*Apologies for the long delay on this chapter. I hope you enjoy how this one turned out, despite its relatively short length.
Chapter 4: Shared Pain
A few hours after his session in the Danger Room, Goku finally managed to wake up. The boy's eyes fluttered open as he yawned and tried to remember what happened. He did vividly recall lifting up a hydraulic press with his arms, but everything after that moment was a blur.
The soreness which resulted from that workout, however, was not. "Looks like holding that thing hurt more than I thought…"
"Ah' wouldn't move any more if I were ye, kiddo. Yer arms were pretty banged up back there."
"Huh?"
Goku looked up to see who was talking to him. It was a beautiful, middle-aged Scottish woman with short brown hair, a pink collar shirt, and magenta dress. She also had a golden, fancy-looking necklace wrapped around her neck.
She was currently sitting in a chair next to the couch while drinking from a small cup of tea. Her blue eyes stared into Goku's with slight curiosity.
"Oh… uh… hi! Are you a friend of the professor's, miss?"
"That's right. Mah name is Moira MacTaggert an' I've been engaged as housekeeper here by Professor Xavier." The woman replied in a thick accent. "An' part of that job is takin' care of his students and makin' sure they're in tip-top shape."
She then set down her cup and pulled out a bottle of ointment from her purse.
"Now, hold still, so I can put some of this on yer arms. It'll help with the soreness."
She dabbed her fingers into the bottle and rubbed it along Goku's shoulders. It stung at first, but overtime, he did start to feel a little better as promised.
"You know, you sure do talk a little funny, lady. Even the professor doesn't have as much of an accent. Hehe."
Moira crossed her arms in minor annoyance.
"Ah' beg your pardon? I was born an' raised in Scotland, lad. There's nothing funny about how I talk." She grumbled. "Besides, that's a mighty rude thing to say to someone tryin' to help yah out, isn't it? A boy yer age should know better than that."
Goku bowed his head a bit in an apologetic manner. Grandpa Gohan always did stress how important it was to treat a girl with respect, after all.
"Yeah, you're right. Sorry for saying all that, Moira."
"That's Mrs. MacTaggert t'you, Goku." She stressed with a playful wag of her finger. "An' apology accepted. Charles has already told me about yer upbringing, so I understand. Just learn to be more mindful of other cultures and we won't have any more problems, alright?"
Goku nodded his head. "Okay then! I'll try my best, Moir… I mean, Mrs. MacTaggert."
"An' try you will."
She rubbed the boy's injuries with some more ointment until, finally, Goku seemed well-adjusted enough to walk around again. He smiled in relief and flexed his muscles with caution.
"All done," Moira remarked. "Now, if you aren't too tired, Charles and Bulma have lunch waitin' in the—"
The spiky-haired child's eyes widened from utter shock and delight.
"Lunch is ready?! Alright!"
Goku sprinted towards the kitchen, leaving a barely visible trail of smoke in his path. This caused Moira to blink a few times and roll her eyes in amusement.
"Boys. Always lookin' for an opportunity to satisfy their empty stomachs."
The boy ran into the kitchen, taking Bulma and Professor Xavier a little by surprise as he pulled up a chair and started eating. He stuffed all sorts of delicious food into his mouth without even attempting to say hello or take a breather.
"Glad to see you're back to normal." Bulma muttered.
Goku nodded his head and said something that came out as almost complete gibberish. Professor Xavier sighed and shook his head.
"Please don't speak with your mouth full, Goku. I expect you to have some manners in this house."
He then beat on his chest to make sure the food went down properly and, once it did, let out a satisfied sigh of relief. He gave his two friends an enthusiastic thumbs up.
"Sorry about that. I think I'm feeling better already. That weird, wet stuff Mrs. MacTaggert put on my arms really did the trick!"
Bulma rested a hand under her chin and smirked. "Mrs. MacTaggert? Are you guys not on a first name basis yet or something?"
"Ah' told him to call me that, Bulma. Don't be givin' him a hard time now." Moira replied. She then sat down at the kitchen table and smiled at her telepathic companion. "He might need to take it easy for a while, Charles, but for the most part, the lad is perfectly fine."
"Good to hear, Moira. I greatly appreciate your help as always."
"Of course. What are friends for?"
Goku glanced from Bulma to Moira while quietly chewing on some more food.
"So do you guys know each other too?"
"For quite some time, yes. Ah've known Bulma since she was your age, maybe even a little younger." The Scottish geneticist replied. "Her father, Dr. Brief, has been a huge supporter of my and the Professor's work. We wouldn't have achieved nearly as much without him."
"And you're about to achieve even more with my help. This Dragon Radar here's only the beginning."
