Peter was no longer in the same city as the prestige school known as U.A. He wasn't far, only being about an hour or so away in the city next door, but it still felt so far from home. Never did he think his place with Izuku and his friends would feel like a home to him, but it did, and he missed it so much. He missed making dinner with Inko and cracking jokes at the dinner table, and talking to Izuku about all their nerdy ideas. Peter even missed going to class with his friends and spending time with all of them. All he could think about was when they defended him against Naomasa after the festival. That kind of loyalty was rare to find, even on his world.

A loyalty not all of his friends possessed.

Overcast, Mayume, Lumina, whatever she wanted to be called. She was his friend, and he trusted her. Even if she had good intentions, she still lied and used him to further her plan. Ever since she discovered the stones, she's been using one person after the other. It was a shame, he honestly wished he could save her from herself, but she seemed determined to go through with this.

Peter sat himself down on the bench of the city park, letting his bag stay under his feet. He was so tired after travelling by foot for so long, especially while carrying all his gear over his shoulder. This was the first time he had ever really been homeless, though they've come close before, anytime May had trouble paying mortgage for their home. At least it was a nice day out. Kids were playing on the playground and joggers were out for a run. Just watching them wore him out further, almost making him want to fall asleep.

He was jittered awake when someone sat on the bench next to him. It was an old man wearing a tan jacket and brown glasses. His hair was grey and combed back, and in his hands was a comic book called 'Amazing Fantasy'. On the cover was a guy eerily similar to Spider-Man's own design, swinging form a grapple and holding a man in his free arm. The actually comic looked to only have been 12 cents, which was rather cheap for a comic book these days.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare ya'!" The old man said with glee.

Peter rubbed his eyes and lightly smacked his cheeks to wake up, "No, no it's ok, really, I needed that."

The two continued to sit there in silence as the old man started reading his comic book. Peter could have easily gotten up and just left, but he was simply too tired and needed rest. Besides, the man wasn't really bothering him in anyway. The man was too Invested in his old comic book to really be a nuisance. He clearly finished the first page a little while ago, instead opting to admire the artwork of each panel.

The man smacked the edge of the page with his index finger, smiling, "This is quality art right here! Back in the day, no one would appreciate comics like they do now."

"Which one is that?" Peter asked.

"The Human Spider," He said, "A real classic. The original creators had a hard time getting this one off the ground because they thought no one would read about a teenager."

"So, what happened?"

"Turns out it was a huge hit, everyone loved it."

"…Can I read it?"

With a huge grin on his face, the old man handed the comic having read it himself many times over. Peter began reading from page 1. The main character reminded him of himself. He got his powers by accident and had no mentor to teach him, thus suffering the consequences of his actions. It paralleled so well that it somewhat frightened him, but in a curious way. He could see how people seemed to like it so much, even if it poked at his ego a bit.

"So, where you off to?" The man asked.

"Hm?" Peter muttered, too focused on what he was reading.

"I can see that you have your stuff packed tight in that pack."

When he realized what he was talking about, he put the comic down to address it, "Yeah, just trying to figure out where."

"Homeless, huh? Sorry about that."

"It's ok, I'm doing fine."

"If you say so," The man stood up and stretched his arms, and politely taking the comic book before rolling it up and putting it in his jacket pocket "Have a good day."

The man left soon after and started making his way to the road. Peter watched him go curiously. He was strange, but overall likable. It was a shame he couldn't finish reading that comic book, he was actually getting rather into it by the fourth page.

Looking to the right of the street the man was approaching, he saw a car barreling down at high speeds. His spider sense started ringing as he knew it was coming fast, just as the man had entered the crosswalk. He wasn't seeing it coming, he was just walking without a care in the world. Reacting quickly, Peter leapt from the bench and ran as fast as he could for him, still without his webs to make the job easier.

"Look out!" He shouted as the car came closer. He quickly grabbed the old man by the waist and dragged him to the ground, rolling him out of the way as the car just missed them and came to a screeching stop before the traffic light.

The man was dazed as Peter helped him up and checked for injuries. There might be a few bruises later, but he seemed to be ok.

"You saved my life, kid!" The old man said, hugging him quickly, "Thank you!"

Peter hugged him back but quickly let go soon after, dragging him over to the sidewalk and out of the road, "Just be more careful next time."

"Of course, of course. Hey! I should repay you for this."

"No, no, no," Peter waved his hands around, "Please don't. I don't need anything, really."

As it to immediately betray his words, Peter's stomach growled loud enough for him to hear. The old man slapped his knee almost laughing, "Ah, heck! How about I buy you something to eat."

The offer sounded nice, though that's when his Parker pride started kicking in. He was all in for doing the right thing; volunteering at soup kitchens, stopping crime and being a good person. However, he would never allow anyone to do something nice for him, or he would feel absolutely horrible about it. It always felt as though he was taking advantage of him, so he opted to never ask for help.

"I don't- that's ok, sir. You don't need to bother with me."

"Come on, how can you expect others to do the right thing if you don't let them?"

Though he tried, Peter couldn't think of anything to combat his words. He was right; how can he bother setting a good example if he doesn't let people follow it? "You uh …make a point but …I …" He laughed nervously, defeated, "I don't know how to argue with you."

"Great! I know a great sandwich place nearby!" He patted Peter's shoulder, "What's your name?"

"Peter. Peter Parker. And you?"

"Stan. Stan Lee," he shook his hand with confidence, "Now come on, before your stomach comes up with more words to say!"

…

U.A Has been in a state of confusion and turmoil, especially those of class 1-A. Their two days off to rest after the sports festival had finally come to an end. Everyday folks had recognized the students on their way to school and congratulated them for their strength. While they were flattered, most had not been able to enjoy the attention as their minds were on something else. Specifically, their minds were on someone else.

