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POV: Shawn Valon
Location: Xavier's School for the Gifted Youngsters
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I drove up to the gates of Xavier's school the iconic X of the x-men sat in the center of the gate and felt a tingle go up my spine.
'Come on man you just fought infront of the entire school just a few days ago and took down the Abomination on your way home and your having new student jitters,' I thought to myself after a few moments the gates started to open parting inward.
I closed my eyes for a moment letting my past nostalgia for the x-men overwhelm my present fear only to feel a hand on my shoulder i turned to see the helmeted head of X-23 looking back at me.
"I'm fine just never really liked school in general," I said just as the gate fully open and I drove us in "I just hope school isn't as bad as I remember," I said trying to raise my hopes as the gate closed behind us.
(A Few Hours Later)
I groaned as I laid my head on the lunchroom table my eyes heavy I felt X-23 sit next to me and begin eating her lunch Helperbot made before we left I looked up at her and she seemed perfect fine while I feel like a wet dish rage.
'(I can assume school is just as bad as you remember it??)' She thought and I nodded remembering my first three classes and winced.
That would be a understatement but its worse when the loud kid in the classroom can amplify there voice or the class clown can lift object with their mind.
'(Yeah but I'm sure I'll get used to it though I dont think ill get used to being assigned homework again,)' I thought back and I moved to open my lunch.
Just as I was getting my sandwich three people joined our table all of which I recognized.
"Hey sorry for just joining you both so abruptly," said Hisako Ichiki aka armor and on either side of her we're her teammates Ruth and Eddie or Destiny and Wing.
"No problem," I said trying to keep a straight face as they introduced themselves and I did the same.
"So you can do magic and stuff like Magik," Hisako asked leaning forward a glint of curiosity in her eye.
"Yeah basically but it's a little more complicated and different then hers," I said remembering the stubbern russian girl and I can feel the annoyance from X-23 at the mention of her.
"So I gotta ask how did a magician end up enrolled in a school for mutants," Eddie asked and Hisako jabbed an elbow into his side.
"Sorry about him usually thinks before asking personal questions especially to new student," she said as Eddie rubbed his side mumbling something under his breath.
"No it's alright he does have a point the truth of the matter is that I'm just here to help her," I gestured towards X-23 "To get accustomed to regular and school life plus I want to finish finish high-school," I said telling them most of the truth I wasn't going to tell them I wanted to use the x-mens resources to my advantage.
"So what was up with all that in the auditorium you going all Aris and summoning all those monsters?" Eddie asked and received another jab from his teammate.
"Just my powers working their magic literally in that case but I did push myself in that little performance," I said and got a look from the three well two since Ruth had a cloth around her eyes.
"That was little you summoned an army of monsters and you call that little?" Hisako asked and I shrugged.
The small talk continued for the rest of the lunch period though I wished it would have ended befroe then not that I disliked it but I was the one doing most of the talking while X-23 quietly sat eating her lunch.
My last three classes ended up being three normal classes teaching normal math, science, and history outside the first being taught by Jean Grey herself.
But now me and the rest of my classmates met outside behind the school looking around I could see other groups take up a free area.
After a few minutes our teacher flouted down to greet us wearing her X-Man uniform was Storm or Ms. Ororo Munroe.
"Hello everyone I hope you had a filling lunch today we will be introducing a new student to our class Shawn if you could come and introduce yourself," she asked and almost simultaneously all eyes found there way to me.
'Well let's get this over with,' I thought making my way to the front of the group.
You'd think after doing the class introduction multiple times you'd get used to them, but you'd be wrong it just gets more annoying each time.
I turned an looked at my classmates most i didn't recognize but a few inches think I've seen in a few x-men comics but I could tell everyone if them knew me like every class I've been in today.
But thats to be expected considering the show I put on for the entire school body.
"My name is Shawn Valon nice to meet you all," I said simply and Storm nodded in approval.
"Shawn since I already have you up here would you be willing to participate in today's lesson?" She asked i nodded without hesitation having no real reason to say no.
Storm clasped her hands behind her back as the last stragglers shuffled into line. Her white hair caught the sunlight, glowing almost like silver, and her sharp eyes swept over each of us in turn.
"Today's lesson is simple," she said, her voice carrying without effort. "We're not going to talk about power in theory — we're going to use it. Control, creativity, and resourcefulness are just as important as raw strength."
She raised one hand, and a breeze swirled around her fingers before lifting her gently off the ground. The students gasped, though most had seen her fly before. With her other hand, she summoned a glass bottle of water from the table beside her. A thin frost raced across its surface as the temperature dropped in seconds. She set it back down without spilling a drop.
"Flying. Cooling. Even something as simple as carrying groceries without breaking them — your abilities can do more than fight. Keep that in mind."
