Lumina is dead.

Everything she had accomplished, every drop of blood she shed for this cause, now she wouldn't live to see it. Lumina had fought as hard as she could, but in the end, it proved too much. Her heroic instincts had become her downfall as they were always destined to be. To the public, she was the villain causing random chaos, leading a group of villains on a path of destruction. No one paid attention to the fact that she never killed anyone, and hurt as few as possible. No one cared when Lumina died.

All that remained was the woman who birthed her.

Overcast, Mayume Aihara; a few names she had chosen to go by for some time. They felt about as real to her as the name of Lumina, an identity she took on anytime she wore that mask. That stupid mask. It let her give in to those villainous urges. She could pretend to be someone she wasn't and feel no guilt for it. That time was over now. There were no more secret identities, no alternate personalities, no excuse for her crimes.

To their eyes, she was a villain forevermore.

She had sat in silence on the chair closest to the television. Playing on the screen was a broadcast from the local news station, and it was all about her. They had paid civilians to gain access to the footage they filmed of her during the fight, when her mask was destroyed in front of dozens. Everyone had seen her face and had cast shame upon her in a second. All the good Overcast had done as a hero was undone by the sins of her other self. The terms 'Overcast' and 'Villain' were set next to each other, sharing a meaning in the dictionary.

Which was the original, and which was the synonym? No one knew, and no one cared.

Otto and Koji hung out in the back of the room near the work tables. Seeing what had happened, what he had done, Otto was still in shock. Everything she worked for was undone because of his impatience. The sound of her scream still echoed in his head and turned his face cold and heavy. It wasn't just color that drained away from him, but all sense of self. Finally, he could see what he had let himself become in his grief. For once, he feared what would happen to him.

For once, he feared her.

When Mayume finally stood up from the chair, both Koji and Otto recoiled. They waited as she came toward them, her shoulders fixed in place as her fists were clenched tightly. She was still wearing the rest of her Lumina outfit, but her mask was gone, exposing her face completely.

"Aihara …" Otto spoke quietly, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten so carried away-"

"Carried away?" She asked gently, doing everything she could to hold back her rage, "Carried away? Seriously? That's what you're calling that?"

"We needed the-"

"Don't-!" Her body glowed violently, the heat singing Otto's skin, "Don't mention the stones again! Don't you dare!" The light faded away, but her rage remained, "I told you that we don't sacrifice our mercy, not for anyone or anything. You tried to kill a child, a freakin' kid!"

"I know-"

"Do you?! Do you really?! Ever since Beck died-"

Otto's rage returned to him, and he got up in her face to reject her statement, "Don't you dare bring him up-"

She pushed him away from her, knocking him into the work table as fear resurfaced in his expression, "Don't you pretend that you're the only one who cared about him!" She shouted, taking back control of the argument, "I lost him too, Octavius! Just because the stones can fix everything, that doesn't mean we cheat the grieving process! We didn't even have them all, and you went and let the power get to you! Now, thanks to you, I've lost everything! My friends! My career! My reputation as a hero!"

"We can undo it all-"

"That doesn't excuse it!" she pointed to Koji without even looking at him, "Koji, my brother, the one who has struggled with murderous intent for years, managed to resist killing Midoriya. You— someone who hasn't killed in a long time and claims to want a fresh start— didn't even hesitate. You wanted to kill him. You were happy you had an excuse!"

She could see it on his face. No matter what she said and how loud she said it, he just didn't fully understand. With the stones, they could undo everything like it never happened. They would still remember, though, and that meant it still happened. She never wanted to lose the person who began this quest, that's why she adopted her alternate persona. Otto lost who he was a long time ago. She lost the man she could have loved the same night Beck had died.

That was the worst part. She did love him. He was a good man with a clear head. Now, that man was dead, long before what happened today. She couldn't work with a man like him, not again, not after Goblin.

Mayume reached into her pocket and pulled out the space stone, vibrant and glowing in her hands. Her breathing quickened to match her heart rate which only fueled her thoughts. Part of her wanted to find another way, but with how close they were now, she just couldn't trust him anymore.

"Mayume …what are you doing?" asked Otto.

"…I'm firing you, Otto. You're going home," Said Mayume, "I never wanted to lose who I was. I brought you on because I thought the man you were deserved a second chance. The man you are now, however, he doesn't."

He realized what she was talking about, and dropped to his knees begging, "Please, don't do this. I can change! I can be better!"

"With what time?" She asked coldly, "We've reached the end of the mission. I can't trust you anymore."

"No-"

"Were you ever even the man I thought you were? Did you manipulate me from the start?"

"No!" Otto jumped to his feet, putting his hands on her shoulders, "I never pretended to be someone else. Everything I said was true. I …I love you."

She had never heard him say it, and it actually made her hesitate. But in his eyes was desperation and fear. What he said wasn't out of love, but out of fear of the immediate future. "I did love you, Otto," She said, raising the stone in one hand, "But the man I loved died with Quentin Beck."

She stepped away as a portal opened under Otto's feet. Half his body had fallen in by the time he extended his two remaining metal arms and held himself up. The Intensity of the portal pulled on his body as he fought it with everything he had. He begged for her to stop, but she refused to respond verbally. Instead, she approached one of his arms and created a blade of light with her fingers, just as she had before.

"Please," Otto begged, "We can start over!"

"You can't reset everything," She glared, "Goodbye, Otto Octavius."