It had come in on the news that morning. Just the night before, Peter Parker had been declared a wanted criminal to the public. There was footage of him wearing his classic Spider-Man costume and running from the police, as well as attacking Pro heroes like Mt. Lady, Kamui Woods, Miruko, and Overcast. None of his friends and classmates could believe what they were hearing, not even Bakugou.

Though Bakugou never cared much for Parker, he at least recognized how serious he was about wanting to be a hero. He took it so seriously all the time yet wasn't afraid to crack a joke every five seconds. Hearing now that he has turned into a wanted criminal just feels like a waste and a disappointment.

During homeroom, silence overtook the class from wall to wall. There were a few quiet conversations, mostly talking about the issue with Peter on the news. Momo, Mina and others were completely quiet as they tried to comprehend what they saw on the television that morning. Seeing the words "Peter" and "Wanted Criminal" next to each other was just too much to bear after everything they have been through.

Izuku wasn't as quiet, rather muttering softly to himself rapidly. All he could think about was what happened the night before between him, Peter and Kendo. So much had been unraveled in such a short time that he could help but turn blue over it. After all this time, finding out about the multiverse had been the hardest thing to understand besides Peter's criminalization. All the proof he needed was right inside his head, running around a thousand miles a minute. Other universes existed, and Peter had been from one of them. No wonder he always hid so many secrets, he must have been so scared all the time. In fact, he knew he was, since he was able to feel all that emotion thanks to the mind stone.

"…It has to be a joke, right?" Mina suddenly said aloud to the entire classroom, "What they said on the news. We're all thinking about it."

"I think we just need to accept the reality," Said Mezo with his arms crossed, "Peter wasn't the person we thought he was. I mean, did no one else think it was weird how he was just tossed into our class without even a heads-up? They said he forged his papers."

"Yeah," Kirishima Interjected, "But he's never been a bad guy to anyone. He's always been really nice to each of us, even if he was keeping secrets."

Tokoyami kept his eyes closed, focused on the darkness of his eyelids. All he could think about was when he had talked with Peter during one of their heroic's classes. He had been so scared of having love in his life, and now he knew it was because he was keeping secrets. Even if he had been hiding things, Peter was a good person at heart and would never intend to hurt anyone.

"It wasn't fair …" Momo muttered, "Not after everything that he's been through." Through her mind, she could only think of the last conversation she had with him, how she hated how 'perfect' she saw him as. It must have made him feel so guilty, and now she will never be able to apologize to him for it.

"Whether or not it was fair, it's reality," Said Mezo, "The sooner we accept it, the better."

Everyone noticed how as the conversation continued, Izuku stayed unbearably silent. Considering Peter was his roommate, they would assume he would have the most to say. Yet, he kept his mouth shut, no longer even muttering at high speeds like he is known to do.

"Midoriya," Denki spoke to get his attention, "How you holding up, man? This all must be pretty big for you."

Again, they expected him to answer in an awkward stutter with jumbled words, and again, he remained silently staring at his desk, forcing everyone into isolation as well. It was hard to find the right words to say about what they were feeling. Some of them felt betrayed, others felt worried.

Bakugou, however, was angry.

"Will all you pathetic wimps just relax already?!" Bakugou shouted.

"You gonna tell us to get over a criminal?" Shoto scolded.

"Hell yeah I am! Dude isn't even a criminal! Did none of you pay attention to class? Parker was trying to be a hero! If they say he's a criminal, then they're all frickin' liars!"

His answer was one they hadn't expected. The idea of Bakugou defending someone other than himself wasn't something they expected to see or hear today. He still maintained his brooding angry persona, but his words didn't seem to match it. Bakugou didn't even like Parker, they thought, especially since their first class together when he webbed up his mouth. Did he have a hidden respect none of them knew about until now?

"Bunch of idiots," Muttered Bakugou as he slumped down into his chair with his arms crossed.

The class's attention was taken by a knock coming from the door. Making the noise was Itsuka Kendo with a sorrowful expression on her face. From there, a few could tell she had been crying by the redness in her eyes. They couldn't blame her after what they learned about this morning.
She went the first few seconds without saying anything, holding her arm from behind her back and swaying back and forth. To be perfectly honest, she was just as much if not more distraught than the others. She had finally come to grips with loving a boy, and he takes off for their protection. Now the news is claiming him to be a wanted criminal and branding him a fugitive. It just wasn't something she could handle all at once.

"Hey …Midoriya?" She called out softly, finally snatching his seemingly incomparable focus, "Can we talk for a little bit?"

Despite the looks people were giving him, he ignored them and stood from his chair. He went just outside the classroom with her and kept the door shut.

"Hey …" She began unconfidently, "How are you holding up?"

That was a question he had no idea how to answer. Was he just suppose to say that he was alright? Move on and pretend like nothing happened. It did happen, in fact everything happened all at once. Peter had quickly become his best friend, and even his family around the house. Now, it had felt a bit emptier without him. Just as he promised, he was still helping take care of May. The police had asked her questions but she was innocent of any crimes. It wasn't fair how he was being treated, and he knew that.

"…Meddling where you don't necessarily have to is the essence of being a hero," he muttered with a grip of his fist, "That's what All Might once told me after my fight with Shoto Todoroki during the festival. Peter was always one to meddle where he didn't have to because it was right. And now, he's being punished for it. Why is he being punished for being a hero, Kendo?"

She wanted to tell him she didn't know, but she did. It was because they were just kids, and according to society, they weren't ready for this yet. There is nothing saying you can't help people, but using your quirks in any sort of heroic fashion seems to result in jail time. People were so scared of quirks that restrictions were put on them, especially for heroes. No one Peter seemed to choose the vigilante life, if only she had seen that sooner rather than later.

