Peter was tempted to clean his ears just to be sure he had heard correctly, "I'm sorry, please spout your crazy at me again? I think I'm going deaf."

"A temporary Hero License!" All Might repeated with glee, "To catch your villains and bring them to justice!"

The kid's confusion was far beyond visible. It sounded like a dream-come-true, but he knew better, considering his luck, "You're gonna have to break this down for me …why would I need a license when you guys can catch them just fine? Don't get me wrong, I'd love to catch them, but I don't understand why you want me to."

"It's very simple," All Might leaned against the table, "The people of Japan are uneasy. Because of the Lumina incident, their faith in us has dwindled; they think we can't be trusted since we allowed a hero to turn villain—at least, that's how they see it, not knowing the reasoning behind her actions."

"Thank you," Peter said, grateful he'd take a moment to point that out.

"At the same time, because of the confusion around you, they feel worried about your presence, feeling as though you have not faced punishment for your 'villainous actions'. Therefore, I came up with a way to increase the reputation of both Pro Heroes and yourself alike."

"By …giving me a license?"

"By giving you permission," he corrected, "It all depends on how we portray this to the public. We tell them that you are facing consequences by catching the villains you 'brought' here. We send you on missions and patrols to catch them, with the help of a Pro hero to work with you, showing them that you are, in fact, on our side. Ease the public's mind by showing them we've partnered together."

All Might had expected a happy, even excited response from the young hero. Instead, he found confusion and hesitation. Perhaps he couldn't really blame him, considering how hard the hero society fought before to keep Peter grounded, and now were willing to lift him up.

Though Peter believed in All Might, he still didn't trust that the other heroes wouldn't screw him over.

"You really think this will help?" Peter questioned, "The solution to our problems is PR? I get a few dirty looks, sure, but I don't think that calls for …"

"Young Parker," All Might persisted, "It's about more than reputation. We need people to believe in us again, to give them hope, a reason to smile. You told me these villains were your responsibility. We …I am giving you a chance to fulfill that desire. You can catch them, bring them to justice, correct any mistakes you think you've made, all while improving your reputation and showing people you are, in fact, a hero."

"I've never cared about that," He amended, "I don't do this for the attention or the glory."

"And as I said, it's not about that, it's about hope."

Every angle Peter tried to attack; All Might had the perfect excuse to work around it. This was too good to be real; too perfect an opportunity. As much as his instincts told him he should take it, another part of him hesitated with great fear. The other heroes could easily see his discomfort.

"I hoped you would be happy about this," All Might admitted, "This is a great opportunity for everyone."

"All Might …I don't …."

Peter looked at the faces of the many heroes in the room. They expected an immediate answer that he couldn't give. This was a chance for everyone to get what they wanted and yet he couldn't take that step forward. After all this time staying low, keeping quiet, all to make up for his mistakes, now they wanted to undo it?

It honestly pissed him off.

"This is pointless," Endeavor spat as his flaming beard waved with each breath, "We cannot trust such a responsibility to a child."

"We made you a hero," Mirko retorted.

"Watch your mouth!" Endeavor stood up, nearly burning the table with his hand, "I'm tired of your backtalk against me! What problems do you have with me?!"

"Want me to get out the list, asshole?!"

The two heroes started bickering back and forth from across the table. It was hard to tell who had more smoke coming off them. Other heroes tried to either calm them down, or defend one side. The room got louder and louder, to where no one could even hear themselves anymore. Poor Peter only watched the turmoil that just being here had created.

Finally, he got fed up and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

The thud of the door silenced the room quickly. Even those who didn't believe in All Might's idea expected this to go a lot better.

"Oh, great," Mirko scolded, "The children drove out the only actual adult. Good job, five stars."

…

Peter found himself just outside the police station, leaning against a wall in the buildings' alley. Alleyways were the only places he felt safe when inside these concrete jungles. He could change into his costume and be himself without judgement. As small as this one was, it did the job.

