Inside the building, within one of the school's giant auditoriums, the enrolled students waited for instructions in their respective seats. By another twist of fate, Peter and Flash wound up sitting next to each other.
Soon, the lights went dark and a familiar (and for some, irritating) voice starts to speak. A spotlight comes down on a well-known hero dressed in red and black, standing in front of a big screen.
"What's up, Party People!? Who's ready to get it on!?" An M.A official rushed on stage and whispered something frantically at the hero. "I mean, 'candidates for M.A, welcome to the Entrance Exam'. It's with great pleasure that I present to you, myself! Your proctor (not proctologist) and voice of the morning warnings when I fell like doing it! DEADPOOL!!!"
A sign with his name unfurls from the ceiling and air horns go off with a bit of confetti falling to the stage. The M.A. official just shook his head, facepalming as Deadpool raised his arms victory style.
"NOW IT'S YOUR TURN, LEMME HEAR YA SCREAM!!!" The Mercenary Hero puts his ear to the crowd that remains in stunned silence, having only one girl distantly yelling in agreement.
"Eh, one at a time, that works too..." Deadpool pulled out a pair of glasses, wearing them over the mask. "Whatever, let's get to what they pay me for." He pulls out a yellow sheet of paper from inside his pants. Within the audience, two of its members watch the stage.
"Jeez, they've got Deadpool? Are all the M.A teachers pro heroes?" Peter whispered to Flash.
"I dunno, this is my first time here too," he replied irritably. "Now shut up and listen."
"All right! As you were warned at registration, you will run twenty minute combat simulations at one of seven stations simulating urban areas, as described in your applications."
Everyone then looks at the letters 'A' to 'G' on their registration cards. Peter can see that he and Flash were placed at different stations, likely because they were from the same school.
"Guess we're in different stations. I'll have to wait til class starts before I can crush you," Flash muttered.
"Don't get full of yourself," Peter quipped back. "You might not even get it, I doubt you were smart enough to pass the written exam."
"I actually studied this time, so eat it, nerd!" Flash quietly snapped as Deadpool continued his address.
"Okay, as explained in the cards, within each area there will be three different types of enemies. Each is worth an amount of points proportional to the difficulty, that is to say, size really does matter! So use your powers to destroy and earn points, not too hard right? And remember, killing your classmates is against the rules. If you've got a beef with someone, wait til afterwards and leave no evidence."
Next to Deadpool, the M.A official pinched between his eyebrows, stifling a yell of frustration.
"Excuse me Mr. Pool, I have a question!" A boy in one of first rows close to the stage stands up with his hand raised. He was dark-skinned with black hair cut in a triangular pattern. He wore a school uniform with a purple and black colored cloth draped over his neck and right shoulder. A metallic visage of a panther head was clipped to it.
"What's up, Jungle Cat!?" Asked Deadpool.
"According to the card we received, four different types of robots were listed," the boy said with an Xhosa accent. "However, you have only told us about three. With all due respect, if this is a mistake in an official M.A document, then it is quite shameful!"
"We are exemplary students," he went on. "And we expect the best from what is supposed to be the most outstanding school in the United States! Such a mistake does not do justice to your reputation! Additionally, you two, with the brown and blonde hair!" He turned and pointed directly at Peter and Flash.
"Us?" Peter pointed to himself, confused by unexpected attention brought to him.
The boy spoke again, his piercing brown eyes focused on the two. "You've been whispering back and forth this whole time!" He said harshly. "Enough! If you cannot take this seriously, then I must ask that you leave, you're distracting the rest of us!"
Peter got irritated, "Ah, go find a litter box! No one else was complaining!"
The boy glared at Peter as Flash snickered next to him.
"Okay, okay, settle down, electric kitten. I was getting to it!" Deadpool said, trying to calm the boy down and bring his attention back.
"The last opponent is worth zero points." He said making a very suggestive sign to indicate 'zero'. "This guy's just an obstacle for us to have a little fun while watching you almost die. There's one at each station, so don't be afraid to run like hell when you see it."
"Thank you very much for the explanation," the same boy replied. He crossed his arms over his chest in an 'X' as some sort of gesture and sits down again.
"Okay, that's about it, so I'll send you off with an encouraging phrase from Napoleon Bonaparte," Deadpool pressed a button and the famous Napoleon painting on his horse appears on the screen. However, he had Deadpool's head taped over his own.
"'A hero is one who manages to overcome life's difficulties...' A bit of a joke there, but that's what I have for today. Let's hear a strong one now: 'EXCELSIOR'!!!"
Aside from the same girl screaming in response, the others students stand get up and head outside for each transport to the simulation area.
