"It's time you knew what's at stake," Peter spoke as he gathered them all together, "It's time you all knew the truth about me and where I came from."

His friends were scattered throughout the room, perking up to pay attention to him. Both Itsuka and Izuku knew exactly what Peter was going to explain. It made sense, with everything on the line. Still, this couldn't have been easy for him. Months of keeping this secret to finally reveal it in full— even to a small amount of people—must be hard. All that worry in assumption they would even believe him.

But he knew that If they were going into battle together, then every veil had to be removed.

"What do you mean the truth?" Kyoka asked.

Peter cleared his throat, looking briefly to Itsuka and Izuku for emotional support, "It began when I was late to school one morning. The Green Goblin was attacking the city and I skipped my route to school so I could stop him. We fought for some time until the Avengers—a super hero team where I'm from—came to my aid. Goblin took their ship and flew off. Turns out, he wanted their ship to access the navigation computer and find out where the Infinity Stones are being kept."

"You mean the weapons Overcast has?" Mina asked, raising her hand like a school child.

"Yes, that's right," Peter commended, "The Avengers took me along to help stop him. We split up and I found Goblin, and I opted to fight him myself. He had one of the stones—the space stone—which can transport people anywhere they want. When I fought with him, it reacted and …sent me to Musutafu."

He was going through the details as he had learned them that same day, hoping it would help them understand it from his point of view. No one had any objections so far; they just listened to him tell his story with non-bias judgement. Just wait, Peter thought, they haven't even gotten to the complicated part yet.

"When I arrived," He continued, "Rhino was rampaging through the town. That's when I stopped him with Mt. Lady's help. It's where I first …met Izuku."

"Time out," Kyoka interrupted, "The day you arrived was when you fought Rhino? That's the same day we all met you. The same day you enrolled into U.A."

"That …that was an accident, actually," Peter admitted, earning looks of confusion from everyone, "You see …I was holding the reality stone when I was speaking with Aizawa. I was worried he was going to arrest me for vigilantism or something so I started telling white lies. The stone reacted and forged the papers out of nothing."

"So, wait," Momo spoke now, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, "If you never meant to forge the papers, why not come clean with what happened?"

"For starters, like I said, I thought I was gonna be arrested," Peter sighed, "And …I thought I could use the school as cover and protection from my enemies who—thanks to Rhino—I knew were also in Japan. I started forging lies about where I came from to maintain this cover, so that I could find the stones before Goblin did. My plan was to find them and leave …but then I got to know you all," He looked to each of them with a smile on his face, "You all made your way into my life and into my heart and I can't thank you all enough for that. You mean everything to me, you really do, it's why I chose you for this rag-tag team."

The team couldn't help but feel flustered in their own ways. Each of them had different ways of showing it, whether it be hiding their face, holding their cheeks, laughing, smiling, or standing proud.

Momo was the only one to see the fault.

"Why did you never go to the police or Pros?" She asked, "There has to be a reason you never pursued such an easy solution if you ended up here by accident."

"…There is," He said, knowing it was finally time to peel off the Band-Aid, "I told you the space stone takes you anywhere you want. It can go across space, and across dimensions; Different dimensions, different realities …different universes."

No one reacted that intensely, likely because they didn't realize he was being literal, not metaphorical. He didn't blame them; a concept such as this was far beyond believable even to scientists who study the possibility. Whether they believed him or not, he needed to get it off his chest.

"The multiverse, guys" He finally peeled the Band-Aid, slightly whining in his tone "I'm talking about the multiverse—Me! I'm from another reality, like, physically!"

He was joking, they thought. He was just annoyed they didn't get the point and was checking to see if they were paying attention. Any second now he'd turn around and say what he actually meant, but the moment never came. His face was stern and still. There wasn't even a chuckle. He was very serious.

Their first instinct was to believe his words as false. There was no way that he could have been from another universe. That kind of thing just wasn't possible. No one had ever proved the idea was ever actually true. There was no evidence to support it, none that he was offering, anyway. He could have been lying again to hide the ugly truth. If he was, then what was so bad that he had to lie again?

"Well, that fricken' explains everything!"

Mina exclaimed loudly from where she stood, her hands in the air to emphasize. Like with Peter, Kyoka and Momo thought she was joking or being sarcastic. Yet, she was showing no disbelief in what Peter was suggesting to them. To be fair, it was a shock to believe for even her, but she was also open about it. After seeing what the stones can do in the hands of Overcast, how far off was the multiverse at that point? Maybe she was just clinging to the first explanation, but she wasn't complaining.

"You believe him?" Asked Momo.

"I mean, it does sound kinda coocoo," She rolled her finger in a circle next to her head, "But after everything we've seen—everything these stone things have done, including this whole new world she made us live in—is it really that strange? People have studied the multiverse concept for years anyway. Besides, it kinda explains a lot, doesn't it? How he appeared suddenly? Where these other guys came from? How we've never heard of MCU or any of these villains before, or even the Avengers? How can we have never heard of them if they keep popping up unless they are from another dimension?"

"…Dammit," Jiro gave in, "She has a point."

"Seriously?!" Momo shouted.

"I mean …she does," Kyoka argued, "Once upon a time we thought superpowers were impossible. Plus, if Aihara can create an entire new reality with those stones, why does another reality existing seem impossible? She made a new one from scratch! Maybe other worlds do exist. Besides, what do we really know about the universe? Only what we can prove and that is still up for debate. There's so much we don't understand, maybe …maybe this is just one of those things."

Momo couldn't believe what she was hearing. They were believing this so easily without a scrape of proof to back it up. Peter has lied before, why wouldn't he be lying about this. Then again, after everything they've been through, would he still be lying? He promised to explain everything after all, and he was being really serious about it. She was the type to collect facts and solve the issue at hand. That's why she was. Yet, her friends were willing to believe this so easily?

"We can vouch for him," Izuku spoke up, "Kendo and I—we can confirm he's telling the truth."

"You can?" Asked Momo, "How?"

Kendo stepped forward for Izuku, gesturing to him to step back and let her explain, "There was a point where Izuku and I helped Peter …fight someone for the Mind stone. We accidentally used it to show us Peters memories. We saw what he saw; felt what he felt. Everything he's telling you is true."

Now mind reading was something Momo did believe. She didn't doubt any of the stone's abilities at this point, as some of them resembled quirks. Reading someone's mind is one of the only full proof ways to know if someone is lying. If they gained this information directly from Peters brain, then she had no reason to lie just so she could defend Peter. She was telling the truth.

Which meant he was too.

"…Oh, my god," Momo held her chest as she consumed the information, "So …wait the multiverse is… It's real?" Her mind finally settled on the information, taking it all in with one swoop.

He nodded, holding his arms in self comfort, "I wanted to explain it all to you, but I had no way of proving it without sounding crazy. That's why I had to lie, because telling the truth wouldn't have helped anyway. Kendo and Midoriya believe me because they read my mind. You three …you have to work off trust alone. I'm honestly surprised you believe me."

"Is it the truth?" asked Mina.

"…One hundred percent."

"Then of course, we believe you."

Both Kyoka and Mina smiled at Peter with comforting eyes. They trusted him because of what they've been through together. Peter wasn't crazy; this new reality they lived in had to be proof enough. That was a level of trust and connection he never thought he would have again. They really have become his family, after all. All this time, they've been there for him no matter what.

He could see the turmoil on Momo's face and grew worried, "Do you trust me?" he asked her.

She looked at him with glossy eyes. That was a question she had been asking herself for some time, since he was arrested at the festival. Her hatred of herself blurred her perspective, feeling as though to make up for her failure, she had to believe all she was told. This included believing Peter was a criminal. She believed it all without any real proof, and now she was just supposed to do the same here? Was she really going to sit and accept what was being presented?

In all honesty; yes.

Peter has only ever looked out for her. When everyone was fawning over his hero costume on that first day, he pushed past them to ask if she was alright. He took the time out of laser tag to talk to her. He was her rival classmate with brains as large as her own. Everything he's ever done has always been for the sake of others, even when it came to lying to them. Despite the lies, the illusions, and everything in-between, she still cared for him. She still trusted him.

