"Mr. Parker, I gathered you solved your web problem," Mr. Murdock walked over to his student.
Peter pulled his mask off, a big grin on his face. "Yeah! It still needs a bit of tinkering, but I've gotten to a point where it gets the job done. Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," his teacher replied. He then pointed his cane at Kamala, "Don't be reckless with your power, Miss Khan. That could've caused a serious accident."
The Pakistani-American gulped and nodded feverishly, "S-Sorry, Mr. Murdock!!"
The cane was then pointed at Flash, "That goes double for you, Thompson. She may have overshot that boulder, but you didn't even look where you threw it. Be mindful of your surroundings, especially when civilians are around."
Flash barely registered what was said, merely grunting in response. He merely stared at his own hand, almost transfixed.
"Still, that was a nice move," Luke noted. "I didn't know your Quirk could do that!"
Luke didn't get a response, however. "Flash?" He asked.
"Huh? Oh... yeah, it's something I've been working on," Flash finally replied, walking away toward the showers.
While he'd managed not to show it, this new development in Flash's powers had seriously unnerved him. There was no conscious decision on his part, it hadn't even been instinctual when he reflected the boulder. It was as though for the briefest of moments, something else entirely had taken control of his body.
Luke watched Thompson walk off, a twinge of concern on his face before deciding to table it for the moment.
In the meantime, several of the other students had come over to check out Peter's new costume. Since he spent most of his time up in the Support Lab, it was rare to see him practicing with the rest of the class.
"Dude, Parker, what was that?" Cho asked, no longer in his Brawn form. "You swooped in and wasted that rock!"
"I've watched you swing around before, but I don't think I've ever seen you do it so gracefully!" Said Seol.
"Yeah, it was almost acrobatic!" Put in Tandy.
"Thanks," Peter said, a little embarrassed by all of the praise. "Now that I have a steady supply of web fluid again, I've been practicing over at Field Gamma where there's a bit more room to move around."
He held out his hand and clenched it into a fist. "What I came up with is a sort of power up where I focus all my senses and let instinct take over," Peter explained. "This lets me use my full strength and speed without having to think about outside distractions. I call it 'Battle Focus'."
"Oooh, I like it!" Said Gwen, making her way over. "And the new threads!"
"Right? They're a little bulky, but I get more protection and I can still move pretty well," The Spider-Man shifted his body around, as if to stretch out and empathize different parts of his new outfit. While it was still going to take some getting used to, he couldn't deny it was a work of art. Especially with all of the new hidden toys built into it.
Riri did a great job, he thought to himself. I think I'll call this new look Spidey 3.0!
"Looks like you changed up your costume too," Peter noted, getting a better look at his classmate's outfit.
Gwen indeed had several alterations done to her white and pink ensemble. While a few pouches had been added to her belt along with a more durable material used for the bodysuit, there was one key change to her costume that stood out; the bottom of her mask was gone, leaving her pink lipstick covered mouth exposed.
"Yeah well, 'save the day with a smile', right?" She asked, giving a thumbs up. "A bit hard to do when your mouth is covered."
Peter couldn't help but smile at her statement, realizing how much she'd taken his words to heart.
At that moment, Tyrone appeared within a sudden cloud of black smoke. Laura and Wanda followed just behind, the later levitating down while using the crimson energy around her hands as thrust.
Tyrone's black bodysuit was unchanged, but the cloak of his namesake was now striped with black and a very dark blue. A round silver medallion held it together at the base of his neck.
Laura no longer had an opened midriff or exposed thighs, although her upper arms remained open, not requiring much protection from outside forces given her healing factor. Additionally, she now wore a domino mask that angled up and away at the ends, very reminiscent of her father's old mask.
Wanda's new costume was longer and a bit more practical than her previous one. A red jacket with crisscrossing accents covered her arms and torso, save the longer black fingerless gloves she wore up to her elbows.
Beneath the jacket was a long black dress with matching red accents. There was a split down the middle, allowing for more range of movement and revealed bright red boots. And as always, the red ribbon was worn atop Wanda's head.
"It seems we've all changed up our costumes," Ty noted.
"Honestly, I was getting a bit cold in my old one," Wanda concurred. "So I think that influenced my redesign."
"Well you both look great," Peter smiled, getting positive reactions from the two newcomers.
"Alright, that's enough!"
The small group turned around to see Howard the Duck standing at the gym entrance. He wore a maroon suit with a black tie, and standing on both sides of him were Sharon and Loki, both suited up in their costumes.
"Class B is scheduled to use this training room," Said the instructor of Class 1-B. "Daredevil, get your kids out of our way!"
"You're a bit early there, Daffy!" Peter called over, having checked the clock on the wall. "We've still got 10 minutes left."
"'Daffy'!?" The duckman went bug-eyed with anger, "You disrespectful little punk!! I oughta-"
"He's right," Murdock said, stepping in. Having spent so much time in Gym Gamma, he'd developed a near perfect sense of time without the aid of an audio device. "What're you trying to pull, Howard?"
