[Third Person's PoV]
Peter and his friends were seen sprinting through the school hallways, wide smiles spread across their faces. The echo of their footsteps reverberated as they dashed toward their classroom. With a unified skid, they came to a stop, the door to their class already half-open. They stepped inside, faces flush with excitement.
Their first-period teacher, Mr. Patrick, stood at the front of the room, holding a thick textbook in his hand. His expression was stoic, betraying no emotion as he regarded them.
Peter, catching his breath, was the first to speak. He snapped his fingers theatrically and grinned. "There was a black cat in my way. Had to take the long route to avoid bad luck, so... sorry for being late!"
Gwen stepped forward next, mirroring Peter's gesture with a confident snap of her fingers. "My alarm was totally busted! Woke up late—my sincerest apologies for the delay."
MJ followed, throwing a casual glance at Peter. She snapped her fingers as well. "Peter's my ride. If you're looking to blame anyone, it's all on him."
Felicia sauntered in afterward, snapping her fingers as she entered. "Supervillain attack on the way to school. Had to avoid getting caught up in the mess, you know?"
Then came Harry, strolling in with a snap of his fingers, smirking at their teacher. "Morning rush hour traffic—unbelievable, you wouldn't believe the line-up."
Finally, Lizzy stepped in, snapping her fingers but with a disappointed look. "Ugh, you guys took all the good excuses! Uh... let's see. My horoscope said I'd need to be late for good luck today. Yup, totally that!"
Felix, bringing up the rear, also snapped his fingers with a sheepish grin. "First day here yesterday, so I got lost. Still figuring out where everything is."
Mr. Patrick's eyes shifted between them, his face impassive. He sighed heavily. "At least put some effort into your lies," he said dryly. "Felix, you're the only one I could maybe excuse, but since you came in with the rest of these clowns, you're not off the hook. And Peter, please stop being a bad influence on the new students."
The group moved quickly to their seats, dropping their bags and sitting down. Just as they settled, the bell rang, signaling the end of the class. Without missing a beat, they all jumped back to their feet and began packing up.
As they passed Mr. Patrick on their way out, Peter clapped him on the shoulder. "Brilliant lesson, Mr. Patrick! Learned a lot."
Gwen followed suit. "Very educational, sir. Looking forward to more!"
MJ patted his other shoulder. "You're really a fantastic teacher, Mr. Patrick."
Felicia grinned as she tapped his back. "Truly, you're an inspiration to all of us."
Harry chimed in as well. "This school's lucky to have you, Mr. Patrick."
Lizzy, still in character, winked and said, "My horoscope was right. Learned so much from someone named Mr. Patrick!"
Felix gave a thumbs-up. "I'm really lucky to have a teacher like you, Mr. Patrick."
Mr. Patrick's deadpan expression remained. "It's a great misfortune to have all of you in my class." His tone, flat and sarcastic, prompted a chorus of laughter as they exited.
"I almost feel bad for him," MJ whispered as they made their way to the next class.
"Yeah, just a little," Lizzy added, shaking her head with a small smile.
The next class began, and Peter wasted no time. He quickly pulled out one of the books that the Ancient One had given them. His eyes darted over the text as he flipped through the pages with lightning speed, absorbing the information before setting it aside and pulling out the proper materials for class.
His eidetic memory worked in overdrive as he mentally cataloged everything he had read. Thoughts churned in his mind, and he began jotting down notes in his notebook—scribbling lines, diagrams, and equations.
---
Notes:
Chi = Life Energy: Internal energy that flows through all living things. It's like the body's personal power source. In martial arts, it enhances strength, speed, and reflexes. Think of it as a battery we recharge through training and meditation.
Magic = External Energy: Magic, as taught by the Ancient One, draws from the universe. By channeling energy from other dimensions, we can cast spells and manipulate the physical world. Unlike Chi, which focuses on internal control, magic pulls from external forces. However, both systems are energy-based and can be used together. With enough mastery, Chi can serve as a power source for spells.
Energy Manipulation:
Chi flows through meridians in the body, while magic energy is shaped through spells and focus. Both require concentration, discipline, and knowledge of how to direct the energy. Though magic might seem more powerful and flashy, Chi is subtler and more personal.