Moira rolled her eyes. "Looks like your father's humbleness wasn't somethin' he passed down to you."
Bulma kicked back in her seat and snorted. She didn't appreciate the sarcasm laced in Moira's words one bit.
"Hmph! Well, it's hard to be humble when you're as beautiful and intelligent as I am, Moira. I thought you'd be on the same page."
"When your my age, child, beauty is the least of your concerns…" She then looked toward Professor Xavier, gesturing to Bulma's handbag. "Speaking of the Dragon Radar, you mentioned that you've managed to locate three Dragon Balls, correct?"
Hearing this, the blue-haired girl dug through her bag, placing the Two-Star, Four-Star, and Six-Star Balls on the table. Each of them began to glow when positioned close to each other.
"That's right, Moira. Goku had one back in the Savage Land, so that makes it the third Dragon Ball we've come across." Xavier calmly affirmed.
"Incredible. Ah' once thought they were merely a myth, but now… I'm na' so sure. Could they really be capable of summoning a wish-granting dragon when all seven are collected, Charles?"
"That I do not know for certain. What I do know, however, is that Magneto wants his own wish to be granted." The telepathic mutant grimaced. "And for the sake of preserving mutant-human relations, we cannot afford to let him succeed."
At the mention of Xavier's former friend, Moira shook her head in growing dismay.
"But how do we prevent such a thing from taking place? There's no telling how many mutants may have joined his cause at this point. We, on the other hand, only have you, Goku, Bulma, and well, Ah' guess myself."
"That is why, my dear Moira, we will be taking advantage of Cerebro's abilities to gather other mutants who may agree to join our little… team." Xavier assured her with a small grin. "And the first on that list will be our very own telepath, Jean Grey."
Goku tilted his head to the side. It was a unique-sounding name. "Jean? Who's that?"
Moira's eyes widened from shock. Considering the amount of trauma that poor girl has been through, she didn't expect him to mention her this early on.
"Are ya' sure, Charles? She may not be in control of her powers just yet. What if it's too soon?"
"I understand your concerns, Moira, but unfortunately, our time to form the X-Men is limited. My intention is to help train Jean personally at the X-Mansion." He replied. "Besides, with Goku here, we now have a boy who could relate to her current struggles better than anyone."
The monkey-tailed mutant pointed at himself in confusion.
"Me? Are you sure, Professor?"
"I am more than sure, yes. Similar to what you've been through when your grandfather passed away, Jean has experienced the loss… of a close friend. And that experience has affected her mental health more than you can possibly imagine."
Goku grimaced. If Jean's friend was around the same age, he could definitely understand why she'd be devastated by her death. Being a telepath could have made the situation even worse for her too.
He didn't quite understand all of this "mutant" stuff just yet or how it worked, but nevertheless, he still wanted to help Jean in any way he could. The boy then crossed his arms and nodded. "Well, if she really is just as sad I was when Grandpa died, then I guess I'll try my best to cheer her up."
"It's better than doing nothing at all, my boy." Xavier wheeled himself around to look at his old friend. "Do you mind taking care of the mansion while we're gone, Moira? The three of us won't be long."
Moira rolled her eyes.
"As if Ah' have a choice. Just try not to put too much pressure on the girl, okay, Charles? That's the last thing she needs to deal with right now."
"Joining my X-Men is to her benefit, Moira. As it will be for all young mutants I wish to help one day."
He then quietly motioned for Bulma and Goku to exit the kitchen with him. Before they could leave, the young martial artist waved back at Moira and smiled from ear to ear.
"See ya later, Moir… I mean, Mrs. MacTaggert! Hehe!"
She awkwardly repeated this gesture and then rested a hand under her chin in thought. She began to wonder if Goku really was what Jean needed right now; a close friend who could help fill the void left behind by the one she lost.
"Suppose Ah'll have to wait and see how things play out."
She then took another sip from her tea and prepared to run some errands pertaining to the X-Mansion.
A few minutes later…
Bulma, Goku, and Professor Xavier all went outside to further plan their trip to Jean Grey's home in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. The professor explained that she was the daughter of a teacher named John Grey – who studied history at Bard College – and his wife, Elaine. She also had an older sister named Sara and a few other siblings who currently lived elsewhere.
Bulma frowned. "So why do I have to come exactly? Searching for Dragon Balls is more my specialty than, you know, helping a telepathic girl sort out her problems."
"When facing an opponent as dangerous as Magneto, Bulma, searching for the remaining Dragon Balls won't be nearly enough. We'll need young mutants like Jean and Goku to help fight for them."
"I mean, Goku seems pretty freakishly strong already, Professor. He did take down that Sauron creep all by himself."