That's when Loki decided that he was going to open his big mouth. His hero costume was a dark green vest and pants with a matching tie over a yellow dress shirt. Over that was an elaborate green overcoat with golden buttons and detailing, a layer of white fur sat in place of the collar. Lastly, atop his head, was a gold headpiece not unlike a crown, with a pair of long horns curving out the front.
He looked positively outlandish compared Sharon's more practical costume.
"Did you miscreants hear?" Loki asked, reminding 1-A that he despised them. "This license exam has a 50 percent pass rate. Meaning your entire class is likely to fail!"
"Don't be rude, Loki," Sharon scolded, smacking him upside the back of his head as she walked past.
"Ow! That hurt, Carter!!" The Asgardian complained.
"Just be glad I didn't knock you out that time," she warned, making Loki finally shut his mouth.
"Sorry about him," Sharon apologized to the group. "I think the stress of preparing for the Licensing Exam is starting to get to the guy."
"It shows," replied Laura.
"Seriously, what the hell's up with his costume?" Asked Luke, who'd lowered his trademark shades to get a better look at Loki's 'costume'. "Guy looks more dressed up for the Met Gala than a fight."
"Well, since his Quirk is Illusion, he said he didn't need anything too eccentric. Just that," Sharon explained.
"That's not eccentric?" Peter raised his eyebrows at the statement. "And what's with those horns?"
"Think he's compensating for something?" Laura asked, grinning mischievously.
Peter sweatdropped as he stared at Loki, who was laughing hysterically with disdain. "Seriously, how do you deal with this guy?" He asked Sharon.
"We learned to tune him out when he gets that way," she sighed.
"Sounds difficult," put in Tyrone. "But unfortunately, he speaks the truth. If we're taking the same exam, then we'll have to crush each other. That's just the hand fate's dealt us."
"Which is why we won't be in the same location. Our class applied to different spots." Murdock informed his class as Howard stood next to him. This got the attention of Loki.
"There are two exam days," Class 1-B's teacher added. "In May and in November, and the tests are held in three different locations. We don't want students from the same school fighting, so we split you up. Each school has at most one class at a single location."
Loki sighed in relief, before going back to his usual braggart self. "How sad! We won't be able to face each other directly-"
He started laughing again before suddenly being cut off. With a thwip, his mouth was sealed shut by a quick burst of webbing.
Peter lowered his arm, "That's about enough out of him."
"Nice aim," Sharon nodded her approval as her classmate struggled to pull it off, only for his hands to get stuck to his mouth in the process, making for a very amusing scene.
"Was that really necessary?" Ava asked, trying to cover her own hint of a smile.
Peter smirked at her, "Oh, don't act like you didn't enjoy that."
"But aren't you the least bit worried?" Wanda asked, looking just as nervous as some of her fellow classmates.
"Yeah," said Amadeus. "We didn't know that we'd be fighting other schools."
"Not to mention taking the test earlier than most other students," Gwen pointed out.
"That's correct," Murdock said, his face becoming serious as he turned toward his students. "Very few first years in the country try for a provisional license. In other words, the test will consist of those who've trained longer than you and with Quirks you don't know about. Powerful ones. The actual content of the exam is a mystery, but you can expect that you will have a rough time. Try not to get hung on about that, but keep it in mind."
"Yes, sir!" The students responded in unison.
And so it was, a few weeks later Class 1-A rode a bus to the location of their Licensing Exams. By comparison, their Finals had been relatively easy, having reformed the study groups from before the Mid-Terms. The only difference was there was no practical test this time around. While it certainly helped ease a bit of the initial pressure, the knowledge that a fail grade on this day would severely impact their development into Heroes.
Some of the students sat, quietly contemplating various scenarios of what the Exam might entail. While others chatted amongst themselves in an effort to ease tensions.
"So you've perfected that mind-melding thing you did to Peter a while back?" Gwen asked Wanda.
"I wouldn't say 'perfected', but I'm definitely better at it," Wanda replied hesitantly. "I can actually do it from about 15 feet away now, but the move's still stronger the closer I am to a person. It's not exactly long range attack like my Hex Bolts. The idea is using it to subdue a more violent criminal by trapping them within their own mind, at least temporarily. I still get dizzy if I overuse that part of my Quirk, but I'm working to overcome it!"
"That's still amazing progress!" Said Peter, giving an encouraging smile to his friend. "So, you give this Ultimate Move a name yet?"
"Not really," shrugged Wanda. "Maybe I'll just go with 'Mental Barrier', but that doesn't sound very witchy, does it?"
"I still think you should call it 'Wandavision'!" Pietro grinned, putting his two cents in. "You're watching their thoughts like a tv show, and too much of it'll rot your brain!"
"Pietro, shut up!" Wanda scolded her twin, only for the cheeky speedster to avoid the punch she threw. The small group had a good laugh in spite of the redhead's embarrassment.
However, before they could continue speaking, the bus stopped, and the parking brakes were engaged. Professor Murdock stood up in the front and turned around to address his students.
"Alright, we're here," he said. "Everyone off the bus."
"Alright! It's finally time, Danny!" Luke grinned, punching his fist within his open palm.
