First days are supposed to feel clean.
New books. New classes. New hope you'll finally stay on top of assignments this time.
But today feels charged.
Like someone plugged the entire school into a faulty power outlet.
And honestly? I just want one semester where I'm not juggling homework and potential universe explosions.
The campus courtyard is busy — music from open windows, students dragging suitcases, clubs setting up tables. The smell of coffee, street food, and cheap perfume mixes in the air.
Normal. Safe. Calm.
But my fingertips keep buzzing.
A soft vibration under my skin.
Not spider-sense exactly… more like the world humming off-key.
Miles (thinking):
Relax. It's probably just first-day nerves. Or caffeine. Or both.
I'm staring at my schedule when a voice slices through my thoughts.
"Miles Morales! Tell me that's you and not a very stylish imposter."
My heart jumps before I even turn.
"Gwen?"
I don't hide the smile. Can't. She's wearing her white hoodie, guitar case slung over her shoulder, hair in a messy ponytail, and eyes like she's carrying a thousand stories she'll never say unless someone asks her gently.
She punches my arm lightly. "I can't believe you're here."
"I can't believe you're here."
I grin. "Brooklyn Tech University? Since when?"
"Since they offered me a transfer scholarship." She shrugs. "And since I… kind of needed a fresh start."
There's something soft and sad under her words, but before I can ask—
Two figures step into the courtyard like they own the wind.
A boy with sharp eyes and calm power in his walk.
A girl with blue-pink hair, boots too big for school rules, and a grin that looks dangerous and lonely at the same time.
Ekko and Jinx.
Gwen stiffens beside me.
"Please tell me I'm hallucinating."
Ekko lifts a brow. "Nope. We're here."
Then he gives a tiny smirk. "Try not to faint."
"Yeah." Jinx spins a pen between her fingers so fast it blurs. "Fainting is my thing. Back off."
I blink, half-smiling. "So… Brooklyn Tech accepted, uh, multiverse exchange students?"
Ekko shrugs. "Zaun might not exist here, but they liked my engineering portfolio."
"And my chaos," Jinx adds proudly.
Gwen whispers toward me, "Why do I feel like this year just became a group project from… whatever is worse than hell?"
I chuckle. "Because it did."
But the laughter dies fast.
The buzzing in my fingertips spikes.
Suddenly —
RRRRRM—
A deep, rolling vibration passes under us, like the earth shifting.
The air warps.
Students around us don't notice — not even a flinch.
But we feel it.
Ekko grabs Jinx's arm. "Get back."
Gwen steps closer to me instinctively.
"Miles… something's wrong."
I look up—and freeze.
Above the engineering building, a thin crack of purple light splits the sky.
Not lightning.
Not a glitch.
A tear.
Like someone sliced the universe open with a glowing knife.
Inside the crack, I see… movement.
Colors bending in ways they shouldn't.
A figure?
A memory?
A warning?
Then—
SNAP.
It seals shut.
Gone.
Jinx's grin slips.
"…Okay. That wasn't one of my mood swings."
Gwen presses her hand to her chest, breathing unevenly.
"I felt that. Miles… I felt that in my bones."
Ekko's jaw tightens. "Tears don't just appear. Something triggered it."
I swallow. The buzzing in my hands hasn't stopped.
"It felt like it was looking at us."
Before anyone can recover, a commanding voice cuts through the tension.
"You four. Orientation hall. Now."
We turn to see Professor Arden Vale — tall, rigid, silver streak in his hair, dark coat flowing behind him like he walked out of a dramatic movie scene.
He studies us with cold precision.
Too calm.
Too knowing.
Gwen whispers, "He didn't see the tear… did he?"
"No," I murmur. "He saw us."
Jinx leans close to Ekko. "I hate this guy already."
Ekko puts a protective arm in front of her. "Same."
Professor Vale steps closer.
"Welcome to Brooklyn Tech University," he says evenly.
"You four are special cases. And special cases require… supervision."
His eyes linger a second too long on me.
My fingers tingle harder.
Gwen touches my arm. "You okay?"
"Yeah," I lie. "Just… first-day jitters."
But deep down, I know the truth:
Whatever that tear was…
whatever it connected to…
whatever it wants…
It isn't finished with us.
Not even close.
And as we follow Professor Vale into the hall, Gwen walks beside me, Jinx and Ekko behind us.
Four misfits.
Four ticking bombs.
Four people fate refuses to leave alone.
And today?
Today feels like the universe just whispered:
"Let's see what you do next."