It was an old wooden building, barely standing after years of use and decay. Ironically, this made it the perfect place to hide, the perfect spot for operations. The city had scheduled the old apartment complex to be demolished over 5 years ago and still haven't gotten around to it. Perhaps they want a battle between heroes and villains to accidently destroy it for them, and they forgot about it ever since. Either way, it was no longer the empty husk it used to be.
Each room now served a different purpose. The top floor is where his men slept, talked, bathed and everything else. The floor below it was used as the offices for his head men, and one specifically for himself. The bottom floor and basement stashed all their weapons, drugs and supplies they needed to get themselves off the ground.
Tombstone strapped his gun to his belt and hid it with the jacket of his fancy new suit and tie. In the background of his office was classical piano music playing on the radio he acquired from one of his 'jobs'. Occasionally, the music would dive down an octave, changing its pace to keep the drama alive. It was a nice metaphor for how he chose to live his life. Rolling his neck, he picked up a folder full of images and examined them. Many of them were photos of men, likely with a woman he shouldn't be. He smiled, feeling the power inside little sheets of paper and ink.
"Boss," A man approached his office, the door already open wide, "The boys are ready."
"Then get to the streets," Tombstone said, "Impose our will on the city just as I did with New York," He placed the folder back down and held his hands behind his back, "Don't try to cop out on what we earn, bring all the money you acquire back here. All of it."
The man nodded and left the room.
After his men had left in their subtle black cars, Tombstone took the time to walk on the streets of the city. Unlike back home, his appearance didn't matter as much to the people. In fact, more than once when he explored the area, he saw someone who's quirk altered their appearance. He didn't feel as though he stood out, and very few people eyed him because of what he looked like. Despite his goal to strong-arm the city, he actually felt as though he belonged in this world of freaks and superpowered outcasts.
Yes, this will be a nice place to call home.
…
The door to the Midoriya household opened slowly for the guests of honor. Peter held May up by wrapping his arm behind her back. She was still weak and frail from the attack yesterday, but the hospital decided she was strong enough to be discharged. He kept their pace slow as he brought his Aunt to the couch and gently set her down on the largest cushion. She gasped faintly, glad that she could relax her old muscles. He smiled, happy to see her out of a hospital bed and dressed in normal clothing. It was so much that he had almost forgotten just how much was different now. She knew his secret, which meant that everything would change now, even just a little.
"This is a very nice place," Aunt May spoke as she let her shoulders sink into the couch, "Do you enjoy it here?"
"I do," He answered, stuffing his hands into his pockets, "Izuku and Mrs. Midoriya take good care of me. There's also a superhero that comes by regularly, she's our body guard against my enemies."
"I do hope that she's nice."
Peter sat down next to her, arching his back forward as his fingers locked together and rested on his lap, "Overcast, or Mayume, is not only a good hero, but a good person. The first day she showed up, she brought me and the entire class to an arcade just to make me feel better."
May sat forward, taking another look at the house. Some of it reminded her of home as she saw the many pictures on the walls. They were all Izuku and his mother smiling or posing in many locations over the years. What she noticed about these pictures was the lack of a father figure. If his mother had been raising Izuku for most of his life and all on her own, then she had already respect her without having to meet.
"Where is Mrs. Midoriya?" May asked.
Peter straightened his back and rolled his shoulders, "She's running a few errands. She'll be back soon, it gives you some time to settle in."
May then stood from the couch, earning a look of concern from Peter as he hovered his hands over her shoulders. She gave him a gesture to stand down, assuring that she could stand on her own. Though slowly, she wandered around the room and examined the contents carefully. Eventually, she stopped at a picture of Izuku and his mother that rested on the wall. It looked recent, if not taken a few years ago. Both Izuku and Mrs. Midoriya looked very happy and seemed as though they got along well.
"Does she worry for Izuku?" May asked without looking at Peter, instead keeping her eyes trained on the photograph, "He goes to that school, yes? Does she worry about what will happen to him?"
Peter let out a quiet sigh and stood next to her. He examined the photo with her, listing all the little details he could find. The two of them seem happy together, despite it only being the two of them.
"They remind me of us," May stated, "It seems as though it's just the two of them. A woman trying so hard to provide, and a boy with dreams so large."
"And a missing father figure," Peter added, "I noticed too. I never asked about it because I didn't want to intrude on something so personal."
"We all have our secrets."
Peter's shoulders slumped, "I'm sorry I never told you."
