Peter's eyes were the only ones that managed to open. He found himself in a white void. There was no sound, no sights to behold. Unlike the void of Earth 0, it felt so much more alive. There was a potential for life, for anything and everything; a canvas yet painted.
Then, his foot touched the ground. From the point of contact, the world began to emerge. Colors and shapes returned like they had always been there. His friends returned to his side one-by-one—locals from both worlds as well as the newcomers.
It was daylight, barely a cloud in the sky. The sun shined down on them with its familiar and comforting warmth. No tears were present, no earthquakes or mass destruction light-years away. The end had passed, and a new beginning made itself known.
"Is …is it over?" Ashido asked, breaking the silence.
"Avengers," Tony Stark commanded, "Crowd control! Survey the city, make sure no one else is hurt!"
"We'll help," Anthony announced, "We'll make sure the dust is really settled."
The Avengers scattered to the streets, their primary focus to ensure civilians were unharmed. If the battle was truly over, recovery was the next vital step.
The Beyonder was nowhere in sight, Peter realized. Not so much as a goodbye, or at least an apology. Though, perhaps saving his world was apology enough.
Most of the other heroes ran off to help the people. Those who remained were Peter, Miles, and all his friend from U.A.
"…Peter?" Itsuka asked, "Are you okay?"
Peter was still tense and stiff from the energy he had taken on. It was like he had been bruised from the inside out, "We should …we should check on people, too."
"You did what you could," Izuku said, "You can't say you didn't try to save him."
"I know …it's okay," Peter nodded.
Peter held their hands tightly. He felt strong with them around, like they could take on anything the multiverse threw at them.
Itsuka and Izuku's spider-suits suddenly began to glow. They felt their new powers slowly but surely slip away as their uniforms returned back to their natural state. Battle-Spider and Spider-Deku had been laid to rest, at least, for the moment.
"Our spider powers …" Izuku realized, "I can't feel them."
"It might be a temporary thing," Peter deduced, "Like when I copied your quirks. Works for a short while, then it goes away."
"And I was just getting used to sticking to walls," Itsuka joked, "Didn't have to worry about taking the stairs while you two flew away."
Peter pulled them into an embrace with a heavy sigh. He was thankful that after facing their second apocalypse, they had all made it out unscathed.
"Whose huggin' without me?!" Ashido cried out as she leapt into the crater and nearly knocked over the trio as she joined the embrace. The others joined in one after another, wanting only to preserve and protect the boy who changed their lives.
Feeling their embrace, the wall of love they kept around him, felt so much like the totems of the spider-versed when they accepted him into the web. It was warm, kind, welcoming, yearning for his soul to commune with them. All his losses, though they still hurt, no longer felt life threatening. Peter felt he could handle it all, and never sweat a drop.
Not. One. Drop.
"Parker!" Mayume Aihara screeched from atop a nearby roof high above, "You need to see this!"
"That's very ominous!" He shouted back.
"I'm not kidding! I'm very concerned, in fact!"
Peter traded glances with his friends. What could have been so important? The tears were gone, Infinity—sad as his passing turned out—was defeated. What else could have been wrong?
He climbed up the wall of the building carrying Itsuka and Izuku, while his other friends all followed by their own means.
They finally reached the top of the tall building as their faces immediately turned to shock.
While the streets they had been in most definitely resembled New York, something had changed. Manhattan and all its most prominent features had been reduced. He could see Avengers Tower, Oscorp, Midtown High and other landmarks from his childhood.
He had recognized the island across from the bridge, however, as something else, and his friends shared the same epiphany.
It was their home; Musutafu.
Spider-Man: Hero Academia 2
Chapter 44
One World
It almost hurt their brains to see it. New York—or at least a piece of it—right next to Musutafu. It was not as though a slice of the Big Apple had been cut out and put next to the city of Pro Heroes; it was placed down so seamlessly; one would think it had always been there.
"I tried doing a survey of the damage, when I saw it," Aihara stated, "Pretty sure I didn't portal us home, yet, unless New York has a little Japan, now."
"Nope," Peter said plainly.
They took their time exploring the newly added Island of Musutafu. Every bit of it was familiar to Peter, like a chunk of New York had been condensed and placed right next to his home away from home.
Peter brought his friends to the bridge that connected this new Island to Musutafu. Some damage had been done to it, but it still held strong. It looked similar to the Brooklyn bridge, but a sign next to its entrance read "Horikoshi Bridge." Across the way was a tunnel leading underwater to the other island, also with its own sign that read "Lieber Tunnel".
The ground shook and interrupted their awe. They thought something had gone wrong again. Instead, the shaking actually came from the entrance of Mt. Lady, who placed a set of soaked vehicles carefully onto the street.
She posed for the onlookers with cameras before noticing Peter and Co down below, shrinking down immediately to greet them.
"Hey there, cuties!" Mt. Lady exclaimed, "Good to see you're all okay!"
"Mt. Lady?! You're …here?" Spider-Man asked.
"Couldn't stay away!" She winked, "But in all seriousness, when that big flash of light came out of the sky, the rest of us rushed over to see what was happening. Next thing we know, there's an entire new island right next to the city! Wasn't sure what was going on, but I thought I might as well pitch in to help!"
Realization was slowly hitting Peter and his brain just could not keep up.
"Some of the other Pro's moved in to investigate, and police are on their way," She warned, "Don't suppose you have an explanation for where these people came from?"
"…In progress," He confessed.
"Makes no difference to me," She cooed, "More adoring fans is always better!"
Mt. Lady posed her posterior for the reporters and bloggers of New York to witness in awe. Spider-Man covered his bug eyes in embarrassment. He sometimes forgot how little shame she had.
Just as they had gotten the sun back, it was then immediately blocked out by a hovering aircraft. Only those from New York recognized the flying machine. It was larger than three football fields. Jets and other smaller flying machines exited from its runway and surveyed the new world they found themselves on.
"REMAIN CALM," The automated voice called out from the ship, "S.H.I.E.L.D IS HERE TO PROTECT YOU! PLEASE, REMAIN CALM!"
"Oh, shit," Peter said, "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit."
"What's S.H.I.E.L.D?" Izuku asked as he shook Peter's shoulder, "And why are they so scary?"
S.H.I.E.L.D soldiers dropped down from their helicopters as Musutafu police met them on the Horikoshi Bridge. Guns were immediately drawn as both parties demanded the other to identify themselves.
"Peter-!" Izuku cried in concern.
"Going!" Spider-Man leapt up toward the bridge as Deku followed with Full Cowling. Everyone else stayed behind with Mt. Lady, trying to keep the people around them calm.
Both Spider-Man and Deku landed in the center of the bridge just as the two parties of soldiers tried reaching each other. The young heroes held their hands out with peace offered between their fingers.
"Let's not shoot each other, alright?" Spider-Man begged, "Stand down!"
"Stand aside!" The S.H.I.E.L.D soldier demanded.
"Please!" Izuku cried, trying reasoning with the Musutafu police, "These people are not your enemies! Something crazy has happened! Everyone just needs to put down their guns!"
A stalemate might have been all that kept them from firing upon each other.
"Peter," Izuku muttered, "The Beyonder—I think he-"
"I know," Peter said, "I think so, too. Our worlds-"
"He merged them together," Izuku concluded, "Can he do that?"
"Not well, apparently."
The S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarrier dropped down devices from the bottom of the craft and lined the edge of the new island. They linked up with one another, creating a pseudo force-field along the entries and exits of the island. Until everything had been sorted, no one would be getting in or out.
A limousine pulled up behind the Musutafu police barricade. From the middle door, All Might stepped out wearing a nice suit. The police did not stop him from walking through to see Midoriya and hug him tightly.
"I'm so glad you're alright!" All Might cried for his surrogate child before addressing Peter, "What the hell happened? Where did this island come from?" He leaned in to whisper, "Is this a multiverse thing?"
"Probably no point whispering about it, All Might," Peter confessed, "Can you get them to stand down? Until we figure this out, nuggets of various metals flying around isn't gonna be much help."
