Peter left his house at around 7:30 on Tuesday morning. He should have been excited about his new situation. A fresh slate, no more J. Jonah Jameson chewing him out about the quality of his pictures, which he submitted under the alias Ben Reilly when he wasn't busy updating the Daily Bugle's webpage, and new people that didn't know he was a nerd or geek. There was just one drawback.

No way I can have a real date with M.J. now, Peter thought.

All these thoughts raced through his mind, some more coherently than others. He was attempting to stay awake inside the limo as it sped on, but the even-tone droning of the engine, coupled with the bleak landscape of Upstate New York seemed to drain his energy.

"Are you all right back there?" the driver asked, her voice seeming to drift on the wind.

"I'm…reasonably fine," Peter responded, yawning loudly. "How long till we get there?"

"Another twenty or so minutes, Mr. Parker."

Peter thought this Miss Monroe was a model, from her statuesque height and perfectly tanned skin. The only thing he found odd was her snow white hair and piercing ice blue eyes. He had this unsettling feeling in his stomach that if she could, she would inflict any number of unspeakable tortures on him if he didn't say the right thing.

"Excuse me, Miss Monroe?" Peter says, trying desperately to drive the tiredness from him.

"Yes?" she replied.

"Would you recommend this school to your family or friends, if they fit the profile for this establishment?" Peter caught a small smile in the rearview mirror.

"Yes, I would. My nephew attends the school and it's really working wonders for him."

"I see."

A few minutes later the limo pulled up to the Xavier Mansion, where a moving van was shaking from its engine running. It was emblazoned with a logo that read: TIMELY MOVERS. Peter got out of the expensive car and approached the van. He took a quick look inside and found it surprisingly empty. He then went into the school and found Professor Xavier signing a clipboard held firmly in the grasp of an overweight man wearing an old, stretched-out T-shirt with the moving van's logo on it.

"Pleasure doin' business with you, Professor Xavier," the man said.

"Not a problem," Xavier said, finishing his signature.

The moving man took the clipboard away, and his company pen, and said, "Remember, if it's not Timely, it's not on time."

Xavier watched the moving man leave and heard his van outside roar to life. Then the squealing of tires sped away. He then saw Peter Parker standing near the doorway.

"Ah, Mr. Parker, you're here early than I expected," Xavier said.

"Makes two of us, Professor," Peter replied, almost yawning. "I take it my personal effects got here okay."

"Indeed, and they have been placed in your new room," Xavier explains.

"Am I gonna have a roommate?" Peter asks with a slight edge of nervousness.

"Why, no, Peter. A straight-A student such as you doesn't need the distraction of having a roommate coming in and out whenever they please."

Peter let out a sigh of relief.

"Before I show you where you'll be staying, perhaps I should introduce you to some of you're new housemates, and just what they can do." Xavier said. His wheelchair motor whirred as it made its way through the house. Peter followed shortly after.

I was right. This guy wants me here because he knows about my abilities, Peter thought. How'd that happen?

After a few minutes, Peter found himself in a fairly large kitchen, with a group of six teens sitting around a rectangular, bench-style table. Xavier was situated at the head of the table. When Peter had entered, the teens stood up and faced him.

"I feel like I enlisted in a military academy," Peter muttered.

"Everyone, I believe you know who our new resident is," Xavier said. He wheeled himself to come between Peter and the others. "Peter Parker, may I introduce you to Scott Summers," he added with a gesture towards the shades-wearing teen.

"And we apparently share the same barber," Peter says, taking note of the similar hair style he and Scott have.

"Those were some fancy moves you pulled off the other day," Scott said.

"You saw that, huh? I was trying for a Triple Lutz but I apparently need more practice."

The other five teens let out a soft chuckle.

"So, what can you do?" Peter asks.

"My eyes emit a powerful stream of energy with devastating results," Scott answers.

"Cool and even cooler shades. What are those, ruby quartz?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Interesting. The only reason anyone uses ruby quartz is to diffuse solar energy." Peter's eyes shot open. "You need those shades to keep your powers under control, don't you?"

"Pretty much, yeah," Scott answers.

"Wear goggles, man," Peter suggests. "Won't come off as easily."

Xavier then directed Peter to the next student in the line.

"Peter, this is Jean Grey, one of my best and brightest," Xavier explained. "She has psychic and telekinetic abilities."