Professor Xavier's expression ever-so-slightly darkened. He glared over at Bulma in annoyance and momentary frustration.
"Both of their powers pale in comparison to Magneto's abilities, Ms. Brief. He is a mutant blessed with peak strength, intelligence, ingenuity, and, above all else, experience. Goku needs far more than just himself to ever think of stopping him. I've tried and failed to quell his madness many times before…"
He then gestured to his legs.
"…and look where that got me."
Bulma gulped a little. "F-Forget I said anything then."
As they spoke, Goku looked around the X-Mansion's front yard from side to side. His tail twitched about in newfound curiosity.
"How are we getting to Jean's house, anyway? Maybe with Bulma's flying machine again?"
"That won't be necessary. The Grey residence is only a two-hour drive from here. We'll be taking my car this time."
"Your car?"
Parked somewhere close to the institute's front entrance was a black Rolls Royce. It was quite expensive-looking and had tinted dark windows to help conceal its passengers from view.
"Huh. Fancy."
"A little too old-fashioned for my tastes." Bulma muttered aloud.
"That's just my style of vehicle, Ms. Brief." Professor Xavier replied with a small shrug. "And evidently, yours as well since you'll be responsible for driving us there."
"Aw man. But why do I have to—"
Bulma then glanced down at Xavier's legs and awkwardly bit down on her lower lip. For someone of her intellect, she really needed to learn how to read the room.
"Oh… right."
"I'll insert the directions into my GPS, so don't worry too much about that part."
Once the professor was successfully placed into the car, Bulma got into the driver's seat and waited for Goku sit down. Unfortunately, the boy didn't know his own strength and wretched the door handle open as hard as possible. This caused it to be somewhat flung off its hinges, much to Xavier's horror.
"Open it gently, my boy! Gently!"
"Oops. My bad, Professor."
Goku then hopped into the backseat and, despite Xavier's instructions, slammed the door shut without much restraint. The poor man could have sworn he heard some of the window's glass begin to shatter as a result.
"Sorry again."
The mutant telepath exasperatedly slumped down in his seat while Bulma tried her best not to laugh.
"We really need to get that strength of yours under control…"
Afterwards, Bulma pulled the car out of the X-Mansion's front yard and began driving toward Annandale-on-Hudson. It would only take a matter of minutes for Goku to fall fast asleep, either due to hunger, boredom, or somewhere in between.
A few hours later…
They continued to drive through a calm, rather peaceful subdivision until, finally, the Grey Family Residence had been found. It was located 50 miles due northwest of the X-Mansion, so the trip could have been much longer if not for Bulma's driving abilities. Granted, she almost gave Xavier a heart attack after taking a few sharp turns here and there, but they still got there in one piece, nonetheless. Goku, meanwhile, continued to saw logs in the backseat.
The sixteen-year-old scientist parked Xavier's Roll Royce across the street from the Greys' home. It was a slightly larger-than-average, two-story building with a purple roof, a driveway leading into a set of garage doors, and multiple trees strewn across the front yard. By all accounts, it was as ordinary as a suburban household could be in those days.
However, looks could be deceiving. Jean Grey, after all, wasn't an ordinary girl by any means, and she herself would come to understand that one day. Xavier just hoped John and Elaine would be able to part with their daughter so soon.
Looking over at Goku's sleeping form through the rearview mirror, the mutant professor grimaced and sent out a mental transmission through his mind.
We're here, Goku. Wake up.
The boy instantly fluttered his eyes open and let out a loud, almost obnoxious yawn. He then pressed his face against the window to get a better look at the house.
"Wow. It's a whole lot bigger than I expected."
"Yes. Jean's father makes a decent amount of money working at Bard College, so a home this size is normal for him." Xavier replied. He then cautiously glanced back at the boy. "By the way, I suggest you hide your tail for now. The Grey's, like most people, aren't used to our kind yet."
"Ah right. Cause we're mutants and we're not. I getcha."
After they each got out of the car, Goku did some thinking and decided to wrap the monkey tail around his waist like a belt of some sort. He had never worn it like that beforehand, yet, for some reason, it almost came naturally to him.
Bulma smiled. "Good idea. A furry belt's still going to look a bit odd, but better than nothing, I guess."
"Thanks! My tail just did it on its own for some reason. Not sure why, though."
Xavier narrowed his blue eyes in puzzlement. For a mutant boy his age, this action was a bit surprising.
Strange. Perhaps his tail acted on instinct alone.
Deciding not to dwell on that particular occurrence for now, Xavier wheeled himself close to the front door with Goku and Bulma in tow. He could almost feel the negative thoughts emanating from Jean's mind, even at a significant distance away from her. It appeared that she was still traumatized by her childhood friend's death.
