Chapter Text
All men were not created equal…..and Peter Benjamin Parker felt that it was a tragedy that such a thing was technically true.
In fairness, how could there be any true equality when everyone came in different shapes and sizes. It all started years ago in a hospital in China where an infant child who had just been born began to light up the entire room, an illuminating sight for all who bore witness to this monumental event that in the present day, is notably marked in the history books. Soon enough, multiple reports of people developing superhuman powers shook the whole world, leading to the present day where no matter what corner is looked, people who wielded these meta abilities, these Quirks were bound to be found. Pretty much the norm when one gets right down to it.
Be it in a shopping mall, or on the streets.
Or in Peter's case, Midtown Manhattan Magnet High School.
Standing in front of the trophy case mirrors in the hallway was Peter himself. A 15-year-old brown haired blue eyed boy wearing a blue t-shirt, gray sleeves covering his forearms, green baggy pants and white and black sneakers.
Breathing a sigh, he put up a photo of the school's debate team.
Students that either had technicolor skin, were made of stone, or grew actual bunnies on fellow members as a prank were among the roster.
Photography may not have been an official club, but it was a hobby that made him somewhat useful for all the photo shots of various teams and other events at the school. But, that's about the only thing the rest of the student body feels Peter Parker was good for
After all, not many would see one of the few people in the world who was Quirkless as someone useful for something actually worthwhile.
Besides target practice.
A tingle went off in his head.
Hairs stood on end.
And the urge to move out of the way from a thrown a football compelled him to do so.
Unfortunately, at the same time, he got tackled to the floor by a fellow male student who obnoxiously laughed at Peter's misfortune. "Nice dodge there, Parker! Your fall was even better!"
The large bald-headed student wearing a letterman sports jacket laughed, accompanied by fellow students who snickered as Peter glared in annoyance. At a closer glance, Peter saw rocks that were forming on his shoulders.
He wasn't the only one.
"Kenny!" A female student stormed up to the big guy, glaring in admonishment. "I saw that, you know! I thought the whole Quirk abuse on Peter was gonna stop!"
Kenny Kong flinched at his girlfriend, Gloria "Glory" Grant's tone. "Aw, come on, babe. Coach said we oughta practice our tricks."
"Yeah. On training dummies, not human beings!"
"Don't be like that! Liz never gave Flash grief over it!" Speak of the devil, there he was. Just as built as Kenny wearing the same jacket. Eugene Thompson or as he's more famously around the school as Flash. Hailed as the pride and joy of the school being one of the top students of the school's hero course. In this day of age, things like professional sports have lost some of their popularity, but there remain a few fans who saw fit to make hero courses sports themed. For Midtown, the class Kenny and Flash attended had a prevalent football theme that Flash excelled at due to his Quirk of Body Enhancement. As long as he stayed focused, his body became sturdy and fast enough to tackle and outrun anyone in his path.
"Yo, QB! Want in on this?" Kenny called his best friend, referring to Flash as his unofficial pro moniker.
Flash looked their way, sharing a glance at Peter.
The boy on the floor averted it with a bitter look and Flash merely stood there before scoffing. "Do whatever you want, Kenny. I'm outta here."
"Hehe, yeah, good call. I guess even Puny Parker's here's not worth the effort for ya, huh? Let's roll, babe." Kenny hugged Gloria closer, walking away while she smiled apologetically at Peter.
A hand was stretched out.
"You good, Parker?"
Randy Robertson.
One of the few people in this school and hero course who didn't treat Peter like a target.
"Just peachy." Peter remarked, accepting the hand. "Sure you want to help me, though? Helping out the resident Quirkless nobody might hurt your rep."
Randy shrugged dismissively. "Eh. 'S cool. Still, at least Flash has been backing off."
Peter snorted. "Out of pity maybe…." He muttered. Thanks for the help, seriously." He walked away, passing through all the students who were playing around with their Quirks, levitating paper airplanes, making illusions of teachers to scare others, and so on. That little prank backfired when an actual teacher caught the perpetrator. Peter finally reached his locker….which was being blocked by a couple making out. "Uh, excuse me? Hello?" They ignored him.
As if he were invisible.
Sighing, Peter undid the combination lock on it, and opened the locker door that made the couple roll over on the locker next to his. He took out his satchel bag and skateboard. Going off, the couple once again made out on top of his locker.
Peter bets the hero course students with the card scan lockers never had to have that happen.
A teacher gave him a warning, walking past. "Better keep that board off the ground, Mr. Parker."
Peter raised it to almost the roof. "Like this?"
"Hm. Hilarious."
Stifling a laugh, Peter continued, until stopping at the room where students from the support course were conversing with members of the robotics club. "The receiver was totally shot. Think you can help us out, we gotta turn this in tomorrow or we'll be losing a lot of members."
Seymour, the support course student, was observing the inner circuits of a metallic arm device. "Oof, no offense, but you guys seriously went a little overboard. You might just have to disassemble and reassemble from scratch."
His input made the club indignant. "What?! I just told you, we don't have time! Come on, you Support Course guys gotta have something!"
"...Have you tried a hard reset?" Peter speaking up drew all attention to him. "If you need more time, then try a hard reset after including the replacement parts. It's probably too used to the old parts. Reboot and let it adapt to the new hardware."
The club murmured that it was a pretty decent idea. "Huh. That's actually a good suggestion."
Seymour narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, well, that's good in theory, Parker. One little problem, though. A hard reboot takes too long to process, which means very little time for them to get it up and running by the deadline." Wrapping around Peter's shoulders. "Next time, stay in your lane, okay, Parker?"
Peter grunted as he was pushed out.
Of course.
Who'd want the input of the Quirkless one?
No matter how smart he was, there was no way he was as smart as the Support Department. A department he tried applying to before but met with limited success.
'Just another day in the life of the "amazing" Peter Parker.' He mentally droned. 'Where I life the high life as a standard high school outcast in one of those old drama shows.'
Midtown may not be a prestigious school with a hero course, but that alone didn't stop the students from acting like they were already pros.
Principal Morita's voice spoke up through the PA.
"Attention to all Freshman and Sophomores. The chance to take the special transfer exchange program exam is still open. Anyone willing to take it should speak to their first period teacher for more information…."
'Right. That test. For any of the poor saps who couldn't make the cut into the hero course, this was an opportunity to take an exam that would allow them to transfer to another school to achieve the dreams they thought were lost to them.'
It was a nice thought.
A while ago, Peter probably would have taken a crack at it.
But things were different now…..
Exiting the school, Peter made sure that nobody was watching him as he neared a big fence.
To reiterate, Peter Parker was among the 20 percent who were Quirkless…..until about last year.
The brunette teen leapt up high, jumping across the fence to the other side in a very superhuman-like fashion.
Looking back after panting, Peter chuckled to himself.
Using his new powers never stopped feeling so good.
He quickly skated away, ready to start his secret little excursions…..
New york City was as busy as ever.
And Peter skated through the walking citizens, mindful to not hit anyone.