All Might gave him a 'say no more' look and spoke with the police directly as he pulled out his phone. Being the former number 1 hero, he still had plenty of pull in the Pro Hero community. It took little convincing to get both the authorities and any on looking Pro Heroes to stand down.
"We need to find Doctor Strange," Spider-Man said, "Maybe he can tell us the extent of what the Beyonder did."
"And if we can reverse it?"
Spider-Man shook his head, "I'm not sure we can, at this point. Come on."
As both parties of soldiers backed off, Deku and Spider-Man swung back toward the new island in search of the wise wizard and the answers they hoped to find.
…
Civilians remained indoors while S.H.I.E.L.D soldiers patrolled the streets. Officers and Pro Heroes alike waited outside the force field the agents had created to protect their people. The stalemate would only last so long. Someone would make a move. Something would go wrong.
Stephen and Donna Strange hovered over the island and performed their enchanted observations. The magical aura was similar to what Stephen knew, but its shape had completely changed.
They did not like their findings, but chose to report back anyways.
All the heroes present at the battle with Infinity gathered in Avengers Tower, where a holotable was stationed in the center of the lounge. The young children were invited to take a seat and relax while the adults figured things out.
An image of the Earth appeared on the holotable, highlighting certain sections that did not match its current databases.
"That son of a bitch," Tony said, "He really merged our earths together."
"In a sense," Doctor Strange claimed, "I think he took everything related to super powered beings and brought it all into a single reality."
"Why the hell would he do that?" Tony asked.
"A gift," Peter answered, "He thought he was repaying us for freeing him."
"Is there any way back to our dimension?" Tony asked.
Stephen shook his head, "This IS our dimension. The magical signature of our old reality resides here, now."
"But what about doppelgängers?" Peter asked, "Everyone had a copy of themselves on the opposite earth, more or less."
"This reality's New York still exists. The pieces of our world that he kept in the merger were our New York, which he added to Musutafu as another island—then there's Wakanda, Latveria, Symkaria and other locations housing super powered beings."
"So, what happened to the parts that didn't make the cut?" Peter asked.
"I can still sense the remnants of our old world, but I cannot reach it through astral projection."
"But its safe?"
"I believe so."
Peter sighed with relief, "At least there's that."
"Can we open a portal to get people home?" Tony asked.
"I also tried that," Stephen claimed, "Nothing works. Wherever our old reality is, I cannot reach it."
"Maybe that Beyonder guy is blocking you out?" Tony asked, "Which begs the question; why?"
"For now, we should focus on the positives," Stephen suggested, "The tears in reality are gone, and people are safe. Our priority now must be helping the refugees adjust until we can figure out how to reverse what Beyonder did."
Peter studied the image of the new Earth. It gave him comfort knowing that his old world was alive and safe. Perhaps it would have bothered him more if he was separated from loved ones or things he cherished. Beyonder made sure everything he knew and loved was all on one Earth. It was all for him.
Did that make it his fault?
…
When things had finally started to calm down, the young heroes who saved the multiverse conference atop the helipad of Avengers Tower. They could see the entire city from there and admire their new, yet familiar home.
"I just can't believe it …" Momo expressed, "We all live on the same world, now?"
"Why would Beyonder do this?" Jiro asked.
Peter shrugged. "His form of an apology? I don't know. I don't really understand him or what he can do …and I don't know whether or not to be concerned about it."
Mina put a hand on his shoulder. "So …how are you doing? With all this, I mean."
After defeating Lumina, all he knew was hop scotching between realities, trying to maintain a life that he no longer had any control over. That struggle was finally gone, but it also presented new challenges. He had no idea what this new world was like, what dangers it held, what surprises it had in store.
"It's a lot," Peter admitted, "And it comes at a great price …but," He smiled at them, "At least I don't have to pay it alone."
The group of young aspiring heroes collectively embraced one another around Peter. Their warmth made him feel safe. The strange new world suddenly seemed less strange with them at his side.
With the sun high in the sky, it was time to say goodbye.
Stephen and Stephany Strange gathered everyone together on the helipad and opened portals for them. With the crisis over, the visiting heroes had to return home.
Reilly embraced Mina tightly, the feeling of her warm pink cheeks against his face, "I'll miss you," he told her.
"Nothing stopping you from visiting," She reminded him, poking his chest teasingly, "And you BETTER visit!"
"I will! I will!" He laughed.
Kaine had a much harder time expressing his gratitude to Momo, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. "Thank you," He finally confessed.
"For what?" She asked.
"For …showing me that the world isn't always so …gloomy."
Momo pushed her hair away from her face so her blush could be presented. Kaine had opted for a handshake, only for Momo to push it aside and pull him close for a hug. He did not know what to do right away. Eventually his hands found her back. His heart found her own. Peace found him.
"Feel free to stop by, anytime," She asked him, "I'd love to show you around."
"That …would be nice," he tried to hide the smile forming on his lips.
As goodbyes were made, Mei Hatsume tried to stand away from the crowd and go unnoticed. Only Anthony caught her in the act and held out his hand unexpectedly. He did not say anything, despite how she argued. Mei could not escape judgement and relinquished her exo-suit to him.
"I'll just reverse-engineer it," She claimed.
"I doubt it," Anthony said.
"You're right; I'll make a whole-ass suit! Better than anything you could do!"
"I'd like to see you try."
"Good! Because I will!"
Teasing aside, Anthony could not deny that he would miss her, somewhat.
The last to yet step through the portal home was Ghost Spider; Gwen Stacey. She could not keep her eyes off of Peter Parker. Everything about him reminded her of the one she knew, the one she loved. She wanted to say something to him. She wanted to tell him all the things she failed to say before.
She just could not muster the strength.
"Hey," Peter approached her first, "Thanks for your help, today."
"Yeah …no problem."
Peter could sense her hesitation, and held out his hand for her, "I hope we can talk more, soon."
She stared at his hand, finally caving in.
Her body rushed his and embraced him. He did not act surprised or concerned, somehow having known it was what she needed and simply returned the embrace. Peter did not know her, but he did not need to.
For just a moment, it felt to her like he had come back to life.
Clearing her through, she ended the embrace abruptly, "Bye," she said plainly and marched through the portal. They waved farewell as the gateway closed.
The League of Heroes were next, and most of them were less than eager to leave. This world was nothing like their own; there was light and peace and good still remaining in the air. It was the world they strive to make back home. Seeing it, even briefly, gave them hope that a better world was possible for them.
"We can't leave, yet," Himiko claimed, "What about Green Death?"
Miles crossed his arms and hung his head shamefully, "I checked where we left him; he's gone, probably escaped during the confusion."
"Same for Wanda," Doctor Strange added, "I could not find her anywhere. Likely, she escaped back to the chaos realm with her creatures, but she could still be on this Earth. I tried to search for Green Deaths aura, but something is blocking me."
"That would be the blockers they wear," Donna explained, "Not the first time they've faced sorcerers, so they have artifacts that hide their magical essence. He could be anywhere on this Earth."
"Then, we should stay!" Himiko begged, "At least until we catch Green Death!"
Miles held her hand with a sincere smile, "It's okay. You and the LOH are the only heroes your world has. This world—my world—is full of good people. Let us worry about catching Green Death, and we'll send him to you for trial. Okay?"
She wanted to argue with him, but her world did need her more than this one. With so many heroes in one place, she had to believe the task was in good hands.
"Okay," Himiko accepted, "I'm trusting you."
"And hey—if you ever need a helping hand in your fight, just give us a call."
"Won't hesitate."
Himiko hugged him quickly before skipping through the portal with the other LOH members.
Few words were traded between Stephan and Donna. Though they wished more time to talk and learn of each other lives, there would be time enough for that. As Sorcerer Supremes, the walls of the multiverse were easy to cross. Knowing the other was out there, alive, would have to be enough for a while.
Kyoka smoothly locked her fingers with Miles as they waved goodbye and the portal closed.
"I ain't good at goodbyes," Noir told Stephen, "So don't expect me ta' start weepin'."
