"Patience is not simply the ability to wait - it's how we behave while we're waiting." – Joyce Meyer
"Hey, Peter, do you mind if I ask you something?"
The young hero barely lifted the spoon out of his bowl of morning cereal when he heard the question from Ms. Kayama, who was sitting across from him at the kitchen table. He raised his head and looked at the older woman, curious to know what was on her mind. "Sure, what's up?"
"I wanted to know if you were up for a little trip into town." The older woman asked as she placed her mug of coffee back onto the table. She then waited for his response.
"A trip into town?"
"Yeah," She replied cheerfully. "It can be a fun chance to show you around town. I'm sure this can also be a chance to get you some new clothes, especially since you're staying for a while and the last thing I think any of us needs is people seeing you in bloodied clothing."
Peter stopped eating his breakfast after realizing she had a point. Looking down at the state of his clothes, the young man grimaced at his clothes. There was a rather big tear on the left side of his shirt with some specks of dried blood from when he got stabbed. His pants weren't any better. All of these were blatant signs that let anyone know he's been through a lot recently.
"Okay, you may have a point."
"I may have a point?" Ms. Kayama snorted at his feeble attempt to downplay the seriousness of the situation. Afterward, the woman shook her head. "Sweetheart, I may have interesting taste in clothing, but even I know the sight of blood is going to draw lots of unnecessary attention from others. In turn, some uncomfortable questions are bound to be asked. Unless you think otherwise."
"…W-Well…"
For a moment, Peter thought about the various situations he's encountered over the years. People were always quick to judge or make up their minds and believe what they are told. He remembered doing the exact same thing about the events surrounding Captain Rodgers and his friend with the awesome metal arm back in Germany. So there was no way to disprove what she said, and Ms. Kayama was right to say the sight of blood was always going to grab people's attention.
"How about it? Up for a little wardrobe upgrade, Mr. Parker?"
A part of him wanted to believe she was jumping the gun by saying they should go out and get him some new clothes for the long run. Maybe it was the part of him, deep within his mind, that wanted to cling to the idea of Stephen magically remembering his existence, defeating his evil twin, and coming to rescue him. That's what Peter wanted to believe would happen.
Otherwise, Peter was more or less stuck here for the foreseeable future. It means finding a new living situation in the future, creating some kind of civilian identity here, and finding a way to rebuild his life. Not that it wasn't already in shambles. So it was easy to imagine how torn he felt about accepting the offer.
To him, it was accepting the unfortunate truth, and he suspected aunt May would've wanted to keep going in life. No matter the choices in front of him.
"Just…don't go wild on the spending," Peter managed a shaky smile.
Ms. Kayama appeared excited by his answer. "Oh, no need to worry. I already have a few places in mind for us to check out. Besides, you should be excited…I know most young men would love to have me as their sexy tour guide. Plus, you'll have me picking out some of the hot-looking duds. You'll get some girls looking your way in no time."
She followed up those words with a wink. "Let me call up Mic first. He may have some old hand-me-downs he can donate. If not him, then Aizawa, but I don't think Aizawa has much in clothes..." She mused aloud. "Just him and his black tracksuit..."
'Did I make the wrong choice? Nah, it'll be fine…right? No harm, no foul, right?' Peter thought, desperately hoping for this to be a normal experience in Japan…in a different universe…and one where superpowers and superheroes are normal. 'I should be thinking positively. Nothing is going to go wrong, right?'
A train ride and clothes pick-up later, however...
'I had to go and say something. God, I really jinxed myself. Didn't I?'
Peter resisted the urge to rip his hair out after hearing Ms. Kayama admit utter blasphemy. It's hard to believe his favorite film franchise of all time, Star Wars, didn't exist here. This was made worse upon learning the name of the local shopping district, which sounded very similar to a planet from one of the new ones that...weren't very good.
"Please tell me you're joking?"
His new guardian simply shrugged her shoulders. "I'm being serious," She said in a flat tone. "What is that?"
"It's...you know what? I'll explain later." Peter knew sharing details about his universe on a train full of people was a very bad idea. Speaking of trains, he mentioned the other thing he's noticed, hands in pockets as he wore a white hoodie with the English words PLUS ULTRA, a simple white T-shirt underneath, and jeans that he had to tighten up with a belt. Thank goodness for Hizashi giving him some clothes for the day... "So are the trains here always this full? It makes even the subways back home look spacious in comparison to this one."
"This is...relatively normal for this time of the day."
"Normal, huh?" He quietly muttered.
Peter looked out the window and took in the sight of Japan for the first time. Seeing bricks, concrete, and glass was almost relieving in some ways. A comforting sign that not everything was so different in this universe, especially as Peter was getting his first taste of society with superpowers being utterly normal.
His best example was meeting Jaw's distant cousin on the station platform earlier. It was odd to think Drax and Mantis seemed normal in comparison to the nine-foot-tall shark wearing a business suit. The scene was only made stranger as he was holding a tiny cell phone while calmly arguing with someone on the other end.
On the other hand, there were a lot more normal-looking people. There were the occasional people with a physical trait that made them stick out, but they seemed to be the exception, not the norm.
"You'll get used to it," She said, probably sensing the doubt in his voice. "I'm sure your heritage as a New Yorker will kick in. I've heard your subways get pretty crowded too."