'Recently, I've been asking myself. I go "Hey, Pete, how did things end up this way?" And I go, "Well, subconscious thoughts, the world just likes throwing curveballs, you know"?'
Peter Parker never had aspirations to make it as a pro hero unlike most kids his age. There were already enough heroes in his book and after the tragic plane crash that took his parents away when he was very young sort of disillusioned the belief that heroes would always save the day and anyone in danger. Besides, as seen when he made a pit stop at the robotics club, his interests aligned with science and technology.
He always had a natural affinity on both subjects.
Uncle Ben said he got that from his father.
'Uncle Ben…..I could really use his advice, he always seemed to know just what to say. As if that was his own superpower. But he can't….no one can….'
Shaking his head of those depressing thoughts, Peter skated to a halt when he found the usual spot he's been using to hide. He hurriedly opened his bag to take out some very unique new clothes for him to change into.
Seconds later, a figure began climbing up the walls, scaring away a flock of seagulls perched up top.
He ran across rooftops in inhuman-like speed before doing a free-fall from a high one.
From a ledge, he dived a free-fall that no sane person would ever do even if they were paid.
Before hitting the ground, he raised his right arm and pressed two fingers on his palm.
THWIP!
Out shot a web string out of the wrist that stuck to anything nearby. Passerby civilians stopped what they were doing after a red and blue figure swung over their heads. The swinging man repeated this action continuously.
Office workers were doing their duties when they heard knocking on the window.
Some fell out of their chairs when they saw the same swinging man running across the glass and jumping off, firing off two more web lines that stuck to a flagpole. The man spun sideways before letting go of the now limp web lines, shooting out more as he got majorly epic air, performing somersaults and other acrobatic tricks.
One flip and he immediately halted, sticking to the side of a reflective building that showed his outward appearance.
Peter Parker's entire body was concealed in a bodysuit represented by red colors on the toros, lower legs, arms, and waist and the rest accented by blue colors. On the red were thin black web pattern designs. The chest was plastered with a symbol resembling a black spider and a larger symbol colored red was on his back. Wide eyed white colored lenses surrounded by black stared back at the reflection.
The reflection of New York's one and only Spider-Man.
Spider-Man stood atop the building as he surveyed the beautiful view of the Big Apple.
"Good day, New York." Spidey greeted his home city warmly, then slapped his hands. "Alright! Let's see what you got for me today!" Taking a lot of steps back he starts running and just as he jumped off, he spun around for a backwards flip. "WHOOOO!" He cheered jovially, having the time of his life and firing a web at the nearest places to stick them to.
A far cry from when his face planted into a billboard on his first web swinging practice.
Even behind the mask, Peter could feel the rush of the air, the adrenaline pumping up and the drive to keep on going.
Off the corner of his eye, Spider-Man spotted a group of men in ski masks carrying boxes full of weapons and a couple of more standing as guards at all sides.
Ask and the Spider has received.
One web line stuck to one rifle and it was yanked out of the criminal's arms. Spider-Man came in and let go of the other web line to spin around while swinging the rifle across, hitting the crook and a number of cohorts. "Afternoon, crooks and lowlives! Don't suppose you could indulge a guy?" Spider-Man said in a cocky and joking tone, landing perfectly in a crouched position.
All the ski masks clamored into chaos.
"What the hell?!"
"I thought most of the pros were over in the second district!"
"Hang on! I know that guy! He's that vigilante that sprang up last year! That spiderman!"
"Ah! Tut-tut Spider-Man! There's a hyphen! Important not to miss that!" The lens on the mask actually moved as Spider-Man made that remark.
Bullets started getting popped off and Spider-Man leapt and flipped to evade getting riddled with new holes across his body. He shot web projectiles that muzzled the guns and jumped kicked straight onto one's chest. "Damn little bastard!" Using a handgun, a bigger built crook threw his punches at the webslinger which Spidey dodged twice before getting down and swiping the legs and shooting two lines at two crooks to pull them on top of the big guy.
"Is it just me or are you guys a little too lax? Just saying, the grocery store robbers I busted the other day were may better at putting up a fight. Hell, even a parking meter thief the week before. A parking meter thief!"
"Shut his fucking mouth!"
"That parking meter thief was my brother, asshole!"
Spider-Man bent backwards to dodge a metal pipe hit and connected a web to some wooden boards and threw them forward at the pipe weapon wielder, shattering them upon contact and followed by Spider-Man uppercutting him straight into the wall in a show of his enhances strength.
Jump flipping onto his hands, Spidey's feet grabbed onto a mask and twisted him across to strike down more goons before the vigilante zipped over to punch a gun away from its owner and then elbowed the owner's gut and finished off with a spinning kick.
"Welp, I'm sure you'll have plenty to catch with him downtown." Spider-Man had missed one guy who was hiding during the whole fight.
"Man, screw this noise! Not doing another stint!" The guy's phone went off and it wasn't even on vibrate. "Oh, you're kidding me! Right now?!" He tried silencing it, but ended up answering the phone and to make matters for him worse, it was on speaker.
"Hey! Joey, you there?! You guys unload the shipment yet?! Things are about to go off later today, so come on!"
"Damn it, Schultz! Now is not a good ti-hey!"
Spidey's web snatched the phone away from Joey. "Hello, this is your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man with a hyphen speaking. Whom may I ask, is calling?"
"What the-?! Who the hell is this?!"
"Dude, literally just said who I was. Hey, Joey! Your friend here thinks I'm lying! Set the record straight, am I or am I not Spider-Man? You should know, considering you saw me owning your buddies from your hiding spot." The caller hung up. "Aw, and he didn't even tell me his name. I swear, bad guys just get ruder every day."
Joey backed away from Spider-Man, ending up tripping over the ledge.
He screamed a deathly wail as he fell and he couldn't believe his eyes when Spider-Man dived in after him, grabbing him and then shooting a web. Joey was held under Spider-Man's right arm as the wall crawler swung by the left hand.
"Oh, god! Oh, my god!"
"Attentional single passenger!" Spider-Man spoke like an airline pilot. "Fasten in and we'll make for a smooth landing!"
Spider-Man planted on the ground, letting go of the woozy Joey. "Oh…..just send me to jail ready already…." He fainted on the spot.
"Pfft, lightweight." Spidey was still holding Joey's phone. "Definitely heard Schultz up there. Guess these guys aren't alone in whatever they were gonna pull. I'll just tuck you away." He puts the phone in a web-made sash around his body.
His spider-sense went off and back flipped when a net was fired at his location.
Of course, the police have arrived.
And usually, they'd get along rather swimmingly with heroes, at least, with officially fully licensed heroes.
Vigilantes on the other hand.
"Freeze!" Patrol cars drove to a stop and several officers advanced on the wallcrawler. "Spider-Man! Turn yourself in at once! Your multiple acts of Quirk abuse and vigilante activity have gone on long enough!"
Spider-Man's eye lenses widened. "Oh, boy. Uh…..citizen's arrest?"
The SWAT vehicle arrived, too.
"Resistance is futile!"
"Oh, a fellow trekkie! Live long and prosper!" Spider-Man swung away before they could get their firearms ready.