"Hey, how ya doin'?" Peter asked. Is she really a psychic?

"Good, I guess," Jean replies. " And yes, I am." An expression of shock danced across Peter's face. "So, I heard from the Professor you're a straight-A student. Is that true?"

"I hope so, otherwise my future summer internship at Stark Enterprises may be based on false grounds," Peter answers flatly.

Jean had a look of shock on her face by the time Peter and the Professor moved onto the next teen.

"This is Evan Daniels, Miss Monroe's nephew," Xavier states. "His body can launch jagged spikes of replicated bone."

"Cool," Peter says.

"'Sup, man?" Evan says.

"Dude, I don't know if you're aware of this, but you're underwear's hangin' outta your pants," Peter replies.

"Yeah, I know," Evan said in a serious tone.

"So what? You couldn't find a belt or is that result of one wedgie too many?"

The others snickered to themselves.

"You're gonna fit in here, man," Evan says through gritted teeth. "I can feel it." He then shot a glare at the others. "So, what can you do?"

"Using low-level electro-static induction, I am able to overcome the resistant ion shell around any surface and cling to it," Peter says flatly.

"Huh?"

"I'm able to climb just about any surface, no matter how slick or sheer it is," Peter explains as he and Xavier move onto the next student.

"Next up," Xavier said. "Peter, this is Kurt Wagner. He comes all the way from Germany and has the ability of line of sight teleportation. Kurt, if you would be so kind?"

Kurt hesitantly pressed a button on his watch and his skin and body melted away to a blue-furred creature with a tail. Kurt was expecting Peter to yell in fright or pass out, but he didn't.

"So, is that 'Vagner' with a W?" Peter asks, not the least phased by what he witnessed.

"Ja, it is," Kurt says, a bit astonished. "You're not frightened by my appearance?"

"Dude, I've seen scarier things than you," Peter replies. "Besides, you look like an elf."

"Moving along," Xavier says. "This is Katherine Pryde, but she likes to be called 'Kitty'. She has the ability to pass through solid objects."

"She couldn't settle for being 'Kat'," Peter mumbled.

"Hi!" Kitty exclaims, grabbing onto Peter's hand and shaking it. "It's, like, so good to meet you!"

"Uh…hi," Peter managed with his arm being jerked around. "Where are you from?"

"Chicago," Kitty answered, a bit confused. "Like, why?"

"Then what's the deal with the Valley girl accent?" Peter asks.

"What Valley girl accent?" Kitty responds.

"Never mind then," Peter replies, dropping the subject entirely.

Peter struggled to wretch his hand free as he and Xavier come to the last girl in the line up.

"Peter, this is Rogue," Xavier states.

"Hi," Peter says to the green-clad Goth girl.

"Uh…hi," Rogue replies, her voice mixed with an unusual blend of nervousness.

Peter exchanged a quick glance with Xavier. "What can she do?"

"Life force absorption through skin contact," Xavier replied.

"Whoa," Peter says. "That's gotta be a problem in the summer."

"Now, that you've all met, I think it's about time I show Mr. Parker where he'll be staying." Xavier then wheeled himself out of the kitchen.

"Well, it was good to meet you," Peter says to the group. "I'm sure this will be an interesting experience for all of us." He then exited the kitchen.

Xavier and Peter then exited the kitchen. As soon as the Professor and the new guy left, Kitty immediately turned to Rogue.

"Like, the new guy's kinda cute, don't you think?" Kitty said.

"I guess," Rogue answered flatly. "And what would Lance say about that?"

"What he don't know won't hurt him," Kitty replied with a grin.

Jean looked to Scott. "What do you think of him, Scott?"

"I'm not sure, but he is right," the shades-wearing X-Man answered. "Things are gonna be different around here."


Peter followed the wheelchair-bound Professor up to the second level by way of a small elevator in one of the walls. The floor stretched out to several hallways and numerous rooms in every which way.

"Nice to see there are a lot more people in the world like me," Peter states.

"Yes, and I intend to keep that a secret for as long as I can," Xavier says. "You see, Peter, this school is really a haven for those with particular gifts that the world may not yet understand. In fact, if it wasn't for the others downstairs, I probably wouldn't have found out about you."

"I see," Peter says. "I take it they got pictures of me doin' stuff."

