Chapter 10: A friend called Spider-Man
This starts with a person simply looking over the edge of a building to the streets below
"It's...a girl!" Mineta points out
"There at a distance and their back is turned, how can you tell?"
"I simply do, my dude." Mineta says smuggily earning a few annoyed responses to his perverse comment
"If they are, why is She standing near the edge?" Shinso said, not getting a good feeling with her being so close to the edge
"Mayeb She sees something over the edge?" Kinoko offers an explanation
"I think your right!" Kuroiro immediately hypes her up
It is revealed it is a girl, watching the passing cars at ground level as She fidgets with her hands
While Mineta fistbumps at correctly identifying the character as female, a few noticed the girl's hands. They looked... Nervous?
Izuku Midoriya and Katsuki Bakugou immediately felt as if ice was poured directly into their gullets. Say it isn't so...
The girl sucks on her lips, feeling a plethora of emotions, scrunching her face as She fights back tears
A few more students begin to feel the red flags appearing.
Kendo gulps "Well then... Um... Miss, I think you should step away from the ledge..."
"Yes, most definetly, get the hell away..." Setsuna cringes, remembering a similar event when They arrived in the room
Her face finally falls and She lets out some emotion before looking over the edge with resolve
"Oh dear no..." Mr Compress says as He sees the girl get her emotions in order.
Tomura Shigaraki stared at the events unfolding with great disinterest. How sappy this all was...
Slowly, She reaches down and removes both of her shoes, placing them neatly on the floor as She stands barefoot
"Huh?... Why is She taking off her shoes..." Kaminari slowly asks out loud to his class, cringing as a few sent glances at him
Momo calms herself enough to explain "When a person leaps from a rooftop, if their shoes are not properly secured, They can fly off at great speeds and hurt others nearby..."
"Oh... OH... Oh shit..." Kaminari gasps, horrified at the answer
Then... She begins to climb onto the wall.
"No..." All Might gasps, almost standing up to help the girl before She could jump but is sent back down by Madame Web
'It is a projection of another world, it had already come to pass.'
'But I can't just sit back and do nothing!'
'You can and you will, why would I show you this clip if not for a purpose?'
'Purpose? How can this-'
' Patience, You will get your answer soon enough.
She leaps up and sits down on the edge of the wall as She looks over the edge again to see no cars on the road... No one to land on...
"She is inspecting the ground.. She doesn't want to hurt anyone..." Mandalay slowly says
"If She doesn't want to hurt anyone, She should get down!" Kota tells her
"I don't believe it is that simple, Kota-Baby..." Pixie-Bob "She has made up her mind... nothing short of a miracle can stop her now..."
"A miracle... Where are We gonna get one of those?!"
She begins to lightly sob as She collected her nerves to take this jump...
"No!"
She makes a small motion to the edge and- "Excuse me?" The girl turns around to see Spider-Man perched a few feet away from her
"Spider-Man!"
With anxiety's being quite high, many breathed sighs of relief at the arrival of the friendly neighborhood hero. "Cutting it kinda close there, huh?" Ragdoll moans, heart still beating
"He is there and that is all that We could ask for... Though, I don't know He'll approach getting the girl down." Tiger says back
"H-Hi there..." Spider-Man leaves his perch as He stands before the girl "May I... help you back over?"
"BLUNT." Most of the pros say out loud, causing the students and
"Huh? I thought He was supposed to get her down?"
Aizawa snaps back "Just putting out there like that will cause the girl to recoil and snap back, dening any help."
The girl, instead, yells "Don't come near me!"
"As so."
"Then just grab her then!" Kamikiri yells
Aizawa growls "You honestly think that is a good idea?"
"That.. is what We are doing right?" The student meekly replies
"That won't help in the slightest, you would only cause the girl to become resentful and would strengthen her efforts to try again."
"Then what are we supposed to do?" Mineta asks out loud
"Are you seriously asking that?" Toga mumbles "What are they teaching at those schools?..."
