Aboard the spaceship with Shiller, and tasked with escorting him, was Laser Eye Scott who was teaching at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters at that time.
Seeing the huge characters flickering on the star, Scott appeared more helpless than Shiller. He shook his head and said, "From what I know about Magneto, this may not be a welcome. It feels more like a display of might, which is very typical of him."
Scott, among all mutants, had a decent temperament. Though impulsive in his younger days, he'd matured significantly. He shook his head resignedly and said,
"Erik is our old adversary. It's obvious that he knows the X-Men would assign someone to escort you. He's always been trying to outdo us all these years."
Shiller stood before the porthole and chuckled at the message, saying, "Is that so? Well, I quite like this welcome ceremony. Aside from the initial shock, the effect isn't bad, is it?"
Scott glared slightly, and then, filled with a sense of resignation, said, "Doctor, your temperament is incredible—just like our professor. You are both easygoing people, but Magneto is not."
"Don't say that Scott," Shiller shook his head, "one shouldn't form rigid impressions of someone based on past behavior. Every second brings the possibility of a turning point in one's character."
To his surprise, Scott mulled over this, "You're right, Doctor. I'm a teacher now, these kids might face life-changing problems at any moment. Should I continue viewing them with old perspectives, I might indeed risk guiding them down a stereotypical path…"
"Exactly. However, I can understand your anger. After all, you were adversaries before, haven't you also fought against the Brotherhood?"
Scott nodded, his expression growing serious, "Wars have never ceased over the years. No war could possibly end without bloodshed. Solely driven by the hatred from watching our comrades and friends sacrificed, we could fight until the end of time, if it weren't for the promising future laid out before mutants."
"I understand," Shiller reached out to pat him on the shoulder, "I know, Professor X might even have given you additional tasks such as fostering relations between me and Magneto or persuading him not to conflict with me. But you don't really want to do this."
"Why would I force you? Despite the noble cause for a better future, it's not yet crucial for you to sacrifice personal emotions to serve the group."
"My God, Doctor..." Scott put his hand to his forehead, "I didn't feel my mind being read, you didn't use mind reading technique, but you've managed to express exactly what I've been thinking…"
"Professor X has always been trying to bridge the relationship between the X-Men and the Mutant Brotherhood. We all understand his intentions. It's a wonderful time to unite and build a future…"
"But… most members are somewhat resistant. Professor X did his best to calm them down, but to behave obsequiously and smile warmly to Magneto is something I can't do…"
"Don't worry, Scott, I won't conflict with Magneto," Shiller laughed, "I'm very good at dealing with people like him."
"More than that, I've already promised Professor X to keep an eye on Magneto's psychological state, particularly his family relationships. This journey is meant to resolve these issues…"
"Christ!" Scott exclaimed, turning to Shiller, "Doctor, you need to deal with Magneto and even help him heal. Are you serious? It could be extremely dangerous. Even if he doesn't harm you, his frosty face is already hard to stomach…"
"It's okay," Shiller spoke very gently, "As I've said, I've plenty of experience. Look at Magneto's masterpiece, hasn't he made it clear? There are no patients here in need of treatment. I'm not here to diagnose, just to take care of him in place of an old friend."
Scott had a troubled expression; he didn't want Shiller to suffer but was also moved by his professional integrity that he couldn't dissuade him. After hesitating for a while, all he could do was say,
"All right, Doctor. I can't be of help professionally, but if you have any life problems, feel free to ask."
"Of course, I do have a favor to ask. I'm going to recuperate here for a while, and also want to enjoy the scenery of the Andromeda Galaxy. Do you know of any interesting places and how to get there?"
Scott scratched his head and said, "That's indeed a problem. I've only been here for mining and never for sightseeing… How about this? I'll scout nearby planets in the next few days and look for beautiful scenery."
"That's greatly appreciated…Well, stop looking at me with that worried gaze. I'm not a child. I'll get along with Magneto just fine." Shiller patted Scott's shoulder again.
"With all due respect, Doctor, I can see that you're very confident. However, I truly cannot figure out where this confidence comes from. Could you tell me?" asked Scott with a complex expression.
"Perhaps it's because I've a similar side to myself, so I understand what such individuals truly fear and what they need," Shiller chuckled like he'd thought of something funny.
Just then, the spaceship's shuttle arrived. As Shiller walked towards the docking gate, as soon as the door opened, stood Magneto in his battlesuit, helmet on his head and cape fluttering at the back. Behind him, similarly dressed in black, were members of the Brotherhood.