She spent too much time forcing herself to believe he was a liar; she couldn't do that anymore.

"Of course," She smiled, "I'll always trust you."

Peter gasped gently with a sunny smile, wiping away the faint tear that escaped his glossy eyes, "Thank you," He gestured, "I'll always trust you too."

"So, what now?" Asked Mina, pounding her fist against her opposite palm, "When do we start kicking ass?"

Spider-Man: Hero Academia

Chapter 52

Pro Hero (Part 4)

Money was not an issue for Mayume. A single snap could get her hundreds of dollars in her wallet. Knowing this, she chose to take her family out to a fancy restaurant. It wasn't too fancy that only the stuck-up upper-class citizens attended it, but it was nice enough that she wanted to treat her family to it. Before meeting with them, she used toe stones to camouflage the gauntlet on her wrist. Not that she cared if people looked, but she 'd rather avoid any awkward scenarios.

This was the first night that meeting with her family felt normal again.

The first night she spent in this new world, she spent with her family. They had dinner at home while they talked. That night felt like a dream. Everything was exactly as she pictured it would be. Her parents talked about their jobs, Daichi discussed his hobbies and his relationship with his girlfriend, who he wanted to someday propose to. Finally, she had her life back.

Koji, unfortunately, needed more convincing.

Perhaps she needed a tie to the old world, maybe that's why she left him untouched. She fixed his scars and removed his quirk, but left his memory intact. After their fight, she wanted to earn back his love and trust, and she feels like she has for the most part. He was defiant at first, but after spending time with their family, he's become calmer and more accepting, at least on the surface. Allowing him to come to his senses on his own gave her peace that she made the right choice.

"Table for five," Mayume said to the waiter as they were led through the restaurant to their seats.

Her mother and father sat together naturally, Koji and Daichi sat on the other side together. Mayume took the last available seat at the end where she could see both pairs. They picked up their menus and began skimming the options presented to them.

"I'm surprised you can afford a place like this," Asked Ena, "The new job?"

"Yeah," Mayume answered, "It pays a lot."

"We're very proud of you."

Koji couldn't help but look at his family as though they were ghosts. He did his best to maintain his composure for Peters sake as he bought him as much time as possible. He did miss his family, and being with them again was a dream come true. In his heart though, he knew it wasn't right. This was indeed a gift, but one he needed to return for the sake of others.

Besides, seeing them brought back PTSD from that day.

Every time he looked at their faces, he couldn't help but see the corpses burning under massacred automobiles. The smell of blood boiling like gasoline filled the air, overtaking the smell of food and pastries. One deep breath, then two, three, four. The same exercise he used to use when he was locked in that room as a child. It's all that kept him calm.

"So, what's everyone been up to?" Mayume asked.

Kioshi glanced over from his menu, adjusting the glasses on his face, "Work closed up early today due to those strange storms. The weather really has been awful lately."

"The electricity at home has been freaking out too," Said Ena, "The television and heat, WiFi, everything shuts on and off randomly."

Mayume cleared her throat, trying to get things back on track, "Let's not worry about the weather right now. I wanna know what's going on in your lives."

Daichi raised his finger to get everyone's attention, an impossibly large grin plastered on his face, "I've got something, actually," He said before reaching into his pocket. He kept his shoulders up and tensed, both excited and nervous to see his family's reaction. From his coat pocket, he pulled out a small box no bigger than his palm. He paused for the big reveal, before opening it and exposing the silver ring resting on the cushion inside.

His parents could barely contain their excitement with Ena covering her mouth in disbelief, "Oh, honey! It's beautiful!" She exclaimed.

"Hibiki is going to love it," Said his father.

"Thanks, guys," he blushed, "The ring was a little pricey but I think it'll be worth it. Don't get too excited yet, though, she still has to say yes."

While Mayume felt utter joy for the news, Koji felt differently. Mayume was happy that he wanted to take such a big step in his life. This was the life Daichi deserved to have lived, and now he finally could. He could marry the woman he loves, maybe even have kids; a family. Every moment he lost in the old world was being given back to him.

Koji only saw this as a tragedy, though. Knowing he was helping Peter reverse all this; it only made this news hurt more. He wanted his family to stay and live their lives, but they couldn't. Of course, he was happy for his brother finding true love— A real, honest relationship. Only one problem; this wasn't real.

This world, he knew, was just an echo of the old one being held together with string and tape. Each second it exists is a second closer to doomsday. His family never wanted any of this, and now they're being forced to have happy lives without knowing what the cost of it was. This wasn't right. She betrayed their wishes from beyond the grave; she mutilated their souls for her own happiness.

It was too much; It was just too much.

"I'll be right back," Koji said before quickly getting up from his chair and rushing for the exit. Confused and concerned, Mayume followed him out.

"Hey," she called out as they stood just outside the restaurant, "Are you ok? What's wrong?"

She saw now he was crying, and looked as though he was about to puke. Her first thought was that he was sick or hurt. It didn't occur to her right away that something was wrong with him emotionally, "This is wrong," he choked on his tears, "This is so wrong."

"What is?"

"This! Our family being in there alive and well! I just-!" He held his head, trying to make sense of the flurry of thoughts rushing through his head in a way she could understand, "I'm so happy we have them back, I really am. I'm so happy that Daichi wants to marry his girlfriend. I'm so happy mom and dad have a good home with a good life and attend barbecues once a month, but it doesn't change the fact that they were dead!"

"Koji, I thought you were on board with this!" She argued, "I know the methods were questionable, no one knows that more than me! We have them back, now! Their deaths were erased!"

"No, they weren't! Because we remember! You think you can just snap your fingers and make it all go away but no matter what you do, there will always be an echo of the past! That isn't something you can just make vanish! I would do anything to make up for the things I did! But you- You'd rather cheat! You are not a god!"

"I'm the next best thing!" She shouted, uncaring of anyone who may have heard her and looked strangely at them. None of it mattered, she could just make it all go away, "I won! I beat the heroes and the villains! I saved you! I saved our family! I saved a thousand families! Why are you not grateful?!"

"Because you're not!"

The silence of their tension settled in, and neither of them knew what to say. Of course, she knew what he meant. It was the same argument Peter made a thousand times. He thought she would never be satisfied with this world, and forever seek perfection. In a way, he was actually right. The world has a lot of cracks and corners that need foxing and smoothing. It'll take time to craft it perfectly into what she wanted. It wasn't an obsession; it was just the process.

"You think I'm addicted to the power," she accused.

"I didn't say that."

"You were thinking it!" She shouted, "You're just like Peter, thinking I don't deserve this power that I earned! I worked, I bled, I lost things I came to care about so that I could have what I wanted! Finally, I get what I want!"

"A true hero never gets the perfect life!" He argued, "There will always be conflict!"

"Then I guess I'm not a hero!"

The choice offered to her by All For One all that time ago. He suggested she was only pretending to be a hero, and that Lumina—the villain—was who she really was. She denied it for so long, until now. Now, she was done assuming titles meant anything.

If she was the villain, then so be it.

"I'm going back in there," she scoffed, "Once you get your head out of your ass, come join us."

She left him outside the restaurant alone, isolated like that dark, cold room. Even though he had everything back that he lost, even though he had everyone back, he had never felt more alone.

…

Peter slammed the hammer down on the golden piece of Uru, bending and molding its shape. The final bout was upon them, and he knew they needed to be ready for it. These pieces he collected were their only chance at fighting against her, reversing all she had done. He couldn't mess this up, not with everything on the line.

Finally, he molded the last piece into what he wanted; smooth pieces he could attach to fabric. He wasn't able to drill nails into them like he wanted; it was a wonder Otto was able to break off these pieces at all. Instead he equipped them into metal casings that could be attached instead. Some were meant for the chest, others for the knuckles or arms and legs. Different pieces for different parts of the body, like extra armor.

They were preparing for war, after all.

Momo knocked on the door of the room where he was working, separate from where the others were gathered, "Hey, neighbor," She joked, remembering when his seat in class was right next to her own, "How's it going?"

