Spiderman: High School is such a drag

[Mir]

Noah sat on the F train, headed into Manhattan.

He checked his watch, sure he was still good on time. It was his first day of his junior year of high school and he had a habit of being late. Unfortunately, it was something that had caused him to run afoul of the dean of students multiple times his freshman year, and he was committed to avoiding dealing with the dean this year, unless he absolutely had to do so.

His phone buzzed and he checked the text message from Jason. Something about confirmation about two new students who were coming in from abroad. Noah had heard the rumors from a few days ago and they made sense.

Midtown Magnet High School of Technology and Science was one of the premier high schools in the country when it came to preparing kids to go be engineers and scientists. There were a number of kids who applied from around the world. Hell, Noah wasn’t even sure if he would have been able to get in. But he had.

But a student from Wakanda was interesting. Didn’t they have pretty good schools over there? Maybe it was part of some outreach program. Noah didn’t know much about Wakanda, just that it was in Africa and had a lot of advanced science.

He was deep in his thoughts when sounds from further down the train car interrupted him. He looked up to see a man and a woman in some kind of disagreement over the woman’s purse. It was a bit of a tussle.

The subway car was fairly packed, but he could still make out what was happening.

Maybe he didn’t even know he was doing it, but he was already on his feet, pushing through the crowd, some of whom were shuffling in his direction. Despite going against the flow of traffic, Noah made it through to see the woman punch the man trying to take the purse.

Why wasn’t anyone helping or doing anything?

“Hey!” Noah said, drawing attention to himself. “Leave her alone.”

The man on the ground produced a knife.

“Don’t get involved in this, kid.” The man said.

“Well, here’s the thing, you gotta at least call me a teenager.” Noah said.

“Are you joking?”

“No, I’m fifteen.” He said. “My aunt says I’m short for my age though.”

The guy lunged.

[Nichalus]

In the vibrant hub of New York City, Midtown Magnet High School of Technology and Science stood as a beacon of academic excellence. Among its corridors walked Dillon Rogers, an unassuming high school student with an insatiable thirst for knowledge and a knack for unraveling the secrets of the universe.

Dillon's journey began with a simple fascination for the extraordinary. Growing up in a city where superheroes and supervillains clashed on a regular basis, he found himself captivated by the larger-than-life tales of courage and heroism that unfolded before his eyes. As he delved deeper into the lore of these legendary figures, Dillon's intellect and creativity flourished, leading him to pursue an ambitious thesis on alien civilizations that caught the attention of his professors at Midtown Magnet.

As he delved deeper into the lore of these legendary figures, Dillon's intellect and creativity flourished, leading him to pursue an ambitious thesis on alien civilizations that caught the attention of his professors at Midtown Magnet. His groundbreaking research and innovative ideas set him apart as a prodigious talent, earning him admiration and respect from both his peers and mentors.

Unfortunately his peers at Midtown Magnet High School of Technology and Science often dismissed him with derogatory labels like "space dweeb" and "Super Nerd." While his professors recognized his prodigious talent and dedication to his studies, Dillon faced an uphill battle gaining acceptance among his classmates.

The hallways of Midtown Magnet buzzed with chatter and laughter as students moved from one class to another. Yet, for Dillon, the journey from one classroom to the next felt more like navigating a minefield of ridicule and mockery. His enthusiasm for alien civilizations and cosmic mysteries only served to alienate him further from his peers, who couldn't understand his fascination with subjects they deemed "nerdy" or "geeky."

Despite the taunts and jeers, not to mention being shoved into several lockers by the upper classmen, being duct taped to the wall in his Physic's class and numerous 'atomic wedgies'. Dillon remained undeterred in his pursuit of knowledge. He poured himself into his research, spending countless hours in the school's library and tech labs, determined to prove his worth in the face of adversity, plus it kept him away from the main stream of abusive students.

As Dillon made his way through the halls of Midtown Magnet High School of Technology and Science, a sense of anticipation bubbled within him. Today was no ordinary day—it was the day of the Internship Fair hosted by the Parker Foundation, named after the legendary Peter Parker, and overseen by his daughter, May. Excitement thrummed in Dillon's veins as he imagined the possibilities that awaited him at the fair. Landing an internship with the Parker Foundation would be a dream come true—a chance to work alongside the legacy of one of his greatest heroes.

But there was more to today than just the internship fair. Rumors had been circulating about special exchange students visiting from Brazil, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the event. And to Dillon's surprise, he had heard whispers of a student from Wakanda among them, a place shrouded in mystery and legend, not to mention the home of Vibranium and technological marvels that Dillon could only dream of holding.

Dillon's frustration simmered as he checked his watch once more, scanning the crowded room for any sign of his perpetually tardy friend, Noah. Despite their long-standing friendship, Dillon couldn't help but shake his head in exasperation at Noah's chronic habit of running late.

"Noah is going to be late to his own funeral," Dillon muttered under his breath, a mixture of annoyance and amusement tugging at the corners of his lips.

[Mir]

Noah held the ice pack to his jaw. The bruise was starting to form and he was pretty sure he was in the running for a shiner on his right eye. But, all’s well that ends well. He looked over at the EMT. “Can I go now?” He asked.

“You gave your statement to the police?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Noah said, check his watch. He was running out of time, he was going to be late.

Best laid plans of mice and men.

He had stopped the would-be mugger and there had been police at the next stop who were able to assist. He wasn’t sure if the limited knowledge he had from the self-defense course he had accompanied his aunt to at the local YMCA had been that helpful, but it had been better than nothing.

He was back on the train, holding the icepack to his face.

Hopefully it didn’t look too bad.

==-==

“Noah be late? Perish the thought.”

Dillon turned at the familiar voice of Alexander Osborn.

One of the more popular kids at Midtown Magnet, Alex was also one of the wealthiest. Well, his parents were technically the wealthy ones, but the money was in trust, because they had passed away years ago. Alex walked over to Dillon and clapped his friend on the back. “You know Noah, he always shows up right when you need him to.”

“Yeah but not when he needs himself to.”

“That…is a good point.” Alex said. “You ready to hit up the internship fair?” He asked.

Dillon couldn’t help it. He gave Alex a look. “Why are you bothering to go?” He asked. “Everyone knows you’ve got an internship with OsCorp.” He said and Alex nodded.

“Moral support, at the very least.” Alex said. “Besides, one part of my internship is picking up diamonds in the rough that other companies or foundations might overlook.”

“You just made that up.”

“I just made that up.” Alex said. “No, I’m hoping to get a look at the foreign exchange kids.” He said.

“I heard one of them is from Wakanda.” Dillon said as they approached the doors to the gym.

“And the other is from Brazil.” Alex replied.

“You have to wonder why they’re here.”

“To steal our internships, obviously.” A third voice said.

Alex winced, turning to see Henrietta Warren walking towards them. Henrietta, or Henry, or Hen, was quite the stickler for the books and for getting good grades. Alex was the one who had started calling her “Hen” because she had a tendency to get overzealous and on everyone’s case when it came to their homework.

Nothing like being hen-pecked.

“Henry, glad you could join us.” He said as Henrietta took a gulp from her coffee.

“Where’s Noah?”

“Late.”

“I told him to set his alarm.” She said, rolling her eyes. The blonde girl shrugged. “His funeral.”

[Nichalus]

"Maybe he just got a late start" Dillon offered up as they walked into the crowded gym.

Dillon's attempt to excuse Noah's lateness elicited a skeptical glance from Henrietta. Her brow furrowed slightly as she regarded Dillon with a hint of skepticism, clearly unimpressed by his weak justification.

"Getting a late start seems to be Noah's usual modus operandi," Henrietta remarked dryly, her tone laced with a touch of disapproval.

"True, but we've all come to expect it from him by now," Alex chimed in, offering a more lenient perspective. "Let's give him the benefit of the doubt this time."

Both Henrietta and Dillon turned to look at Alex, both tilted their head slightly with the same 'really?' expression on their faces.

As Dillon reflected on the day's events, a warm sense of gratitude washed over him. Despite his natural shyness and introversion, he found solace and strength in the friendship of Noah, Henrietta, and Alex. In their presence, he felt accepted and valued, his insecurities melting away as he basked in the warmth of their camaraderie.