He wasn't sure why he left the building entirely. The news All Might presented should have made him happy, yet it only angered him. It wasn't All Might himself that made him mad, but the heroes as a whole. They put him down and branded him a fugitive for the exact actions they are now asking him to take part in for the sake of reputation. It's not that it wouldn't work, it just rubbed him the wrong way.

Maybe he should go back in and apologize for bailing so suddenly; he at least owed that.

As Peter began to leave the alley, the air had grown completely silent.

Not a sound could be heard beyond the ringing of his own spider-sense, and even that seemed muffled. He couldn't even feel the wind blowing against his skin. His eyes were magnetized, pulled to focus on a single entity.

At the other end of the alley, there was a little girl hiding behind a trash can. She was sitting on her knees and peering out at him. It was amazing her gaze could be fixed on him at all, considering her eyes were covered with a blindfold. Her short autumn hair was roughly cut, as though it were done by a pair of old scissors, and her clothes looked more like rags than anything out of a store.

It was only now the little girl got to her feet and started running away.

He called out as he made his way down to her, but by the time he reached the other end, there was no trace. His senses had reset as he could feel the world around him again, no longer a slave to her presence.

Whoever she was, she was gone.

"Parker!"

Mirko called to him from the other side of the alley, leaning on her shoulder against the wall.

"You okay?" she asked, raising her voice so he could hear her.

"…Yeah," replied the confused boy as he made his way over to her, "I just …there was this little girl here a second ago. She was staring, or stalking me? Made my spider-sense go nuts."

"OOoo, someone's got a fan."

"Doubt it. Maybe she was using her quirk on me or something … I'm fine, though."

"I was asking in reference to what happened in the station, actually."

"Oh …right."

"You wanna talk about it?"

Peter rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, "I just …is it wrong that I'm kind of …angry about this? I mean … they brand me a fugitive for the very thing they want me to start doing, all for PR? Am I crazy or does that seem hypocritical?"

Mirko shook her head, "It does. One thing I can say for sure is that, even if it seems agitating, All Might is doing this for you. This was the best way he could find to make everyone happy. You kind of have to admire how far he's going for you; clearly shows how much he cares."

"…You think?"

"I know."

Despite being Izuku's mentor, he found All Might did look out for him, too. The man only does whatever he feels is right, even if he hates it. Nothing he does is ever out of malice, payback, or anything in-between. By this point, Peter knew he could trust him to make things right when they go wrong.

"I think you should take this deal," she suggested, "You can fight your own battles, like you wanted. Besides, if you don't, Endeavor will just go after Venom himself, and he's not planning on bringing him in alive."

He perked up from his cage of thought with a concerned glare, "He wants to kill him?!"

"After seeing what happened with Bloodstain in Hosu, I don't technically blame him, but it's still Ef'ed up."

Peter snickered, "Ef'ed?"

"I have boundaries …when I want to."

Mirko was charismatic, if anything. Talking to her about it helped ease Peter into the idea, though still not without concern, "I just don't want to get screwed over again for trying to do the right thing. I know I could have handled the stones-thing better, maybe even asked for help but-"

"EEeeh shut the hell up," she rudely cut him off, "Everyone knows the story, dude. You were working under cover for the Avengers and couldn't break it. Not your fault that people are assholes."

That's right; that was the cover-story they came up with to explain everything away. It took jumping through hoops to keep people from questioning why there was another Peter in America, hoops All Might probably had to do the jumping for, "I know …I know."

"Give it a chance," She placed a hand on his shoulder, "You might be surprised."

Strange to think that when they first met, she was trying to arrest him for vigilantism. Now, she was surprisingly becoming a close friend, one he felt he could count on for support and advice. Underneath that brash personality, there was a kind young woman who protected her friends.

"…Okay," he decided, "I'll give it the old Parker try."

"Thank God, now we can antagonize Endeavor together."

…

The heroes were awaiting the young boy in the meeting room. Some of them—Endeavor especially— assumed he would have run away after hearing the proposal. To their surprise, he came back into the room with his chin held high.

"I thought it over," Peter said.

"I beat it into him," Mirko joked. Peter elbowed her arm, and she was surprised to find that it actually hurt.