"Oh, yes. Now, Mr. Parker, I must warn you. The decision to stay here is entirely up to you, but if you choose to leave now, I'm afraid I'll have to erase your memories of what went on here."

"You can do that?" Peter asks, astonished.

"Indeed," Xavier states. (I can do a lot with my powers.)

Peter was a bit astonished that he could hear the Professor's voice in his head. "I take it you're a more powerful psychic than the redhead."

Xavier chuckled.

"So, my room's down here, right?" Peter asks.

"You've made a wise decision, Mr. Parker," Xavier states.

Before they could travel further down the hall, a sandy haired boy seemed to slide across the plush carpet on a sheet of ice before impacting the wall at the far end of the floor.

"I'm okay," the boy groaned.

"That is one of my newer students, Bobby Drake," Xavier explains. "He takes some getting used to."

"I see," Peter says. "Something tells me we'll be amazing friends."

"You're sarcasm is noted."

"That obvious, huh?"

"You are laying it on a bit thick."

Xavier led Peter down the hallway at the top of the stairs and turned to a door.

"And this is you're room. As I've said, you're personal effects have already been placed inside. But they are still in boxes."

The door opened and Peter found himself in a room that was easily twice the size of his old bedroom in Forest Hills. The vaulted ceiling and outside balcony was what he noticed first.

"Wow," the brown-haired teen said in awe. "And I don't have to share it with anyone, right?"

"That is correct," Xavier said.

"Cool."

"Yes, 'cool,' but I must warn you. You won't exactly be alone. The six you met downstairs also inhabit this hallway, so I prefer if you kept the noise down to a reasonable level," Xavier stated.

"What noise, Professor?" Peter asks.

"I just figured that an Aerosmith fan, such as yourself, might play loud music at night," the Professor explained.

"That's in my file?"

"No, you're aunt told me before you showed up. Plus, you're CD collection is mostly by that particular band."

"You took a look at my CD collection?"

"No. Evan and Kurt did when the movers left the box in the foyer."

"I see." Jerks.

Xavier nodded in acknowledgement. "Also, I think you may need this." He handed Peter a cheap leather wallet.

"Beat-up faux leather wallet, no cash, no credit cards, Suncoast Replay Card, and an expired driving permit, from lack of use," Peter said, examining the wallet. "Yep, this is mine."

Xavier chuckled. "I hope you enjoy you're stay here, Mr. Parker." The Professor than wheeled himself out into the hallway.

Peter closed the door and got his boxes open. In thirty minutes, he managed to get all his stuff squared away, including his old beat-up desk and computer. The only thing left was his multitude of posters from his favorite bands that Aunt May wouldn't let him put up.

"Let's see, where to put 'em," he muttered.

A thought came to him. He stuck his head out in the hallway and then took a look outside his window. He looked to the ceiling, took a deep breath, and kicked his shoes off.


Rogue firmly grasped one of her favorite horror books as she marched up to her room. With the New Mutants slowly spending more time in the school since the teacher strike was apparently coming to an end, her usual quiet spots suddenly became flooded with noise. She knew that Kitty was already in their shared room, and hoped that she had the courtesy to wear her headphones while listening to that garbage she calls "music."

If I have to hear that stupid Jessica Simpson song again, I'm gonna kill her, Rogue thought darkly.

She opened the door and the sounds of the Jessica Simpson's remake of "These Boots Were Made for Walkin'" flooded her senses. She quickly closed the door.

"I'll kill her later," she said. "The original was better."

She looked across the hall to the new guy's room. The door was slightly ajar and she inched it open. She found the new guy, Peter, staring at the ceiling. Her green eyes traveled from him up to his focal point. Her eyes widened. Posters ranging from Aerosmith to Linkin Park to Saliva decorated the ceiling.

"Wow," Rogue said in a hushed voice.

Somehow, that got Peter's attention. "I don't like being spied on," he said.

"Sorry," Rogue said, entering the room. "It's just that I'm trying to find a good place to get away from everybody."

"I take it you're not a Jessica Simpson fan?" Peter inquires.

"She's got a good voice, but I prefer her sister's stuff," Rogue answers. "You heard that?"

"Closed her door," Peter says. "Doesn't she listen to anything else?"

"I'm not sure and I'm her roommate." Rogue took a better look at the posters above their heads. "You got good taste in music."

