Cecily stood outside the door with Jean and Scott, her eyes shielded as Scott unleashed his optic blast to break it open. The door gave way, and a blonde woman stepped out first, looking composed despite the chaos.

"We know where the professor is," Jean said quickly.

"And I think we've got a way out of here," Scott added, urgency in his voice.

The woman glanced at them. "Well, you've certainly been busy."

"We had a little help," Scott replied.

"Let's move!" Scott urged, and the group quickly sprinted down the corridor.

Suddenly, Kurt teleported right beside Scott with a bamf. "Jesus!" Scott yelled, startled.

"Oh, sorry!" Kurt apologized.

"This way!" Scott shouted, regaining his focus as they hurried toward their next destination.

They finally entered a large hangar, the massive plane looming before them. Cecily glanced around, nervously picking at her nails, her eyes darting from the plane to the others.

"Hey, Hank," the blonde woman called out, her tone sharp with urgency. "Think you can fly this thing?"

Hank gave the plane a quick once-over, nodding confidently. "Yeah, I'll figure it out."

Scott, scanning the room, spotted the gear. "Hey, guys—flight suits!" he said, pointing to a row of them hanging nearby.

The woman smirked, glancing back at Hank. "Well, you've got your warplane."

"Let's go to war," she added, her voice steely with determination.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Cecily shifted uncomfortably in her seat, tugging at the stiff flight suit, feeling out of place. The blonde woman noticed her fidgeting and looked over with a curious glance.

"What's your name, kid?" she asked.

"Cecily," she replied softly, barely lifting her eyes.

"How old are you, Cecily?"

"Fourteen," she whispered.

The woman raised an eyebrow, her expression softening. "You're tough for fourteen."

Cecily looked down at her hands, still picking at her fingers. "I don't feel it," she murmured, her voice almost lost in the hum of the plane's engines.

"Were you scared?" Jean asked, her voice quiet but probing. "That day in D.C. — were you scared?"

The woman didn't hesitate. "No," she replied flatly, her eyes distant. Jean looked away, sensing the weight of the silence that followed.

"But I was scared on my first mission," the woman finally admitted, breaking the quiet. "I was on a plane like this, with my friends. About your age." Her lips curved into a faint smile. "We called ourselves the X-Men."

Scott glanced up at her, intrigued, but his expression hardened when she continued, "Your brother was there too."

She looked over at Scott. "We used to call him Havok. He was a real handful, but when it came down to it, he was brave. Really brave."

"What happened to the rest of the kids who went with you? The X-Men?" Kurt asked quietly.

Raven's expression darkened, her voice soft but heavy. "Hank and I are the only ones left."

Cecily sighed softly, her voice barely above a whisper, "Oh... you're Raven."

Raven's eyes flickered toward her but she continued, "I couldn't save the rest of them. I told you—I'm not a hero."

Jean shook her head, her voice full of quiet resolve. "Well, you're a hero to us. Seeing you that day on TV... it changed my life."

"Mine too," Kurt added, his tone earnest.

"Mine too," the white-haired guy chimed in. "I mean, I still live in my mom's basement, but, you know... everything else is—well, it's pretty much the same." He shrugged with a grin. "I'm a total loser."

The tension broke as everyone laughed a little, even Raven cracked a faint smile. The weight in the room lightened, if only for a moment.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

"Seventh wonder, twelve o'clock," Hank called out as they flew closer. Cecily leaned forward, eyes widening at the destruction stretching out in the distance.

"He has the professor in the center of the pyramid," Jean said, her voice tense. "He's going to transfer his consciousness into Charles. If he does, he'll have the power to control every mind on this planet."

Cecily squeezed her eyes shut, pressing her hands over her ears, trying to block out the overwhelming noise of voices and destruction swirling around her.

"You guys help Nightcrawler get into the pyramid," Raven instructed, her voice sharp and focused. "Get Charles. I'll deal with Erik."

"How are we supposed to get through that?" Hank asked.

"I can get you in there," the white-haired guy offered. "I came here for him. Let me help."

Raven looked at him for a moment, then nodded. "The rest of you, get Charles onto this plane and get him out of here."

"We're not leaving without you!" Kurt protested.

"Don't worry. We'll catch up," the man assured, determination in his voice.

Hank steadied the plane, his hands gripping the controls. "Hold on," he said, as they prepared to land.

