X-Force: Beyond Omega

The next morning, excitement buzzed through the Xavier Institute. The students were all abuzz, running through the halls, packing towels, sunscreen, and swimsuits. Even the older mutants, who typically held a more reserved demeanor, seemed eager for the day off. As we boarded the buses, the atmosphere was filled with chatter and laughter—something the school hadn't experienced in a long time.

Celeste Water Park had outdone itself. Reserved exclusively for us, the sprawling park greeted us with massive slides, wave pools, and lazy rivers stretching as far as the eye could see. Brightly colored attractions loomed against the backdrop of a perfect blue sky. It was the kind of place you could lose yourself in—exactly what we all needed.

As we arrived, I took a moment to breathe it all in. Jean, standing beside me in her elegant yet casual summer dress, squeezed my hand. "Good call, Aron. This is perfect."

The students wasted no time. Jubilee and Pixie raced to the towering slides, competing to see who could scream the loudest. Bobby and Colossus started building a massive ice sculpture in one of the splash pools, much to the delight of the younger kids. Even Logan, who grumbled about the idea of a "vacation," couldn't hide the hint of a smirk as he grabbed a lounge chair near the lazy river.

The main pool quickly became the heart of the action. Jean had swapped her summer dress for a sleek red swimsuit, while Kitty's playful energy lit up the area as she performed impromptu flips off the diving board.

"Alright, Aron," Jean said, hands on her hips. "Show us what you've got."

"Prepare to be amazed," I replied, climbing the diving board with a confidence that was mostly bluff. My attempt at a backflip ended in an awkward splash that had Kitty in stitches.

"Not your finest moment," Kitty teased, floating on a pool noodle.

"Give me a break," I shot back. "Not all of us can phase through belly flops."

Nearby, Logan was watching the chaos unfold from a lounge chair. He snorted as Scott attempted an ambitious dive, only to land with a spectacular belly flop. "Not bad, Summers," Logan called, grinning. "You're a natural at flopping."

Soon, the group dispersed to tackle the park's attractions in small clusters.

Jubilee and Kitty turned it into a battleground, riding the waves like surfers. Kitty, hesitant at first, ended up laughing harder than anyone when Jubilee slipped and got dunked.

Kurt teleported to the top, leaving Warren huffing as he climbed the stairs. The two emerged from the slide's winding tunnels with triumphant splashes, their grins wide enough to match the cheers of onlookers.

Hank floated serenely, reading and sipping from a coconut drink. Every so often, a sneaky student would splash him, prompting a playful roar that sent them squealing with delight.

As for Rogue, she was sitting far away from everyone and was the only one not to wear a swimsuit because of her power. She looked lonely, watching everyone else having fun. I think I should try my power on her. Maybe try to help her live a fun moment. I walked over to her.

"Yo," I slumped down beside her.

"Hey, Aron," she replied.

"Do you want to go in there and enjoy?" I asked with a warm smile.

"Who doesn't? But we both know it ain't gonna happen," she sighed.

"What if I turn you into a regular human for a day?" I said, snapping my fingers.

"What are ya talking about?" Rogue said, raising her eyebrows.

"Think of it as turning off your power for a day, so, you wanna give it a go?" I smiled.

"Are you serious?" she said, standing up.

"Sure am," I said as I touched her forehead and absorbed her power. It was faster than before, way faster. Within a few seconds, I was done. Phew! I wasn't that sure that it would work on her, but seems like, my power to absorb power nullified her mutation. Nice. Now, without that dangerous power of hers, she should be able to enjoy the day without any worries.

Rogue froze up for a moment there. She wasn't expecting me to still standing after touching her. And she was even more shocked to see that she didn't absorb me.

"Whoa!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide. "Ya didn't die!"

"You were expecting me to die?" I chuckled. "I mean, I did tell you, didn't I?"

"But...how?"

"Let's just say, I am very special," I said, patting her back. Now, go on, join them without any worries.

"I..." Rogue froze up, unable to express her feelings. It's understandable, considering how long she had to stay away from others because of her power. But now that I've removed it, it should be fine.

"It's okay, you don't need to say anything. Go, have fun," I smiled warmly.

She nodded silently and was about to go into the pool.

"Wait a sec!" I called her. Let's make sure, just in case. "Why don't you go and touch Logan? You know, just to be sure and it will increase your confidence."