Peter was not expecting to hear Ms. Kayama mention the trains back home. "Depends," He told her. "It really gets busy during the morning and late afternoon. Or if there's a game involving the Yankees or when the Knicks are doing good. But sometimes I like to take the...more scenic route on my way to and from school."
He hoped she would understand his wording and, thankfully, his new guardian caught on. Ms. Kayama gave him a look of understanding, "I don't blame you. If I could do that, I would too. Seems scary from what I remember seeing."
The mention of his web-swinging being scary reminded him of the few times he took MJ out for a brief ride through town. Her screaming and clutching onto him for dear life was always something he found funny during the few times they managed to go out together. Definitely one of the real positive moments he's had prior to everything going wrong for him.
"Someone's remembering a good time."
Peter looked confused by what Ms. Kayama said, "What?"
The older woman said with a sly smile while pointing at him, "The smile on your face. Don't lie to me. I saw it."
"...Okay? What if I was smiling?"
"You should do it more often," Ms. Kayama bumped him gently with her shoulder. "Girls appreciate a guy with a genuine smile."
"T-Thanks?"
The rest of the train ride was filled with some light conversation between them as Peter was getting his first-ever exposure to being in Japan. What really made him really made it impossible to deny reality is the scene outside the train car. He saw the familiar sight of concrete, glass, and brick, but that is where all the similarities ended.
Japanese symbols replaced what would've been English on the signs outside stores.
The fleet of yellow taxis, common in New York, was nowhere to be seen.
Most of all, Peter could hear people speaking in a completely different language.
"Peter?"
His train of thought was broken by Ms. Kayama gently shaking him on the shoulder. Peter turned towards her, "Hmm? What's up?"
She pointed up at the intercom, where some woman was speaking to the passengers aboard. "Our stop is coming up," His guardian informed, translating what the woman was saying to him. "I can't wait to show you some of the finest stores in the area."
The excitement was oozing from Ms. Kayama.
'Sounds like she's looking forward to this trip into the city more than me,' He was reminded about a few of the shopping trips he took with aunt May prior to her passing. It made him realize this was going to be the first time in years he's done so without her around. 'No, this is not the time to wallow in the past, Parker. Focus! Ms. Kayama was willing to convince me to head out. Just...enjoy whatever comes next.'
Soon, the train came to a stop as it entered the station. Peter glanced out the window and saw dozens of people waiting on the platform up ahead.
'I can do this. I've fought aliens, villains from other universes, and managed to kiss MJ...this should be a piece of cake in comparison.'
(X)
Skepticism is what saved Shouta's life on numerous occasions throughout his career as an underground hero. From his experience, nothing was wrong with the idea of doubting the story being presented before him if it clashed with pre-existing knowledge or evidence dug up in the process. It's this kind of mindset that has allowed him to solve cases involving the most heinous of individuals in the criminal underworld. The problem he was facing was whether his skepticism was making it difficult for him to believe a story that didn't fit into the narrow box he's created for himself.
Questions started popping up in his mind.
Did Parker truly come from another universe? Was his experience as a hero real? Or was everything they saw a giant ruse prepared by a villain with the desire to destroy society? Another possibility was they had a personal vendetta against Nemuri specifically. He certainly knew a few villains absolutely livid with him for putting them in prison.
Truthfully, he believed the answers to the first two questions had to be false. Nothing, to his knowledge or research, proved the existence of multiple universes, all those major events from the kid's memories, and the technology on full display in them. It's why Parker's claims pissed him off, especially his ignorance towards information even children understood about the world.
Then again, the old bastard's quirk pulled back the curtain to reveal the kid's past. Memories of heroism and tragedy made the underground hero start to doubt his skepticism for the first time in years. It made him think about the question he asked Parker before heading out to start his own personal investigation into the boy.
An investigation that's led him into a void of information.
"With great power, comes great responsibility...huh," Shouta repeated the words Parker said to him, unable to hide the modicum of respect he held towards the person who came up with the saying. What added to those words was the look in his eyes and the way he said those words.
Someone willing to move on from their loss, unlike him.
Anger toward criminals and villains was always a controversial topic among heroes, but it is something all heroes undergo. Parker underwent it according to Araki's sketches but was stopped by that man in a similar costume. It's why he was able to relate to Parker more than he first imagined. In the aftermath of Oboro's death, there was a lot of anger simmering underneath the surface. Wondered if he was truly fit to become a hero.
He stared at the drawing while thinking about the remaining students in his homeroom class. They may be younger than Parker. Less experienced than him. More immature. What separated him from most of the students (and some pro-heroes) he's been teaching for the past few years is Parker understands the weight of responsibility better than a lot of people. He knows what will happen if one fails to act. If one were to hesitate in the field, consequences are bound to follow. Parker, more than most, is intimately familiar with the harsh outcomes should he fail as a hero.
'Do I help him?'
It's the big question that's been gnawing at him.
Part of him saw the immense potential in letting Parker become a pro-hero. He didn't come off as a teenager in need of lessons or discipline. Those drawings, if they're true, showed someone with the skills and abilities to succeed. Maybe a few lessons were needed on certain scenarios to make sure he was abiding by the laws set in place. What was going to land Parker in trouble was the lack of papers for being in Japan. Fortunately for him, Shouta knew the right person for the job. Letting that potential go to waste would be the height of irrationality.
It's just did he really want to stick his neck out for the kid.
Nemuri and Hizashi already offered to help the kid in their own ways.