He sighed to himself and gently knocked on the door. After a few moments, two adults, John and Elaine Grey, answered it. John was a middle-aged man with green, receding black hair and a mustache of the same color. He currently, in that moment, wore a brown sweater and blue jeans. His wife, Elaine, had blue eyes, strawberry blonde hair, and a wore a pair of wide-rimmed, white spectacles. Her outfit mainly comprised of a light blue collared shirt and dress pants.
Her pink lips etched into a smile upon seeing Professor Xavier come to pay another visit. John almost let out a noticeable sigh of relief as well.
"Ah, Professor Xavier. What a pleasant surprise." The man exclaimed. He was smoking from an old-fashioned pipe while speaking. "You've come to check up on Jean again, I assume?"
"You assume correct, Mr. Grey. How is your daughter doing? Has she made any more attempts to communicate while I was away?"
Elaine shook her head in growing sadness. It looked like she would burst into tears any moment now.
"I can't say she has, Professor. It's been three years since Annie Richardson's death and… Jean still hasn't moved on from it. Sometimes I wonder if she'll ever go back to the way she was." After rubbing her eyes, she suddenly realized there were two other people accompanying Professor Xavier. She apologetically smiled at them. "Oh, where are my manners? I didn't even ask for your names, kids."
Bulma politely bowed her head, as was customary in her country.
"It's no problem at all, ma'am. My name is Bulma Brief. My father is an old friend of the professor's from Tokyo, Japan." She then jerked a thumb over at the spiky-haired twelve-year-old staring into space next to her. "And this little goofball here is Son Goku. You could say he's... um… Professor Xavier's newest student at his Institute for Gifted Youngsters thing."
John quirked a brow. "Thing?"
Goku crossed both arms behind his head and toothily grinned.
"Hiya. Nice to meet you, guys!"
"Well, aren't you just a little ball of energy?" Elaine giggled while crouching down to Goku's level. "Would you like something to eat? I'm sure y'all had a long drive getting here."
"Food sounds—"
Stay focused, Goku. Remember what we came here for. Xavier stated telepathically.
The boy then slumped his shoulders in defeat and took a look around the Greys' front yard. While he did that, Xavier cleared his throat and darted his eyes from John to Elaine in quick succession.
"I appreciate the hospitality, Mrs. Grey, but for Jean's benefit, I'd prefer to get straight down to business. The school Bulma mentioned is actually something I believe could help your daughter in a number of ways. Do you mind if we discuss more about it inside?"
John and Elaine exchanged nervous looks with one another, but ultimately accepted this request. Considering how helpful Xavier's treatment had been these past two years, they had no reason to doubt him or his companions.
"Of course. Make yourselves at home." John insisted with a warm smile.
"Thank you."
Afterwards, the Grey's led Professor Xavier, Bulma, and Goku into their home. The first thing they saw was a large living room with a television set, multiple chairs, lamps, dressers, and some closets mounted into the wall. There was also a staircase leading to up to everyone's bedrooms, including Jean's and her older sister, Sara's.
Before they could get comfortable, Xavier rested a hand on Goku's shoulders as a sign for him to 'wait a moment'.
"Where is Jean right now, anyway? Studying perhaps?"
Elaine's eyes slightly drooped. "She usually sits by herself in the backyard these days. Said it keeps her away from any… intrusive thoughts that might pop up."
"I see. Goku is around the same age as her give or take, so he could give the girl some company while we talk."
The boy felt put on the spot. He didn't know if keeping him alone with such a sad, reserved person would be the best idea. Talking to girls was hard enough as is.
"Gee. I'm not sure if I could—"
"I'd appreciate it if he did, Professor. Just no funny business around my daughter, okay? I was a twelve-year-old too once." John warned with an accusative point of his finger.
"No telling her any jokes then, huh? Guess that's fine with me."
Jean's father blinked a few times in disbelief. He just watched the boy head over to his backyard without saying another word.
"He… he did know what I meant by funny business, right?"
"I doubt it, Mr. Grey. That kid's too innocent for his own good." Bulma lightly chuckled. "Must be how he was raised or something."
Mrs. Grey felt relieved hearing about the boy's naïve nature. It was the all the information she needed to know that Jean was safe in his company.
"I see. Then whoever raised him must have been a real gentlemen, I bet."
Xavier closed his eyes, reminiscing about the many past encounters he had with Gohan.
"That and more, Mrs. Grey. That and so much more."
In the backyard…
Goku exited the house's backdoor to find another yard filled with patches of grass, bushes, and a few stray trees. There, he saw a thirteen-year-old Jean Grey laying down on the lawn with a deep frown on her face. It was almost devoid of emotion, having a profound sadness to it that couldn't be put into simple words.