"I want to help people," Peter stated, "That's the whole point of Spider-Man; to help people, especially the little guys. I want to make their lives better. Sometimes, I can't always do that. People are scared of me and I don't want them to be. If you're really sure that this whole …PR thing will make everything better for us …then I'll do it."

All Might struck a heroic pose, "Splendid!" He shouted, quickly speeding over and patting his back aggressively, nearly knocking him down, "I'm glad you decided to come around, young Parker! I promise, you will not be disappointed!"

The sight of All Might—the number one hero and the symbol of peace—accepting this child into their ranks so easily, angered Endeavor. This was a kid, yet All Might was treating him like another Pro Hero and fought too hard to make it happen. How could he act this way? How could he let sentiment dictate his actions?

No. He couldn't accept it.

"I came to this meeting," Endeavor stood up, stealing the attention of the room, "Because I was required to. I don't think that this child is capable of dealing with these threats."

"Endeavor," All Might stressed, "These are his villains. He's fought them plenty of times before. Besides, you all voted when you came here, and the majority says-"

"He is only a boy!" he argued, "He is not a Pro Hero no matter how you dress him up! In a real fight, he would surely crumble! The only way to deal with these threats is to show no mercy!"

He wasn't going to back down, All Might realized. His pride was too great to ever accept that Peter could be capable of anything they were. Everyone in this room were in the top ten best heroes of Japan, and All Might was treating Parker like he belonged with them. There was no room, not for him, "The vote has been decided."

"Then, I demand we recount," He suggested, "I propose we test him to ensure he can handle the threats ahead. We should assess his strength, then decide."

The symbol of peace wanted to shoot down his suggestion, but the murmur of the other heroes spoke volumes in his stead. Even those who voted for All Mights proposal were now questioning it, and supported the idea that the number 2 hero brought to the table. Just as he was starting to bring everything together, Endeavor came in and tore it down.

"Deal," Peter spoke aloud, silencing the conflict of the room, "You wanna test me, fine. I'll do it."

All Might was surprised at his decision. Peter could easily tell that Endeavor was extremely prideful. That pride rejected anything that may threaten it, including an adolescent hero trying to go pro. People like him with such an extreme god-complex couldn't be reasoned with using words. Only actions could get through to him. Somewhere behind all that pride, there was a man scared of being shown up by a young boy.

"Then it's settled," Endeavor smirked, "To test your skills, you'll be fighting against me."

"Endeavor!" All Might protested, "Surely, you can't be serious."

"Why not? He fought you, didn't he? And you weren't able to catch him. This won't just prove him unqualified, but it'll prove which one of us is truly the greatest hero of Japan."

His ego was nauseating for many of the heroes, especially Mirko. He never hid how badly he wanted to beat All Might and become number 1, and this was no exception.

"Fine," Peter agreed, "Name the place and time."

"U.A," Endeavor suggested, "Gym Gamma. Now."

…

The last time Peter was in Gym Gamma was the obstacle course he participated in on his first day. He remembered that day being so hectic, having been lost on another world and joining the school all in the span of a few hours. Those few hours sparked the majority of his problems, especially those that led to becoming a fugitive. It gave life to both good and bad memories.

The other nine heroes, All Might included, waited on the sides of the room as Endeavor stood in the center. Peter had entered the Gym dressed as Spider-Man, equipped with his web shooters and gadgets. He hadn't fought anyone with fire abilities since Goblin, or for better reference, his run-in with the fantastic four after first getting his powers.

"Young Parker," All Might gently took Spider-Man's shoulder before he could go further into the room, "Are you certain about this? Endeavor is the number 2 hero for a reason."

"Hey, I beat you," He joked.

"Wha-? That was a matter of circumstance! Endeavor is a Pro hero and has been for years. You are very capable, but his skills may be beyond yours. He's taken out an entire building in one move."

"Well, he's not supposed to try and kill me."

"But he might. If he loses his cool-"

"You'll stop him, I trust you."

"Parker …you have nothing to prove to him."

"It's not about proving myself to him, or to anyone in this room."

"Then what is it about?"