"Yes, let's do it!" Danny nodded with a serene yet determined smile. One by one, the students stepped off the bus with their suitcases. They then looked upon the place they would be taking their exam.
Madison Square Garden had once been the mecca of sports arenas. Basketball, hockey, boxing, and hundreds of concerts had been played here over the decades. And today, it was to be the location of their greatest challenge yet.
"I'm so nervous," groaned Tandy.
Perhaps more restless than her, Kei shifted his body from left to right. Nervous about going into the building. "I wonder what they're gonna make us do," he said.
Even the normally cocky Sam was feeling the pressure, "Ugh! What if I can't get my license?"
"Don't think like that," Peter said. "We haven't even started yet."
"That's easy for you to say!" Sam replied, "You already fought the worst villain in town and survived! You've got this in the bag! What about the rest of us!?"
The helmeted boy was startled when Murdock's cane fell upon his shoulder from behind, getting his attention.
The teacher scowled at his student, "He's right. Say you will, not that you can't."
"R-Right! Sure... I've so got this!" Exclaimed Sam, trying to pump himself up. But anyone could see it was a vain attempt, which made Murdock sigh.
"I'm going to tell you something you should've learned by now," the teacher said. "Our motto; Excelsior. It means 'higher', or 'ever upwards'."
The class remained still, giving Murdock their undivided attention while he addressed Sam in particular. "You've come a long way from when you first started at the beginning of the year," he went on. "And I know you'll rise even higher both as individuals and as heroes, I truly believe that. Now I want you to believe in yourselves. Do that, and even the sky won't be your limit, it'll be something you break through! Now let me hear you say it!!"
"Excelsior!!!" Yelled Sam, pumping his fist into the air. Now he was genuinely full of spirit.
"That's better," Murdock smiled. "Now get in there, and become what you were born to do: fly high."
"Yes!!!" Sam declared with a nod.
"Quite the inspiring speech, Matthew," said a voice from the side. The teacher turned to regard the new arrival. "I did not know you had it in you."
The speaker was an African woman in a black dress with yellow accents. She had a lean, slender body that was covered by a black dress with yellow accents. But her most striking feature was her long, white hair.
Murdock placed his cane in front of himself, placing both hands over the top. "Well I've had a lot of practice in the courtrooms, Ororo," he said. "Then again, we can't all dramatically narrate our powers into being."
Further back, some of the students watched the building tension between their instructor and the stranger.
"She looks so familiar..." Muttered Kamala, "Where have I seen her before?"
Azari, meanwhile, looked absolutely pale and began to visibly sweat. Very slowly, he started to back away, as if attempting to blend in with his fellow classmates.
The tension was broken finally when their teacher smirked and the woman began to chuckle lightly.
"You look well, teaching suits you," she said, walking over with a more pleasant, yet serious expression on her face. "But this is no time for pleasantries, you must know why I'm here... Where is he?"
"See for yourself," Murdock thumbed back toward his students.
At that moment, the woman glanced toward Class 1-A, and focused her full attention on one student in particular.
"Azari!"
She broke into a big smile and rushed over toward the young Prince, scooping him up into a tight hug that lifted him off the ground.
"I've missed you so much!!" The woman exclaimed, waving him side to side.
"Y-Yes, it's very good to see you too, Mother," he said, more than a little embarrassed at his undignified appearance.
"Mother!?" The class exclaimed.
"Wait, I know who she is!" Peter said, eyes widened in recognition. "That's Storm!!! A leading member of the X-Men, and Deputy Headmistress of the Xavier Institute!!"
"More than that," Wanda spoke up. "She's Queen Regent of Wakanda, and Azari's mom!!!"
The tall woman finally lowered her son, releasing him from her embrace as she took in his full measure. "You've grown even taller since I last saw you," she said. "And you look so handsome!!"
"Mother, please!" Azari whispered, a blush coming over his face. "Not in front of my classmates!!"
Yet in spite of this, several of them had gotten over their shock and began to giggle slightly at their uncharacteristically awkward Class President.
"Yes, yes. You must maintain your professional dignity," Storm rolled her eyes with a smile. "You truly are your father's son. But why is it you never call? You know your sister and I worry about you!!"
Murdock made his way over, saving his pupil from further parental embarrassment. "So, if you are here, does that mean you've brought students of your own?" He asked.
"Indeed I have, Matthew," Storm replied, and gestured to a group of students making their way over.
Every teenager wore the same uniform, with slight variations based on gender. It was a dark blue jacket with yellow accents and matching pants (or skirts in the girl's case). A striped tie was worn over a yellow dress shirt. Lastly, embroidered on the jacket was a circular patch with a stylized letter X taking up the middle.
They eyed the Marvel Academy students with a mix of awe and suspicion. While this particular crop of teens was famous for both the Sport Festival and their exploits against villains, they were now pitted against each other as rivals in their toward becoming heroes.
There were twenty students in total, their overall appearances varied dramatically from each other. Xavier Institute was well known for taking on students with "Problem Quirks" and turning them into functioning, well rounded members of society.
