(Narrator POV)
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The Blackbird glided through the evening skies of New York, its sleek form casting a brief shadow over the sprawling landscape below. As the golden hues of sunset bathed the Xavier Institute in warm amber light, the jet descended gracefully onto the private runway hidden near the school grounds.
The hatch opened.
Ritsuka, Hakuno, James, and Karna stepped out behind Scott, Jean, and Charles.
Before them stood a place unlike any battlefield Ritsuka had walked....a school built to protect, not destroy. A garden so vast and alive, it seemed more like a kingdom's courtyard than the grounds of a school. Trees waved gently in the breeze, casting long shadows across the trimmed grass.
James raised an eyebrow. "Didn't expect… this."
Karna folded his arms, golden eyes narrowing just a touch. "This garden is… spacious."
Ritsuka chuckled. "It's also perfect for a playground."
Hakuno smiled softly. "We could play tag here for hours."
As they walked further onto the lawn, Ritsuka paused...his battle honed instincts catching movement behind the trees.
He turned.
A cluster of small figures huddled behind tree trunks and hedges....watching. Curious. Hesitant. Afraid.
Scott, noticing his line of sight, spoke gently. "They're the younger students. We told them their new P.E. teachers would be arriving today. I guess… they're checking you out."
Hakuno blinked. "Waiting for Us?"
Jean laughed lightly.
Ritsuka exchanged a glance with Hakuno. She gave a small shrug.
"I want to spend some time with them," Ritsuka said, taking a few steps toward the trees. "If that's okay, Professor?"
Charles nodded, smiling kindly. "Of course. But join us before dinner."
"Got it."
Ritsuka turned to James and Karna. "You guys go ahead. I'll catch up later."
As the others moved toward the main building, Ritsuka and Hakuno approached the shadows cast by the old oaks. The little figures behind them flinched, shrinking back. There was fear...deep.rooted fear in their eyes. Fear of rejection. Of being seen.
Of being other.
Ritsuka crouched down, leveling his gaze with theirs.
"Hey," he said gently. "I'm Ritsuka. This is Hakuno. We're your new teachers… but don't worry, that just means we get to play a lot together."
The kids stayed silent.
A little girl stepped out hesitantly. Her face was animalistic....feline eyes, fur along her cheeks, and small, rounded ears on her head. Her voice trembled when she asked:
"Are you… really going to teach me? Even with my ugly face?"
Hakuno's breath hitched slightly. Ritsuka didn't flinch.
Instead, he smiled.
And then....without hesitation....he walked over and gently lifted her into his arms.
The gasp that followed was collective. The children were stunned, confused. No one had ever touched her so easily before. So casually. As if her appearance didn't matter.
Ritsuka looked into her wide eyes and said softly:
"What are you saying? You look adorable. I bet when you grow up, you'll become a beautiful young lady....trust me, I've met someone just like you who shines like the sun."
He chuckled, eyes warm. "She even has fox ears. Gorgeous, stubborn, a little dramatic… but beautiful. Her name's Tamamo."
Hakuno nodded beside him. "And she loves us both. She'd call you 'precious little sister' in under two seconds."
The girl blinked, her lip trembling.
Ritsuka continued, still holding her gently.
"You don't have to accept what others say about you. Not the world. Not even other kids. Don't let them define your worth. Stand tall. Push back. Shine the way you want to shine."
She sniffled. Then, without warning, wrapped her arms around his neck.
"…Thanks."
Behind her, the other kids slowly emerged from their hiding places. Still wary. But watching. Listening.
To break the heavy mood, Ritsuka clapped his hands. "Okay! New rule. We're not sad anymore. Let's play a game!"
The kids looked at each other.
"A… game?" one asked.
"Yes!" Ritsuka said with mock-grandiosity. "We're going to do a drama. You all are brave shining knights! And that..." he pointed to Hakuno "
..is the noble princess you must save from Demon king!"
Hakuno blinked. "I'm the princess?"
"You're absolutely the princess," Ritsuka declared.
The kids began whispering excitedly.
A boy raised his hand. "Who's the demon king?"
Ritsuka gave a mischievous grin. He raised one hand dramatically, shadows casting across his face as he spoke in a deep voice:
"Behold! I, Ritsuka Fujimaru, shall now assume the fearsome role of… The Demon King!"
The children burst into giggles.
"I'm going to fight you!" a girl yelled, picking up a stick like a sword.
"Me too!" another boy joined, pretending to cast magic.
Within seconds, the children were transformed—wielding grass blades, conjuring spells from wild imagination, and charging the "demon king" with battle cries that echoed across the garden.
Ritsuka held the animal-faced girl on his shoulder like a banner and stumbled backward dramatically.
"Ack! My only weakness! Courage and friendship!"
Hakuno was giggling behind a tree, pretending to be captured.
One by one, the children "defeated" the demon king, earning praise, laughter, and the sparkle of confidence in their eyes. For the first time in a long while… they felt like heroes.