Noah's easygoing nature and infectious enthusiasm, with the exception of his tardiness, never failed to lift Dillon's spirits, making him feel at ease even in the most daunting of situations. Henrietta's steadfast support and unwavering determination served as a source of inspiration, encouraging Dillon to push past his comfort zone and embrace new experiences. And Alex's sharp wit, intellect and genuine kindness provided a sense of stability and reassurance, reminding Dillon that he was never alone in his journey. Together, they formed a tight-knit group bound by mutual respect, understanding, and a shared love of science. In their company, Dillon felt more confident and welcomed than he ever thought possible, his self-doubt giving way to a sense of belonging that filled him with joy and gratitude.

As the group made their way through the Science Fair, their curiosity sparked by the array of booths and displays, they found themselves immersed in a world of innovation and discovery.

Henrietta, ever the stickler for detail, gravitated towards the booths showcasing meticulous experiments and meticulously documented research. She engaged in thoughtful discussions with the presenters, asking probing questions and offering insightful feedback, her keen intellect shining brightly, if not sometimes coming across as rude and condescending.

Alex, with his sharp mind, snarky wit and insatiable curiosity, was drawn to the booths featuring cutting-edge technology and groundbreaking advancements. He eagerly absorbed information about the latest scientific breakthroughs, his eyes alight with excitement as he envisioned the possibilities they held for the future. Dillon couldn't help but smirk a bit knowing that Alex's interest at the various booths wasn't just for scientific curiosity, but for recruitment reasons as well.

Meanwhile, Dillon found himself captivated by the booths exploring the mysteries of the cosmos and the wonders of outer space. He eagerly listened to presentations on alien civilizations, black holes, and the search for extraterrestrial life, his imagination soaring to new heights with each passing moment.

Dillon's frustration mounted as he glanced at his watch once more, his brow furrowing in concern. The anticipation of May Parker's imminent arrival at the Science Fair heightened the urgency of Noah's absence, and Dillon couldn't shake the feeling of unease gnawing at him.

His friends exchanged worried glances, their eyes scanning the bustling crowd for any sign of Noah's familiar figure. Henrietta's stern expression softened with concern, while Alex's usually composed demeanor betrayed a hint of anxiety.

"Where the hell is Noah?!" Dillon exclaimed, his voice tinged with a mixture of frustration and worry. He knew that Noah's tendency to run late was nothing new, but this time felt different—May Parker's presence added an extra layer of urgency to the situation.

As they watched, the entrance to the gym remained conspicuously empty, devoid of any sign of their missing friend. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as they waited, each passing second amplifying Dillon's growing sense of dread.

Just as Dillon was about to suggest going to look for Noah, a familiar voice rang out from behind them. "Sorry I'm late, guys!" Noah smiled with a quick wave of his hand, and a beautiful black eye forming on his face.

"Oh that's just awesome!" Alex laughs and holding up his cell phone and snaps a picture.

Henrietta buries her face in her hand. "God, you are so embarrassing sometimes."

"Jesus Noah! Are you ok?" Dillon asks with genuine concern on his face.

[Mir]

Noah sheepish smiled, rubbing at the bruise on his face near his eye. “Oh, yeah.”

“That’s all you have to say?” Henrietta asked and he thought about it for a moment, before nodding slowly. “What happened?” She asked.

“I got into a fight on the subway, stopping someone from being mugged.” He said as Alex snapped another picture.

She sighed. “What have I said about getting into fights with people?” She asked. “That’s the job for the police.”

He nodded. “Sure, but there weren’t any cops around. Someone had to do something.”

“And that someone had to be you, right?” Alex asked, putting the phone away and Noah shrugged in response. “I would say that the look is an improvement, but I would be lying.” He said, giving Noah a good natured punch in the arm.

When Noah winced, Henry shook her head. “Are you sure you’re okay?” She asked. “We can take you to the nurse.”

“Nah.” Noah said. “The EMTs checked me out and gave me a clean bill of health. The shiner will go down in a few days. Besides, I’m not going to miss this.” He said, gesturing around. “What have you guys seen?” He asked.

“Well, there’s been a lot of interesting research into the stars.” Dillon said, pointing over at a few of the booths. “I was listening to one of the talks about alien civilizations that may be closer than we think. You know, Earth has been visited in the past. We’ve had aliens among us. But there’s still so much out there for us to find.” He said.

“Luckily, that leaves Dillon with a lot of work to be done.” Alex said. “A lot of the booths are going to be winding down soon, most of the names have been taken.”

Henry chewed her lip as she looked around. “I think there’s been a few that are already completely full, Noah. Your good deed may have done you in when it came to getting an internship.” She said.

“Even the Parker Foundation?” Noah asked, crestfallen. He looked over at the booth which had some of the employees and volunteers at the Foundation talking with some students.

“That was one of the first to get swarmed.” Dillon said, sadly. He looked over at where Noah was looking. “We haven’t seen May Parker yet, but she’s supposed to be making an appearance. She’s got her speech to the students in a little bit, so she’s bound to be here sooner or later.”

“Sooner is right.” Henry said, a little bit of awe coming into her voice.

The boys turned and followed her gaze as May Parker walked into the gym. May Parker, the program director at the Parker Foundation was every bit as advertised. She was wearing a business suit and walked through the students, an assistant by her side. The hair was unmistakable. Alex mentioned how he had heard that her father had been rather proud that her mother’s genes had taken root, but then again knowing what they knew of genetics it wasn’t surprising.

The redheaded woman had purpose on her face and in her walk, giving Henry a vision of what she could be. Something to aspire to.

Dillon saw a woman who had confidence and knew what she brought to the table while still maintaining the ability to be open about what others could help with.

Noah…Noah saw someone who could help him find his path in life.

“We gotta get seats.” Noah said as they continued to watch her and Dillon nodded.

“Sounds like a plan.”

[Nichalus]

As the crowd surged forward to secure seats for May Parker's presentation, Alex's trademark smile lit up his face as he glanced at his friends. With a mischievous twinkle in his eye, he gestured towards the front row, where four open seats beckoned invitingly.

Dillon's eyes widened in surprise as he followed Alex's gaze, his heart skipping a beat at the sight of the prime seating arrangement. Henrietta raised an eyebrow, her initial skepticism giving way to a begrudging smile of appreciation. Even Noah, typically nonchalant in such situations, couldn't help but grin at Alex's thoughtful gesture. With a shared sense of excitement and gratitude, the group hurried towards the front row, their footsteps quickening with each passing moment. As they settled into their seats, Dillon couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in his friend's resourcefulness and generosity.

"Nice work, Alex," Dillon whispered, offering his friend a grateful nod.

Alex shrugged modestly, though a hint of satisfaction shone in his eyes. "Just doing my part to ensure we have the best seats in the house," he replied with a grin.

[Mir]

Principal Gardner stepped up to the podium and adjusted his bowtie. As principals went, he was fairly chill. He was on the younger side. He didn’t try to be one of the fellow students, but he also didn’t feel like an adult either. He was relatable in a cool, affable way. He was no Jonathan Moreland, the Dean of Students, that was for sure.

“Alright, alright.” He said, his voice projecting over the speakers and settling down most of the noise from the crowd of students. “I’m not here to take up a lot of time. You already know who I am, and you know who’s about to speak. So let’s put together a Midtown Magnet welcome for May Parker, the director of the Parker Foundation.”

There was a round of applause as May rose from her seat and stepped over to the podium. She looked out over the students in attendance, a smile on her face.

“The Midtown Magnets.” She said. “It’s been a while since I got to call myself that. Well, technically, the school wasn’t a magnet school or in Manhattan at the time. It was a different kind of midtown back then.” She said. “But I think in a way that’s kind of important to highlight. We don’t know where we’re going to be in the future. When the school was founded, the founders couldn’t have foreseen what was going to become of the school. They had high hopes and dreams though, and they worked hard to accomplish those dreams. Most of you know of my dad, Peter Parker. He was a respected scientist and he pursued his dreams no matter what. He always made sure that every day he was working towards something better, something bigger.”

She looked around, finding different sets of eyes as she spoke. May had inherited her mother’s looks and also her mother’s magnetic personality. Even if they weren’t already interested in what she had to say, May’s ability to connect with an audience was really quite top notch.

“Years ago, he used to work for the Daily Bugle, as a photographer. It wasn’t what he wanted to do, but it was what he needed to do. He needed to be able to put food on the table for my mother and myself. Sure, my mom was a model, but he knew he needed to hold up his end of the bargain. Where I’m going with this is that you all are going to face choices in life. Some of you will face obstacles that seem insurmountable. They’re going to be readily apparent. Others are going to face challenges that are below the surface. Everyone has their journey. We have to keep our eyes on our dreams.”

