Otto turned around to see the new arrival, just as Itsuka struck him with another attack. He landed face first on the ground, pinned by her foot as she stared at Izuku in surprise, "Midoriya?!" she questioned.
"Another pathetic child," Tombstone recovered from the attack, rubbing his face, "You're strong …but I still didn't feel a thing."
"Izuku! Get out of here!" Spider-Man shouted.
"I can't!" He screamed back, "You're right …the world won't wait for me! I have to set my own golden standard for the kind of hero I want to be! And this is it! This is who I want to be! Fighting for the people I care about and doing what's right because it's right! That's the only reason I need! I won't stand by and watch you suffer or die because I did nothing!"
"Izuku, you can't fight him! You'll break!"
"Then I'll break! I'll cry, break, fear and hate! I'll do all of it! I'll do it all 10 times over! And when I'm broken and battered, I'll pick myself up do it again! And I don't just mean this fight! If people gave up every time they got hurt, the human race would be dead right now! So, I'm not gonna stop fighting, because you never have!"
Another soul had been touched by the words of Peter Parker. There was nothing he could say, not to his own speech once used before. He learned everything Peter had been trying to explain. There was nothing else he could do to argue. He simply stood by his side with a nod, and faced Tombstone with determination.
"Time to end this!" Tombstone shouted, slamming his fists together and running forward.
Izuku took front, doing a hop into the air and throwing his leg sideways using his quirk. The strike swatted at Tombstones face and send him stumbling to the side. Spidey charged next and hit his chin with the top of his knee, coming back down with an elbow strike. Ducking down, Izuku rolled over his back with one leg charged, striking him in the stomach. They repeated the action in reverse, this time Spidey rolling over to strike with both feet.
He was given no time to recover and received an uppercut to his nose, followed by a swift kick to his knee. He fell on one leg and was struck twice by their attacks before finally blocking them, and pushing them away. When he stood up, he was greeted with Izuku kicking him to one knee again. They repeated the process, keeping him on one knee and striking him when he was vulnerable.
"Enough!" Tombstone shouted with strike to them both. They stumbled back but used each other to keep their balance, "I did not reestablish my operation just to get beaten by children! When will you grow up and realize the world doesn't want you to save it!"
"When pigs fly and you get a tan!" Spidey mocked.
In a fit of rage, Tombstone charged at them again, barreling at full speed.
"Izuku," Spider-Man took his arm, "Combo."
As Tombstone grew closer, Spider-Man used all his strength to begin swinging Izuku around in a circle. Making a small hop, he released at the height of their speed and sent Izuku flying toward their enemy. The trade of momentum sent Spider-Man hovering backwards a bit, a gust of wind pushing the fire aside as he flew faster.
"I won't let you down, Peter!" Izuku charged One for All into his right arm. He didn't bother to put in the 5%, instead charging it as much as he could. His last attack hadn't done enough, so it was clear a full power charge was what he needed. He knew he would break, but he didn't care.
"S-s-m-m-a-a-s-s-h-h!"
Reaching him, Izuku winded his fist back, and threw it straight at Tombstones stomach. The impact rushed through his entire body, sending waves of pain through his skin. He was completely shocked to find he was actually feeling pain, spreading to every fiber of his being. This kid must have been carrying several tons of force to actually cause some damage. For the first time since he was a child, he felt the need to recoil from pain.
The power of his attack only increased with every second, launching to the far back of the room with a large gust of air and power. He crashed straight through the wall, flying into the next room and crashing through the next wall, then again, and again, until he ended up going through to the other side of the building and landing on the street outside.
Tombstone was knocked out cold.
When the dust settled, Izuku's right arm was broken. Though he promised he wouldn't break his limbs again, he let that promise down ever so soon. The fires still continued to spread, but no one could focus on that right now. Izuku breathed fast and deeply trying to comprehend the results of his attack. Once he had, utter relief washed over him. He had saved his friend from another villain trying to kill him, perhaps he had finally ended the cycle, he thought.
His broken arm shook in pain, but nothing he wasn't already used to. Spider-Man came over to check on him, holding the top of his shoulder gently.
"Are you ok?" he asked.
"Yeah …recovery girl is gonna be really mad though," He joked.
"You came all this way … just to help me? Despite the law?"