Onlookers observed everything.
"Hey, it's that unlicensed guy!"
"Ugh, that spider freak?!"
"Why don't make everyone's lives easier and get a damn license, lawbreaker!"
"You want all our kids to follow in your footsteps or something?!"
Spider-Man's grip tightened on his webs.
The adoring public telling him just how they felt about them.
Good thing he wasn't in this for the cheering.
Outrunning the police was easy enough.
At least they didn't bring a-
"Hold on there, hon!"
A Pro Hero.
Just fantastic.
By the looks of it, it was a new up and comer known as Cow Lady, or at least the recent person to take up the mantle. There was a hero who went by the same moniker way back who operated in California until her eventual retirement. Judging by the uncanny resemblance between the new and old versions, it can safely be assumed that she was a relative carrying on the name as a successor.
Successor stories.
Always a favorite of Peter's.
Except when one's currently chasing him down.
"Miss Cow Lady, has anyone ever told you you pull off the anthro look very well!"
Cow Lady fought off the small blush. "Can't sweet talk yer way outta this one, sugarcube! Look, if ya don't put up a fight, them boys in blue might go easy on ya!"
"Appreciate the advice, but if it's all the same to you, I think I should go on my way!" Spider-Man swung the other corner, but the female Pro wasn't letting him off easy. In her hybrid transformed state, Cow Lady jumped up to Spidey's level thanks to her augmented powerful legs. Spider-Man narrowly dodged her forceful tackle, but she did hit him off his web. "Where's a red cape when you need one?" Spidey groaned, swinging on another web and clinging to the hood of a car.
Spider-Man then made a dash across other car tops before swinging to the other side of the street.
Cow Lady followed pursuit after losing sight of him, but when she made a turn, she saw a horde of civilians walking like a herd. She tried spotting the spider-themed vigilante clad in red and blue long johns, but she found only one thing related to him on the ground. He left it behind just for her.
A notecard.
"Until next time. Hugs and kisses, your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man." Cow Lady's glower softened into a coy smirk. "Little smartass."
Over at the building where Spidey got into action, he had changed back into regular old Peter Parker. "Okay, I think that's enough excitement for the afternoon." He was too tired to even skate back home. "Time for my next big adventure, figuring out what excuse to tell Aunt May in case she notices something wrong….which she probably will."
A television screen showed images of various pro heroes, ranging from American ones such as Elecplant to international Pros like Midnight, Kamui Woods, Big Red Dot, and Salaam.
"Heroes. Our "honorbound" protectors. Self proclaimed "Keepers of the peace", and so many other flashy titles meant to make us root for them. It's been like this since the governments of the world implemented the pro hero system. Bunch of politicians met in Rhode Island and made it actually made it legal for folks to become allowed to prance around in ridiculous outfits, granting them authority over our safety. For the longest time, people have been singing the praises of these sideshow acts using our streets as their personal playgrounds. Well, I'm different!" The images were pushed aside to show an aging adult male sitting at the desk. His hair was dark and gray shaped flat and sported a fuzzy mustache.
J. Jonah Jameson.
Head of the Daily Bugle News Network.
A mass-media news outlet with the chief anchoring his own segment on the news "J. Jonah Jameson coming to your live, ladies and gentleman. You might recognize me from my personal podcast, Just the Facts as well as two-time Pulitzer prize winner and author of my newest book, Heroes or Frauds!"
To promote his accomplishments, his podcast's title appeared in bold letters while he had his book laid out on the desk.
"I know what most are probably thinking; Old Jameson's gonna rant once again about how the super cool and amazing pro heroes once again. To educate those close minded ignorant neophytes who buy into the current fads, all I'm doing is expressing an opinion many share but are too hesitant to express and that our gallant saviors aren't always as noble as you, the viewers, would like to believe!"
The resolute passion in his voice made it clear that this wasn't grandstanding.
But, how he honestly felt.
"When we think of superheroes, we think of the characters from the old comic books. Paragons of virtue who have to think about others and never themselves and I'll give the pros this, they've done a hell of a good job convincing the masses that they're straight out of those comics. But, we can't forget one unavoidable truth, they're not comic book characters! We're talking about real people with their selfish interests! Exhibit A!"
One magazine showcasing various heroes on the cover. "Self-branding!" Toy figurines on display, kitchenware based on heroes, their visages on billboards. "Next is merchandising!" Pros waving to cheering crowds. "Attention-hogs and so on! What we are looking at aren't heroes, but false idols! And the politicians only make things worse by giving them so much power!"
To show this, Jameson brought the image of an extremely statuesque muscular blonde woman who looked like she was wearing the American flag on her person. "I'm sure most of you know about our own number one ranked hero, Stars and Stripe. While I can respect her patriotic spirit, she acts like she is headed to war whenever she's deployed accompanied by a fleet of jet fighters! How is that supposed to be comforting and taking into account her ranking, last I checked, police officers and firefighters don't need fancy rankings! That whole popularity contest makes these so-called pros more inclined to care about their standing than protecting people! Just look at the property damage done during their escapades! And let's not forget the obvious result from our world encouraging their behavior. Vigilantes!"
Jameson showed news posts of vigilante works.
Devil of Hell's Kitchen strikes again.
Knight of the Moon. Real or urban legend?
Heroes For Hire are in business.
Punisher sightings reported near Queens.
Last but not least, Cow Lady chases Spider-Man vigilante across city streets.
"In a society where superheroes are the main focus, people expect everyone to go through the proper channels in order to obtain their official Hero Licenses and not engage in the free usage of their quirks until then. But, every so often, there are those who just aren't patient enough and that's where these vigilante miscreants come into play! Especially that recent menace, Spider-Man!"
Simply saying that name increased the editor's anger.
"He came onto the scene just a year ago and has already built a reputation. Initially, he only did small stuff. Helping lost old lady tourists, stopping bike thieves, and so on. Stuff not many would mind, until he escalated to bank robberies! Stuff the "real heroes" are supposed to handle! This is how it starts, next thing you know our streets will be filled with untrained upstarts taking the law into their own hands! And what exactly have the heroes done to stop lawbreakers like him? Nothing! Makes you wonder, is it impossible to think that in order to increase their popularity, they let them run wild until they make their "triumphant" victory over them. Not like pros haven't done something like it before. The crux of what I'm trying to say is that we put these people on pedestals and we expect them to live up to those pedestals to the point that society as a whole has become complacent and mark my words, complacency leads to chaos!"
Maybelle Reilly-Parker wasn't one for ranting news guys like Jameson.
But, with nothing else on to entertain her while drinking her afternoon cup of coffee, she had to make due.
She'll grant the man this much, it's been a long while since someone on the telly spoke with such adamant feelings.
He still should really keep his temper in check.
"Aunt May? I'm home."
Smiling, the light brunette woman in her 40s saw her one and only nephew walk inside their house. "Someone took his time getting home. Did you take one of those "special routes" of yours?"
"...You can say that." Peter subtly replied, releasing a tired sigh. "So, what's the most beautiful woman in Forest Hills been up to?"