Spider-Man didn't give an answer as he pulled his shoulder free, and walked into the middle of the room where Endeavor waited. The man was tall. Heat was coming from his body like an overfed campfire. There was an aura of anger around him that he could feel from a mile away.

"You're either brave or stupid to agree to a fight with me," Scoffed Endeavor.

"I walk a thin line between those two things, you'll find."

"Admitting your own stupidity does not make you any smarter of a man."

"Ha! So, you admit I'm a man!"

The childish jokes he heard in rumor were all the more infuriating in person. He hated how the boy treated everything like some kind of joke. It was enough to feed the flames of his rage.

Without anyone telling them to start, Endeavor made the first move and lunged forward in a trail of fire. He brought his fist down, his flames engulfing his knuckles. Spidey felt the intensity of their heat as he dodged the attack, jumping directly over Endeavor. Though he dodged the physical attack, the heat still affected him quickly, causing his sweat to stick his costume to his skin.

Endeavor spun around and waved his hand, creating a ring of fire that spread out from his position. Spider-Man sling-shot himself with his webs and swung around in the air, keeping aloft to avoid more of Endeavors attacks. He relied purely on his spider-sense for safety; his eyes taking a back seat.

"Kick his ass, Spider-Man!" Mirko shouted, "Go for the eyes! Punish his weak points!"

The other heroes stared at her with raised brows and concerned looks, which she shook off rather quickly.

"Endeavor has him beat in physical power," One hero spoke up, as they watched the fight carefully.

"Perhaps," Said another, "But the kid has an advantage in agility and speed. Despite that, if Endeavor really wanted to, he could burn him alive in a second."

"Young Parker is strong," All Might reminded them, "Stronger than you think."

As Spider-Man swung again through the air, it became harder to hear Endeavors attacks over the sound of his own spider-sense. He glided his momentum in a wall-run to avoid one of his opponent's inferno onslaughts. Endeavor himself has barely moved from where he stood since the fight started. If Peter was to have a chance, then he needed to change that.

Spider-Man shot two webs to the floor and shot himself toward Endeavor, who prepared to attack with another stream of fire. Just as he released the flames, Spidey shot another web to twist and pull his body, avoiding the attack by a single hair. Knowing he could take it, he struck Endeavor in the chest with his super strength and sent him skidding backwards, fighting against the endurance of his own feet.

Endeavor's knees were bent, having been shoved so far back. He tried not to show it, but the wind had been brutally knocked out of him. It was harder to conjure his fire without his breath. The man was starting to sweat, not from the flames, but from the panic of being shown up by a kid.

"Yeah! Go for the throat!" Mirko chanted, earning glares once again from her companions.

Endeavor tried again to throw fireballs at him, which he dodged easily thanks to his greater agility. Spidey closed the gap again, this time striking Endeavor in the face, though weaker than before. He knew Endeavor was tough, but he was still human, and he didn't want to break his jaw.

"Get back!" Endeavor shouted, releasing another wave of fire from his body, which Spidey dodged by webbing himself away. A stray flame did reach his costume, but he quickly put it out before the skin underneath could burn too badly. Endeavor's grip was loosening.

Spidey was swinging from the ceiling again, avoiding the flames that chased him through the air, now more of them than ever. He wanted to anger the number 2 hero, and he succeeded, only now he wondered if that was the right move or not.

Abruptly, his focus fell, once again, when every sound in the room went numb.

As he swung from one web to the next, it felt like time had slowed down. There were no sounds, no heat from the flames, nothing. Just his spider-sense, ringing in his ears from every direction. He felt this before, outside the police station, when he saw that girl.

That girl, who as of now, stood below.

She was there, in the room, hiding behind the door of the entrance and peering in. Again, despite her blindfold, she looked directly at him. Who was she? Why was she here? Is she following him? There were no answers, only more questions. Unlike before, he felt something coming from her; a powerful feeling that echoed through the room and into his heart. It was as though something or someone was clenching his chest, tugging it desperately toward the little girl.

Desperation; that's what he felt from her.