Magneto stood in the middle, with other members lined on either side, each looking serious with cold stern expressions.
The scene did not seem like it was welcoming, but closer to a mob negotiation before a gang fight. It appeared that everyone was filled with hatred, attempting to cause harm with their posture and facial expressions.
As Scott hesitated, unsure of how to respond, Shiller boldly stepped forward, extending his hand to Magneto, saying:
"Goodness, I never expected such a large reception. I feel quite unworthy of such attention."
"Oh, sorry, I just remembered that the person standing in front of me is Magneto. Igniting a solar storm is nothing to you. It seems I've made a fuss over nothing…"
Scott could clearly see that Magneto's expression stiffened for a moment, while Shiller reached out his hand with a big grin, and Magneto slowly moved his gaze to Shiller's hand.
Shiller was not wearing any battlesuit or armor. He was wearing a Christmas-themed sweater in dark green, with a reindeer sleigh pattern on the left chest. The sweater was worn over a plain white shirt, with a vine-patterned tie falling from the collar.
His overcoat was brown wool, casual in style. The cut of the shoulder and cuff areas were similarly relaxed and made of a softer material.
Shiller's ensemble made him look very cultured and scholarly, with no hint of aggression. Frankly, he looked like he was on a vacation.
In contrast, everyone on Magneto's side was fully armed and even wore some strange ornaments on their heads.
Some had eyes hidden behind sunglasses, others had their lower face covered with a mask. All were dressed in black clothes, black gloves, and black shoes. Even if there were any bright colors, like blood-red or icy blue, these colors hinted at aggression.
Separating the two sides was a large door at the docking bay, each side seemed to be in a different world. Magneto's men, dressed in black, suited their high-tech spaceship well, while Shiller's out-of-place style made him seem even more relaxed and natural.
At this point, Scott noticed the problem and couldn't help but smile quietly. Clearly, the Brotherhood had overdone it.
Shiller had stated that he was simply coming for a vacation, setting it as a private visit, not a formal meeting. Who ever heard of private arrivals featuring two limousines, over a hundred bodyguards, plus the leader personally coming to meet guests?
By now, Shiller had bypassed Magneto and greeted a figure with green hair in the crowd, "Hey, isn't this Lorna? Longtime no see. How are Quicksilver and Iceman?"
Lorna, standing in line, was also wearing sunglasses but she was not used to such settings. She lifted her eyes and glanced at Magneto in front of her, but due to him standing ahead of her, she couldn't make out his expression or how she should respond. So, she just stood there silently.
Shiller displayed a puzzled expression. Magneto's complexion darkened suddenly. He turned back slightly and declared with a deep voice, "Lorna, who taught you to treat guests like this? Can't you offer a response to an old friend?"
Lorna appeared a bit ill at ease, uncertain whether she should step out of the crowd or stay put and speak. However, Shiller approached her willingly, gave her a brief hug, then said, "I forgot, this isn't the place to talk. Let's go, we should land first."
Shiller could clearly sense Lorna's relief. As he returned to Scott, Scott chuckled softly to him, "Look at their faces. It's as if they expect the world to end any second, haha…"
The shuttle landed in the Air Island Capital's square. As Shiller stepped off the craft, he exclaimed, "The stability of this shuttle is impressive, much better than what I took in New York. Did you make any technical improvements?"
The moment Shiller voiced his question, Scott perceptive spirit noticed Magneto's mood had improved somewhat.
Having been old adversaries, they knew each other's expressions well. It was clear that Shiller's comment had hit upon a point of pride for Magneto.
"It's that Peter Parker, leading a bunch of his kids," Magneto replied coldly.
Scott felt a bit confused. What was so special about Shiller's question? Why did Magneto seem so pleased with his response? And why maintain a cold expression even though he was clearly pleased, as if it were inconsequential?
During the journey to the Air Island Capital, Shiller didn't comment on the roadside scenery or the interior decoration of the grand hall.
However, once in the reception hall, Shiller sighed softly, "Who would have expected the walk from the front entrance to here would be so long? Everything about this house is great, except the layout, it's rather complex. It can make a person feel disoriented. It wouldn't hurt to renovate…"
Scott noticed the wrinkles in the corners of Magneto's eyes had relaxed somewhat. He was even more puzzled now. Why was it that Shiller had barely arrived and had already made a couple of pointed remarks, yet Magneto seemed rather pleased?
Scott stood there puzzled, and finally concluded, maybe this was the magic of psychology. Maybe that's why everyone who got along with Magneto ended up as a psychologist?