"I had to. You're my friend, and …sometimes …" He looked down, "It's stupid …but …sometimes I even see you as family."
That was enough to make him hug Izuku, carful not to hurt his injured arm further, "You're my family too, Izuku Midoriya."
He hugged back with his one good arm, crying again, though much calmer than when he normally does. Utter relief had overtaken them both, happy the other was safe from harm.
"Uh, guys?" Kendo called out, her foot still on Otto's barely conscious body, "What do we do with him?"
They let go of the hug, Spider-Man being the first to speak, "Tombstone landed in the alley. Let's get the stone, Otto and …and Beck out of here, then call the police."
At the sound of Becks name, Kendo could only look at his dead body in sorrow. With the adrenaline dying down, guilt washed over her and squeezed her heart. It felt as though hooks were on her ribs, pulling in opposite directions and breaking them with each tug. His blood was still on her shirt, a reminder of what she had done, even if she didn't pull the trigger.
In her eyes, she might as well have.
Her grief only lasted a moment, when one of the two remaining metal arms Otto owned had grabbed her by the leg, swinging her and tossing her body toward Spider-Man and Izuku. The arachnid managed to catch her in a cradle position, holding her body close to ensure she was ok before setting her down.
Otto used his metal arms to hold himself up, his balance tilting due to the lack of extra arms for support. After everything that happened, it seemed he still wasn't out of the fight yet.
"Otto, It's over!" Spider-Man begged, "Just stop!"
"Not until the stone is ours!" he screamed, looking behind him to find it still on the ground.
Both he and Spider-Man moved at the same time, though the young hero was much faster. Running in a straight line, Spider-Man climbed off his back and jumped forward, pushing off his face to send him backwards. He rolled into a stand and grabbed the stone on his way up. Just as he stood straight, a metal arm struck him across the face and caused the stone to drop, bouncing and rolling past them both. It spun circles with the vibrations of their movements, barely slowing down before it reached Kendo.
She picked it up quickly, earning a death glare from Otto. When he tried reaching his arms for her, Izuku used 5% of One for All and swatted it aside, making him spin off balance. The other arm came back around and smacked them both aside, causing the stone to go flying into the air.
They were all an even distance from the stone still aloft in the air, each of them had their eyes glued to it. As its momentum started to bring it down, they rushed for it at the same time. Otto's metal limbs were closer, but Spider-Man managed to kick him aside and throw off his trajectory.
All Peter could think about as he approached the stone was what would happen if it fell into Otto's hands, or even Tombstones. His mind rushed with every event that took place up to this moment since his arrival. Fighting Goblin, saving Kendo, the attack at the station, protecting the school, his talks with Strange, everything. He fought too hard to let himself fail now.
The three young heroes all reached for the stone at the same time. Spider-Man was the first to take hold of it, with Kendo then grabbing his hand and Izuku gripping her wrist. They had managed to catch it just before it hit the ground.
What Spider-Man hadn't realized was how tightly he gripped the stone.
It started feeling hot, almost burning the palm of his hand and singing the cloth of his suit. It glowed powerfully under his fingers, that energy reflecting in his veins. He looked up at his friends and found their eyes to be glowing the same color, a look of shock on both their faces, as if hypnotized. When Peter realized what was happening, he yanked the stone away.
"Kendo! Izuku!" He shouted, "I'm sorry! It was an accident! Are you ok?!"
The glowing faded from their eyes, and they shook their heads of the daze. The look of shock, however, hadn't left them. In fact, it only worsened once reality had set back in. Whatever was on their minds, whatever the stone did, it left them in a state of disbelief. What they were feeling wasn't something they had ever felt before, or ever would have if they hadn't come here.
Otto stood back up, dizzy and fading from consciousness. He was tired, too tired to fight yet he kept going in spite of it, "I can't …I can't fail!"
He gripped his fists tightly and launched forward. Spider-Man only had time to push his friends to safety before Otto pinned him to the ground. With his other metallic limb, he plucked the stone from his hand, then threw him across the floor. He crashed into a pillar, the impact causing it to fall right on top of him. The debris covered most of his body, showing his arm and head poking out.
"Peter" Izuku and Kendo shouted together. They rushed over to the debris and started pulling it off of him. Otto held no remorse for him, instead only going over to Becks body and picking it up, wrapping it gently with his metal arm.