She smiled, looking down at the podium for a moment.

“Sometimes we realize those dreams change. That’s fine. The important thing is to keep taking one step forward. Even if that step forward looks like a step backward at the moment. You’ve all been able to speak with different organizations and companies today when it comes to internships and potential apprentice programs. That’s great. You’re taking that first step. If you’re selected, congratulations. If you’re not selected, congratulations. You took that first step. The question is, if you don’t get the internship you wanted, what are you going to do about it? What’s the next step?” She said.

She continued to look around, her eyes finding Noah for a moment and then Henry and then Dillon before moving onwards.

“Remember that you can’t forget your past, because it makes your present. But it can’t hold you back from your future.” She said. “I can’t wait to see all the things you will do, with the remainder of your time here at Midtown Magnet and in the future. I’m waiting and I’ll see you there.”

[Nichalus]

As May Parker's voice filled the gymnasium, Dillon listened intently, hanging on to her every word. Her passion and conviction resonated with him, stirring something deep within his soul. Lost in the moment, he hardly noticed the thrum of excitement pulsing through the crowd around him.

Then, as if by some stroke of fate, their eyes met. May's gaze, piercing and determined, locked onto Dillon's, and for a brief moment, time seemed to stand still. His heart pounded in his chest, his breath caught in his throat. It was as if May could see straight into his soul, peeling back the layers of doubt and uncertainty to reveal the potential that lay within him. In her eyes, Dillon saw not just the legacy of her father, but the promise of a future filled with endless possibilities.

For a fleeting moment, Dillon felt as though he could do anything—that the barriers holding him back had been shattered in an instant. And though he struggled to maintain his composure, a surge of adrenaline coursed through his veins, filling him with a newfound sense of purpose and determination.

"Dude, I think you got a 'chubby'."

Dillon's world screeched to a halt as Alex's whispered words shattered the intense moment with May Parker. His cheeks flushed crimson with embarrassment, and he recoiled instinctively, mortified by his friend's crude observation.

"Dude, what?!" Dillon sputtered, his heart sinking as he realized the magnitude of Alex's remark. The weight of the situation crashed down on him, and he could feel the heat of embarrassment spreading through every fiber of his being.

Henrietta shot Alex a withering glare, her expression a mix of disbelief and disapproval. "Seriously, Alex? Have some tact," she hissed, her voice laced with irritation.

Noah, ever the peacemaker, attempted to diffuse the tension with a nervous chuckle. "Come on, guys, let's not make a big deal out of this," he said, though his discomfort was evident.

[Mir]

Noah gave Alex a punch in the arm.

"What?" Alex said, rubbing his shoulder. "I'm just used to it. I've seen May Parker before."

"You have?" Dillon asked before he nodded. "Well, yeah that makes sense now that I think about it."

"Osborns, Parkers." Alex said and interlinked his fingers. "We've been known to frequent some of the same circles." He looked over at Noah. "Speaking of which, I know the Parker Foundation is having one internship spot. You probably need to go find her." He said.

Noah looked over his shoulder.

May Parker was talking with Principal Gardner and below, right at where the platform ended, were a throng of hopefuls.

"Oh man..." Noah said. "I didn't think they'd be swarming her so soon." He said.

Henry gave him a helpful shove and Noah started fumbling with his backpack, to grab his resume and high school grades so far. He was about to join the bunch of students vying for May's attention, when it seemed as though someone just slid directly, almost perfectly, in front of him. He looked up at the much taller person standing in front of him.

"Mr. Poole." Jonathan Moreland said. "It's been brought to my attention you were late today." He said. "At the end of last year, we had a conversation about your repeated tardiness and you promised me you were going to fix that over the summer." He said. "Shall we continue this conversation in my office?" He asked.

Noah peeked around the dean, who moved and blocked Noah's view. Again.

"It wasn't a request."

[Nichalus]

Dillon's face was still flushed from Alex's earlier comment, but seeing Noah in trouble with Dean Moreland sparked a sudden, reckless determination within him. As Noah and the Dean walked towards the office, Dillon turned to Alex and Henrietta.

"Follow along, guys," he said quietly, a plan forming in his mind.

Before they could react, Dillon grabbed his backpack and threw it through the air. It sailed between a startled Alex and Henrietta, hitting Dean Moreland squarely in the back.

The gymnasium fell silent as Dean Moreland stumbled slightly, then slowly turned to face the group, his expression stern and unforgiving.

Both Alex and Henrietta had seen that look before on the Dean's face. They looked at each other and then simultaneously pointed at Dillon.

"It was all him." Alex stated.

"I warned him that no good could come from his actions." Henrietta stated in a matter of fact tone.

Dillon glanced back quickly at the two with a wide eye incredulous stare. "That...that was best you guys could come up with?"

"Dillon Rogers," the Dean began, causing Dillon to snap his head forward. Dean Moreland continued, his voice dripping with authority, "what is the meaning of this?"

As the Dean began walking back towards them, his attention fully on Dillon, Dillon seized the moment. He shot a quick, meaningful glance at Noah and subtly gestured for him to slip away and meet May Parker while they had the Dean distracted.

Noah's eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly understood Dillon's plan. He nodded imperceptibly, then, taking advantage of the Dean's diverted focus, he quietly edged away from the scene and made his way towards the stage where May Parker was talking with other students.

Meanwhile, Dillon braced himself for the inevitable lecture. Dean Moreland stopped in front of him, arms crossed, his stern gaze boring into Dillon.

"Explain yourself," the Dean demanded, his tone leaving no room for excuses.

Dillon took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. "I'm sorry, Dean Moreland. It was an impulsive decision, and you see, Alex said something that was insulting."

Alex pointed at himself with a 'Who...me?' expression of innocents on his face.

"So I threw my backpack at him out of irritation. And...well...I'm not a very good athletic person and I...um..."

"Yes...you missed." Dean Moreland deadpanned.

As Dean Moreland continued to lecture Dillon, Alex and Henrietta stood by, their faces a mix of surprise and admiration for Dillon's quick thinking. They knew the stakes had been high, but Dillon's bold move had given Noah a chance to seize an important opportunity.

[Mir]

Noah had seen his moment and had seized it. He had seen what Dillon had done for him and had thanked his friend, silently. No need to bring further attention to him. Making his way through the throng of people, he kept his eyes on May Parker. He had to get to her and talk to her. There was no way around it. How many more opportunities would he have to speak to the leader of the Parker Foundation? Maybe if he camped outside of their Manhattan offices but no doubt Aunt Julie would have an issue with that.

He was about to break through, when a hand grabbed him from behind, taking him by the loop on his backpack and lifting him up.

“What the-” He said, craning his neck to see who was doing this to him.

Marcus Holloway, gave him a look. “Where do you think you’re going, Poole?” He asked.

“To the bathroom?” Noah offered and the older kid laughed.

Midtown Magnet was not known for its sports teams. But among what little of athletics it had was a basketball team. Marcus Holloway was one of the leads of that team. And as it often was the case with most basketball players, he was tall. Close to six feet, and he was only a junior.

“I mean, I could help you get there if you wanted.” Marcus replied, thumbing in the direction of the bathrooms with his free hand.

Towards the complete opposite side of the gym.

“Seems like you’re a little lost.” Marcus added, nonchalantly.

“Right, no. See I know the bathrooms are there, but they don’t have the nicest seats, you know?” Noah said. “So I was thinking I would cut through the back and head to the biology lab and-”


“Dean Moreland, we got a runner.” Marcus interrupted.

The Dean’s head whipped around, all thought of dealing with Dillon gone from his head. “Mr. Poole, what are you doing?” He asked and Noah, who had still been squirming just dead fished. Moreland pointed at Noah. “Detention.”

He turned to Dillon. “Detention.”

He looked over at Alex and Henry. “You two should get detention.”

“She’s a girl and he’s rich?” Noah asked. “That hardly seems fair.”

“You are not helping.” Alex said and Henry nodded.

“Detention.” Moreland said.

[Nichalus]

As Dillon begrudgingly headed towards Detention, still feeling the weight of his earlier impulsive decision, something caught his eye. He glanced towards the far side of the gym where May Parker stood, and beside her was a rugged man who seemed entirely out of place amidst the students and teachers.

