The old gymnasium.
Even though Hawk had awakened his Microcosmos, the habit of ten thousand punches a day—sustained for a thousand straight days—wasn't something he could just drop overnight.
So he kept at it.
After all, it wasn't like he had anything better to do.
And, truthfully, with each day of practice, he could sense another faint glimmer within his Microcosmos—another star flickering.
Not yet lit. But give it a month, and it might shine for real.
Clearly, fighting wasn't the only way to ignite stars.
At least not the only way. But compared to the slow grind of daily practice, battle was the shortcut.
Not that it mattered to Hawk.
First, he wasn't some maniac addicted to violence, and he certainly wasn't about to turn into one of those "I don't eat beef anymore" hypocrites the moment he got powers.
Ten thousand punches, a thousand days—it hadn't just honed his strength. It had honed his will.
He controlled his power. Not the other way around.
Second, he didn't even have the materials for a Cloth yet. Without one, igniting a constellation wasn't urgent.
Everyone knew—
A Saint without a Cloth and a Saint with one were two completely different species.
Well… at least most of the time.
Later—
After showering, Hawk changed into a fresh T-shirt and pants, slung his bag over one shoulder, and headed for the school gate.
His emancipation hearing was at 3:30 that afternoon.
If he left now, caught the bus, and switched lines twice, he'd make it by 3:00.
Sitting at the bus stop, sandwich in hand, Hawk chewed and thought.
Maybe it was time to buy a car.
Of course, he'd need a license first. Unlike most of his classmates, he didn't have one.
Why would he?
Until now, he'd never planned to own a car.
Back then, with adulthood looming, federal aid ending, rent and college loans waiting—life was already suffocating. A car? Insurance? Impossible.
But now—
Now that his Microcosmos had awakened, Hawk felt the crushing weight of the future slip off his shoulders.
For once, he could breathe.
His future had only two possibilities now—
Comfortable. Or more comfortable.
If he were darker at heart, he could become a tyrant, ruling through power and fear once he had his Cloth.
Power was authority.
Authority was strength.
And his fists were already sonic. One day, they'd surpass light itself.
But Hawk wasn't chasing that path. At least, not now.
Still, freed from worry, he thought he could improve his quality of life a little.
Especially since he still had five Chitauri weapons stashed away.
Even sold cheap—say, twenty grand each—that was a hundred thousand dollars.
So maybe a car wasn't a bad idea.
He was still mulling it over when, instead of a bus, a yellow Toyota Corolla with the plate "GW521" pulled up.
The window rolled down.
Golden hair tied casually, delicate features, and a pair of clear blue eyes that seemed to pierce straight through him. Gwen Stacy.
"Get in."
"…."
Hawk looked at her for a long moment. "No need. I'll wait for the bus. Thanks."
Gwen smiled.
"You sure? Buses are shut down today."
"Shut down?"
He blinked. "When? Why?"
"Noon. Drivers' union strike." Gwen chuckled. "Didn't you notice? You're the only one at this stop."
Hawk glanced around.
Sure enough—empty. Just him.
Damn it.
He exhaled sharply, grabbed his bag, and climbed into the passenger seat.
"Thanks for the ride."
"No problem."
The car leapt forward, speeding toward Queens Family Court.
"Oh, right," Gwen added, glancing over. "Your hearing's been moved up to 3:00. Judge Bross is handling it."
"?"
Hawk turned to her, frowning.
She smiled. "You left the school's number on your forms. When your counselor couldn't find you, I saw you heading to the gym at lunch and figured you'd be waiting here for a bus."
Hawk nodded slowly.
A moment later, he realized—he owed her again.
"…Thanks."
"Like I said—don't mention it."
Her smile softened. "I'm a student assistant. Helping classmates is what I do."
And it was true.
At Midtown, Gwen Stacy was known for three things:
She patiently helped classmates who asked about lessons—Jessica, for instance.
She even explained things to Flash Thompson, on rare occasions when he asked.
She stood up against bullying.
For Peter.
For Maria, when the cheerleading captain targeted her.
And on top of all that—
Her grades were stellar.
So—
Beautiful.
Kind.
Brilliant.
That was Gwen Stacy.
…
(End of Chapter)
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