"You want to use him as a guinea pig? Is this really a good idea?" Rogue said, raising her eyebrows.

"Just trust me. It'll be fine. He's Wolverine, nothing is gonna happen to him," I said reassuringly.

"If you say so," She turned around and went toward Logan. I didn't go with her, as I wanted to see what she was going to do by herself.

Rogue stopped in front of Logan, looking hesitant. But she did what I asked her to and placed her hand on his shoulder. To everyone's surprise, she didn't absorb his power and let out a sigh of relief. She looked happy for the first time since I've seen her.

"Did you do something?" Scott asked, looking at me with a suspicious look.

"Maybe," I smirked.

On the other side, Logan almost jumped up from his lounge chair when Rogue touched him. He was ready to lash out if things went wrong. But when he saw Rogue's happy face, he relaxed.

"Wow! Kiddo, your power?" Logan asked with wide eyes.

"Don't worry," I yelled. "Her power won't hurt anyone. So, everyone, have fun. And Kitty, Jubilee... Don't hold back on her now."

Rogue went into the pool with a wide smile on her face. I saw her swimming happily, splashing Kitty and Jubilee while laughing loudly.

"It worked?" Storm said as she came next to me with a confused look. All this time she was following the new mutants, to keep things safe.

"Of course, it did," I said.

"You are really a blessing, Aron," Storm said with a smile as she saw Rogue smile and splash. "I don't remember the last time I saw her real smile."

"It's not a big deal," I said modestly. "By the way, you look great."

Storm was wearing a white two-piece swimsuit. The design made her look like an angel floating down to Earth. A sight to behold.

"Eyes up here, mister," She giggled.

"Sorry, I couldn't help it," I said, scratching my neck.

"Well, at least you are honest," she laughed.

"You know, we can go and join them," I said, pointing at the pool. "I'll look after those newbies."

"Are you sure?" she asked. "I'm still responsible for them."

"Don't worry, I got them. You can trust me," I smiled. "I'll come and get you if anything happens."

"Okay then," Storm said and went to join the fun with everyone else.

With Storm gone, I turned to the new mutants, who were enjoying the day in their own little ways.

By noon, hunger pulled everyone to the picnic area. The spread was incredible—grilled burgers, hot dogs, and veggie skewers alongside heaping trays of fries and salad. Even Logan looked impressed as he piled his plate.

"This ain't half bad," he admitted, biting into a burger.

"Translation: you're welcome," I said, earning a chuckle from Jean.

The conversation turned lighthearted as Kitty poked fun at my earlier dive. "Aron, I think you made waves in the wrong direction."

"Hey, I'm just warming up," I replied. Jean smirked, her green eyes sparkling. "Sure, keep telling yourself that."

Nearby, Jubilee and Rogue were recounting their wave pool antics, earning laughs from the table. Even Scott seemed relaxed. Pixie on the other hand was flying around, distributing juice cans to everyone at the back.

Jean sat beside me, leaning on my shoulder on the edge of the pool. I could see how happy she was, surrounded by her friends, family, and kids she loved to teach. This moment was everything she wanted, and I couldn't be happier to provide it for her.

"Thanks," She whispered.

"For what?" I asked.

"For this," she said, motioning to the group. "You didn't have to do all this, but you did."

"It's not a big deal, really," I said modestly. "They needed a break, and so do we. So, it's a win-win."

"But..."

"You don't need to thank me, Jean," I said, squeezing her hand. "I did it because I wanted to. So, let's enjoy..."

Kitty pulled Jean's head from behind and pushed her head between mine and Jean's. "What are you two doing without me? Huh? Aron?" She smirked, her breath smelled like hot dogs.

"Nothing," I said, laughing. "Just talking about how beautiful you look in that swimsuit."

"Oh!" Jean exclaimed, rolling her eyes. "You didn't even praise me that way."

"Wait...are you jealous?" I smirked.

"Maybe," she giggled. "Should I be?"

"Not at all," 

"Good answer," Jean laughed.

"Hey, you two, don't pretend like I don't exist here," Kitty said, interrupting us.

"She's jealous," Jean teased.

"Yup, she is."

"Wha- No, I'm not," Kitty exclaimed, shaking her head.

"Right," we both said.

"Tsk. Fine," Kitty pulled back and then pushed us both forward into the pool.

"Hey," Jean yelled as she splashed Kitty with water.

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AN: I know some mutants are missing, they are on a mission.

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