"All set," Peter showed her a piece of the Uru, "We'll attach it to some clothing for everyone, then we'll be ready to go."

"How's it going for you?" She clarified.

"…I'm scared," He admitted, "There is so much at stake here and I don't want to screw this up."

She approached where he worked and put a hand on his back. For as long as she's known him, he's always struggled with his confidence. Even now, after everything he's been through and all that he's learned, that was still true, "There's a new factor at play now, though," She reminded him, "Us. You aren't alone anymore, Peter. You have your friends, and we will always be ready to fight with you, no matter …what universe we're in."

"I'm actually surprised with you," He pointed out, "Mina I understand believing me because she's so cheery and accepting. Kyoka just has a deeper outlook on life. You, though, I expected more resistance to the idea."

"I was resistant, at first. I kept looking for any other explanation for why you might have been lying again."

"But? Please say but."

"But I have spent a long time thinking you were a liar. After what happened at the festival I …I couldn't live with my failure. I thought the only way to make up for it was to accept everything everyone told me without question, including everything about you. Now, though …I'm just tired of thinking you're a liar. I want to trust you again. Besides, Mina was right; this whole new world Aihara made is proof enough, right?"

It was strange, thought Peter. He spent so much time thinking that once his secret got out, everything would come to an end. He would instantly fail and everyone he loved would burn for his sins. Yet, each time someone found out his secret, they were understanding. They accepted him and who he really was despite any resistance to the idea. Perhaps he hid his secret out of paranoia; perhaps he should have trusted his loved ones after all.

"I've actually got a surprise for you," She cooed, "For everyone, in fact. You wanna see?"

He raised his eyebrow with a grin, unsure of what she could have put together in such a short time, "What is it?"

"Meet with the others and I'll bring it in."

Peter obeyed her strange request and left the room he worked in, joining the others in the living room of the abandoned apartment.

Everyone was still eating the food they brought, checking their phones for messages from their families. None of them had returned home since the incident at the school, including Peter. At this point, with the fight with Aihara so close, they decided their covers meant nothing. Their parents worry would vanish when they fixed everything, or rather, if they fixed everything. Still, seeing how worried they were for them broke their hearts, knowing they either had to ignore them or come up with excuses.

"How's everyone doing?" Peter asked.

Mina stuffed her face with a handful of french fries, swallowing them whole before speaking, "Having our pre-ass-kicking meal!"

"Parents have been calling, too," Kyoka added, "They're really worried about us."

Izuku was holding his phone tightly, resisting the urge to call his mother back. Even in this life, he knew how worried she could get about his well-being. Bakugou had been texting him too, wondering why he ditched the Arcade. Though he knew none of this would matter in the end, it still hurt to let them go on thinking he was in trouble. Technically speaking, he was.

"Gimme some of that, I'm starving," Peter sat down as Mina handed him a burger and a drink. Fast food wasn't the best thing to eat, but they'd be burning off the calories soon enough, "Aren't you guys …you know, scared?"

Mina stopped eating, gently resting her food on the napkin resting on her lap, "You'd have to be crazy not to be scared, Peter, but we've been training to be heroes. It's in our training to run toward the danger, not away from it. Besides, you'll take her on all by yourself if we don't help you. Yes, I'm really, really scared. I'm scared this fight is going to kill me. I'm more scared of what happens if we don't fight her. Heroes are supposed to make the sacrifices other can't."

It was well spoken, he thought, and surprising coming from her. She wasn't known in her class of being deep and wise. There was more to her mind than most people thought. Just because she didn't have the best grades doesn't mean she didn't have the qualities of a hero. She was just as strong as everyone else, the very thing she tried so hard to prove because she thought it wasn't true.

"Hey," Kyoka spoke up, "I wanna know more about your world. What's it like?"

"Ooo!" Mina exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with joy, "I wanna know too!"

Kendo took a seat by Peters side, positioning herself hip to hip with him as she leaned her body on his shoulder. He realized that he hadn't told either of them much about his world, either, at least not the specifics. To be this open about a secret kept close to his chest was a whole new feeling. In fact, just talking out in the open about anything related to his mask was something he never thought he'd have.

Now, he was grateful to have shoulders he could lean on.

"Where do I start?" He began, "Powers work …differently where I'm from; My powers aren't a quirk."

"Not a quirk?" Kyoka asked, "What are they, then?"

He went on to explain everything to them about himself and the world he hails from. How he got his abilities after being bitten by a spider, turning him toward a wrestling career. His uncle was shot and it motivated him to be a hero for New York. All the battles he had fought to keep people safe, connecting with them on an emotional level that most heroes choose to ignore. He talked about the Avengers, heroes he looked up to for years and used to dream of joining. He even explained the X-Men, and how he thought they were probably his worlds version of people with Quirks, just labelled differently. It came to a point where he got off track and started talking about all the little things.

"…And there's this amazing Pizza shop run by Mr. O'Hara," Peter explained, "He made a Pizza Meal in my name and I always order it anytime I'm there."

"That's really nice," Izuku complimented, "Though, I thought you said people didn't like you?"

"Some …" He clarified, "Some did like me. Those who didn't read the Daily Bugle, anyway."

Mina raised her hand, "How does a spider give you powers? I don't get that."

"Says the girl with pink acid-secreting skin," Peter joked, "The spider was genetically enhanced. It passed on some of its traits to me and my body adapted."

Kyoka leaned back and grinned, "Sounds like a bunch of science fiction mumbo jumbo to me."

Momo knocked on the side of the door again, standing at the entrance of the room with one hand behind her back. She had a hilarious grin on her face, staring at them all as though they were children playing in a sandbox, fighting over who gets the shovel next.

"Tell me you heard all that," Peter begged her, "I don't wanna explain it all again."

"I heard it," She said, "I just didn't say anything."

"Gasp, you sneak."

Momo took a step forward as though she was on a stage with every light pointed at her person. She was excited, but for what, no one knew. Something was swinging from her arm hidden behind her back. She took pride in whatever it may have been.

"I started thinking," Said Momo with a smile as bright as the stars, "This fight …it's going to be our toughest one yet. There's a lot at stake here. We may not …we may not come out of it, I know that. So, if we're gonna do this, we might as well look good while we do it!"

Revealed from behind her, she showed her arm carrying several outfits that hung over her muscles. Each of them recognized the outfits immediately, even the ones hidden underneath the rest. It was their hero costumes they wore during classes, complete with the appropriate masks and gear that game with it. Even her own hero costume was sitting at the bottom of them.

"Are those …our outfits?!" Mina exclaimed, jumping to her feet and rushing to grab her costume, "Where did you get these?"

"I made them," Momo blushed, "Why do you think I ordered so much for myself to eat? I turn my fat cells into non-living objects, so I went and made everyone's costumes and gear," She looked to Peter, "Including yours."

As everyone got up to observe their costumes, they found each of them were perfect replicas right down to the smallest detail. She even recreated the speakers of Kyokas legs that she often wore and used to harness her powers.

After the other costumes were removed, Peter found his to be all that remained. It wasn't his classic suit, however. Instead, he found it was the design of his nano-suit. The material was different though. Instead of nanites, it seemed to just be fabric with the gauntlets being made of some kind of metal.

"Is this …my nano suit?" He asked.

"Yes, is it not right?" She asked in worry.

"No! It's perfect, spot on actually, It's just that it's not my main suit. I usually wear my other one."

"Want me to make you a new one?"

"…No, this will be fine."

She sighed in relief, "Good. I didn't know how the material worked so I just made it out of fabric. I did leave in your kinetic gauntlets, assuming they work by absorbing and distributing kinetic energy."

"They do."

"I also made you new web shooters."

He gasped in excitement, looking into the suit to find new web shooters placed inside. They were like his old ones, only sleeker and colored red to blend in with the suit, "You miracle worker!"

"I also may have figured out the formula for your web fluid."

"…You figured it out?"

Momo blushed in embarrassment, "It was nothing, really. Actually, it was a lot tougher to decipher without a sample to study, but I managed."