Heteromorphic powers, energy containment, basically anything that could make normal life difficult for the average person. Not every student was there for become a Hero, but those who aspired for the very top were given the best possible training and resources available. These were the teens known as "Next X".
And for there to be a class full of students ready to take the Exam meant they had to be a promising bunch. Standing at the head was a boy with wavy blonde hair. Close by was a girl with short red hair. They along with the rest had a professional yet intimidating aura about them as they walked past.
Suddenly, Peter was hit by a wave of nostalgia, as a girl with long blonde hair walked by. She looked very familiar, like someone he'd known a long time ago. But it can't be her... he thought. Could it?
"Hold on a second! Liz?" Peter asked aloud, trying to get her attention. "Liz Allen, is that you?"
The girl in question paused, recognizing the voice.
"Petey?" She asked, turning toward the M.A students. Upon seeing the boy's face, she broke into a wide smile. "Oh my gosh, it is you!!"
The beautiful blonde hurried back over, grasping Peter's hands in excitement to the shock of several of his classmates. They'd had one surprise already with Azari to be related to an Institute teacher, but this was getting to be too much...
"Still calling me 'Petey', huh?" Peter chuckled. "How are you?? God, what's it been, 3 years?"
"Right!" Liz laughed, beaming at her former underclassman. "My mom got a new job in Westchester and we had to move. Not long afterwards, I was invited to join the Xavier Institute after acing their entry test. And I've been with them ever since."
She lightly smacked his chest with the back of her hand, "When did your Quirk come in?? I thought it was impossible! I can't believe you didn't tell me!!"
"It was during my last year of middle school," Peter scratched the back of his head nervously. "Guess I was a late bloomer. And... a lot happened not long after that."
Liz's face fell, "Right, your Uncle... I'm so sorry Petey, he was a great guy."
"The best," he nodded, trying not to think about what was certainly the worst night of his life.
"But look at you now! A student a Marvel Academy, here to take your License Exam with the rest of us!" Liz beamed, before her gaze caught sight of an unwelcome figure. "Still, it kinda sucks you're stuck with Thompson though."
She leaned in close to whisper, "Is he still a picking on you? I can set him straight, for old time's sake."
"Actually, he's had a few moments of clarity recently," Peter replied. "But I wouldn't say I'm buddy-buddy with him."
"I don't blame you," she nodded. "I remember how he used to push you around..."
"So... Seems like you're getting along well," said a voice.
The duo turned to see Wanda staring at them, a strange expression on her face.
"Yeah Pete, you wanna introduce us to your friend??" Added Pietro, crossing his arms suspiciously after noticing his sister's mannerisms. A few other students stood by, as if awaiting an explanation.
"Oh right, sorry guys!" Peter smacked his forehead before addressing the entire class. "Everyone, this is Liz Allen. She went to Midtown, the same middle school Flash and I attended."
"Nice to meet you all," Liz said, a friendly smile on her face. "I'd better rejoin my class before I lose track of them. Nice seeing you, Petey! Good luck!!"
With that, she gave a wave and jogged after her friends.
"So she's a former classmate?" Ava asked.
"Sort of," Peter replied. "She was actually a couple grades above me. But I was taking advanced math at the time and Liz was part of that class. I helped her with quadratic formulas, and she helped keep certain... people off my back."
Ava raised an eyebrow, and glanced over at Flash. The boy scoffed and looked away indignantly. "Say no more..." She muttered understandably.
Wanda breathed a sigh of relief that thankfully went unnoticed by the others, save her brother. Before he could comment on it, however, a new group of students had begun to make their way through. Their uniforms were predominantly white tracksuits with black piping. An emblem consisting of 3 hexagons clumped together sat proudly on their backs.
"You guys are from M.A, right?" Asked a girl. "We're big fans! You guys kicked ass at the Sports Festival!!!"
"U-um, thank you!" Replied a grinning Kei.
"That's Roberto Reyes!" Exclaimed another student. "He won the Sports Festival and fought the League of Villains!"
"Can I have an autograph??" Put in one more.
The sudden onslaught of attention was overwhelming, and it wasn't long before even Peter found himself singled out by a male student.
"It's really nice to meet you, Parker. I'm Alex Power," said the young man, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You've had a rough time at M.A, huh? Especially with that whole kidnapping incident!"
"Yeah... I'd really rather not talk about it," Peter pulled away from Alex. He was put off by the forwardness, not to mention the casual reminder of a traumatic moment in his life.
However, Alex moved to the other M.A students and did the same thing. "The same goes for everyone," he went on, placing his hands on Seol and Amadeus's shoulders. "Seems like everyone's had a really tough time. But even still, you're all still aiming to become Pro Heroes despite those hardships. It's wonderful! Hearts full of grit. I believe that's what every hero in the world needs to have."
Okay, something's definitely up with this guy, Peter thought as he watched Alex skeptically.
"So I hope you don't mind, Pete," Alex returned his attention to him. "I'm going to learn from you and your classmates as much as possible."
"Shut up, will you?" The conversation was cut short by Flash glaring at the newcomer, visibly annoyed at his friendly attitude.