They felt like they belonged.
The final rays of golden sunlight filtered through the treetops, casting long shadows across the garden as laughter slowly faded into the cool night air.
From the stone path bordering the west wing of Xavier's School, a calm, regal figure approached...the air subtly shifting with her every step, like the wind responded to her presence.
White hair flowing behind her, golden eyes gentle yet piercing...Ororo Munroe, known to many as Storm, arrived at the edge of the garden.
She stopped as the scene came into view....fifteen mutant children standing in a loose circle, their small bodies turned toward two familiar figures.
The two newcomers who had captured their hearts in mere hours: Ritsuka Fujimaru and Hakuno Kishinami.
Storm raised her voice with the authority of a queen and the warmth of a sister.
"Sister Ororo"
"It's dinner time, everyone."
The children turned, some hesitantly, others with fidgeting fingers. A few took backward glances at Ritsuka, clearly reluctant to part.
Storm approached fully, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"You must be Ritsuka and Hakuno. I'm Ororo Munroe"
Ritsuka gave a polite nod. "That's us."
Hakuno smiled. "It's nice to meet you."
Storm folded her arms loosely. "The pleasure is mine. I've heard from Jean and Scott that you were both joining as instructors. I didn't expect you'd win over the younger students this quickly."
Ritsuka crouched to their level one last time, offering a warm, gentle tone.
"Alright, before I come back, you have to listen to Sister Ororo here and be kind to each other. Got it?"
The children, still bowing slightly like knights to their king, shouted out:
"YES!!"
Their voices rang out with different tones and tempos, but the emotion behind them was pure. They echoed across the garden like a chorus of hope.
Ritsuka and Hakuno waved as the kids began to follow Storm's gentle guiding hand, turning reluctantly toward the school's dining hall.
When they disappeared behind the hedges and vanished from sight, Ritsuka exhaled deeply.
"Good…"
There was relaxation in his voice, but also… a little longing.
Storm raised an eyebrow, glancing sidelong at him.
"Was there something on my face?" Ritsuka asked with a sheepish grin.
Storm shook her head slightly, amused. "No. I was just surprised to see how attached they were. It's rare to see them warm up that quickly. They… usually hesitate around humans."
She paused, then added quietly, "Especially adults."
Hakuno looked down, her hand gently touching her wrist. "They've probably been through a lot, haven't they?"
Storm nodded. "Too much."
She turned to Ritsuka, curious. "Did you do something special? I couldn't help but notice some of them looked genuinely sad to leave."
Ritsuka straightened up, hands on his hips, mock-proud like a stage actor announcing his triumph.
"What do kids love the most?" he asked. "Being heroes! So I acted the part of the Demon King and let them defeat me."
Storm blinked, caught off guard… then smiled, a soft laugh escaping her lips.
"You guys… acted?"
Hakuno laughed softly beside him. "Don't give me too much credit. I just sat there quietly. I'm… not good at acting."
Storm watched them...watched the way Hakuno looked at Ritsuka when he wasn't noticing, the way he made space for her in every breath and step. There was no arrogance between them. Just warmth.
She saw it clearly now. These two...they didn't look down on the mutants. They didn't pity them. They simply saw children who needed to be treated like people.
Storm folded her arms with a satisfied nod. "You're both welcome at this school anytime."
"We appreciate it," Ritsuka replied, bowing slightly. "But we won't be staying tonight. We've already booked a room in the city for the evening."
Storm inclined her head. "Understood. At least join us for dinner like professor said?"
Hakuno glanced at Ritsuka, and he gave a nod.
"Sounds good," he said. "Let's not keep the Karna and James waiting."
Storm turned and began to walk ahead, her stride easy and fluid as the breeze picked up slightly.
"You know," she said without looking back, "you're not what I expected. The world's full of people who claim to want peace and change, but very few who act on it with sincerity."
Ritsuka blinked, caught off guard for just a moment.
Then he smiled and said, "I've had to act to give others a reason to smile. If that makes me a hero to kids even just for one evening I'm okay with that."
Hakuno gently bumped his arm. "Just don't let it go to your head, Demon King."
Ritsuka laughed.
As they walked toward the dining hall. Once they eat. They left the place with Karna and James.
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Narrator POV
The next morning arrived quietly.
No fanfare. No alarms. Just sunlight spilling through the wide windows of Xavier's mansion and the echo of footsteps down long, quiet halls.
Ritsuka Fujimaru and Hakuno Kishinami returned to the mansion, their expressions calm yet serious....like two operatives stepping into sacred ground. Karna and James are stayed at the appartment rooms.
Ritsuka stood still in the main hall, glancing at the paintings, the floor, the walls
...so elegant, and yet… not untouched by the world outside.
A gentle, familiar voice greeted him.
"I was waiting for you, Mr. Ritsuka."
Seated with calm posture in his wheelchair, Charles Xavier emerged from his study doors, hands folded.