Peter quickly enveloped her in a warm hug, repeatedly saying 'thank you' to her. Being without his web shooters for so long and so often was annoying considering they were one of his greatest and most iconic tools. She blushed harder but managed to hug him back. Her face of red came not from a place of romantic interest, but from gratefulness that he was her friend.

Quickly he let go and took a step back out of realization, "Before we do this," He said, "I need to make a quick stop somewhere."

"Where?" asked Izuku.

"…Home."

…

He knew that no matter what way this went tonight, he would eventually have to say goodbye.

With a heavy heart, Peter lonely approached the door to his house. It seemed so foreign looking at it now. The version of him in this reality had called this place home, and that seemed so normal. Now, 'normal' meant nothing to him, it hadn't for a very long time. No matter how badly he wanted to keep what he got, he had to get back what he lost. At least this way, it'll be easier to bare.

Hesitantly, he went inside.

His parents were sitting on the couch. Mary had dry tear stains on her cheeks. The poor woman had probably spent all day worrying for him after he said he'd be home late. Aunt May was comforting her as best she could while the men talked in the kitchen. At first, they didn't notice him and he considered walking out, pretending nothing happened. He couldn't though, because this needed to happen for the sake of his sanity.

"I'm home," Peter called out.

His mother quickly jumped to her feet upon seeing him and gasped, rushing over and hugging him tightly. May stayed back, not wanting to get in the way of the reunion. His father came rushing in with anger in his eyes as he always had, with Ben trailing behind him. "Where have you been?!" Richard scolded, "After what happened at the school your mother and I have been worried sick! You are grounded! No TV, no video games, no late-night reading! Do you have any idea what you've done?! You have no right to ghost us like that ever again! Do you understand?!"

His father kept trying to scold him but Peter felt none of it, no matter how angry he got. He just didn't have it in him to be scared anymore. In fact, his lack of a reaction left his father speechless as his mother backed up to give her son space. It was clear he had something to say.

"I love you," He said, tearing up, "I love both of you more than anything. You were always there for me even if you could be a little strict. Looking back, I realize that no matter what, you still loved me regardless, and I still loved you," he paused to take a deep breath, "I forgive you for getting on that plane. I forgive you for leaving me because I know you did it with heavy hearts. I miss you both so much."

Neither of them had any idea what he was talking about, but the sentiment reached them regardless, "Peter, what are you talking about?" asked Mary, "What plane?"

"Don't worry about it …" Peter gasped, "It might make sense eventually. I just needed to say it, that's all."

He moved past them to his Uncle Ben, who stood just as confused as the rest. There were more words to say than Peter had time for. His uncle influenced his life just as much as his parents, if not more. Spider-Man wouldn't exist without him.

He wouldn't be a hero without him.

"Uncle Ben … I love you so much," Peter cried harder now, "You sacrificed everything for me and I never got to say thank you. I wouldn't be the man I am today without you in my life. I wouldn't be the hero I am now without your words forever in the back of my mind. I want you to know …" He paused, taking a moment to calm himself down so he could speak, "I want you to know I've used my power responsibly, just like you taught me. I hope I've made you proud."

Without letting him respond, Peter hugged his Uncle tightly, knowing it would be the last time. The entire world stopped spinning for him, and it let the moment last forever. Everything he had become since getting his powers was because of this man. He owed everything to him. Every life saved, ever crisis stopped, it was all because of him. Finally, he could thank the true hero for his deeds.

"…I love you too, Peter," Ben said as he hugged him back, "Of course, I'm proud of you. I just don't know what you're talking about."

Peter let go and wiped his nose, keeping a smile on his face regardless of what he felt, "I know. I think I need to lie down, the crisis at school might be getting to me."

He carefully started going upstairs before his father called out to him. Peter expected another scolding, but instead, his father simply said, "We love you too, Peter."

Then, he broke.

Peter rushed right back down the stairs and hugged his parents tightly, avoiding using too much of his strength. He didn't care how confused he made them; he needed this more than anything. The hug was long overdue, as he never got the hug they promised him when they would have returned home. Even though this was goodbye, the hug made him feel as though it wasn't. He felt as though he was finally at peace, and that they would truly never leave him again.

"I love you …" Peters voice cracked as he cried harder, "I love you …"

Without any further words or outbursts, Peter left them in confusion as he moved upstairs to his room, locking the door tightly.

His hope was that they left him alone for the night, as he would not be there for them anymore. Peter had already opened the window of his room and went outside, finding his friends waiting for him on the side of the house with their costumes resting in their arms. He jumped down to them, immediately getting a comforting hug from Kendo. He didn't need to ask for it, but he most certainly needed it.

"You ok?" She asked.

"…I am now," He smiled, "We're running out of time. Suit up."

It took no time at all for each of them to get suited up, tying their masks around their heads or pulling them over like a hood. Once dressed, Peter equipped each of them with pieces of the Uru. Kyoka had hers attached to her jacket like jewelry. Mina, Momo and Itsuka stuck theirs to their belts. Izuku's pieces were placed just above his chest, positioned like a necklace.

Once Peter was dressed in his new suit, he stuck some of the pieces to his knuckles, using some pieces to replace the black of his lenses, and finally, covering his emblem in an identical shape.

"Peter," Izuku approached him, his mask draped over his head, "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

Peter pulled his mask over his head before holding his friend by the shoulders, "I have to be. That's what it means to be a hero; to fight the hard battles even if we think we aren't capable. We have to-"

"-Set a golden standard for the type of heroes we want to be," Deku smiled, "I know."

"And we do it together," He released his shoulders and turned his body to face his friends, "This is going to be the hardest fight of our lives. No matter what happens, we have each other's backs no matter what. I can't promise whether or not this will end well …not for any of us."

"We're here to fight with you," Kendo said, "Whatever you need us to do, we'll be there."

Seeing his friends standing there tall and proud gave him hope. Everything they've been through together has led them to this moment, to this fight. No matter how many times he asked them, they ensured they were ready. Perhaps the issue was himself; he was scared of losing them to the greedy grips of death, just as he had lost so many others before. Yet, as he looked upon them, confident and determined to fight, he knew he couldn't stop them from being who they are.

Heroes.

"Ok," Spider-Man nodded, "This ends tonight."

…

The night was now in full effect. Children slept soundly in their beds, adults were out and laughing. No one knew what was coming, and no one was prepared for it.

Spider-Man had brought his team back to the warehouse, entering in the same hole Mina had made earlier that day. Mayume didn't seem to have discovered their secret entrance, which gave them an advantage. Peter had explained the plan to them clearly and concisely, giving them each a job to perform in different scenarios. Knowing what Mayume was capable of, he knew a sneak attack would only end badly. He needed to get her guard down.

He needed to talk to his friend.

Mayume came back to the warehouse in a huff. She was still upset with Koji, who had chosen to head home with his family. She thought everything was ok with him; she couldn't understand why he reacted the way he did. Sure, the path to get here was questionable, but how could he argue with the results? The world was everything she wanted it to be now, yet he didn't appreciate it. What more did she have to do to earn his love in return?

She sat down in her chair and reached for the remote, turning it to the news channel she favored over the others for their global coverage. She waited patiently for any disaster or tragedy it may show to her, so she could make it all go away. Sometimes she'd be waiting hours until something popped up on both the Television and her phone. It was worth the wait, she thought, to keep the world perfect.

Unknown to her, she was not the only Inhabitant of the room. Hidden in the rafters and the catwalks above were young aspiring heroes looking down on her, awaiting orders from their leader who stuck to the ceiling with his adhesive ability. Momo insisted they ambush her, but Peter explained she would react too quickly with the gauntlet. The only way forward was to lower her guard another way; the best way he knew how.

It was time.

Spider-Man jumped down from the ceiling and landed on the floor with a thud, striking his signature pose briefly before standing straight for the interaction. Mayume heard his entrance clearly, whipping her head around to see where it came from. The last thing she expected was to see him there, dressed in his signature outfit.