A rumble echoed beneath our feet, and suddenly the ground shifted. Panels slid open, revealing a small track carved into the earth. At the far end, a red flag popped up, fluttering lazily in the breeze.
Murmurs spread through the group. I had a feeling what was coming.
"The exercise is straightforward," Storm continued. "Retrieve the flag by any means necessary — but only using your powers. Teamwork is encouraged, but not required. Think carefully. Brute force is not always the answer."
Students were already bracing themselves. One kid stretched his arms, joints popping like elastic bands. Another crouched, his skin glinting faintly like steel.
Me? I just smiled.
'Really? After what I pulled in the auditorium, this is supposed to challenge me?' I thought. Summoning a monster to grab the flag would be the obvious play. Too easy. Too boring.
Instead, an idea crept into my head. Something different. Something risky.
I slid my Duel Disk into place and let it hum to life, the familiar weight settling against my arm. X-23's head turned slightly at the sound, but she didn't comment.
"Let's see what you can really do outside a duel," I muttered under my breath.
The holographic interface shimmered, and I searched my deck until one card pulsed faintly — Confiscation. A spell card. Not an attack monster, not even a trap. Normally, its effect was clear: pay 1000 Life Points to take one card from your opponent's hand. But here? Outside a duel? This was the perfect opportunity to experiment.
I drew it and held it high.
"Spell Card — Confiscation!"
A green aura washed over me. My chest tightened, and suddenly I felt like I'd run a mile uphill. A thousand pounds of exhaustion hit me all at once. My knees almost buckled.
Then the air shimmered.
Out of nowhere, a soldier appeared — clad in battered, medieval-style armor, his face hidden behind a dented helm. He moved without hesitation, crossing the track in heavy strides while the other students shouted in confusion.
The armored figure reached the far end, tore the flag from its post, and carried it back. With a metallic clang, he dropped it neatly at my feet, then dissolved into a wisp of green smoke.
The training yard went quiet.
I picked up the flag, still grinning despite the ache in my chest.
"Well," I said, trying to keep my voice casual, "guess that works too."
Storm's eyes narrowed not in anger, but curiosity.
"Fascinating…" she said softly, clearly filing this away for later.
Around me, students whispered furiously. Some impressed. Some suspicious. Some jealous.
X-23's voice brushed against my mind:
"(You always have to make things complicated, don't you?)"
I smirked, setting the flag aside.
"(Hey, one if the points of this school is to test and train our powers.)"
Still, as Storm continued the class, that spark of excitement was replaced by something heavier.
Because that spell was nothing, tiny, a grey commen spell Card and it had drained me more than expected i felt like I could take a good long nap.
And I had only lost 1000 Life Points but what did that mean outside of a duel I'd also felt that loss physically.
Did it take my actual life energy or just my magic because It wasn't just a game mechanic. It was Real, tangible exhaustion.
And that knight… hadn't been holographic either. His armor had reflected sunlight. His boots had left prints in the dirt.
I swallowed, looking down at my Duel Disk.
If something that simple could manifest like that…
My mind drifted.
What would happen if I used Raigeki? A card that wipes out all my enemies monsters on the field. Outside a duel what did that look like, would it unleash a storm of divine lightning that vaporized everything and everyone i considered an enemy?
Or Dark Hole a simple spell that destroys every creature in play. Would it tear open an actual singularity?
I could feel my pulse quicken. Images flashed in my mind of using spell that by game standards were absolutel trash but could wipe out entire building.
I shuddered.
Yeah. Maybe I was more overpowered than I realized.
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After the exercise, I sat alone beneath a tree, students were dispersing in groups, laughing, showing off their powers like it was a contest or playing improvised games with powers included.
It was honestly a sight to behold, but my thoughts kept circling back.
My cards held power I could only make a educated guess at outside of duels and i had only used some simple spell and trap cards nothing complicated.
And if I wasn't careful, a misplay wouldn't just cost me Life Points. It could cost lives or I could accidentally take them.
I had already bound a person to my will... and sure technically it was my fault black cat had stolen it even after I had warned her but still...
I stared down at my hands.
"Alright," I muttered quietly to myself. "Lesson learned. I need control. Training. Testing find out what i can really do."
I looked toward the main building, If anyone could help me im in the right place... I need to find Magik see if I can go to Dr strange get some magic lessons on my schedule.
But another thought tugged at me.
My powers where almost a complete unknown even to the current sorcerer supreme, hell he even had the millennium eye in his study and never realized it.
No. I'd train myself, learn my limits it was too late to hide what I could do from the x-men already had plenty of scans and information.
But that doesn't mean I can't keep a few little things... to myself.