With one swift motion, she sliced the arm and executed his balance. His body dropped immediately into the portal, with his one remaining metal arm being the last to fall through. The portal quickly closed as to ensure he didn't come back. The arm he left behind twitched for a moment before finally coming to rest.

He was the last of her former comrades.

Most had left her for a better job. One had chosen to sacrifice his life for the cause they believed in, coming to grips in the end that it may not even happen. Now, she had to expel the last friend she had made on his crusade; the man she had chosen to love even if it had never fully flourished. Koji, her brother, was all she had left now.

She cried, for it was all she could do now.

She fell to her knee's in tears, holding a hand to the spot Otto had been before she expelled him. Part of her wanted to wish him back here and truly start over like he wanted. But she couldn't, not after everything. She couldn't react to every desire she had just because she could. She needed to accept that some things just had to happen, even if it hurt her.

"What do we do now?" Asked Koji, standing awkwardly against the work table.

Mayume, still drenched in her own tears, stood up and grabbed a bag from underneath the table. She stared at it, hating all that happened just to get this bag in her hands. She resented its existence. It wasn't even the bag she wanted, rather what was inside it.

She opened the bag and dumped the contents onto the table. Empty supplies for web shooters, web fluid, drawings of costume ideas came out first. Following was an extra pair of clothes. Finally, three multicolored stones rolled onto the table. Once they had, they seemed to magnetize to the other stones across the table, and moved toward them. They pulled into place like a set of pool balls. From her hands, she dropped the final stone into the pile and watch their shared vibration nearly shake the table.

"We need to finish the gauntlet," She answered, looking at the partially modified gauntlet to her left, "I want you to get started on it."

"What about you?"

Mayume slowly pulled out her phone, staring it down like it would disappear from her hands, "…I need to make a phone call."

…

In a massive conference room, many different Pro Heroes were gathered together. Normally the staff of U.A would meet in the teacher's conference room, but this was an issue beyond the school that required a different room in a discreet location. The room had a nice dotted carpet of green and brown colors. Half of the room's walls were covered with wood, while the other half was made of brick.

At the center was a massive round table with seats dedicated to many different heroes. The seats from the two closest to the window and outwards consisted of those in the top 10 hero rankings. The top 10 seats consisted of heroes like Endeavor, Hawks, and Kamui Woods. The outer seats of the circle were held for heroes numbered 11 through 25, which just managed to include Mt. Lady in the ranks.

Everyone was gathered to discuss one thing; the criminalization of the Pro Hero, Overcast.

"We should have seen it coming," Said Kamui Woods, "The way she overreacted at the trial of Norman Osborn was a sign."

"There's no way we could have known even from that," Argued Mt. Lady.

"I say we find the traitor and end this now!" Shouted Endeavor.

The heroes argued among themselves with different viewpoints. Some believed she was innocent, others ready to damn her in an instant. They were upset, and who could fault them for that? Someone they considered to be one of them had turned villain. It looked bad for the heroes, as now her reveal was sparking doubt in the trust of the public.

"Is no one else concerned that All Might didn't show up for this?" Asked one hero.

"He's hunting down Spider-Man right now, he'll join us when he can," Said Kamui.

Mt. Lady nearly stood out of her chair, "He's what?!"

"In case you forgot, Mt. Lady," Kamui scolded, "Spider-Man is a criminal."

In a one on one conversation, perhaps she could argue with Kamui over the subject. Here, however, she had two dozen heroes who were likely all against her on this. Instead of arguing, she sat back in her chair and pouted. Normally she would seem displeased about being at one of these meetings, acting more like a teenage girl than an adult, but she was surprisingly composed, thought the other heroes.

Kamui stood up, keeping his hands on the table, "We need to look at the facts. Mayume Aihara, who we all know better as the hero Overcast, has turned against us. She's become extremely dangerous, especially now that we know she has not one quirk, but two. She kept her other quirk hidden for so many years, who knows how long she was planning this?"

"I don't know about that," Said another hero, "She graduated top of her class with no signs of villainous intent. It may more likely be a recent thing."

"She betrayed us," Said Endeavor, "It's as simple as that. She pretended to be one of us all this time."

"Seven years of faking it?" asked Mt. Lady, "I don't buy that."

"When you've been at this long enough, you'll find it easier to expect this sort of thing."

Another Pro Hero put a folder on the table, passing it around for everyone to see, "As far as her quirks go," Said the hero, "We did some digging. Her mother passed the Shadow Quirk onto her, but her Light Quirk came from her birth father, who the mother left before she was even born. She clearly inherited both quirks, choosing to use only one for whatever reason. U.A files don't even have her second quirk on record. She never went public with this information despite records showing her birth father."

"Even though she isn't in the top 25," continued Kamui, "With the addition of this second quirk, she has become one of the most dangerous of us. Her shadow quirk alone made her an admirable foe, yet she never pursued the rankings. We can assume her to be far more powerful than what we previously thought."

At the mention of the rankings, everyone remembered how All Might wasn't there with him. He should have caught Spider-Man by now, having gone after him some time ago. The vigilante was good, but there was no way he could stand toe to toe with the number one hero. All Might should have him behind bars in no time, so his absence was confusing. He of all people would want to hear about a hero who betrayed them.

Sitting on this idea, they also noticed another hero missing from the ranks.

"Where's Miruko?" Asked a hero.

…

Despite the sun being out, it felt like a rain cloud was over her head.

