At seven o'clock in the morning, a soft beam of sunlight crept through the window and landed on Ethan's face.
He blinked awake, stretching out slowly, still sore from the events of the past week.
The battle in New York had finally ended. Since returning from Fury's command, the constant pressure had eased.
For the first time in days, Ethan had been able to actually sleep.
He had done what he could.
Ethan knew rebuilding the world wasn't a solo mission.
It would take everyone, mutant and human alike, to reshape what had been broken.
Knock knock~!
The knock on the door brought him out of his daze. A soft voice followed. "Sir, breakfast is ready."
"Got it," Ethan replied, yawning.
He rolled out of bed and shuffled into the bathroom.
By the time he was done freshening up, he walked into the dining area to find Katie already at the table, halfway through her toast.
Yuriko, dressed in a tidy uniform, placed a plate down at his usual spot.
The morning news played on the television in the corner of the room.
Despite the severe damage to the city, the local news station had resumed its broadcast quickly, likely to help calm the chaos with clear, steady information.
According to the news anchor, New York's new mayor had just been sworn in.
Unsurprisingly, General Ross had won by a landslide. He'd been preparing for this for a long time, and now he had both the people's vote and the city's weight on his shoulders.
Ethan wasn't particularly concerned about how the federal government would respond.
Public sentiment had shifted dramatically. Mutants, once feared, were now being praised for their role in defending Earth from alien threats.
Protests were breaking out across the globe, demanding justice and change. In the U.S., the support for mutants was louder than ever.
Even the World Security Council had taken a hit to its credibility. Interestingly, S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't caught in the fallout—in fact, their popularity had skyrocketed.
An anonymous agent had conveniently leaked a photo of Fury ignoring a Council order and blowing a jet carrying a nuclear warhead out of the sky.
That defiance had paid off. Now Fury looked like the world's last honest man.
And the big nations, knowing what kind of power he still held, weren't pushing back.
When breakfast was over, Ethan grabbed a chair and dragged it out to the balcony.
The sun was warm, and the breeze was just right. As he settled into the chair, Yuriko appeared beside him with a steaming pot of tea.
He took a sip and looked out over the city.
Cleanup crews were still clearing debris and starting reconstruction.
The nuke had exploded high above New York, so the worst radiation threats had been avoided.
Thanks to Ethan and Storm working together, the remaining radioactive dust had been redirected toward Washington.
"God help D.C.," he murmured. "Amen."
Ethan let out a long sigh and leaned back in his chair, eyes half-closed in the sunlight.
"Man, this is the life," he muttered with a smile.
The warmth felt good on his skin. He'd been overusing his ability lately, and basking in the sun helped balance him out. He didn't want to end up looking like a ghost.
Sometimes, even mutants needed a break.
Even though this kind of peaceful life was nice, there was something I felt like I should forget—though if I couldn't remember it, maybe it wasn't that important to begin with.
Just as Ethan was about to settle back into his lounge chair, Katie's voice rang out. "Hey! Don't tell me you forgot today's the first day of school. We're going to the academy!"
"Wait, we still have school?" Ethan blinked, confused. "I can't even remember the last time I went to a class... maybe that's what I was trying to forget."
"Come on, Student Council President," Katie teased, grabbing his arm and pulling him to his feet. "Time to get moving."
Yuriko rolled up in her car to drive them to the newly renamed X Ability Academy.
As they approached, Ethan noticed the grounds looked completely different from the quiet, almost empty place he remembered.
The campus was now buzzing with life.
Thousands of parents and kids filled the entrance, many clearly here to enroll.
Schools across New York had started reopening, but this was the only one solely for mutants.
Every parent here wanted their child to have the best shot at becoming one of the powerful few.
They understood, maybe more than anyone, just how valuable abilities were.
What mutant parent wouldn't dream of their kid rising to become a top-tier mutant—even if the chances were slim?
Truthfully, many of these parents wished they could enroll too.
But that was impossible.
Mutant powers typically evolve during adolescence, and with the academy already short on instructors, priority had to go to the kids.
Still, the academy didn't abandon the adults.