Giggling, May set the cup down. "Just enjoying some leisurely hours. Only have one before I start my rounds over at F.E.A.S.T."
Peter looked troubled by that. "Oh, you're still working over there?"
May held up a finger. "Ah, ah, ah. I don't want to hear it, Peter. It's been a smooth transition when I started going there full-time, so I better not hear any disapproval in your tone."
"No, no! Definitely not! In fact, you pretty much set the bar very high on being the world's coolest aunt by doing that. It's just, well, the FEAST center is in the city and villain attacks aren't that uncommon. Don't you think it's too risky? What if a pro doesn't make it on time?" Peter pointed out, it was truly inspiring that May decided to apply for a pot at the non-profit homeless shelter, F.E.A.S.T.
She was helping in a way that didn't require any fancy heroics, but any risk to her safety was Peter's primary concern.
How could he not be worried when she was the only family he had left?
"Oh, Peter, if I were scared by any possible bad thing that could happen, then I'd hardly be living." May reasoned. "Besides, I've been there for a long while now, I can't just up and quit on everyone there. More importantly, I just really like doing whatever I can there to help. It's actually been helping me, too." She added, forlorn.
Peter understood what his aunt meant.
For May, her work there was what really helped her after losing…Uncle Ben.
That man's need to help anybody appeared to have been contagious enough to inspire both his nephew and his wife to do so in their own way.
Which made it all the more pity that he wasn't around to see for himself.
And to Peter, it was his own fault that things had become so tragic for the Parker family.
"Well, far be it from me to get in the way of a confident powerful woman from making her mark in the world. Just promise me, you'll stay safe."
Smiling warmly, May walked over and pecked him on the forehead. "That's my line, mister. I'll be making wheatcakes later. I'll tell you when they're ready." The widowed woman went to the kitchen to get to work. Shaking his head with a smile, Peter then caught sight of some mail on the table, all having been stamped with PASS DUE which made Peter look concerned at his aunt.
Her acting so carefree, it was to not let him know about their financial struggles. 'Oh, Aunt May, always putting on a reassuring smile to make me not worry or realize what's really going on. Ironic, considering I'm doing the same thing. Guess that runs in both sides of the family.'
Peter began walking up the stairs before stopping at one of the framed photographs on the wall.
It was from way back when he was still in elementary and had gotten his first chemistry set for Christmas.
The one Uncle Ben got him and there he was, smiling down at the jovial young Peter with glasses on.
Those happier days seem like an entire lifetime ago.
Somberly frowning, Peter puts a hand against the photo. "Miss you…." He continues to his bedroom. Once inside, he activates the special mechanical locking mechanism he personally made from his dumpster diving ventures. Here was, in his bedroom of fifteen years and the unofficial home base of Spider-Man. Hanging in his closet was his prototype costume. It was mostly a red baklava with white goggles and red hoodie that he painted a white spider symbol on, combat gloves, dark shoes and black pant. Peter slammed down onto his bed, taking this chance to take a breather until an alert set off on his laptop.
Peter checked over and opened the webpage.
His blood felt cold when he saw the recent update.
Dennis Carradine facing twenty-five to life for manslaughter.
A trial that had been put off due to the courts focusing their time on more higher profile crimes, primarily villains defeated by heroes.
Nevertheless, justice has finally been served.
A small part of Peter still felt like he deserved worse for what he did.
He had the choice to deliver such a punishment, too.
Had he let go, that murdering scum would have hit the pavement.
Instead, Spider-Man left Carradine webbed up for the police.
Because he knew Uncle Ben would have wanted it that way even for his own killer.
Closing his eyes, Peter recalled the events of that night.
After receiving and testing his newly acquired spider-powers, Peter couldn't believe his luck.
From being the unlucky few who didn't develop a Quirk to getting powers overnight, all after getting bit by a genetically altered radioactive spider while on a field trip. Never before had such a thing since the age of Quirks began ever being considered possible. Due to him believing becoming a hero was pointless and impossible at the time, he was hesitant to announce to the world that he wasn't some Quirkless nobody anymore.
Questions would be asked and the nature of how he received might put off a lot of people and the whole late bloomer could have worked, except for the fact that his powers aren't linked to any relatives.
His eyes then wandered to his desk where an old flier for an underground wrestling match.
Back then, he saw it as his last resort, the prize money for each fight was enough to help solve the Parkers' money issues and Peter genuinely enjoyed it. Beating Quirk users bigger than him was a good way of venting out a lot of pent up frustrations and the cheers he received from the audience was so intoxicating. He felt like he was on top of the world for once in his life and that feeling kept on repeating with each victory. It got to the point when he had the perfect chance to stop a mugger from robbing the fight promoter.
He didn't even lift a finger to stop him when the guards shouted.
Why should he have?
He wasn't a hero and frankly, he was so tired of being treated like he wasn't even important just for having no special power for so long, he figured he might as well reserve the right to act however he pleased.
And he was so dismissive of the act. "I missed the part where that's my problem..."
God, how he hated his thought process back then.
Next thing he knew, he was out in the streets walking home and then-
BANG!
A gunshot sounded off in the night.
Ben's car drove past him, except the person driving wasn't the driver, but Peter couldn't make out a face.
That's when he saw a sight that would haunt him for the rest of his days.
Uncle Ben, lying in a pool of his own blood.
Peter cradled him, begging him to hang in there.
But, by the time the ambulance arrived, it was too late.
Benjamin Parker, the closest thing to a father Peter ever had was dead.
Rage was burning in Peter that night, a rage that craved righteous revenge on the man responsible.
And the nearby pros could only respond like this.
"Damn! Think we can make a stop and take care of this, first?"
"No time! Let the cops take it from here! You heard the boss, we can't let this new villain slip again! His popularity stats are low enough as it is! Besides, it's a little below our pay grade. It's tough I know, but it's the truth."
They made it sound like not helping was inevitable, and that there was no arguing their case.
For Peter, in his eyes, they were letting his uncle's murder go unpunished.
After all, what if the guy manages to give the cops the slip?
If the pros weren't going to do a damn thing about it, then Spider-Man was gonna end it personally.
He tracked the carjacker down to an abandoned warehouse surrounded by police cars and there was a boat near the harbor.
What the crook didn't count on was Spider-Man managing to sneak in and corner him.
The wallcrawler showed no mercy once he began beating him into submission, ignoring his pleas.
"Stop! Please! Just give me a chance! Just give me a chance!"
"What about that man you shot in cold blood?! Did you give him a chance?! Did you?! ANSWER ME!"
He lifted him up and took the ski mask off.
It was him.
The robber he let go.
He was the one who shot Uncle Ben.
All as a result of Peter standing and doing nothing despite having the power.
Horror replaced his anger, along with a crushing sense of guilt.
As he recalled before, Spider-Man could punish the robber's crime by making sure he wouldn't hurt anyone else ever again.
One life to avenge another.
But in the end, he couldn't do it.
Killing in Uncle Ben's name, that just made him feel more horrible, so by the time the cops stormed in, the criminal was stuck to the wall by webs.