"…I'm sorry, friend," He said quietly, taking his deceased ally and heading for the front door.
Just as he reached for the handle, Izuku came charging at him with his left arm powered to 5%. When he leapt into the air to strike him, Otto just swatted him away and watch him hit the wall, dazing him.
"You're out of your league," Otto stated, "Go back to school."
With nothing more to say, no more energy to spend, he left through the front door and vanished into the night.
"Midoriya!" Kendo called out, "Help me with Peter!"
Izuku looked between her and the door, and groaned in pain as he got to his feet only using one arm. He wasn't much help, but he did his part to remove the debris from Peter's body. Once freed, they carried him by the arms through the front door, just as more debris had falling from the ceiling, causing the fire to only grow larger.
…
On a roof far from the auction house, Lumina sat with her knee's close to her chest. Her helmet was off, set aside so her tears could run free. Her comm also laid on the ground next to her, too emotional to listen to Otto's voice, hearing the grief in his tone. Just when things seemed like they were going her way, it all crashes into the ground. They recovered the Infinity Gauntlet, redecorated the warehouse, and Otto even confessed to her, feelings she thought about returning once the mission was over. Then, because of their bonds, Quinten made the ultimate sacrifice.
She was closer with Otto than she was Quinten, but she still cared for him. He stayed by her side when the League of Villains recruited everyone else, all of which she hasn't heard a word about since. He gave his life for Otto, not for the mission, but for his friend. If she had only been there, she could have saved him. Instead, she chose to be a coward and watch from afar, too afraid to show her face or cause trouble. All that remained of him was the empty suit in the warehouse, a reminder of what she had done, even if she didn't pull the trigger.
In her eyes, she might as well have.
Otto's broken octo arms settled behind her, retracting as best they could, once they put down Quinten's body. She slowly turned around and crawled to him, not bothering to get to her feet. Her hand brushed across his face; eyes closed peacefully. She began to bawl her eyes out, pain running her over like a truck. She picked up his body and cradled his head on her chest, wishing by some miracle she could feel his heartbeat, but there was nothing.
As she cried, she could only whisper how sorry she was. She had dragged Quinten and Otto into her crusade, wanting to control life and death and be the hero she thought Pro's failed to be. She connected with them, but now part of that connection was severed. It felt as though something inside her died as well, an emptiness now taking shape. She had no time to be angry yet, she was still so full of grief.
Seeing Quinten in her arms, blood on his chest and on his face, it reminded her of the ones she had lost. Holding them in her arms, feeling as though she had failed them. It was happening all over again, because she saw him as her family, almost like a brother in fact.
To Otto, he had lost a friend.
"I'm so sorry, Quinten …" She whispered again, her voice cracking, "I'm so sorry …"
She gasped for air as she ran her fingers through his hair, her horror only growing worse with each passing second.
"…We can bring him back," Otto said, cold and monotone, holding up the Mind Stone in his hand and tossing it to her side, "We're one step closer, together, we'll find the rest."
She thought hearing that would make her feel better. Instead, she was suddenly filled with rage, a painful ringing in her ear like a scream originating from her brain. Her stare became blank, then angry as she tried to hold it back.
"…What if we can't get them?" She asked quietly.
"We will."
"What if we can't?!" She shouted at him, still holding Quinten's body on her lap, "What if this was all for nothing?! What if the stones don't do what we want them to?! What if we fail and …dammit Otto! Just- goddamn it!" She gasped and choked on her tears.
"We won't, I'll see to it," he said monotone once again.
He extended one metal arm and tried to reach for Quinten's body. She held him close at first, not wanting to let go just yet. He persisted and wrapped the metal arm around him, lifting him into the air.
"I'll find a place to preserve his body until we can bring him back," He said, turning around and immediately walking away, "Don't lose your head, Lumina."
She had no response for him when he took Quinten away, only feeling emptier now than she had before. Her arms shook in torment and her mind raced at high speeds. A thousand horrible words came at her at once, screaming and shouting and begging for who watched from above to give her mercy. It came to a point where she whispered 'please' to herself over and over again, hoping someone would hear and answer her. She was more alone now than she ever had felt, even with Otto still around. He was right about one thing; they could bring him back if they had the stones.