As reality came back to him and all his senses returned, he realized Endeavors flames were getting too close for comfort. There was no time dodge, now. Instead, Spidey twirled himself as he spun his webs into a wide blanket. He then shot a web up to the ceiling just as the flames consumed him.

By now, Endeavor wasn't holding back as much as before. With the other heroes watching, he wasn't going to let himself be beat by someone who only claims to be a hero. He had to prove to everyone he was the greatest hero in the room; better than even All Might himself.

"Endeavor!" All Might shouted, "Enough!"

Only now did the fiery hero cease his attack and let the flames dissipate. He expected to see the young wannabe begging for mercy, asking for forgiveness and acknowledging his superior strength. The sight he found, instead, left him confused and even dazed.

Hanging from the ceiling was a cocoon of webs, showing a faint humanoid silhouette resting inside.

There was a muffled voice inside, shouting something, likely insulting. Endeavor asked for clarification.

Spidey's head popped out of the top of the cocoon, "I said," he called out, "Barbecue spider is not on the menu! Please, take your strange taste buds elsewhere, good sir!"

That really set him off, as he didn't hesitate to fire another powerful barrage of flames. Spidey dropped from the ceiling but kept the web-blanket in his hands, using it to shield himself. It still burned as he sweat like a dog, but it kept him alive regardless. He pushed on through and toward Endeavor, who only increased his intensity as he got closer.

"Why don't you quit?!" Endeavor shouted.

"Because heroes! Never! Quit!" He pushed further, struggling to keep his feet stuck to the ground with his adhesive abilities.

"You! Are not! A hero!" Endeavor pushed harder against him.

"I know you aren't!" he jumped forward and cut off the stream of fire by wrapping the blanket around his hands, "But what am I?!" His feet collided with the hero's face, pushing him back as he bumped into the wall behind him.

Spidey flipped backwards to get distance between them, just as Endeavor freed himself from the webs.

Before the two could clash again, All Might's voice called out "Enough!"

They froze on their battlefield, but only Spider-Man let his guard drop as All Might walked over to them with his chin held high, "Splendid work, Spider-Man!"

"The fight isn't over!" Endeavor argued, "A winner hasn't been claimed!"

"It wasn't about winning," All Might corrected, "It was about proving Parker could handle the threats ahead of him and work alongside us. He was able to push you, so you would stop holding back and try a little harder. The fact that he could outmaneuver you—the number 2 hero—so easily, is proof that he is more than capable."

"We still have to vote!"

"Very well!" All Might turned to address the other heroes, "Now that you've seen what Parker is capable of, with your own eyes, who believes we should allow him a temporary license and partner with us?"

The only one who didn't hesitate was Mirko, who had her hand up before he even finished speaking. Kamui Woods was next. He remembered being hard on the kid when he went on the run. Despite his standings back then, the kid was able to avoid and even push back against them whenever it was necessary. He was powerful, and was going to be a good hero one day, someone he'd rather have on his side. It was time, he thought, to start supporting him.

The other heroes followed behind, until every one of them voted in support.

"Then it's settled," All Might looked to Endeavor, "Right?"

Endeavor couldn't argue at this point, now that it was a near majority vote. His attempt to discredit Parker only make his credibility stronger with the other heroes. Defeated, he dropped his guard, "Fine. You win. I yield."

"Wonderful!" All Might said, patting Spider-Man on the back and nearly knocking him over again, "We're excited to work with you, young Parker! Come by the station tomorrow for the official paperwork!"

"Ah, dammit," Spidey complained, "I hate paperwork."

All Might laughed proudly, "As do I, young Parker! As do I!"

…

The sun had reached the center of the sky now, lighting the way for the top ten heroes as they left Gym Gamma. They had shifts to run, after all, protecting the city and its people. They had abandoned their jobs for this meeting, which has gone on much longer than they thought. There is only so much time that a Pro Hero can give beyond their own schedule.

"Hell, yeah!" Mirko expressed as she grabbed Peter by the shoulders from behind, before putting him in a headlock and rubbing the top of his head, "Knew you could kick his ass!"