The man wore a worn leather jacket and faded jeans, his expression stern and focused. There was something about him—his strong build, weathered face, and the way he carried himself—that screamed military or covert ops. His eyes were sharp, scanning the room with a sense of purpose.

Dillon watched as the man handed May Parker a case that looked more secure than anything Dillon had ever seen. The case was sleek and industrial, with sturdy locks and a digital display on the side, its readout lights blinking softly in a way that suggested whatever was inside was not to be taken lightly.

Dillon's instincts told him that this was no ordinary exchange. His curiosity piqued, he slowed his pace, casting a few careful glances back to see if anyone else had noticed the interaction. Most people were still distracted by the conclusion of the fair, but Dillon couldn’t shake the feeling that something serious was happening right in front of him.

May Parker’s expression had shifted from her usual confident demeanor to something more cautious. She accepted the case with a nod, but there was tension in her body language, like she was aware of the gravity of the situation.

Dillon’s mind raced. What was in that case? Was it something related to the Parker Foundation’s cutting-edge technology? Or something more... dangerous?

As he lingered, the man in the leather jacket gave a brief nod to May, then turned and walked away, moving with a fluid precision that made Dillon think of someone used to handling tough situations. Whoever he was, Dillon knew this was not a simple delivery. He suddenly glanced sideways, his sharp eyes locking onto Dillon. It was only for a brief moment, but the intensity in the man’s gaze sent a chill down Dillon’s spine. It was the kind of look that could have cracked vibranium—cold, unyielding, and laced with warning.

Dillon froze, his heart pounding in his chest as he realized he had been caught. The stranger’s expression conveyed a clear message: Stay out of this.

For a second, Dillon thought the man might say something or confront him. But after the icy glare, the man turned back and continued walking, his pace steady and deliberate, as if nothing had happened.

Detention now seemed like the last place Dillon wanted to be. Something big was happening, and he was sure it was connected to that case. Glancing around to make sure Dean Moreland wasn’t watching, Dillon slipped into the crowd, heading back towards May Parker, hoping to get closer and perhaps overhear something.

Whatever was going on, Dillon felt a strange pull toward it, a sense that this could be the beginning of something far bigger than anything his everyday life at Midtown Magnet High could offer.

[Mir]

One Week Ago
New York City

Asho stood on the balcony of the spacious apartment. The wind of New York was picking up, and she breathed it in. She had been outside of Wakanda before, but not like this. She looked out over what was called the concrete jungle. She found it not unlike the jungle home in Wakanda. There was so much activity, so much life. Keeping track of it all was difficult. She didn’t envy the hunters of this concrete jungle.

The hunters which would soon include her cousin. She turned as he walked out onto the balcony to join her.

“Je’von, are you ready?” She asked.

He nodded as he reached the railing and stood next to her. “I am, cousin.” He said. “The reports of vibranium in New York are not to be taken lightly and I will do no such thing.”

She nodded. “Remember that is what you’re here for. But you are also here to be a student at Midtown Magnet.” Asho said. “We had to pull a few strings in order to ensure you were sent to the school. Yes, it’s part of a cover, but it’s also a good school. You will learn.” Asho said.

“Getting good grades has never been a problem for me, Asho.”

She smiled and reached a hand out, ruffling his hair slightly. “No, it hasn’t been. But don’t forget the most important thing, even if my brother has forgotten it.”

He looked at her.

“Don’t forget to be a kid. Get in trouble.” She said and he grinned. Her eyes flared. “But not too much trouble.” She looked back out over the city. “I will return to visit. For now, I must head to Phoenix, Arizona.”

“Arizona?” He asked.

“There has been another report of vibranium showing up where it shouldn’t. Potentially it was brought into the United States through South America. I will get the answers when I hold the vibranium in my hands.” Asho stated. She reached out and brought her cousin in for a hug. “I will see you soon.”

[Nichalus]

Dillon moved quietly down the hallway, his footsteps soft as he trailed behind May Parker. The noise from the event in the gymnasium faded with each step, replaced by the silence of the nearly empty school corridors. The weight of curiosity pulled him forward, stronger than the guilt he felt for ditching his friends without explanation. There was something about the way that rugged man had looked at him, and the tension in May Parker’s face when she received the secure case—it was impossible to ignore.

The halls were eerily quiet. Most of the students and teachers were still attending the fair, which made Dillon feel exposed but also gave him a clear path to follow. His heart raced as he recalled the blinking lights on the case, the serious exchange. It didn’t feel like a simple delivery; it felt important. And dangerous.

As he approached a corner, Dillon paused, pressing himself against the cool wall and peeking around cautiously. He saw May Parker down the hall, her back to him. She stood in front of a door marked "Faculty Only," tapping in a code on the keypad next to it. Dillon watched as the door slid open smoothly, and May stepped inside, the case still in her hand.

For a moment, Dillon hesitated. This is a bad idea, he thought. He wasn’t some superhero like Peter Parker—he was just a kid who was really good at school and happened to have a keen interest in space and technology. But that nagging curiosity wouldn’t let him turn back. Something important was happening, and he needed to know what it was.

He quickly darted across the hallway and slid up next to the door just as it began to close. He reached out and caught it, easing it open a crack, just wide enough to slip inside unnoticed.

The room he entered was dimly lit, filled with equipment and monitors that hummed softly. It looked like a secure research lab, not something you’d expect to find in a high school, even a prestigious one like Midtown Magnet. May Parker stood at a central table, placing the case down and typing something into a console. Dillon stayed low, hiding behind a stack of crates near the door, watching her intently.

She opened the case, and the soft glow from the display lit up her face. Whatever was inside, Dillon couldn’t see it clearly from his angle, but it emitted a faint, pulsing light. He strained to catch a glimpse, his mind racing with possibilities—was it some kind of advanced tech? Alien in origin? Something connected to the Avengers, or even the remnants of Stark tech?

May Parker’s fingers flew across the console as she keyed in some kind of command. The monitors in the room flickered, displaying rows of data, maps, and schematics that Dillon didn’t fully understand but recognized as important.

“Just as he said,” May muttered to herself, her voice low and serious. “We don’t have much time.”

Dillon’s heart pounded in his chest. Much time for what? He had no idea what he’d stumbled into, but it was clearly something critical. And now, he was stuck in the middle of it. He glanced back at the door, wondering if he should slip out before he got in too deep. But something kept him frozen in place, eyes locked on May as she continued working with the mysterious device.

Then, suddenly, a sound behind him—like steel being drawn from a sheath. Dillon tensed. He wasn’t alone anymore.

[Mir]

May turned around, knowing the sound all too well. She was no stranger to Evan’s claws. Her eyes widened and then narrowed at the sight of one of the high schoolers in the room with her. “Okay, well now the claws make more sense.” May said.

“I’m so sorry.” Dillon replied, his eyes wide in fear. He backpedaled and then turned, now face to face with May. “I’m so sorry.” He said, now to May.

“No, I got it the first time,” She said, “unless you wanted to personalize it.”

“I’m so sorry, Ms. Parker.”

“Personalized, I like it.” She gave him a smile before the moment was interrupted by Evan.

“Should I take this kid and drop him from the roof?”

“Very droll.” May replied. “You’re terrifying him, Ev.” She said as Dillon turned so he was sideways to both of them and his eyes kept moving back and forth.

“He should learn not to sneak in places where he isn’t supposed to be. The door says faculty, kid.”

“Neither of you are teachers here, either.” Dillon replied, emboldened by the idea that May didn’t seem that angry with him.

May laughed. “He’s got us there.”

“What is that?” Dillon asked, his curiosity unable to be held back any further. “I’ve never really seen anything like that but it looks familiar.” He said, pointing at the object on the table. He took an uneasy step forward, first looking over at Evan.

She raised an eyebrow. “You want to take a look?”

“May…” Evan said, with a warning in his tone, but she lifted the hand at her side slightly.

Dillon walked over to the table and checked out the data on the monitors. There was something familiar about it, as he had said to May. The design of it, a beetle looking thing, no that wasn’t it. There was something else. His eyes went back and forth again, this time between the item and the monitors. The symbols. That’s what it was.

“I think I’ve seen those symbols before.” He said. “I’ve read about them or I’ve seen them somewhere.”

“I don’t think they’re from earth.”

May nodded at Evan’s words. “I don’t think they’re from earth either.”

“I think something’s turning on.” Dillon added, drawing May’s attention back to the table.

He was right. There were glowing lights flickering on. She brought a hand up across the teenager’s chest to push him behind her. “Evan…” She said, drifting off as the beetle…turned on.