"…Peter?" She questioned. How could he be here? Was this some kind of joke? She gave him the perfect life to live with his family, unaware of the world that came before. She gave him everything he ever wanted, so how was he here wearing that?

"Hey, Mayume," Spider-Man greeted.

She stood up from her chair, keeping her gauntlet ready for use at any time, "How are you here?"

"It's a long story."

"It shouldn't be. You shouldn't be Spider-Man anymore, I made sure of it. I removed your Quirk!"

If only she knew; if she did, though, she'd correct her mistake quickly. Best she didn't know for now, not until the gauntlet was away from her. "Yeah …you did exactly what you said you would do. You removed powers from the world. You stopped people from dying before their time."

"I'm assuming you aren't impressed."

"I want to be," He admitted, "I am grateful that you gave me my family back, and so many other families. But I'm still left with questions. For starters, why did you give me a perfect life? Why keep me in this world instead of sending me back home?"

She never thought she'd actually get to explain this because she never thought she'd speak with him again, "You had made so many friends that you came to love. You deserved to be with them, so I moved your life here."

"You changed mine and everyone's life without considering-"

"Don't you dare tell me I didn't consider the consequences! Don't you even dare, Parker! I'm so sick of your 'I know better' crap!" She lifted the gauntlet upwards, connecting her middle finger and thumb, "It doesn't matter, you won't remember any of this!"

He didn't flinch at the gesture. He didn't cower from her threat. He just stood there, back straight, and said "Some of my friends are gone."

She froze, reversing the gesture of her fingers and putting her arm down slowly, "What?"

"Shoto Todoroki, Tenya Iida, just a few names of people that no longer exist. Without quirks, these people had no reason to have even been born. You removed them from existence without even realizing it."

This was the first that Peters friends had heard of this. The idea that their classmates no longer existed in this world. They weren't even altered, just erased. Perhaps he wanted to spare them the pain of knowing their friends were gone, removed before they even had a chance to live.

Mayume, however, refused to even comprehend it.

"I …I can fix it!" She demanded, "I'll just snap my fingers and make them exist!"

"You'll just make it worse!" he argued, "Haven't you seen the storms out there? They're because of you!"

"What? No …No they aren't!" She denied, "I can fix them!"

"Mayume," Spider-Man calmed himself down, trying to appeal to what was left of her humanity, "Can we not just …talk?"

She didn't trust his kindness even for a second. What else could he have been here for but to stop her? He probably just wanted the gauntlet for himself. He's grown jealous of the power she earned and wants it all to himself. He can't have this power, it wasn't his! It belonged to her! Her alone!

Yet, a glimmer resonated within her. A spark of light that wanted to hear him out. The two sides of her fought with one another, leaving her in standby and at his verbal mercy.

"I'm sorry," Spider-Man said, "I'm sorry I ever treated you like a super-villain. I'm sorry I didn't immediately see the grey area. You were going through so much pain and wanted to remove it; of course, I know what that feels like. I know exactly how badly you wanted to make the pain and guilt stop. Had things gone differently for me, I would have been just like you," he stepped forward, "No one is beyond redemption. I'm not here to stop a villain; I'm here to save my friend."

"…Maybe I don't want to be saved," She retorted with growl, "Maybe I've accepted this is who I am. If I'm supposed to be the villain, then I'll be the villain," She lifted her arm back up, "Only a villain would go this far."

Her fingers snapped, sending a light wave of invisible energy at him. It was intended to erase him and send him back to his home as the version of Peter she crafted for him. Instead of vanishing, however, he remained unfazed by her gesture. She snapped again, but there was nothing. No matter what she did, Spider-Man stayed exactly where he was.

This couldn't be happening. She had the power to do whatever she wanted with a single thought. How could he have been defying this power she worked so hard to gain? "I don't understand! How is this possible?!"

"You can't erase the past forever," Spider-Man said, "Some things you just have to face."

She was in shock now; there was nothing she could do to make him go away. There was no way this was possible. She could do whatever she wanted. She could make anything happen and anything never happen. How dare he defy her right to the canvas of the universe. He had no right to steal away her paint and leave her with nothing!

"Now!" Spider-Man shouted.

From her left, a blur of green electricity zoomed toward her at blinding speed. He reached out his right hand for the gauntlet, focusing all his attention on the wrist. Before he was able to grab it, Mayume quickly moved aside and whipped the gauntlet against his chest and sent him crashing into the ground, halting his movement abruptly.

With Plan A busted, the others moved in for Plan B. Momo came in first from above with a metal bat she manifested, ready to bring it down on her until Mayume created a shield. Momos bat bounced off it and sent her falling onto her back. Mina came in next, sliding on her feet by releasing acid beneath her shoes. Mayume tried to snap her away as well, but found the action to be useless. Her guard was dropped just long enough for Mina to grab her by the wrists, fighting and struggling with her to grab the gauntlet.

"None of you should be here!" Mayume stated in a panic."

"Not everything works out!" Mina retorted.

She tried reaching for the gauntlet, but Mayume used her now free hand to blast her away with a beam of light. She would have fallen to her back had Momo not gotten up and caught her underneath her arms.

Kendo came swinging down on a rope tied to the rafters, reaching maximum velocity and tackling Mayume to the ground. She kept her arms pinned with her knees, using one free hand to keep the fingers of the gauntlet from coming together. She struggled to keep her down as she was bigger and stronger than her.

"You changed everyone's lives!" Kendo scolded, "You had no right to do that!"

"I had every right!"

Mayume released a wave of shadow from her body with a single flex of her muscles, shooting Kendo off of her and high into the air. Rather than fall onto her back, she flipped backwards and landed elegantly on her feet, letting her fists grow to a massive size. She came rushing with a flurry of punches before Mayume even had a chance to get up. Kendo managed to only get a few hits in before the stones were used to create a wall of concrete between them which she had accidentally hit, shaking her knuckles from the pain.

Bang! The sound of a cannon firing erupted through the large room. Before Mayume could react, she found the hand of the gauntlet was engulfed with some kind of strange goo, keeping her fingers open and stuck in place. She looked and saw the action had come from Momo, who stood beside a large cannon she created with her Quirk, breathing deeply from the effort.

Mina came charging in again, tossing a handful of acid at her. It stuck to her arm, burning through her clothing and stinging like blades to the skin. She lept into the air and brought her foot down and across her face, following up with a backhand strike to the same spot. She tried to go in for a third, but Mayume caught her hand and tossed her away with a single swing.

Both Spider-Man and Izuku came rushing in with synchronized speed and began throwing quick and powerful attacks at her. They traded blows one at a time, taking turns moving forward as they had done against Tombstone. Their speed kept Mayume off guard and unable to react in time to stop them.

Spider-Man stepped back and let Izuku come in for the blow, winding his right hand back, "Detroit…" he exclaimed, "Smash!"

He threw the punch powered by One for All. Mayume finally took the chance to react and lift the gauntlet upward, positioning it to catch his fist. The punch struck the pile of goo stuck to her, eradicating the material in a single strike. Izuku's face dropped in color for what he had done.

Before she was able to do anything, she was struck with a powerful wave of sound. He body became engulfed in the waves as Izuku stepped back from them. Her ears rang, coming close to bleeding as they stung with excruciating pain. Kyoka had been standing on the other side of the room, keeping her distance as she continued her assault of sound.

Mayume swiped her hand and broke the wave of sound, knocking Kyoka off balance, "Enough!" She shouted, releasing a wave of power from the stones that knocked everyone away. They landed on their backs and stomachs, wounded from the sudden blow they were unable to avoid. Kyoka was sent barreling back-first into the wall and falling to her chest, holding her head from the possible concussion.

"I don't know how you're doing this, but I don't care!" Mayume shouted, "I created this world! I can bend it just as easily!"

She slammed her hand into the ground, and everything began to shake. The walls came apart at the seams, cracking and breaking until all that remained was rubble and debris which went soaring into the sky. Parts of the building began swirling around the complex in a tornado shape. The wind grew stronger and stronger until even the floor began to pull apart. The heroes were unable to hang on any longer and began flying into the sky uncontrollably. The only one who remained stationary was Spider-Man as he watched his friends fly away.

