"If it wasn't for the mutants on his side recovering an alien warship bolstering his status, the position of the mutants in negotiations would be extremely passive. At the negotiating table, sentimentality is irrelevant; whoever has more bargaining chips will have the upper hand.
Charles looked at Polaris, reminded of his youthful days with Erik. Back then, Magneto was a reticent, powerful, silent young man, solemn and obstinate.
Now, he saw more vitality and joy on Polaris's face perhaps which was why Magneto did not stop her from seeking out Charles. Parents will aim to provide for their children what they themselves have lacked.
He seriously said to Polaris, 'I think you should understand, Lorna, learning isn't a fun activity. Compared to your original free and unburdened life, it's quite dull and boring.'
'Even I, when studying psychology, pedagogy, and social engineering, felt quite vexed. Such profound knowledge can't be learned overnight. If you want to plunge into the ocean of knowledge, it's going to be an endless journey.'
Polaris crossed her arms. She looked into Charles' eyes and said, 'I thought you were going to boast about the facilities of the school or preach the importance of learning...'
Charles shook his head, 'Lorna, you're not a child anymore. You should understand all the reasoning I could give. Whatever I neglected to tell you, your father should have already taught you.'
'I am here not merely because I am worried about being surpassed by the next generation of mutants.' Polaris stared into Charles' eyes as she continued, 'When we were on Mercury, the way that wealthy Stark looked at us, I found it very irritating.'
'I know what he was thinking, he believed that we have an innate advantage but we're not utilizing it. He thought we were wasting our talent, our lives, but he never considered that society doesn't provide many opportunities for mutants...'
'How am I to go to school? Live in a dorm, where a simple dream could make a mess of all the steel? Tell my classmates that I'm a mutant, to then have buckets of water thrown at my head?'
'If I dare to resist, dare to use my abilities to teach them a lesson, they would cry out that mutants are societal pests, and then I'd be stopped by you, the righteous ones, while teaching them a lesson?'
'Alright, Lorna, I know you were bullied in community school, but...'
'I'm not here to talk about the past.' Polaris directly interrupted him. Charles was taken aback; it's been a long time since anyone interrupted him. All of the new-generation mutants, regardless of their stance, respected Professor X very much, because of his power and his amicability.
Polaris's expression was quite stubborn, every action of hers let Charles see Erik's shadow in her.
'I want to prove to those ordinary people that mutants are not inferior in their domains, in any domain. We are a superior race, superior in every aspect.' Polaris said with a raised head.
Charles opened his mouth to speak. To him, the person in front of him could easily have been a young Erik, Erik had said almost exactly the same words to him once.
'Um, so can we enroll or not?' Quicksilver saw the atmosphere becoming somewhat tense. He took the initiative to speak, 'Hmm, although I don't think I'm good at studying, it's not like I have anything else to do...'
'Of course.' Charles came back to his senses, he took out two forms from the drawer. Polaris looked down at the form and asked, 'Could you give me a few more?'
Quicksilver turned to her, asking, 'What do you need so many for?'
'You'll know soon.'
The next morning, Iceman was standing at the classroom door, looking at a group of people in black outside, he was startled. He stepped back slightly, bowing his body in caution, he said, 'Polaris! What are you trying to do?!'
'Your father Magneto dared not attack this school! Are you trying to incite a war between the mutants?!'
'What are you so nervous about? I'm here to study.'
Iceman widened his eyes, looking at the people behind Polaris, some were familiar faces like Blink and a few mutants he was not well acquainted with. But their ages were similar to Polaris, probably new members of the Mutant Brotherhood.
Right now, they were standing at the school's entrance, Polaris was at the front with the others forming a triangle behind her. This was the most commonly used formation by the Mutant Brotherhood, typically with Magneto in the lead.
Whenever they appeared in this formation, it indicated that a tough battle was imminent. Iceman instinctively formed a layer of ice beneath them. The mutants behind Polaris looked a bit cautious, but Polaris herself didn't react, she said, 'What, are all of Xavier's School students this jumpy?'
'Or are you worried that you'll fail your exams and embarrass your school?'
'Impossible! I was one of the top students in my class, you... wait, I've already graduated.'
'No, you haven't, Bobby. Since the Dreaming Mutant Educational School was a huge success, we decided to introduce college courses. You've only graduated from high school, you're about to enter college now.' Charles appeared at the classroom entrance with his wheelchair.
Behind him were Cyclops and Colossus, Colossus shrugged and said, 'Don't just look at them, we have to attend too. It's just that we're a grade higher and we're not learning math or physics, but pedagogy...'
Iceman noticed everyone's eyes on him, he sighed, 'Alright, looks like I am back to being a student again, but at least it makes me feel younger.'
After everyone entered the classroom, Charles finally wheeled himself in. He looked at the jam-packed classroom and nodded satisfactorily.
Those seated on the left mainly were students from Xavier's School, like Iceman and Rogue, and on the right sat a group all dressed in black, who were mostly members of the Mutant Brotherhood, good prospects Magneto had gathered from all around the nation over these years.
Xavier's School hadn't been this lively in many years, Charles nodded in satisfaction. At that moment, Stark and Banner walked in. Stark didn't even glance at the students, looking reluctant to be there, while Banner nodded at them.