The former was willing to let Parker stay with her, claiming a new apartment might be on the table in the long term. Shouta had his doubts about Nemuri moving them into a new place so quickly after this encounter with Parker. However, whatever decision she makes regarding moving to a new place to live is a personal one. The other part he suspected was her wanting to help Parker get past the trauma he's been through. Nemuri may be outwardly promiscuous, but Shouta knows at her core she has a heroic heart.
Meanwhile, Hizashi brought up Parker's inability to speak Japanese. He said he knew had connections to a few of the colleges in the area offering language classes to foreigners.
There was just one problem standing in the way of Parker getting into those classes and becoming a hero...
"He has no papers, no visas, just his word and the clothes on his back."
Everything led back to the root of their issues; Parker didn't exist here. In the few hours since returning, Shouta made a few calls to the U.S. Embassy. He asked his contacts to check for any information on a boy named Peter Parker with some of the information gleaned from those drawings, such as his place of residence, friends, and family named 'May Parker' or 'Tony Stark' or 'Stephen Strange'. The information he received from them was troubling. Some questioned if he was pulling on their leg because, as far as they were aware, the boy doesn't exist. Some 'May Parkers' here and there, but with no relation to a Peter Parker, nor living in the New York City area.
Afterward, he lied to them about why needed to look for any information on someone suspected to be an American citizen and just needed double-checking and just left it at that.
Shouta knew a lot of his peers in the hero business would vehemently disagree with his methods to gain information. The decision he made all those years ago to become an underground hero meant coming into contact with criminals far worse than those who operated in the daylight. It resulted in him coming to a logical conclusion from one of Araki's old sayings.
'The answer to all of your questions is money.'
Heroes like him are forced to make tough decisions about what needs to be done for the good of society, and Shouta knew the right person who can help him give the kid a possible future.
He placed the drawing back on his desk and rubbed his bloodshot eyes. The other drawings with some level of importance involved a man who went out of his way to help Parker and, later on, was the person responsible for killing him. He couldn't help but think about the two men dressed in costumes similar to Parker's. Is this another case of doppelgängers? The problem is he wasn't completely sure whether to believe the story. Everything about them was borderline insane.
In spite of his skepticism, Shouta was still leaning in the direction of helping a young hero get back on his feet and fully realize his potential.
Shouta leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling. He said his thoughts out loud, "I can't believe I'm actually contemplating whether to help this kid."
Letting Parker remain sidelined due to legal issues would be irrational. The man sighed afterward, realizing he seem to be talking himself into the idea. It looks as if he was going to be busy tonight. He can only hope Nemuri doesn't get the kid involved in any trouble. The same can be said for Parker getting her in trouble. If these drawings proved anything, the kid was probably the type to jump headfirst into a situation without any hesitation, reminding him of a certain brash Symbol of Peace covered in the media.
It made Shouta remember his first meeting with Araki. The old bastard helped him see through the pain and got him back on his feet in the weeks to follow.
Maybe he can do the same for someone like Parker. He has plenty in his savings to... convince some people.
'I better not regret this decision. First, I need some damn sleep before heading out tonight.'
Shouta grabbed his phone and found the group text between Nemuri, Hizashi, and himself. Nearly all of the text messages were sent by his two friends. He hardly had the time or patience to bother with texting. Well, today was turning out to be a strange day.
Nemuri: I'm taking him out shopping now. Any luck on your guys' end?
Hizashi: Yeah, found a nice small foreign language class for him to attend after calling in a few favors. Needs paperwork though. Eraser, you in?
Shouta typed one word.
Fine.
(X)
"Seriously? Being a hero is considered an occupation here?"
"It's certainly a career worth pursuing for those who want to help people," Ms. Kayama answered his question while looking through the menu in her hand. The dark-haired woman followed it up with a question of her own, "Why? Is it odd to you? The idea of a hero becoming a legitimate profession in this place."
Getting paid to be a hero? Peter suspected Captain Rodgers might've frowned upon the idea. He was a man from a different time in history. Old fashion was the phrase people used to describe the war hero. Mr. Stark, on the other hand, would've laughed at the concept as he would've pointed out the potential flaws that could come from turning heroes into a legitimate profession. One that was commonly found across history.
Corruption. It could turn even the most pure-hearted of individuals into complete monsters.
The Vulture was a prime example of someone pushed into a corner and forced to do what was needed to provide for his family. In some ways, Peter could understand why the man turned towards a life of selling weapons infused with alien technology. He may not agree with it at all, but he saw where the man was coming from.
However, the same can't be said for men like Beck or Norman. Neither cared about anything as long as they fulfilled their goals. One wanted revenge against Mr. Stark. The other wanted to create nothing but chaos.
Suffice it to say, Peter was less than thrilled about creating a career out of saving people. It sometimes led to sticky questions being asked.
Some part of him believed making heroes a real profession could only muddy the water. Makes people question if their heroes truly have the desire to save the people in front of them from danger or if they're only after the more vain aspects of the profession. Vulture's greed. Beck's pettiness. They both showed anyone can put on a show or go down a path as long as the reward was worth it.
"Honestly? I do." Peter admitted to the dark-haired woman. "I remember growing up and idolizing Mr. Stark for being Iron Man. The guy was already rich. So, there was no need to worry about money. For me, I...I didn't care about saving people for a reward or recognition. My sole reason was to help the little guy. I may admire a man like Mr. Stark, but he was far from a perfect man. The thing is...he proved someone can change for the better. Then, I got my own powers a few years ago and it's been..."