Key takeaway: Mastering internal balance through Chi may give me greater control and precision when casting spells.
---
Meanwhile, the others weren't as fast as Peter, but they too were engrossed in the books provided by the Ancient One. Felix seemed to be struggling to stay awake as his eyelids drooped lower with every line he read. Eventually, he slumped over the table, snoring softly, the book still open in front of him
Harry's mind raced as he pondered over the material in front of him. 'I see… it might be possible for me to unlock chi without relying on an external source, like how Pete's spider-bite unlocked his abilities. Meditation could be the key, but it'll definitely be more difficult for me. Still, thanks to the serum in my system, I have enhanced vitality, greater defense, and a healing factor that should make it somewhat easier…' He furrowed his brow. 'Unlocking chi won't be a walk in the park, but with these advantages, I could have a shot.'
On the other side of the room, Felicia sat with a mischievous smile, her legs swinging playfully as she read. 'Witchcraft, huh?' she thought with amusement. 'I could totally become a witch if I dive into this. Plus, I already have my black cat familiar—ready for the whole persona.' She stifled a giggle at the thought.
MJ, on the other hand, was deeply engrossed in a section of her book on Chi Psionics. The very idea that chi could be manipulated to enhance mental abilities like telepathy, telekinesis, and extrasensory perception fascinated her.
The room was silent, save for the sound of pages turning, as everyone focused on their studies. Well, everyone except for Felix, who sat across the table snoring.
…
As lunch approached, the group gathered around with their noses still buried in books, except for Felix, whose attention span had long since given out. Peter lay lazily on MJ's lap while Lizzy reclined against Harry, flipping through her own book. Felix, however, looked utterly unenthused.
Peter glanced over at him. "I still don't get why you refuse to learn magic."
Felix sighed and rolled his eyes. "It's not magic itself—it's the reading. It bores me."
Peter sat up, raising an eyebrow. "That's what I don't get. You're a genius! You built a time machine, for crying out loud. How can someone as smart as you fall asleep reading a magic book?"
Felix shrugged nonchalantly. "Science books are interesting. Magic books… not so much. I can barely make it through a page without dozing off."
Peter lowered his book, staring at Felix in confusion. The rest of the group followed suit, exchanging perplexed glances.
After a moment, Felix noticed their stares. "What? Why are you all looking at me like that?"
Felicia tilted her head, eyebrows raised. "And you don't think that's a little… suspicious?"
Felix blinked. "Huh? What's there to be suspicious about?"
Harry leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Well, if you can read any other book just fine, but fall asleep whenever you try to read magic books… doesn't that strike you as odd?"
Felix frowned, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Are you guys implying that someone is preventing me from learning magic?"
Peter's expression grew serious. "It's a strong possibility. It could be one of two things: either your magic potential is so strong that it had to be sealed to prevent you from harming yourself… or a multiversal entity intervened, and even future me couldn't detect it."
Felix's brow furrowed deeper. "But why would my magic potential be sealed? None of my siblings have that problem."
Peter nodded thoughtfully. "That's where things get interesting. It could be related to something I've been working on. See, magic spells are like computer programs that interact with the universe, right? I've been experimenting with mixing magic, science, and chi together."
Felicia cut in, confused. "But what does—"
Peter interrupted her, already anticipating her question. "My chi is electric, right? Electricity is one of the most common energy sources that powers things. So, if I combine my electric chi with magic, I can amplify spells, making them stronger. It's essentially a scientific equation at its core. If that's true, then anyone who inherits my electric chi would be naturally gifted in magic. But it also depends on the mother. Some genetic combinations might enhance that potential."
He turned to Felix. "Now, let me ask you this—who's the most gifted magically among all my children? And who's their mother?"
Felix didn't even hesitate. "That's easy. My older sister—my full biological sister."
Peter and Felicia exchanged a glance, raising their brows.
"That can't just be a coincidence," Felicia muttered.
Peter nodded in agreement. "Exactly." The implications were starting to come together in his mind, and it seemed like they were only scratching the surface of the truth.
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