Author's notes: I figured I should post something about their heroic identities. Enjoy!
Summary: [Post series] Iron Patriot tests Patrioteer's skills to see if Patrioteer should return to the Academy.
Renewing Trust
Oscorp was no more. What was once a prominent structure in a land of grand towers was now crushed. What had once offered one of the leading pathways of science and technology was now a pile of rubble.
Iron Patriot and Patrioteer stared at the fallen debris. Much more was destroyed beyond the computers, laboratories, and machines. Oscorp also served as the home for the Osborn family. Patrioteer shifted his crestfallen gaze towards Iron Patriot. He was aware of the extensive labor his father placed into his re-claimed empire. He sought to say something comforting.
Spider-man came swinging in. He flipped and landed alongside the family clad in armor. He spotted them sorrowfully staring at the closed off site. He felt for their loss.
The two teen heroes silently greeted each other. Spider-man had revised his powers. Patrioteer was rescued from that shrinking dome. All schemes were created by the same foe: Doctor Octopus. Fortunately, no employees or any other residences were harmed in the fall of Oscorp. There was just the current misfortune to ride out.
"So what do you plan to do about… all this?" Spider-man's red glove trotted out a circular motion to refer to the collapsed building.
"It can be rebuilt," Iron Patriot replied. He kept his view on the destruction in front of him. "All of the company's documents and financial records are safely stored. Accessing those blueprints won't be an issue. Oscorp is already on a time schedule for re-construction."
Spider-man hoped the powerful businessman had dropped his revenge seeking against Doc Ock. He nodded. "Looks like having that hero's insurance paid off. Good to see that you aren't letting this fender-bender take control."
Patrioteer noted his father's behavior. The older Osborn only mentioned the corporation, not their home. He believed something deeply bothered him. To be a good son, he tried to assure him. "Not everything was lost. Leave Ock in the hands of Stark. We're still together, a family, right?"
The man in the suit was stone quiet. He became aware of the trouble that took place at S.H.I.E.L.D. Whether sentimental or pragmatic, some belongings were permanently gone. Any property belonging to his deceased wife, for example. A possible inclusions could have been her final gift to her husband. An empire could be reconstructed. A family could not.
Iron Patriot turned towards Patrioteer. "I know you want to return to that Academy."
Spider-man recognized that parental tone of voice.
((Uh oh. Sounds like Patrioteer is getting a humdrum lecture. Doesn't seem to be any different from washing behind your ears, eating vegetables, and crossing the street after looking both ways.))
The teen in the armor appeared to feel the same. He listened anyway.
Keeping his stance straight, Iron Patriot announced, "There's one matter to settle before you can go back. I want you to attack me."
"What?!" Patrioteer gasped.
"Yeah!" Spider-man added. The white slits in his mask expanded. "What?! Did a piece of dry wall bonk you on your head?!"
"I need to test your skills," Iron Patriot explained. "I want to see your ability in controlling the armor."
The teen disbelieved the idea. He shook his head. "Dad, I'm not gonna fight you! That's crazy!"
Sternly, Iron Patriot directed, "It's either you face me, or you won't return to the Academy."
Spider-man grasped what the older Osborn was planning. "Does it really need to be this way? You shouldn't let what Ock did change your mind about Patrioteer. You've already seen what he can do."
"Yes," Iron Patriot agreed. "And the same man who infused my son with the Anti-Venom symbiote also trapped him in a shrinking dome. These are the challenges Patrioteer will face if he wants to pursue being a hero."
He raised his hand and tried to blast the web-head.
Spider-man managed to dodge the abrupt attack. "What was that for?!"
"No aid from the sidelines," Iron Patriot conditioned. "Patrioteer must learn to do this on his own if he wants this path."
"And if not, will it be back to Midtown High?"
"Not a chance if S.H.I.E.L.D. has hidden operations there, too. I'll find somewhere else for him to study. Perhaps Midtown Academy or Standard High."
The two young adults understood the terms.
The wall-crawler looked towards his buddy. Spider-man would lose a valuable ally. Peter would lose his best friend.
The armored teen stared ahead. Patrioteer would be removed from his teammates. Harry would be removed from his companions.
"Don't hold back," Iron Patriot commanded. "I want to see what you've got."
Range of emotions flushed down Patrioteer. He was silent. His arms remained at his sides. He refused to make any movements.
"Fine," Iron Patriot grumbled. "Then it looks like I'll need to be the one to start this off."
Lifting his hand, he began blasting his own son.
The teen shuffled away from the raids. Such explosions smashed the debris of Oscorp. With the unceasing strikes, he was aware how serious and devoted Iron Patriot was to his idea. He used to his repulsion boosts and piloted himself in the opposite direction.
Iron Patriot pursued his son. He chased him through a nearby construction site. He shadowed every movement as Patrioteer tried to fly between steel beams. Once they were out of the unfinished structure and entered the vast blue sky, the father began shooting the teen. Patrioteer managed to control himself as he avoided each skirmish. Only one scraped against his armor.
Spider-man uneasily watched. "Norman shouldn't battle his son no matter his intention. I can't allow the patched up bond between my best friend and his only parent fall apart. I gotta do something to help."
Despite his given warning shot, he followed.
"Isn't there some other way Patrioteer could do this?" he asked. "Stop a bank robbery? Run through an obstacle course? Sell the most cookies for a fund raiser?"