After that, Peter didn't get a wick of sleep and May cried until the next morning.
He also threw in the towel in his underground fighting hobby.
It was a constant reminder of his mistake.
The only silver lining was Flash loosening up on the bullying, even though things soured between them to the point being the close friends they were growing up, Flash still had a lot of respect for Ben.
And before anyone knew it, Spider-Man was being seen all around town in a new updated suit.
Purse snatchers and other lower level criminals became his prey which soon paved way to crews pulling heists and even those threatening enough to be classified as villains.
Peter's been at this for one whole year and he has yet to show any signs of stopping.
Even though his presence wasn't entirely welcomed.
From being on top of the world to once again being the object of people's ire.
Parker Luck working true to form.
RING-RING-RING!
Snapping out his reminiscing and depressing thoughts, Peter saw that he was being hailed by skype and instantly brightened up when reading the caller's name.
Harry.
Wasting no time in answering, the image of red-haired green-eyed boy Peter's age appeared on the screen. "Testing, testing! 1-2-31! Ground control to Queens. Anyone copy, over?"
Peter laughed, running a hand down his face. "Harry Osborn as I live and breathe. Here I thought Europe made you forget all about us common peasants in the big city." He playfully chided.
"Keep that attitude and I just might." Harry joked back. "All kidding aside, it is good to hear from you, Pete. Was getting worried after….you know…." Even halfway around the world, Harry got news of Ben's death and being the best and only friend Peter had, wanted to know if he was alright.
"Thanks. It's been-It's been tough, at first. But, Aunt May and I have been trying our best, can't say we're pretty liquid, though. I could say that the one thing I can't complain about is Flash not stuffing me in a locker or doing any of the other high school bully clichés. But, just because he's held back a bit, doesn't mean his buddies will. So, yeah, not really my finest hour lately, pal."
Harry flinched, sympathetic. "Jeez, now I feel like an ass for asking. Well, if it makes you feel any better, I haven't been doing so hot, either."
Peter rolled his eyes. "Oh, yeah. That magazine cover of you at that nightclub showed your obvious pain and suffering."
"Hey, that was taken out of context. Some prep school kids that my dad wanted me to cushy up to dragged me there. Though, I'm willing to admit I may have gotten a little carried away. I'm a trust fund rich boy. Sue me."
"Ah, let me guess, their parents are potential investors that could help elevate Oscorp to new heights."
Harry continued from there. "And if I'm going to be a credit to the family name and company, then making nice with the kids will be a step in the right direction." He scoffed. "That whole speech was about the first words my dad said to me since shipping me here."
"You haven't talked to him about moving back to America?"
"Come on, Pete. This is my dad we're talking about. If convincing him was so easy, then those scientists would've made him call off that field trip where you got bit."
That's right.
It just so happened that the lab where his class attended the field trip was owned by Oscorp.
Norman Osborn should be fortunate that Peter got spider powers out of his experiments, because if it had been fatal, May would make sure there'd be hell to pay.
"Point taken." Peter subconsciously rubbed the spot on his hand where the spider sinked its fangs into. "Still, if you don't like it over there, shouldn't you at least try talking it out? I mean, you are his son, not one of his employees."
Harry sighed, shaking his head. "Oh, Peter, Peter, Peter, Peter, Peter."
"Just three Peters are enough, dude."
"If I said it once, I said it a thousand times, Norman Osborn doesn't speak to people, he speaks at them. No pleading, no thank yous, and especially no apologies. Like, seriously, I have never seen him apologize even once. Not even when he called me to his office, telling me to pack my bags for Europe. All he said was that it was time for me to broaden my horizons a little which was code for not wanting his Quirkless son to make him look bad."
"Aw, come on, I somewhat remember him being cool enough back in the day."
Harry looked downcast. "Yeah. When mom was still around."
Emily Osborn.
God rest both her and Ben's souls.
Peter was there for Harry when he lost her, so Harry thought it best that he return the favor.
These two have had each other's back since childhood as they shared the same feeling of being alone due to both being Quirkless.
Except that wasn't the case anymore, but Peter wasn't sure about filling Harry in on his little secret.
He didn't want his vigilante activities affecting his best friend like it'd do the same to his aunt.
Harry checked the time. "Crap, I gotta jet, Pete. Connection's about to weaken a bit." He bumped a fist against the screen. "Quirkless bros?"
Peter weakly smiled and did the same on his laptop. "Quirkless bros."
With that, Harry finished the skype call.
Peter really needed that.
Sometimes, one of life's best medicines was talking to a good friend to lift the spirits up and the young man needed that and more.
Especially if he was gonna continue his vigilante work by bringing out the phone he got off of Joey.
He mentioned someone named Schultz.
Either a last name or an alias.
Peter went to the website of the biggest critique of heroes and especially of Spider-Man, the Daily Bugle. That blowhard, Jameson, may have made its mission discredit him, but the man sure knew his journalism and the site kept up to date with all the happenings in the big apple past and present. Searching the name Schultz, Peter saw new posts relating to small time robberies arrest reports about a guy named Herman Schultz.
His M.O. appeared to be thefts of tech stores for the most part and he's been spotted mostly near midtown.
Good thing Peter knew his way around that area.
Closing his laptop down, it was now time to stock up.
He went straight for the basement where he had his handy chemistry setup where the usual formula for his web fluid was waiting for him to make some more.
Spider-Man was now downtown in the city.
Eyes open and prepared for the spider sense to go off.
"Well, no Herman Schultz stirring up trouble so far. Operative words being so far. One of the downsides of living in a hotbed of villain attacks, there's also a big pro hero presence as well. For all he knew, this Schultz guy was already busted, but in the event that he wasn't and is about to pull whatever stunt he has planned, then somebody needed to be there just in case. "Nothing on my end. How about you, Bruce?" He asked the inanimate gargoyle.
"Nothing, huh? You know, it's nights like this that really makes you think, you know? While people are going about their evenings, there's probably some big showdown going on somewhere else in the world and then there's us, the little guys watching events unfold from the edge of buildings. Makes you realize; damn, I must be losing it if I'm able to hold a conversation with a hunk of lifeless rock. No offense, Bruce." A robin bird flies on top of the gargoyle's head. "Oh, hey, you made a new friend."
"Go on! Get out of here!"
"P-Please! Can't you spare some food?! That's all!"
"Read the sign, bum! Paying customers only!"
Spidey narrowed his eye lenses. "Hold that thought, Bruce."
It was unlikely that it related to Schultz, but that didn't mean he'd ignore it.
On the streets was a mutant-type heteromorphic citizen with an insectoid appearance akin to a common housefly.
"Look, I'm not gonna rob ya!" The bug citizen shouted.
"Please, I know leeches like you are! Give you a handout once and you'll keep on asking without ever paying! Besides, like hell I'll trust the word of a mutant-type freak! For all I know, you've been casing my shop!" The more human looking owner barked. "Go bother Delmar or Álvarez, those cat lovin' bleedin' hearts would accept just about anyone!" He pushed the bug man down before slamming the store entrance.
Groaning, the bug man glared at the store hatefully.