"I like to think I do." Peter than pulled a single rolled up poster from an otherwise empty box. He then unrolled it and showed to the Southern Goth. "I'm still not sure where to put this one."

Rogue stared at the poster with surprise. "You listen to Evanescence?"

"Ever since that song 'Bring Me to Life' came on the radio," Peter admits. "Of course my blind friend and his girlfriend kinda ruined it for me when they sang it for Karaoke Night at their coffee shop 'bout a month ago. Any suggestions?"

"I'd put it between your Audioslave and Nickleback, but that's just me."

Peter thought about that for a few seconds. "Yeah, I can see that. I'll get to that later. But right now, I could do with a better tour of this place."

The walls then seemed to reverberate to the pulse of some indiscernible pop song. Peter and Rogue exchanged a quick glance as they covered their ears.

"I apparently have nothing better to do, so why don't I show you around?" Rogue shouts.

"Sounds good!" Peter replies.


Professor Xavier assembled Ororo Monroe and Hank McCoy into his office shortly after depositing the new student in his room.

"I asked you two here so I can ask you your opinion," Xavier explained after a few minutes silence. "When exactly would be a good time to tell him what it is we actually do here?"

"I suggest tomorrow, after school," Beast offered. "At least give him a day to settle in before we pull the rug under him."

"I agree," Ororo said. "It may not do him much good to tell him about us on his first day."

"Your input is appreciated," Xavier said, contemplating. "We give him a day, and we'll see what happens from there. Hank, is everything ready to test him?"

"Yes, Professor," Beast admits. "Starting tomorrow, we find out how Mr. Parker evaded Cerebro."


"…And that, unfortunately, ends our little tour," Rogue says as she and Peter enter the mansion's living room.

"I have to say, Rogue, that was certainly entertaining," Peter says. "Those 'New Mutants' look like a handful."

"Yeah, but we manage." The Southern Goth checks her watch. "Kitty should be done listenin' to her so-called 'music' by now."

"I hope so." Peter s looked sharply to the stairwell and saw Scott walk by, his eyes still hidden by his ruby-colored shades. "That guy gives me the creeps."

"Yeah, he can do that," Rogue says, sighing. "Just be glad he never takes those glasses off."

Peter then stared at her. "Yeah, that might be a problem."

Rogue and Peter then made their way upstairs and the sound of Kitty Pryde's radio had substantially turned down. They exchanged a quick, and puzzled, glance and came to the door. Rogue opened it and found Kitty sound asleep on her bed with a pair of headphones on.

"She puts 'em on when she sleeps?" Rogue says. "I just don't get this girl."

"Just be glad she puts 'em on," Peter adds. "After all, it could be a lot worse."

"How?" Rogue asks, turning to face him.

"She could be snoring," Peter replies flatly.

Rogue couldn't help surprising a giggle. "Thanks. That made my day."

"No problem. I have a knack for that…and making esoteric references."

Rogue fixed Peter with a puzzled expression.

"Esoteric. It's a weird word that means only a certain group of people understand a particular subject, much like a TV show or movie," Peter explains.

"Oh!" Rogue says in understanding. "Kinda like when nerds get together and talk about Star Wars?"

"Exactly, and we like to be called geeks. Well, see ya. I have a date with Evanescence." Peter than made a hasty retreat to his room across the hall.

"See ya," Rogue half-whispered. "Kitty is right. He is kinda cute. I can't believe I just agreed with her."

With poster in hand, Peter managed to adhere himself to the ceiling with a jump. He found the spot between his Audioslave and Nickleback posters Rogue pointed out and placed it evenly between the two. With a satisfied grin, he released his grip, did a double somersault, and landed silently on the floor. He then slipped his red sneakers back on and admired his work.

"Good thing there are people weirder than me around here," he said. "They might freak out or somethin'."


Nightfall descended quickly on the Xavier Mansion and the dining hall was crowded with students clamoring for food. A magnificent spread of seafood, ranging from lobster to popcorn shrimp, filled the table. The only one not present was the new guy, Parker.

"So this guy sticks to walls?" Jubilation "Jubilee" Lee asked the girl next to her.

"Yeah, from what I heard," Rahne "Wolfsbane" Sinclair replied in her Scottish accent.

"That's not a real power," Ray "Berzerker" Crisp added. To illustrate his point, a thin tendril of electricity fired from his finger and impacted harmlessly against the wall.