"There isn't anything else that we can do, Midoriya," She finally broke her silence, "Peter said it wouldn't be goodbye forever. We have to believe that."

"Yeah" He said, not fully believing it, "…yeah."

A sudden figure appeared next to them with a terrifying grin on their face. It was a blonde boy in a school outfit, looking as smug as he could possibly be. Kendo immediately recognized him and felt utter annoyance rise up inside of her. The amount of times she has had to deal with him was starting to get on her nerves.

"Why so glum? Aren't you supposed to be the best of the best?!" The boy mocked, "Oh that's right! You completely failed the sports festival! Isn't that strange?!"

"Enough, Monoma," She scolded, "Now isn't the time."

"I'm just here to speak the truth!" He pushed his way past them and opened the door to class 1-A, where he received a collective groan from the students, "Why is class 1-A looking so down?! Could it be you aren't exceeding all expectations like you're supposed to?!"

"Hey, buzz off, dude," Kirishima hadn't even looked up at him, his mind was simply too preoccupied. All he could think about was the news and how sad he was about his friend, "No one is in the mood right now."

"Well that's not very heroic! Speaking of which," He seemed to smile wider, as if the news made him jump out of his shoes in joy, "Did anyone see the news last night?! Apparently, your transfer student turned out to be a wanted criminal! Who knew? Guess you 1-A guys aren't as perfect as you thought if one of your own turned out to be a villain all this time!"

Mina jumped to her feet and slammed her hands on the desk, nearly melting the table with her quirk. Her eyes were squinting with rage and she couldn't control her speech, "Peter isn't a criminal! Just get out of here!"

"But the news even said so! All the Pros are looking for him! They'll have him behind bars sooner or later! Peter Parker will be seen as the fallen hero and everyone will lose faith in class 1-A! That just leaves 1-B to take the mantel!"

"Neito!" Kendo shouted as loud as she could, almost cracking her voice. She had risen her hand to chop his neck like she always did, making him flinch in memory of her previous attacks. Though he waited for it, it seemed to never come. Her hand just hovered there, shaking from the rage she was feeling. There was so much fire inside her from what she was hearing, but she couldn't bring herself to react in that way. Peter wouldn't want her to lose control, especially not over him.

"Just …shut up for one day, please," She begged, shoving by him and leaving through the hallway. Not even Monoma had much else to say after that reaction. It didn't usually take much for her to karate chop him into submission, but this time she completely opted out. In fact, looking at the faces of class 1-A, none of them reacted as they normally did. Usually they gave him a sense of annoyance or frustration. This time, from a lot of them, it was pain. They were genuinely hurt by what he was saying, even to the point of breaking their hearts. He liked how frustrated they got, but he didn't like this as much as he thought he would.

"Please go away …" Izuku muttered, "You don't know Peter, not one bit."

Izuku went back into the classroom and slammed the door shut, ending their interaction with the smug blonde hero in training.

…

The sandwich shop Stan had brought him to was bigger than he expected. It felt like a small restaurant to him, even having waiters deliver their orders for them to the tables of varies sizes. It was decorated with a lot of brown colors and yellow ceiling lamps. He always did prefer yellow lamps over white, as they gave a nice sense of comfort. After everything he's been through the last few days, comfort was a rare feeling he could hold onto.

Stan read from the laminated menu with enthusiasm, pointing out varies meals he didn't even know they had. "You know, back in my younger days, they didn't have nearly as many items on this thing. They used to be so small, and now they got establishments all over the place. But this one right here is the original, and you can never beat the original."

"Well that usually depends," Peter argued politely, sitting across from him, "Sometimes a new version improves upon the old."

"True, but you can never forget what started those ideas. That's like forgetting the past, or pretending it didn't even happen. Everything that we've been through has made us who we are, why would we want to forget that?"

Strange how he would jump into something like that out of nowhere. It didn't quite seem like they were talking about food anymore. Stan seemed like the wise old man you'd look up to and idolize. There was still so much he didn't know about him, but at least first impressions were good. He seemed to have a vibe that said he was more knowledgeable than he let on.
"So, what do you do? You're job I mean. Unless you're retired in which case what did you do?" Peter asked.

Stan put the menu to the side for a moment and locked his fingers together, first adjusting the glasses resting on his face, "Back in the 60's, I helped create a lot of comic book characters. I made all sorts of colorful superheroes, even gave the world the first super hero family. The Sensational Seven!"

Making comic books somehow fit perfectly with Stan, Peter thought. His attitude told him he was rather creative with how enthusiastic and upbeat he was. Writers and artists often set their minds into a world of fantasy that others usually don't. Not to say they believe themselves better, rather they spend a lot of their time in their own heads, experiencing their stories in order to make them better. They, in many ways, were like teachers or explorers, creating worlds for others. Peter could respect him for that. The only thing that made him think more on it was the idea of the 'Sensational Seven', feeling oddly familiar to another super hero family he knew back home.

"That's really cool," Peter admired, "I used to read comic books all the time when I was little. My uncle Ben would give me an allowance and I would spend some of it on the latest comic books about my favorite super heroes. It was always so cool to see the art and the stories around them. It inspired me in a lot of ways." Comic books growing up had given Peter the ideas for his original costume design. Specifically, it inspired his red and blue color scheme since he knew very few spiders that actually looked like that.

"He sounds like he was a really swell guy."

"Yeah, he was," he doubled back curiously. Stan had specifically said 'was' in past tense. He hadn't said anything about his uncle being gone from this world yet. Did he just accidentally say that? For someone his age, that could happen at times, using the wrong word or abbreviation for something, "You said 'was'. I never told you he was dead."

