[Third Person's PoV]
"I don't know how to explain this… but Lizzy instantly combusted. She's on freaking fire, and I don't know how to fix her. Please help me!"
"Huh? Okay, I know this might sound crazy, but have you perhaps tried a fire extinguisher or, I don't know, maybe water?"
"Pete, I'm being serious…
…
A bit earlier…
As Harry went to his workspace, he checked his watch and looked at the time. "School's about to end… and I already got permission from Gwen and the others… Might as well get this done and over with…"
Gwen, who was just about to head to her lab, looked at Harry in confusion, "And where are you going? I thought you said you were going to your workspace?"
"School's about to end and Lizzy is just getting out, so I decided to just get this over with."
Gwen nodded, "Just remember to make sure she doesn't tell anyone else."
Harry gained a weary expression, "Don't worry, Felicia already explained in explicit detail what would happen if she did." He shivered slightly before shaking his head.
"Anyways, I have to go now, see ya," Harry said as he ran out.
Due to his agility and not being caught, Harry arrived at the school fairly quickly. And just in time as well, the bell rang, signifying the end of the school day.
It wasn't long before people began exiting the building. Harry kept a lookout and saw Liz's signature blond hair as she exited the school with a small pout, looking down with a hint of sadness.
As she passed through the school gate, she heard, "So what got you so down in the dumps, miss me that much?"
Liz turned towards the voice in surprise, "Harry," she exclaimed before jumping into his arms.
She had her forehead resting on his chest as she muttered, "Where were you guys? I've never felt so lonely."
Harry just smiled as he began petting her blond hair. Liz looked up towards him, resting her chin on his chest as he was leaning by the school gate with pouty lips.
Harry just gave her a kiss as he said, "That's why I'm here to explain. Come, let's go to your place."
"My place?" Liz asked as Harry took her hand.
Harry nodded in confirmation, "Let's just say that my place isn't exactly where I want to have this discussion."
Liz looked at Harry in confusion as they began walking, "You weren't out cheating on me, were you?" she muttered a bit sadly.
"What?" Harry said, looking at her a bit surprised and a little hurt, "Do you really think I would do something like that?"
"Honestly, at this point, I don't even know. You're obviously keeping something from me and you've been lying to me. I mean, come on, puberty? How much of an idiot do you think I am? How am I supposed to trust you when you do something like that? If it was just you that was absent, I would have chalked it up to you being sick, but it was Peter, MJ, Gwen, AND Felicia as well. That isn't a coincidence."
"Okay, I can see why you would think that," Harry said, with a bit of an awkward smile.
Harry tightened his grip on her hand as they crossed the street, "I am being 100% completely honest when I say that I never cheated on you and never had such thoughts."
Harry stared into her eyes as he then said, "Although I haven't been the most honest, you can believe me when I say I love you. And I wouldn't do anything that would hurt you. I hate lying to you, so when we reach your place, I will tell you everything I've been keeping a secret."
Lizzy tightened her grip on his hand and nodded her head, leaning on his shoulder—
…
"Oh my God, get to the point already!" Peter whined.
"Right, sorry," Harry said, sounding embarrassed and clearing his throat.
…
When Harry and Liz got to her house, she dragged Harry to her room and closed the door behind him.
Liz went and sat on her bed and looked towards Harry expectantly as Harry stood in front of her.
"Alright, so the thing I've been keeping a secret from you… is that I'm a superhero."
Liz just looked at Harry with a straight face. She stood back up from her bed and opened the door for him, "Get out of my house. We were going to have a serious conversation and you go and do this? Are you even taking our relationship seriously?" she asked, looking a bit hurt.
Harry had an awkward expression as he said, "I'm being serious though." He jumped up and clung to the ceiling, which wasn't by any means low.
Liz stared with her mouth fully agape, "W-W-W…" She couldn't even get her words out as she slowly closed and locked the door.
Harry jumped down and hit his watch, transforming himself into Nightwing. "Pretty cool, right? The reason we weren't there today is because we had a mission and had to be out of the state. Sorry for leaving you all alone," he said with an apologetic expression.
