Chapter Text
She had been pacing the length of the Danger Room for over ten minutes now, each step only adding to her frustration.
“Where is he?” Ororo muttered under her breath.
She had offered Evan extra one-on-one training as a favour to her sister, but she was beginning to regret sacrificing her time. Logan had even given up his Danger Room slot so she could train the boy, and yet—Evan still hadn’t shown up.
Just as she was about to call Logan and give him the room back, the door hissed open. Evan came running in, still pulling his arms through his suit.
“I’m so sorry, Auntie O’. Mr. Rosa gave me detention. I got here as fast as I could!”
“Detention?” Ororo asked, disappointment creeping into her voice.
His expression soured. “Ask Jean. It was her fault.”
Ororo raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to elaborate. When he only looked down at the floor, she sighed heavily.
“I hope you know I’ll be calling your mother.”
“Yeah… I know.”
“Alright then. Let’s begin. Computer—start program.”
The Danger Room shifted, transforming into a long, navy-blue corridor. Without another word, Ororo began walking down it, not even checking if Evan was behind her.
“Wait—what are we doing today?” Evan asked as he jogged to catch up.
“Storm Catcher. We’ve done it a few times already.”
Evan was quiet for a beat before speaking again. “Uh… remind me what that is? Am I supposed to catch you?”
Ororo stopped and turned to face him, her expression unreadable.
“We just did this last week. How have you forgotten? You’re supposed to protect me, Evan. I won’t be using my powers or dodging anything. You’re responsible for my safety until I reach the end of this corridor.”
She turned back around and resumed walking, her shoulders slightly tense with anticipation. She’d programmed this session to randomize every time—she wouldn’t know what was coming. It would be as much a challenge for her as it would be for Evan.
They continued in silence for several long moments, Evan trailing a few steps behind. Suddenly, metallic claws burst from hidden panels in the walls, wrapping tightly around Ororo’s wrists and ankles and suspending her mid-air, arms and legs stretched out.
“AUNTIE O’!” Evan shouted. He immediately grew a spike from his forearm and slashed at the claws, freeing her ankles first, then her wrists.
Ororo dropped to one knee with a grunt, catching her breath before rising.
“Are you oka—?”
He didn’t get to finish. The ground beneath him gave way, and he dropped ten feet, hitting the floor with a thud. Pain bloomed across his back as he groaned and pushed himself up, summoning two more spikes. He stabbed them into the wall and climbed, reaching the top just as the corridor was consumed by a thick, pea-soup fog.
“Storm? I-I can’t see!”
“Remember your training,” came her voice through the mist. “We covered smokescreens last week. Use your ears—follow my voice.”
He moved forward blindly, straining to listen. Finally, he emerged from the fog and spotted Ororo standing just ahead of him. But before he could say anything, a cube shot up around her, sealing her inside.
A few seconds passed in eerie silence.
Then came the screams.
“EVAN! GET ME OUT OF HERE!” Ororo’s voice was laced with panic, the walls of the box echoing with the sound of her fists slamming against them.
Evan launched a cluster of spikes at the box—but they shattered on contact. This wasn’t the same material as before. It wasn’t just unbreakable—it felt wrong .
Before he could even call for help, lightning erupted around them. Then, with a thunderous crack, the box exploded outward in fragments. Ororo collapsed to her hands and knees, panting, trembling, as the simulation abruptly powered down.
Evan approached slowly, unsure.
“A-Auntie O’? A-are you okay?”
As soon as his hand touched her shoulder, she recoiled violently.
“DON’T TOUCH ME.”
He backed away instantly, hands raised in surrender. “I—I’m sorry.”
“Please leave, Evan,” Ororo whispered, eyes still locked on the floor, her body trembling as the adrenaline ebbed.
“But—”
“LEAVE!” she snapped.
Evan turned and fled. Just before the door closed behind him, he called over his shoulder, “I didn’t program that box!”
Ororo didn’t look up. Her voice barely carried: “I didn’t either.”
She stayed there, curled up on the cold floor with her knees drawn to her chest, until Logan arrived for his next class. Only then did she rise and leave.
Logan opened his mouth to ask something, but said nothing as she passed—still visibly shaking.
The corridors hummed with the usual low thrum of machinery. Routine, familiar. Yet with every step, the sound seemed to stretch thin—like silence waiting to snap.
Then she heard it. A whisper. Soft. Too soft. So faint she wondered if it was just the blood rushing in her ears.
Her breath hitched. She told herself it was nothing.
“Evan? Are… are you still down here?” she called out hesitantly.
No response.
Lightning sparks in her palms unconsciously, ready to fight if needed.
Then, behind her, a door swished open.
She turned—no lights, no movement inside.
Instinct urged her to investigate. Normally she would. Not tonight. Not after the box.
She bolted for the elevator, breath quickening, heart pounding. She slammed the call button, again and again, as the whispers seemed to press closer.
“ You’ll always come back to me”
She whipped her head around—nothing. Just a dark, empty corridor.
The elevator pinged .
She turned and ran straight into Hank McCoy.
“Ah! Sorry, Hank.”
“It’s alright. Happens more often than you’d think,” he said with a soft chuckle.
Once the doors closed, she slumped against the wall, finally exhaling.
“Is everything alright?”
“I… I just had a rough session with Evan. I feel like every step forward with him leads to ten steps back.”
“The school’s having a hard time with him too.” Hank handed her a crumpled piece of paper. She unfolded it—a failing report card.
Her eyes lingered on the grades before she looked up.
“I’m starting to think he isn’t reachable anymore,” she murmured.
1:00 A.M.
Ororo tossed in bed, trapped in a nightmare.
Shadowy figures closed in, unrelenting. She tried to summon her powers—nothing. Powerless and surrounded.
“No… stay back…” she whimpered.
They came closer.
“I said stay back!”
Still, they pressed in. She could feel their cold breath.
“I SAID STAY BACK!”
She jolted upright in bed, gasping. The room was empty—except for the balcony door, swinging in the night wind stirred by her fear.
Before she could gather herself, Logan burst in, claws out. Moments later, Professor Xavier rolled in behind him.
“Someone was in here,” Ororo said, her voice shaking.
Logan swept the balcony and came back inside, locking the door. “Nothin’. I’ll check the cams just in case.”
“I could’ve sworn—but lately I’ve been so…”
“Exhausted? You’ve been carrying too much Ororo, You need rest” Xavier finished gently.
Ororo nodded. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Maybe it’s the session with Evan…”
“Perhaps. Either way, get some rest. You look exhausted.”
“Thank you, Professor,” she whispered.
3:00 A.M.
Sleep wouldn’t come.
The silence pressed in. The shadows felt watchful.
Finally, she stepped out onto the balcony. The cool night air grounded her. She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply.
Then—movement.
She opened her eyes and looked down.
Snakes. Dozens. Writhing over her bare feet.
She gasped and shot into the air, hovering above the balcony. Her heart thundered in her chest as she looked down again—nothing. Just the empty concrete.
But across the lawn, something stirred.
“Evan?” she whispered.
She saw him—throwing a backpack over the front gates. Climbing over.
She dove, feet hitting the ground in a run.
“EVAN! DON’T RUN!”
He didn’t stop. Didn’t even look back.
She prepared to take off again when the whispers returned—louder this time. Surrounding her.
Her breath caught. Her muscles froze. She couldn’t trust her powers like this.
She turned to run—only to feel a white hot pain in her head.
Her knees buckled.
The last thing she heard before the darkness took her was the sound of footsteps approaching.