"You can stop pretending because it's not fooling anyone," he said. "If you're gonna lie, then have a better poker face."
Alex's smile grew, matching the mischievous look in his eyes.
"That's uncalled for, Thompson!" Azari scolded his classmate, before turning to Alex. "Apologies for his rudeness."
"Yeah, he's kinda like that," added Peter with a shrug.
"Shut it, bug!!" Flash exploded.
Alex waved his hand, "It's fine. It just proves how tough his heart is."
The conversation, however, was cut short by their head of class. "Hey, let's keep moving," she said, turning to indicate the building, "There's no time to waste."
Taking that as his cue to step away, Alex led his classmates toward the entrance, leaving the M.A students a bit perplexed.
One of the newcomers bumped into Laura on his way through, "Watch it, you're in the way."
"You wanna say that again, puta?" She asked incredulously, her temper threatening to take over.
"Easy Laura," Kamala took hold of her classmate's shoulders before she could react violently.
"They're not worth getting in trouble over, believe me," Cho added, blocking her way before glancing back at the new arrivals until they'd gotten far enough away.
"Who the heck are they??" Asked an irritated Laura.
"See that logo?" Amadeus nodded at the trio of hexagons clumped together on the back of a student's jackets. "They're from the Future Foundation, protégés of Dr. Reed Richards."
"Wait, they were trained by Mr. Fantastic??" Peter inquired, eyes widened as he glanced back at the retreating students in white. "I didn't know he was taking on students!"
"It's mostly a think tank kind of deal," Cho went on. "Brains over Quirks, using their powers for the betterment of society and not just straight heroics. Very private, very selective. Only a chosen few manage to get in..."
"Sounds like you wanted to," Tyrone noted the somewhat crestfallen expression on his classmate's face.
Amadeus sighed, "Yeah, but with my Quirk and my family's history, I guess they thought I was too much of a liability to bring into a new program. Don't get me wrong, I love being an M.A student. But Dr. Richards was one of my heroes, and it kinda hurts when you get rejected like that, y'know?"
Peter nodded silently, having known that feeling himself.
"Well don't they look all kinds of serious," noted Seol, cutting off their pondering. Looking to where the Korean girl was staring, they saw a quartet of students who clearly stood out from the crowd. They wore solid black tactical outfits with a familiar looking encircled bird logo on their chests.
"Those are students from S.H.I.E.L.D's very own in-house program," Murdock spoke up, making his way over. "They're training to be agents, not heroes. But they no less skilled than anyone else here. In fact, they may be even more-so."
"Great, so along with Next-X and the FF's, we've got a bunch of future black ops agents in the mix!?" Exclaimed an unnerved Kei.
"Hey, what happened to all that confidence you built up a moment ago?" Asked Gwen, poking his cheek with her finger. "We'll make it through, we've just gotta stick together!
"Speaking of which, this is as far as I can go with you," Murdock interjected. "Get your costumes and head to orientation. Azari, Ava, lead the way in. I'll be waiting to hear the results once you're finished."
"Right!" Class 1-A replied.
As they continued on towards the enormous entrance, Ava looked at the other schools. She didn't need enhanced hearing to know they were talking to one another, glancing at her Class 1-A in particular.
"It's still pretty weird, said the Hispanic girl. "I always forget we're kinda famous compared to other schools."
"Oh, yeah, we're basically celebrities to them!" Sam replied, basking in the attention. "No pictures, please! I'll sign autographs after the test!"
As soon as Storm overheard the helmeted blond, she gasped in shock. In an instant, she wondered if the students were unaware of what was about to happen. They couldn't have been unprepared, especially it Murdock had warned them beforehand.
He couldn't have kept his students in the dark about it, not if he wanted them to succeed. At least, that's what she'd hoped.
"Wait, hold on," the white haired woman said, getting her colleague to stop and listen to her. "Did you not warn your children, Matthew?"
But he merely raised an eyebrow and walked away.
A few minutes later, Peter felt himself becoming very claustrophobic.
Hundreds of students from all over the country were packed into the orientation room. They were all waiting for the Provisional Hero Licensing Exam to begin. During the biannual test, the Hero Public Safety Commission would make announcements and monitor the examination. Evaluate each student's performance and determine if they are eligible for licensing.
While Peter and the others waited for the HPSC agents to appear on stage, the Spider-Man looked around. Despite the size of the room, he had little space to move around. Like sardines, the kids were packed in there. They made a bit of small talk to distract themselves from the building nerves.
"I didn't know you had a sister, Azari," Pietro said.
"Yes, Kymera is a few years younger than I am," Azari replied. "She's hoping to attend the Xavier Institute for her studies once she comes of age."
"What's her Quirk?" Asked Peter, intrigued.
"Atmokinesis, similar to Mother's," Azari replied. "It allows her to manipulate lightning and weather patterns through a psionic connection with air currents. Given her powers, it isn't too surprising she'd wish to learn from her."
"I see, wanting to learn from someone who's already got a handle on that kind of power," Amadeus nodded understandingly.