"Ow! Yes! Thank you!" He shouted, barely managing to escape her grasp before she pulled him back in for more torture, laughing maniacally.

"Looks like I'm getting a sidekick, after all!" She declared.

"Excuse me! I am no one's side kick."

"Then why are you mine?"

"I'm not!"

They jokingly argued with one another until Endeavor stepped out of the gym, walking by them without so much as a look or a farewell. Mirko could only glare daggers, imaging them stabbing his back, only to bounce off from the intensity of his ego. Peter, however, watched on for a moment before catching up with him, despite to Mirko's warning.

Endeavor stopped when the boy called his name, "What do you want?" he asked, refusing to turn around.

"What is a hero, to you?" asked Peter.

"If this is your attempt to insult my integrity-"

"I'm serious," he spoke firmly, his face still and calm, "What is a hero, to you?"

He only now turned around, curious as to why he would ask such a question. If Parker didn't know the answer, why was he trying so hard to be one? It seemed childish to chase something if you didn't know what it was.

"Well?" Peter asked again.

"…a hero," he started, "Is strong, both in muscle and spirit. A hero denies failure at all costs; the word does not exist to them, having no place in their mind. They do not hesitate to reach their goals, no matter what."

"Denies failure, huh? So, why do you think I can't do that?"

"You are a child, pretending to be a man."

"At least I know who I am behind the mask. At least I'm more than just Spider-Man …are you more than just Endeavor?"

He wanted to shout at the boy, even challenge him to another match. Yet, something in his words sparked thoughts he couldn't escape. Being a hero had been Endeavors entire life for years, all in his goal to be the best. He knew who he was; he knew his true name. What kind of question was he asking? What was he up to?

"I am the greatest hero in Japan," He stated proudly, "That is who I am."

"I'm a hero, too," Peter shrugged, "I'm also a nerd who loves comic books, science and ranch dressing on chicken tenders."

"I'm sorry?"

"You better be."

They stared at one another for quite some time, before Endeavor finally left him there, letting the fumes of his fire trail behind him.

"Real piece of work," Said Mirko as Peter strolled back over to her.

"I don't know," He pondered, "Something about what he said …I think there's more to Endeavor than he may seem."

"Beyond the massive ego and insulting beard?"

"Beyond the massive ego and- wait how is his beard insulting?"

"It thinks it's so hot," She snickered.

Peter scoffed and turned away dramatically just as she pulled him into another headlock, laughing with evil intent. Since her strength rivaled his own, he found it hard to escape her grasp no matter how much he flailed.

"Parker, Mirko," All Might exited the Gym with a proud smile, dressed now in an over-sized tux, "Today begins a wonderful partnership! I want to thank you, Young Parker, for hearing out my proposal."

"Of course. Like you said, this will help everyone in the end …as long as I don't get the butt-end of the shrapnel if this whole thing explodes on us."

"I assure you; you will not suffer any consequences."

Peter believed him, of course. How could he not when he gave him such an infectious smile. There was still, however, something that bothered the arachnid hero despite how successful the day had gone.

The little girl.

Twice now, this strange little girl appeared and watched from afar. From her attire, Peter assumed her to either be poor, or just homeless, perhaps living on the streets. The blindfold he didn't understand, nor why all his senses beyond his sixth and sight turn off whenever she shows up. Was that her quirk? Why was she following him around? How did none of the other heroes notice her?

"Hey," Peter said, "Did either of you see a little girl peaking through the Gym entrance? Small, red hair, blindfold?"

"No?" All Might answered, "I don't believe so, why?"

"This little girl was spying on me back at the station, then I saw her again in the Gym during the fight. Whenever she shows up, everything goes …numb. It's hard to explain."

"Strange …since we upgraded the security after the USJ attack, we would have known if a little girl found her way in. Still, if you see her again, try not to let her get away. She could just be a fan of you, though, so I wouldn't worry too much."

"I doubt I have any fans here in Musutafu."

Mirko perked her ears as she butt into the conversation, "Then you clearly haven't seen the Spidey-Club website."

"There's a website?! Lemme see!"