"I won't," He grinned.
Noir was not one for hugging, switching it out for a firm handshake instead, "Don't be a stranger, Strange."
Just as Strange went to open a portal, the little Izuku of the world stuck in the past raised his hand like a school boy, "Oo! Oo! Let me open it!"
Using the sling-ring gifted to him by Strange, he clumsily opened a portal back into their dimension. The muted black and white colors leaked out and affected the ground around the gateway. It was a much more comfortable sight for many of the mob men, who jumped through the first chance they got.
"Oh! Right!" The powerless Izuku grabbed Mjolnir off the ground with ease and handed it politely back to Thor, "Here you go, Mr. God of Thunder, sir! This is yours!"
Peter and the other Avengers stared in utter shock as Thor took the hammer from him, patting the young man on the head, "Until our next reunion, good squire!"
The parallel Izuku jumped through the portal excitedly, "I wish I could stay and talk more," he said as he waved goodbye, "But I'm getting married!"
The portal closed on his final words.
"Did …did he just lift Thors hammer?" Peter asked.
"Did he say he's getting married?" Izuku asked.
"He lifted Thors hammer."
"Do I have a wife?"
"I wanna life Thors hammer," he whined.
"Am I gotta have a wife, soon?!"
The last to go was Otto and Ironheart. While everyone else had been socializing before the final farewell, Otto stood alone at the edge of the helipad. Like the others, he recognized that the Earth had been altered. Even so, he recognized this little portion of New York as his original home.
Otto never had any intention of returning to this reality. Despite that, it was somewhat nice to see it again.
Mayume was the only one to approach him and stand at his side. She held her hands behind her back as her new scarf blew in the wind, "Do you want this back?" She gestured to the suit.
"Keep it," he told her, "By now, the nanites are accustomed to your biometrics."
"You still haven't told me," She said, "About how you changed so much; why you're wearing a Spider-Man costume. You haven't taken off your mask since you got here, either."
Otto looked away, somewhat shamefully. What had he expected to tell her? That he stole the body of another Peter Parker and murdered him in the process? She would never accept that, never accept him. As much as his heart wanted to be with her, again, it would never be that simple.
"A story for another day," He said, "One that I promise to tell you the next time we meet."
"Or, you could tell me now. Or, I could ask Parker since he's been staring at us like he knows something."
Peter indeed was staring at them, wondering how long it would be until Otto broke and confessed, or if he would have to intervene and do it for him. Aihara deserved to know the truth of what Otto did, when the time was right.
"…I'll leave that up to you," Otto decided.
The goodbye was quick, at Otto's request. There was a clear tension between him and Ironheart. She knew what he had done, but did not yet have the proof to convict him. For the moment, there was a stalemate between them as they waited for the other to make the first move.
All the visitors had finally left and returned to their own worlds. Only one question remained on everyone's minds.
What now?
…
Instead of going straight home, Miles instead stopped at the hospital where his father continued to rest. During the chaos, they had refused to discharge him despite his pleas. With all that had happened, Miles just needed to be sure he still had his father.
Jefferson laid in bed, unable to sleep. For the last few hours, he had been trying to get in contact with his son. Miles only just then started getting his messages. Being entire worlds away meant little to no cell service.
Miles watched his father through the hospital window. For a moment, he considered stepping in and telling his father everything, but that would have been stupid. He was a cop at heart; what would stop him from just putting his own son under citizens arrest?
Jefferson dialed again for his son. When Miles's phone rang, he quickly covered the speaker and shifted away from the window. He was too afraid to answer it and give himself away.
Voicemail, again. Another message for the void.
"Miles," Jefferson spoke into the phone, "It's your dad, again."
Miles listened intently from outside.
"I know …I know we haven't gotten along lately," Jefferson confessed, "And I'm sorry. After your mom died …I was so heart broken. Anything that reminded me of her just made it hurt so much more. I thought I couldn't let myself feel that pain because I needed to provide for you. I realize now I was just using you as an excuse to avoid how much it hurt."
Miles' phone shook in his hand as the relief of sorrow washed over him.
"I don't know if you can forgive me, but after …whatever just happened over in the city, I just want you to know …I love you, no matter what. Whatever or whoever you want to be, I will always be there for you."
Voicemail sent.
The urge to go in there and hug his father grew stronger, and he almost did it too if not for the doctors that came in just a second after. They told Jefferson he would be free to go by the afternoon now that the crisis has ended.
Jefferson glanced at the window, thinking he had seen something there just a moment ago, but that something was already gone.
…
A police order was given to find and apprehend both Mayume Aihara and Eddie Brock. Despite their heroic actions, they were still considered villains by the community.
Neither of them had any plans of going to prison. Shortly after final goodbyes were made, they both performed a vanishing act with Mirko's help. When police asked the rabbit hero where they were, she only had cocky shrugs as an answer. She was not going to rat out her friend.
She was not sure what Eddie was to her, yet, but curiosity suggested she protect him, regardless.
The rest of the day was spent trying to calm the people of New York and delicately explain the situation. Anything having to do with Peter or his identity was kept hushed. None of the Pro heroes blamed Peter for what happened, but rumors tend to spread fast and violently. For the time being, everyone on the new island was kept in isolation from the rest of the new world.
All the children of U.A. who fought in the conflict were flown home on the Quinjet, landing just outside the dormitories. Students of class 1-A were quick to rush out and greet their friends with a million questions loaded and ready.
"Where did you guys go?!" Kaminari asked.
"Where did that island come from?!" Uraraka wondered.
"Did you win?" Todoroki asked plainly.
Only after Aizawa stepped out of the building and scolded them did they finally back off, "I know we're all very curious and surprised by all this, but it'll have to wait. The police will be by in the morning to ask questions. Until then, go inside and get some rest."
The students were reluctant but surrendered to their teachers demands. Most of Peter's squad said their good-nights and farewells as they yearned for well-earned slumber. Only Izuku and Itsuka stayed outside a bit longer.
"I'm not sure what mess you dragged your friends into, this time," Aizawa said to Peter, "But I guess it's not really my business. Just don't go doing anything stupid, again."
Aizawa walked back inside, only stopping briefly when Peter called out "No promises."
The drowsy teacher smirked.
"You two should go inside," Peter told them, "Get some sleep."
"What about you?" Izuku asked.
"I need to check on mom," Peter said, "I left her in a hurry; she's probably worried sick."
Izuku lightly gasped and grinned, "You called her mom!"
Peter gently punched his shoulder, "Go to sleep."
With a hug for Izuku and a kiss for Itsuka, they both retreated to their dorms in search of a well-earned rest.
Instead of immediately going home, Peter chose to sit on the steps of the school with his head in his hands, feeling the weight of the world sitting on his shoulders. It was not as bad as it used to be, he realized. There was a time he did not care what strain that weight put on him. He did not even need to do his breathing exercises to isolate the burning feelings in his chest.
Everything felt balanced.
"Young Parker," All Might stood at the entrance with his hands in his pockets, "I just came from the dorms. I'm glad to see you and the others alright."
"Define alright," Peter joked.
All Might came and sat down next to the young arachnid, "I heard you had a long day."
"Very long."
"Do you have any time to talk about it?
Peter went on to explain everything that went down; how Infinity came to be, scattering all of them into the multiverse. He described the Beyonder and what he was, and how he had merged their worlds together as a token of gratitude.
The reveal was heavy on All Might as he squeezed the bridge of his nose, "My God …two worlds becoming one."
"And now we have an island of refugees to explain that too."
"So … how are you holding up?"
"Somehow …okay?" Peter said, "And that …scares me."
"Why?"
"I'm not used to …being okay, you know? I'm used to collapsing under the weight of my guilt, but after becoming the Prime Totem, bonding cosmically with Izuku and Itsuka …I feel so much stronger."
"Well, that's true of any relationship," All Might put a hand on the boys' shoulder, "They're your family. Family is our greatest strength; greater than any super power. The bond you share with them got you through this. Not some cosmic powers or divine intervention; you saved each other."
