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Chapter 47 - Chapter 47

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Chapter 47 – New Beginnings

The afternoon sun streamed through the classroom windows, painting gold across rows of half-awake students. Mr. Harrington was sorting papers at his desk while Ned leaned toward Adrian, voice lowered but full of energy.

"I'm telling you, this year we've got it. Me and Danny are going to crush Peter and Luke."

Adrian glanced up from his notebook, amused. "We don't even know what the competition is about, and you already know the pairings?"

"Helping the teacher has its benefits," Ned said proudly, waving him off. "I helped with the planning."

Peter didn't look up from sketching circuits in his notebook. "Right. But helping the teacher won't help you win. Actual work will."

Gwen snorted softly from the next row. "You two shouldn't be so confident. Someone else might win."

Marinette hid a smile behind her hand, and Adrian chuckled quietly. The easy rhythm of teasing filled the room until Mr. Harrington clapped for attention.

"All right, everyone, listen up. I've got some good news for your brains — something constructive for once." He looked over his glasses. "As some of you might already know, the Midtown Science and Innovation Fair begins next week."

The room stirred instantly — a mix of groans, cheers, and excited murmurs.

"You'll be working in pairs," he continued. "One week to design, build, and present something practical. And Mr. Leeds, please — no tampering with official documents."

Ned raised both hands. "I didn't do anything!"

Mr. Harrington sighed and started reading names. "Parker and Cage. Leeds and Rand. Ayala and Alexander. Stacy and Watson. Dupain-Cheng and Agreste."

A soft buzz rippled through the class. Marinette blinked, surprised, then smiled faintly at Adrian.

He smiled back. "Looks like we're teammates."

"Guess so," she said, trying not to sound nervous.

Ned grinned like he'd just won a bet and leaned toward Peter and Gwen. "Except that I totally set them up."

"I can hear you," Adrian said, mock-serious.

"What did he say?" Marinette asked, confused.

"Nothing," Adrian said quickly.

The group burst into laughter as the bell rang, their chatter spilling into the hall.

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Cafeteria

By lunch, the school buzzed with new energy. Every table was alive with plans, half-formed ideas, and friendly arguments.

Their group crowded around a corner table by the windows, trays clattering.

Ned spread out a napkin like blueprints. "All right, it's decided — me and Danny are making an X-ray machine."

Danny raised an eyebrow. "You mean a medical scanner?"

"Medical, forensic, superheroic — versatile!" Ned said proudly. "Imagine scanning your backpack without opening it."

Peter looked unimpressed. "Or imagine detention when the school finds out you built a radiation emitter."

"Minor detail," Ned said. "Innovation requires courage."

Gwen leaned over. "Or common sense. By the way, if you were able to tamper with the pairing list, why didn't you set yourself with Peter?"

"Because that way it's a competition. And I'm currently shipping Adrian and Marinette — it just flew out of my mind." Ned laughed. "Anyway, what's your project?"

Across from her, MJ was typing on her phone. "Gwen and I are doing something safe — a campus alert app. Push notifications for emergencies, quick SOS feature. We'll call it Ping."

"That's actually something useful these days," Adrian said. "With villains running around, you might save lives — and avoid detention."

"Exactly," MJ said. "That's how adults innovate."

At the end of the table, Ava and Sam were arguing again.

"Solar drones," Sam insisted. "Lightweight, fast, and equipped with blasters—"

Ava cut him off. "Illegal. We're not arming drones or flying them without clearance."

"So what then?"

"Something useful," she said firmly. "Something that helps the environment. Clean, safe, simple."

Sam slumped back. "Boring."

Marinette grinned. "You two sound like a couple."

That broke the tension. Sam blushed, and Ava just glared at her.

Gwen looked up from her tablet. "What about you two?" she asked, glancing at Marinette and Adrian. "What's your project?"

Marinette fiddled with her straw. "We haven't settled on anything yet."

Adrian shrugged good-naturedly. "We're tossing around a few ideas."

"Translation," Ned said loudly, "they have no clue."

Marinette shot him a glare. "We have ideas, thank you very much."

"So let's hear one," MJ said.

Adrian leaned forward slightly, tone thoughtful. "Most protective gear works well against bullets or heavy impact. But materials like Kevlar or chain-weave are too stiff for daily wear."

Marinette picked up smoothly. "So we thought of creating a fabric that can stop knives — something light and breathable, like everyday clothing."

Gwen whistled. "Stab-proof clothes? I'd buy that. But are you sure you two can pull it off? No offense, but I don't remember either of you being that tech-savvy."

"That's slander," Adrian said with a grin. "I've read nearly everything except the curriculum. If it's not on the syllabus, I can handle it."

He hid a small smirk — it's not like she knows how much I've learned in the timeless zone watching Tony.

Marinette pouted slightly. "Yeah, and I may not be a genius like you or Peter, but I do know my way around fabric. My goal's to be a fashion designer."

"Okay, okay," Gwen said, laughing. "Fair enough. But that kind of material's expensive."

Adrian nodded. "We can use some of our earnings from the manga, but it won't cover everything. I'll ask Natalie for some cash. Besides, we'll start small — gloves or scarves first. If it works, we scale it up."

Ned leaned back, impressed. "That's actually a good idea. Even superheroes could use that kind of gear. I've seen Spider-Man's suit — it's basically spandex."

Sam, at the side, said, "Yeah, here — see this," and showed them a picture of Spider-Man's pants ripped while swinging across the metro.

The table burst into laughter again, the kind that carried warmth and familiarity.

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After School

The corridors had thinned by the time Adrian and Marinette stopped by the lockers, sketchbooks open between them.

"I've read about reactive fabrics," Adrian said, tapping a note. "They distribute impact instead of blocking it. If we combine that with your flexible weave, it could redirect pressure away from the body."

Marinette's eyes brightened. "That's perfect. I understood none of that, but it sounds like we have to go shopping."

Adrian smiled. "You sound like you already planned this."

"I kind of did," she said, flipping through her sketchbook. "There are a few shops I wanted to visit but never got the chance."

"Okay. Tomorrow, ten o'clock, at the subway," Adrian said, and the sincerity in his tone made her pause.

"Really?"

He nodded. "We need material, so let's make it a shopping trip."

For a heartbeat, neither spoke. The late sun filtered through the windows, turning the hallway gold and quiet.

"Okay," Marinette said finally, "I'll meet you at ten."

Adrian glanced at her, then away, expression soft. "Don't be late."

They packed up together, walking side by side toward the gate.

"See you tomorrow?" she asked.

She smiled and headed toward the metro, sketchbook hugged close.

Adrian watched until the crowd swallowed her silhouette, the city glowing amber around them.

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Meanwhile, at S.H.I.E.L.D.

"Director Fury, we've got a sighting," Maria Hill reported, handing him a tablet. "Mayura. She was spotted in Hell's Kitchen."

Fury's one good eye narrowed. "Looks like Stark was right. 'Only in emergencies,' huh?"

He smirked faintly. "Keep eyes on her. But no closer than binocular range."

Hill nodded, and the room dimmed as the screens flickered to surveillance feeds.

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End of Chapter 47

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