"Not as glamorous as he made it out to be, right?"
"No," He quietly said with a deep frown on his face. Peter took a glance around the restaurant, noticing it was rather empty. He looked back at Ms. Kayama, "It's far from what I imagined. Learned a lot about what it takes to be one. I just hope I can learn from all of my mistakes and do better."
"You will. I have faith."
It was comforting to know the people around him supported his decision. Before Mr. Yamada had to leave for work, he said something similar about wanting him to do what he thinks is right. The shaggy-haired man, in a weird way, seemed satisfied by his answer to continue down the path of a hero. He does want to keep fulfilling his role as Spider-Man. A way to keep his promise to May about always doing the right thing. There were just a few problems standing in his way of returning to the fight against criminals, and one involved the costume hidden underneath his clothes.
The thing was in need of some repairs due to it being damaged during the battle against Norman and the other villains who came through.
'Just gotta fix these tears and whatever systems got damaged underneath it,' Peter had to remember to find a store that sold fabric. It may not be the same stuff used the first time he created it before fighting Beck, but it's better than using a ripped-up costume whenever he gets the green light to be a hero again. 'Ugh, I gotta worry about my web shooters running out. Add visiting a hardware store for new supplies to the list. Crap, I don't even have a workbench too...'
Getting settled into this universe was going to take a minute, especially if he was serious about opening up shop in this country as Spider-Man. A line of thinking that made him realize he was completely in the dark about how to become a hero in this country.
"By the way, can I ask you something, Ms. Kayama?"
"What is it?"
"How...do I become a...what do you guys call it? A pro-hero? How do I become one exactly?" He inquired politely. It might feel ridiculous but Peter felt dumb for asking such a question. There were laws against a person becoming a vigilante back home. The thing is heroes like him were given some leeway due to them fighting opponents regular law enforcement would struggle to handle.
"Usually, you would go through high school…"
Peter looked at her with a raised brow, "I'm too old, Ms. Kayama." The thought of retaking high school all over again made him peeved, but if that was the only alternative and if that Aizawa guy got the papers right...
"...We know. It'd be silly to make someone at your age attend high school all over again, not to mention draw some unnecessary attention," Ms. Kayama proceeded to wink at him as if reading his mind. "Besides, you already got a taste of how most girls will react to a handsome boy like you if that little incident earlier means anything." She leaned in. "And trust me, young schoolgirls would go wild for foreign exotic-looking cuties~."
The reminder about the incident at the store from earlier made Peter's cheek go red. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "Uh, right...thanks for the vote of confidence in my looks, I guess…"
"I call it as I see it." Ms. Kayama said, reminding him about their day in Ekisugaru Ward. For the most part, the trip went off without a hitch. They visited a few different stores to check what was available to buy. Although, Peter was somewhat conscious about the price tag on some of the stuff. She didn't seem to mind as long as he let her take pictures in a few outfits that caught her eye.
Embarrassing as hell, but better than fighting villains.
In the end, he did up picking the more affordable clothes from a few places. He chose them for two big reasons. First, he was a lot more comfortable picking out stuff with a smaller price tag. The other one was to placate Ms. Kayama's ego somewhat. She was somewhat adamant about him picking a couple of nice clothes, saying he deserves to look nice when he went out…
And if he should meet a nice girl.
Girls were the last thing on his mind. There was a lot for him to do, and he was still getting over how his first-ever relationship came to an end in the most...depressing fashion.
Today was, for the most part, the real sense of normality he's felt since arriving in this universe a week ago. He was getting an opportunity to interact with Ms. Kayama without the costumes. After all, he was going to be crashing at her place until he can get himself back on his feet and save up enough to get his own place down the road. That, unfortunately, was not going to be for quite some time from the look of things. It's why he was curious as to what he needed to do to become a hero in this country.
Still, he couldn't help but feel like people were staring at him from both inside and outside the restaurant they entered. They decided to get grab a bite to eat after finishing up their shopping trip. It was already late by the time either of them noticed the time, and Peter wasn't in a position to disagree as he was actually hungry.
There was still some part of him hesitant to be seen in public with Ms. Kayama as someone might misconstrue their appearance together. She did reveal to be a pro-hero, but was in civilian attire, so that put him at ease. Although, some looks of a very attractive older woman with a younger man like him did go their way. Ms. Kayama seemed to either relish in it or not care in the slightest bit.
"Besides, now you got some nice duds to wear around town, show off at your upcoming classes, or impress some girls more your age~" Ms. Kayama beamed, seemingly satisfied by what was bought. "I felt like a fashion judge on those runway TV Shows!" She chuckled, sighing.
"Thanks, Ms. Kayama but...I...I really wanna know what it's going to take for me to become a hero in this place. I mean, the clothes are nice but, they don't make the man after all." He looked at his menu, seeing all the lines and gibberish that made up the Japanese language.
He was going to need to learn this.
The table became quiet as neither of them said a word.
"Sorry," Ms. Kayama said out of nowhere, placing the menu down on the table. She lost the smirk and replaced it with an apologetic look on her face. "I...I will try to answer your question to the best of my ability. The steps to becoming a pro-hero in this country, and most countries around the world, are simple. You would need to go through the education system created to foster future generations of heroes. Typically, their journey to become a pro-hero would begin in high school."