"But I couldn't save Glitch," Peter admitted, "I wish I could have, but I didn't."
"That's the hardest thing about this job. We can't always save everyone."
Peter smiled at him, "But we can always try."
They stood and hugged one another. It was no wonder Izuku saw the man as a father; he would sure make a great one, greater than Izuku's real father who never seemed to be around.
"I should go," Peter manifested his mask, "Goodnight, Yagi."
Peter swung away, feeling lighter than he ever had.
…
Peter finally made it to the apartment as the sun started to set. The window he had left from before was still open, waiting for his return. There was no hesitation diving through it and rolling to his feet as his mask vanished in an instant, "Inko!" He called out, "Mom!"
For a brief moment, he worried something had happened to her. How would he be able to live with himself knowing she got hurt and it was all because of him? Inko did not deserve to get caught in the middle of his crazy life. What if she was affected by the merger? What if she was gone?
That worry washed away when Inko came out of her room, still dressed in her robe and pajamas. She looked exactly the same, if not clearly exhausted from staying up all night waiting for Peter to return.
The poor woman could not even get a word out before Peter embraced her desperately.
"You're okay!" Inko sighed with relief.
"I'm okay!" Peter cried, "I'm okay, mom."
She still was not used to hearing that from him, "You don't have to call me that, if you don't want to."
"But you are," he said, "You are my mom. You've been there for me and filled May's shoes. You took care of me, protected me, loved me when I had no one else to do it. I don't care what anyone says; you're my mom …and I love you."
Inko was brought to tears and embraced him more tightly. In her eyes, in her heart, this was her boy. Though they had only been together a short time, they were family. She did not need to have birthed him herself, or watched him take his first step, or spill his food over the baby seat. This was her boy, and no one would take that away from her.
"Everything is okay, now," Peter said, "I promise."
She out a hand to his cheek and wiped his tears, feeling the bags under his eyes, "You poor boy. You haven't slept since you left, have you?"
Peter chuckled through the tears, "Yeah …yeah, I confess."
"Let's get you some rest, okay?"
"But, there's so much I need to tell you. The island that appeared—you need to know the truth."
"Tomorrow."
"But-"
"Sweetheart."
"…Okay."
He could no longer fight the exhaustion with adrenaline. As soon as he found his bed, he completely collapsed in an instant; his spider suit fading away into mist. Inko covered his body in blankets and kissed his forehead.
Peter was her son. Inko was his mother. No divine intervention could ever change that.
…
A week had gone by since the incident. Peter had taken a small break from being Spider-Man, mostly refusing to even leave the house while he recovered mentally. It was not as though he did not try, but Inko continually reminded him he needed to rest, and he was just too tired to argue. Most days, he just slept the hours away.
Occasionally he would try to bring up the multiverse talk with her, but she would tell him tow ait until he was ready and not rush into it. Her top priority was his recovery and well needed rest, nothing more.
The people of the new New York island remained isolated from the rest of the world. Resources were dropped in for citizens, now designated as refugees by the Japanese government. S.H.I.E.L.D did all the talking, trying to work out some kind of arrangement until whatever happened can be reversed.
The next morning came offering its light, but Peter refused to accept it. His poor, exhausted body stayed in bed well into the afternoon. Inko preferred to leave him be. The boy deserved to rest after the ordeal he went through. Even when police came by to ask questions, she shooed them away. They were persistent, but she was a mother.
For Peter, it was probably one of the best sleeps he ever had. Even though he could not save Glitch from his fate, he felt more at peace than ever before. The weight he once held on his head no longer felt so bad to carry. No more did he suffocate under the expectations presented by those around him.
When he did finally wake, he chose to lay in bed for at least another hour, contemplating. Not often had he let himself process anything. If he had a therapist, they would tell him such behavior was unhealthy.
The Beyonder was on his mind. Everything that happened was because of him. He manipulated Cassie. He used Spider-Man and his friends. He merged their worlds together for a reason he does not fully understand. All these actions came with great consequences, ones he would have to bear.
Perhaps that was okay. If not him, who else? And even then, he knew he would not have to bear it alone.
Peter finally picked himself up out of bed and went to find Inko in the living room, watching the news about the new island added to the city. For whatever reason, the citizens of Musutafu were calling the scavenged piece of New York "Stanland."
"Stanland?" Peter read from the screen, "I can't imagine many New Yorkers being happy about that."
"They say they're still trying to figure out what happened," Inko said, "The Japanese Government is in talks with Stanlands representatives from …what was it? S.H.I.E.L.D?"
"Yeah, that sounds about right."
"Don't suppose you have an answer, do you?"
There were so many times he wanted to tell her the truth, to confess every secret he kept from her. He worried she would believe he hid the truth because he did not trust her, or did not believe she could handle it. She already had so much stress worrying about Izuku every time he gets into trouble. There was only so much her heart could take.
Yet, it still had to be done.
Peter sat her down and explained the entire story; finding his way to Musutafu from another universe, searching for the stones, fighting Lumina, encountering other worlds and fighting against Infinity to protect them.
He told her everything about his origin; the spider that bit him, where it came from, the challenges he faced, the reasons he became Spider-Man. It did not matter if she believed him or not, he told her everything.
Inko held his hand tightly when he had finally finished talking, "How does it feel?" she asked, "-to finally let it go?"
"Honestly?" Peter sighed with relief, "Good."
"Good."
"I'm surprised you aren't freaking out or telling me how ridiculous it sounds."
"Oh, it sounds ridiculous, alright, but, you're my son. I know you wouldn't lie to me about something like this. So, even if it doesn't make sense …I believe you."
Peter's eyes beamed, "I love you, mom."
"I love you, too, Peter," She kissed his forehead.
Another knock on the door; the fifth one that day. Officers had been stopping by almost every hour to see if Peter was ready to answer questions. Hearing another attempt annoyed Inko quite a bit.
"I'll take care of it," he said, kissing the back of her hand before leaving her on the couch.
Peter expected officers when he opened the door, not the rabbit-themed hero with her hands furiously on her hips. Other tenants in the hallway could not help but stare and take photos of things they should not.
"Mirko," Peter greeted plainly.
"Sidekick," She retorted.
"Not your sidekick."
"Already filed the paperwork."
"No, you did not."
"'Course not; I hate paperwork."
"What do you want?"
"You need to come with me," She crossed her arms, "The BOH wants to talk to you."
"About what? Besides the obvious."
"You'll see."
There was a short pause. Peter blinked at her. "Do you take a class for dramatic cliffhangers? You know those only work in the movies, right?"
She smacked his head, "Stop being a smartass!"
"Never!"
She grabbed him by the collar and started dragging him down the hall, "Let's go!"
"I'll be back later!" he shouted to Inko, using his webs to shut the door before he got too far.
…
News was travelling fast. It was all over every billboard and newspaper as Mirko drove through the streets with Peter as he passenger. 'Other Dimensions are real?' 'A Hoax or A Huge Problem?' 'Peter Parker from another universe?'
Headlines like that came from every news outlet in the city. Though S.H.I.E.L.D and the Japanese Government tried to keep their discussions under wraps, nosy reporters leaked a few conference videos. The truth was out there, and people were actually keen to believing it.
An officer with a truth quirk was all they needed to confirm or deny the claims of these 'otherworlders'. Not a single lie was told. Evidence forced them to come out with an official press conference laying everything out on the table.
That just left one more thing to deal with.
Mirko brought Peter back to the same building they last held the BOH meeting in. She took him right to the door before stopping to ask "Did you bring your suit?"
He smiled excitedly, gesturing her to hold on for one moment and watch carefully.
Peter reached for the center of his chest with both hands, grabbing at the air to mimic pulling on his shirt. His fingertips glowed blue as his body illuminated. One swift pull outwards manifested his new Prime Totem uniform over his body.
He performed another motion over his head, pretending to put on a mask just as a real one came into existence.
"Cool, right?" Spider-Man asked, "I can just turn the costume on all at once, but where's the fun in that?"
"I like it better than the last one," Mirko teased, "Wasn't enough red in the chest area."