"Don't be," She said, "I understand why you did. You wanted to protect me from your enemies."
"It's more than that," He said, leaning against the wall as his eyes became glossy, "When I did wrestling, a man had robbed the ring. I could have stopped him, but I decided it wasn't my problem. That same man killed Uncle Ben. I was dressed as Spider-Man when it happened so …I thought if you knew…you'd blame me too."
She quickly brought Peter in for a hug, putting a hand on the back of his head and stroking his hair gently, "Peter Benjamin Parker, I could never blame you for what happened. You made a mistake, yes, but you've done so much to make up for it. So many people have been saved because of you, because of Spider-Man. I don't blame you for what happened, I'm proud of what you've become."
Smiling, he hugged her back gently as not to hurt her further. His secrets were like chains that hung from the back of his neck, weighing him down with each step. However, now one by one the chains have slipped off and allowed him to stand up straight. He felt stronger now than he ever has before and better now for it.
Letting go of the hug, May wiped her nephew's tears off his cheeks, "These people have allowed us into their house. That's very kind of them, isn't it?"
He sniffled, a big grin on his face, "We should do something to repay them. Maybe clean the house?"
"You read my mind."
…
A few hours had passed, and the sun was high in the air. Izuku was waiting at the entrance of the school for his mother, who promised to pick him up today, so they could greet their new guest together. He stood there holding the straps of his backpack, pushing onto his toes whenever a car drove by that happened to look familiar. He was nervous, but also excited to meet the woman who brought Peter up and taught him right from wrong. Perhaps there was a chance he could learn something too.
Coming up behind him was Totoroki, having not noticed Izuku standing there until he reached the entrance. Normally Izuku was gone by now, so it seemed strange to see him there. The green haired hero had caught his eye since the USJ attack. When All Might was in peril, he had moved faster than the human eye to try and save him. His power and passion were curious, enough to earn his attention.
"Midoriya," Totoroki said as he approached him, startling the short teen.
"Totoroki!" Izuku said with surprise, "H-hey, what's up?"
"What are you doing?" He asked.
Izuku twiddled his thumbs, looking back at the road for a moment, "I'm just waiting for my mom to pick me up."
"Don't you usually walk home?"
"We're gonna meet Peter's aunt together, so she wanted to give them some time to talk first. She's just picking me up for convenience."
Totoroki didn't think much on Peter, in fact he had almost forgotten that he was here at the school when it was attacked. Most of the news had covered the USJ attack, so not everyone was well informed on what happened here. All he knew was what Overcast had told them, even then she didn't elaborate on much.
"Right …how is he?" He asked slowly.
"He's doing better. His Aunt is gonna be ok too."
"That's good," He paused, then walked down the sidewalk without so much as a wave goodbye, "See you later."
Izuku waved to him, even though he didn't receive a response. The interaction was strange, but he decided not to worry too much about it.
A car pulled up to the sidewalk where he had been standing and the driver window had rolled down. Izuku's mother, Inko, was in the driver's seat, "You ready to go?" She asked.
"Mhm!" he exclaimed and climbed into the back seat, quickly buckling in as she started to drive down the street.
"How were your classmates after yesterday?" She asked, "I can't imagine everyone has already made a full recovery, emotionally I mean."
"It's a process," Izuku answered, "But they said despite the attack that they still want to proceed with the Sports Festival."
"Really?" She said in surprise, "Are they sure?"
"Mr. Aizawa said they want to continue with it to show people they aren't going to be scared into a corner."
Inko sighed and continue to drive. It sometimes bothered her with how the school handled their students. Each day the hero's class is put through dangerous training and its brushed aside like nothing. Some of these students should be allowed the time to recover emotionally as well as physically. Becoming a hero isn't an easy task, she understands this. What still concerns her is what will happen to them when they are pushed too far. True, they will be heroes someday, but right now they are still just kids.
Inko pulled into her parking spot and switched the gears to park, leaning back and looking at Izuku, "Are you sure you want to do the Festival? If you aren't feeling up for it, just say so."
"I want to do it, mom," He assured, "I can't be afraid."
"…Ok," She gave up, "Let's go meet our new guest."
Inko trailed behind Izuku as he excitedly made his way toward the front door of his home. While she had a smile on her face, her mind still weighed itself with thoughts of worry. As proud of Izuku as she is, there are still the thoughts of his injury or death in the career he chooses. When he had finally gotten his Quirk, she was so very happy for him. Finally, he was happy with himself again just like when he was a child. Even though she was proud of him, she was also scared of what may happen that is out of his control. Heroes die all the time, and she doesn't want Izuku to be one of them.