And she knew someone who had two of them.
…
The dust had finally settled. Police and firefighters arrived quickly and found Tombstone unconscious in the alleyway. Kendo was down there with the officers, explaining that she had seen Tombstone start the attack, yet she said nothing about being a part of the fight. The officers she spoke to didn't know her, so they didn't ask as many questions concerning why she was there. With her as a witness, Lonnie Lincoln was arrested.
The police officers cuffed Tombstone and lifted him off the ground just as he regained consciousness. His face was stern, glaring at Itsuka Kendo as he was brought to the car. Just before they could open the door and put him in the back, he called out "Hey" to Kendo, who turned around to face him with a heavy heart.
"…Hell of a right hook," He grinned, "Can't wait for the rematch."
They shoved him into the car and quickly drove off toward the station. Finally, it was over. Tombstone would be going away to prison where he belonged.
When only Kendo remained in the alley a hand dressed in red cloth appeared next to her. She smiled with a blush, taking ahold of his arm with both hands. He slowly began to lift her up, moving backwards on the wall and toward the roof. Her eyes, rather than on the ground, were on the brave man pulling her up. When she reached the top, she wrapped her arms around him as he pulled her away from the edge. Even after she was safe, she didn't let go of him. His mask was off, and she could only stare into his beautiful brown eyes.
"Hey," She said quietly.
"Hey," He whispered back, "You had my back tonight …I guess I owe you another one."
"That's at least two now, you're gonna have to start paying up on these soon."
"Oh, am I?"
"Duh. Aren't always going off about 'great power' and 'responsibility'?"
"That is my signature catchphrase, yes."
Her instincts were telling her to lean in and just do it, but anxiety was holding her back. She hadn't felt the same as she did around Peter, so powerful and brave. It made her forget about the bad things around her, about the people they fought, the one who died in the process. His presence was calming, and made her feel safe and protected, as if nothing could ever hurt her.
As hard as she fought it, she finally fell for him.
Izuku cleared his throat, standing only a yard away from the pair. Itsuka let him go in a blush of embarrassment, poking at her cheek and turning away. Peter held the back of his neck and coughed to break the tension.
"What happens now?" Izuku asked.
"Now? …I don't know," Peter said, hands on his hips, "We couldn't get the stone, but at least we stopped Tombstone," he did a doubletake, "…that feels weird."
"What does?"
"Saying 'we'. I haven't really had anyone helping me like this before, minus Kendo once or twice."
Silence formed between them. Unknown to Peter, there was something the other two wanted to say, something that occurred when the Mind Stone came in contact with them. Now that the danger was passed, they knew this was the best time to bring it up.
"…Peter," Izuku began, holding the top of his broken arm, "When we, uh …when we all touched the blue stone …something happened."
"… I thought you guys were ok," he said in a panic, "What happened when you were affected?"
"I …I saw some things," He looked to Kendo, "I think she did too."
"Yeah …I did," She agreed, "We saw …you."
"What do you mean me?" Peter asked.
Unsure of themselves, they traded glances to see who would start explaining first. Finally, after a long silent debate, Izuku was the first to confess, "It's like we saw …your memories. I could feel what you were feeling in each of them, like I was right there for the whole experience, feeling your emotions and hearing your thoughts. It started at this prison of some kind, and Green Goblin was there. You were fighting him, and I saw all these stones …then…"
"Then you were transported to Japan," Kendo added, "You fought the Rhino, got into the school …there were so many flashes of memories leading right up to now, things we weren't there for."
A wave of confusion and panic swept across Peter. He was thinking of everything that had led up to this point when he grabbed the stone. Had they read his mind when they came in contact? How much had they seen before he let go?
"What we're trying to say Peter is …" he hesitated, looking at the ground with uncertainty, "I …I think we know everything now. Why you hide so many secrets …"
"Why you lied to the police …that you felt you were alone," She stepped forward, trying to give him comfort, "That …that you're from the Multiverse."
He could only stare at them as tears quickly fell from his eyes. His heart dropped in both utter panic, and utter relief. Finally, after all this time, his secret had been revealed. He didn't need proof, or time to explain everything. They had read his mind, felt his feelings and heard his very thoughts. All the proof they needed was inside their heads. There was no more lying, not to them, not about this. He stumbled back, trying to find something to lean on but found nothing he could give his weight to. Instead, Kendo had given him her own body to lean on, stepping forward and holding him by the hips.
