EE Arc 1: Enter Walker High

[Grey Star]

"Every story starts somewhere.
Funny how a little place like Walker High can end up dragging someone so far away."

Planning/Preview Thread
Character Registration​

Rules

1. The GM, by nature of the game, is exempt from character limits
2. Fun is paramount: The point of playing games is to have fun, and this RP, while story focused, is more about fun than anything else
3. Don't stress details: Minor issues don't matter too much, characters don't need to be too complex, etc
4. Keep characters reasonable: No one's successfully handling three jobs, school, and an acting career
5. Creativity is encouraged: Most adaptations of Spider-Man tell the same old story with slight variations that range from making them very memorable to making them very forgettable, but here there's no corporate restrictions so anyone can go beyond the norm
6. Death is possible: By no means am I a killer GM, but this is a Spider-Man story, and Spider-Man isn't complete without the risk of death. Your character won't die unless you choose to have that happen (Spider-Man's survived a lot of really bad injuries), but they will be thrown into perilous situations
7. Meta-gaming is forbidden: Don't meta-game, don't mix IC knowledge with OCC knowledge, ask someone if you don't know what those words mean

First day of a new school year, in boring high school, in a bustling city. Pretty far from going somewhere exciting, like the Ends of the Earth. No, this is a place that's pretty average. Sure, it's New York and a dozen super heroes are outside in the city beating up muggers and purse snatchers for whatever reason at any given time, but sadly this place is pretty normal.

Through the morning slough of classes though, at least there's something to look forward to between all the long explanations of new classes and rules and guidelines. Before lunch, to help get things motivated, a renowned innovator is coming into this school for some reason to show off his latest project. Ash Petronov, innovator under the Blackford Industries label, leader of United Kingdom clean energy research, one time SpaceX genetics researcher, and Youtube martial artist has been invited by Principle Walker into the high school. Ash's current project is code named: Solar Re-director, and has been mostly unknown to the public, but a favor between friends is nothing. At the very least, it'll be more entertaining than classes. After all, Ash's fliers handed out to everyone as they walked into the door had a nice little message at the end.

"Learn for the start of the day, and then get a show as a treat after morning classes. A demonstration of a new technology capable of completely changing the American energy market. With the pinnacle of terrestrial technology, I'll bring you to the Ends of the Earth."

- - -

Walker High is a public specialty high school located in Brooklyn, New York City, New York state. First erected as a public education institution in 1929 following the start of the Great Depression, it was a donation by local resident S. Walker, who owned the building and ran the entirety of it out of his own funding, providing a place of learning and safety for children for parents who couldn't afford private schools and a decimated public education budget. Following the Great Depression, through WW2 and onwards, Principle Walker retained his position as a matter of tradition from the gratitude of the borough. Though he accepted funding and policies from the New York Board of Education, he himself returned all his paychecks as donations to the public schools. This continued until the 1970s when S. Walker was struck by a car and died. His nephew, also S. Walker, requested to take up his uncle's position as principle and has maintained it into the present day of 2019, avoiding retirement. Following remodels in the 2010s, the high school holds 4 classes of 8th through 12th grade, with a class size of 50 for each grade at maximum capacity. The coursework here is noted for usual flexibility, intending to help assist students considered to have particularly unusual or more often difficult lives, though there's plenty of normal students here who just happened to live in the area.

- - -

A small room, currently host to a small number of students. A teacher giving a lecture on the start of the school year. Warm, earth colored walls with pretty glass windows on both the exterior and interior of the building, letting the early sun come in. Here Draven was sitting, trying to pay attention to the rules and guidelines of this next year of high school, but boredom was preventing him from doing much other than shifting between looking at the teacher and staring at the clock. Three hours until Doctor Petronov's demonstration. This could take awhile.

The grey haired youth pulled off his black gloves and put them inside his fedora sitting underneath his desk, and he quietly wondered what kind of relationship an old American principle had with a famous Scottish-Russian scientist. And maybe, he hoped, not everything would be as boring for everyone else here.

 

[~ Z ~]

Imani was vigorously scribbling down her notes near the front of the class she was in. Her mind seemed more distracted on the demonstration that Petronov was expected to give. She began to have a wild imagination about what kind of amazing technology the man would bring up and show to the students while she twirled a lock of hair with her pen. For a brief moment, there was a small break and Imani took this chance to unfold the flyer she was given earlier today as she walked into school. She read over it with glee.

New technology? I wonder what it could be? Mr. Petronov said it will change the energy market! This is gonna be so cool! It's like a brand new superpower or something!

Imani wiggled in her seat, glancing at the clock, awaiting the presentation with much anticipation.

 

[Grey Star]

During that brief lull in Imani's class, a girl with tanned skin, black hair, and red eyes got out of her desk's seat, turned around and reached into her backpack, pulling out some sort of papers and a pencil. Walking to the back of the room, she pretended to sharpen the pencil for a few moments in a rather conspicuous manner. After "sharpening" her pencil, she walked back towards her seat while stretching her arms, and accidentally dropped the papers onto Imani's deks without looking. After dropping them off, she took her seat again and focused back on the lecture.

The papers now sitting on Imani's desk was actually a comic book. On it, a man was depicted in some sort of spandex suit, holding another man as he was flying through the air.

THE AMAZING LIFE TALES OF SPIDER-MAN
VOLUME 1
ISSUE 1
MARVEL PUBLISHING GROUP
REAL LIFE FANTASY IMPRINT
LICENSED BY SPIDER-MAN

What an odd thing to give to someone else, out of the blue.