"Hang on!" He shouted to them, using the wind to carry himself through the air. He jumped from one piece of rubble to another, keeping his momentum moving forward toward his friends. He shot a web to Izuku first, then Itsuka before sticking the line of web together. Holding onto it, he shot a web from his other wrist to Mina and Momo, connecting them together as well. Finally, he tagged Kyoka, sticking everyone's lifelines together and bringing them close to one another.

One final web shot aimed itself toward another building. Spidey tugged on it and pulled them out of the wind storm of rubble, launching them toward the busy streets and lights. Now out of the tornado, they began falling victim to gravity. He shot a widespread web and created a large net for them to land on, bouncing as they crashed into it; the web absorbing their kinetic energy.

"Everyone ok?!" Spider-Man asked in a panic, looking over his friend's physical health to ensure no one was critically injured, "Is anyone hurt?!"

Kyoka held her mouth and stomach, turning only somewhat green for a moment, "Might get sick, but otherwise fine …" she said weakly.

Just when they thought they could rest, what remained of the warehouse in the distance exploded into light. Mayume soared high above it with fierce power, staring them down with contagious anger.

"Oh God, we pissed her off," Mina whined.

Mayume came through the sky like a shooting star. Where they stood on the web was no place to hold a fight, especially not with someone like her. Kyoka found the web was bouncy like a trampoline. She quickly stood and built up her bounce, waiting until Mayume was close enough before jumping up a whole story and firing sound waves directly at her. The sound disrupted Mayume's focus and sent her barreling to the side, passing the web and crashing into the street below.

Mina made the next move, leaping off their safety web and diving down toward their enemy. With her fist drenched in acid, she brought her knuckles down on Mayume's face, burning them at the touch. Thankfully for her, she had reduced the intensity of her acid. She wasn't trying to kill her by burning down to the bone, but she was gonna make sure it still hurt.

"We trusted you to be a hero!" Mina scolded her, showing legitimate anger, something very out of character for her usual behavior, "We trusted you with our lives!"

"What did being a hero ever give me?!" Mayume shouted back, shooting a beam of light at her again, only this time she dodged it in time and slid backwards to get some distance.

Kendo came in from the side ready to strike her again until Mayume lifted the gauntlet and created a wall made from the street, blocking her. Three more walls surrounded her and prepared to close in until she back flipped and pushed off the wall with her hands, escaping their grasp before they crushed her. Once she landed, she was met with a light-strike that sent her to her back.

By now, she was entirely fed up with these children. No longer did she see them as heroes, but as annoyances standing in her way. The stones weren't working on them directly, but she could still influence the world. Lifting the gauntlet and clenching her fist, the time stone glowed radiantly, irradiating the air with its power.

Everything came to a stop; birds, cars, life itself set to pause. Only she and the young heroes remained unaffected by it. With her palm open, she twisted it sideways as the world began to move again, except this time in reverse. Cars began driving backwards, birds flapped in the opposite direction, and damage to the area repaired itself.

Kendo, still on the ground, looked up to see a car barreling backwards at her. She quickly rolled out of the way just in time to dodge it, only to see more traffic coming their way. The heroes were forced to evade the oncoming vehicles however they could. The most agile of them repeatedly jumped over the hoods, while others stuck to evasive maneuvers with their feet planted to the ground.

Spider-Man's senses couldn't warn him in time as a truck came his way, smacking him dead on and flinging him onto the sidewalk. His shoulder had taken the blunt of it, shielded by his reinforced bones and quick healing.

"I control this world, not you!" Mayume shouted, "I created this world! I painted the canvas! You have no right to take it away!"

Slamming her fist into the ground, reality began to bend. The ground beneath their feet rippled like water reacting to sound waves. Beginning from where she stood, cracks started enveloping not just in the street, but in the air itself. The cracks glowed a bright sky-blue as their energy escaped and scolded the streets with fire.

"What's she doing?!" Izuku shouted.

"She's tearing reality apart!" Spider-Man answered, "We have to stop her before it gets worse!"

Time came to a pause once again as parts of the street began pulling off the ground and floating into the air. Lifting high above them, the pieces started coming down like hail, aiming directly for the heroes. Only some were dodged, but their blinding speed ensured the rest struck them dead on, causing the heroes to bruise and bleed. One had managed to strike Spider-Man in the face, scraping the left lenses of his mask off. His eye was revealed underneath with blood dripping from his cheek.

Mina did her best to use her acid in eradicating the oncoming fire for Kendo, while Momo created a large shield to protect herself and Kyoka. Izuku worked solo to strike them away, making sure to maintain only 5% of his power.

"Kyoka!" Spidey shouted, "Clear a path!"

Kyoka quickly escaped the cover of Momos shield and plugged her earphone jacks into the speakers on her leg. The sonic waves released blasted through the falling debris and send it flying back.

Now, Spidey could see a clear path to Mayume, one she didn't notice had been created. He reacted quickly and began speeding down the path of least debris, dodging the cracks in reality as quickly as they formed. He didn't even care when he scrapped by some, burning his arm or leg. He was too focused on her, on stopping her.

He failed before; he couldn't do that again.

"Mayume!" He shouted, barely warning her before tackling her off the ground. Instinctively she used the space stone to try and teleport away, dragging Peter with her.

They reappeared in the sky high above the city, struggling with one another as they had when last they fought. Mayume still tried to use the stones power directly on him, but he remained unaffected by her efforts. He hung onto her with his adhesive abilities and struck her blow after blow wherever he could aim. Her face bruised and bled from his assault, but she felt none of it through the adrenaline.

"I warned you!" He scolded, crying through the mask and stinging his wounds, "I warned you of what you would become! Now look at you!"

"I know what I am!" She argued, "And I don't care! No one cares!"

"I do!"

She lifted her hand and created dark clouds with the reality stone. From those clouds, she summoned a bolt of lightning that aimed directly for him. His spider-sense kicked in and he jumped off Mayume just in time to see her dodge the bolt as well. Another bolt came barreling his way, but he twisted his body in time to avoid it. The storm clouds began dishing out a rain of lightning aimed directly at his body. He was a sitting duck in the air, so he shot a web at Mayume and pulled himself closer to her. Their struggle for dominance began again as they dodged the lightning strikes at the same time.

He tried to pull the gauntlet off of her, but she blinded him by engulfing her body in light, then kicked him in the stomach. Still, he remained attached to her and grabbed her by the head, kneeing her in the face and causing her nose to bleed.

A rouge bolt of lightning escaped his perception and finally struck him in the back, knocking him off of her and sending him barreling down toward the streets. The last time they were in this scenario, she had flown down to save him from certain death. Now, she refused the same professional courtesy. Not because he had his webs, but because she deemed it a waste of her time.

"Peter!"

Izuku activated full cowling and leapt from wall to wall, jumping into the air with a trail of lightning following behind him. He reached out for his friend, who reached back upon seeing him. Seeing him come toward him with such passion in his eyes, it reminded him of their first heroics class together.

"Combo!"

Their hands gripped one another as Izuku swung Peter in a circle, transferring his momentum to him. With one powerful swing, Izuku launched him back into the air toward Mayume, sending himself barreling back toward the ground with a gust of wind.

"I have one more chance!" Peter shouted, "I won't let you down, Izuku!"

She had no time to react and stop him as he came shooting at her like a bullet with his right fist pulled back. It had absorbed the kinetic energy from their fighting and built up inside, releasing a glowing blue energy as a result. Mayume attempted to block the attack with the gauntlet, but his dead-on strike released a powerful explosion of energy that knocked her out of the air, sending her falling toward the ground.

He dived after her, firing off a web that connected to her chest. He fired another web toward a building and swung them both to safety, maintaining control of their momentum as not to cause whiplash. Once that danger had passed, he grabbed the web connected to her and swung it, slamming her into the ground with extreme force.