"So I was told."
She escorted him inside with a bow and a sinister grin. He flicked her rabbit ear, nearly making her kick him out the window.
The Board of Heroes was waiting for him, as promised, all sitting in their chairs across the long table. All Might was there, too, now significantly smaller than the others.
Sometimes, All Might forgot how it felt to look that way around friends and coworkers. It made him feel like he did not belong.
Spider-Man stood at attention at the other end of the table, waiting for someone to speak up as Mirko chose to stand behind him rather than sit down.
"First things first," Pro Hero Midnight broke the silence.
A familiar face came walking in; Toshinori, the officer with the truth quirk. He looked worried when he saw Peter, fearing this would become another interrogation, but nothing about Peter's demeanor gave the man any reason to be afraid.
At the heroes' command, Toshiyuki activated his quirk on Peter.
"Peter Parker; Spider-Man," Midnight turned on a recorder that sat at the center of the table, "Meetings between Stanland and Musutafu have yielded interesting information. Though this information has indeed been fact-checked, we would like to hear the truth from you, too."
"Go ahead and ask," Spider-Man said comfortably.
Midnight waited for the tension to settle before taking a small breath, "Is the multiverse real? Are you from another dimension?"
"Yes," He spoke without hesitation nor impatience.
The heroes murmured among each other. They had heard the interviews but had not once believed them. With Toshinori's quirk in play, this was undeniable proof.
"You've always been from another world?" Midnight asked.
"Always."
"Why did you not say anything?"
"Would you have believed me? Just because I believe it, doesn't mean you wouldn't have written me off as crazy."
"Perhaps you're right. This explains, then, the existence of another Peter Parker in America."
"My doppelgänger," Peter explained, "A lot of universes have the same people in them. Probability. I was born on this world, too, and given the same name. They're called doppelgängers."
"Why did we not find this out sooner?"
"My friends in high places did what they could to hide the truth from you, to protect me," he bowed respectfully, "I'm sorry I lied to you."
"So, you were stuck on our world? Why not go home once you had the means?"
Spider-Man shook his head, "I have more loved ones here than back there. This world …kind of just became my home. I hope it still can be."
A moment of silence as they pondered what to say next.
"That's what this is about, right?" Spider-Man asked, "What comes next for me?"
"Yes," All Might chimed in, "S.H.I.E.L.D was rather convincing; given all you've done for us, the Japanese Government has decided to give you full citizenship— once you passed the citizenship test, that is. You won't need to worry about being separated from your family."
Peter bowed again, "Thank you. That means a lot to me."
"As per your Pro-Hero status," Midnight continued, "I know we cancelled our partnership before this whole mess occurred. We came back around to the discussion and concluded that-"
"Lemme stop you there," Spider-Man cut her off.
The BOH waited patiently for whatever the young hero had to say. He held no fear in his stature, no intent to falter.
"I'm not a hero, like all of you," Spider-Man claimed, "I'm a friendly neighbor. I help the little guy. I sit with people having a bad day and make it a little easier. I help old lady's cross the street. I do this because I care about people, even the ones who hate me. Working with all of you made me forget that part of myself. If you wanted to restore our partnership, I'd have to say, no thanks."
Midnight tried to get her thoughts out, but the young hero continued to speak.
"I am Spider-Man," He said, "I always will be. I'm not going to run away from it or tip toe around the rules because a bunch of suits and ties are uncomfortable with me. I'm going to keep being Spider-Man, I'm going to keep helping people, whether the law says I can or not. If you decide to stop me, arrest me, put me down," His lenses tightened, "You can go ahead and try. I'm not going anywhere."
Never again would the boy run away. Never again would he obey what he did not believe. Never again would he deny his true nature.
And neither would they.
Midnight gestured to the Pro Hero, Hawks, who launched one of his feathers at Spider-Man. As Peter caught it between his fingers, he noticed a small plastic rectangle came with it.
It was an I.D, with his image on it and a description of his power set. A label at the top read, "Pro-Vigilante License."
"What is this?" Spider-Man asked.
"A compromise," Midnight explained, "The government won't make you a pro hero, but they also came around to trusting you in what you do. You've proven time and time again that you are just as capable as the other Pro Heroes around you. That license is the first of its kind."
"Comes with all the same perks," Hawks said as he leaned back in his chair and recalled his feather, "You get to do what you want, how you want, when you want. Police can't infringe on your business. Japan is your playground."
"There are some ground rules, however," Midnight said cautiously, "First, you relinquish any and all rights to profit. You will not see any financial gain from merchandise made of you, nor will the government be required to pay you any sort of salary. The logic goes that if you're so eager to skip your education and get right into the field—given that you've proven yourself capable and responsible—then you would not mind doing so for free."
Peter chuckled, "I would prefer it, actually."
Midnight smiled, "I thought you would. The only other rule is that when you are asked to help with pro Hero operations, or to back off of a sensitive mission or target, you must do so. Discussion to negate this restriction will always be open, but you must show restraint when asked, and aid us when needed."
"So I have to help when I can, and I can't screw up operations you already had in play; sounds fair to me."
Midnight admired how agreeable he was being. The fact that he not only agreed to forgoing profit but actually preferred it was a testimony to the kind of hero he was. When they put a vote to this idea, she knew she would not regret voting yes.
"Then, it's settled," She stood up, "Though established under unique circumstances, I am happy to welcome you – officially – to the Pro Hero Community."
Spider-Man bowed once more, "The pleasure is all mine."
With the meeting settled, the Board of Heroes was disbanded for the foreseeable future. They could rest easy knowing that—at least for a while—the Spider-Man issue was finally settled.
All Might caught up with Peter first and hugged him, "I'm so proud of you," he said.
"Thanks, dad," Peter teased, "That's a joke—unless you and Inko finally-"
All Might jumped away in embarrassment, "Wha- she's a married woman!"
"A married woman who's husband is never around, never calls, and probably leaves his ring at home," Peter stated, "I have many thoughts on my supposed step-dad that I never met. Inko said he was okay with it, but I don't know. You're a lot more of a father to Izuku—and by extension, me—then that deadbeat."
All Might tried to hide his blush, clearing his throat to avoid the subject, "We're having a press conference later today to bring the people of Stanland up to speed. You should come by, it might be good to get your perspective on things, help the people adjust."
"They're gonna take down the barriers around the island?" Peter asked.
"This evening around sunset, yes. They'll allow the refugees to wander around the city as long as we increase Pro Hero surveillance."
As far as he knew, everyone in Stanland had been kept almost completely isolated from the rest of the new world. They already knew about the multiverse, but did not know about Peter and his very public exploits. Once they leave the island, it will not take long for them to piece things together.
Peter's phone vibrated; a text message from his girlfriend, Itsuka. 'Meet me at my room?' it said, with a heart emoji at the end.
"I'll see you tonight," Spider-Man left with his phone close to his chest.
…
The past week had been a tricky transition for everyone. Miles had not yet gone out again as Spider-Man, wanting to spend more time with his father. It was nice. They had dinner together almost every night since, and Miles even tried to watch some sports with him. The effort had not gone unnoticed by Jefferson, either.
While Jefferson was away on a grocery run, Miles remained in his room doing some sound mixing on a new song he had been developing. 'Swing' was the ironic name he could not shy away from.
His room was tidier than normal. So often he would leave it a mess, sometimes just to spite his father. He no longer felt a need for that.
The last he thing he expected that day was a knock on his window. It took a few tried for the uninvited guest to get Miles' attention away from his beats.
And there she was—Kyoka Jiro—standing outside on the fire escape with a bag of small instruments in hand.
Miles quickly let her in with a rush of panic. Before he could ask what she was doing there, she answered by embracing him tightly. Her arms wrapped around his neck like a scarf tied in a knot. Her chest pressed against his, making him blush as their heartbeats synced.
"I would have come by sooner," Kyoka explained, "U.A has been keeping the students on a serious lock-down all week."
"But they finally let up?" Miles asked.
Kyoka silently grinned.
"They let up, right? You did NOT sneak out just for me!"