"He's dead? Oh, I'm so sorry, son. May he rest in peace."

That seemed to clear things up, perhaps he did just word his sentence wrong. Still, that curious feeling didn't leave him, even as the waiter came by and took their orders. After snatching their menu's away, no longer in need of them, they were left alone with only the hanging Tv in the distance to break the tension.

"You really didn't have to do this for me, Stan," Peter suggested, "Not that I don't appreciate it."

"Funny thing about my folks," He spoke without any sort of segway into the topic, "They were Jewish immigrants. Celia and Jack were their names, just so you know for reference. We lived in America for a very long time, New York to be exact. My father had a hard time finding work as a dress cutter after the great depression. We had a one-bedroom apartment in the Bronx, and had financial difficulties for a very long time."

"I understand that," Peter sympathized, "I lived with my aunt and uncle in a small house down in Queens. We always had so many financial issues, making it really hard to keep ourselves afloat. After my uncle's death, it didn't get any better."

"It's always hard to get yourself off the ground. Before I could work in comics, I was an office boy for a company called Timely Comics. I managed to finally make my debut as a writer with a comic book called," he raised his hand across the air for emphasis, as if the name was spelled in glowing lights, "'Super Soldier Foils the Traitors Revenge!'" He sighed, "I worked there for 31 years until 1942, when I joined the army for a while. I did get back to writing eventually, once the company changed its name to Atlas comics. Eventually I met a man named Steve Ditko."

"What was he like?"

"He was the artist for many of my early comics and onward. A real talent he was. Honestly, his work was a big help in getting some of my creations off the ground. It's sad not as many people recognize his involvement in their creation. I sometimes wish I could have told him that more. He died a couple of years back, rest his soul. Both my folks are gone from the world as well, I hope their happier now."

"I'm sorry …" It sounded as though Stan, despite his struggle in the beginning, managed to live the life he always wanted; creating comics and stories and inspiring thousands of young children across the world. Even as he spoke of the late Steve Ditko, he was full of life rather than sadness. If it were Peter, he would still be thinking about a death like that. In fact, he still does.

"Do you want to know how I coped with that?" Stan asked, "I knew Steve still accomplished a lot in his time. There's a lesson I learned a very long time ago. It's-"

He was interrupted when the waiter came back with their sandwiches, placing the plates in front of them. Stan was immediately excited as he rubbed his hands together, said thank you to the waiter, and started eating away at the sandwich. Peter wanted to press about what he was going to say, but felt he should allow the old man to enjoy his meal as he seemed so happy about it.

"You know, Stan," Peter grabbed his attention, thankfully, since he was so focused on his lunch, "I know what it's like to lose friends and family, too. Both my parents died in a plane crash when I was little. My uncle was …well, he was murdered in a mugging."

"I'm very sorry about that," Stan pointed to his sandwich, "You really need to tries these. They always put a smile on my face."

It was clear Stan was sympathetic of Peter's loss, but it also seemed as though he was trying to keep the mood light. Any time Peter started bringing up something negative, Stan had something to say in order to negate the effect. He knew he wasn't going to be able to argue with the old man, so he took the sandwich up and began eating it. Right away he knew that Stan wasn't kidding, the sandwich was amazing. It was surprising how good it tastes for how simple It was. The bread was lightly toasted, and butter was spread on the surface between the inner ingredients.

"You weren't kidding! This is amazing!"

"It is! You can taste the butter on the bread, right?"

"That's my favorite part, it just gives it so much flavor!"

They made it to about halfway through their sandwiches when the waiter brought them a bowl of fries to share. Stan must have ordered a side dish without him realizing it. Trying the fries as well, they were also extremely good. The surface was a nice golden color, fried and cooked to perfection with just the right amount of salt. The potato inside the skin was amazing as well, definitely from a well grown farm. He hadn't gone out for a meal like this since his uncle had passed away. If only the U.A lunch room had food this good.

Thinking about how great the food was only made him feel more guilty. His Parker Pride was kicking in again like it always did. He hated asking for help as he only ever felt like a burden to people. Stan was an old man, probably retired now. Peter should be the one paying for this meal, but he doesn't have the money for it. Inko only gave him money to go grocery shopping or for whatever else she wanted him and Izuku to go out and do. He had no job, and still hadn't paid off the rest of the hospital bill for aunt May.

"Thank you for doing this, Stan," Peters voice rang with sincerity, "I'm sorry to put this on you, especially since we just met."

"Of course not! What kind of man would I be if I didn't help out others? Besides, you did save my life."

"I know, you're right, I just …hate asking for help."

"Why is that?"

There were many answers he could have used to get the conversation over with fast, but with Stan, he felt as though he needed to be honest, "Growing up, I was always the nerd in school. I got good grades all the time and passed every class on my first try. Bullies stole my homework, friends cheated off my test answers. I was 'tech support' around the house, even," he chuckled, "Everyone saw me as smart and always expected it of me moving forward. I guess …I guess if I ask for help, it's like forfeiting the one thing I have going for me. I may not be as smart as a billionaire genius super hero, but I'm smart enough to get things done alone."

"So, it's a sense of pride?"

"I guess so …kind of runs in the family. Both my Aunt and Uncle always had a hard time asking for help."

"Let me ask you this, Peter," He pointed at him, "How can you expect others to accept your help if you won't accept help from them?"

Again, he was hit with words of wisdom he often didn't ponder. Peter helped people all the time as Spider-Man, but never really asked for help from others himself. When they offered, he turned them away to avoid hurting his pride or seeming selfish. Still, the way Stan worded it made a lot of sense. Perhaps it was actually selfish not to accept help when you are the one so keen on giving it without hesitation.

After both plates and the side bowl had been finished, the waiter came by to collect the plates.

