Chapter 186: Arc Seven. Chapter One Hundred Eighty-Three. Gathering Storm

Ororo landed on the commons of the Xavier mansion and even as he greeted her with a bright smile Ororo scowled at Hank, “Get me Charles, now,” she forcefully ordered him.

Whatever she had been told by Charles and T’Challa had been wrong. Even flying back she had checked her phone for any report of Venom, and while he was being blamed for the death of John Jameson, she noted that both Spider-Man and Agent Webb were also blamed. It all centred on J.J, going off on a massive rant about all powered individuals. If she ignored him and focused on the reports, the facts of the matter were different enough to cast doubt on his story.

He wasn’t being hailed as a hero by the press, that was certain, but other than the first attack Peter had taken on mainly muggers, moved up to drug dealers, and then even by Charles’s admission, on the drug houses themselves, where a trio of Enhanced had ambushed him without warning.

That was where the reports fell down. John’s death had been called murder but no actual evidence except for Venoms participation in the rooftop brawl had been given. Each source cited each other and it all ultimately led back to J.J. 

There was nothing concrete, even the warrant was not for his arrest for the murder, but for questioning as to his involvement. A huge difference, as one was a crime, the other was an attempt to pin a crime on someone who might not be guilty. The city needed a scapegoat and it was Venom. It was obvious that he couldn’t defend himself, not without revealing his identity, and not without handing himself into police custody.

Ororo cursed herself for being so stupid as to take things at face value and made a promise to apologise to the young man. After she had talked to Charles and T’Challa. It was her trust in them that brought about this situation, they had both promised her that Peter was not only guilty but dangerous.

Once her browsing expanded, she discovered that it was not all anger and hatred. Venom even had his own fan club. Victims of crimes stopped by him and even a few more dubious web pages that Ororo did not linger on and hoped that Peter wasn’t frequenting. Run but not only avid female but enthusiastic male fans as well. Some of the fanfiction being written would make a tribal elder blush and she even wondered if it was anatomically possible.

As she waited in the main hall of the mansion the familiar whir of Charles wheelchair eventually came into earshot. She wanted to do this publicly. Charles was too focused on protecting his students to let them hear bad news, and if Ororos suspensions were correct, then this would be bad.

“It is a pleasure to see you Ororo. Was Wakanda more pleasant than San Francisco?” Charles smiled at her warmly, even if she was angry at him, he was still her mentor and her friend.

“Did you lie to me about Venom? Peter is nothing like you said, and once you scrape away all the lies and muck, nothing like the news is reporting either.” and Charles frowned and rubbed his forehead,

“Venom is dangerous Ororo. He attacked the school, attacked students, so no. It is my belief that he is a clear and very persistent danger to our cause.”

“And Laura? Jean? Was that a lie as well?” Ororo stood with her arms crossed, glaring at Charles,

“Why don't we have tea in the drawing-room, Ororo? I think that calmer head may prevail in the present circumstances.” but Ororo shook her head,

“Not this time. Answer me, Charles. Did you use your powers to abduct a girl and are you keeping Jean here against her will?” Ororo was adamant she would get answers.

“Ororo, the situation is more complicated than that, and I do not wish to upset the rest of the students further.”

“That sounds very much like an admission. These children are not your personal property. We save them so that others do not have the same life that we lived. Free from hate and persecution but once they are old enough, regardless of what we think, they are free to make their own choices. You do not have that right, Charles.“

“So, you would send Jean to live with a killer, send a scared girl who was taken from a drug lab to live with someone like him?” and Charles wheeled forwards, “I am aware they are not our toys, Ororo, but sometimes they need guidance to make the right choices.”

Ororo shook her head, “You are not giving them a choice. I can understand Jean, we both know what happened but not this girl. Peter told me you took her, erased their minds and left. I understand that sometimes we must use our powers in an unsavoury way, but you did not even talk to the boy. That is not what we stand for, that is what we stand against. You are not the Charles Xavier I signed up to work for, and if this is how the mansion, how the X-Men is being run, then I want no part of it. I will be leaving until you come to your senses.” Ororo stood straight, “and if Jean and Laura, if anyone else wishes to leave then they may meet me outside in one hour.” Shaking her head she sighed as she looked over at the now despondent Charles, Hank gripping the back of his wheelchair but unwilling, or unable to say anything.

“The world is changing Charles, and it will be painful, change always is. But you need to change with it. Hiding is no longer an option, you cannot keep these children safe by locking them away, not when there are attacks in broad daylight, not when new and more powerful enemies approach.”

Charles shook his head and leaned back in his chair, “by sending them to learn from a killer. He might not have killed Jameson but he has killed. Erik and I talked about what happened in Sokovia. He was ruthless Ororo, and I cannot in good conscience send students to live with him.”

“Oh, like Logan, or Erik. It is not who we kill Charles but how we react to it, and Peter is not a murderer. He may have killed, yes, but neither of us is free from the blood on our hands.“ And Charles looked at his lap, folding his hands together. “Which leads me to my other point, you never once talked to him. You invaded his mind, took what you wanted and left, never allowing him to explain, and that is not you Charles. Desperation makes fools of us all. Right now you are being foolish, as are a lot of people.”