Peter pulled out his phone and was about to scroll to the internet app, until he saw that there was a missed call notification at the top of the screen. The message was from Mei Hatsume, and the call came in only a few minutes ago—the latest one, anyway, having been the fourth call in an hour.

That's when realization hit him, hard.

"Hatsume!" He shouted, "I completely forgot! I'm sorry I gotta go I'll see you tomorrow bye!"

Peter took off before either of the Pro Heroes could stop him. They watched as she scurried away in a panic, as though his life depended on it.

…

It was well after noon now, coming close to when the Midoriya residence would be having, or at least start making, dinner. Peter had made a quick trip to New York and stopped by O'Hara's Pizza and grabbed the Spidey-Special Deluxe; Tenders with ranch, two large drinks and one large pizza, rather than a small. For once, there weren't any bank robberies or criminals to get in his way and he was able to come straight home.

"I'm back!" He shouted as he nearly crashed through the front door.

Hatsume practically manifested in front of him with wide eyes and a wicked smile, "Finally!" She shouted, ripping the food out of his hands and rushing over to the kitchen table, "Sheesh! How long does a pizza run take, ya dopey?!"

"I'm sorry!" He scolded himself, "I got a little held up …but something really good happened today!"

As he made his way into the room, Inko peered up from where she sat on the couch, resting after having just gotten home from work. She was used to Peter not being here when she returned, but she wasn't used to him getting home at this early of an hour. "What happened?" She asked with great curiosity, just as Hatsume started digging into the pizza.

"So, I was on my way to get the pizza when I ran into a friend-well-actually yes, a friend, sorry I hesitated because she's a pro hero but anyway!" he stuttered, "She brought me down to the police station-"

"She what?!" Inko stood up quickly, "What happened?! Did they hurt you?!"

"No! Well, one of them tried-"

Inko looked to panic and visibly shake in her slippers.

"Wait! Lemme explain! All Might was there! He thinks he found a way to get people to like me again! He wants to give me a temporary hero license."

"…A what?" She froze. Even Hatsume stopped what she was doing, the pizza hanging from her mouth.

"A temporary license! All the villains that came here from my…country," he winced, "I'll be able to catch them myself! We make a public announcement of our partnership so people will see that we are trying to clean up our messes! People stop hating me and their faith in the Pro Heroes go up! Win-win!"

Hatsume repeated the chain with her mouth full, sauce and cheese almost dripping back onto the plate, not that she cared.

Inko didn't look convinced. He had hoped she would be happy about it, yet she seemed like she was going to puke from how pale her face had gotten. The excitement in his chest dwindled and faded when he looked into her eyes and saw all that fear.

"Peter …" Inko started to speak with a ripple in her voice, "I don't know …that doesn't seem very safe."

"Safe?" He questioned, "I fight bad guys all the time in New York."

"But Japan is more dangerous than America!"

"…I …wouldn't be so sure about that. Besides, I'll have a Pro with me at all times. This is my chance to clean up my mess and bring in all the bad guys I brought here! I figured you'd be happy …"

"I'm worried! And Scared! I don't want you getting into trouble! I don't think you should go out and do Hero work! Not here! Not anywhere, honestly!"

"Excuse me?"

"I just …I don't think you should be Spider-Man, anymore!"

The desperation in her eyes stole his words away. He came home feeling so excited to share the news and she hadn't hesitated to shoot him down. She was always so worried and protective, but he thought she was at least proud of what he had accomplished as a hero.

"Peter …" She continued, "Maybe you should just …leave the hero work to the Pro's."

"…That's not your choice to make," he told her sternly, "I am Spider-Man."

"But you don't have to be!"

"Too bad!"

Hatsume felt awkward now, as though she should leave the room, but any movements she made would only draw attention to herself.

"I will not stand by," he said, "and watch someone suffer or die because I do nothing."

"And I can't stand by and watch you get yourself killed."

"Then don't."

"I have to, as long as you live in my house!"

He could have taken it too far, shouting at her that he could easily just leave and live somewhere else, even if that was on the street. Thinking about May, though, and how this was likely everything he had put her through, he just couldn't. He couldn't be that cold, not to Inko.