Spider-Man makes gestures with his hands "Whoa! Whoa! It's alright!..." He tries to diffuse the situation
"Good, He's backing off and giving the girl space." Midnight says
"How does that help? She's still there!" Mahoro yells
"It allows the girl to think She is in control and Spider-Man can begin to work to find how did She get to this point, it;s commonly known as talking down, used primarily by police for suicide jumpers. If a hero tries to intervene, it could only spell trouble..."
"Now They admit it..." Shigaraki mumbles eating popcorn
"I'll jump if you come near me!" She yells at Spider-Man, warning him of her intentions
Spider-Man places his arms back to his sides "O-Okay.. I'll just hang right here.. And not move from this spot.."
"And the trust has been established, Spider-Man can work now to try and get the girl off of the ledge." Mandalay says, hoping Spider-Man was successful. The children shouldn't have to watch a thing like this...
She turns her head from Spider-Man "Now GO AWAY, I don't need your help!"
Spider-Man looks conflicted before deciding "With all due respect... It looks like you do and... It'll be wrong of me just to leave you, Miss?.."
The girl hesitates for a moment "Kathy..."
"So that's her name..." Uraraka says, watching this universe "Deku, are you getting some-" She turns to see her bestest friend in UA staring at the screen like a hawk, studying every frame. She soon came to realize that alternate Deku was in a similar boat... and He had no one to make him not jump...
'Speaking of...' She looks down the aisle to see Katsuki Bakugou also looking at the screen, She was absolutely disgusted a person like that could call himself a hero, knowing how many times He couldn't inadvertently kill someone and even having a kill to his name in that universe They saw...
'I hope you get what's coming to you, you bastard...'
He nods "Kathy."
The two were left in silence for a moment before Kathy asks Spider-Man "Are you one of the Avengers or something?"
"Oh, the avengers are referenced again... are They going to be important to all Spider-Men?" Momo asks, quite interested in a established team of superheroes.
"For one incarnation, most definitely, but we'll get to him in time dear child." Web answers
Spider-Man chuckles "Well... Not yet, but one day, I will be one day! Until then I'm just a.. friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man." He just shrugs
"A worthy goal to aspire to be!" Iida compliments
"Makes you wonder if We could audition to be Avengers..." Uraraka asks out loud
"Perhaps after the proper training... Spider-Man himself is waiting until He too possesses the adequate skill." Momo says
Kathy once more turns away from Spider-Man "So you do have powers?"
Spider-Man jokes "Well, I didn't take the stairs up here.."
"Heh, classic..." All Might chuckles to the eye rolls of a few.
"Did you fly up here?"
"SPIDER-Man and you ask if He can fly?" Mahoro tilts her head
Spider-Man chuckles at the insinuation "I can crawl up walls... Y'know.. like a real spider can?.." He sees She isn't smiling "...And I got webs too!" He fires a few webs in the form of a happy face
The kids applauded at the funny web face which brought smiles to a few of their caretakers
Kathy instead became more distressed "Then why are you here? You could be off stopping wars or getting rid of the horrible people poisoning this world! Why are you bothering with someone like me!" She cries out
Deku blinks 'Someone like... What?'
Spider-Man looks shocked "What do you mean by that?"
"Mean by what?" She whimpers
"What do you mean... 'someone... like you'?" Spider-Man says slowly, trying to understand Kathy properly
Bakugou shivers, feeling these words being awfully close to his own insults He threw Deku's way...
Kathy snaps "Why do you care! You don't know me!
Spider-Man chooses his words carefully "Well... Why not? I want to!" He cheekily says "I don't need to KNOW you to care about you.. I just do!" He shrugs "that's how I am..."
The pro's all nod "Good, he is establishing a caring personality while. being genuine." Nezu states
"Something I don't think you can say for yourself, Shouta." Laughs Midnight who receives a death glare from said insomniac teacher
"Which is why I leave it to professionals..."
"Do you have a Mom and Dad who live around here?" He asks her
Kathy looks a bit more distressed "My Dad died a few months ago..."
"Ooo... Bad call." winced Pony
"No kidding..." Setsuna replies
Spider-Man realized He made a whoopsy and recoiled "I'm sorry..." he says honestly "Still got a Mom?"