Ritsuka raised an eyebrow. "You look energetic today professor."
Before Xavier could reply, Hakuno stepped beside Ritsuka, offering a wave and a deadpan greeting.
"Hello, telephone."
Charles blinked, confused. "Telephone?"
Hakuno smiled lightly, deadpan expression unchanging.
"You two share similar privacy settings."
Xavier let out a rare snort, half-offended, half-amused. "That's just… hurtful."
But the moment of levity passed. Ritsuka stepped forward, serious.
"I won't waste your time, Professor. Tell me do you know Hydra?"
Charles's eyes narrowed slightly. "Yes… I'm aware of them. Unfortunately."
Ritsuka didn't hesitate.
"Then why haven't you ever stopped them? Or even tried? Isn't your dream about co-existence between humans and mutants? Isn't that dream your entire life?"
The question cut clean. Xavier didn't look shocked but he did pause before answering.
"Because dreams," Charles began softly, "don't survive in shadows, Mr. Fujimaru. And Hydra is a shadow. We have… limitations. If we overreach, we risk losing everything. The X-Men are not soldiers. We never were. We act when we can....freely. Against Hydra, freedom is not guaranteed."
Hakuno's voice followed sharply behind Ritsuka's.
"And in not acting, your ideals have led to suffering. You've indirectly let mutants be tortured, killed, experimented on."
Charles looked at her sharply. "Are you saying I'm evil, Ms. Kishinami?"
Ritsuka raised a hand before Hakuno could respond.
"No. She's not. And neither am I saying it. What you've done or haven't done is your choice. Maybe good, maybe bad… but it's yours."
He looked down, a hollow sound in his voice.
"I've done far worse, Professor. If evil requires punishment… then I deserve to suffer for eternity."
Charles' demeanor shifted. For the first time, the powerful telepath felt something he couldn't predict—a vast emptiness, buried under Ritsuka's calm. Pain. Loss. A weight that made even war veterans look untouched.
Hakuno stepped closer and gently placed a hand on Ritsuka's shoulder. He didn't look at her...but he did smile faintly.
"I'm going to stop Hydra."
Charles tensed. "Why do you think killing them will set you free? You may bring down their empire—but you'll ignite chaos. Power vacuums. Retaliations."
Ritsuka stared back, unwavering.
"They're the ones who keep humanity chained. Who stunt its growth. I want to protect people. Give them freedom."
"But would killing them do that?" Charles pressed. "Hydra is not a man, or a face. It's a hydra, in every sense...cut off a head, and two more grow in its place. You'll cover your hands in blood. You'll become what they call a monster."
Ritsuka looked him in the eye.
"That's why I have to do it."
He clenched a fist, shaking slightly.
"They're not just oppressors, Professor. They're monsters. They tear people apart...humans and mutants both. Slice their minds. Twist their bodies. Turn hope into horror. I've seen it."
Charles inhaled, slowly. "A terrible fate… You know, Mr. Fujimaru, I've always stood against killing. Every time we kill… we step backward. Away from compassion, away from peace."
He looked down. "But perhaps… this goes beyond that."
Ritsuka didn't smile, but his voice was steady.
"I didn't think you were so naïve, Professor."
He looked to the window.
"War is a cycle. One ends, another begins. Even if Hydra dies… people will still fight. It's humanity's nature. I know that."
Hakuno added quietly, "But if we can destroy the worst of it… maybe people will stop hating mutants. Maybe the next war won't start with our blood."
"I'm okay getting my hands dirty," Ritsuka said.
There was silence between them.
Until.
BAM!
The office doors flung open with violent force. A sharp voice echoed into the hall.
"Charles!"
It was Raven Darkholme....Mystique...eyes sharp, hair pulled back, wearing her tactical gear like she expected to fight in the next five minutes.
"We have a call. From the President. Urgent."
Charles nodded gravely.
"We'll continue this later, Mr. Fujimaru."
Ritsuka gave a faint nod. "Right. Later."
Charles wheeled toward Raven and vanished.
---
Note: I'm using the plot of the phonix movie but I will add more from comics side And Yes, the fight between Ritsuka and Phonix will be different this time because Ritsuka fights as last Master of humanity not as prophecy one like in OG story.
I also changed Phonix motive this time and her reasons. Ofcourse frankly Ritsuka is not prophecy one this time. So she doesn't know him at all. Ritsuka is just a irregular in this world.
Vuk (side enemies of this arc) will be as powerful as comics version.
This is happening in 2003 November and few months before Tony stark kidnapped.
**Guys I have one question? I thought of two things on how Ritsuka will live in Marvel world!!**
1. He will become Magic teacher and train the kids to learn magic as his students. (Only 2 or 3 x-mens kids will be his students)
2. Should I make Ritsuka Bakery owner again like OG script.
Please tell me so I can write the story. Remember the answer for this question will change the whole story.