The attack caused time to finally resume, letting cars and birds go about their day as the dust filled the air. The young heroes, battered and bleeding, slowly approached the crater created by her impact. The cracks in reality still remained, but stopped growing larger for the moment. Spidey swung down and landed on one knee, holding the parts of his body that hurt the most.

"You ok?" Kendo asked as she rushed to his side.

"Did …" he spoke out of breath, "Did I get her?"

His expectations were met with disappointment when the cloud of dust was quickly blown away. Mayume was standing at the center of the crater with the infinity gauntlet raised in anger. She was breathing very heavily, bruised and wounded from the battle. She was so blinded by rage, she forgot she could have just used the stones to heal herself. Part of her even at one point considered resetting reality again, but with how these kids remain unaffected, it would likely be pointless. Besides, the time for sensible actions has passed.

"Screw you …" she growled, "Screw all of you!"

From her body erupted a wave of shadow that engulfed the entire street. The shadows overtook each of the heroes into a void of black they couldn't escape. None of them could see, hear, or feel anything anymore, bring immense terror to their minds. Spider-Man's senses couldn't stop ringing from the constant danger around him.

He couldn't feel anything on the outside, but he felt everything on the inside. Each time she had struck him, he felt the pain travel through his body, but lost track of where he was and whether he was standing or not. From here, there was nothing that he could do. She could do anything she wanted to them and he would have no idea it was even happening.

That didn't mean it wasn't happening.

Wherever he was, he stopped moving and took a deep breath that he could barely feel. Despite the physical turmoil he was under, he was able to clear his mind of distractions. He focused his spider-sense on the environment and all that existed within it. To keep his mind clear, he focused on a single set of thoughts. Thoughts that made him happy, ones that made him feel like he could do anything.

He thought about Itsuka Kendo.

His body reacted to the spider-sense and dodged in a direction he couldn't comprehend. It didn't matter what was coming at him; he paid it little thought. He had surrendered his body to his mind and let it move by itself. His body moved again and again away from the danger chasing after him. The further away he got, the more he was suddenly able to feel again.

Now, he found himself soaring straight up into the air, jumping out of the boundaries of the shadows she had created. Mayume was flying after him with trails of shadows following them. Finally, able to see his enemy, he charged the kinetic gauntlets and slammed his fists down with a hammer strike, knocking her back down into the pool of shadows. The impact caused them to disperse instantly, freeing his friends from the influence. He landed back on the ground, breathing heavily from the ordeal.

"It's …not fair!" Mayume shouted, "I have all this power! I shouldn't be losing! I don't lose to anyone! Not anymore! How are you doing this?! Why are you doing this?! I gave you back everything you wanted! Your family! Your normal life! Why aren't you grateful?!"

At this point, he had just about enough.

"You think I should be grateful?!" He snapped, "Maybe I did have my family back, but at what cost? The person I became because of what you did—I hated him! He had none of the same morals and passions I do! He wasn't the type to step in and help when someone needed him! Our losses define us and mold us into better versions of ourselves, but only if we allow it! This world is not perfect! Its barely holding together and you can't see it! In the end, you'll only destroy it and everyone else! Is that what you want?!"

"I did this for my family!"

"You did this for yourself! You were never selfless, you just convinced yourself you were! In reality, you did this because you were in pain! You didn't care if anyone else got their loved ones back! This was all for you and no one else! Everything else you did out of guilt!"

She refused to admit that was true. She had maintained that selfless desire through everything, hadn't she? She did this so no one would have to suffer the same as she had, not ever. She could make everything perfect. She made everything perfect! It was exactly the way she wanted it!

The way she wanted it.

Waves of energy began dispersing from her entire body, making the crater she stood in larger and larger. The heroes stepped back in fear, not wanted to get caught in whatever she was doing. Her body glowed with every color of the stones, alternating like a wheel being spun. Every drop of power from the gauntlet was being poured directly into her body, "I'm going to fix everything!" She cried, "No matter who gets in the way!"

The wind picked up like a sudden hurricane, blowing away dust and broken pieces of the street. "Everyone, get clear!" Spider-Man shouted.

His friends began moving down the street to get out of the way, but Kendo stopped to see Peter wasn't moving from where he was, "Peter!" She shouted, "Come on!"

He didn't budge, he just stared Mayume down with a fire in his eyes, clenching his fists so tight that his palms began bleeding underneath the cloth. He couldn't run from this; he had already spent enough time running. This is where it needed to end, right here and now. No matter what it did to him, he couldn't let her continue on like this. Almost every bit of her humanity had been stripped away by that power. It was his responsibility to save her.

He pulled his right foot back, winding back his fist in sync. The kinetic gauntlet had turned on and prepared to receive. He had no idea if it could take that much power, but he had to try. If he didn't, then he wasn't sure how much damage that blast will do. Even if she reverts the damage, it was about more than that. It was about stopping her actions before they got out of hand.

It was about saving what was left of Overcast, the hero.

From the gauntlet, Mayume fired off a stream of raw unstable energy consisting of every color of the stones. The energy blast came barreling down the street, eradicating everything in its path in an instant. Spider-Man stepped forward and with one powerful swing he struck the beam of power.

The energy began absorbing into the gauntlets, heating them up quickly. He was not free of consequence, however, as the heat from the blast began affecting his body. His costume began to burn off, revealing his face in its entirety along with burning away half of the costumes torso. The emblem remained, along with anything else marked with the Uru. His body, however, was unprotected. The wounds he already had opened further, shedding more and more blood that dripped down his skin.

He couldn't stop it, but he didn't care. All he could think about was saving his friends, the people he had grown to love so dearly. Even if it meant his life, saving them was all that mattered.

"Peter!"

Izuku suddenly came up from behind him, grabbing Peters arms and helping him push forward. The heat of the blast immediately began affecting him too, tearing away at his skin and forcing his wounds open. "Izuku! What are you doing?!" Peter exclaimed, "Get out of here!"

"No!" he shouted, "I'm not leaving you!"

"Midoriya-!"

"You're my family!" He cried, holding his arms tighter, "I know you may not feel the same …but you're my family, Peter! You're my brother! And I will never leave my family behind! I will never let them fight alone! It's my power! And It's my responsibility!"

He had nothing to say in retort, Peter could only smile and cry, "You're my brother, too."

Izuku nodded with a smile, holding his ground and keeping his brother standing tall. Everything they had been through together came to mind; everything that brought them to this moment. Those nights spent studying and training, talking about their futures and sharing their passions. Peter became one of the few people that Izuku felt comfortable being his true self around. They were family now.

They were brothers.

Izukus power had now surpassed 5% as his body glowed brighter than ever before. They had begun putting all of their strength through their bodies for one final strike, reeling their opposite fists back in unison.

Deku clenched his fist, "Detroit …"

Spider-Man tightened his muscles, "New York …"

With a single step forward, they thrust their fists at the beam as they released all the power they had.

"Smash!"

"Excelsior!"

They struck the beam in sync, causing the tip of its form to implode on itself. A powerful wave caused the entire beam to disrupt and vanish instantly, throwing Mayume off her balance. Their momentum carried them forward faster than either of them had ever gone, with a trail of blue and green energy left behind them. Their fists collided with the gauntlet together, causing a powerful explosion to erupt from the point of impact. The light engulfed the entire street, leaving everyone blinded even after it had subsided.

All had gone quiet.

The wind slowly came to a halt as the dust flew through the air. Most of the young heroes kept their eyes closed to avoid getting dust in their eyes until everything had finally settled. The cracks in reality were creepily fading away. The series of constant noises and explosions finally came to an end as the eye of the storm surrounded them.

Kendo was the first to break the silence with her quick footsteps toward the crater, shouting the name of whom she loved. She found him just beyond the dust, laying on his side immobile. She rushed to him and turned his body over. His eyes were closed, but he was breathing; barely.

There was a small gash on his forehead that dripped blood down his face. Kendo wiped it away before it could reach his eyes, which carefully opened to see her beautiful face looking down at him. Tears dripped from her eyes, hitting his face and stinging a few of his wounds. Despite this, he couldn't help but smile.

"Did …" He coughed, "Did we get her?"