She had green eyes, pink lips, and long, flaming red hair that went down to her shoulders. Her outfit was comprised of a green jacket with a yellow undershirt and blue pants with tennis shoes covering her feet.
The boy felt a bit stunned by her appearance, but it wasn't enough to have much effect on him. With a wide smile on his face, he slowly walked over to Jean's resting place without any known hesitation.
"Hi! You're Jean, right?"
"Hm?"
Jean sat up from her spot on the lawn to inspect Goku's form and mind. She had never seen this boy before, but he felt warm and inviting to her in some way. Such positive emotions were written all over his face too.
"Yes, that's my name. Who are you? And why are you at my house?"
Goku caught onto the apprehension in Jean's tone, so he kept calm and tried his best not to frighten her further.
"The name's Son Goku, but you can call me Goku for short. Nice to meet ya." He beamed. "I actually came here with Professor Xavier. He's talking with your parents right now."
Jean became a bit less on-edge after hearing this information.
"The Professor? Then… that means you're like me, right? A mutant or whatever he called it?"
"Yep. Still don't know what any of it means yet, but with this tail of mine, I guess I can't be anything else."
The girl's green eyes widened. "Tail?"
"Oh shoot! I was supposed to keep that secret. Don't tell the professor I said anything, okay, Jean?"
Goku's overexaggerated reaction made Jean do something she hasn't done in a long time: laugh. She lightly giggled, adjusting her position in the grass to get a closer look at Goku and his monkey tail.
"I was wondering why that belt was so furry. Hehe." She said. "But don't worry. Your secret's safe with me… along with everyone else's…"
The redhead then sighed forlornly, much to Goku's confusion. Her mood was almost too erratic to be considered normal, from his perspective.
"What do you mean everyone else's?"
"Professor Xavier told me that I'm a telepath. I can hear everyone's deepest thoughts all at once; sometimes to a point where I can't even hear myself think… or know who I even am anymore." Jean explained in a somber tone. She then ever-so-slightly brushed her red locks to the side. "The professor's taught me how to shut those thoughts out, but… controlling my powers is still difficult for me. It's been that way since… I saw what happened to my friend a few years ago…"
"You mean when she died?"
Jean glanced over at him in surprise.
"You… know about that?"
"The professor told me. I don't know too much about it or who your friend was, but I do know how it feels to lose someone close to you." Goku somberly proclaimed. "I lost my grandpa when I was six. He was the only family I ever had…"
"I'm so sorry. That must have been painful." She whispered. "Could… I see it?"
"See it? What do you mean?"
"I mean, look into your thoughts and memories of that day. It might help me deal with the pain a bit more… if I have someone else I can share it with."
Goku paused for a moment. Considering their similar circumstances, he supposed that Jean reading his mind wouldn't be all that bad. Even he struggled to deal with Gohan's death sometimes, so this experience, although weird, could help him as well.
He lightly nodded his head in agreement.
"Okay… I guess you can, Jean."
"Thank you. It won't take long. I promise…"
With that being said, Jean rested her hands on the sides of Goku's face and began to concentrate. The two kids instinctively closed their eyes, creating some sort of strong mental rapport between them.
Once their thoughts, feelings, and memories were linked together, Goku saw a vision from three years ago take place before his very eyes. Jean's ten-year-old friend, Annie Richardson, was seen running towards a frisbee on the road. The two girls had been playing catch with it in the front yard.
I'll get it!
Annie – WAIT! Check for cars first!
Jean's cries, unfortunately, fell on deaf ears. Despite her mother's prior warning about their subdivision having a blind curve where drivers couldn't see where they were going, Annie's body collided with an incoming vehicle. She was flung into the air like a ragdoll and landed on the Grey Household's front yard.
Annie! ANNIE! Mom! MOM – Come quick! Annie's been hurt real bad!
Goku had the same look of horror as Jean did back then. Annie's arms and legs were twisted at grotesque, impossible angles that couldn't be repaired without tons upon tons of surgery. Despite being drenched in pools of her own blood, the girl was – by some miracle or curse – still alive.
Blood continued to trickle down her arm as she shakily reached out for Jean's hand.
Jean… help me…
With tears in her eyes, the redhead cradled Annie in her arms. Goku could tell the life was draining from her eyes.
It's okay, Annie. Mom's calling an ambulance. It'll be here soon.
I… hurt… hard to breathe… Am I… gonna… die…?
Suddenly, upon making contact with Annie's skin, Jean's mutant abilities awakened, giving her the chance to hear the dying girl's thoughts. Goku didn't know what was happening, but they were currently surrounded by an impenetrable void of darkness.
