New York: A high school basketball game. The score is 81 to 82, with only 30 seconds left in the game. Evan passes to Pietro who misses the shot, as Ororo and Evan's parents watch. With only moments left on the clock Pietro passes the ball to Evan who shoots. As the ball flies to the basket, Evan is knocked down by a member of the other team. The ball circles the rim of the basket while Evan falls to the ground and skids, spikes coming out of his forearms. The ball finally goes in, and Evan's team wins the game. As his teammates lift him up Ororo sees Evan staring at his arm confused, but when he sees the spikes are gone he joins in his teammates' cheering. As they carry him away Ororo notices Pietro looking on jealously and then walking away by himself.

After the game Pietro tells Evan that he should've taken the shot. When Evan points out that there was no way Pietro would've made it down the court in time, Pietro tells him that "he has moves that he can't even imagine" and leaves. Ororo walks in and says it seems that the two of them have been competing since they were babies. Evan is glad to see his aunt, and Ororo asks him if he's all right, and that she saw what happened when he fell. Evan tries to shrug her off, but then sneezes, sending spikes shooting everywhere.

At Evan's house, Evan's dad is cooking burgers while Evan and Ororo continue their conversation. Evan tries to convince her that his powers are under control, showing her that he can retract his spykes, while she tries to tell him about the Xavier Institute. She tells him they should talk with his parents, but agrees to wait until the next day. Xavier asks her mentally for an update, and she tells him that Evan is being stubborn. He says that he will send Scott and Jean over in the morning. He asks her if she noticed another mutant at the game, and asks her to keep an eye out.

The next day at school Evan is dismayed to find that the wallet in his locker has been emptied for the second time this month, even after he's changed his combination. Pietro appears seemingly out of nowhere and they talk again about the game. Evan concedes that Pietro is fast, but not necessarily better. Evan tells him about the problem with a robber, and Pietro lends him some money as "bait". They clasp hands and as Evan says "catch you later" and as he walks away Pietro says to himself "Not even on your best day."

That night Evan's parents, Ororo, and Scott and Jean are talking to Evan. He's very resistant to leaving for the Insitute, and says he's not interested in going to some "home for freaks". He goes upstairs and moments later Jean realizes that he's going out the window. Everyone goes outside just in time to see Evan skateboarding quickly away.

Evan goes to school to wait for the thief. A gust of wind blows in causing papers to blow around, and then seemingly magically the lockers' dials rotate and books and backpacks get swept up in the wind. Evan is a little freaked, but throws a wall of spikes, and is shocked to discover that it's Pietro. Evan realizes that Pietro has powers, and Quicksilver brags that "anything you can do, I can do better". When Evan asks him why Quicksilver ripped him off, Quicksilver shrugs and says that he did it for kicks because he gets bored. He then leaves Evan behind to serve as a scapegoat just as a pair of policemen arrive.

Evan is in jail and his family and Jean and Scott visit him. Evan tells them it wasn't him, and Jean says she knows he's telling the truth. Scott tells him that the Professor will "use his influence" to get him out if he tries out the Institute. Scott tells him he has a choice, but Evan agrees.

At breakfast the next morning Scott says he thinks Evan knows who trashed the lockers, and the Professor says that Evan hasn't told him. Logan says he suspects that Evan wants to take his own revenge. The Professor asks Scott to introduce Evan to the basketball coach, and says that he hopes "Evan's desire for revenge is short-lived." Evan is seen listening above, and he bristles spikes and walks back towards his room.

Raven Darkholme and Magneto discuss Pietro. Magneto says that Pietro is "of particular interest to him". Magneto warns that Pietro thinks he needs no one, and that it won't be easy to convince him to join. Magneto tells Darkholme about Pietro and Evan's rivalry, and Darkholme says she has a plan to bring them together.

In the Danger Room Evan is training. Although he ends up falling, Wolverine compliments him as he helps him up. From the console room Kitty tells Evan that the coach called to tell him that a game was suddenly arranged in an hour by the principal against his old school. Scott and Jean exchange glances as Evan anticipates the game.

Evan greets Pietro as he gets off the bus. Pietro pushes Evan to the ground as Scott and Jean show up. Jean asks Evan if Pietro was the one who trashed the lockers, and Evan warns them to stay out of his business. Scott asks Pietro if it's true, and Pietro shrugs and admits it and asks him what he's going to do about it. He tosses Scott to the ground and easily dodges away when Evan tries to grab him. Pietro runs off and Evan skateboards after him after grabbing his uniform out of his bag.

Spyke confronts Quicksilver, but Quicksilver easily dodges him and jets down the street, causing windows to break and cars to flip over. Jean and Cyclops show up as Quicksilver darts back, causing a strong wind. Jean lifts him off the ground, but she can't hold him and Quicksilver causes a mini-cyclone. The three X-Men grab lampposts as Quicksilver's cyclone causes cars to go flying. Cyclops shoots a beam at Quicksilver and Spyke pins him against a wall. Quicksilver says there's still no way to prove that he trashed the lockers, but Spyke shows him the tape recorder that has his confession on it. The three X-men run off just as the police arrive.

Pietro is put in jail, and Magneto arrives to set him free. Pietro recognizes him and agrees to join him.

The pool at the Institute. Evan has been cleared of all charges and he thanks the Professor for his help. He jumps into the pool and accidentally punctures Kitty's inflatable raft, and the Professor and Ororo are glad to see that Evan is going to fit in to the school just fine.