Just because Quirk was more obvious, that was supposed to make such harsh treatment justifiable?!
There was a brick nearby and that glass looks easily breakable.
If it's come to this, then-
"Hey, you good?"
"WAH?!" The bug man fell over in surprise when Spider-Man, hanging upside down from a web stuck to a lamp post, asked him that question. "Wha-Wha-What the hell?! Who are you?!"
"Hey, calm down, bud. Contrary to what you may have heard on the internet, the spider in my name does not mean I eat actual bugs. Pizza on the other hand-"
"W-Wait a sec, you're that spiderguy." The bug man recognized.
"Spider-Man, actually. Once again, the hyphen is very essential."
The homeless man backed up in fear. "I-I didn't do nothing, I swear!"
"Hey, whoa! Take it easy, man." Spidey hopped down, placating him. "Was just in the neighborhood, that's all. Don't wanna start anything."
"B-But, I heard you just swing wherever you want, beating up random folks."
Peter rolled his eyes behind the mask. "And who said that? Jameson? There is such a thing as too much news. So, ya need any help?"
The pedestrian blinked. "...Huh?"
"Kinda saw what went down earlier, come on. Grab my hand."
Spider-Man's hand was spread out and the bug quirk user eyed it warily.
Actual show of kindness?
With no deceit at all in the masked man's tone.
"I-I don't have any money."
"Dude, seriously, just let me help you up. That's all." Spider-Man understood his reservations, but it looked like this guy'd be untrusting of even a regular citizen like him.
After a lot of hesitation, he took Spidey's hand. "W-What's the catch?"
Spider-Man soberly chuckled. "I guess after the nice chat you had just now, you would be on edge."
Now those words definitely sounded familiar."Yeah, well….it's not like it's your problem." The homeless person huffed. "And it won't change a damn thing when it comes to how people view heteromorphs like me. One look, and they run for the hill like I'm some kind of a monster. Why, if I could, I'd show them….I'd show them all….!"
Now those words definitely sounded familiar.
"Hey, there goes Parker! What do you think? Should we ask him? He'd even out the mixer we got with those three babes, tonight."
"Get real, dude. Chemical tubes and techno crap are more his speed. Besides, we're supposed to be showing the ladies a fun time, I'd feel kinda bad making one be stuck with Quirkless Puny Parker."
"Heh. Yeah, good point. Forget I said anything."
"Peter Parker? He's that Quirkless student from General Studies, correct?"
"Indeed. Apparently, the kid wonders if he could transfer into the support department. His grades are considerably nothing to sneeze at."
"True. Nevertheless, the Support Department handles sensitive equipment. If there's a mishap, he doesn't have a Quirk that can protect himself. Hell, most support course students don't even have quirks for that."
"Get out, girl! For real?"
"It's true, god, I should've worded it a lot better! It really did sound like I was asking that Parker kid out! I mean, he's cute, but the power gap might be too much for him is all I'm saying. Wouldn't want to make the poor guy feel weaker."
What those students and teachers didn't know was that Peter had been eavesdropping.
That was only some of the many events pre-spider bite that Peter had to be subjected to many hardships over his non-superpowered nature. Each time made him want to just go home and never come out of his room.
If the world wanted to reject him so much, then he figured why bother giving a crap? In addition to the cockiness he got from winning those underground fights, that also was a crux of why he let Uncle Ben's killer get away.
This guy was going down a tough road, which was why Peter decided to do for him what Ben and May have done for their nephew many times since he was little.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
The bug man yelped as Spider-Man grabbed him and swung off. "Word of advice, keep your mouth closed! There's a reason I wear a mask!"
A passerby watched this unfold. "Damn! Spider-Man just kidnapped that guy!"
Better hope he doesn't blab to Jameson.
"I already told you! I haven't done anything!"
Spider-Man yelled back. "Sorry, buddy! I don't make it my policy to just take people for a swing-ugh, that came out wrong! Look, just bear with me, alright Just hang on, um..."
"Ronald!"
"Hang on, ronald!" Spidey advised, landing themselves on a building's roof.
A FEAST shelter to be exact.
The charity organization's main building is located in Chinatown with various other shelters located in the other boroughs.
"What is this?"
"This, my friend, is a place where people can help." Spider-Man showed him through the windows other less fortunate souls like the bug man. Mutant-types and humanoid looking people were eating together in the kitchen. Children were playing with donated toys as parents read to their own sons and daughters. What really struck the bug man were the non heteromorphs who were obviously not homeless actually helping those like him. Cooking them food, checking on their health, it was….it was soothing his once indignant soul. "I won't sugarcoat, even in this day and age, there are jackasses like that guy you tried begging to. But, that doesn't mean there aren't people who look past what's in front of their eyes. It's just not so obvious since they don't wear costumes. Your life is yours to make, I just wanted to show you that there are other choices. Question is, which one will you make?"
Ronald continued watching, physical features deep in consideration.
Minutes later, a receptionist in the building was reviewing some papers when the bug man walked up to her. "C-Can I stay for the night…..please….?" He implored, voice breaking.
"Oh, of course! Hey, Sean, Maya, we have a new arrival!"
No fear.
No rejection.
Ronald sniffled and looked at the entrance. "...Thank you."
Being a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man wasn't just an epithet, it meant so much more.
One thing that Peter's noticed since he started operating as a vigilante was what went on in the common people's everyday lives. Most act like all is right in the world due to the heroes' presence, yet, villains keep coming out of the woodwork. It's easy to write them off as rotten to the core. Spider-Man has come across those who had looks of fear and desperation, resigned to their fate. There were certainly crazies, but he couldn't ignore it, because it got him thinking, if he didn't have Ben or May in his life, then how would he have turned out.
Underground fights were one thing, but he could have gone much farther if anger overcame him like it almost did to Ronald.
Fighting bad guys wasn't the only way to save someone and Peter prayed for the lost souls like him and Ronald would be saved the same way out there.
His spider-sense acted up, making him re-focus his attention.
Eye lenses were narrowed as he looked around, alert.
The enhanced senses were hard to control at first, Peter could listen and see things at a deeper level and keeping track of them all was taxing.
Hence the creation of his elastic scoping eye lenses that he uses for his current mask and the goggles on his old homemade costume.
A threat was near and as he swung, the tingling feeling got stronger.
He halted at a wall and crawled quietly and eerily to avoid detection.
Then, he heard a noise.
Something was….vibrating.
VROOO-PSHHH!
Leaping off, a blue colored shockwave blast destroyed the portion of the building he was sticking to.
Spider-Man landed roughly into a newsstand, the owner running away in response.
The building's front was also blown to smithereens by the shockwave.
Out stepped a man clad in dark yellow copper brown mask, an equally brown sleeveless jacket over patterned yellow sleeves and brown combat pants. What was telling were the silver mechanized gauntlets he wielded on his forearms.
"I thought I smelled a rat…or in this case, a spider!" He glared at the groaning vigilante.
"Ugh, what, did I forget to shower, again?" Even when his back is cursing him for putting it through so much strain, Spidey still had the strength to deliver quips. "Herman Schultz, I presume. Your pal, Joey, says hi by the way."