"…You know?" Peter questioned, "…Everything?"
"About how this …Doctor Strange guy is trying to find you," Said Izuku, "How you stayed in the school for protection. How you're looking for the Infinity Stones. It was like watching a movie, but …feeling everything at the same time. I almost didn't believe it, had it not been for how I could feel your frustrations, your fears, your worries that someone would find out. You were so …so scared."
"…I wanted to tell you for so long, Izuku …Kendo," He cried, choking on his tears, "Without proof, no one would have believed me …I didn't want to lie, I swear …"
"We know, Peter," Kendo reassured him, "We know everything …hey," She pushed his chin up gently, wiping his tears away and looking into his glossy eyes. Peter couldn't help but sniffle as he tried to fight the effects of his tears. She then pressed her head against his, their noses almost touching, "It's ok, Peter," She shushed him, "It's ok."
Izuku put a hand on his shoulder, trying to give him a brave smile.
Finally, he could stop hiding behind his mask.
Peter pulled them both into a strong hug, surprising them at first though they went along with it anyway. In the past month he had been here, he hadn't been as happy as he was now. Even if it was just the two of them, he no longer had to keep his secret 24/7. Finally, he could tell them everything he wanted to from the very beginning, and trust them with thoughts and feelings he couldn't before. They may have lost the mind stone, but they gained something strong in exchange.
"…What do we tell the police?" Kendo asked as they each broke from the embrace, "They're still looking for you after you were taken. Without proof, there's no way we can just tell them the whole multiverse thing."
"And now you know what it feels like to be me," Peter stated, "This has been the big issue for so long, and it's only gotten worse each day. I could go back and finish the interrogation, but I don't know what else I can say to avoid the topic. Even if you two came in as witnesses or something, it still wouldn't work."
"There must be something we can do!" Said Izuku, "There is no way we're letting you go to jail!"
They bickered back and forth about what to do, trying to come up with a solution that prevented Peter from facing punishment. Despite his good intentions, a trial was likely after everything he had done. He suggested that his good intentions with a well experienced lawyer might be good for him, but considering his false records, it would still balance out, if not tip the scale in the wrong direction. Every solution they came to lead back to prison, long or short term.
His spider-sense could only earn him so soon before he heard the sound of helicopter blades, followed by winds pushing to the streets below. He looked behind himself and found that a helicopter with a search light was making their way toward them. It was a police helicopter, with armed men stuck to the side.
"We gotta hide," Peter ordered, grabbing his friends and running them over to the edge of the building. Once there, he leapt down and bounced off the walls, making sure they both got safely to the ground. The helicopter passed overhead, the searchlight just missing them.
"If they see you in costume, they'll know you broke the law," Izuku reminded him, "You gotta take that off and turn yourself in, they'll understand since you were captured."
"Yeah …yeah," Peter wasn't confident in his words, a string of thoughts forcing their way into his mind.
"What are you thinking about?" Kendo asked.
"I'm thinking we need to keep moving," His eyes trailed the copters flying overhead, "If I'm spotted in costume, I'll be arrested. If either of you are found with me, you could get a similar punishment. I don't want you two to get wrapped up in all that because of me. You should get home where it's safe."
"What are you going to do?"
He didn't quite have an answer for that. Frankly, he had no idea for sure. Checking on where he hid the Reality and Power stones were one possibility. After that, perhaps going back to the police station to inform them he was safe. Of course, that would only lead back to a cell for further investigation. At this rate, going through the judicial system will only slow him down to a crawl when it comes to the stones.
"…I've been slowed down from finding the stones because of having to keep my cover. I wanted to keep myself safe, but it hasn't been working as well lately. I love going to the school, being with my friends …but I don't think I can maintain my cover anymore, not with the police in my back. I think it's time I come out into the open and do things my way."
"...You want to go rouge," She realized, "The police …the Pro Heroes …they'll hunt you down."
"I can't keep living like this, wondering day in and out if my cover is in the clear, hovering around the rules just to keep out of jail."
"Peter, that's insane! You can't just run away! Not now! Not …" she held back her tears, "not …not without …"
He cupped her cheeks, stroking her bangs to the side, "I can't wait for the world to understand, Kendo. I can't waste time under house arrest until a trial takes place. By then, they could have all the stones, so I have to fight back."