Kathy sighs "She's with my little brother right now..."
"Okay, so She still has family."
"Might want to be careful tho," Mandalay pipes in "We do not know of Miss Kathy's status with her mother which could also factor in to her current situation. So it might come back to bite you in negotiations if her mother is also a factor."
"I see... Midoriya, You-" Tsu halts her words as She sees Deku looking at the screen intently, his notebook perched on his leg but still merely a blank page.
'This video sure is getting to him...'
Spidey perks up "Ok! Um... Have you talked to her about what's bothering you?"
"No..." Kathy says flatly
"Why not?" Spidey asks
Kathy did not answer why, but to our hero, the silence spoke a thousand words
".. Because it hurts to talk about it, huh?" Spider-Man states, relating to the girl on the wall "Believe me... I know the exact feeling.."
"I see... Parker is using his own past to form a connection with Miss Kathy, perhaps using shared trauma could provide insight on her specifics..." Endeavor says, actually impressed with the flawless integration.
"But! It helps having someone to listen!..." Kathy says nothing to Spider-Man's offer "I'm listening..."
"And offering an ear after describing how They flow on the same boat. Clever boy." Pixie-Bob smiles
Kathy sighs, annoyed but begins her tale "The things... people say about me..."
Deku winces, recalling a few of the names throw his way
Spider-Man slowly creates a picture in his head "These people... You wouldn't happen to go to school with them?..."
Bakugou also winces, yeah... He often attacked Deku in school where He really should have been stopped... Why did no one stop him, honestly! Teachers! The hell!
Kathy sighs "Every day... Seems like a new chance for someone to hurt me in some way..."
The explosive gritted his teeth, Every day He looked some new word to call Deku by itself or in conjecture with another spiteful adjective...
"Calling me.. worthless..."
"Okay, that's unfair..." He cringes
"Judging me for who I spent time with and now i have noone..."
Deku winced, remembering the few times He tried to branch out to others in the school in an endeavor for connections... only for Kacchan to come in and call him out as quirkless before the others, who sneered and turned away the moment They heard that word in sync with his name...
He looked over to said jerkface who looked He was going through electric shocks as Kathy continued to talk
Kathy begins to shake "Even when I at home I can't get away! From the things They POST ABOUT ME!" She begins to sob "The messages!.."
Messages? He had a few in his shoebox telling him to drop his dream of being a hero when He first came out about wanting to join UA when He met All Might... Which Kacchan took great exception to with that being the day He told him to jump off the roof...
She calms down "You know.. I don't have any gifts... I don't have anything to make me special.."
Katsuki Bakugou gripped the side of his head, this is really starting to feel like this universe's sole existence is to call him out!
"Poor deary..." Pouted Ragdoll
"Child are often unknowingly cruel in their words... Well, most of the time..."
Bakugou felt a bead of sweat come down his forehead at the principal's words, that was meant for him no doubt...
Kathy breaks into a tearful smile "I can just imagine being special... and having someone caring about me and I would be damn proud of that..."
That.. sounded nice actually, thought Izuku as He watched Kathy's plight
She drops the smile and frowns to the ground below "Oh what do you care... Here I am... pouring my heart to you like you are my only friend..."
"But how could you understand! It's meaningless!.." Kathy sobs out a painful line "I'm... meaningless..."
And finally did Katsuki Bakugou finally feel himself to the brink of tears, He was thoroughly called out on all of the horrid things He did to Deku, all the hateful slurs and mental attacks and it hasn't even reached physical ones which going by this year alone he count to at the very least a handful.
"No!" Spider-Man quickly says "I do care about you! And I DO understand but this isn't the answer! You do have meaning, Kathy..."
Many of the students were surprised at the quick words of comfort from the Spider-Man. But they could honestly tell He did mean that She had meaning.
Spider-Man slowly moves closer "I choose to put on this costume because everyone has meaning.. and that's why I'm here.. because your life has meaning!