"Did Joey give you the memo?! I'm going by the Shocker now!" Rearing and aiming his gauntlets, Shocker fired off two shockwave blasts that Spidey swung out of the way from. Pity about the destroyed newsstand, though.
"I'm sorry, Shocker? That's what you're going with?" Spider-Man said in disbelief, sticking to a wall that Shocker fired at, and the acrobatic masked wonder evaded getting hit. "I mean, are you married to that? There had to be other options, right?"
"Shut up!"
One more leap and Spider-Man lived to mouth off to Shocker another time.
"Also, word to the wise, whoever tailored your suit, I'd sue 'em." Spider-Man's critique was starting to get to Shocker. Looking at a car, a shockwave aimed at it sent the vehicle flying. It didn't hit Spidey, but it was about to crush a cop who was on the scene and shielded himself. Spider-Man jumped in front of the officer, grabbing and lifting it up using this enhanced strength. "Sure makes you think twice about New York's taxi service, huh?" Setting it gently down, the cop aims his gun at him.
"Y-You're under arrest!"
Spidey's eyes deflated into deadpan. "...See that counts as a poor taste joke. I'm the quip master, I should know."
"Th-There's a warrant for your arrest! I'm taking you and the guy with the embarrassing name and costume i-WHOA!" Spidey's web clogged the gun before Spider-Man tackled him out of another shockwave's path, and it destroyed the mannequins of the clothes shop that was next to the two.
Employees and shoppers went into a frenzy from the surprise villain attack.
"Listen, I know we unlicensed guys are on your wanted list, but the supervillain with murder gloves is what I'd call the bigger issue here! Either call backup, or a pro, or whatever! You can read me my rights if we're still alive!' Spider-Man told the police officer, making a run so Shocker would attack only him.
He went behind an SUV and pushed it sideways to act as a shield once Shocker blasts a double wave blast. The makeshift blast shield was pushed back by increased wave outputs from Shocker and Spider-Man's hands tried in vain to push the car forward until it was ripped apart and he took in the brunt of the double waves. He skidded across the streets, rolling over to his front, apparently unconscious.
Shocker grinned.
Spider-Man may not have been an official pro hero, but killing him was a guaranteed ticket into being the talk of the town.
He powers up his gauntlets for one last blast that will seal the spider's fate and just as he fires, the Shocker was hit by a force of repulsion to the head and a voice shouted out. "Shooty Go Blam! Skycrawler Edition!"
The force was powerful enough to make him shoot off course and be slammed aside.
A new arrival has entered the fray.
From his spot on the ground, Spider-Man weakly opened his eyes. Parts of the suit were torn and his whole body ached like a truck hit it. He still wasn't out of the game and was conscious enough to see who attacked Shocker.
A Pro Hero by the looks of it.
His full bodysuit colored black and blue also included white shoulder pads and special gloves. A purple visor concealed most of his face except for the mouth and black hair.
SC was printed on his white utility belt.
"Oh, great…..it's him….." Spider-Man groaned irritably.
"Sk-Skycrawler?!" The cop shouted in shock.
"Yo, everyone! I hope I haven't kept ya waiting!" His Japanese accent was clear in his English speaking. Skycrawler raised a finger high up. "Hero representing the Captain Celebrity Corporation! Formerly known as the Crawler of Naruhata, Japan! Skycrawler is-AHHH!" Shocker shot at the roof where Skycrawler stood. Utilizing his Quirk, Slide and Glide, he formed his repulsion forces to stick to the wall not unlike Spidey. "Oi! Wait until I finish my cool intro, jerk!"
"That's not the issue here!" The cop shouted with a tick mark.
"Oh, right!" Skycrawler launched himself off, hopping from building to building until facing Shocker head-on. "Now, then! That's a poor use of support items, you know!"
"Screw off! I made these myself! They make my usual vibro-blasts way more powerful!" As a demonstration, Shocker kept firing those blasts at the Pro Hero. Getting on all fours, Skycrawler slided like a drifting minicar, grabbing Spider-Man and gaining some distance from the villain. "Hey! You still alive, crawling buddy?!"
"I told you….never to call me that…." Spider-Man retorted.
Skycrawler took a peek and saw that Shocker had halted his attacks. "Why did he stop?"
Spider-Man took a look and peered his eyes at Shocker's gauntlets.
They were making a dimming sword that rose with every second.
"His gauntlets, it looks like they're jamming up."
Skycrawler tilted his head. "Seriously? Bit of a design flaw, ain't it?"
"Those things are basically a bunch of parts taken out of the machines from all his tech thefts that he wired together! Problem is, there's always the issue of compatibility to consider! Wiring and circuitry that don't mesh well is only a recipe for disaster!" Spider-Man declared. "Makes sense that they wouldn't work at a hundred percent!"
"Oh! Never thought you were a tekkie! I just thought you were all about bad jokes!"
Ignoring that comment, Spider-Man formulated a plan. "When, not if, when those gauntlets glitch out and explode, we gotta lead him away from here!"
"Alright!" Skycrawler nodded. "When more pros get here, they can help!"
"No time!" Spider-Man swung away from Skycrawler.
"Eh?! Wait!"
By the time the pros will get, it'll already be too late.
Spider-Man flung over Shocker, shooting multiple web shots at him that Shocker obliterated through his blats.
"Gonna need more than webs, wallcrawler!"
Spider-Man shot two webs and slingshot hsi way to a double kick at Shocker's Chest. The act alone was meant to anger Schocker enough to pursue Spider-Man when he swung up. His gauntlets propelled him when shot at the ground. This, the Shocker wasn't all that used to, he just impulsively wanted to make sure the wallcrawler wouldn't get away. His lack of floating experience made him hit a pillar on the way.
"Agh, dammit!"
Skycrawler slid up to the roof and raised a palm. "Scrappy Thrust Style! Shooty-Go -Blam-Blam-Blam-Blam-Blam! Skycrawler Edition!" His repelling force shot out into a continuous onslaught of energy aimed directly at Shocker's back to make him go forward to meet Spider-Man's jumping punch. Shocker fell down, allowing Spider-Man to shoot webs at the gauntlets and he pulled back to get them off. 'Time to literally get the gloves off, Shocky!"
"You little bastard!" Shocker got pulled in closer and tried firing his gauntlets, but then they started fizzling. "The hell?!"
"Props for putting these babies together, but you were aiming a little too high! Speaking of aim!" Spider-Man forces Shocker to aim his gauntlets upward when Shocker tries another double blast.
As a result, the gauntlets started glitching just as Spidey predicted and the rising sound indicated a coming explosion.
Spider-Man pulled Shocker closer until the webhead managed to grab hold of the weapons and was prying them off.
"Get the hell off!" Shocker shouted.
"Quiet and let me save all of our necks!"
Just a little more….and…..
They came off!
….But they were ready to go off, not enough time to throw them away.
The last thing he saw before blacking out by hitting the surface by the gauntlets' force was a blue blur coming….