"So like, going to law school to be a lawyer?"
"Perfect analogy actually." Ms. Kayama nodded as she looked down at her menu again. "Hmm...what can be considered low-carb..."
Do kids start learning to become heroes upon entering high school in this universe? Turns out the path to becoming a hero around these parts is a lot different than he originally imagined.
"D-Does that mean I can't be a...hero?" Peter subconsciously reached into his pocket and found the mask for his costume. "Is that what you're telling me?"
"Hmm? Oh no, I'm not saying you can't be a hero." She shot down his concerns immediately. Ms. Kayama took out her cell phone and started scrolling through it before explaining it to him. "Shouta, the guy with the funny scarf, said there is a way for you to skip the whole going-to-school part of the hero training."
"Great. What do I need to do?"
"Well for starters, you're going to have to learn how to speak Japanese and get used to our culture."
Okay, that's definitely going to take a minute. Peter might be a smart guy, but learning a completely different language and culture is a whole other beast altogether. However, it's not impossible. Maybe he can find a place that teaches Japanese to foreigners. There are bound to be places like that, right?
"I can manage to learn that stuff," He said confidently, mustering what confidence he could anyway, "What else is on the list?"
"There is another problem standing in our way, and it involves your...identity situation," Ms. Kayama made sure to say the last part loud enough for only him to hear. No telling what someone might do with that kind of information. "Shouta is the only person I know with the connections to make something happen for you. It's a shot in the dark until he gets back to me."
"Is he...Is he really going to help me?"
"All I can say is he sent me a text a few hours ago. The only thing he said was fine."
Peter was very concerned about what someone replying with one word might mean by that. He stared at the older woman across from him with wide eyes, "Uh, do you have any clue what that might mean for me?"
"Honestly, Peter, I have no clue what's going to happen. But," She gave an assuring smile. "Shouta Aizawa is the kind to man to never go back on his word. He'll help. In his own grouchy way."
Her answer was not very reassuring to him...somewhat. In fact, Peter started to feel somewhat nervous about what the shaggy-haired man was doing.
"I...I hope I'm not causing any trouble for you guys. That's the last thing I would want to do to anyone." Peter felt a pit in his stomach. The incident with Doctor Strange made him hesitant to ask people for help out of fear.
Compared to the powerful wizard, these people had no reason to help him.
He's only really gotten to know Ms. Kayama over the past few hours since arriving here. Meanwhile, Mr. Yamada seemed like a nice guy. A bit over the top, but nice overall. The guy with the funny scarf hardly spoke to him other than the questions he asked throughout the interrogation. Ms. Kayama did call him a grouch, but Peter saw a man who didn't hold back his punches.
"You're not."
"But...you saw what happened."
"What I saw?" Ms. Kayama gestured towards herself with something resembling a motherly smile on her face. "Peter, all I saw was a young man trying to do the right thing. Maybe you made a mistake. I am still trying to process what we saw. What I can say is your reason to undo everything wasn't just to get your life back. It was to get back the lives of those around you."
The kind words caught him off-guard. Yet it wasn't enough to break him out of the guilty mindset he's been stuck in for the past few weeks.
"If I had never...gone to him for help...none of this would've happened." The words Strange told him after the spell resounded in his skull. "If I hadn't panicked I..."
Silence took over once more, leaving things awkward between them. Peter, feeling like he might have made a mistake by dumping these emotions onto her, was surprised by the older woman asking a very unexpected question.
"Peter, I...I may not entirely understand what it's like to suffer...the immense losses you've endured in your life," She said seriously. Her sapphire blue eyes met his brown eyes. "I'm not gonna compare what I went through in my life. As I said, all you did was try to rectify the mistake you made. I can say from experience we heroes don't always win the day over here either. We all have our bad days." She reached out, placing a hand on top of his. "We all make mistakes. I mean, we are human in the end, right? To err is human, is the old saying?"
Peter lost so many battles in his life and paid for the consequences on numerous occasions. It's why the look in Ms. Kayama's eyes was almost comforting to witness for himself.
Here was someone willing to be honest about their line of work. Heroes, no matter the stories told, will lose to the villain sometimes. Ms. Kayama and her colleagues may not have dealt with someone like Thanos, but he could see the familiar emotions in her eyes. The same emotions he remembered seeing in Mr. Stark just as the Snap happened.
Defeat. Pain. Frustration.
"That's why I want to help you." Ms. Kayama had a toothy grin. "Despite my title of the 'R-Rated Hero', I didn't go into the hero business just to show off after all. It's just a nice thing on the side."
"Wait, R-Rated Hero?" Peter's eyebrow quirked.
Oh yeah, those photos back at her apartment did have her wearing nothing but straps around her chest, boots, and a trench coat and glasses when she was younger...
But... R-Rated Hero?!
"Oh yeah, my real hero name is-"
Ms. Kayama was about to respond when there was a very familiar noise coming from outside. It's something he has heard thousands of times Peter has heard throughout the past few years as Spider-Man.
Police sirens.
Suddenly, years of experience and honed instincts took over his body. He stood up from the table, "Um, do you mind if I go to the bathroom? Been kind of a long day."
(X)
Peter lied straight through his teeth.