Once the plane touched down, everyone quickly made their way outside.

"Hank, you go with the kids. Moira will be waiting on the plane," Raven instructed, her tone firm.

"Wait," Scott interjected, concern etching his features.

"What?" Raven asked, turning to face him.

"Not all of us can fully control our powers," Scott pointed out.

"Then don't. You need to embrace them, we all do." Raven replied, her voice resolute. With that, she transformed into her natural blue form, her presence radiating confidence.

The white-haired man stepped forward, grabbing hold of her. In an instant, they vanished, leaving the group to prepare for what lay ahead.

The group sprinted through the rubble, ducking behind crumbling walls as they approached the pyramid.

"There's an entrance. It's clear," Hank announced, scanning the area. Suddenly, a noise echoed nearby, causing everyone to freeze.

"Kurt! Get in there!" Hank urged, urgency lacing his voice. He turned to Cecily. "Take her with you."

"What?" Cecily replied, confusion written across her face. But before she could process his words, Kurt grabbed her, and they were whisked inside the pyramid. They continued teleporting from one dark corner to another, desperately searching for the professor.

"You guys have to hurry!" Jean's voice echoed in their heads.

"I'm trying! It's like a maze in here!" Kurt exclaimed, frustration creeping into his tone.

Cecily strained to listen, her heart racing. Suddenly, she noticed a figure flying toward them from the shadows of a pillar. Reacting instinctively, she pushed Kurt out of the way, but it was too late. The man lunged, grabbing Kurt and slamming him into a wall.

Kurt attempted to teleport away, but the man clutched him tightly, and in a flash, they vanished, leaving Cecily alone to navigate the pyramid.

Cecily closed her eyes, reaching deep within herself to sense the professor's presence. She navigated the winding corridors carefully, but despite her efforts, she found no trace of him. Frustrated, she stopped, leaning against a wall to catch her breath.

As her breathing slowed, she focused her mind, closing her eyes once more. A sudden clarity washed over her; she knew where to go. Fueled by determination, she resumed her run, her heart racing as she approached a large room.

Stopping just outside, Cecily peeked in, her pulse quickening at the sight before her. The professor lay on one table, and another figure on a second table, their features obscured in the dim light.

Cecily crouched near the wall, her heart pounding as she took a deep breath. She concentrated, extending her hand toward the professor, willing him to move. But the restraints held firm, too tight for her powers to overcome.

Cecily strained to concentrate, her heart racing as she watched the figure rise, interrupting the transfer. Panic surged through her as she tried to hide, but his gaze locked onto hers, and he advanced with a predatory grace.

"A telekinetic, a telepath, and one who can see the future," he said darkly, a twisted smile creeping across his face. Cecily got a clearer look at him as he stepped closer—he was a monstrous sight, exuding an aura of danger and malice.

Before she could react, he grabbed her arm, dragging her toward him. "No! No! Get away from her!" the professor shouted, his voice filled with urgency and fear.

Apocalypse chuckled, his grip tightening on Cecily. "I've been after your abilities, Charles, and she's been right here all along." His eyes gleamed with malice, relishing the moment as he tightened his hold on her.

He tossed Charles off the table with a brutal force, and Cecily's heart dropped as she cried out in desperation. Before she could react, Apocalypse shoved her onto the table, fastening her down with cold, unyielding restraints. Panic surged through her as she struggled against them, but it was futile—there was no escaping his grip.

As he lay on the other table, the machinery around him whirred to life, initiating the transfer once more. Cecily's cries filled the room, her fear echoing in the air, but all the professor could do was watch helplessly, his heart aching for her as the dark ritual unfolded before him.

Cecily continued to cry out in fear, her heart racing, but in a sudden flash, she found herself on the plane, the professor lying unconscious next to her. She looked up to see Kurt, who assured Moira, "I'll be right back." In a blink, he disappeared, only to return moments later with Jean, who hurried over to the professor's side.

Kurt vanished again, reappearing with Scott. Scott knelt beside Cecily, concern etched on his face. "Are you okay?" he asked gently. She met his gaze for a moment, then nodded, but he could see the fear lurking in her eyes—she was still just a scared little girl.

He helped her to her feet and guided her into her seat. Just then, Kurt returned with Hank, and the plane roared back to life, lifting off into the sky.