"How much do we owe you?" Stan asked.

"Good news, actually," Said the Waiter, "You're our 100th customer today, which means you get your meal for free. It's just something special we do to keep people coming here."

"Well that's very kind! Thank you!" Stan shook the waiter's hand before he left, then turned to look at Peter, "This has been a good day. I'm glad we met, Peter."

"I'm glad I met you, too," He smiled, "You're a good man, Stan Lee," He snickered, "Stan the Man. That's a good one."

Stan laughed, suddenly having an idea, "There's something else I want to show you!"

"Oh, no I couldn't, you've already done so much."

"Nonsense! Come on!"

Without warning, Stan grabbed Peter by the wrist and dragged him out the door.

…

After Kendo had stormed off in the other direction, she found herself roaming the halls of the school in deep thought. She knew Neito often insulted class 1-A, having a deep a smug hatred for them because they were supposed to be the most promising heroes in the school. Still, she always had to keep him in line as he always went too far, even doing as much as personally insulting a student. Up until today, they reacted with frustration, but now it was different. They gave him a reaction of torment, which wasn't what he wanted, and neither did she.

Peter wasn't a criminal, not to her. True, he broke the law multiple times, but it was always for a good reason. Had he not broken the law, then Hydro Man may have killed her the night they met. The people here at school could have been seriously injured during the attack. So many bad things could have been worse if he hadn't intervened. The police, the pro's, they only saw someone who broke the law and needed the full punishment. If he turned himself in, maybe it could smooth itself over, but not likely. After learning what she did from the Mind Stone, she knows Peter won't do any such thing as long as there is still a threat he can stop.

It still crushed her heart knowing there was nothing she could do.

She hadn't realized until she saw the big door that she was at the lab where Mei Hatsume often worked whenever she could. Normally she could hear the sounds of her working from just outside, but it was oddly quiet today. She checked the door, and it was unlocked, so she must have been in there already. Mei was often so noisy, what was the problem today?

Kendo curiously entered the lab. Mei was sitting in a chair and leaning on one of the tables, hand pressed against her cheek. In front of her were prototype materials for a mask that reminded her a lot of the one Peter wore. That must have been the stuff he was working on while in here as well, and Mei was just staring at it as if it was a window that went on forever. Her quirk was that she could see into far distances, so perhaps she really was staring into forever.

"Mei …?" Kendo greeted.

Mei immediately jumped to her feet and forced a smile onto her face, trying to return to her usual chipper mood, "Hey there, stranger! What can I do for you today? Keep it short because I gotto go soon so I can see which internships I got! I'm almost positive I got into some really great ones thanks to my babies!"

Kendo could see what she was doing, though she wasn't sure just yet, "What are you doing?"

"Working on more babies! Duh!"

It didn't look like she was working from Kendo's perspective. Mei was usually enthusiastic, yet distant from all the other students. She kept to herself rather than socially interacting with everyone. This could have just been her trying to shut Kendo out from what she was really feeling, "You're thinking about Peter?" Kendo asked.

"Who? Oh! You mean scruffy hair nerdy kid! Yeah, I don't usually memorize names, too difficult and I don't really need to know 'em. He's cool, I guess. Why? What's up?" Her demeaner slowly started changing from pure enthusiasm to a hint of concern and genuine worry, "Did he get released from the station yet? Is he back home? He's at homeroom right now, right?"

Hitting home last was a slice id desperation.

"You saw the news, didn't you?" Itsuka asked, "Mei, I know we aren't friends, but we both know Peter, and we both care about him. What are you actually thinking about?"

"Pft! You crazy? I'm fine!" She sat back down and grabbed a random piece of metal and started crewing some bolts into it, "I'm not into that mushy mumbo dumbo. I prefer just staying here with all my beautiful babies!" She twisted harder on the bolt, "What do you want me ta' say? That I'm worried sick about Petey Parks, that seeing him drive away in that police car made me realize how much I cared?!" She laughed hysterically, not realizing she was laugh crying, "Am I suppose to say that Peter has been my only real friend in this damn school of hormone driven weirdos?! Ha! Not a chance! He just works in here sometimes! It's not like I actually care!"

The pressure she put on the screwdriver forced it to slip out of place and fall out of her hands. With the surge of emotion that she was feeling, she slammed her hands on the table and shouted "God Damn it!"

She wasn't forcing her smile anymore, instead she was panting from emotional exhaustion. For a brief moment, her walls were torn down and she was showing her true colors, and she knew it. The embarrassment on her face wasn't something she allowed herself to feel in years, especially not around people. Kendo wanted to comfort her, but wasn't quite sure how. She had never even heard of Mei being this way before, so emotional and actually connected to what was around her.

"Well! Time to go!" She sprung back into her joyful mood, forgetting to wipe the tears from her cheeks, "I wanna get those internships! Onwards and upwards adventurers! March!" Mei zoomed out of the room before Itsuka could get a word out.

When Mei was finally alone in the halls, she stopped and stood still. Though her smile stayed, so did her tears.

…

After walking for some time, Stan and Peter finally arrived at the edge of the city. On the coast below them was sand and rocks leading into the ocean that seemed to span forever. There were hints of boats near the line at the edge of the sea, but that was all he was able to make out. It was actually rather beautiful with how the sun reflected off the water.

"Wow …this is …"

"Amazing? Spectacular? Sensational?" Stan guessed, "I always loved this place. So peaceful and calming. Don't you just love the smell of the ocean? It always reminds me of a nice sun tan, cool waters and fun times."

"Yeah, I used to come to a beach all the time with my parents," Peter leaned down to look at the water, "There was a fun arcade place in the town near the beach, and a claw machine with candy inside. That was the only claw machine that wasn't rigged. Even for the rigged ones, I was smart enough to know how to win," he stood up with his hands on his hips, "Why did you bring me out here, Stan?"