Rumi Usagiyama, better known by her hero name Miruko, sat in the middle of a local bar with a drink in her hand. She was dressed casually, shirt and pants rolled up to her joints. It wasn't much of a secret identity since her rabbit ears were a part of her quirk. She sat alone at the front tables where the bartender served people. Some had asked for her autographs, or even a picture, and she reluctantly gave it to them. Most days she didn't mind the attention, but this wasn't most days.

She was fresh off an assignment; crowd control and rescue during a big villain VS villain showdown in the streets. She didn't expect too much until one of those villains was unmasked. Its all the news could talk about right now. They wouldn't admit it, but they loved being able to brand a hero as a villain. It made for amazing content that everyone tuned in for, because it didn't happen very often.

Rumi could barely look up at the TV and see the unmasking replayed over and over again. The woman she had sworn to beat after their first encounter ended up being someone close to her.

Mayume Aihara was Lumina, and that broke her heart.

Their history is simple, but treasured. They met soon after Mayume became a hero and got along well because Miruko was impressed by her strength. She always admired those who could hold their own, and her Shadow quirk was no joke. They would occasionally get a drink together after a long day of work, and sometimes even had a sleepover. They joked that it made them seem like teenage girls, a feeling they secretly missed. Even when training to be heroes, life was much simpler back in those days.

Now, things were much, much more complicated.

The news played the story once more, rehashing it in different ways to milk it for all it had. It was finally the last straw, and Rumi chucked her drink off the table and let it crash onto the ground. When it didn't shatter, it angered her into smashing it with her foot. No one wanted to tell her to pay for it, not because she was a hero, but because she was genuinely scary. They allowed her to walk out without saying a word.

Rumi strolled to the nearest alleyway and pushed her back against the wall, holding one arm across her chest and one hand to her face. Tears rolled down her cheeks when she thought no one was looking at her. It was only in the privacy of darkness that she felt she was allowed to cry.

Temptation made her want to call Mayume and demand an explanation, but would she even answer? Why would she want to hear from that traitor anyway? She was a villain, after all. That's what she was now, right? It's what everyone was saying she was. The proof was right in front of them. So why did she doubt it? Why did she want to believe in the one impossible explanation?

What if it wasn't that simple?

Temptation overtook her, and she pulled out her phone to start dialing. As she unlocked it, she found herself freezing in place. Should she really be doing this so soon after seeing her without the mask? Should she not take the time to process it rather than jump the gap now?

As she reached for the dial button, her screen was suddenly overtaken with black, before fading into a name with a green and red button option below it. It was an incoming call from the woman herself. It was a sign, fate was telling her this is what she needed, even if she didn't believe it.

She swiped her finger across the answer button, and lifted the phone to her ear.

"…Aihara?" She quietly asked.

"…Usagiyama," Answered Mayume hesitantly.

"You bastard!" Rumi shouted the moment she heard her voice, "After everything we've been through- goddamn it! I trusted you!"

"Rumi-"

"You betrayed everything we're supposed to stand for! You have about one minute before I go out, find you, and kick your ass!"

Her anger was expected, so her vulgar language didn't surprise Mayume when she heard it. If she didn't cut in now, she'd likely follow through with her threat, "Just let me explain everything."

"Explain?! Really?! I'd love to hear this!"

Mayume paused, taking a moment to collect her thoughts as she listened to Rumi's exasperated breathing over the phone, "Do you remember a while back when I was fighting those criminals, and I asked for your help. You didn't show up until the last minute because you were in a talk show."

"Yeah? So?"

"That's why I did it. You didn't take the job seriously and it resulted in someone's death."

"I do take my job seriously!"

"Many heroes don't. It's what got my family killed. Heroes have a habit of waiting until the villain causes some destruction so they look more heroic when they save the day. It's an unwritten practice for many of them. My goal, in the end, is to become the kind of hero everyone else fails to be, bring back any and all who die of unnatural causes, and eradicated the need for surprise funerals."

"Cut the bullshit," Rumi threatened, "What is it you're really after?"

"I have no alternative motivation. I was tired of being one of the only ones who cared less about image and more about saving the one life."

This was directed at Rumi herself, and she knew it. She's always had the philosophy of letting heroes fight alone, otherwise teaming up makes them look weak. After Hosu, though, her viewpoint has been shifted slightly. If she knew Mayume at all, then she wasn't lying to her. "People have gotten hurt because of you."

"I've tried to avoid as many casualties as possible."

"We all know what you want is those stones. You really think all that power is worth it?"

"What do you think?"

She had never given this much thought, but her answer was swift none the less, "I think being strong is important so you can protect those who are weaker. But you also have to be stronger than the power you're wielding. I think that's how a lot of villains are created, because they succumb to their own strength. If you are still the person that I know you to be, then I don't want that person lost to this new power."

"You think I'm not strong enough?"

"No, I don't. I think that if you don't give it up now, Overcast will die just like Lumina did today. All that's left will be Mayume, and I think after all this pretending, even you don't know who that is anymore."

There wasn't much else she could say to her friend. Rumi had her cornered, every angle she tried was only met with retaliation. She hoped to make her understand, but she wouldn't budge. Rumi was as stubborn as they come, after all.

"Bye, Usagiyama," Said Mayume as she hung up the phone.

Rumi tried to tell her to wait, but the call was already disconnected. Immediately she tried calling back, but she was met with a robotic voice saying that the number was no longer available.