Betore long, a team of men in black suits walked up onto the stage. Among them, two sat down while the other remained standing. He was a man with Korean features, who let out a long, tired groan as he pulled out some folders and set them down on the long table.
"Okay, let's get this over with," he began. "For those of you who don't know me, my name is Jimmy Woo, I'm the liaison between S.H.I.E.L.D and the HPSC. My hobbies include card tricks and sleight of hand, neither of which I've been able to practice because I've been swamped lately. Honestly I haven't gotten much rest, we're too short staffed and as a result I'm very tired. With that little confession out of the way, I'll begin orientation."
"Maybe someone should give this guy a break?" Wanda whispered.
"Before he passes out," Kamala nodded in agreement.
"So, about the content of this license thing," Woo continued. "Basically, all you examinees will compete in a free-for-all exercise or whatever we're calling it this year."
"Seriously? That's not a lot of info..." Pondered Luke.
"See, we've got a lot of pros around, and ever since The Punisher was arrested, many people've expressed doubts about the status of heroes in society.
He must be talking about Castle and his convictions, Peter thought. Can't say I really blame their reactions.
"The idea that most pros aren't worthy of the moniker 'hero', that the only things they're after are fame and fortune," Woo continued. "Frank Castle's ideals are still affecting our world. But when you really think about it, getting paid makes sense. If you're going to risk your life to save someone, why shouldn't you ask for a reward, huh? That's just the way the world works, God, I could use a coffee..."
As if on cue, a steaming disposable cup was placed in front of the man by one of his fellow agents. He breathed in the aroma and sighed gratefully.
"Thank you," he muttered. "Anyway, whether they're in it for compensation or out of a sense of duty, we've got too many heroes working together in the streets these days to keep villains at bay. So we're emphasizing quantity over quality with this test. Honestly, the time between when an incident begins and when it's resolved is ridiculously short. You are all here trying to receive your provisional licenses, so you'll be swept up in this tiresome mess yourselves pretty soon."
He took a quick swig from the cup before continuing, "Those of you who don't have the speed, frankly, just won't cut it. Which is why that's what you'll be tested on. The first students to fulfill the requirements will pass today."
A good majority of the examinees began to look around in a more than slight panic.
"But there's over 1500 people taking this test!" Said one.
"I thought they said about half of us would be passing!!" Put in another.
Peter ran a few quick calculations in his head, "That means..."
"...Less than ten percent will be eligible to obtain a license," Agent Woo unknowingly finished for the teen.
Class 1-A collectively gulped over this revelation.
"Oh, man, I'm getting way more nervous," muttered Seol.
"Well, the world can be pretty crappy. I suppose I should say something about luck," Woo shrugged. "So, anyway, here are the basic rules. The examinee will put three of these targets on his or her body."
On the huge screen behind him, a display of small, rounded targets appeared.
"They can go anywhere you want as long as it's an exposed area, so no soles of the feet or armpits," he continued, before lifting up a red rubber sphere. "Each of you will also have six of these balls. The targets are programmed to light up whenever they've been touched by the balls. If all three targets light up, you're out. Also, the person who lights up your third target will get credit for your defeat. You get through this round by taking down two people. Got it? Good."
"Wow. I'm getting Entrance Exam flashbacks," said Sam.
"Uh, I guess we'll pass out the targets and balls," Woo said as his staff handed out the items to the students. "You'll have a few minutes to get set up after we open."
"'Open'?" Roberto asked.
Suddenly, the room started shaking. Peter glanced up to see the roof beginning to split open. For a moment, he thought the room was underground and they would be brought to the surface on some sort of elevator system. But to his shock, the walls fell away and the arena opened to the students. Revealing to them a vast array of environments to do battle; a cityscape, forest, mountain, bridges, and even an aquatic zone.
"I'm sure each of you has terrains you'd prefer to be in or avoid," said Agent Woo. "Use your Quirks well and do your best. Or not. Whatever."
"Who pays for all this!?" Luke asked, stunned by the new surroundings.
"I suppose this where our taxes are going," Danny replied.
"Yes, I know, it makes for a great reveal," Woo commented, slumping over. "Hopefully, some of you kids are fast, and we can get through this quickly. For now, I need to shut my eyes for a bit."
From an unseen vantage point reserved for teachers and officials, Matthew Murdock and Ororo Monroe sat watching their students prepare for the coming challenge in silence. The head of the Xavier staff had the utmost confidence in her young charges, but the apparent lack of information divulged to the M.A students by their instructor had her somewhat concerned.
"Looks like I made it just in time for the big show!" A voice cut in to distract Ororo from her thoughts as she recognized the young woman striding over like a runway model. This former heroine frequently charted the Top 10 before deciding to focus on her law career.
The newcomer stood roughly 6 foot 5 inches tall, and wore a jewel-toned office style skirt suit and a stride more akin to a runway model. A black briefcase was held in her left hand. But the most striking thing about her, however, was her jade colored skin. Her long flowing hair was a shade of dark green and her eyes were the hue of emeralds.