"I wanted to play a game," Stan picks up a flat rock, twiddling it between his fingers, "I came up with this one. You say something, then throw the rock. If it skips, you told the truth. If it doesn't, there is something you're not saying."

Peter laughed, "There is no way that works."

"It works! It really does! Its because when your hiding something, you aren't as focused and you mess up your throw! I swear."

It sounded dumb off the bat, so he wasn't too inclined to try it. Then again, Stan did take him out for lunch and was fully willing to pay before they got their meal for free. The least he could do was indulge in the game. "Why are we gonna play this?"

"Is it so wrong for me to want to get to know you?" He teased.

"Fair enough," Peter bent down and picked up a flat rock that was resting by his shoes. One side of it was rough, but the other was clean cut flat. It was perfect for skipping across the water.

"I'll start," Said Stan, holding a rock in his hands, "The name I was born with is Stanly Martin Lieber," he twisted his wrist and chucked the rock at the water. It easily bounced off the surface twice before sinking into the depths of the water. Stan looked at him with a smug grin.

"Nice throw," Peter complimented, "Um …my middle name is Benjamin." He tossed the rock with only an ounce of his super strength, making it bounce off the water a total of six times before sinking into the water.

"You've got quite the arm!" Stan exclaimed, "Ever play baseball?"

"No, it was never my thing," He laughed, "Do I need to throw a rock for that one?"

"No, no, you're good," Stan said, picking up another rock, "My turn again. My wife's name was Joan Lee," he tossed the rock, this time it bounced three times.

Peter picked up another rock, "My first crush was Mary Jane Watson," He tossed the rock, only letting it bounce four times.

It was Stans turn again, this time he waited a moment while holding the rock in his hands, as if he was praying, "I am happy," He threw the rock and it bounced five times.

Peter hadn't though much of it and picked up another rock, looking out into the ocean, "I am happy," he repeated, and tossed the rock.

Much to his surprise, the rock didn't bounce even once. It plopped right into the water as soon as it hit. He couldn't help but be surprised by this, especially when he knew he threw it the same as he did before.

"Are you sure about that?" Stan asked, "You gotta tell the truth or it won't work."

Peter quickly picked up another rock and spoke the words 'I am happy' again, and threw it, only to find it sunk straight away again. "Come on!" Peter shouted, "This is ridiculous!"

"I told you how the game works," Stan said calmly as he picked up another set of rock, "I love comics," he threw another one and it bounced three times. Peter stared at the rock in his hand while he picked it up. The truth was, he knew what he was really feeling, but a big part of him didn't want to admit it even if it was obvious. It was like admitting you had flaws, and he hated not living up to expectations.

"…I'm not happy," he muttered, tossing the rock.

It bounced seven times, and Peter watched it in amazement.

"And why are you not happy?" Stan asked.

Peter stared at the next rock in his hand as if it was the golden jewel of the world. How could this have actually been working? Were the lies really throwing off his focus that much? Perhaps this stretched farther than just rock throwing. He had been lying so much the past month, perhaps it was getting to him more than he thought it was.

"…I left the people I love," he threw the rock and watched it bounce seven more times.

"Why did you leave them?"

"I wanted to protect them," He threw another, it plopped right into the water, "…I was so scared of losing them," He threw one again, this time bouncing eight times.

"Why were you scared?"

"I don't …" he paused, dropping all the rocks he had in his hand, "Every time I love someone, I end up losing them. It hurts too much to keep doing that to them and myself. There's a girl now that I really like but I'm scared to tell her that and drag her into my crazy world."

"…Alright," Stan dropped his rocks too, "It's time, then."

"What?" Peter asked, "Time for what, Stan?"

"Good luck with everything, I hope I can see you around," Stan said and started walking away while Peter eyed him.

As he started walking away, Stan had taken something out of his pocket and played with it in his hands, throwing it up into the air and then catching it again. At first, he thought it was another rock he had picked up, but while it was airborne, he realized he was actually tossing around a gem. No, not a gem, it was a stone; an Infinity Stone.

Judging by its color, green, he could assume it was the Soul Stone. It allowed the user to steal, control, manipulate, and alter the living and the dead. It was also the gateway to a pocket dimension. If it was backed by the power stone, it could control all life in the universe. How Stan got his hands on it was beyond comprehension.

"Stan! Wait!" Peter shouted as he rushed after him.

…

The police station had been rather busy that morning. Officers and detectives searched through the city far and wide to find the wanted criminal known as Spider-Man. The way he was able to avoid them and two pro Heroes was cause for concern. They had no idea how dangerous he may be out there. Some thought that chasing after him was unfair, as he was doing the right thing in the end. Others have completely branded him a villain and fully intended to bring him down if they saw him. The rest were indifferent, content with following orders until told otherwise.

Naomasa was still distraught over everything. He can't help but feel part of this was his fault. Perhaps Peter would have turned himself in if he felt he could trust the police force. Any trust he may have had was thrown out the window when he was tortured during interrogation. He had no idea Toshi would try something as horrible as that; all he wanted was to just get some answers, not hurt the kid. There was only one person he felt he could talk to about this, only one person he really trusted to know what happened.

Naomasa leaned against his car outside the police station with his hands in his trench coat. He must have been waiting out there for a good twenty minutes while exploring the thoughts of his mind. Peter was a wanted criminal, and he couldn't change that. He still believed in the law regardless of who breaks it, but that didn't mean he had to be ok with it.

All Might, reduced to his weaker form, approached the detective and good friend with a sorrowful smile on his face. Naomasa appreciated how he was trying to lighten the mood with that famous smile, even in these darker times.