What fueled her suspicion toward the young man across from her? It was hearing the familiar sound of police sirens in the distance. The situation became much clearer after police-marked vehicles were seen rushing past the restaurant. Most people spared the vehicles a quick glance before returning to focus on their meals. However, the same was not said for Peter.
His focus was entirely on the large window next to them. Brown eyes keeping a lookout for any other police-marked. The behavior didn't seem totally out of the ordinary for a former vigilante. Some part of her could understand why he seem to be on edge about what might be happening somewhere nearby. It led to Nemuri remembering Peter's time as a vigilante back home.
'Hang on a second,' She began to realize what might be running through his head. 'He can't be serious, can he?'
Nemuri feared the young man was serious about actually stepping outside and seeing if he could assist the police. The potential problems Peter can encounter for being a vigilante would be severe, and a part of her hoped he would remember the consequences of doing so. She wanted to trust him, thinking he'll do the right thing and keep his heroic nature in check.
But she feared the worst might happen if she doesn't go and stop him.
The older woman stood up from the table and started trailing Peter. After reaching the back, she noticed a door slightly open. The worst part was seeing the red exit sign above it.
'Oh no.'
She trotted down the small hallway before reaching the door and pushing it open. Upon stepping out, it was a moment of awkwardness as Peter was in the middle of changing out of the hand-me-downs from Hizashi. The two stared at each other as neither knew what to say.
However, Nemuri didn't allow the silence to stop her from saying what needed to be said.
"Please don't do it."
Those four words managed to catch the attention of Peter. The young man had a mixture of confusion as well as shame on his face. He looked up at her, "I...I can't."
"You can't what?"
Peter sighed in defeat as he took out the mask from his pocket, "I...I can't look the other way."
She couldn't but feel somewhat disappointed by Peter's words as he seemed intent on carrying through with his decision. In some ways, Nemuri had no right to say he was making the wrong decision from a moral perspective. He's a hero. It would be wrong of her to ask him to remain in his chair. The problem is things aren't as simple here as it is back home for him.
"Peter, I get you're used to...going out to do your thing," She said softly with the hopes of getting him to understand. "But things are different here. Shouta told you the consequences for doing so." Peter looked back with a side-eye.
"So you want me to sit on the sidelines?"
His question proved difficult for Nemuri to answer because there was no better way to word it. But she attempted to do so. "No, I'm not asking you to sit on the sidelines. None of us are asking you to sit on the sidelines. I would never ask you to do that. Not after what I saw," She explained calmly. "I'm asking you to be patient with us...with me. That situation will be handled. Don't worry."
The young man glanced around the alleyway, the sirens still blaring as he bit his lip, looking to the ground before asking a question, "How long?"
That was a good question and, honestly, Nemuri had no idea what to tell him. The older woman pursed her lips as she thought about her next words. A moment later, she expressed her honest thoughts rather than feeding him some flowery words.
"Usually, a student in high school – hopefully – obtains their hero license by their third and final year in school." Nemuri saw Peter's face morph into something akin to frustration or disappointment. She attempted to console him, "I don't believe you're going to be sidelined for that long. If I know Shouta, he'd find it irresponsible to make you wait years. So if you ask me, I think you'll be back on the streets soon enough."
"Do you think so?" The doubt in his voice was evident.
"I do."
Nemuri saw how little impact her words seemed to have on him. Maybe there was another way to show him everything would be fine. He didn't have to rush back into the hero business as there were more than enough pro-heroes across the country who can keep the peace. The Symbol of Peace alone did his job in scaring criminals underground. In the few times, she's worked alongside the man, Nemuri can say the man lived up to the legend he's built over the past few decades.
...Maybe that's what she needs to do to help Peter realize he doesn't need to rush back as Spider-Man. Not in this world.
"Hey, do you want me to show you something?" She was taking a gamble by doing this, but it was the only real way to prove her point to Peter.
"Show me what?"
"I want to show you that there's no need to rush back. Come on, I think it's time for you to see what it's like to be a hero in this world and give you a small taste of what to expect down the road."
After giving him a chance to put his clothes back on, she asked him to follow her as they left the alleyway, not ordering a single thing from the diner.
Chaotic was the perfect word to describe what was happening in the streets. People standing around as they seem to be looking at something in the distance. Police sirens blared in the distance. The sight of black smoke rising into the air caused Peter to take a step forward, but Nemuri caught his movement and stopped him from going forward, grabbing him by the shoulder and calling out to him, "Oh, don't get too excited. Remember; this is a small taste. Nothing more, big boy."
Peter managed to show some restraint and listened to her words. He reluctantly complied, placing his hoodie back on and hiding his costume sleeves. "Fine."
"Alright, let's go find out what's cau–"
Suddenly, there was a loud roar akin to a beast. What was causing the noise? The answer was quickly revealed to be a six-ton bank truck rolling down the street while being chased by police vehicles. Less than a second later, the crowd reacted in a terrified manner. Peter, acting on pure instincts, was the first to respond as he attempted to find an alley.
He was stopped by Nemuri once more. "Wait!" She said, grabbing his hand. "I said let us handle this."
Peter seemed ready to disagree with her words. However, the young man was stopped in his tracks as someone from the crowd pointed down the street, "Look, it's Ingenium!"
It made the two heroes look down the street. The noise, reminiscent of an engine roaring to life, seem to be getting louder until a silver blur ran past them, leaving behind nothing but smoke. 'My, my, I was not expecting our knight in shining armor to be responding.' Nemuri couldn't think of a better hero to show Peter their society was living through a golden age of heroes.