"JUST for you?" Kyoka looked him dead in the eye, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It's just …we haven't …talked about it," He rubbed the back of his neck, "I was worried that …you know."
Kyoka's head tilted from the weight of his worries. Her fingers caressed his cheek. The warm friction of their skin contact sent shivers down his spine.
"I don't regret anything," She said, "I like making beats with you. I like having someone who understands the world through music, like I do. I like how much you want to be a hero and still share your harmonies with the world. I … I like you, Miles."
Even being someone from America, Miles knew the importance of referring to someone by their first name, "I like you, too, Kyoka."
There was no rush of adrenaline to push them this time. When they kissed, it was slow and gentle, yet passionate and loving. They took their time to feel the softness of each other's lips and the taste it left behind. One hand slid up and down her arm, while the other rested on her hip and pulled her closer. Her arms stayed wrapped around his head, feeling his hair on her fingers as their cheeks pushed against one another.
It was a perfect moment.
One that did not last long when Jefferson entered and knocked at the same time, "I'm back, and I got-"
Miles and Kyoka jumped from each other with sweat and color draining from their faces. Both of them tried to play it cool and failed miserably. Kyokas blush was too prominent to hide, while Miles just faced the other way.
Jefferson darted his eyes between them with a heavy sigh before patting the door frame, "You must be Miles' girlfriend."
Miles turned back around in confusion, "Hm?"
"I knew Miles was sneaking out a lot for some reason; now it makes a lot more sense."
"Oh!" Miles tried to figure out if he should roll with the excuse or cover it up, "I mean, I'm uh …"
"It's okay," Jefferson said, gesturing to Kyoka, "I'm Miles's father, Jefferson Davis."
Kyoka bowed aggressively, "I-I'm Kyoka Jiro! It's nice to meet you, sir!"
"Would you like to stay for dinner?"
Kyoka and Miles glanced at each other, "You're not mad?" Miles asked.
"You'd think I'd be, huh? But, no. I'm just glad you found someone that makes you happy."
"Well, in that case," Kyoka said, "I'd love to stay for dinner."
"I'll shout when it's ready," Jefferson eyed Miles, "Don't get too crazy in here."
Miles pushed his dad out of the room in embarrassment while Kyoka just smiled with her face as red as her heart.
Miles smiled warmly at his father, as though to say 'Thank you.'
Jefferson could only manage a grin as if to say 'You're welcome.'
…
Itsuka waited patiently in her room. She had run through so many of her thoughts as she recalled all the trials she had overcome, all the things she had been forced to experience. It weighed on her.
Moments like these reminded her that she was still just a child.
Peter arrived at her window, making sure not to alert the other tenants of the dorm building. He knocked to the tune of 'Itsy bitsy spider'.
Peter stepped in as his costume dissipated into blue particles, "You know that when you text a guy saying 'come to my room', it promotes very specific and intimate ideas."
"Coming from any other girl, yes," She teased, "But I'm more responsible than that."
"So, what's up? You okay?"
Itsuka bit her lower lip and guided Peter to sit on the bed with her. He could see all her thoughts chasing each other around in her head. A hurricane had been going for a while behind her skull.
"When we faced the totems trial," She said, "I saw a version of myself that I was scared of becoming …but I also envied her, you know?"
Peter nodded in understanding.
"She was so independent, so ready to take what she wanted when she wanted it. I can't remember the last time I did something just for me. I've always had to look after other people as their 'big sister'. Now …I don't know. I want to be more than that; more than just the girl who keeps everyone else in check. More than just …Spider-Mans girlfriend."
Peter scoffed, "Are you kidding? If anything, I'M Battle Fists BOYfriend."
"I'm serious."
"So am I! You're amazing, Itsuka! You're the most amazing person I know! I know that whatever you put your mind to, it's yours!"
"But I'm not like that. I'm not someone to just take what I want because I want it."
"Of course not; you EARN what you want because you EARNED it."
Every doubt she threw his way, he responded with love and support to bounce it away. It was nice to have someone believe in her unconditionally. Someone who can help her hold the weight of all that responsibility.
Itsuka jumped onto Peter and kissed him onto the bed. They let their hands explore each other—doing everything possible to avoid more sensitive areas—sharing their love with one another. The world seemed to disappear, existing only between their lips and in their hot breaths that stalled on each others cheeks.
She wanted his lips. She believed she had earned them. He was more than willing to relinquish that prize.
A knock on her door made them stop in panic and giggles. One of her classmates asked how she was doing, and she quickly diverted them away. Peter could barely hold back his laughter.
"Shush!" She scolded.
"Not so frisky now, huh?" Peter teased.
She threw a pillow at his face. He dodged it and threw it back as they got into a pillow fight. Back and forth the bedding went flying until barely her sheets remained.
It was enough to take current events off his mind; enough to make him forget about what he may have to do at the meeting later that evening.
…
After all that happened, where else would Izuku find himself?
Izuku trained once again in the small forest next to the school. Once, he was a boy with no special powers. Now, not only did he possess the potential of 7 wielders of One for All, but now the potential of billions of totems, when that power was needed.
He remembered what Kaachan had said to him, how he needed to make that borrowed power his own. How much more power must he borrow before it is enough?
"Here, again?" All Might asked as he approached the boy, who continued to train his quirk.
"I have to get stronger," Izuku said.
"You should be resting after all you've been through."
"All I've been through is exactly why I have to get better."
"Young Midoriya-"
Izuku punched a tree and finally brought himself to a stop, "I can't keep relying on power that isn't my own! I need to own that power! I need to make it mine!"
"And it will be! One For All-"
"It's about more than that," Izuku locked eyes with his mentor, "I have the power to protect those that I love. I keep using these powers like they're weapons, but …I saw something in the totems trial."
"What did you see?"
Izuku examined his scars, "I saw another me; a me who never got powers and still became a hero. He didn't need other peoples strength to do what was right. I can't always rely on these powers to save me," he clenched his fist, "But it wasn't our powers that saved us; it was our bonds. Our strength comes from each other. That's not something that is borrowed; It's earned. I earned their love, and they earned mine. So, to be at my full strength, I have to earn these powers, too."
"You already have."
"No, I haven't. But I will. I will earn these powers, and I'll win every battle to protect the people I love!" He raised his fist to the sky, "I'm going to be the number 1 hero in the world! I'll stand tall because my family will be lifting me up! The name Deku will bring hope to the innocent, and fear to those who threaten the people I love!" he points to All Might, "That includes you!"
"Midoriya …" All Might was breathless.
"I don't care what your future might hold! I don't care about any prophesies! I'll be the one to save you!"
All Might had been brought to tears and embraced the boy he had come to love as a son. The moment was too kind and too tender to break. When it came to Midoriya, All Might was both at his strongest and his weakest.
He just could not share in the boys ambitions.
…
The bars around town had never been so full. Learning of the multiverse took a toll on the people. Many refused to believe it, those who did or were at least on the fence found themselves drinking their stress away. Very few saw anything good in the foreseeable future.
In all the depression and bottomless whisky, one hero was there not to sink in wallow, but to celebrate.
She was one of the few who really knew what happened in that battle, perhaps one of the only who knew the real stakes of that conflict. It could have been so much worse, and it was not. They survived. They won. Sure, there is quite a post-battle mess to clean up, but a little debris is worth all the lives they saved.
"Can I buy you a drink?" he asked.
Eddie put down a few dollars on the table right next to her shot, grinning at her with his big blue eyes that she dared to get lost in.
"Aren't you wanted?" Mirko teased.
"That depends," he leaned in, "On who wants me."
She scoffed, "Flirt."
"Hey, you kissed me!"
"What makes you think that was romance? You know how rabbits are?"
"Do you want the drink or not?"
"Yes, I want the damn drink. Sit."
Eddie sat beside her as the bartender poured a drink for both of them. Mirko downed the shot before Eddie could even touch his glass.
"So," Eddie downed his shot, "What are we calling this?"
"I don't know," She shrugged, "What do you want it to be?"