"Hello, Toshinori," Naomasa greeted, wincing a bit. He had only realized something now. Toshiyuki, the detective who tortured Peter, his name is similar to Toshinori. It's ironic that their names are similar in that regard; All Might was the symbol of peace, and Toshiyuki hurt people rather than help them. One inspires hope, the other inspired pain.

"Naomasa, your call sounded so urgent," All Might spoke with concern, "What's wrong?"

"I'm sure you've seen the news cast concerning young Parker."

He has, as a matter of fact, and he was heartbroken upon seeing it. The boy had so much potential to be a hero, and always stuck to that desire no matter what. Seeing him be branded a villain just seemed so impossible for someone like him. His first thought was that it must have been some kind of mistake, that they weren't talking about the same boy. Then again, he knew the police were looking into him concerning his records, and the existence of another Peter Parker in North America.

"Yeah, I have," All Might answered with sorrow, "It's …hard to see the name 'villain' or 'wanted criminal' be put next to his own. I know you were investigating him, but he's always been a good kid. He even kept my secret when he could have just spilled the beans."

"I know he's a good kid, but he's made bad decisions. Besides, that's not why I called you here. We discovered he did in fact falsify his records, and I wanted you to know what it took to get the information out of him."

"Why's that?"

"Because …" He found it so hard to continue, knowing how big of a mistake he had made, "I feel guilty about it. I brought in a detective from another city to help interrogate him. Toshiyuki, his quirk is called 'Forced Truth'. Anyone near him when he uses it tells the truth whenever they speak. If he pushes it, he can force them to speak without their consent."

"Strange, but I don't see what-"

"If you resist his quirk, it does damage to your body. Mr. Parker …resisted quite a bit, and Toshi didn't stop no matter what he was doing to him."

His eyes widened in shock, as if peering into his skull through his black eyes, "Are you saying …are you saying the station tortured him?!"

"…yes. I didn't realize it would go that far, but it's still my fault, Toshinori. I fear that maybe my mistake made him feel as though running away was his only option. I just wanted you to know that, I needed to get it off my chest."

Naomasa had been his trusted friend for years, and one of the few who knew his secret and was able to keep it. He would never do anything he felt was wrong. All Might didn't blame him for what may have transpired, but still frustrated him. Bad things continued to happen to poor young Parker and he just took it like a hero would. Now, everyone was out to get him and technically it was All Might's job to catch him. He didn't want to, but if he ever see's Peter again, he would have no choice but to arrest him. It broke his heart thinking about having to arrest a hero like Peter, but he might have no choice in the end.

"What happens now?" asked All Might.

"Everyone finds him, and brings him in," he stepped forward, "Which brings me to one more thing. It's why I wanted you to know what we did to him, so maybe you'll have a reason to say no."

"What is it?"

Naomasa tensed his shoulder, looking away for a moment before straightening his back and staring him dead in the eyes to say "The chief told me to ask for your help in finding and detaining Mr. Parker."

…

Peter ran as fast as he could through the streets, not bothering to follow the sidewalk or even the crosswalks. As soon as he left the coast beach, Stan had already been across the street. Every time he thought he was closer, it turned out he was a whole block away, just barely in view. It seemed impossible for him to move so fast since he seemed to be going at walking speed. Peter pushed through the crowd and jumped into the street, using his spider agility to leap over the hoods of cars and use them as steps. When he reached the other side of the street, Stan was another block away.

"How the hell …" He questioned while panting, "Stan! Stop!"

He continued on, staying as high as he can to keep him in view. From there, he could see Stan walking casually and tossing the stone up and down like a coin. Peter jumped to a lamp post and started leaping from one traffic sign to the next, getting some good distance, yet not getting any closer to Stan himself. Where was he going? How was he staying so far ahead?

Out of nowhere, Stan seemed to walk right into the road where cars were still moving. He miraculously wasn't hit by any of them, just managing to dodge them and remaining at a slow walking pace. There was clearly more to the old man than he originally had thought. Just who was he, really?

After a chase that seemed to drag on forever, he finally saw Stan leave the crowd of people in the streets and sidewalks, and instead enter a large graveyard that was next to the park where they first met. He didn't seem to be moving blocks at a time anymore, perhaps finally he could catch him. Leaping off the next traffic light, Peter soared through the air and landed in a patch of grass. When he looked up, Stan was gone again.

"Come on …" he started jogging around the graveyard, calling out his name, "Stan! Where are you?! We need to talk about something! Stan?!"

Peter stopped and saw him standing at the top of a small hill, seemingly staring at a memorial with his hands stuffed into his pockets. He wasn't moving away from it or vanishing into thin air, he was just standing there, having arrived at his destination. Peter trekked his way up the hill, passing by many gravestones that seemed to have been there for a very long time. It reminded him of when he would visit his uncle bens burial site back home, and leave a new set of flowers for those first few months.

Around the memorial Stan was looking at were tons of flowers and cards. Many of them said 'thank you for inspiring me' and 'your work kept me going. Rest in Peace.' It was rather sweet, perhaps he came here because it was someone he knew. Maybe this was Steve's memorial that people here in Japan set up, since he mentioned working with him before his death.

"…Stan?" Peter greeted softly as not to startle him, but he didn't seem remotely fazed, "Stan …that stone you have. It's really dangerous, where did you find it?"

"It's an equal love fest," Stan said, disregarding Peter's concern for the stone, "All these letters and gifts. A creator loves his fans just as much as they love the creator. I cannot tell you how much I love my fans. I sit at night sometimes thinking 'eh, what's it all about'?" He smiled brightly, still staring at the memorial stone, "And then I get a letter from a fan, or I read something, or I see something, or I remember something, and I realize it's so lucky to have fans. Fans who really care about you, and that's the reason I care so much about the fans, because they just …they make me feel so great."