[Nichalus]

Dillon's heart raced as he took in the strange, otherworldly scarab resting in the case. The scarab’s dark blue shell glowed with intricate neon-blue lines, humming with a hauntingly alien sound that seemed to vibrate in the room, rising in pitch with each passing second. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from it.

Then he noticed the symbols on the computer screen. His jaw dropped. They were identical to ones he’d seen at a symposium on ancient Egyptian mythologies, specifically in the section on Pharaoh Kha-Ef-Re. Historians had theorized that Kha-Ef-Re, known for his brutal rule and odd technologies, might have connections to... something more than myth.

“Oh my God! The Reach!” Dillon whispered, his voice trembling with excitement and fear as he recalled the long-forgotten lecture. The Reach were rumored to be a mysterious alien race tied to ancient artifacts and conquerors of worlds. And the scarab—it wasn’t just any artifact. It was a Reach scarab.

May Parker froze at his words, her eyes widening slightly as she turned toward him. But before she could respond, Evan Stryker—Dillon recognized the claws and briefly wondered if this man was X-Man known as the new Wolverine—stepped forward, his extended adamantium blades gleaming under the dim lights. His gaze flicked from Dillon to May.

“So, that’s why those guys were so intent on it,” Evan muttered, referring back to his recent encounter in the Amazon where mercenaries had ambushed him, their goal clear even if their motives weren’t.

May’s eyes darted from Dillon to Evan. “Exactly. The Reach left these scarabs behind to implant themselves into a host, one capable of wielding its power for their benefit,” she explained, her voice tight. “If the wrong person gains control of this technology, it could mean...”

“...another tyrant like Kha-Ef-Re, or...the Blue Beetle.” Dillon finished the weight of the words settling heavily in the room. He felt a swirl of awe and terror. This scarab was no relic; it was a weapon of mass destruction, or a valuable weapon against enemies of the Earth.

Evan’s gaze softened, but only slightly. He turned to May. “And you’re keeping it here, why?”

“We’re trying to find a way to render it dormant—permanently,” May said, her tone steely. “We thought all the scarabs were accounted for, but that recent meteor shower must have been carrying a new one, or God forbid multiples. We thought it was clearly safer here under the Parker Foundation’s radar.”

Dillon, his mind racing with every revelation, stepped forward. “But if it’s not connected to a host… that means it might be able to choose someone, right?”

May and Evan exchanged a look, and Dillon felt a chill. Whatever the scarab was capable of, they didn’t seem convinced they had full control over it. And now, he realized, he was in far deeper than he had ever intended.

Dillon’s eyes flickered with recognition as he recalled the legacy of the Blue Beetle—a hero who had harnessed the power of a Reach scarab to protect the Earth. Dillon had read everything he could find on the Blue Beetle, especially about Jaime Reyes, the last known person to wield the scarab. But the more recent information was troubling: Jaime Reyes had mysteriously retired and disappeared years ago, leaving the scarab’s current state a mystery.

“So,” Dillon said, his voice filled with both reverence and apprehension, “this scarab… it’s just like Jaime’s, isn’t it?”

May nodded, her expression serious. “It is. This is one of the only other Reach scarabs we’ve managed to recover. But unlike Jaime’s, this one is still fully active. If it connects with the wrong host…”

Dillon’s stomach dropped. He knew the scarab could be a force for good, like Jaime Reyes had shown. But he also knew that in the wrong hands—or under the influence of the Reach itself—it could be catastrophic.

“Wait,” Dillon said, the pieces clicking into place. “So... he was trying to protect it, wasn’t he?” Looking at Stryker.

“Exactly,” May replied, a hint of tension in her voice. “There are people—groups, even governments—that would do anything to harness this kind of power. That’s why it has to stay hidden.”

[Nichalus]

Evan grunted, his gaze lingering on the scarab. “But if it finds a host, hiding won’t be an option.” With a sudden determination, he raised his clawed right hand high in the air, preparing to slam it down onto the scarab.

Dillon’s eyes widened in shock as he realized what was about to happen. “No!” he yelled, instinctively leaping between Evan and the scarab.

The world seemed to freeze as Dillon collided with Evan’s fist. The claws sliced through Dillon's chest with alarming ease, the sharp tips piercing his flesh. A gasp escaped Dillon’s lips, and he felt a rush of pain and warmth spreading from the wound.

As Evan's claws touched the dark blue shell of the scarab, through Dillon's chest, a blinding pulse of light erupted from it, flooding the room with a brilliant radiance that temporarily blinded both May and Evan. They instinctively shielded their eyes, the intensity of the light searing into their retinas.

When the light finally began to fade and their vision cleared, both May and Evan gasped in astonishment. There, perched atop the table where the scarab had lain, was the armored form of the Blue Beetle. The suit gleamed with intricate designs, and its odd glowing ethereal eyes glinted ominously through the eye slots, surveying them with an otherworldly intensity.

“What the…?” Evan breathed, his eyes wide in disbelief. The sudden shift in the atmosphere was electric; the air crackled with the latent energy of the scarab.

May’s heart raced as she looked down. Beneath the armor, Dillon lay unconscious, the suit somehow having encased him in its protective shell. “Dillon!” she exclaimed, her instincts kicking in. She rushed forward, hands outstretched, but the Blue Beetle seemed to react, standing upright with an air of sentience that was both awe-inspiring and intimidating.

--⎅⍜ ⋏⍜⏁ ⏃⌿⌿⍀⍜⏃☊⊑ ⍜⍀ ⟟ ⌇⊑⏃⌰⌰ ⎍⌇⟒ ⌰⟒⏁⊑⏃⌰ ⎅⟒⎎⟒⋏⌇⟒⌇!--

“Is he… okay?” Evan asked, his voice low and uncertain. “What just happened?”

“I think the scarab chose him,” May said, her eyes darting between the armored being and her unconscious friend. “It must have recognized his will to protect it. But how—?”

The Blue Beetle turned its gaze toward May, as if acknowledging her presence. Then, with a soft hum, it crouched back down, bringing its glowing eyes level with hers. The suit’s movements were fluid, almost as if it had a life of its own, instinctively responding to the energy of the scarab and the emotions swirling in the room.

--⎅⏁⊑⟒ ☊⍀⎍⋏☊⊑ ⍜⎎ ⎎⟒⟒⏁⌇!--

May could hardly process the moment. The Blue Beetle was a legendary figure—a champion for the people of Earth—and now another itineration was standing before her, connected to Dillon in a way she can't even imagine. “We need to get him out of there,” she said, moving closer, but the Blue Beetle shifted slightly, blocking her path.

It wasn’t aggressive; rather, it seemed protective, as if it understood the gravity of the situation. May glanced at Evan, uncertainty washing over her. “What if it’s not ready? What if it tries to attack us?”

The Blue Beetle, as if sensing her hesitation, tilted its head slightly, its ethereal eyes shimmering with an enigmatic understanding. There was a brief moment of silence, and then it extended a hand—clad in the blue and black armor—toward May.

--...allow...⏁⍜ ⊑⟒⌰⌿ ⊬⍜⎍ ⎍⋏⎅⟒⍀⌇⏁⏃⋏⎅.--

She hesitated, glancing at Evan, who remained tense but fascinated. “I think it wants us to trust it,” she whispered, taking a step closer.

As her fingers brushed against the cool metal of the Blue Beetle’s arm, a surge of energy coursed through her, reminiscent of the pulse that had filled the room moments ago. She felt a connection forming, a connection that transcended their physical forms. It was as if the suit recognized her intent to help, responding with warmth and reassurance.

With newfound determination, May looked up at Evan. “We need to figure out how to bring Dillon back. We can’t leave him like this.”

Evan nodded, taking a cautious step forward. “Alright. Let’s see what we can do. But if that suit decides to fight us, I’m ready.”

[Mir]

She wasn’t sure if Dillon was alive inside of the Scarab armor. Before the Scarab had bonded with him, Dillon had taken a direct attack from Evan’s claws. She knew from experience those claws were dangerous.

“Mayday, you better know what you’re doing.” Evan growled, clearly not pleased with the situation.

“Honestly, I don’t, but we have to try something,” She said, her eyes on the armored boy in front of her. She reached out again, lightly touching Dillon or the Scarab’s arm. There was no response, but she felt something. She felt an overwhelming sense of calm. Her brows scrunched as she thought it through. “I think it’s healing him, after you tried to filet him.”