"…I'm going to grab my extra gear," he said, "And I'm going on patrol back home," ending the conversation, he left for his room.

Inko sat back in her chair, almost looking like she was going to cry and scream at the same time. All she wanted was for him to be safe, so she could keep her promise to May. Peter just made this so much more difficult. He has a talent for science; why couldn't he just strive to be a scientist and change the world that way? Why did he have to do something so dangerous?

"Stubborn," Hatsume said as she continued eating, "Just like his mom."

"Excuse me?"

"Parks. He's stubborn, like you. I can see where he gets it from."

"We aren't related by blood."

"Hm, you sure act like it. I mean, my mom and I fight all the time. You're a good mom; looking out for him. Mine never cares much about what I'm doing. Still, I'd hate it if she cared too much. I mean, I love that she made me but I made me, ya' know?"

"Are you saying I should let him be Spider-Man?"

"I'm saying you should remember that he made that choice long before you came into the picture, so you should try understanding why he made that choice."

"Don't you care that he puts himself in danger?"

She smirked, picking up the pizza and tenders in her arms, "I'd care more if he didn't put himself in danger, making someone else have to do it instead. I don't see the point in safety if you're unhappy while you're in it."

She winked once before taking the food back into Peter's room, leaving Inko by herself in the empty living room.

…

From Peter's room, he was able to scale the wall outside the window and make it to the roof. One of the many breach points given to him by Doctor Strange was conveniently placed on the roof of the apartment building. He used this one the most out of any of them, especially when heading out for patrol early evenings.

Right now, he just needed some time alone.

Inko was a sweet woman who gave him so much. He couldn't bring himself to really yell at her, even if she was making him mad. He wished she could just try and understand why he has to be Spider-Man; why he has to use his powers to help people. It's not like he doesn't get her being worried—especially with Midoriyas habit of breaking his bones—but that didn't mean it didn't frustrate him.

With steam still coming off his head, he opened the breach portal and stepped through.

He let the New York air wash over his body as he covered his eyes from the light, appearing on the same rooftop of Queens that he was used to. His skin bathed in the light. It was a different sun on a different world, and it always felt like it. They were both warm, both life-giving, and yet somehow, they felt incompatible. He could tell which was which, and wondered if getting sunlight from two different suns was going to be bad for his health.

Something got caught in the corner of his eye. Faint blue energy emitting from the breach was being dragged gently across the ground, off the roof and toward the street. He started to follow it curiously, wondering where that energy was going.

"Parks!"

Peter turned around in horror to find Hatsume, stepping through the portal and into his world with that same smile on her face. She looked around as she let her own skin bathe under the new sun, taking a deep breath of oxygen she had only once breathed before.

"Hatsume?!" He shouted, running back up to her and grabbing her shoulders, "What in the ever-loving hell are you doing here?!"

"I wanted to see New York!" She defended, "You never take me other than the funeral and I've always wanted to see it! Plus, you never stick around to really hang out with me so I'm gonna make you!"

He wanted to shout at her, and tell her how horrible of an idea that was. She had no idea about the multiverse; just having her here risks the truth coming out, even if he did trust her.

He could have yelled at her, easily, but something interrupted that action.

Before he could say anything, the portal behind her began to act erratic, vibrating and shaking furiously. The colors shifted to a much darker tone as the portal began to implode on itself. Peter quickly grabbed Hatsume and yanked them to the ground, just as it exploded into blue fire that spread across the ground.

The smoke washed over them, and Peter was the first to look up while still using his body to protect Hatsume. He eyed where the portal once was, fear in his veins, trying his best to control his breathing.

"What just happened?" Asked Hatsume, her usual smile now gone.

Peter stood slowly, taking out the necklace he kept on his person. She watched as he tried to press on the little button, pointing at the spot of flames and crisp. He pressed it again, and then again, getting not even a sound from the little device.

"Peter," She said again, "What just happened?"

He turned around to show the utter fear in his eyes, "I can't open the breach."