Even though there was no one around to see, Rumi still thought she had to hide the tears building up in her eyes.

…

All Might was asked to stay at the Sanctum while Doctor Strange worked to find a way back to his home. Only with his aura can he pin point where his world is, but that's a detail he doesn't disclose with him. In the meanwhile, Peter had done his best to sneak through the city and find his home in Queens. Since Spider-Man would draw more attention, he maneuvered the city as Peter Parker until he found his home. The door was locked, but his bedroom window wasn't. He always kept it unlocked for easy access as Spider-Man.

Entering the room through the window, he found it exactly as he left it. Pinned to a little board on the wall were equations for his webs only he understood. The room was kept rather tidy, but not because of him. Clearly Aunt May had chosen to clean it while he was gone because he himself was a slob. Spending most of his free time as Spider-Man left little room to clean up. In the corner next to his bed was a sewing kit, red threading still locked into the machine. He always said to May that he needed it for cosplays he would wear for Comic Con. He didn't know back then that she knew the truth.

He approached the wall above his desk and saw the photo's hanging there. One was of himself and his Uncle Ben 5 years ago, just after he won the science fair at school. He got a gold ribbon for it, of which was hanging from the side of the photo it was presented in. The ribbon was somewhat worn from time, and showing it off to visitors. Most of the photos were of Ben and May, as he didn't have many friends.

He turned on the police scanner in his room in his room as he started rummaging through his closet. Found inside of a box hidden at the back was an extra costume. There were no spare masks, only the body portion was available. Any time one was damaged, he would repair it while wearing the spare. He used to have three but was unable to keep up with the repairs, and was forced to scrap it down and reuse the fabric where he could. He remembered how often he would have to hide any fabric he would throw away from his Aunt.

He never realized she had always known.

His gaze traveled to his line of photos on the wall, one of which was of him, his aunt and his uncle. It was taken not long before Bens passing. He had hung it up after he died as a reminder of him, but now, it may become a reminder of her. With her heart disease, the wrong move or moment could cause her heart to stop, and she would pass from this world. He wanted to be there with her for every possible second until the end, but he was stuck here under a different sun. She needed him, and he couldn't be there.

The police scanner on his desk started to go off with the sound of a panicked police officer. He remembered retrieving the police scanner from a police scar that was nearly destroyed by a super villain; he recovered the scanner from the car and put it to good use. Turning it on when he came in— he realizes now— was habit. The police officer on the scanner started shouting about a shootout. He could hear the bullets flying in the background.

There wasn't much he could do to help Strange will All Might, but there was plenty he could do about this.

Rushing to his desk, he found his bottom drawer was filled with a box of his web fluid pellets. Seeing them gave him such a rush of relief. It was like finding your stash after abstaining for so long, which he admits is likely not the best comparison. Quickly, he filled his belt and web shooters to the brim with the pellets and clicked them into place. With a fresh costume and a tattered mask, he leapt out his window and swung into the familiar world.

Swinging through the air and passing by the large buildings gave him a sense of safety. He hadn't swung from these buildings in what feels like forever, and he missed it so. People in the windows watched him go, filming him with their phones and likely sending the footage directly to the Daily Bugle. Jonah won't be thrilled to discover that the bane of his existence was back. Or perhaps he would be happy because he could use Spider-Man's image to sell more newspapers, likely about how horrible Spidey is. He would never admit his bestselling papers were about him.

The further he swung, the louder the gunshots were. He kept himself swinging a few stories above the ground for an aerial view. Down below him were three police vehicles with officers hiding behind them. Facing against them were three civilian vehicles without license plates. Criminals with guns were firing on them far more aggressively than they fired back. Most civilians ran, but some were too scared to move or found a place to hide.

Spider-Man landed on the wall of a building and looked down, thinking of the best way to tackle the situation. A direct assault would get him and the officers killed. The civilians who stuck around made it harder, but diverting the bullets was his best bet. He needed them aiming somewhere away from innocents, and usually, the best substitute was the symbol on his chest. A few well shot webs would disarm them before any bullets hit what they shouldn't. He would need to be fast or risk death not his own. Maybe he could survive more bullets that the average thanks to his self-healing, but others couldn't.

Just as he was going to move on, someone else beat him to it.

Flying past him quickly was a man in red and yellow armor, jets firing out of his feat. The invincible Iron Man had come to the scene, flying over the gunfight as everyone held their fire. None of them had ever expected him to be here flying over them, getting involved in police matters. No one was more surprise than Spider-Man.

"Tony?!" Spider-Man exclaimed, "What are you doing here?!"

"Relax, kid," he spoke confidently through his helmet, "Just sit back and let me take care of this, ok?" He spoke like a parent putting his sick kid on the couch as he cooked him soup. He was so confident this would all be taken care of.

The thugs began firing desperately at Iron Man but the bullets only bounced off his armor with a loud 'ting'. The officers ducked down and let the event unfold without intervention. After the thugs had stopped firing, he lifted his arm and fired energy blasts from the cannon on his palm. The blast struck the enemy vehicle and sent it on its side, knocking the criminals over.

Iron Man fired again at the next vehicle, and this time it went up into the air at great speeds. Spider-Man's head began ringing loudly as he looked around the area, finding cowering civilians on the sidewalk where the vehicle was headed. He quickly reacted and shot two webs at the car, allowing the momentum to shoot him forward like a slingshot toward the car. The people screamed just as he came barreling over the car and placing his hands on the top.