Opening the door wide, Izuku entered and announced himself with joy, "We're home!"
Immediately the Midoriya's were caught off guard. As they entered their house, spotted there was Aunt May and Peter sitting on the couch as they talked. The room around them had been cleaned thoroughly. Countertops were wiped down, the floors were mopped, and items were put away in their proper spots.
"What… happened here?" Inko asked with a bit of laughter in her words.
Peter turned to face them, then jumped up from his spot, leaping nearly halfway across the room to greet them, "We wanted to thank you for letting my Aunt stay here with us, so we decided to do a little cleaning."
Aunt May stood from the couch and brushed herself off, slowly making her way to the front door, "You must be Mrs. Midoryia," She assumed.
"Why, yes I am," She smiled brightly and greeted the older woman, "You must be May Parker. It's very nice to meet you. You can just call me Inko."
May was taller than Inko but only by half a foot. Despite the height, Inko didn't feel small or inferior around the gentle old woman. According to May's posture, she already felt rather comfortable around her and Izuku, likely because of what Peter may have already told her about them.
"You really didn't have to do all of this," Inko said, "After everything you and Peter have been through, you should be allowed to rest. Especially you, May, deserve a little rest after the attack."
May playfully scoffed and waved her hand, "As long as these old bones hold out, I won't become lazy just yet," May grinned, "You and your son deserve something after all of the kindness you've shown my nephew."
Inko smiled, seeing that Peter indeed inherited his stubborn nature from the family tree. With the house clean, that was once less chore she had to take care of today, perhaps even for a few days considering the work they did. She was a hard-working woman despite her age, there was an instant respect about it.
"Since you'll be staying with us," Inko said, "We can set up a spot on the couch for you until I can buy a new mattress."
"Oh don't worry about that," May assured, "The couch will be just fine."
…
The night came fast as everyone had settled in on the couch. The only light in the room came from the television playing in front of the makeshift family. Two blankets were what kept everyone together and warm, with the adults on the couch and the teenagers sitting on the floor just in front of them. An action movie was playing on one of the many film channels. The teens hands were covered in butter from their popcorn bowl, carefully analyzing when the other would take a handful as not to disrupt them. Izuku and Peter were far more into the story than May and Inko, but they still enjoyed their enthusiasm. May was close to falling asleep now, but the others didn't seem to mind since the couch was where she was sleeping anyway.
Izuku nearly choked on his popcorn as the actor on the screen jumped across the buildings and crashed through a window, as a flying ship raced by. The character charged across the room and leapt through a second window, landing on the ship abruptly and disrupting it's flight pattern.
"I can't believe he survived that!" Izuku said aloud, "He could have fallen, or the glass could have killed him! His agility quirk doesn't protect him from that!"
"No but that isn't gonna stop him," Peter added, "He knows that his quirk won't protect him, but he's determined to do the right thing. Sometimes it's not about what you can do, but what you should do. Pretty sure that's the message of the movie."
Izuku focused on the screen again, stars in his eyes and full of inspiration, "So cool."
It was Peter who picked the movie for that night, and for good reason too. The description was promising, talking of a man who was framed as a villain, and had to become one publicly to do the right thing. Even if it meant destroying his image, he knew others would live if he did so. It was a film grounded more into reality, rather than just a strong hero stopping the bad guy. They talked about the grey area of doing what's right, something Spider-Man found himself in rather often.
Eventually, the popcorn bowl had been emptied, leaving the hungry boys with nothing more to munch on. They couldn't do anything at that moment, not until a commercial came on. Inko eyed the bowl and readied herself to get up and grab it so she could put it in the sink to be cleaned later. Till then, she simply watched Izuku and Peter react off each other. It was fascinating just how similar they were, not just in personality. Both lived in a two-person household, working hard to look after their guardians, and they both wanted to be heroes. And yet they were still so different in experiences. Izuku was so innocent, knowing what's right and wrong and sticking with it. Peter, however, clearly has seen a lot of darkness during his time as Spider-Man. Despite his joking nature, he was rather mature for his age, perhaps more mature than a child should be. Maybe that's why he chose this movie, to subtly show Izuku his viewpoint, that doing what's right doesn't always mean following the rules.