“Kid stepped in front of me,” Evan said, eyeing the Scarab.

“The Scarab doesn’t blame you. It only…it only wants to make sure Dillon is okay.”

“Well, can we talk to him?” Evan asked. “That’d be a great way to know he’s okay,” he added, speaking more to the Scarab than to her.

Lights flickered on the armor, and the front chest plate disassembled slightly, sliding away to reveal the injuries to Dillon’s chest. The two adults could see that at the very edges of the wounds, there was already flesh being knit into place it seemed.

“Okay, that’s super cool,” May said, all pretense of concern pushed to the side for the sheer scientific aspect of what was transpiring before them. The armor slid back into place.

“It’s also gross.”

“This from the guy that does this to people all the time.”

“I don’t stop and study what’s happening to them. Usually busy.”

She cocked her head to the side. “Yeah, I can see that being the case.” May looked around. “We need to get him out of here.”

Evan raised an eyebrow. “Be a little difficult to just walk him out. Wait, can he walk?”

That…was a problem, yes. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She knew the layout of the school well and knew from where they were, there was an easy way to get out of the building. The odds of being seen were slim, but this was still a school with a quite active student body. While there had been a good bunch of kids present at the internship fair, it wasn’t the entire population here.

She made her call to her driver. They would go straight back to the Parker Foundation.

May looked back at the Scarab. “Are you able to walk?”

The Scarab nodded.

“And he’s safe in there?”

Another nod.

Evan stuck his head out of the door and sniffed the air. “I think we’re in the clear. I smell some obnoxious perfume, but that’s it,” He said, before adding. “Not yours.”

“I appreciate that.”

She led them down the hall and towards a staircase she knew was one of the exits.

They were almost out of sight when far behind them, a head popped out from behind a row of lockers. A girl was watching them, the wearer of the obnoxious perfume. She pulled out her phone, taking a quick picture of the three, including Dillon.

She smiled, looking down at the camera, before running off. This was going to be so cool.

==-==

Noah closed his eyes, trying to figure out where it had all gone so wrong. A few short hours ago, he had been on the train, ready to take on the day and the new school year. The first day of his junior year. It was going to be great. Now, a few short hours later, he had a black eye and some slightly hurt ribs. More importantly, he had missed out on his opportunity to speak to May Parker and get an internship at the Parker Foundation. That was all he wanted, and he had messed it up. Somehow, someway.

He grimaced, looking down at the folder in his hands. He had copies of his resume with all the school projects he had worked on written on there. He had a usb drive with the same and also had a dropbox link ready to go.

He was sitting on the rooftop of the school. He should have been in advanced biology but he knew he wouldn’t have been paying attention not with everything that was on his mind. If Dr. Huang had an issue with that, well, Noah already had detention.

Looking down as he heard some noise, he saw a car door close. May Parker was standing outside of the car, talking to a man who looked like he had no place at a high school. He looked like he could give their basketball coach a run for his money in the weight room. Noah jumped to his feet.

This was his chance. He had to get to her.

He looked around and saw the fire escape and was starting to go for it when the wind picked up. The folder opened and started blowing the copies of his resume everywhere. Noah grabbed in the air, trying to catch them and missed almost all of them.

With one in his hand, crumpled a bit, he started smoothing it out and looked back down.

But May, the guy, and the car, were gone.

[Mir]

Noah sat down in the cafeteria. It had been a few days since the Internship Fair and he was still kicking himself over how that fiasco had ended. He had been trying to scheme up ways to talk to someone at the Parker Foundation. His emails had fallen on deaf ears. Blind eyes? He wasn’t sure but whoever he reached out to wasn’t responding. He had to figure something out. Figure out some way to get in front of May Parker. On the one hand, she hadn’t picked anyone from Midtown Magnet, but that didn’t mean anything. There were other schools around the City and sooner or later she was going to pick someone for the internship spots.

So the clock was ticking. How he would pull this off, he wasn’t sure, but he would figure something out.

As he was sitting there, thinking it through and scrolling through his phone, Alex came over and sat down.

“What’s up?” Alex asked.

“Not too much,” Noah said. “Trying to figure out how to meet up with May Parker.”

Alex shrugged. “Parker Foundation isn’t the end all be all, you know.”

“Easy for you to say, you’ve already got your internship lined up.”

Alex nodded. That, indeed was true. His application, if you call it that, was his last name. Of course Alexander Osborn would have one of the internship spots at OsCorp. Why wouldn’t he? It went with the territory. He looked over at Noah. “Listen, this seems like it’s really eating you up.”

“Yeah, well, cause it is, doofus.”

Noah looked up from his phone and saw Alex was smiling.


“What?” He asked.

“You could have just asked me you know that right?”

Noah’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean? How do you…wait…you know May?”

“The Parker family and the Osborns go way back, Noah,” Alex said. “I don’t know why you’ve been stressing, I thought you knew that.”

Now, Noah’s eyes widened. “I mean, I did, I guess I did. Yeah, that….that makes total sense.”

Peter Parker had been a long time friend of Harry Osborn and Norman Osborn. Why putting that together had never struck him, he wasn’t sure. Noah’s eyes narrowed once more. “Wait a minute, why didn’t you say anything?” He asked.

“Like I said, I thought you knew. But more importantly, I’ve been trying to figure out what’s going on with Dillon. We don’t have many tracks together and neither do you, but from what I’ve been hearing, he’s been off. Kind of staring into space and not being, y’know, Dillon.”

Noah nodded slowly. “Yeah I heard a bit of the same.” He looked around, as if Dillon was going to suddenly appear at a table near them. Which wouldn’t have made sense in the first place, since why wouldn’t Dillon have sat with them?

As if on cue, Henry sat down, dropping her lunch tray. “I forgot we all had the same track today.” She poked at her food. “Have any of you seen Dillon?” She asked.

“Both of you, huh?” Noah asked, feeling a sense of guilt come over him. Here he was trying to figure out how to get in front of May Parker for an internship, thinking only about himself. From what his friends were telling him, Dillon was going through something. He should be trying to help his friend and all he was doing was feeling sorry for himself.

“Have you guys met Je’von?” Henry asked, changing the subject, and Noah shook his head. “He’s the Wakandan exchange student. He’s really smart,” Henry added and Noah picked up on a twinge of jealousy it seemed. “He seems super cool.”

“I’m sure he’s not that special,” Alex said in response, rather quickly.

Noah shrugged. “I haven’t met him but I’ve heard people talking.” He had finished his lunch and rose from the table. “Where should Dillon be?” He asked.

“I think he’s in Calculus.”

Noah dropped his tray off and headed over to where Dillon had Calculus, also where he had Calculus later in the day. Maybe he’d check in on his friend when the bell rang and see if he could help with anything that was troubling Dillon.

[Mir]

Dillon walked out of the room as the bell rang. He saw Noah and walked over to him.

“Hey, Dillon.”

“Noah, how are you?”

“I’m alright but I wanted to see how you were doing.”

Dillon gave him a funny look. “I’m fine, what do you mean?”

“I don’t know, man, people have been saying something’s been off so I wanted to see if you were alright.” Noah followed as Dillon started walking to the next class on his track for the day. The two entered the flow of traffic in the hallways of Midtown Magnet.

“Do I seem off?” Dillon asked.

“Well…no. But also…kinda?” Noah cocked his head to the side. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah.” Dillon said. “Listen, I appreciate you and the others, who I assume are Henry and Alex, asking about me. I’m fine, just busy.”

“...With?”

Dillon smiled now, the first normal thing he’d done. “I didn’t get a chance to tell you. May Parker helped me get an internship.”

Noah was floored and stopped walking. How the hell did this happen? Did everyone at this school get an internship but him? Just his luck. And with the Parker Foundation? That hurt Noah, considering what had happened at the internship fair. “With the Parker Foundation?” He asked, as he rushed to catch up. He really hoped it wasn’t the case.

His friend shook his head. “No, with one of the astronomy and planetarium organizations. You know I’ve always been interested in the stars.”

Well that at least was one of the first things that had made sense to Noah all day and he already knew how to dissect a frog. He just hated the smell. Shame flooded him as he thought about the stab of jealousy he had felt, instead of excitement and happiness for his friend. “Yeah, of course. I’m dumb.”

“You’re actually quite smart. You’re probably the smartest kid in the school.”

