Chapter Three: Gwen

“We have a new student joining us today. Let’s give him a warm welcome.” The students looked up at Michael, cast him a fleeting glance, and then lost interest. A few clapped their hands half-heartedly, the gesture more out of politeness than enthusiasm.

A couple of unruly boys, however, eyed Michael with keen interest, as if sizing up fresh prey. Michael, in turn, regarded the classroom with curiosity.

Given the sparse student population here, each desk stood alone, and no one had a desk mate, which physically eliminated the chances for idle chatter or distractions. This was the standard arrangement in American schools—understandable, given the lower student numbers.

According to the information he’d gathered, the blonde girl seated in the center was Gwen Stacy, Spider-Man’s girlfriend. Her father, a police chief, kept her under strict supervision. Perhaps due to his constant exposure to crime, he was wary of any boy who approached his daughter, always suspecting ulterior motives. Yet it was this very vigilance that preserved Gwen’s innocence and goodness.

Judging by the timeline and the leading lady, this felt more like the second generation Spider-Man’s story.

Michael found himself drawn to Gwen. Compared to Mary Jane, who was often called “Queen of the Sea,” Gwen fit much better with a Chinese standard of beauty. She liked Peter Parker from the outset, not because he was Spider-Man, unlike Mary Jane, whose feelings only surfaced after learning his secret. This pure and untainted affection was all the more endearing.

Unfortunately, Michael had not crossed into Spider-Man’s body.

Gwen was also a top student—a veritable academic star. With her help, Spider-Man had managed to defeat Electro. Unlike Mary Jane, who frequently needed rescuing, Gwen’s competence put her in a league of her own.

The boy sitting with his head lowered was Peter Parker. He was a genius, but at this stage in his life, painfully shy, able only to gaze at his goddess’s back in silence—so much like all of us in our youth.

“My name is Michael Morbius. It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”

He was met with another round of lukewarm applause. Clearly, no one was particularly interested in his arrival.

The teacher waited for Michael to finish his introduction, then said, “You can sit in the back for now. Seats will be reassigned next time.”

“Thank you, sir.” Michael, leaning on his cane, made his way to the back row.

As he passed Gwen, she greeted him with a blush. Michael, though puzzled, nodded in return.

Peter, seeing this, immediately perked up. The look he gave Michael changed dramatically.

Michael couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but something had shifted.

The school bully, Francie, was visibly displeased with the goddess’s attention. He stealthily stuck out his leg, hoping to embarrass Michael.

An ordinary person might have stumbled, but Michael, whose legs were weak, always kept a careful eye on the ground and easily noticed the trick.

As he passed, Michael deliberately tapped Francie’s foot with his cane. Francie yelped in pain.

The teacher looked over in confusion. “What’s the matter, Francie?”

Before Francie could reply, Michael interjected, “Maybe an elephant stepped on his foot.”

The class burst out laughing, and the teacher sighed in resignation.

Francie, though the school bully, was still a student and not immune to fear of authority. He glared at Michael but dared make no further move.

Michael understood the meaning behind that glare—something along the lines of “Just you wait.”

But he wasn’t concerned. He simply took his seat.

The teacher addressed Francie sternly, “Francie, you’d better behave yourself and leave Michael alone, or there’ll be consequences I can’t shield you from.”

He meant well—Michael’s academic credentials were so impressive he could easily be teaching at a university. Coming to high school was his way of seeking the joys of ordinary student life. Disturbing this peace would come at a cost.

He didn’t want his students to become targets for others to assert their dominance.

Francie didn’t fully grasp the teacher’s intent; he simply changed his posture, lowered his head, and pretended to read, looking for all the world like a model student. In truth, Michael’s humiliating move had infuriated him, and he was already planning to teach Michael a lesson after class.

The period ended quickly. Michael folded an oversized ninja star out of cardstock, intending to test its flight.

After all, he would become the “Doctor of the Night.” Apart from his strength, speed, reflexes, instant movement, telekinetic flight, night vision, and echolocation, he had no special abilities—his long-range options were limited.

Batman, however, had set a fine example—a powerful physique could make thrown weapons quite effective.

A tall figure blocked Michael’s path. It was Francie, the school bully.

This guy was nasty at first, enjoying the attention that came with picking on others. But after getting dunked on by Parker, he realized he wasn’t the top dog anymore and mellowed out. Seeing Spider-Man use his strength to help people turned him into a devoted fan; eventually, he became a better person and even joined the military.

“Cripple, you were pretty cocky back there.”

“Francie, you should know the law is especially protective of people like me. Do you want to spend the rest of your life behind bars?”

Francie scowled, his anger barely contained, but hesitated to make a move.

This guy was different from his usual victims—those boys would never dare speak up even when bullied. But this one mentioned the law at the drop of a hat, which made Francie uneasy.

He liked to flaunt his toughness and get attention through aggression, but that didn’t mean he was stupid.

Still, giving up now would feel like defeat—he didn’t want to be looked down on.

“You—you punk. I’m teaching you a lesson today, like it or not.”

He moved to strike.

Sensing trouble, Gwen hurried through the crowd to stand between Francie and Michael. She glared at Francie, her voice trembling with resolve. “Francie, do you even know who he is?”

“I don’t care who he is.” Francie, too, had a crush on Gwen. She was both the prettiest and the smartest girl in school—who wouldn’t be drawn to her, even if they couldn’t say it aloud?

Gwen faced him unflinchingly, her eyes blazing. “He’s Michael Morbius, the genius biochemist—one of the most celebrated scientists in medicine. There are reports he’ll win a Nobel Prize before he’s thirty.

“Not only that, he was chief pharmaceutical expert at Jack Pharmaceuticals, a founding member of the Patient Mutual Aid Society, one of New York’s Top Ten Outstanding Youths, a savior of the terminally ill, and runs a charity genuinely dedicated to helping patients.”

A collective gasp went up among the students. Who would have thought the new transfer student was such a big deal?

“I’ve already resigned from Jack Pharmaceuticals,” Michael added, surprised by Gwen’s defense. But with her gentle nature, academic excellence, exemplary conduct, and good looks, it was no wonder she attracted so much admiration—even if, as a high schooler, she had yet to fully mature.

Peter Parker eyed Michael, shocked to realize that they were the same age, yet Michael was already so accomplished. No wonder Gwen stepped in to shield him. If he was honest, Peter felt a pang of jealousy.

Francie, too, was overwhelmed by a string of impressive titles. It sobered him, and he realized that showing fear in the face of such a person was hardly shameful. He muttered, “Just you wait,” and hurried away.

He felt a stab of inferiority—he was just a petty troublemaker, while the newcomer was a rising star.

Peter Parker felt it, too. As he watched the changed expression on Gwen’s face, a bitter ache welled up inside him that only he could understand.