"This entire test is necessary," Iron Patriot contended. "I must know his current levels—attacks, strategies, defense. I must make sure he'll be safe."
"Safe?" Spider-man repeated. "By blasting him sky high?!"
Patrioteer heard his father. He flew down towards the streets. He entered an industrial-sized manhole. Without hesitation, Iron Patriot infiltrated the same hole.
Spider-man tried to keep up. His method of transportation was no match against repulsor boosts. He stopped at the opening. Looking ahead, he spotted yards down of the pair zipping up. He raced and shot his webs. He pondered aloud, "Patrioteer can't outrun his dad forever. I don't know if retaliating against Norman is the answer. But does Harry have a plan? Maybe I can at least slow down Iron Patriot."
He soared above and clung to a building, keeping an eye for a passing Iron Patriot. When the time was right, he jumped down. He landed on the man's metal back. "Going straight for the physical portion for the exam? What about the essay writing? Or giving him an extra credit opportunity? I've been told that I'm an excellent tutor."
The older Osborn sensed the web-slinger's presence. "I understand you're only looking to assist your best friend. But as his father, I must examine his skills on his own."
He shot himself straight up. He knew his intruder couldn't hold on forever. As he looped himself around, he successfully knocked him off.
Spider-man yelped. He saw where he was falling. Shooting a web against a staircase exit, he safely rolled on an open roof. He watched once more as Iron Patriot tailed the younger Osborn.
Patrioteer spotted the web-spinner giving a hand. After finding out his best friend's dual lifestyle, he began to understand all the difficulty the web-head underwent. Alone. Yet the masked ruffian never stopped helping—not for symbiotes, not for The Goblin, and not for Doctor Octopus. He realized he shouldn't run. He had to stand by his own beliefs. Even if he was standing against his father.
He cut short his drifting. He was now hovering in place.
Iron Patriot halted as well. He kept his offense up. He eyed for any quick movement.
"I'm not gonna fight you," Patrioteer announced.
"Do you not wish to return to the Academy?" Iron Patriot asked.
The teen lowered himself to the ground. "It's not about wanting to go back. It's about us. I can't fight you because… I'm so sick of fighting you."
Iron Patriot refrained any further action. "What?"
Spider-man fastened himself to a nearby wall. He believed this was the true battle. He stayed in place and listened as well.
Patrioteer's yellow visor rose. Blue eyes holding heartache stared at the man in the suit. "We always spent our time fighting. You were unhappy with my grades in school. I was unhappy with how much time you were spending at work. We never got into anything physical. But our arguments were loud. If we had neighbors, I'm sure they would've heard us."
He sighed. "We managed to overcome so much. I just don't want us to be about fighting."
Spider-man grew impressed and moved by what his friend had disclosed.
Iron Patriot glided downwards. He turned quiet.
The web-head decided to step in. He hopped down and joined the Osborns. He faced Iron Patriot. "You said you wanted to make sure Patrioteer's safe. Yes, bad guys are always gonna be invading S.H.I.E.L.D. and trying to knock our heads off. But Patrioteer has grown since he first put on the suit. I say he's showing courage in that he wasn't impede by what happened. Don't you trust him?"
Iron Patriot looked between Patrioteer and Spider-man. He examined their speeches. When he made his conclusion, he raised his visor.
"You both are correct," Norman agreed. "I shouldn't allow Octavious or any other villain to control us. I should place my trust in my son and his teachers."
Spider-man believed his best friend won his case. He became ecstatic. "That's excellent to hear, Osborn."
"I should also be teaching my son," Norman added. "How to properly use his weaponry so that should anything like this be repeated he'll know what to do."
"At least he'll have residency at the Academy."
"Yes, that should do. As for me, I'll check myself into a nearby hotel and keep an eye on construction. Oscorp won't stay in the dust forever."
"Meanwhile, you want Damage Control to give you a hand with the clean up?"
Harry was relieved that his only parent listened. He looked towards his best friend. He was grateful for his support. He mulled over his words. Anytime he had placed on the armor, he had assistance from either Spider-man or his father.
Norman observed boy's behavior. He wanted to check in on his well-being. He asked, "Son, with everything that had happened, are you ready to return to the Academy?"
"Yes, but I do have a condition," Harry announced.
The other two focused on the younger Osborn.
"I don't want any special treatment just because I'm an Osborn," Harry continued. "I want to be treated like all the other students. I know what had happened to me—Venom and Anti-Venom and being trapped in that dome. It does bother me."
He looked up with determination in his eyes. "So I want to learn all I can. I want to use Patrioteer to prove myself… to me…"
Spider-man understood his pal's goal. He placed a supporting hand on his buddy's shoulder. "You won't be alone on that journey."
Harry smiled. "I know I'll have an excellent tutor."
Norman nodded. He was proud of his son for holding an ambition. His blue eyes studied Patrioteer's armor. He noted the minimum damaged caused by their battle. "There are some things we should take care of before you go back. I need to give the armor some tune ups."
Looking at his son, he smiled, "Since this is your suit, it'll be something we can do together."
The auburn teen smiled back.
Spider-man was glad to see the relationship between family members remained strong. There was trust among them.
"Not exactly the coveted father-son fishing trip. But it'll do."
End Renewing Trust