And they were back to Dillon being weird again. Dillon was naturally a bit competitive, even if he was also a little shy. They had a friendly rivalry, the four friends, each with their own area of specialty. Alex was really good with biology and chemistry. Dillon looked to the stars. Henry was a math whiz and a bit of a physics freak. Noah’s specialty was being more of a jack of all trades but he had wanted to work with the Parker Foundation because they tried to be holistic with their approach to science.

But they had reached Dillon’s next class and if Noah didn’t hurry, he was going to be late for his own class. “Right, sure,” He mumbled as Dillon waved his goodbyes and headed into this class.

Noah turned and started running.

He was so going to be late.

[Mir]

Noah opened the door to the computer coding class and tried to sneak his way in, heading to the back.

“Mr. Poole, I’m glad you were able to join us.”

Noah turned. “Yeah I uh I had…I had…an accident?” He said, more question than statement.

“Sure, whatever.” The teacher waved him away and he got to one of the computer terminals.

Logging in, he got his stuff put away and tried to pay attention to what the lesson was about. But something about the Python programming just couldn’t grasp him. He was too focused on what Dillon had said. Dillon had talked about being busy with an internship. Henry was busy too and so was Alex. Well, maybe not Alex, he always seemed lazy about everything. But Henry definitely was. So why did Dillon seem, well, weirder? Noah tried to tell himself that different people dealt with being busy and different stressors differently.

At the same time, whatever was going on with Dillon seemed to be more than the usual reactions to being busy. The way he talked was changing and his mannerisms. All of it. Concerned, Noah wanted to know how to help. Even if he couldn’t really do anything, he wanted Dillon to know he could talk to him, if he felt a need. That’s all. He hoped he’d conveyed that to his friend just now.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by a voice sitting next to him.

“You’re doing it wrong.”

He swiveled in his seat.

“What?”

“You’re doing it wrong,” The black kid said and Noah tried to place the accent, before realizing he was sitting next to the transfer student from Wakanda, Je’von. He pointed at Noah’s screen and Noah realized he had been typing, somewhat aimlessly into the coding program.

“Oh, yeah, you’re right.” Noah hit the backspace button, erasing some of the lines. “You’re Je’von right?” He asked.

“Yeah.”

“Cool.” Noah finished erasing the lines and started typing again. “I heard you guys are super advanced and stuff. Like, you should probably be ahead of all of us.”

Je’von shrugged. “I’m probably not the best person for this program. I’m not that focused on school.”

Noah frowned. “Then why were you?” He asked.

“Oh, because I’m the King of Wakanda’s nephew. He thought it made sense to start the program with someone who would keep in mind the diplomatic relationship between Wakanda and the United States.”

“Whoa, you’re royalty?”

“Something like that, I guess.”

Noah was trying to figure out how he had never seen this guy in his Python class before. Probably had something to do with where he sat in the class. Henry was right, he seemed pretty cool.

“You’re Noah, right?” Je’von asked and Noah nodded. “I’ve heard of you before.”

Well that was strange.

[Mir]

“Me?” Noah asked, pointing at himself. He blurted the next part out hoping it sounded easy going. “Why have you heard of me before?”

“Someone was saying you’re one of the top kids in the school and that they were surprised you didn’t leave the internship fair with an internship.”

“Oh.”

Noah turned and stared at his computer screen.

“Sounds like something you don’t want to talk about.”

“No, no, it’s cool.” Noah tapped away at his computer keyboard. “There was a weird mix up of things that happened. I stopped a guy from getting mugged on the train, but because of that I was late. I have a habit of being late to things so the Dean was after me.”

Je’von raised an eyebrow. Noah couldn’t tell if he was impressed or concerned. “You stopped a mugging on the train?”

“Sort of. I mean, mainly I let the mugger use my face to punch instead of the person they were trying to rob. I did kinda win though.” He smiled and looked at Je’von. “It got the job done is what I guess I’m saying.”

Je’von typed on his own keyboard, continuing to code in Python. Probably with much better success than Noah. “Do you do this a lot?” He asked.

“Get punched?”

“Stop muggings.”

“Well, I don’t make a habit of it. But you know, someone’s gotta look out for the little guy and sometimes the cops are busy. My aunt and I go to this self-defense class at the Y and you can learn a lot in a short time if you pay attention,” Noah said, shrugging. “I don’t know, I picked up some things, I guess.”

The Wakandan teenager nodded, his eyes narrowing a little. “So you’ve never really had any formal training.”

Noah stopped mid-keystroke and shook his head. “Why?”

“We uh, we have a few martials arts people at the embassy. Maybe you should swing by, if you keep finding yourself in these kinds of situations.”

Noah leaned back. “Whoa, really?” He asked and Je’von nodded. “That’d be cool. Would you mind if I brought some of my friends?” He asked and then held up his hands. “Just a couple people, like Alex Osborn and Henry Warren and maybe Dillon Rogers. That’s it, I promise.”

Je’von grinned. “Sure, that’s cool with me. I’ll let them know. But maybe it's just you for the first time?”

Noah nodded effusively.

“Maybe tomorrow, I’ve got to help my aunt tonight. It’s bingo night at the senior center.”

“Your aunt is in a senior home?”

“What? No, we volunteer there.”

Je’von thought about it. “May I come?”

“Yeah, the more the merrier.”

[Mir]

Bingo night was going swimmingly. Noah had gotten there, on time. Mainly because Henry had grabbed his arm and had dragged him out of school once the bell had rung for the day. They had caught the train out of Manhattan and into Queens and had gotten set up. Aunt Julie had made it as well and she was overseeing things as usual. The one thing that was nice about Bingo Night was that he was so used to it. Everything kind of fell in place after a while, if you had done it enough times. Henrietta had been taken back when Je’von had shown up. Noah had forgotten to tell her about that.

She and the Wakandan teenager had hit it off, and It had taken Henry all of a few minutes to realize that Je’von was popular but wasn’t near the top of the school when it came to intelligence. There was nothing wrong with that, so she didn’t think less of him in any way. But from the perspective of someone who was always concerned about grades and making sure she was on top of things in that regard, it was nice to find out her fears had been unfounded.

Henry didn’t come from money, like Alex. She was much more like Dillon or Noah in that regard. She was always on the lookout for scholarships for the future when she went to college. The money would be helpful. That was why he had been glad she had gotten her internship. Roxxon was going to be getting someone good in her.

Noah didn’t recall the exact moment he had seen Henry relax, but he had seen her eventually relax. Which was nice. Je’von seemed cool and he wanted them all to get along.

Now, he stood at a table, handing out snacks as people came up for them. He looked around the room and saw that a few or the more wheelchair bound individuals were a bit low on snacks, so he was planning on filling up a tray to take around. He wasn’t sure how well he trusted his ability to balance drinks though, so he kept looking, hoping to snag Henry or Je’von.

The doors opened in the back and he saw two young girls arrive. They looked to be around his age. He recognized one of them. Reagan Dougherty.

She was an interesting person. He knew her because her grandfather was at the senior center all the time and she stopped by to visit him. She was super big into the viral news stuff. He had to give her credit. Reagan had her pulse on pop culture. She ran a small but successful blog that talked about a lot of different things. Henry considered her to be a bit of a bottom feeder, but Henry also had a lot to say about the terribleness of technology’s misuse these days.

She had never bothered Noah so he didn’t care what she was into. Not really.

Now, the other girl, she was a bit of a mystery to him. He’d never seen her before. She was pretty. He went back to what he was doing, filling the tray and heading around. They had a schedule to keep up and he knew what was coming next. As he did, his aunt announced they were going to take a fifteen minute break after that round had just ended and she stepped off the dias in the auditorium.

He was passing out snacks, when she came up to him. “Noah, how’s it going?” She asked.

He gave his aunt a smile. “It’s going great. Everyone seems to be having fun. Mrs. Deitmeyer took her meds so she’s not crazy.” He laughed at the look on his aunt’s face. “Well, not crazier than usual.”

“Je’von seems nice.” She was looking over at him and Noah followed her gaze to see Je’von and Henry walking around together, and she was laughing at something he had said. “Who’s that with Reagan?” She asked and he turned to look again.

“Yeah…I don’t…I don’t know. I don’t think she goes to Midtown.”

“You should go introduce yourself.”

“Oh, gee, I don’t know about that.”

She gave him a playful shove. “Go on. Make some friends that aren’t always talking about hydrogen and Pythagoras or whatever you nerds talk about.”