"Hi Ororo, good to see you," she smiled before turning to the other teacher. "Hey Matty, it's been a while," she said, throwing a flirtatious wink at the blind lawyer. And while he couldn't see her, Matthew knew from woman's strong heartbeat and sensual manner of speaking exactly who'd joined the two teachers.
"Jennifer Walters," Murdock cracked a rare smirk. "It's been a while."
"I see you two know each other," Ororo noticed the spark between them. "But I suppose that's to be expected, given your other profession."
"Not so much anymore though," Jennifer sighed. "I miss seeing you around the court houses! What's it been, three years ago since you started teaching full-time?"
"I still take on the occasional case," Matthew shrugged. "I haven't given up practicing law quite yet. The better question is, what brings you here? This is for associated school staff."
"I'm doing a favor for Reed and Sue," the She-Hulk sat down, crossing her right leg over her left. "They're in the middle of some sciency mumbo-jumbo and asked me to keep an eye on their students for the day. I do work for them after all, so I'm allowed to be here. Gotta love a legal loophole."
Jennifer turned to Ororo, "Speaking of, did you know Matty's old firm got its start managing the patents and business documents from the Baxter Building?"
Ororo shook her head, "I did not. But we should put old business aside and look to the future. They are nearly ready to begin m." She gazed down at the huge number of examinees making their way to different sectors of the arena.
"Yeah, yeah," Jennifer acquiesced, before regarding Murdock again. "So, have you been keeping a good eye, or I guess ear, on your troublemakers?"
"On a couple in particular," he replied.
"I can imagine," Ororo put in. "Between having the Sports Festival winner, a young Hulk, and more than a few legacies within your classroom, I would imagine you have your hands full."
"We can't forget that spider kid, either," She-Hulk said. "Between getting kidnapped by villains and fighting alongside Iron Man, he's making waves in certain circles. Those of us in the know are expecting big things from him."
Murdock stared blankly ahead, while his enhanced hearing picked up the locations of his students as they got prepared. "That's true," he said. "And I've got a feeling he'll be one of the first targets on everyone's mind."
Ororo turned to her colleague, "You think he won't make it?"
"He's got heart and a lot of drive," the teacher admitted. "But this will be the biggest challenge he's faced yet. For any of them, really."
"And yet you still entered all twenty of your students today," Ororo noted. "Which means you must have a measure of faith that they will succeed."
"Faith I've always had," Murdock replied. "If I didn't think they were capable, I would've never put their names in."
"On that note, I'm surprised at you," the African woman said. "I would have thought you'd given your children something of a warning. You know what's about to happen down there..."
Down on the field, Peter stood with his classmates, pondering their current situation. "If the first people to finish win, then no one will go after their classmates," he reasoned. "The best way to win is to team up with people whose powers you already know."
He looked up, a plan forming in his head, "Everyone! Stick close together, we'll fight them off as a group."
"Right!" Wanda replied.
"Got it," Luke agreed with a nod. The other students began to move closer together, pairing with those whose powers worked best each other.
Flash merely scoffed at the suggestion, "Yeah right. This ain't a field trip." And with that, he began to walk away.
"Flash, wait up!" Amadeus called after him, and ran to catch up.
"Thompson!" Azari called after the blond.
"Cho, where are you going??" Kei yelled, becoming nervous that their heaviest hitter was leaving them.
"Guys, wait a second!" Peter attempted to move after them, stopping when he realized it'd be futile.
"I'm going on my own, too," Roberto put his hands in his jacket pockets and walked off. "It's hard for me to use my power safely when a big group's around."
"Seriously Robbie, you too!?" Peter sighed in frustration when he realized that he'd lost three classmates before the exam had even started.
Facepalming, he asked, "Does anyone else feel like going solo against a crowd of 1500??"
Thankfully, nobody else seemed keen on leaving. But having the class's top 3 powerhouses running off on their own was not ideal in the grand scheme of things. Especially if the plan was for everyone to pass together.
"Pete, there's no time to sit around!" Pietro got his attention. "Let's get going!"
Peter reluctantly hurried back over to the others. Together, they were heading toward the mountainous region of the arena. "Those idiots!!!" He complained, "Running off like that is the worst thing they could do right now!!"
"How come?" asked Sam.
"Think for a second!" Peter gestured to his own head. "Because of the Sports Festival, the villains were able to figure out what kind of powers we had and get the drop on us. But it wasn't just Hobgoblin and his League watching us, was it?"
Everyone gasped, realizing the colossal disadvantage they were at.
"Most students who compete in the provisional exam have pretty equal footing. With the exception of one school," Ororo said to Matthew. "Yours."
"She's not wrong," Jennifer concurred, leaning forward to get a good look at the incoming action. "Because the top school's Sports Festival gets broadcasted across the country, it doesn't just showing off your students' Quirks, but their weaknesses and fighting styles too."
"So you're saying they know all our weaknesses and strengths?" Azari asked.
"Exactly," replied a grim Peter. "Meaning they'll be coming after us in full force!"
"Oh, man! You mean they know how to beat us?" Kamala asked, glancing around. The surrounding examinees had determined and almost sinister expressions on their faces, staring at Class 1-A like hungry wolves standing before their prey.