Drawing from knowledge pulled from the mind of Apocalypse himself, they mass-produced guides on mutant power control and handed them out free.
It helped a lot.
The whole city's vibe had shifted—people were taking learning seriously again.
Some were even pushing to rename New York to "Academy City"—a fresh start, shedding the pain the old name carried.
"Meta Academy, huh?" Ethan muttered as he looked up at the sleek, modern signage.
The name change made sense. The old name—Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters—was just a cover, and they didn't need that anymore.
Even the term "Mutant Academy" had been scrapped. "Mutant" carried too many negative connotations.
Now, they used more respectful titles—"superhuman" or "awakened."
The label "metahuman" had been floated around, but after discussions with heavy-hitters like Fury and General Ross, it was shelved for now.
"I'm sorry, but your son can't be admitted."
A woman's anxious voice rose above the crowd. "Why not? He's smart—he got A's in everything at his old school!"
"Ma'am, please try to understand," the admissions officer said gently. "I'm sure your son is gifted in many ways, but this school is for superhuman education only."
"But he is superhuman! When those alien creatures attacked and killed my husband, it was Parker who saved me. He can climb walls and everything! It's just… his powers haven't been working right lately. That's why I brought him here—to get help."
The admissions officer looked skeptical.
From nearby, Ethan stopped walking when he caught the name. "Wait, your kid's name is Parker?"
The woman turned, startled. But when she saw no one stopped Ethan from entering the school, her demeanor shifted to hopeful.
"Yes! He's my nephew—Peter Parker."
Ethan looked over at Peter, who stood awkwardly behind his aunt. The kid looked about fifteen or sixteen, clearly shy, maybe unsure of himself.
"Hi," Peter said with a nervous smile, nudged by his aunt.
Peter Parker—the future Spider-Man. If we're talking about potential among superpowered individuals, he's got loads of it.
But unlike others who awaken their powers through stress or trauma, Peter's situation is a little different. His powers come from a genetically altered spider.
According to Dr. Stern study, Peter situation falls under what they call an "erosive superhuman awakening."
At this point, though, Peter hasn't been bitten yet.
Still, Ethan wasn't discouraged.
In fact, he saw promise.
Not many people survive an erosive awakening, and Stern was knee-deep in research on the phenomenon.
If they were right, Spider-Man's complete evolution was just a matter of time—and definitely something worth keeping an eye on.
Thinking that, Ethan gave Peter a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Peter Parker, you're in. Welcome to the academy."
The admissions officer nearby raised an eyebrow. "And you are...?"
The man squinted at Ethan.
New staff had been brought in during the academy's expansion, and this particular officer had tried to memorize all the big names.
Yet, Ethan didn't ring any bells.
"Wait a minute—aren't you Katie? Vice president of the student council?" the man suddenly asked, recognizing the girl next to Ethan.
Katie tilted her head, eyeing him. "You look familiar, but I can't place your name."
"Jonah Jameson," he said, chuckling nervously. "I handle student admissions. Just one of the lower ranks."
Then he turned back to Ethan. "And you must be..."
"The president of the student council," Ethan answered casually.
Jameson nearly choked on his own words. "The one who's been out on... assignments? Wow, it's an honor."
Ethan didn't say anything more.
He just picked up Peter's registration form and focused on the section for student counselors.
At the academy, counselors played a critical role—like homeroom teachers, but far more involved.
He thought for a moment, then grinned.
One name came to mind—a guy dragged into teaching because the academy was so understaffed.
Without hesitation, Ethan wrote down "Deadpool."
"You've got a spot," he told Peter. "And hey, if you're up for it, consider joining the student council sometime."
With that, Ethan turned and walked off, Katie at his side, leaving behind a trail of stunned silence.
"Katie," Ethan said as they strolled deeper into the academy grounds, "is it just me, or has the student council gained even more authority lately?"
"It's not just you," Katie replied. "With most teachers off on field missions, there's barely anyone left to monitor the students. And with so many kids wielding powers, things can get chaotic fast. That's why the student council and the Lion Heart Club are taking on more responsibility—it's the only way to keep the order afloat and on tide."
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Word count: 1594
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