In simulation area "B", all students were already changed into their respective exercise clothes. Most were huddled in front of the huge gate that would give them access to the rest zone. One boy was further back, trying to calm himself from nervousness and anxiety.
Peter was standing on hallowed ground now, this was the first step toward becoming a hero. The list of alumni who passed through the gate included some of the greatest heroes on the planet.
Tony Stark aka Iron Man, Co-Founder of the Avengers and the Number One Hero. He actually didn't take the Heroes Course as a youth. Instead, he improved his intellect in the Support Classes, which were just as difficult to enter.
There was the legendary peacemaker with the most fighting wins. While his career as a hero was brief, he went on to usher the U.S. military into a new era with his might and strategic mind. General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, aka the Red Hulk.
Not to mention the famous motorcycle trick performer Johnny Blaze. When he wasn't wowing the crowds with his death-defying stunts, he fought supernatural foes as the Spirit of Vengeance, Ghost Rider!
Graduating from M.A is basically a requirement if you want to become a great hero. Sure, there's other schools with similar training programs for the hero course. But they don't even come close to achieving M.A's standards, which is why it's almost impossible to enter.
Peter gulped as the list of names and degree of difficulty went through his head. Well, this is it. Time to see if those six months of training really paid off... He slapped his own face with both hands at the same time, bringing himself to focus.
In front of the gigantic doors that separated them from the 'B' simulation area, boys and girls were anxiously waiting for the practical test to begin.
"This is insane!" A boy said.
"There must be an entire city in there..." Added another. "Can you imagine how much it must have cost to build all this?"
Everyone seemed to be pretty relaxed, at least on the outside. Peter had already faced life and death situations, but this was something completely different. The boy remembered what Deadpool said during their lecture, trying to retain the necessary information and formulate a strategy.
He looks around, observing the diverse group of boys and girls ready to face whatever comes to win a spot. None of them seem nervous, they're all so confident, some even have special equipment... Peter thought, watching the other competitors. His gaze stops at a familiar red ribbon. Wanda, he thought, recognizing the girl from the cemetery.
"I should probably wish her luck," Peter said to himself as he walks towards her.
He stops after a few steps, however, when he felt a hand on his left shoulder. At first he thought it might be Flash, coming over to threaten him in his usual manner. But then he remembered that Flash was sent to a different area.
Peter turned to the person, seeing it was another boy. He was only slightly taller than himself, had fair skin, messy blond hair, and gray eyes that looked at him with curiosity and a countenance as if emanating serenity.
The mysterious boy looked Peter in the eye and then turned to the direction the her was heading, watching the auburn haired girl with a red bow. Her eyes were closed, and her hand was on her chest, breathing deeply.
"The words of a heart in a storm will only bring rough seas to those who hear it," he said, still gazing in the direction of the girl before turning his attention to the boy, who was now on his right side.
"Get that out of some fortune cookie or something?" Peter asked a little confused, with a touch of sarcasm.
"She seems to be trying to focus on the tasks ahead," the blonde replied without losing his serene face. "Talking to someone without having your own spirit at peace would only bring further distress..."
Peter pondered the boy's words. It might've sounded like a scolding if it hadn't been said the way it was, but Peter had to agree that he had a point. He wasn't 100% confident, so he would likely convey that feeling just talking to her, which might cause Wanda to lose focus and miss her chance to join M.A herself.
"Just take a deep breath," the boy advised kindly. "You will have a chance to speak afterwards. And with any luck, you will both have something to celebrate."
He nodded reassuringly and looked ahead at the gate. Peter knew that all these people were technically his rivals for the vacancies, but still, it was nice being able to interact with someone who wasn't as abrasive as Flash. He actually felt a little better.
Peter was about thank the boy and ask his name, until they both heard the Mercenary Hero on a speaker. "Ok potential Protags, let's get started!!!" Deadpool screamed from the top of a tower near the simulation area.
Everyone stared up at the hero, whose shoulders slumped low in exasperation. "That means go," he elaborated simply, pointing at the opening into the makeshift city.
Deadpool's words seemed to take a moment to process everyone's brains, until there was a collective moment of realization and the crowd charged towards the city. The M.A Entrance Exam was on!
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Barber's Chair
• So in place of Present Mic, we've got everyone's favorite Merc with the Mouth, Deadpool! The switch was based more on personality, not so much the power set.
• It seems we've got some Wakandan Royalty in the crowd! And in typical Peter fashion, he's not afraid to mouth off to someone giving him grief.
• A bit of alumni revealed, potential cameos for the future? We shall see!