His feet the ground just in time to catch the car on his shoulders. It was heavy, but thanks to his spider-strength, he was able to hold it up over the civilian's heads. They were shocked to see the web head saving them as he had been missing for some time. To see him there in all his red and blue glory acted as a symbol of hope. Finally, their hero had returned.

The remaining thugs after seeing Iron Mans power had surrendered to the police. There was no way they could take on an Avenger, they thought. Iron Man landed on the ground and his face plate lifted up, "All good, officers?"

"Yeah, thanks Iron Man," smiled the officer.

Most of the surrounding people had crowded around to thank Iron Man. Never did they expect one of the biggest Avengers would actually come down and help with something like this. Most wanted autographs or interviews, others just wanted to get close to him or take pictures. He was more than happy to pose with a few people for pictures, and signing various things for them.

Spider-Man had just placed the car on its wheels, ensuring that the stick was set to park rather than neutral. The small group of people he saved had finally stopped cowering and stood up straight, "You're Spider-Man!" One said.

Spider-Man had assumed they would tell him to scram and put his hands up, "I'll get going, I'm not gonna hurt you-"

"No, man! You saved our lives! We thought you were gone for good! It's really great to have you back again!"

He was surprised to hear this considering he was usually met with accusations of somehow being involved in whatever incident transpired, "Wow …thank you—I mean—you're welcome."

"If you hadn't jumped in, we would have been killed!"

"Yeah …" He turned around to look at Tony with a glare, "Glad to know you're safe …"

…

Doctor Strange held some kind of metal sphere around All Might as he sat on the couch. Strange never actually mentioned what it was that he was doing, but All Might wasn't going to argue with him. He was clearly the professional here and he didn't want to interrupt him. The sphere made a humming noise as he moved it around in the air. All he knew for sure was that this was going to get them back to Japan faster than a plane could. Toshi did try and call someone but found he had no service. He just assumed it was because he was in a different country; he hasn't done a lot of international traveling lately.

"How close are you with Peter?" Asked Doctor Strange, trying to make conversation.

"He was my student," Answered All Might, "After getting to Japan he …got into the school I teach at. I tutor young aspiring heroes."

"Interesting. I know he had to go on the run. Tell me about that."

That was a touchy subject, especially now. Still, it would be nice to get all his thoughts out there, and this odd man was offering that chance, "He fought villains without a license. Vigilantism is illegal, and you need to be registered to fight. I chose to try and take him in, but he won."

"Do you believe he deserved arrest?"

"No, honestly. But people expected me to fight him."

"From my experience, the best heroes are those who act on the orders of their hearts to protect the hearts of others."

Thinking about this brought back other thoughts too. There were so many things that still didn't make sense. Why did Peter never try to contact home and get back, or call for backup? Why was there a supposed second Peter Parker in New York at the same time as he was in Japan? Why did he refuse to say anything during interrogation even after they had caught him?

"You're in distress," stated Strange.

"You have no idea," Said All Might, "I've been swimming in doubt and confusion when it comes to young Parker. I just wish I could make sense of it all."

Strange stopped moving the sphere around and put it down, a hand to his chin in thought. They knew what they were about to face was probably dangerous, and they needed all their players at full strength with a level head. If All Might was to be that, he needed closure. He needed the truth.

"All Might," Strange sat across from him, "I know Peter wouldn't want me to say, but there's some things you need to know."

…

After the incident, people scattered and went about their days. Police were doing a sweep of the area in case they missed anything before driving away with the perpetrators. Iron Man stood on top a roof with one foot placed on the ledge. He was seemingly proud of himself for intervening when he did.

Spider-Man jumped to the roof with his shoulders tense. Tony lifted his face plate and approached Peter with a smile, "Hey kid, that looked pretty ugly back there. How're you doing?"

Peter ripped off his tattered mask to reveal a face full of pure rage. The sight was enough to make Tony recoil and back off slightly. Clearly, he was not doing as well as he hoped. "What in God's name were you thinking?!"

It was strange to hear him scolding Tony for he didn't understand why, "Kid, we got the bad guys," he tried to reassure.

"Why were you even there?! I had that under control!"

"What's the problem?"

"What's the problem-?! You were reckless! You nearly got some of those people killed! I thought you were supposed to be a professional!"

"I am-"

"This is where you zip it!" He shouted without any care to what Tony thought, "You're Iron Man, founder of the freakin' Avengers. How the hell did you perform so recklessly back there?! Why were you even helping out?! A shootout is kinda below your pay grade!"

Tony admittedly acted a little reckless. Had he taken a moment to dull the power of his blasters, perhaps the car wouldn't have gone flying. Still, no one was hurt and the bad guys surrendered without any problems. In the end, it worked out, yet Peter was still upset, "Kid, with you being back, I figured you'd need a break, so I handled the shootout for you."

"Oh really? And have you been fighting crime for me since I left?"

Tony was silent.

"Of course not, because that's not what you do. When was the last time you stopped a sandwich shop from being robbed, or returned someone's stolen bag?"

He honestly couldn't remember a time he ever did that. He's fought many villains, but not often thugs in masks, "I can't remember when—what's your point to all this? We stopped the bad guy-"

"What about the little guy?!" Peter didn't care how angry he got at this point, he just needed to let this out and Tony was here to take it, "On the world I was trapped in, heroes get paid to do their jobs. Because of that, they don't take it as seriously, and you just proved that true."