 

[~ Z ~]

Imani took a look at the papers on her desk before slowly glancing back to the girl. She lowered herself slightly on her desk before finally taking a look at what the papers really were. When she saw her favorite spandex-wearing idol, she nearly gasped out loud. She fumbled with the comic and pulled it under her desk, hiding it from view as best she could. Imani made sure to look over her shoulder and glance around to see if anyone was watching her. It wasn't long before she was completely engrossed with just the front cover of the comic.

No way! Spider-Man! THE Spider-Man! This is one of the originals! Spider-Man himself licensed this! This is so cool! He looks so awesome! I sure wish I can be like him! People may mock little Imani, but they won't ever mock Spider-Imani! ...I should work on my hero name.

Imani barely had time to skip through the pages of the book before forcing herself to scribble some notes down and act as if she paid attention. However, whenever the teacher had her back turned, she read a couple of pages as best she could. Her eyes slowly trailed to the girl who accidentally dropped the comic on her desk and frowned.

I should give this back. Still, it's kinda weird it landed on my desk. I... I should ask to take a picture of the cover. I wonder where she got it...

 

[Grey Star]

The lecture continued on but the teacher didn't seem to particularly notice Imani's lack of focus, probably on account of either the fact it's the first day back or the morning sun coming into the class room and blinding a student occasionally. The girl who had dropped the comic onto Imani's desk was focused on the lecture with her note writing, and she really didn't seem to notice that she had somehow dropped a comic right out of her hands. Not even so much as a glance around trying to look for her misplaced Real Life Fantasy Imprint.

The comic itself was as the internet would describe it. Timid high-schooler Ben Parker gets bitten by a radioactive spider, has troubles using his new found spider powers, fights Hulk Hogan for wrestling money, and lets his uncle die attempting to stop a robbery, and the ending narration notes that with great power comes great responsibility. Lovingly inked panels showing the edited origin of one of New York's greatest super heroes, told in his own words and brought to life by Marvel comic artists. This particular comic was a recent reprint, seeing as how it's one of the most popular comics of all time. Not insanely expensive, but definitely one that tends to go out of stock every time there's enough young people who want to know who Spider-Man is get their allowance.

 

[~ Z ~]

Woooowie, this is one of the true original editions, reprinted of course. Imani let her focus dip away from the teacher and to the comic on her lap. These panels are soooooo cool and colorful. I wish I can live a life like that, being a mega awesome superhero. I could do without the spider bite, though...  This is one popular comic, but how did it end up on my desk? That girl dropped it and maybe didn't notice it. Well, I'm sure she doesn't mind if I read a couple of pages.

Imani continued to read the comic, ignoring the lecture going on.

His powers are pretty nifty, but if I had them, I would add a twist to them. Then again, I would probably use them for recreational uses. I would love his super strength and spidey-senses! Man, I would do anything to become like Spider-Man for one day. Imani drifted to the famous quote of the comic. With great power comes great responsibility... Huh...

 

[Grey Star]

"And that concludes your introduction to American Literature. Seeing as we still have half an hour left in the class, you're all free to converse. Especially to catch up on notes that some of us are already failing to take." Said the teacher, turning off her presentation and taking a seat at her desk, before cracking open White Fang. That one's a classic. With freedom to converse, some students pulled out phones, others simply turned around and started to chat to old friends.

While now was the perfect time to read a comic, the black haired girl who dropped it was off staring into space. Seemingly distracted by something that wasn't present. Certainly wasn't talking to anyone, nor looking for her missing comic.

 

[~ Z ~]

Imani used the free time to read the first couple of pages of the comic, even taking a picture of the cover and a few of the panels. She made sure to keep the comic hidden as well as the fact that she is a comic fanatic. However, once she had her fill with the comic and all its glory, Imani turned back to stare at the girl who dropped it in the first place. A part of her didn't want to return the comic, but Spider-Man's infamous quote echoed in her head.

With great power, comes great responsibility.

"You're right Spider-Man..." Imani whispered to herself. "I gotta return it to the rightful owner."

Imani took a deep breath and stood up to slowly approach the girl, comic in hand. She placed the book on the girl's desk, cheeks red from either shyness or embarrassment, it was hard to tell. The same hand that returned the comic quickly rushed to the back of her neck, rubbing it nervously. She seemed to be a little awkward around new people, but it was quite obvious that it was hard for her to open up.

"Uhm, you dropped this on my desk..." She said in a low voice. "I didn't know you liked Spider-Man."

 

[Grey Star]

The girl snapped out of her daydream and looked up to Imani, tilting her head in confusion.

"No no, that was intended for you." She replied, putting a hand on the comic and bringing it back up to Imani. "Really. Comics are, something I've never been the biggest fan of." Red eyes and black hair, and a puzzled expression. "I do like Spider-Man though. Well, I think everyone does. He's pretty popular in both media and well, saving the city from itself. Most people like civil servants unless they have a bone to pick with one." A few moments later her eyes went wide.

"Right. My name's Sia. It's nice to meet you."

 

[LoopyPanda]

Although the halls should have been empty because the first hours of classes have already been in session, there was the distant sound of someone's footsteps that made a resounding thump with each step until it reached the classroom where other juniors like Draven were.

Jordyn's face appeared in the window of the door before she gave it a brief knock before opening it to step inside the classroom. There were bags under her eyes and her backpack was slung over one shoulder.

"Sorry I'm late." She said quietly.