Ororo looked over at Hank, who was trying his best not to interrupt, “and do not think Doctor that you are free from guilt as well. I entrusted you while I was gone. Not just with the well-being of the students but with the professor as well. You, of all of us, know how he can be if guilt and desperation cloud his judgement.”

Hank looked down at the back of the wheelchair guilty. During Charles’s younger days, when all of his students abandoned him, he started drinking and taking an experimental serum to dull his powers. It was only Erik begging for help to save Raven that brought him back from the edge of that pit, and even though he had stopped drinking afterwards, Hank knew there was a bottle of scotch hidden in a secret drawer in Charles’s desk.

Charles shook his head, “You know how Erik was, and Peter is the same. Young, angry, and full of rage at an injustice he had no control over. Unlike Erik, I saw someone unwilling to do anything to change, unwilling to let that go and become a better person. He may not have meant to push John from that roof, but he does not regret it. He is not the student you used to worry over Ororo, and this is a mistake. Peter Parker is a danger, even more so now that he can resist my influence. I cannot in good conscience allow Jean to live with such a person.”

It was Jean that interrupted him, “and you don't get to make that choice. I checked with Peter's lawyer. You only had guardianship until my 18th birthday, or did you forget to mention that?”

The Professor stammered, “But, But Jean. Once you hit 18, the guardianship could be extended if there was just cause. Your powers are still unstable and without supervision, you could be a danger to yourself.” but Jean crossed her arms,

“That's not what you just said. You said it was because of Peter, so what is it really? I mean, is my trust fund good enough for you to buy another X-Jet?” and Ororo put a hand on her arm,

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“That was a bit unfair, Jean. However, I am in agreement. Jean has control of her powers, there is no reason she cannot leave and Laura is not one of your students, correct? Then you have no legal right to keep her here.” and this time it was Logan who interrupted, coming in from sparring with Laura in tow.

“Yeah, but short stuff here grew up in a lab, and Peter, he ain’t a good boy.” and laura laughed

“He’s good, very good” and Logan growled.

“Professor, she got to my computer and well, Parker’s got a lot to answer for.”

Charles rubbed his forehead, this was spiralling out of control.

“He removed the spike in her head, so she remembers, got a bit personality back as well. Seems she and Parker.”

“We fucked!” Laura yelled, and Logan sighed and it was his turn to rub his forehead, as this wasn’t the first time she had yelled it in public.

“No swearing in the school, it ain't ladylike,” but Laura shrugged,

“You do it when you think no one hears you,” she retorted, “and I'm leaving. Want to live with Peter now. Captain Baldy, you’re not a good man, not staying.” and she ran away to grab the few personal items she had gathered.

Ororo raised an eyebrow, “Captain Baldy?” Charles sighed, “Peter again I assume.” and he nodded.

“He is not a good influence, especially if he is not only engaging in delicate surgery but sexual intercourse as well. Jean, please. Peter is not a good influence on anyone,” but Jean had gone bright red at Laura's admission and was lost in her own thoughts.

“See? Ororo, please. Jean cannot leave, especially not into that charnel house. Each of the women is a host to the alien creatures and each of them is in a relationship with Peter. It's like some damn cheap badly written smut novel. No good will come of this.”

Ororo shook her head, “but you do not get to decide that Charles. I will stay with them both. I have to have this conversation with T’Challa but once I am back in the States I will make sure that Jean and Laura are safe, and that nothing improper happens.”

Logan snorted, “and if his power affects you too?” but lightning crackled around Ororo,

“And when you do not get your way, you debase yourself by accusing him of impropriety?” But Logan put up his hands, 

“Hey hey now, that ain’t it. The kid gives off a huge amount of pheromones, an’ I can smell ‘em. Fear, anger, and yeah, desire. All from one kid,” and Ororo relaxed as she remembered the fear and terror he induced and if he could do that for desire as well, and she frowned.

“Then all I can do is make sure that he does not.” 

While the thought of having some kind of control over her terrified her, she remembered Peter saying he would hate himself for doing this, right after he shut off his warehouse AC. Peter knew what effect he had, and took steps to combat it. It still made sense that everyone had the wrong impression, maybe his desire scent had the reverse on males, they would see him as a threat to their territory and she had to stifle a small laugh. 

Logan definitely but Charles? Strutting male egos bruised as Peter waltzed in, dismantled their relationships and entranced their females away. She had had enough of that male arrogance when she was on the streets in Africa, she did not need it here as well.

“No, I believe that Peter is being given a bad reputation, by people unwilling to give him the time and effort needed to understand his situation. There is no changing my mind, and there is no stopping me either. I am not named Storm for a slight drizzle. Do not make this more difficult than it needs to be.” Laura came back dragging an overstuffed bag while Jean had been packed for a while, it was only the threat of legal repercussions that had stopped her.

“Are we ready?” and the pair nodded, Jean, lifting her cases while Laura dragged hers behind her. “Good, I will be in touch Charles, and we can all have a sit down to discuss this problem. Like adults.”

As the trio left in one of Charles’s cars, Charles looked over at both Hank and Logan, “I hope she knows what she’s doing, but we can only prepare for the worst. Hank, get me the phone. Maybe T’Challa can talk some sense into her, for all our sakes.”

~

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