"Peter …" Izuku jumped in, "What about May or mom? What about our friends in class?! You can't abandon them!"
Peter winced at that thought, knowing full well the people he'll hurt if he makes this choice. Despite this, he knew he still had to make it. All the lying and hiding was only building a tower he knew would be taken down. It was becoming harder now with his cover, not easier.
"I love you, all of you," He said to them both, "That's why you have to let me go."
More search copters started flying through the city, looking for whoever caused the explosions. Eventually they would find Peter by accident, and it would only go downhill from there.
"Izuku …" He put his hands on his shoulders, "Remember that promise you made me? You promised me that if anything happened, you would take care of May. Remember?"
"…Yeah."
"This is it. You need to own up to that. I can't protect her anymore; it's up to you to keep her safe for me," he was crying too now, trading tears with one another, "When I stop Lumina, I'll come back for her, but you have to promise you'll protect her."
"Peter, don't do this! We'll find another way-!"
"There is no other way! None that won't end in time being wasted! Lumina has two stones now, I have two, which means two more are out there somewhere ready for the taking. If I wasn't taken, or at the precinct, I could have stopped Tombstone sooner, or saved Beck, but I wasn't."
"Beck …wasn't your fault," Kendo muttered, holding one arm close to her body, "None of this is your fault, you shouldn't have to runaway just to save everyone!"
"You've seen into my mind, Kendo. You know what's at stake. You know what Lumina could became and do with those stones, and I can't let that happen. I also can't let either of you ruin your futures as heroes for my crusade."
"But-!"
"Fighting by your side tonight was a dream come true," he smiled sadly, "But to keep you safe, it can't happen again."
Izuku rubbed his broken arm, ironically not feeling as painful as what he was feeling inside. All he wanted tonight was to protect his friend. Now, he was asking him to let him go, to watch him run away and this time not to chase him. Seeing into his mind, his past, he knows what's at stake and why he can't tell the police or Pro Heroes. That doesn't make this fair, not in any way.
"…What do we do now?" Izuku asked.
"I go and grab my gear where I hid it, then …I leave," He said with sorrow, "I don't know where I'll go, but I'll figure it out. I just need you both to promise me what happened tonight stays between us," He put a hand on each of their shoulders, switching between eyes to look into, "It's for your own safety. Promise me."
They were both hesitant, but knew what needed to be done. Peter couldn't tell the police anything, he couldn't maintain his cover. All he could do now was fight, damn the rules to hell where they belong.
"…Ok," Kendo softly whispered, crying some more and giving him a massive hug. Her tears fell onto his back, and he felt them drip down and stain his suit. Of all the people to leave behind, Kendo and Midoriya would be who he'll miss the most. Izuku was his roommate, his friend and family, who he shared so much with and connected so strongly. As for Kendo, he felt magnetized to her, as if their fates were intertwined with one another from the very beginning. He didn't want to let them go, but he had to, because he loved them.
"Izuku …" he eyed him while still holding onto Kendo, "Do you promise?"
Keeping secrets was something he was used to, having to keep the origin of his quirk quiet from his friends and family. Keeping this from All Might, however, that would be the hardest thing to do. He was his mentor, and a father figure should he ever admit it. Lying to him felt wrong, as if betraying everything he had given to him.
Yet, he nodded and wiped his tears away.
"Thank you, both of you," He hugged them both tightly, wrapping his arms around their shoulders with their heads touching, "I won't be gone forever. I'll try and come back."
"You better," Kendo scolded, "I don't want to lose you …"
With a hand on her cheek, he smiled and wiped her tears away, "Never."
The goodbye finally came to a close, and Peter backed away from his dear friends. With his mask tightly placed around his head, he gave them one final goodbye, before running up the wall of the building, and vanishing onto the rooftops.
Izuku stood close to Kendo, wanting to share in the grief they were both experiencing. It was hard to see him go, knowing they wanted to help. But they had to make true to their promise, to continue without him. What they were going to tell everyone was an entirely different story, one they would have to come up with quickly. They best they could do was say he was still missing after the kidnapping, but that wasn't any better. No matter how they spun it, he was still gone in the end.