Amongst these shadows, Annie's glowing soul-self presided. Jean tried to protect this projection of her friend from any further harm, but alas, these attempts were futile. Her best friend's soul-self vanished, leaving Jean alone to hold empty air in her arms.
ANNIE!
Her mind was then snapped back to reality. In the company of a few adults, Jean found herself holding Annie's corpse in her arms. A part of her seemed to die with the poor brown-haired girl. It was a haunting moment that she couldn't even cry over; emptiness was all she could feel upon looking down at Annie's lifeless face.
Jean, meanwhile, saw everything from Goku's transformation into a giant, monkey-like monster and the subsequent murder of his own grandfather by it. She could feel the pain, suffering, and rage going through the boy's mind while it happened, yet Goku, somehow, had no memory of ever undergoing such a change. While this power of his was frightening, she still felt sympathy for Goku, nonetheless.
The two of them were kindred spirits in a way. As mutants, they were both born with powerful abilities they had no real control over. The main difference was that she had a family to rely on while Goku, sadly, did not. Perhaps Professor Xavier was hoping to change that with his tutelage.
With their darkest moments shared with one another, Jean removed her hands from his head. They both took some time to breathe and compose themselves. Goku had broken out into a cold sweat while Jean, in contrast, felt fresh tears trickle down her cheeks.
"Well… that was an experience. Are you okay?"
Jean, overcome with emotion, jumped up and hugged Goku for dear life. It was the most emotion she's shown in quite a long time. The boy didn't what to do in this situation, so he just lightly patted her back.
"I-I should be asking you that. You've gone through so much in such a short time," The girl choked out. "Thank you for showing me what happened…"
"Eh, it's no problem. Grandpa wouldn't want me to mope and cry over his death, anyway. He always taught me to live life to the fullest and get as strong as possible."
Jean nodded while burrowing her face into Goku's shoulder. That was advice she wouldn't mind following as well. After all, she had changed quite a bit since Annie's accident took place.
"He sounds like a wise man."
"Yeah, he was," Goku affirmed. He then awkwardly tapped on the thirteen-year-old's shoulder. "Uh… you can let go of me now, Jean…"
"O-Oh. Right."
She then ended their embrace while darting her green eyes to the side in embarrassment. His body felt somewhat soothing to her, but she, of course, wouldn't say such a thing out loud.
"So… any idea what that darkness inside Annie's mind was?"
"I'm not sure. Back when it happened, it felt like I was dying alongside Annie. So I assume the darkness was death itself…"
"Yeesh. That's kinda morbid." Goku glowered while swishing his tail from side to side. "It's sad that your friend had to go out that way, but… I'm glad you're still alive, Jean. And maybe Annie, wherever she ended up, is too."
Jean wiped some stray tears from her eyes.
"I hope you're right, Goku."
"Hehe. I know I am. Now, do you want to go check on Professor Xavier, Bulma, and your parents inside? They're talking about some important stuff in there. We might want to listen in."
After years of closing herself off from other people, Jean stood up straight and gladly accepted Goku's invitation without argument.
"Sure. I'd love to."
"Great! Let's go!"
The two kids then walked inside together. Their appearance caught everyone, particularly her parents, by surprise. It was rare for them to see Jean look so lively these days.
"Jean, sweetie, are you okay? Is anything bothering you?" Elaine asked in concern.
"I'm fine, Mom. I was just talking with Goku." The mutant girl replied. "He's kinda weird, but funny too. Hehe."
"Hey! I'm not weird!"
"Yeah, you are. Don't deny it." Bulma retorted with a sly grin on her face.
Elaine and John exchanged weird looks with one another. Their daughter was not only smiling, but laughing too. Whatever Goku did must have worked wonders for her emotional state.
"Guess that warning about funny business actually worked. Who would have thought?" The Grey patriarch mumbled under his breath.
Professor Xavier found himself feeling quite impressed to say the least. His hypothesis about Goku and Jean's being able to bond over their own traumatic childhoods was proven, to no one's surprise, correct. However, her being able to smile and talk so openly was an added bonus he didn't expect to happen. The boy must have made an exceptional first impression.
He smiling, gesturing to his two student with one hand.
"As you can see, Mrs. Grey, Jean will fit right at home with the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters. Communicating with peers her age is key to treating her trauma in a slow, healthy manner." Xavier explained. "Not to mention that most of our courses are college-level, so you won't need to worry about Jean falling behind on her studies."
John rubbed his chin in uncertainty. This deal had all sorts of pros and cons to it.
"I don't know about this, Xavier. She's only thirteen-years-old..."
"And Westchester County is so far away…" Elaine added.
With the previous talk she had with Goku in mind, Jean looked up at her parents with a pleading look in her eyes.