"Stan …" he knew what that felt like. Feeling as if there's no point, and remembering those who love you and support you no matter what. The few people who liked Spider-Man back home gave him strength whenever Jonah was going off on him. There was even a fan club called the 'Spidey Squad', and they gave him a button to remember them by.

"There is something, if you thinking about it, something wonderful about someone caring about you as I care about them, whom you've never met. Who may live in another part of the world," He finally turned around to face Peter with a smile as warm as the sun, "Or another world all together?"

The way he was looking at him said it all. Did Stan know that Peter was from another world? Why else would he just say that out of nowhere to him, looking him dead in the eyes?

"I love them all," Stan continued, "And they love me, and that was enough to keep going no matter what. People didn't believe in comics, but we banded together and made it happen anyway. That's a kind of magic you can't possibly predict. Whether it's a card trick, or just some glowing stone," Stan took his hand out of his pocket and opened it up, revealing the Soul Stone in his palm, "This little sucker found its way to me, and filled me with so much life."

"What does that mean?"

"Never mind that, just take it. It's yours."

Stan took Peters hand and placed the stone tightly within his grip, patting his knuckles before letting go. Peter felt the stone within his hands, finding it hard to believe that he had reclaimed another one so soon. He hadn't expected this today, but it was a welcomed surprise. How did Stan even know he was looking for it? Why give it to him at all?

"I never got to finish my thought back there," Stan pointed out, "One thing I learned in my life is this; 'A life without loss is a life without love'. You can't avoid the love you get from others just because you're afraid of losing it. Having it in the first place is what life is all about, so don't deny yourself that right. Understand?"

"Is that why you brought me out here?"

"Don't ever forget this, promise me."

Peter looked between him and the stone. Was this his plan all along? To teach him to love with sentiments? It shouldn't be affecting him as much as it was, but it did. He barely knew the man, but it was as if he's known him since he was first brought to the world.

"What if I can't?" Peter asked, "There are people who love me, in ways that scare me. And …I love them in that way too. How can I love them if I might lose them?"

"Loss is apart of life. You can't have love without loss, it's just impossible. One cannot exist without the other. If you never loved, you've never lost. If you've never lost, you've never learned. If you've never learned, you'll never grow. That's why death plays a crucial part in our lives. If there is someone you love, let's say a girl, let yourself love her. Let her love you back, because you deserve that experience. As I always say; Excelsior, true believers!"

"Excelsior?"

"It Latin for 'Ever Upward'. Keep moving up even if you get knocked down. There is more than enough love out there for everyone, and we all deserve it."

Maybe Stan was right. Perhaps he was allowed to love someone even if he feared losing them. He always hid behind his mask to avoid loss because he thought he wasn't strong enough. He always believed Peter was the weak one, easily hurt by loss and pain and destined to fail no matter what. Meanwhile, he saw Spider-Man as the one who always succeeded. Even if the public hated him, he always felt like he was on top of the world, cracking jokes and poking fun at everything. Lately, though, these thoughts made him think of something Tokoyami had once said to him.

"Spider-Man is strong," Peters voice rippled, "Peter Parker is …weak."

The crow sighed and leaned back, looking up at the sky, "No, he's stronger."

Stans put a hand on his shoulder, leaning down to his height, "Excelsior, true believer."

Peter wiped away his tears and smiled, "Excelsior."

With a pat on his back, Stan went behind him and began walking away, feeling accomplished with the little time he was granted, "You know," he said, "I heard a rumor about the Soul Stone, that if it attached itself to a wandering soul, it could bring it into the real world for just a little while," he waved, "I'll tell Ben you said hello."

That last sentence caught him immediately. When he turned around to ask Stan what he was talking about, the man was gone without a trace as if he was never even here.

That's when it finally hit him.

Peter approached the memorial slowly and looked at all the many gifts. There was a teddy bear that said 'We will miss you' and another that said 'One person can make a difference'. Hidden in the pile were comic books from the company Timely Comics, seemingly written by Stan and illustrated by Steve. The comics were decades old, being at least from the 60's, yet still in decent condition. Action figures of super heroes and small bobbleheads were placed there as well. Flowers spanned across at least a few yards in every direction. Signs were posted just behind it, saying 'That person who helps others simply because it should or must be done, and because it is the right thing to do, is indeed without a doubt a real superhero.'

Finally, he looked at the name written on the gravestone with a smile and a tear in his eye.

'Stan Lee, 1922 – 2018.'

He had nothing that he could say about it. The stone had given him a chance to help one last person before his spirit decided to move forward. The man was persistent, even in the world beyond. At least he had succeeded in what he wanted to do; Peter had finally realized what he was trying to tell him.

Stan had gotten so much love in his life and allowed himself to bathe in that love. It's what made him a better person, not shoving that love away out of pride. He never let that pride reject the love people wanted to give him. In return, he taught his fans so much about what it meant to be a hero. Not just stopping crime, but also doing what was right because you'd want others to do the same. If you want people to be good, you have to start letting them do good things for others, even yourself. You can only lose something if you know you had it in the first place. As painful as that loss may be, it also reminds you of the love you had and can make you smile again. A life full of good and bad times is better than a life full of nothing. Always move upward, and always believe in impossible things.

"Thank you for everything, Stan Lee," Peter said with a hand on the gravestone, "Rest in Peace."

He knew what he had to do now. Once he repaired his gear, he was going back to the city and finding his friends. He needed to find Itsuka Kendo, and tell her how he felt while he still could. It was time to stop being afraid, and start loving others again the way he's supposed to.

"Ever Upward"

In memory of Stan Lee, 1922 – 2018

An Inspiration for generations to come

Rest in Peace