[Mir]

Reagan Dougherty gave Noah a little wave as he approached. She turned to her friend and whispered something to her really quickly before Noah got there. He couldn’t hear what she had said, but Becky smiled as Reagan finished the thought.

“Hey Reagan, glad you could make it tonight.” Noah shifted over to her friend. “I’m Noah.”

“Becky Moody,” The other girl said, blinking at him with warm eyes that he couldn’t help but stare into. “I’m Reagan’s neighbor.”

“Cool.” Noah looked around, unsure of what to say next, if anything. “Uh, you guys want to find a seat? I think the second half should be starting soon.”

Reagan looked a little amused. “Yeah I was planning on sitting with my granddad unless you’ve got assigned seats this time, Noah.”

“Oh, right, yeah.” Noah winced, closing his eyes. “Totally, you guys should sit with him.” He slowly backed away and let them get to their seats. He kept his eyes on Becky though. She was really pretty and he wanted to talk to her more. She was Reagan’s neighbor but she was around their age, maybe a little older? She had to go to a different school though. He would have known if she went to Midtown Magnet. He was deep in thought at the food table when Henry came up to him.

“What’s the matter with you?” She asked as he stared in the general vicinity of Reagan and Becky.

“What?” He asked, kind of sputtering. “Nothing, just you know, doing the food.” He hoped his shrug was nonchalant.

Henry looked in the direction he was looking at, but she didn’t pick up on anything. “Je’von is really cool. I’m kinda kicking myself that I was weird about him coming to Midtown. His accent is crazy.”

“Wakandans, am I right?” Noah laughed, looking down as he assembled more of the snacks together on trays. “Well, I’m glad you guys are getting along. I was worried for a bit there.”

“No, he’s great. How’s your night going?” She asked.

“Fine,” He said, his eyes coming back up and looking in Reagan’s direction. Or, more correctly, Becky’s direction. Henry followed him again, and this time she saw who he was looking at.

“Who’s that with Reagan?” She asked, her smile dimming a little bit. On the list of people Henry didn’t like, which could be extensive depending on how she felt, Reagan occupied a rather permanent spot. They had never really gotten along. Henrietta was not fond of Reagan’s blog and how she talked about people. Gossip wasn’t something Henry found interesting, unless it was about science. Not when it could affect people’s personal lives and emotional health. Noah had seen what happened when Reagan turned some of her blog’s space towards Henry and it wasn’t pretty.

“Becky Moody,” Noah replied, a little too quickly and Henrietta turned back towards him. “She’s Reagan’s next door neighbor, they came in together. I was saying hello and she told me her name.” He realized he was speaking a little too quickly, but he wasn’t fully controlling himself at that point. “Anyway, turkey mac and cheese bite?” He asked, holding the ground turkey and mac and cheese bites he’d warmed up in the oven not too long ago. “They’re really good.” He popped two into his mouth.

Henry just stared at him.

“No?” He asked, trying to chew at the same time. “M’kay, but your loss.” He loaded more onto the plate and sped away, circulating around the room as Julie walked back up onto the dias to start the next round of bingo.

Henry chuckled and shook her head.

[Mir]

Noah walked up the steps of the Wakandan Embassy. Located in downtown Manhattan, near Wall Street, it was choice real estate. He didn’t know much about that kind of stuff. But he knew the buildings here were a lot of money. So if the Wakandans had a spot here, then they had to have a lot of money. He admittedly didn’t know that much about the country. Henry probably knew more. What he did know was that he was supposed to meet Je’von here, around this time for this martial arts class. A part of him wasn’t sure why he was doing this. Je’von had a point though.

If he was going to keep finding himself in these kinds of situations, he should probably try to learn a thing or two. It was better to be prepared than not prepared. That was an Aunt Julie-ism.

He gripped the strap of his backpack tighter as he walked through the lobby.

“May I help you?” A bald headed Wakandan woman asked him. She was by the front desk, but not behind it.

“Uh, yeah, I hope so.” Noah gave her a smile, but the woman showed no emotion. “I’m here to see Je’von?” He asked.

“Are you asking me or telling me?”

“Telling you?” Noah asked.

She shook her head slightly, a little annoyed by the uncertainty. “And you are?”

“Noah, Noah Poole. We go to high school together.” He dug into his pockets and pulled out his wallet, showing her his student ID. She looked at it and then up at him. “I don’t…I don’t have a driver’s license.”

“You should have a state ID.”

He sheepishly pulled that out and handed it to her. He used it so infrequently, he’d forgotten all about it. She ran it through a scanner. “Follow me.”

She took him to a set of elevators and got on with him, pressing a button for a pretty high up floor. “So have you been in the US for long?” He asked as the doors closed.

She was silent.

“You know, we’ve got some great food here, anything you like so far?” He asked and she was still silent. “See any good plays or anything?” He asked and he was still rewarded with silence. “Right.”

The elevator doors opened and the woman indicated Noah should leave. He did so, walking out into a large room that was pretty well decorated. He didn’t have a head for these kinds of things, but he could tell when someone had put time and effort into something. Noah was looking around when one of the doors opened and Je’von came out.

“Noah, you made it.”

“This place looks awesome.” Noah pointed over his shoulder at the elevator. “But you gotta let people get some free time around here. I was talking with this one lady and she hasn’t had any of the food around here or seen anything on Broadway yet.”

Je’von looked confused for a second before laughing. “I doubt Sarafe would be intrigued by any of those things,” He said. “The Dora Millaje have a one track mind.”

“Who are the Dora Millaje?” Noah asked.

“Trained soldiers. Bodyguards. Ruthless killers. Actually, Sarafe is going to be your trainer today.”

Noah’s eyes widened. This wasn’t looking good.

[Mir]

“Do you know what you did wrong?”

“I tried to learn how to do this at my old age and not when I was five?” Noah asked, staring at the mat.

If Sarafe appreciated this bold attempt at comedy, she did not show it. “No, you’re trying to fight against what I’m doing.”

He slowly got to his feet in the sparring room. “Isn’t…Isn’t that what I’m supposed to be doing?”

She nodded slowly. “Yes, that is the ultimate goal. But what I’m referring to is the process. You are actively trying to fight against what I’m doing. You will face people who are bigger and faster than you. What you need to learn, what I am teaching you here, is to work with your opponent to fight your opponent.”

He put his hands on his hips, drawing in oxygen his lungs needed. “So like Bruce Lee’s be like water?”

“I do not understand that reference.”

“Bruce Lee was this super cool martial artist and he was in a bunch of movies.” Noah paused. “Oh but you don’t watch movies. But like what he was trying to say was to adapt to what’s happening around you.”

She considered it. “Yes, that is what I’m saying.” Then she dove at him and he jumped backwards, almost yelping.

“Oh my God, lady you gotta give me some warning.”

“Your opponent will not do that,” Sarafe replied, moving again.

He backpedaled, trying to keep her off of him. They had been going at it for about an hour and he was getting tired. Noah wasn’t used to this kind of physical activity. He ran for the bus or the subway but that was about it. The worst part of this was that Je’von was in a corner of the room, on his phone but watching at the same time. The Wakandan teen was clearly amused by what he was seeing. After one particularly uncomfortable fall, he had asked if he could video call Henry.

Noah went underneath Sarafe’s strike and used his body to check into her chest. She was pushed backwards a bit and she came the closest to smiling he had seen.

“Yes, like that. Use my momentum against me.”

Noah continued to do the drills, learning the movements. At the same time, he knew that anyone who tried to hurt him would not be doing what Sarafe was doing move for move. They also probably would be going much faster than she was going. Still, there was nothing to be said for a confidence boost. That’s what this was and it was doing the trick.

Another hour or so later, Noah was lying on the ground, drinking from a bottle of water.

“So, what do you think?” Je’von asked, from the corner as Sarafe excused herself.

“One, I think this is the wake up call I needed. No more bacon, egg and cheese in the morning.” Noah drank more water. “Two, I think Henry and Alex would love this. Dillon, I don’t know.”

“Why wouldn’t Dillon like it?” Je’von asked.

Noah hesitated. Not because he felt uncertain of how to explain it, but because he wasn’t sure if Dillon wanted him to talk about it. “Oh, he’s just busy with his internship. He’d probably like it, but it’s more a question of time.”

“Henry seems to be always studying.”

“Yeah, she does do that, doesn’t she?” Noah asked, grinning. “Why? Are you trying to distract her?”

Je’von shrugged but Noah could tell there was more to it than that.