"Excuse me?!"

"Immediately after stopping them, you bathe in the limelight your fans shine on you! Meanwhile, you refuse to check on the people who nearly got crushed by the car you shot! Is posing for a good photo really more important than saving lives?! I know you stopped the bad guys, but that is never the number one priority, and that's why you aren't a street level hero!"

"Then what kind of hero am I?"

"You and the Avengers fight power hungry aliens and time traveling conquers. You protect the masses, leaving the little guy defenseless. That's what I'm for! To stop bad guys—regular Joe's with no powers—from shooting old men in alleyways!"

Tony himself was getting angry now, his eyebrows lowering in disapproval. He had never heard Peter talk like this before, and it didn't make him happy. His only thought was to set him straight, "You don't get to talk like that!"

"Why not?! Because you're the invincible Iron Man!? God among men who swoon any time he dares tread the same soil? People look up to you! People are empowered by you! Like a little boy, terrified of the monster threatening him, and his only source of strength is the toy helmet on his head!"

Peter stopped now, realizing what he had let slip, squinting his eyes and backing off a moment to lean over the edge of the building. He had never actually spoken about what happened when he was a child, when Iron Man had saved his life. It wasn't something you bring up with your idol without facing embarrassment. At least, that's how his mind thought. He always assumed Tony laughed at his young-self behind his back for dressing the way he did.

Tony fully noticed what he said. He didn't understand right away, but once it hit, it hit hard, "I remember there was this robot attack a long time ago. There was a kid in a toy helmet …was that you, Peter?"

Peter didn't answer him, opting to take a deep breath and look down at the street 12 stories below them. He despised how Tony just didn't understand what he was trying to say. Iron Man isn't a hero of the people, he's a hero of the earth. He's only ever fought on a massive scale; no wonder he overdid it when he tried to help in the shootout.

Peter sighed, looking out over the city, "…Some people just want to live the simple life. They just want to grow up, marry, have kids and work. And that's ok if that's all they want. Down there are thousands of lives, all happening at the same time. One man just got a promotion, the other just got married. One woman just got pregnant; another won a spelling bee. To each of them, their experience is their own," He turned his head to look at Tony, "That's who I protect."

"So do I."

"Not quite. You're earths mightiest heroes. You protect the earth from Avengers level threats. Meanwhile, there's issues too small to pop up on your radar. When Goblin first attacked before all this happened, I was the one who arrived first. The Avengers didn't get involved until the situation was dire. So many things go unnoticed by the Avengers, The Fantastic Four, and all of you big time heroes. The little guy was left defenseless. Someone needs to look after them, and that's me. Why do you think I'm called your 'Friendly neighborhood Spider-Man'?"

"I thought it was just a nickname."

"It's more than that," He looked back over the city, taking it all in, "Leo's Pizza shop was robbed once. After I stopped that, the owner—Mr. O'Hara—wanted to give me a free pizza. Now there's a pizza meal named after me. There was another incident where someone assaulted an office building. I stopped it. A few days later, I'm swinging by that building, and hanging from the window is a basket of treats, goodies, and a note saying how thankful they were. What I do for them leaves an impact. I think the reason that more people hate me than you is because they see me as a human being."

"You think they don't see me as human?"

"…To them, you're a celebrity. An idol they can't ever match up to. The unreachable golden standard. The point of Spider-Man is to look after the little guy and be there for them. While you're fighting intergalactic invaders, I'm helping an old woman across the street, visiting sick kids in the hospital, and talking someone off the edge of a bridge. Being a hero, to me, is personal."

He had never heard of these things happening with Peter; Events Tony never even considered being a part of. Sure, he's visited sick kids, but only because he was asked to by some foundation. For so many years, he's known only fighting the big guys who threaten the earth, or the country, or at least the whole city. Sometimes they even threaten to kill half of all life in the universe, all to Impress Lady Death herself. When Peter was helping these people and really getting to know them, what was Tony doing? Staying in his tower goofing off until the next big threat? Making new suits? Designing new A.I? Did he really never consider the little guy? When was the last time he actually thought about who he was protecting and not how many?

"…Is that why you don't want me to assemble the Avengers?" asked Tony.

"…Yes," Peter admitted, "Lumina isn't …she's not a conqueror. She's my friend and I want to save her."

"I get that, kid, but it's not about that. The stones are extremely dangerous. Retrieving them is easier with a team of people. Maybe …I can't leave this earth defenseless, so we don't need everyone. What if we just brought Thor and Steve with us?"

Admittedly, it would be nice for Peter to have a little help. Whether he wanted to save Lumina or not, she had the Infinity Stones, and needed to be stopped one way or another. The fact that she was his friend can't hold him back from doing the right thing, no matter how guilty he felt about not stopping her sooner. To win this, he needed to swallow his Parker pride.

"…Alright, I get it," Peter surrendered, "Thor and Steve, plus you, Strange, All Might and I should be more than enough."

"Glad we reached a compromise."

These were thoughts about Tony that Peter had held in for so long. Tony was his idol, after all, and his approval had meant everything. Lately, though, he had begun to see everything so differently. He saw Tony's flaws rather than hold him in the limelight. He didn't want to be the next Iron Man, anymore. He wanted to be the best 'Spider-Man'.

"Strange should hopefully have something by now," Said Tony, "We should go check on him."