Kendo laughed, "Yeah …you got her."

Peter weakly pumped his fist into the air, dragging out a half-hearted 'yay' in victory.

Izuku was laying just a few yards away, awake but unable to get up on his own. Momo had rushed to his side and helped him sit up. He coughed from both the dust and bruising to his ribs. His right arm was broken from the overuse of his quirk, a feeling he knew all too well.

"Ow," Peter exclaimed, realizing the ordeal caused his left arm to break much as Izukus had, "I think my arm is broken …is this what it feels like, Izuku? Geez, I have some new found respect for you."

Just a short distance away from them, Mayume laid on the ground just as broken as her adversaries. Her left arm, which once held the infinity gauntlet, was utterly broken. Every bone and nerve inside the limb were shattered and destroyed, leaving only a corpse of its former self; a dead branch to a living tree. No matter how much she commanded it, the arm wouldn't move.

Just before her, lying in front of her face, was the Infinity Gauntlet. Its shape was still intact but the metal was burnt and smoking. She wanted to reach out for it but her arm once again refused to move. She was too far in shock to comprehend that her arm no longer responded to her orders. Still, she tried to push herself forward with her feet, dragging her body across the ground to get closer to it.

A hand reached down and took the gauntlet away before she could get to it. She looked up and found her brother standing there with a saddened look in his eyes; the gauntlet resting in his grasp.

"…Koji," She muttered weakly, "Give it …back," she tried to command him, and instinct told her to snap her fingers. She would have, if her fingers still worked.

"…It's over," He said sternly, "You lost, Mayume. It's time to give up."

"No …I can't!" She cried, her voice still weak and scratchy, "I can …I can make it perfect …"

"No, you can't," he knelt down and looked her in the eyes, "You can't decide everyone's lives for them. You can't keep defying death and expect no consequences. That's something I learned a long time ago. Look at yourself, sis. Look how far you went to preserve a world already on the brink of destruction."

She wanted to deny every one of his claims and call him crazy. None of this was her fault, right? She did what she thought was the right thing, even if everyone called her a villain for it. She got back everything she lost. She earned this. She deserved this!

Yet, as she looked up to the sky, she saw the storm clouds gathering. They weren't the ones she created in the battle; they had formed all on their own without even a drop of rain to accompany them. These storms had caused pain and death all over the world and she ignored their true origin. She ignored the truth; she had done this. She made a world of pain, a mess she would have spent eternity cleaning up.

Had she really made things worse?

Koji slowly walked over to Peter, who had only just gotten to his feet thanks to Kendo holding him up. Peter smiled at him, raising a brow slightly, "You could have helped instead of watching from afar, you know."

Koji scoffed, "Are you kidding? I don't have my quirk anymore. You didn't see that fight from the outside; I was genuinely terrified! Seriously, that was scary!"

Peter laughed despite the pain that it brought him, gently taking the gauntlet out of Koji's hands. This was the first time in a while he had actually held it. Months of blood and sweat and tears and finally, he had gotten it back. His mistake started when he rushed after Goblin without backup and now, he could be remedied. His long and tiring fight was worth it in the end, after all.

"What now?" Koji asked.

Peter had spent a very long time thinking about what he would do once he found the stones. Restoring the world to what it was before was step one as well as the top priority. After that, it was no question what he would do. Every time the Avengers recover the gauntlet, they store it where it can't be found. Yet, it always gets stolen again and used for evil. The stones only ever brought tragedy.

There was only one sensible thing to do.

"After we restore the world," Peter said, "I'm going to destroy the stones."

No one had anything to say. Was that even a possibility? The stones seemed like these all-powerful weapons that could do virtually anything; was it even possible to destroy something that strong? They didn't disagree with him, but they didn't know what exactly he was thinking of doing. "Is that even possible?" Asked Mina.

"I think so …" he explained, "If we use the stones to destroy the stones. These weapons have done nothing but cause pain and suffering for everyone. Thanos, Goblin, Mayume, everyone who uses them only hurt people more than they help. Its better if no one even has the option to use them."

"But …haven't they been around since the beginning of time?" Momo asked, "Wouldn't that be bad for the universe or something?"

He shook his head, "They're a byproduct of the universes creation. The universe will be just fine."

Mayume began to squirm and shout, scared that her power would be permanently taken away from her. She tried to push herself forward and stop them, but she was too weak to even use her quirks, "You can't!" She shouted as loud as she could, cracking her voice in the process, "You can't destroy them!"

"It's for the best, Mayume," Peter argued, "One day, you'll thank me for this."

"You don't understand!" She pushed herself to her knees, holding her body up with her one good arm, "I've had their power coursing through my body for weeks. I know what they are capable of. If you use the stones to destroy themselves, there's going to be a serious backlash. The resulting backlash will kill you. If you destroy the infinity stones, they'll destroy you."

Most of them assumed she had been messing with them. She was desperate to get that power back, after all; she'd say anything to prevent them from doing it. Yet, Peter looked deep into her eyes and found beyond all the desperation, she was telling the truth. The stones power was too much to just be destroyed. The energy encased inside them would release in full upon destruction. Anyone in a meter radius would be eradicated instantly.

If he destroyed them, he would die.

"That's a bunch of crap!" Kyoka accused, "You just want your power back! Well, it's not gonna happen!"

He appreciated his friends defending him as they always had, but there was no point to it. It only made him feel worse, "She's telling the truth," Peter said with somber, "She's lied about a lot of things …but not this," even Peter was just as surprised. He hadn't considered what exactly would happen after destroying them. Hell, he had given little thought to destroying them at all. There was no other way to do it. Nothing else could destroy them.

"Peter," Kendo gripped his good arm, "You can't. You can't do this."

"He can't," Mayume argued, "His left arm is broken anyway. Besides, I doubt he'd want to leave his friends behind after just getting them back."

Though he hated to admit it, she was right. He had spent so much time thinking he didn't deserve to love. He thought he had to hide every part of himself from the world. These last few months changed his entire viewpoint. Now, he had new friends; he had new family. He had a girl he could confidently say that he loved. After gaining all of these wonderful things, there was no way he could leave them all behind.

And yet, there was still no other way.

Koji approached Mayume and knelt down, giving her a strong hug as he cried. No one knew where the action had come from, but no one had denied him it. Not even his sister spoke out in protest. She could never be angry about being close to her family after spending so long without them.

"…You helped bring me out of the darkness," He spoke softly, "Thank you."

He stood back up without letting her say anything, and walked back over to Peter. There was a tired look on his face, one of acceptance, yet also one of grief. Something was on his mind, something he needed to say yet he was scared to say it.

"…What's wrong, Koji?" Peter asked.

Koji wiped the last of his tears away, finally coming to accept it with a strong look of confidence, "You said only the stones can destroy the stones, right?"

"…Right?"

"And the user will die. We can't just make the gauntlet snap without a user?"

"That's right. There isn't any loophole …"

His spider-sense suddenly rang. He wanted to move but found he was too badly injured to do anything as Koji snatched the gauntlet out of his hands and pushed him to the ground. The impact made him immediately spit out blood, forcing Kendo to rush down to his side.

By the time he looked up, Koji had already placed the gauntlet over his left hand, watching as the power began pouring into his body. His eyes alternated in the stone's colors, yet he showed no physical reaction to their power. Whatever pain he was feeling, he just didn't care.

"Koji!" Peter shouted, trying to get back up but failing, "What are you doing?!"

A swipe of his arm created a force field around himself, completely isolating his body from both Mayume and the young heroes. He looked down to his sister and smiled warmly.

He wanted her to be the last thing he saw.

"Koji …?" Mayume said, "Koji! Wait! What are you doing?!"

Part of him asked that same question, but he knew the answer. He was making up for years of killing and torment. Perhaps there was someone else willing to sacrifice their life, but he couldn't allow that. Someone had to use the stones to do this; as Peter said, there was no loophole. The world needed to be restored; a price needed to be paid. This was his penance. This was his punishment.

He had accepted it with a smile, and finally, he answered "Being better."

Snap