In the next moment where he regained his senses, Peter saw the blurry vision of Skycrawler looking over him.
"Hey, you okay? How many fingers am I holding up? Hellooooooo….?"
"Ngh….Heard you the first time….what-what happened….?" Everything came flooding back. "Shocker! The gauntlets! Did they-?!"
"Take it easy, you were out for a while, but have no fear!" Skycrawler jerked his thumb at himself. "I was there to slide you out of there! Also used my blams to shoot those things up in the sky where they went off. As for our new friend, Shocker, well…." Skycrawler motioned to the streets where Schultz was being hauled away by arriving police officers. "All's well as they say, am I right?" Spider-Man strained a little when he tried standing. "Whoa, hey. Easy. You should really take a rest. I've seen pros barely move after taking a hit like that."
"Yeah, well, most pros don't have a fast recovery time like me. Of course, this does feel like it won't let up until tomorrow."
"Well, no offense, but you probably wouldn't have to deal with that if you listened to me before about waiting it out."
"You're right. Instead, we'd probably be dead." Spider-Man sardonically retorted. "I'll think of that next time I consider just sitting on my ass while the bad guy goes out of control."
"Hey, come on, I'm just saying, there's a reason pros are a thing. Honestly, you'd be insane to do this without becoming one." Skycrawler reasoned.
"And you'd know plenty about that, huh?"
Skycrawler went silent at that before chuckling in defeat. His hands removed the purple visor, showing the young Japanese man in his 20s, Koichi Haimawari. He scratched his left cheek with a scar on it sheepishly. "Point taken." Before he ever took the name Skycrawler, Koichi himself was a vigilante when he still lived in Japan, back when he was simply the Crawler….which was surprisingly hard for citizens to get right. At first, he only acted in lower-tier work until circumstances and events forced him to contend with villains and threats even pros had trouble fighting. At that point, despite the good he did, his vigilante activities couldn't be tolerated anymore and to escape jail time, he got unexpected help from a dear friend.
"Kinda surprised your big buddy, our esteemed former number one wasn't with you. Aren't you his sidekick or something?"
"Heh, Cap's still on his sabbatical which is not, I repeat, not code for him still in the slumps over losing the number one spot to Star and Stripe."
"Uh-Huh. I'll bet."
"It's true! Quality time with the wife and kid has been helping him cope and I decided to show everyone that Captain Celebrity and his loyal subordinates were still on the job!" Koichi proudly stated.
"Gee, I can already hear the parades." Spider-Man still sat down.
"...You know, this is about the fifth or sixth time I've run into you. At this time, I oughta turn you in, too."
"Then why haven't you?"
"...Why do you do this?"
"What?"
"This." Koichi gestured at Spidey's costume. "I get it, I do, it's just well, it didn't occur to you that there were other ways to help? Even if you didn't get into a hero school, or make it in any of the departments, you could've gone to work at an agency. Go through the course there and get a license, that's how I did it."
Spider-Man sighed. "It'd be a waste of time."
"Then what about being a fireman? Or a cop? No one ever said being a hero was the only way to help the world."
"Did I say I was a hero?!" Spider-Man shot up, it hurt a lot, but he had to make his point across. "This isn't me trying to fulfill a childhood dream or proving anyone who said I couldn't make it wrong! I just-I just-why am I even talking to you? It's not like you understand." He turned away.
"Maybe not, no." Koichi admitted. "All I'm saying is, this road you're taking, it won't exactly be a smooth ride. Not when you're treated like the villains you fight. And those guys, one wrong move and it can be all over. Laughing everything of….it can only take you so far." To this day, the scar on his cheek given to him by Number 6 still had a deep impression on Koichi. "Hell, who knows? Maybe things would've been different if I actually knew what I was doing back then, maybe I'd still be home….with everyone….." What he wouldn't give to hear another Pop Step song. "You're free to live however you choose, but if there's a way to go about it a little bit easier, you should take it. At least, I would." He took on his all fours position, again. "Until next time, webslinger!" He shot through rooftops at max speed.
"...Damn, he still looks like a cockroach when he does that."
That cockroach did have a point, though.
Peter was loath to admit it, but Koichi brought up a lot of strong arguments.
Swinging in the night, Spider-Man found the webbed up backpack that had his regular clothes.
He pulled it off and his phone dropped.
Picking it up, Peter checked to see new messages.
Aunt May texted him that she's on her way back and if he hurried, he'd make it back before her.
Before he could begin his way back to Forest Hills, a voicemail made him freeze.
A voicemail from….Uncle Ben.
Sent on the night he died.
Listening to his voice after so long…...Peter just had to play it.
"Hey, kiddo. It's Ben." He sounded regretful and tired, Peter knew why. That day, Ben had confronted him about where his nephew was getting so much money. They had an argument that led to Peter storming off to clear his head through another fight match. What came next, tragedy. "Pete, listen, if you're still angry then at least calm down enough to hear me out, okay, pal? I'm….sorry for how things just exploded between us, it's just…..I was afraid. I always knew there was something special about you. You had your father's tenacity and your mother's brightness. No matter what people say, that was enough to make you stand out. I've watched you grow into a young man taking the first steps into the rest of his life and I was afraid you were losing your way walking them. It made me feel like I failed my brother, that I failed you." Peter took his mask off, tears were dropping and he choked on a sob.
"You didn't fail anyone….I did…."
"Richard, god bless his soul, he and I both believed in a particular philosophy. Quirk or not, if somebody had a special gift, something that could really affect the world around them, then what also comes with that is the responsibility of how you use that gift and what happens when you use it. In other words, Peter, with great power, there also comes great responsibility. You may not fly, or shoot lasers, or hell, spit acid. That doesn't make you any less special. To me, Peter Parker was good enough to be my hero. Call me back when you're ready to come home and if not, well, I hope you're ready for me to come haul you back here myself. Better me than May, right? I'll see you later, son, and….I love you." The message ended.
Peter leaned back against the rooftop room wall as he sobbed uncontrollably, His bruised cheeks wet by the streaming tears.
Wiping his eyes, Peter saw another item from his backpack.
A flier for the foreign exchange exam.
In class, a teacher had passed to every student present.
If by some miracle, he did get into another hero school, in either the hero or support departments, he'd be taught many essential things and perhaps give his very small arsenal a complete overhaul. Pro Heroes are also technically civil servants, which means the government handles all their financial needs, he could make it so that the Parkers never had to worry about the end of the month ever again.
But, that meant he'd have to reveal himself.
Couldn't there be another way?
'Wait….' A sparking realization came to Peter. In his backpack was also his notebook which contained the early concepts of his costume. Before settling on the spider theme, he worked on other themes.
Different suit concepts and the like.
'Spider-Man can continue to be a vigilante but while in school….I could use a different identity…!'
It was an insane and very risky idea.
Yet, he was alright with that.
Little did he know, by making this choice, he's unknowingly allowing his fate to be intertwined with another young man who has similar circumstances.
Somewhere in Japan, a certain green-haired boy was working hard in preparation for his own exam after having been bestowed a great power...
This was the story of how these youths became among the world's greatest heroes.