A heavy silence filled the principal's office.
Everyone present understood what Joseph had just proposed. And though he said it with ease, the implications were anything but light.
Memories—especially painful ones—were sacred. They were the most private spaces a person could have. The idea of exposing them, even for a noble cause, naturally triggered resistance.
Even Professor Xavier, the most powerful telepath alive, knew the weight of this request. Why did he, despite having godlike psychic abilities, rarely read people's minds? Because he understood too well—once you cross into someone's thoughts, trust is never the same again.
People might smile. They might even call you a friend.
But deep down, the seed of doubt would take root.
And that seed—once planted—was nearly impossible to erase.
Xavier himself had once attempted to read Joseph's mind. Not out of malice, but curiosity. Joseph's talents were too remarkable to ignore. But to his surprise, he failed completely. Joseph had prepared for it. He had been ready.
That was why Xavier wasn't disappointed—only intrigued.
But this time, Joseph was proposing something entirely different.
He wanted to extract memories—publicly—and shape them into a documentary.
Didn't that mean revealing their most personal truths to the world?
No wonder everyone was on edge.
"Relax," Joseph said with a knowing smile. "Memory magic works differently than you think. I don't need to enter your minds."
Everyone looked at him with narrowed eyes.
"You'll just recall the moment yourself," he continued. "Think about the memory you're willing to share, and I'll pull that strand of thought. If there's something you don't want revealed… just don't remember it."
At once, the tension in the room eased.
"Oh... like Legilimency?" Professor X asked slowly, his eyes narrowing with interest.
"Similar in principle," Joseph said. "But less invasive."
"What memories are you looking for?" Jean asked carefully.
"The history of the X-Men," Joseph replied. "Your formation, your struggles with the Brotherhood of Mutants…"
Then his eyes fell on Logan.
"But more importantly, Logan's story."
Wolverine exhaled slowly. Of all of them, he had suffered the most—and Joseph knew it.
"With your popularity," Joseph continued, "if we shared even a fraction of what you've endured, the public would be moved. Truly moved."
Logan frowned. "But I don't remember most of it."
Joseph nodded. "Memories aren't lost. Just buried."
"I suspect you've had flashes—fragments that don't make sense, right?"
Logan slowly nodded. "Yeah. And every time, it feels like someone is drilling into my skull."
"That's because the memories are fighting to come back," Joseph said. "If you let me, I can help you piece them together."
Logan took a long puff of his cigar, then grunted. "Alright. If it helps get my memory back, I'm in."
Joseph smiled.
He then turned to Storm.
She still looked hesitant.
"I don't know," she admitted. "This whole thing tonight—it's going to attract a lot of attention."
"Our identities are already compromised. Xavier's School will be exposed. The authorities, the military, the media—they'll all be watching."
She crossed her arms. "Going high-profile at a time like this feels... reckless."
"You're still lying to yourself, Teacher Ororo," Joseph replied gently but firmly.
Storm flinched.
"You really believe Xavier's School is still a secret?" Joseph asked.
She didn't answer.
He stepped forward.
"Come on. The X-Men have been operating in the shadows for years. There are traces. Missions. Operations. Footprints."
"Do you really think the higher-ups in the military or government haven't pieced it together?"
Storm looked stunned.
"Wilhelm Stryker," Joseph said sharply. "The head of the Weapon X program. Do you know his rank?"
He gave them all a hard look.
"Colonel."
"Do you really think a man that high up doesn't know where you're hiding?"
Joseph's voice dropped low.
"Do you really think no one above him knows, either?"
Storm was silent.
She'd never considered that.
They had lived under the illusion that staying quiet meant staying safe. But perhaps the truth was more terrifying—perhaps they were being watched, not ignored.
"The reason no one has stormed this place yet isn't because you're hidden," Joseph continued. "It's because they haven't felt confident enough to act."
"They fear Charles. And they fear you."
Everyone in the room looked uncomfortable—because deep down, they knew he was right.
"And yet," Joseph continued, "you've built no real defenses. You've lived in denial. You thought peace would last forever."
He glanced toward Xavier.
"And you… Professor… for all your wisdom, you've led this school like a dove in a world full of hawks."
Xavier's eyes glinted.
"You're not wrong," he said softly.
Joseph's tone softened. "If it were me… I would've made Xavier's School a fortress. Not a hideout."
He smiled.
"In fact... I already did."
The others blinked.
"What?"
Joseph stepped forward, eyes gleaming.
"Professor," he said casually. "Want to see the little project I've been working on while living here?"
Xavier's heart skipped a beat.
That expression—he recognized it.
It was the same face Joseph had made in the office during their first meeting.
That face only meant one thing: he was about to change everything.
Despite himself, Xavier leaned forward with genuine curiosity.
"…Alright. Let's see it."
Joseph smiled.
He tapped his foot lightly against the floor.
Hum.
The air vibrated. A low-frequency hum filled the room. Light erupted across the ground in complex geometric patterns—glowing lines and ancient symbols stretched across the office floor.
Then—
They kept going.
Outside the windows, more patterns lit up across the grass, the walls, the rooftops.
The entire school grounds began to pulse with magical energy.
"What… the hell…" Logan murmured.
"A magic circle?" Jean breathed. "Joseph engraved that much enchantment… and we never noticed?"
Before they could ask further, the ground rumbled beneath them.
BOOM!
It was as though dragons had awakened beneath their feet. Furniture rattled. The walls groaned. The teaching buildings trembled as though caught in a quake—but nothing broke.
And then… they began to rise.
Literally.
Cyclops squinted into the distance. With his enhanced sight, he could clearly see the mountains a kilometer away.
One of them—just minutes ago level with the school's horizon—was now lower.
He blinked in disbelief.
No… no way…
"The mountain's sinking," he whispered.
"Which means…"
The realization hit him like a meteor.
Joseph had lifted the entire school into the sky.
"Xavier's School… is flying."
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