"Whoa."
Nemuri didn't blame him. During their first few times working together, Ingenium's armor was reminiscent of knights from fantasy stories. It made him very popular among many children throughout the country. Another big part of his popularity was his incredible speed. He's able to respond much faster than most heroes in the country. Only a few heroes could probably keep up with him or beat him. Some famous examples were All Might and Endeavor.
Soon, everyone including them was treated to the sight of Ingenium running past them.
To the eyes of many, the hero seemed like a blur of silver as he ran past them. Smoke coming from the exhaust ports on the side of his arms. Like the fairy tales about knights coming to slay the dragon or save the princess, it was easy to say Ingenium was the modern-day incarnation of one.
'Most laid-back knight if they knew him personally.' Nemuri managed to stop herself from snorting at the things said about him in the media.
Most people around her, especially Peter, seemed taken aback by the sight of him. Speedsters are a rare breed. It's why she found herself smiling at the child-like amusement.
"As I said, we're far from helpless. You want to see some of the pro-heroes we have in action?"
"Wait, what?"
Nemuri giggled at his surprise, "I told you...I'm going to give you a small taste. Time to see the idiots dumb enough to cause trouble today."
The reaction from Peter added to her amusement. Soon, the two of them started making their way down the street as others seem to be interested in what was happening. Quite a few people started recording whatever was happening rather than getting to safety. Part of her learning as a pro-hero was prioritizing civilians and moving them away from a dangerous area should it prove to be too much.
'Of course, they're more concerned with recording stuff for social media.'
It wasn't completely unusual for people to take an interest in heroes performing their civic duty. It took the form of people watching like it was some kind of a sporting event.
Personally, Nemuri was never one to shy away from the camera. In fact, it was more accurate to say she loved the attention. Did it mean she placed it above her duty as a hero? No, she may enjoy some of the fame and attention that comes with the job, but Nemuri would rather save a person or stop a criminal in the end.
She signed up to be a hero, not some runway model or glorified actress.
"Is this a good idea?"
She mulled over his question for a few seconds, "In any other situation, I would say no."
"What makes this any different then?"
"You're not a civilian. Quite the opposite, actually. That's the most straightforward answer I can give you," Nemuri answered.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed him reaching into his pocket.
"Well, that does make sense," He replied followed by a question. "So...like...do you guys just show up to fight the bad guy and arrest them for the cops or what?"
Nemuri decided against answering directly, "How about you see them in action for yourself?"
The two of them looked down the street and reacted very differently to what happened. The large truck that appeared to be suspended a few feet off the ground was unable to get away from the scene. It appeared to be wrapped in an ever-expanding web.
A web made from wood.
"Uh...this is a weird case of seeing yourself in action." Peter stared at the scene with wide eyes while he pointed at the scene. "Or am I going crazy?"
"Nah, you're not going crazy."
The young hero asked another question, "So, uh, should I be worried about being a copycat?"
"Kamui Woods? Eh, I wouldn't say he's exactly like you."
Their conversation was interrupted by people cheering around them. Immediately, both of them saw the armored truck being slowly torn apart as the wooden tendrils ripped open the back doors. The criminals were unable to fight back as the police stood ready with handcuffs and a police transport ready to move them away. After shaking the vehicle, the criminals fell out and landed on the ground. They were all quickly arrested.
"Has to be decently strong for that, doesn't he?"
"Apparently, it's more his wood doing the work rather than him," Nemuri explained, scrounging up the little information she had on the sidekick. "I've seen a few spar matches between him and other heroes in the past."
"And?"
She shook her head, "That's for you to find out...after getting your license and becoming a pro-hero. I do want to see the crime scene before we head home."
"Is that allowed? Wouldn't cops be crawling around the bank?"
"Of course, the police are going to be all over. I just want to see the damage done," She said, unable to fight back the curiosity swelling up inside.
As the pair continued heading towards the smoke, Nemuri remembered his question from earlier about how things work around here. If he was determined to return to the hero profession, Peter does need to know how things are handled in Japan. That includes the more...legal aspects associated with a hero.
"I'm curious to know...how did you do things back home?" She asked, starting with an easy topic in the hopes of being able to explain their profession to him.
Peter glanced around to make sure no one was too close before answering the question. "I usually patrolled by swinging around town, keeping an eye for anything dangerous going on, and stopped to check what was said on the police chatter during my night patrols," The young man revealed to her, letting Nemuri realize a few things about him.
"Do I even want to know how you were able to listen in on police chatter?" She asked him, raising a perfectly trimmed brow at him.
"I, uh, managed to make a few changes to my phone to let me listen in. Make some apps and code…"
A vague explanation, but Nemuri decided to leave a pin in the topic as she realized Peter might be a bit smarter than he was letting on. She remembered hearing about police always trying to keep their lines of communication secure in recent years. Or make it to where civilians can't intercept them. For a random eighteen-year-old to know how to do so, is a scary thought. One other interesting tidbit was hearing about night patrols.
"Let's not try doing that here. I'm not sure what the police would think if someone managed to do what you did back home, especially with a vigilante being the one to snoop in..." Nemuri warned. She saw him nodding. "But I do have to say...what you did isn't all that different from what we do. Either we patrol during the day and catch them in the act. There are times when we receive a call from the police for us to help them with special cases. Now, I do have to say, I'm surprised to hear you did night patrols. Don't know many people other than Shouta who does that kind of thing."