"Please, guys! I really want to go. I think the professor will be able to help me more than ever there."
Elaine grimaced. "But sweetheart…"
"Did we mention tuition comes with a free scholarship?" Bulma said.
At the slightest mention of the word, 'free', John got up from his seat and shook Professor Xavier's hand.
"You got yourself a deal then, Professor. We'll let Jean attend your… institute or whatever you called it."
"John!"
"What? We should be proud our daughter's winning that good of a scholarship! I sure am!"
Balking at her husband's behavior, Goku blankly tilted his head to the side in puzzlement.
"Not sure what a scholarship is, but it's cool that Jean's coming with us."
The redhead beamed and gently hugged the boy's side one last time before running up the stairs. Bulma tried her best not to laugh seeing Goku's goofy reaction to that gesture.
"I'll go pack my things!"
As Jean scurried over to her room, the redhead older sister, Sara Grey, walked down the stairs, looking surprised. She was a fourteen-year-old girl with short red hair, green eyes, and pink lips. She could likely pass for Jean's identical twin if not for their noticeable age difference and facial features.
"Am I going crazy or did I see Jean smiling just now?! What's going on, Mom?"
"It's… somewhat complicated, Sara. We'll explain more once your sister's done packing."
"Packing?!"
Time passed until finally, Jean had finished packing all of her belongings into multiple suitcases. Goku showed off his superhuman strength by carrying this luggage in each hand and piling it into the Rolls Royce's trunk. He did a sloppy job organizing things, of course, but the Grey's were still blown away, nevertheless. John even double-checked to see if his pipe was spiked or not.
"You could have been a bit more careful with Jean's stuff, Goku…" Bulma grumbled.
"Eh, I'm sure it's fine. It's not like we're driving all day."
The Japanese scientist then proceeded to bonk him on the head.
"Says the guy who tossed everything into the trunk all at once! There was probably some fragile stuff in those suitcases, idiot!"
"OW! What was that for?!"
Jean nervously chuckled. "Don't be too hard on him, Bulma. I'll sort through it all when we reach the school."
"If we even get there safe and sound…" Professor Xavier sighed. "With Ms. Brief's driving abilities, even I'm uncertain."
Bulma rolled her eyes.
"It was one turn, Professor. Let it go already."
Smiling at the three's antics, Jean directed her attention toward John, Elaine, and Sara. Saying goodbye to all of them was bittersweet, but she knew attending Xavier's school would be a good opportunity for her. It'd also allow Xavier to remove the psychic shields he placed on her mind two years prior.
She gave each member of her family big hugs, but her mother's was, by far, the longest.
"Please call and write to us every week, okay, Jean? We love you so much."
"I will, Mom. I love you too," She replied while exchanging brief eye contact with her older sister. "And I bet things are gonna be a lot more boring without me around, Sara."
"As always, little sister. I'll miss you…"
Giving her older sister one last hug, Jean took a deep breath and went to join Goku in the Rolls Royce's backseat. Professor Xavier also thought it best to soothe the Grey family's concerns one last time.
"I'll keep you updated on Jean's progress as soon as I can. She'll be in good hands under my guidance. I can promise you that much."
"Duly noted, Professor Xavier. I'll hold you to that promise."
Gratefully nodding his head, the mutant geneticist wheeled his way back into the car and gave Bulma the cue to drive away. They then parted from Annandale-on-Hudson and made their way back to the X-Mansion with quick haste.
John Grey held onto his wife and daughter in sadness. He hoped Jean would be able to get the help and guidance she needed at that school. Thankfully, if Goku's influence was any indication, she wouldn't be studying alone either.
"I think we can trust Professor Xavier, dear. He's such a kind, charming man."
"He has more than just charm, Elaine. Something about him gives a person a feeling of confidence in him. Almost like he knows what you're thinking beforehand."
Sara, on the other hand, wasn't nearly as enthusiastic about the bald paraplegic as her parents. She squinted her eyes and kept them focused on the Rolls Royce while it drove away.
"I don't know. He kinda gives me the creeps…"
John and Elaine didn't take this comment too seriously, however. The three just continued to go about their day, wondering how Jean would do on her first day away from their home.
Later on…
"You were raised… in a place filled with dinosaurs?"
To help pass the time, Goku and Jean talked about a few past experiences in their lives. The redhead already knew about Grandpa Gohan's martial arts abilities thanks to their mental rapport earlier, but the Savage Island itself still felt too bizarre to be real. She couldn't imagine having to live there for twelve whole years like her fellow mutant did.
"Yep. A whole bunch of them." The monkey-tailed boy confirmed. "I even saved Bulma from a guy who could turn himself into a pterodactyl. He was so scary-looking that she peed her pants! Hehe."