"We could actually do with a bit less of that," Amara "Magma" Aquilla said. "Besides, from what I heard, he's kinda cute."

"You think any guy's cute," Bobby "Iceman" Drake said from the other side of the table.

"That so, Ice Cube?" Amara said, leaning forward.

"Yeah, it is," Bobby replied, also leaning forward.

Ambient waves of heat and cold emanated from them, causing low levels of steam to flow across the table. A harsh gust of wind blew the steam away and the elemental empowered mutants looked to the head of the table.

"That's enough," Ororo stated. "Agreed?"

"Yes, Storm," Bobby and Amara replied. They quickly sat down.

Xavier checked the clock on the wall and his watch for the fifth time in three minutes. After a minute of hesitation he said:

"It would appear that Mr. Parker may not be joining us and the rest of you shouldn't suffer for it. We may begin."

Several of the students let out an excited yell and feverishly began digging into the lavish spread of food on the table. After a good five minutes, the doorbell rang.

"Who could that be?" Logan asked no one in particular.

The scampering of feet followed shortly and the form of Peter Parker was seen approaching the door. He opened it and a delivery man held a few white cartons in his hands.

"You Parker?" the delivery guy asked curtly.

"Yeah, that be me," Peter replied.

"Beef with broccoli, orange chicken, chicken-fried rice, and an order of spring rolls," the delivery guy said, handing each item to Peter. "That'll 17.50 in exact change."

Peter somehow managed to pull a $20 bill out of his pocket, despite the bulky boxes in his hands. "How about I give you this and we call it even?"

"Works for me." The delivery guy took it, looked around suspiciously and ran back to his delivery truck.

Peter barely saw the guy off when he closed the door and looked to the crowded dining room. "The spread looks good but I'm not much for seafood. Sorry."

The new guy then ran up to his room, without so much as losing his grip on the Chinese food in his hands.

After a few seconds, the others at the table resumed their meal in an awkward silence. It wasn't until most of the food on the table was gone when Amara spoke up.

"He is kinda cute and He looks kinda like Scott."

At that comment, the shades-wearing mutant nearly chocked on something.

"Yeah, a more fun-lovin' Scott," Evan added.

"Ha, ha," Scott uttered. "Very funny."

"Just sayin', Cyke." Evan than went back to eating his food.

Logan wasn't paying much attention to the conversation that soon followed for he had something heavier on his mind: What does Fury know about this kid that we don't?


Peter firmly grasped the red-and-blue costume in his hands. He sighed heavily and put it back in his closet. He knew he took an oath of responsibility when he first donned the outfit and became known as "the Amazing Spider-Man" but he felt his Uncle Ben would understand if he took a break from it to get his priorities straight.

"I know, Uncle Ben, that this job wouldn't be easy but should my responsibilities sacrifice the lives of those closest to me?" Peter asks the sky. "Just give me a sign."

Nothing happened for several minutes.

"You're a big help, you know that."

With nothing better to do, Peter decided to dig into his Chinese food, chopsticks at the ready. He figured if it cost him 20 bucks, it better be the best he's ever had.

"It's not without its charm," Peter muttered between gulps of rice and chicken.

Finishing his meal, Peter threw the cartons into an empty box marked "Miscellaneous Crap" and carried it downstairs. The others were still at the dining table, possibly moving onto dessert from the looks of the multi-tiered cake now in the middle of the table. After standing outside the dining room for a few seconds, they finally noticed him.

"Care to join us, Mr. Parker?" Miss Monroe offers.

"Yeah, sure, but where can I throw this out?" Peter asks, holding up his box.

"'Round back," Logan replies.

"Okay, thanks." Peter then goes outside from the kitchen doors. The sound of a box being thrown in a nearby metal garbage can was heard a few seconds later.

"Okay, maybe he does look like me," Scott states off-handedly before Peter came back.

Peter found an empty seat between Kitty and Rogue. He exchanged a quick glance with them.

"How's it goin'?" Peter asked Kitty.

"Do you, like, have a girlfriend?" she suddenly asked. All the other girls around the table suddenly took an interest, even Rogue.

"Not at the moment," Peter stated.

"What happened? Did you two have a nasty fight and broke up or was she, like, cheating on you?" She then gasped. "Did you cheat on her?"

"No," Peter said. "She died."

The mood around the table quieted down and desert was eaten in awkward silence.