Finally, the movie came to a commercial, awkwardly fading to black quickly as the first Ad came on TV for some soda drink they hear too much about. Inko got to her feet and handed her half of the blanket to May, "Let me get that for you," she said, grabbing the popcorn bowl and moving around the couch, headed straight for the kitchen.
"I'll help you wash it, mom!" Izuku shouted, quickly jumping to his feet and leaping after her. It was just Peter and May now, left to laugh at Izuku's awkward body language that well mirrored the young arachnids.
"We can watch the news until the commercials are over," May suggested.
Shrugging, Peter grabbed the remote from the armrest of the couch and held it in his hands, trying to see the buttons in the dark, with only the light of the TV to guide him. Eventually he found the channel buttons and switched It to the news network, "I'll be so upset if we miss something important," He said.
May watched the news with intrigue, much of it usually focusing on the heroes in the city. You couldn't go anywhere without something or someone talking about superheroes and how great they were. Signs, billboards, talk shows couldn't keep in their excitement about the costumed saviors. Currently, the news was interviewing Mt. Lady as she had just finished stopping a bridge from collapsing by growing large enough to hold it up. She was covered in dust and a few tears were left on her costume, but she was otherwise fine. Men in the background were clearly fawning over her, but she didn't seem to mind.
"Don't let her flirty attitude fool you," Peter said, "She mostly does it for the attention, but she has a good heart. Helped save you back at the school in fact."
"Did she now?" May asked, looking more intently as the hero as the camera zoomed in on her face, "She's quite the beautiful young lady."
"She …is," He said awkwardly, "Has a habit of giving mixed messages, though."
The interview ended with Mt. Lady giving a wink to the camera and blowing a kiss at it, then it cut to the next segment. The reporter on sight started to talk about the sudden rise in crime as of late due to a rumor about a new crime lord. Peter had at first assumed they were describing the League of Villains, who had attacked the school and the USJ just days ago.
Instead, however, they talked about increased drug trade and criminal outbursts. The only evidence they had to go off was the rumor of a new Drug Lord on the streets, increasing sales and consumption of illegal substances. It hit a nerve, even if only slightly within Peters cells. He's known friends, people close to him who consumed drugs and substances and it turned them into monsters. Norman, Dr. Conner's, and others lost themselves because a strange drug was their only hope. He wished he could do something, but he felt so trapped by what everyone has told him.
Everyone wants him to sit and stay.
"You want to do something, right?" May asked as Peter turned his head to her, "You have that look in your eye, the same one you always have right before you come up with some excuse to leave and be Spider-Man."
"…What should I do?" Peter asked.
May sat forward and let herself gently fall to the floor next to him. She wrapped her arm around his shoulder and held him close, kissing his head and staring at the screen, "What do you think you should do?"
"Everyone, friends and heroes alike, would tell me to stay out of it."
"But what do you think?"
Peter thought on this, words from Kendo racing back into his brain. He knew that if he did nothing, then nothing would change. If he did something, anything could change whether it be good or bad. If that was a risk worth taking, why did he hesitate?
Time passed, the movie had finally come to an end. Everyone had gone to sleep at the late hour of 11:43, and it wasn't until midnight when Peter was sure Izuku had fallen asleep. His back was already strapped over his shoulder with his suit hiding inside. The only thing he could locate were his web shooters, which he had briefly taken off to shower before bed. To avoid making noise, he crawled on the ceiling as he made his way to the living room, trying to see through the dark of the early night. Where are the, he wondered. Why couldn't he find them?
Just then, a small flashlight shined on him, as Aunt May was standing there with a blanket over her body. She was grinning at him, as though she had seen this coming.
"…You have them, don't you?" he asked, skipping right to the point of the conversation. Just then, she held up the pair of web shooters, clutching them between her fingers. He carefully let himself down and took ahold of them, equipping the devices to his wrists.
"What am I supposed to say if they wake up and find you aren't here?" She asked, "I thought you said that you always need an escort until these villains are gone."
"Use one of my many late-night excuses I've given you," he suggested, "One of them is bound to work.
"You want me to lie?" May questioned, "After all they've done for us? Wouldn't they understand?"
"That's a question too dangerous to answer," He stated, "Now you know what it's like to be me. Please, Aunt May. I'm not going far, I just …need to think. Swinging through the city always helped to clear my head."
Sighing, she patted his shoulder, "Don't be too long."
He nodded, walking to the window and opening it slowly, looking back at her just once before leaping into the night.