Jean let out a little snort. "Hehe. Really? He was that bad, huh?"
Bulma slammed her foot on the accelerator and turned around to scream at Goku in outrage.
"I TOLD YOU NOT TO TALK ABOUT THAT, YOU SNOT-NOSED LITTLE JERK!"
Professor Xavier, seeing another car heading towards them, rapidly shook her arm in fear.
"Lord in Heaven! Eyes on the road, Ms. Brief!"
"Ugh. I see it!"
She roughly veered their car to the right lane, causing many other drivers to beep their horns and, in some cases, flip her off. Xavier clutched his chest and took deep, ragged breaths.
"Are you alright, Professor?" Jean asked.
"I wish I could say yes to that question, my dear, but… I'll be much better once we're back at the mansion."
"Speaking of the mansion, what exactly will we being doing there? Training my telepathic and telekinetic abilities as a mutant?" The girl wondered. She then rested a hand against her cheek and looked out the car window. "Because I'd at least like to do some form of studying in-between all of that. Reading was usually what I did to cope with Annie's passing."
"Your academics will have to come later, I'm afraid. My priority is ensuring that you and Goku are ready to bring more young mutants to our cause. And the remaining Dragon Balls too, of course." Xavier explained in a grave tone.
"Dragon Balls? Is that what Goku's orange ball with the four red stars was?"
The professor raised his eyebrows. Xavier knew the children had performed some type of mental link earlier, but he didn't know much how much information Jean gathered from Goku's mind. It was unlikely that he retained much knowledge about Magneto and his plans for the Dragon Balls, anyway.
"That's correct. We currently have three in our possession and four left to find." The adult telepath nodded. "As for our purpose in finding them, that explanation will come once we reach the mansion."
"I understand, Professor."
Bulma looked over at Jean through the rearview mirror and smirked. She then boastfully rested a single hand over her chest.
"In any case, the rest of those Dragon Balls will be puddy in our hands, Jean. The only device that can track them down was invented by yours truly."
Goku tapped his chin. "Well, the only one that we know of…"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Perhaps the boy has a point. There are quite a few hyperintelligent people in this world, Bulma. Reed Richards, Tony Stark, Hank Pym, and many more than that." Xavier narrowed his eyes and clasped both hands together in curiosity. "Who's to say Magneto hasn't already found his own way to locate the remaining Dragon Balls? He is quite the charismatic person, after all. He could bring any up-and-coming scientist to his side, even those who once worked for Capsule Corp perhaps…"
Bulma's skin noticeably paled. She hated how logical Xavier's remark was. She did create the original Dragon Radar, of course, but fully-functioning knockoffs were bound to happen one way or another. Its schematics, in fact, weren't all that complicate to copy and paste.
"For our sake and the rest of the world's, let's hope Magneto hasn't found that person yet."
"Then hope we shall…"
The rest of the drive over to the X-Mansion was uncomfortably silent going forward. This silence, although awkward, gave Xavier some time to ruminate over Jean's powers. He was relieved that Jean could only use basic psychokinesis with her mind, because deep down, he knew something far more powerful and terrifying could be stirring inside it. He made such an observation many years ago, when he limited her mindreading capabilities to only one or two people at a time. Those psychic shields would need to be removed sooner or later, though.
The professor just hoped this entity, or alternate personality, didn't manage to overpower Jean's subconscious. Thankfully, as a young thirteen-year-old girl, there was still time for Jean to refine her gifts and become a telepath even stronger than himself one day.
And that possibility unnerved him to some degree. He didn't wish to think what would happen if a mutant supremacist like Magneto bended Jean to his will, and used her powers for evil.
With Goku's presence in her life, though, that day would, in all likelihood, never come to pass. Their bond was already off to a good start, at least.
*And that's all for Chapter 4! Again, sorry for taking so long to finish it. I promise that Chapters 5 and onwards won't take nearly as long to finish.
I'm glad I got a chance to include Moira MacTaggert in this chapter. She'll be a major supporting character and a pseudo-mother figure for Goku from time-to-time. I liked writing their first interactions with one another (even if her Scottish accent was difficult to convey in text, lol).
Jean's first appearance was the major highlight of this chapter, though. Her backstory was lifted from one of Chris Claremont's comics from the early 80s, so I liked including it. She'll obviously be one of Goku's closest friends in the X-Men and, eventually, one of his love interests. She could be the main one depending on what happens, but I'll have to see.
Chapter 5 will include a new scene with Magneto and the Pilaf Gang, Cyclops's first appearance, and some training between Goku & Jean. Leave a favorite, follow, and/or review to let me know what you think. Until next time.