"…Right," Said Peter, slipping his tattered mask over his face, "Let's get going."

…

It wasn't easy for Koji to finish the gauntlet for his desperate sister. Otto's schematics design it to fit a smaller hand in comparison to the titan it was meant for. He had been breaking down the originals material and working it into a smaller version and following those steps without him was difficult. He had never seen Mayume get so angry before, enough to banish one of their teammates. Otto did screw up, but what if they still needed him?

Otto accused her of her true nature being that of a villain. The things she's done did support that theory. She left Peter and All Might behind in another world with nothing but the costumes on their backs. That doesn't seem like something she would have done a few weeks ago.

Then again, of all people to worry about her actions, he himself had no right.

Piled on the table were each of the Infinity Stones. So much blood, sweat and sacrifice went into collecting these 6 powerful stones together. Mayume had gained and lost so much for them, and finally here they were. Space, reality, power, mind, soul, and time. The 6 aspects of the universe under their complete control.

Did he have any right to wield that?

Desperation led him back to his sister. Desperation for a fresh start, reunion with his family and a new life. Among all this, he wondered whether he was worth a do over. In his mind, he could still hear the voice of his mother telling him to do the right thing; the voice he heard when he nearly killed Izuku Midoriya. He had never heard her voice before when killing, why did he hear it now? 14 years of killing and only now did he finally surrender to compassion. Why only now did his mothers voice reach him from beyond the grave.

Beyond the grave …

He looked back to the stones, specifically that of the soul stone. It was in the bag when he threatened Izuku. It could control and contact the dead, he remembered. Could it be? Had his mother actually called to him? There was one way to find out.

Slowly, he put down his tools and reached for the soul stone, feeling its vibration in his hand. A surge of power entered his nerves. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. No wonder Mayume wanted these stones so badly; the power in just one of them was unreal. He could do anything with just one of these, and there would be virtually no one who could stop him.

"Don't surrender to it."

He turned around and expected to see Mayume there, scolding him. Instead he found nothing. Reflecting on it, the voice wasn't even hers. It was feminine, but one he hardly recognized. Hardly.

"Koji."

Looking to his right, he found three people standing there of a different lighting than the room provided. While the room was somewhat dark, the three people looked as though they were standing under a street light. Two were adults, a man and a woman. At their side was a child no older than 11. Immediately he recognized them, and it brought him to tears. Standing there before him was his mother, father, and brother, looking not as deceased as they once had.

"…Mom, dad, Daichi?" He questioned, standing up straight to look at them.

"Hello, Koji," Said his mother Ena, "Look at how you've grown."

"You look healthy," Said his father Kioshi.

Koji couldn't believe what he was seeing. It couldn't have been them, not really. This needed to be some kind of trick or illusion, if there was a difference. He had visited their graves as a teenager, only after he was allowed to roam free. "You can't be real …you died, all of you."

"We know," Said Ena, "But you brought us here, with that," She pointed to the stone in his hand.

Koji looked to the stone in his hand, of which could manipulate the souls of the dead. Had his thoughts really summoned them here?

"…It was your voice," Koji confirmed, "When I almost killed that kid."

Ena walked forward and put her hands on his shoulders, "I knew you could choose a better path, Koji. You don't have to be what that horrible man made you into. You can choose to be better."

"That's what I'm trying to do! Mayume and I can bring you guys back to life! We can get our fresh start! We can do whatever we want!"

"We don't want that."

Koji froze, blinking a few times as though he had misheard them. He hoped he did, in fact, as she had just shattered his entire world with a single phrase, "What?"

"She said no," said his brother Daichi, "Didn't you hear her?"

"I did, but I don't understand!" Shouted Koji, "Why wouldn't you want to come back?!"

"Because our time is over," Said Kioshi, "We lived our lives on earth, and we've been gone from it too long. Besides, coming back comes with a price."

"What price?"

"You," Ena answered, "Just holding a single stone, you were losing yourself to it's power as Mayume has. The universe isn't a canvas to paint. If you do this, you will lose the best part of you."

"There is no best part!"

Silence overtook the four of them. There needed no explanation, for they had been watching him for some time. Koji didn't believe he deserved any good as he was, that's why he wanted the stones. He needed to change his history, erase it from the world so he could really start over and begin a new life. Then, maybe, he could really truly deserve to live.

"All For One made me into this," he continued, "He made me a monster. Everything he did was to make me the villain he always wanted me to be. What …what right to do I have to change myself after everything I did?"

"None of that was your fault," Ena said, "You had no choice becoming this. Even if you did, there are better ways to change. The person you are now and the person you want to become are based solely on your past. To erase it is not only a crime against the universe, but a crime against yourself. I'm …not proud of the man you've become, but I have hope for the man you can become. You can be better, and you don't need to give yourself to the stones to do that. You think you control them, but it's the opposite. Don't waste your potential by surrendering to power without the component of responsibility."

Kioshi and Daichi approached him and smiled, putting their hands on him to show comfort.

"We forgive you for all you've done," Said Kioshi, "Now you must forgive yourself."

"You're really strong, even without a quirk," said Daichi, "I know you'll find a way."

"We love you," Ena smiled, kissing his forehead and wiping his tears, "We love you both so much. Please, remain strong, and be better."