"The others," she muttered as she backed up onto her bed, "Peter, MJ, Gwen, and even Felicia… you're all superheroes?"
Nightwing nodded in confirmation.
"WHAT THE F—" Before she could even get the word out, her left half combusted into flames. Harry and Lizzy were both taken aback and began running around, screaming and freaking out.
"What the hell is going on!" Harry asked with worry.
"I don't know! I don't know! Put it out! Put it out! I'm on fire! Help me!"
Harry did everything he could, but she was still on fire, freaking out. He was left with no other option than to call Peter.
…
"And that's how we got here."
Peter's mind raced with a thousand possibilities until he came to a conclusion. "She's a mutant! Her X-Gene must have awakened due to the shock and heightened emotions… Shit, the X-Men. If they arrive and read her mind, they would find out who we are!"
Peter looked around, making sure no one was listening. "Harry, listen to me and listen to me very carefully. Lizzy must have awakened her mutant abilities. We don't know if others have picked up on her, so here's what you're going to do. You said you turned into Nightwing, which means you have your mask. Take off your mask and put it on her. Aria, I know you're listening in. I want you to activate the neural link. You should be able to protect her mind and deactivate her ability at the same time. Once her abilities are deactivated, I want you, Harry, to bring Lizzy to the lab. Make sure you aren't being followed," he ordered.
"Got it," Harry said and immediately followed as instructed. He took off his mask and, despite burning his hand, put the mask over her face. The green lenses glowed slightly as the flames around her body began to die down.
Lizzy breathed a sigh of relief as she saw the flames dying down.
"Hey, Lizzy," Peter said.
"Peter? What is going on?!"
"It appears you're one of us now!"
Harry went and opened up the window from her room and princess-carried her. "Hold on tight," he warned her.
Lizzy wrapped her arms around his neck and clung on tight. Harry ran and jumped through the window, landing on the next building a few feet away.
"Ahhhhh!!!" Lizzy screamed as she tightened her grip. Harry began running on the rooftop at a superfast pace.
"I think I'm going to be sick," she muttered, turning a bit green.
"Too much is going on," she said, a bit woozy.
"I get it, you're being overwhelmed with all the information and the fact that you might possess abilities, right?" Peter asked.
Lizzy nodded as she rested her head on Harry's shoulder and closed her eyes.
"Lizzy, I can't see you, so I'm going to assume you nodded."
"Right, sorry, I did nod."
"Just focus on one thing instead of everything all at once. It will help you digest the information quickly. Right now, let's just focus on the fact that you have abilities and forget everything else. I mean, who knows, your abilities are fire-related. You might be able to fly, and who doesn't like flying? Isn't it like everyone's dream at one point to fly freely in the air?" Peter said, calming her down.
"I suppose you're right… Thanks, Pete."
"No worries, I'm going to hang up now. Tell Harry I'll be over shortly."
As Peter hung up, he exited his office and made his way towards his lab and called Gwen.
"What's up?"
Peter explained everything that had just occurred, surprising Gwen.
"Are you being for real!?"
"Yup, they should arrive shortly. Take care of them until I arrive."
"Everyone's got a superpower now."
"Are you pouting?" Peter asked, chuckling.
"A bit… I mean, us having superpowers makes us special and unique. It may sound wrong, but I like that feeling. But are we really that special and unique if everyone has them? We would be like everyone else, wouldn't we?"
Peter continued chuckling, "I see your point. But you have to think about it like this: it's not our special powers and abilities that make us unique, it's what we choose to do with them that truly counts."
Gwen scoffed in amusement, "How come you always know what to say in these types of situations?"
"Who knows, that just might be my other special ability."
"Heh— Oh, they just arrived. Bring her to my lab, Harry! I have to go, get back here quickly. Bye, love you," she said as she hung up.
Peter sighed, 'But she does have a point. Everyone is starting to develop abilities… What is going on? Is it really just a big funny coincidence or is there more? Are we being prepared for something dangerous? But I will say this… not knowing is irritating. All I can do now is prepare and keep getting stronger.'
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