"Whether it's reasonable or not isn't for you to decide—it's her call," Ryuuto said, knocking on the door with a mischievous grin. "Need me to scare you a little?"
"N–No!" Katie's cheeks flushed bright red at his teasing. But the emotional spike was enough—her mutant ability suddenly activated on its own.
Both her hands were pressed against the wall when it happened. A shimmer ran across her skin, and—fwoosh—she fell forward, phasing straight through the concrete.
Unfortunately, gravity wasn't on her side.
On the other side of the wall stood Susan Storm. One second she was checking her tablet, the next—Katie's face phased right through the wall beside her head.
"Wha—!?" Susan yelped, turning pale as the rest of Katie's body followed through like a ghost.
Then, splat. Katie stumbled out of the wall and straight into her.
Susan's reflexes kicked in—she reached out to catch the girl—but her hand passed clean through. Katie phased right through her body too, leaving a cold, electric shiver crawling up Susan's spine.
It felt like being dunked into ice water.
"Ryuuto-sensei! I hate you!"
Katie's cry echoed from the floor below.
When Ryuuto rushed downstairs, he found her crouched on the ground, sulking with tears on her cheeks.
He sighed, squatting beside her. "Looks like you still can't control it properly. Guess I'll have to up your training."
"'Up my training'? What does that mean?" she sniffled.
"If you're still crying there, it means I'll have to move to... cohabitation training." He smirked meaningfully.
Katie's face exploded red again. "W–What!? Teachers aren't supposed to live with their students! You're such a creep!"
"Then stop crying and stand up," Ryuuto said flatly. "The world's changing fast, Katie. Mutants and humans are already at each other's throats. If you keep acting like this, no one will protect you—and you won't even be able to protect yourself."
"I'm only sixteen! I can't be like you or the other teachers!"
"I'm only eighteen," he said casually.
"…Oh."
She blinked, staring at him in disbelief. Then nodded quietly.
Ryuuto patted her shoulder. "From today, your codename is Shadowcat. Move like a whisper, light as a cat. Remember—no wall, no cage, no obstacle in this world can stop you. You can pass through anything. Got it?"
Her tears vanished. "Got it! I'll work hard!"
He smiled faintly. "That's more like it."
Together, they walked back upstairs where Susan was still standing, half in awe and half in shock.
"I thought my power was weird enough," Susan said, eyes wide, "but yours… yours is something else. I mean that as a compliment. You could slip into any base, bypass any guard—you're basically the ultimate scout."
Katie scratched her cheek, embarrassed by the praise. "Thanks… uh, Miss Susan?"
Then, out of nowhere: "So… are you Ryuuto-sensei's girlfriend?"
Susan's face went nuclear. "W–What!? No! We're just friends!"
"Ha! I knew it. There's no way someone that pretty would fall for a guy like him." Katie stuck her tongue out.
"...You're getting cheeky again," Ryuuto said dryly, coughing into his hand. "Looks like I'll have to switch to hell training next."
Katie immediately waved her hands in panic. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Sister Susan, Ryuuto-sensei is actually a great guy! You should totally be his girlfriend!"
The way she said it made it sound like Ryuuto was some charity case.
Ouch.
If he wanted a girlfriend, he could easily have one—Natasha Romanoff, Susan, maybe even Rogue. They'd all said something at one point.
But… with tensions between mutants and humans spiraling out of control, romance felt trivial. Dangerous, even.
He didn't have time to play house when the world was on fire.
So he just said, "Katie, focus on your training. Don't worry about grown-up stuff. Back to your room—I expect results soon."
"Okay!"
Once she was gone, Susan crossed her arms, clearly curious.
"You don't have to take what she said seriously," Ryuuto said.
"It's not that…" Susan fidgeted, looking down. "I just… wanted to ask if you do have a girlfriend. You're around the same age as most of the mutant students here, and, well… you know how people form little groups."
He chuckled. "I'm still single."
Her next question hit him like a dart. "Then what's your relationship with Natasha Romanoff? I heard you two were living together."
"Why're you so interested, huh? You into me or something?"
"W–What!? No way!"
Susan's face turned so red it could've powered Stark's arc reactor.
At that exact moment, a voice echoed inside Ryuuto's mind—Professor Charles.
Ryuuto's eyes flicked aside. Great timing, old man.
"Ryuuto, Mystique is approaching," Charles said telepathically. "At her speed, she'll reach the school gates in five minutes. Jean and I are moving to intercept—join us there."
"Got it."
The telepathic link cut off.
Ryuuto turned back to Susan. "Stay with Katie. Don't leave her side until I'm back. If anything happens, keep her safe."
"I will. Don't worry."
He nodded once and dashed off.
Minutes later, he met up with Charles and Jean near the school entrance—just as Magneto and Mystique appeared at the end of the path.
"Charles!" Magneto called out, spreading his arms like an old friend. "It's been too long!"
"Too long indeed," Charles replied, narrowing his eyes. "Though I didn't expect you to make such a spectacle of yourself, Max. Or to drag us into it. If the government decides this school is your Brotherhood's headquarters, everything I've built… will crumble."