"Really?"
She nodded back, "It's one thing to be up from early morning to late in the evening. It's another thing entirely to be prowling around during the late hours of the night."
"...That makes me wonder how the 'paid' part of this profession comes into play?"
"Salary-based. Plus, there's some...incentives," She noticed the wary look on his face. "That is based on criminals caught, keeping collateral to a minimum, and other things to keep our battles against crime as clean as possible."
The explanation must have satisfied Peter's curiosity, but she could tell he was still somewhat reluctant to accept the 'paid' part of their profession. Maybe something else happened back home? Hopefully, he will come to trust her enough to say.
For now, Nemuri wanted to convince the vigilante to not rush back and cause trouble.
The walk towards the bank was somewhat challenging as there appeared to be a crowd. 'People always seem ready to find the next story to tell at work,' Nemuri thought as she and Peter made their way to the front of the crowd, hoping to get a glimpse of what was going on.
Barriers were set up by the police to cordon off the crime scene. 'Or what's left of it.' Nemuri noticed the building nearby happened to be a local bank. The doors looked torn apart with glass everywhere. It looks as if someone decided to come through the front. One thing she could tell from her observations was the various holes in the street like something punched straight through the asphalt. Almost as if something burned through them.
"Do bank robberies usually happen in broad daylight like this?" Peter asked, his brown eyes looking at the scene of what must have been a battle.
"In this day and age? Not really. Most criminals aren't stupid enough to try something like that."
The look from Peter made her follow up on those words.
"...Or, they shouldn't be."
Suddenly, the crowd around them came to life as she heard the engine noise associated with Ingenium's quirk. People began to cheer. Some took out their cell phones. She couldn't blame them. Compared to her, the average person couldn't see someone as famous as Ingenium on a regular basis. Taking pictures or videos was the easy way to show proof to anyone.
His armor akin to a medieval knight caught anyone's eyes, and it's why most eyeballs were on him. A lot of them ignored his sidekicks securing the area and speaking with the other officers in the area. The upcoming superstar in the pro-hero world, Kamui Wood, seems to be an afterthought.
Nemuri looked over at Peter with a smirk, "As I said, we have plenty of heroes around Japan."
"His armor does look cool." The young man found himself looking at the hero's arms. "What about the exhaust pipes coming out of his armor? What's that about?"
"It's his quirk."
"Really? How does that work?"
She shrugged his shoulders, "Don't know. I was never a big science person during high school. I know the absolute basics about quirks. As for the more...odd ones, you're gonna have to find out for yourself, Peter."
The young man didn't seem satisfied by the answer, but he didn't say anything back.
While she was telling the truth about not being completely familiar with quirks and the deeper science involved, Nemuri was very familiar with the man underneath the costume. They've worked together on a number of cases throughout their respective careers. Outside of work, Nemuri learned he was a fun guy to hang around and spend some time with on their off days together.
Still, the woman saw the damage done to the bank as well as the surrounding area. Whatever happened must have been bigger than she originally imagined. The only thing of note was the green substance on some of the damaged properties and how it seem to be melting through whatever it was touching.
'Acid?'
Her sapphire blue eyes caught an exchange between a sidekick and a police officer near the entrance to an alleyway. The latter seemed frustrated as he pointed down it. This interaction made Nemuri wonder what was causing the law enforcement officer to display such emotions. 'Did someone get away?' She questioned mentally.
The thought of a dangerous criminal running around was always something to be concerned about as a pro-hero, but the arrival of All Might scared most into hiding. Unfortunately, a few thought they were powerful enough to take on the Symbol of Peace in battle. Those idiots didn't last long. This time..she was a bit worried to see the damage done by the person.
They were brazen enough to rob a bank in daylight but didn't stick around to find out if Japan's number one hero was in the area.
'It may explain the dents on his armor. That idiot. He must have jumped into a fight without any of his sidekicks to back him up. Plus, those guys on the truck didn't seem capable of damaging Tensei's armor in any serious way,' Nemuri contemplated contacting the speedster later and asking about the criminal he was tracking down.
The speedster himself appeared to be talking to the lead officer on the scene about something as well. Was there a fight at the bank prior to the truck attempting to escape?
Someone able to escape Ingenium was certainly worth checking into. She may not be officially on any cases due to her work as a teacher. It didn't mean Midnight couldn't lend a hand. 'Oh, that does remind me.'
She spoke up, "That's right. I never finished telling you my name."
"Your name?"
The confused look on Peter's face was adorable. Nemuri continued, "The name I go by as a hero."
"Oh."
"It's Midnight." She stretched her hand out. "I'm looking forward to working with you in the future. I am expecting a great many things from you, Mr. Parker."
"Don't worry about me. I'm hoping to get back out there soon."
For the first time, Nemuri saw a genuine smile on the kid's face. Underneath his smile, she imagined a lot of excitement for whatever is awaiting Peter. 'I wonder if Japan is ready for a hero like Spider-Man to show up in town.'
She had a sneaking suspicion about his future…
'This kid is definitely going places when he returns to the hero scene.'
I hope you guys enjoyed what I managed to put together. I also have to say thanks to Zaru for helping me put out the very best chapter for all of you. I don't have too much to say, but I'm looking forward to writing even more for this story.