…
The wind was blowing gently that night as Spider-Man swung through the city with a backpack over his shoulder. Normally he'd be making jokes as he swung to prepare him mentally for whatever he may come across, or he'd be talking out loud to cope with whatever he was feeling at the time. Tonight, however, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Spider-Man could only swing in silence as thoughts raced through his brain, as words invaded his private mind.
"You can't go out and fight villains. You don't have a license, so going out there would be illegal."
"Do me a favor, Parker, get out so I don't have to see your silent whining."
"We cannot always control how we impact other people. We are heroes, and there will be danger all around us every day."
"That's the way the law works."
"If you go after these villains and cause harm to them, the Police will have no choice but to arrest you. Please …don't do anything drastic."
He landed on the roof of a small building after a powerful swing. He remained perched where he landed, squinting his eyes under the mask. This isn't the first time someone has told him no when he knew what was right. He's been told something similar for a long time, whether it be a bully telling him he'll never amount to anything, or a villain telling him how pathetic he is. Peter has always done what's right, even if it costed him everything. Taking a deep breath, he stood up and started pacing around the roof just as it had begun to rain. His costume soaked and stuck against his skin, making him shiver slightly as he held his arms together. The rain of the night began to remind him of another night, another event.
He leapt down into the nearest alleyway. The scene was almost too familiar, a puddle of water tinted by blood, a man who begged for his life as the amateur wrestler held him by his shirt. "There's no where on earth you can hide from me!" He remembers saying. When he removed the killer's hat, it had been the same man he let escape earlier that same day. But when he looked past him, all he saw was his own reflection in the puddle. The image of the man truly responsible.
Spider-Man walked over to the lonely puddle and accompanied it with his own reflection. He wouldn't dare remove his mask to see the criminal underneath, it was better to keep his two worlds separate, a task near impossible in this world. The moment his worlds collided, people had begun to get hurt. Fight as he may, he can't protect everyone from his mistakes.
A sudden ringing in his head told him to turn around, as the presence of a powerful figure entered the alleyway. He turned around defensively, seeing a woman with a cloak over her head. Under the cloak was the woman wearing armor, with yellow glowing eyes coming from her helmet.
"Hello, Peter," Her voice sounded strange, like it was being distorted somehow, "It's funny, I do that too sometimes."
At this point, he stopped questioning when someone knew who he was and just went along with it, "Do what?" He asked.
The woman leaned against the wall of the building with one hand, looking up at the rain, "Use my powers to wander the city. It's …peaceful."
Spider-Man kept his distance, not wanting to start anything if he didn't have to, "Who are you?"
She looked him dead in the eyes now, "You know who I am."
It had only taken him a moment to work out what was going on, and who had come to see him as such an hour. Rather than freaking out, or even attacking her, he decided to remain passive and see what she wanted. After all, she never seemed 'evil', "You're the one with a Light Quirk."
"Call me Lumina," She put a hand to her chest, gesturing her identity, "I've been watching you since you got here. A bit much to use the school as a cover, isn't it?"
"I reacted on instinct, I was in too deep already. Besides, it gives me good connections."
"I bet so," She walked closer, picking up on Spider-Mans nervousness, "I'm just here to talk, Peter. No deals, no attacks, just talking. Is that ok?"
"You're asking?" He scolded, "I thought villains just took what they wanted."
"They do," She answered, "Maybe I'm not 100% villain." From her posture to her body language, back around to her tone, she sounded so sincere when she addressed him. His spider-sense hadn't gone off again just yet, but that didn't mean he was letting his guard down.
"I'm sorry you're caught up in all of this," She continued, "I really am. You're a sweet kid, and you don't deserve all that's happening, nor what may come."
"Why do you care so much about me?"
"Because I get you," Lumina stated strongly, "I get wanted to do the right thing, even if it destroys you."
"Is that what you're doing?" He scoffed, "The right thing? The Green Goblin attacked the high school!"
"I didn't want him too," She reminded him, "Just as I didn't want him to hurt you. I have a goal, and he strayed from it for selfish gain. The only people who get hurt are those without a chance to be saved. I'm trying to keep the collateral to a minimum."
Spider-Man backed up, clenching his fists tightly, "Get to the point already."
She sighed, backing up as well, "I don't have one. I just wanted to tell you I'm not a bad person. I recruited the villains to use them as pawns, stepping stones. Any trouble they cause is on me, and I'm sorry if they've…that they've hurt you. I'm just …sorry."