With those final words of encouragement, they vanished from sight like dust in the wind. Tears had fallen from his face and stained the dust sitting on the ground. His entire world shattered before creating a new one to inhabit. For years, he dreamed of a chance to talk to his family just one more time. He fantasized about receiving their forgiveness and permission to become a better man. Like before, he felt his heart beat through his entire body as everything shook and twitched. A weight he carried for so many years was now gone.

His heavy heart had finally become a little lighter.

A shuffling behind him quickly made him turn around and find his sister standing at the door from her office, tears in her eyes as well. She had seen everything but refused to interact; her lip was quivering from the experience. She wanted to approach immediately, but wasn't sure if that was the bets move.

"…You saw all that?" Koji asked.

"…I did," Said Mayume, "I haven't seen them in such a long time …"

Koji looked between her and the stone, before placing it with the rest and facing her with raised shoulders. He felt like a child trying to tell their parent about their misdeeds. A child who was scared to talk about their feelings in fear of rejection. This was something he needed to say, and even he couldn't believe he was saying it, "I think they're right."

"…Excuse me?" her kind nature suddenly shifted to something more hostile.

"You heard them; they don't want to come back. Using the universe as a canvas could get our hands covered in paint. What if we don't become the people we want to be? What if the stones really do dictate what we do and who we become?"

"We're doing this for others."

"We're doing this for ourselves," he corrected, "You and I are hurting so much that we'll do anything to make it go away …even disguising it as a noble cause."

She approached him quickly, her fists clenched, "I don't need another person accusing me of villainous intent! I plan to save people so no one suffers like we did!"

"I believe you! But what if that changes? All that power to do whatever you want and what if you use it wrong? What if you become everything that they say you are?"

"I won't!"

"You already have! You've done all these things, sacrificed so much, have you ever wondered if it's still worth the price?"

"I don't care what happens to me!"

"You should!"

She wanted so badly to slap him and get the sense back into his head. There was no time for that, though; no time to become childish. Looking behind him, she could see he had finally finished the glove for her. It was a miniature version of the original gauntlet that could perfectly fit her left hand. "I'll prove to you we're doing the right thing."

She tried to move past him to the gauntlet, but he remained in her way, "We can be better," he said.

"You have over a decade of criminal records," She reminded him, "We can erase that with a snap. Don't you want that?"

"…Why are we special enough to deserve that when so many others have suffered just like us? If we want to really change, we have to do it ourselves. I didn't see that before but I do now. When you erase a pencil marking, a faint image of it still remains. It's never really gone, and you can never really change the past without an echo left behind. Maybe …it's better to forge a brighter future instead."

"…I'm proud of you for changing, I really am, but let me through."

He stood his ground, standing up straight and puffing out his chest, "No. How many of your followers are gone now? Your friends? How much more must be erased and sacrificed?"

"Don't talk to me about sacrifice."

"You want these stones, go through me first."

A stalemate formed between them as they waited for one to make the first move. Koji wasn't budging from his sport, nor his ideals. Seeing his parents had finally set him straight and released him from the illusion he set for himself. Mayume, meanwhile, had fallen deeper into the dark and let herself be driven by her quest for power. While one was able to rise up, the other had sadly fallen from the podium. Neither of them was changing their minds.

Perhaps it is time to be childish, she thought.

She engulfed her right arm in light and swung it at Koji, who used his burst of speed to dodge it and strike her in the stomach. She stumbled backwards, quickly recovering and grabbing him with a shadow claw. He was unable to dodge it after using up his burst of speed, and she threw him to the side. He rolled into a recovery and tried charging for her, but she blasted him back with a stream of light that kept him down.

"You know what, Mayume," he covered his face from the light shooting at his body, "I bet without your quirks, you'd be just as weak as me!"

"No, I wouldn't!" She threw back, "I could beat you even without them!"

He finally fell completely down and he ceased her attack, letting him rest from the pain. He breathed heavily as he tried to compose himself, but found he was too weak to get up. They sounded exactly as they did when they were kids, arguing about who was better. That's not what he wanted, not anymore.

"Had enough?" She asked.

"You cheated," he claimed, "You know …I used to hate the idea of quirks."

"That so?"

"Yeah …I was so jealous. Every hero and villain had one, it drove them to do what they do. I wanted to be just like that, instead of being normal."

"And now?"

He finally gained the strength to at least sit up and look her in the eye, "Now …I wouldn't mind if I was normal again."

Normal. A term she had boasted about to Goblin once upon a time. She told him it was ok for people to have a normal life instead of giving it to causes both villainous and heroic. That's what she fought for; the right for people to live a normal life free of danger and unexpected death. Villains have used their quirks to cause more harm and death than they ever would have if they were normal, and heroes only provoke the situation with their ego. The world could be different, and she could make it different.

Very different.

She grabbed the gauntlet and placed it over her left hand, slowly taking the stones and clicking them into place one at a time.

"What are you doing?!" Koji asked, still unable to stand up.

"Getting ready," She answered, "I need some time to think …about how I want to do this."

With each of the stones in place, their power connected with each other and fueled her body. She felt all of their power flowing into her, giving her strength she never thought possible. The rush was unlike anything she could have imagined. Her eyes glowed faintly of each of their colors as her brain absorbed the energy.

This was everything she ever hoped for and so much more.

She didn't even need to lift the gauntlet for a portal to open. Just before stepping through, she looked back at Koji and said, "I'm just …sorry," then stepped through as the portal closed behind her.

Koji was left wounded and alone as he always was.