"No, I wouldn't go that far," Peter assured, quickening his pace. "They don't know everything about us."
The others similarly began to run faster, following the now front runners of Peter, Azari and Laura. "What do you mean?" The daughter of Wolverine asked.
"They only know about our abilities during the Sports Festival," Peter grinned as put on his mask. "They don't know how much stronger we've become since then!"
A second later, an airhorn blared throughout the arena.
"The first test will now begin," said the announcer.
"It's the same thing year after year," Ororo said. "Thanks to the Sports Festival, their weaknesses, their battle styles, everything has been exposed to the public. You should have told them that the exam always starts..." The heroine known as Storm drifted off as Class 1-A ran further into the arena.
Only to see a multitude of students ambushing them.
"...With M.A getting crushed," she concluded.
"Why on Earth would I tell them that?" Asked Murdock.
Even Jennifer was surprised by his response, "Wait, are you serious?"
"Nothing I said would've made a difference. They know real heroes could turn this situation around," the blind hero said. "Besides, if they want to become Pros, they'll one day be facing villains who already know their Quirks."
He turned his head toward Ororo, a confident smile on his face, "Perhaps at M.A, we look a little further ahead than other schools."
Peter's Spider-Sense rang out as a number of examinees emerged from hiding, standing on the cliffs above. "Here we go!" He warned. The first to make their move would be Alex of the Future Foundation, clad in his hero costume.
"I saw you during the Sports Festival. That web power of yours also destroys your arms," he said. Gone were his politeness and friendly attitude. Instead, all that was left was raw determination and a need to beat the famous heroes in training. "Well, can't say l'm not above taking advantage of that!"
He and his comrades threw their balls toward the M.A student.
Spider-Man leapt into the air, yanking himself higher with a web-line before activating Battle Focus, "If you had seen my fight with the League of Villains, you would have known I could do THIS!"
Allowing his instincts to guide him, he deftly avoided every ball thrown by twisting and shifting his body, often avoiding contact by mere centimeters.
"What!?" One of the attackers exclaimed, stunned by the agility of their opponent.
"Ty, NOW!!!" Spider-Man yelled, shooting another web to get clear.
"Black Gate!!" Tyrone called out his new Ultimate Move. Summoning the Darkforce from within his cloak, it enveloped the rest of Class 1-A. A second later, they had vanished, leaving the barrage of red balls to bounce harmlessly against the ground.
"Where'd they go!?" Alex shifted his head side to side, "Where'd they freakin' go!?"
"Behind you," said a voice. The group of attackers quickly whirled around, only to see their would-be prey standing behind them.
"Fire at will!!" Gwen yelled, as the students threw their balls, several of them using their Quirks to enhance the speed and power of the projectiles. A few managed to hit targets before the opposing side managed to strengthen their defenses.
"Incoming attack from the South!" Azari warned, drawing out his bo staff.
Indeed, roughly fifty or so examinees were either charging, leaping, or flying over toward 1-A's location.
"Ok, it's my turn now!" Kei scribbled on his notepad and tore out the page, throwing it forward. With a flash of brilliant light, the monster Hi-Vo appeared, standing about 3 stories tall.
"Don't let those balls hit us, Hi-Vo!" It's created ordered, "If those guys get too close, give 'em a shock they won't forget!"
The Kaiju roared in acknowledgment, using its hard body to block the onslaught of balls.
"So for now it's a war of attrition," Ava said, assuming a fighting stance. "Everyone keep your guards up. Pietro, Wanda, you're on ball retrieval. With your Quirks, you'll be able to get them faster than the rest of us."
"Got it!!" The twins declared. Pietro vibrated excitedly while red energy began to surround Wanda's hands.
At that moment, Peter landed on the ground by his friends as they gathered together in a ring formation, ready to fight back against their opponents. While crouching, the Spider-Man clenched his fists and raised one hand off the ground, ready to shoot webs as needed.
Alongside him stood Wanda, who assumed a fighting stance with glowing hands, and Pietro, who got in a sprinters pose.
Ava touched the jade pendant at her collarbone, powering up as Kei whipped out a fresh pen, ready to sketch. Seol raised her hands as ice began to form beneath her feet. Luke cracked his knuckles as Danny powered up his right fist. Azari whirled his staff around and Laura popped her claws.
As Gwen drew her swords, Kamala grew her hands several times they'd normal size. Roots began to grow out of Groot and Sam began to glow brightly as his power began to build up. Nico clutched her staff, ready to call out an incantation. Tyrone prepared to open his cloak and Tandy wielded light blades in both of her hands.
"We've got this, you guys!" Spider-Man tensed up, ready to leap, "They think they can gang up and take on M.A? Let's show them what happens when they try that!"
"YEAH!!!" His classmates yelled, charging into the fray.
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Barber's Chair
• Another hint toward an issue with Flash's Quirk. What's happening and how will it come into play with the story?
• I'm going with 'Battle Focus' as Peter's Ultimate Move, straight out of the video games!
• A few new characters introduced here, to potentially recur further down the line.