There was nothing more from her as light erupted from her hands and launched her into the cloudy sky, leaving Peter all alone to wonder. She had no end goal here, no promise of a better world, no partnership to offer. All she wanted was to not be the villain.
Now the questioned remained if she really was one or not.
Webbing up to the roof, he sat down on the edge and held his knees to his chest, contemplating all the thoughts in his mind. Looking back, he realized that she was right. When the Goblin attacked him, she had nothing to do with it. In fact, the first time was when she had saved him, scolding the green monster right in front of him. She didn't act like the traditional villain, but more like another he knew. Much like Otto Octavius, she seemed to have a goal in mind and didn't want collateral to be caused. For her, though, it seems she doesn't want to hurt anyone. If the villains are pawns, then what game is she playing?
Quite some time had passed, at least an hour or so of sitting in the rain and thinking. He had already developed a sniffle, signifying a cold was already settling in. He had at least removed his mask and protected it under his legs to remain dry, but he still allowed the water to drench the rest of his body. The whether always seemed to fit exactly to what he was feeling, perhaps mother nature really did have a sense of humor.
Looking at the street below, he saw two black cars driving by with tinted windows. A tinted window was always the first sign, the second being the license plate, which both cars seemed to be missing. Criminals always try to hide but end up making it so obvious.
Screw it, he thought. Damn the laws to Hell where they belong.
Putting on his partially wet mask, he leapt into the air and swung after the cars, using the cover of the rain to stay hidden up above. His eyes remained glued to the front wagon, leading the others on through the streets. Finally, they pulled into a clearing between several buildings. It was littered in trash and garbage bags, most of the window lights off for the sun's departure. Spider-Man stuck himself to the closest building and watched the people below get out of their cars with briefcases. He crawled closer on the wall, trying to get a closer look through the rain. One of the men placed their briefcase on the hood of their car and revealed bags of powder inside. Drugs, specifically the illegal kind.
"Straight from Tombstone himself," The man said, "I guarantee it's legit."
"This 'Tombstone'," The other man questioned, "Is he legit?"
"Scouts honor."
The arachnid couldn't make much else of what they were saying, but it was more than enough. Tombstone, of course he was behind the increase in drug trade. He likely came here with the others thanks to Osborn and saw the city as a golden opportunity. This was all the motivation he needed. No second thoughts were required when he jumped down to greet them.
"Is that the sugar I ordered?" Spider-Man asked as he landed with a small splash, startling the crooks, "About time! Grandma is making cookies and boy is she good at it!"
"It's a hero!" A man shouted as he pulled out his gun, "Kill him!"
"Fine, but grandma is going to be so disappointed. Last time I invite you guys for desert, sheesh."
Just as they started firing off their guns, Spider-Man leapt into the air and webbed their weapons up, throwing them all to the side.
"Screw it! Use your quirks!" One said, igniting his arms in green flames and charging at him. Spider-Man relied on his instincts and dodged each attack, barely able to avoid the singe. Part of the costume's torso was ripped thanks to the burning temperature, but otherwise he was fine.
"Hey thanks for warming me up!" he said as he continued to dodge, "I was starting to catch a cold. You're so considerate, want me to save you a cookie?"
Performing a backflip, the heel of his foot collided with the man's jaw and sent him to the ground with a thud. The others came at him all at once, the perfect bait and trap opening. Jumping straight up and twirling, he shot down multiple web bullets and stuck them all together into one massive ball. As he landed, he shot out several strands and started to tug on them, "The Olympian goes for the swing!" he shouted, swinging them around in a circle, "He makes the throw, and-!" Releasing them, the ball of webs crashed into the nearest wall and stuck the remaining criminals to it, "He breaks the world record! Woo!"
Spider-Man started running around in circles, cheering to himself. For just a moment, he felt happy again. Being in costume and stopping crime made him smile under the mask even though just a moment ago he had felt distraught. Stopping in his tracks, he looked at his reflection in the puddle below. It was brief, but for a moment he didn't see a murderer, nor did he see a screwup. He just saw a nerd in a costume.
The drugs became apparent in his mind once again as he approached the open briefcase with curiosity. Tombstone wants to bring his business to this world, assuming there would be no obstacles. He didn't count on a nerd in a costume. Just as Peter didn't count on Lumina, who had been watching him from the rooftop above, a smile bright on her face.