"Don't know. Never really been in a committed relationship, before."
"Who said you were a relationship? Maybe you're a booty call."
"Aw, you like me, you know you do."
She kissed his cheek, "I might."
Another round of drinks came their way. Eddie was starting to realize that his symbiote was nullifying the alcohol rather quickly after drinking. It was not a conscious choice. Perhaps he could command the symbiote to ease back a bit.
And if he could do that …
Suddenly, the level of buzz he felt increased exponentially. Not only could he nullify the alcohol, but he could even increase its effects.
"Pfft," Mirko laughed, "Your that buzzed after two drinks?"
"I thhhhink it's meh new powers," He explained, his words slurring, "I made it strongey in mah blued."
"Damn! Color me jealous!"
They continued to talk and laugh together. It was the happiest Eddie had felt in quite a while. The woman he had dated were often driven away by him. Mirko was the only one—so far—that actively chose to stay.
"Don't got many friends," Mirko explained, fiddling with the shot glass in her hand, "Aihara is one of the only ones, and …kind of messed that up a while back. And don't get me started on dating; I swing both ways, and I still can't hold down a good partnership. I think I scare them off. I'm too …intense, I think."
"I get that. I've got a lot of baggage dragging behind me."
"Well, I happen to be very, very strong and very, very stubborn."
"Oh, are you?"
"Bet I got more abs than you."
"Prove it."
She fluttered her eyes, "Maybe I will."
They had no idea what this was between them, but they desperately wanted to find out.
Mirko paid off the remainder of the bill, pushing the shot glasses aside and leaning on the table while facing Eddie. She posed to purposefully leave her shirt collar open for a peek or two.
"Hey," She cooed, "Wanna get out of here?"
…
Everything was being setup in the town square. Only an hour until the gates to Stanland were brought down and the refugees allowed to explore the new world. Many Pro Heroes posed themselves across assigned rooftops in case anyone caused trouble from either side. There was no enemies or allies on that day, only people in need of protection.
Hidden away on a quiet rooftop was Mayume Aihara. She had a perfect vantage point of the whole event without any Pro Heroes to find her. She had used her shadow quirk to remain hidden from authorities, along with intel fed to her by Mirko to stay out of trouble. There was no way she would go back to prison, not again.
Peter glided in to find her right where she said she would be. For a moment, he did not recognize her. He was not used to the new outfit, but it was her hair that was more surprising.
The shoulder-length blonde hair was gone. Replacing it was a raven dyed pixie cut. At a passing glance, it was easy to believe she was someone else.
Her arm of amalgamated shadow and light was now covered in a full arm-length glove made from the same material as her new nano-suit. Much less conspicuous.
"Aihara?" Peter questioned, "Wow! You look different!"
"If I'm going into hiding, I needed a change of pace," She explained, "I can't be Lumina, nor Overcast. I have to be someone else if I want to make a real difference. I won't follow the Pro's rules, but I won't stray away from the light again."
"Got a new name yet?"
"I'm workshopping a few, yeah."
Spider-Man posed on the ledge next to her, looking down over the stage they were setting up below.
"Heard about your new license," She mentioned, "I told you the bees would move if you poked the nest, but I never expected this."
"I realized I needed to change things my way," He said, "No running, no hiding, just bold and loud and proud. They say it's like a pilot program. If I prove it works, they may let more promising vigilantes bypass the system, in exchange for giving up the money."
"There may be hope for me yet," She joked.
"You jest, but you may not be far off."
They sat in silence, guarding the streets below as people slowly began to gather and hang out.
"Otto is meeting me here," Aihara stated.
"He reached out to you?" Peter asked.
"He did," She held up a small orb, "Popped into my lap out of a little portal, with a message requesting we meet."
"What else did it say?"
She paused briefly before leaning over the edge and turning her gaze in his enlightening direction, "What did he do?"
"Aihara…"
"You gave him so many menacing looks. I still don't know why he changed so much."
"I figured you'd want to hear it from him."
"I know him; he'll twist it, sugar it and hold the spice. You; you'll give it to me straight."
Part of him wanted to spare her. The truth of what Otto did was horrible, unforgivable. A husband was pried away from his family to satiate his ego. There was no telling how she would react.
"You sure you want to know?" He asked.
"I'm sure."
Peter took a deep breath, "Okay."
…
The gates open. Stanland was let into Musutafu. Police and Pro Heroes guided the refugees down the roads as they allowed them to explore. Every television and jumbo tron in the city was wired with a live feed of the stage in the square, where the official public meeting between worlds would take place.
A portal opened on that hidden rooftop and the Superior Spider-Man planted his feet on the newly familiar world. These were the exact coordinates Aihara shared with him.
And there she was, leaning over the edge of the building with her back turned. Otto smiled under the mask and approached with a deep breath.
"I like your new hair," He said, "You look lovely."
Aihara said nothing.
"The new suit fits you well. I'm glad you seem to like it."
Still, nothing.
"And …I'm happy you decided not to go back to prison. A face as beautiful as yours should not be locked behind bars."
"Take off your mask," Aihara finally spat, barely able to look at him, "Now."
"Why-"
"I need to see what you did."
Otto held the delusional that Peter would not say a word of what he had done. He hoped he could just reunite with Aihara and pick up where they left off, rekindle their potential love, and live happily.
Reluctant and afraid, the nanites around his head peeled back to reveal the face of an adult Peter Parker.
Aihara's lip quivered from the blending of rage and sadness.
"What did you think would happen?" She asked him, "You would woo me again? What if I wanted to kiss you? Would you never take off your mask? Or, did you think I could just accept the truth? Maybe I'd praise you for it and proclaim my loyalty and love for you."
"Mayume-"
"Don't!" She stared daggers at him, "You killed an innocent man! You stole his entire life! Did you come to our aid to help, or to try and win me back?!"
"I spent my entire life falling into other people's shadows!" Otto said, "I traveled to an entirely new world so I could start fresh, and still PETER PARKER outshines me!"
"You killed him, Otto! Do you not remember the reason I sent you away in the first place?! You tried to kill Midoriya!"
"I did what was necessary!"
"And that delusion is exactly why I can never be with you! Be lucky I don't end you myself, right here!"
"You couldn't!"
Her body ignited in shadow and light, "Try me!"
Otto stepped back in fear. Her power had exponentially grown since they first met. This new fusion of her dual abilities was a force to behold. If not for his fear, he would feel only admiration for her strength.
"…I know I made mistakes," Otto confessed, "But I am trying to be a better hero than Peter Parker ever was! I want to do better and hold onto the things I love. No matter how much you may hate me, Mayume …I will always love you."
"…I can't love you, Otto," She said coldly, "I will never love you, again."
With his heart broken, Aihara stepped onto the ledge. The shadow-light fusion overtaking her body only became more intense as her shoulder capes floated from the swirling energy around her.
"Don't ever come back here. Don't ever try to see me again," Her voice echoed, almost godly, "If you do, you will face the combined might of the light and the darkness."
"Lumina is not a killer," He argued. '
"I'm not Lumina, and I'm not Overcast," She said, puffing out her chest, "I am Equinox."
Equinox flew away like a comet, fading into the sky as a shooting star.
Otto stood as a broken man. If not for the love that just would not let go, he would be taking out all that rage on whatever or whoever he could. Once upon a time, he would not have hesitated to lash out. In that moment, though, the tears on his face spoke louder than his anger.
The false Spider-Man retreated into the portal and escaped back to his little fantasy world.
…
A huge crowd had gathered around the stage. Citizen from both worlds mingled with one another. A few fights had broken out here and there and police had to break them up. It took another hour before the crowd had finally been settled down, separated by police tape and fencing.
The Stanland refugees felt threatened by the people of Musutafu. So many random people with powers reminded them of the mutants. They had not yet processed that this was not their world they lived on, anymore, and the rules were completely different.
Much of the meeting discussed the differences between the two communities. They explained to the Stanland refugees the concept of Quirks, Pro Heroes, and the society they lived in. Musutafu found it hard to believe in a world where the percentage of Quirk to Quirkless was swapped.
