what he had done, but wasn't willing to take such measures, or chances in a universe I practically had zero knowledge of, at least, not until I'm powerful enough...

"Thank you for reconsidering. Since we're here, would you like to meet the others?" He asked, a smile gracing his lips. I simply nodded.

Too bad he didn't realize—I'd be gone sooner than he expected...

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END