There were a few mutants in the Stanland crowd that felt more comfortable in the new world than their old one. A reality where people like them are not only accepted but celebrated was a dream come true.
Peter stood back stage and paced back and forth. He had agreed to speak to the people and perhaps calm them down, being a recognizable figure on both worlds. Doing so, however, meant fully outing his identity to the refugees, who still did not know the truth as of yet.
His family and friends were all in the crowd, waiting to see what he would say. Mirko, once again, did not show up to the event. At least this time she left a brief, yet vague text saying 'they' would be busy.
"Quite the gathering."
His spider-sense only triggered after the man of eternity made himself present. Beyonder manifested just behind him with his hands locked behind his back.
The fear within Peter quickly turned to heroic rage.
"What do you want?" Peter asked.
"I can't come say hello to a friend?"
"We are NOT friends!" Peter scolded.
Beyonder was offended, "After the work I put into bringing your worlds together."
"That wasn't what I asked you to do and you know it!"
"But you're grateful, right?"
"You made a mess of things!"
Beyonder groaned, "It's all part of my experiments! Trust me! This is gonna lead to a lot of fun things!"
"What experiments?"
"Well, now that I'm free, I've got a whole new multiverse to play with. Merging your worlds together was just the start of what I have planned ahead. A wonderful little game! And you," He pat Peter on the head, "Are my star player."
"I won't play your games."
"Yes, you will. And you're going to have so much fun."
The announcer on the stage began their speech which would lead into Spider-Mans entrance.
"Okay, so you're still mad," Beyonder said, "Lemme make it up to you. What if I made this world forget Peter Parker is Spider-Man? All your friends and family retain their memories, and you get to have a normal life."
He expected Peter to jump at the offer with gratitude and loyalty. Instead, the boy shook his head in disgust, "I'll pass."
Beyonder lowered his brows, "What? Why? Would that not fix all your problems?"
"See, unlike you, the rest of us have to deal with the consequences of our actions. People knowing both sides of me is messy, and it makes things harder …but I'm done running from my responsibilities. I'll face them head on, no matter what comes my way.
Beyonder, satisfied with his answer, gestures to the stage. "Your crowd awaits."
Peter was finally fed up with him and grabbed Beyonder by his beard and pulled him down to eye level. The Beyonder—curious rather than afraid—let the boy try his hand at intimidation.
"Whatever you have planned, whatever games you wanna play, I'll play," Peter said, "I'll play to win. Because, if you put the people I love in harm's way, if you hurt anyone just for the sake of entertainment, I don't care what kind of God you think you are; I will stop you. I will make you afraid, mark my words."
For just a nano-second—extinguished quickly by the remembrance of his godly power – the Beyonder may have actually been afraid of this mortal boy.
Peter let his beard go and manifested the mask over his face, turning his back with disrespect and fueled with new determination.
"That's why I like you, Peter Parker," Beyonder called out, "Stubborn, even against impossible odds. Quite the power."
Spider-Man put a hand on the curtain, glances briefly back at Beyonder before saying "Comes with a lot of responsibility," He squinted, "Heard of it?"
Spider-Man walked onto the stage as Beyonder disappeared with a concerning grin on his face.
Camera flashes started immediately. Neither side recognized Spider-Man's new suit, only that it would make for a great front-page photo.
Everyone threw their questions his way, expecting him to get flustered and overwhelmed by the feisty crowd. Most politicians would try to answer as many as possible, or try to pick one person out of the crowd and silence the rest. If the reporters could just talk loud enough, they could break this child.
The expected questions went flying in; 'did you kill Infinity?' 'Are you still working for the league?' 'Is it true you're from another world?' 'Did you kill May Parker?' Many accusations of murder made their way across the stage.
Yet, despite all the loud voices and flashing cameras, Spider-Man was unfazed. He held his hands in front of himself, waiting silently and patiently. Why did he not fold from the pressure? Why was he being so quiet? Was he guilty of something?
A few waves of accusations went again, then a wave of asking why he was so quiet, followed by another set of accusations.
Eventually, when it was all out of their systems, the reporters and observing crowd collectively went silent.
Only then did Spider-Man speak.
"I've always guarded my secrets carefully," Spidey spoke into the microphone, "It's only after careful consideration that I take this step forward. Most of you already know this information, but everyone from Stanland is unfortunately in the dark. To start; I am from another universe. I came here by accident, and I said so many lies to protect myself. Now, innocent people from my home world are suffering the same way."
A calm murmur began in the crowd. A lot of 'I knew it' and 'there's no way'. Spidey once again waited until the crowd was quiet and ready to hear him.
"I don't wear a mask because I'm ashamed of what I do. I'm proud of who I am. I'm proud of the person that my friends and family love. On this world, I didn't have a choice when my identity was outed, and I've struggled with the consequences ever since. This time, with the people of Stanland, and maybe a bit of a therapeutic move for myself, I'm taking control of my destiny."
Spider-Man reached for his mask, grabbing at the cosmic energy which made it up, taking a deep breath and praying to his aunt and uncle for strength.
In one swift movement, the mask disappeared.
"My name is Peter Parker," He announced, "And I am Spider-Man."
…
The world had been changed forever. Everyone in Japan had been watching that broadcast. They were watching as the crowd went Insane over Spider-Mans announcement. More uncontrollable shouting of questions occurred. Heroes and Villains alike watched how the boy handled the chaos with grace.
The League of Villains sat around in their makeshift home, watching and grieving over their lost friend. Toga and Jin took it the hardest, having grown rather close to Glitch. The silence of their grief made some of them anxious, like Compress, who twiddled the marble of radioactive energy previously pulled from Toga.
Shigaraki watched the broadcast curiously. Spider-Man was the reason his greatest asset was gone. The knowledge he was from another world sparked great interest. A 'Multiverse'. What unique powers and opportunities could such a thing hold in the quest to break this reality?
Somewhere in the realm of chaos, Wanda watched. She watched this reality, the one Doctor Strange seemed to hold dear. She felt drawn to its conflict, the chaos, that which her reality was made from. All she knew for certain was that she was far from done with it.
Green Death found himself on the streets of this strange world, hiding away in an abandoned building with a phone he had stolen from a now abandoned corpse. The broadcast illuminated the room brightly. It took all of his will not to break the phone in his hands. His hatred for this worlds Spider-Men—of Miles Morales—burned ferociously in his chest. There was no way home, and he would not take it if offered, not until his enemies on this world choked and died in his grasp.
The Nomu, Saisei, found themselves a new home in an old construction site. It was abandoned due to one-to-many villain attacks happening in that area. They watched the broadcast on a TV in a store window across the street. The boy on the screen was curious. They remembered him. They remembered how he tried to protect Eddie from Mr. Negative. Peter Parker. Friend.
In the deepest pocket dimension just outside of Time and Space, Madam Web watched through a tear in reality. Despite the anger she knew the boy felt for her, she was proud of him and all he had accomplished. Truly, he had become the Prime Totem that she always knew he could. If only it could have been for a better reason than she had created.
"The Beyonder enters," Beyonder said as he manifested in her dimension, "He tip toes around his student, watching her, curious what she was thinking. She was one of the only people in existence whose mind and future he could not read."
"The Prime Totem is the other," Madam Web admitted.
"Yes, that's right. I try to read his mind, see his future, and it's just blurry. That's why he will be most valuable in my research."
"Did you really lie to me?" She asked, "Did you manipulate me just to free you?"
Beyonder clapped his hands together, "I may have fudged my …general personality a little bit, yes. You were a little girl in need of guidance, so I thought a more commanding voice would be easier to listen to."
"I spent decades of my life for you!" She shouted, "I dedicated everything to freeing you because you said you were a good man who only wanted to help the multiverse with his gift!"
"And that's true!" He defended, "When I'm done with it, I promise you, it'll be better than ever."
"And what, exactly, do you have planned for it?"
The Beyonder smiled, bowed before her with his head raised, and put a finger to his lips with only one sentence to answer a thousand questions.
"It's a secret."
End