The students were astounded at Peter's explanation on why He continues to put on the costume presumably after coming to terms with Ben's fate. He has learned
Mt Lady was blown away at such a genuine confession on being a hero... makes her feel that much ickier on her original intention.
Endeavor looked down from the screen with a sigh 'A teenager is being shown as a better man than I...'
"Can I ask you a question?" Spider-Man asks Kathy who only looks at him strangely "What do you want to be when you get out of school?"
"Good, trying to aid by reminding her of any uncompleted goals or dreams." Nezu says
"Isn't that like guilt tripping?" David Shield asks
"Eh... kinda? it's all in the intention, really.." All Might responds with a mumble
Taken aback by the question, Kathy merely sits there in shock before replying "I... wanted to be a photographer..."
Spidey's eyes widened and He lets out a small chuckle "That so? Y'know, I'm PRETTY handy with a camera myself." He makes a gesture of his hands in place of a camera. "Click Click." This tugs on the girl's lips slightly
This also brought a few laughs from the crowd, especially with the children
"Using a shared interest and comedy to earn her trust... Not Bad, Peter-Kun.." Smiles Midnight
"And... if I had to guess... people who pick on you don't like that you want to be a photographer, right?"
'Or what you want to be... like a hero, right?' Bakugou's thoughts betrayed him as Spider-Man's words became translated as this.
Kathy didn't want to answer, but She couldn't deny "No.. I guess not..."
Spidey perks up "That's what I mean! It's your life life, not there's! If anything, their words could motivate you to prove them wrong!" Kathy could not see under his mask, but She could feel He was smiling "So you could say 'Yeah! I did it!'.."
Uraraka smiles, nudging Izuku Midoriya from his stupor with the boy looking like a bewildered sheep. She offers a warm smile at the boy who glowed red before returning an awkward smile himself
'Yeah... I guess I did... even with Kacchan and the entire school against me, I managed to earn a spot at UA... Even when All Might said I couldn't... I proved him wrong... I guess I did earn this power...
Kathy slowly turns to see Spider-Man only a few feet away from her, not a distance to grab her against her will but still close enough to lend a hand "I know bad words can hurt... But it would hurt your mom and brother so much worse if You did this to yourself..."
Bakugou frowns, he knew about Deku's mother- how could he not? His mom was friends with Miss Midoriya from school- and... to think He ripped that woman's child away from her... His words in another world caused so much pain that He didn't even realize until now...
She looks to be back to the edge of tears "And... It would hurt me too..." She sees He is now leaning on the edge nest to her, not poised to grab either "Because as someone who has met you, I can see just how much potential you have.
Ochaco Uraraka used her position next to Deku to gently hold his hand in comfort, earning a glow from the broccoli boy. What They weren't expecting was the shoulder bump from Tenya Iida to the green haired boy. He smiled and nodded, sending his message clear with no words that He agreed with the Spider-Man.
"And as a friend, I want you to know You shouldn't be ashamed you aren't somebody else." Spider-Man comfortably says with honesty "Be proud that YOU are YOU! And nobody can take that away from you."
Suddenly Deku felt a hand on top of his head rustling through his unkempt hair "Yup-Ribbit." Came the Tsuyu Asui "You being you is one of the reasons I survive the USJ incident, remember that-Ribbit."
"A- Asui-" He winced as Tsu pulls a single strand of his hair
"I told you to call me Tsu."
He blinks before admitting defeat "S-Sorry Tsu..." He mumbles before feeling a considerable weight on his lap as He sees both Eri and Katsuma "Huh?"
"Deku... You fought that bad guy on my island, stopping him from stealing my quirk when it would have been easier to stay down.." the small boy meekly says "Instead... you save me and Mahoro... you are MY hero..." He honestly says shocking the teen that He did not expect Eri to speak right after.
"Deku... You and Lemillion both fought Overhaul... when I was trapped underground.. you both got hurt for me... I... I don't think I would be here if you didn't save me... so please... remember..." The girl looked at him with shy eyes "You are my hero..."
Deku was too stunned from the confession to realize Tsu's left his head until a cap was placed on top. He turned to see Kota not looking in his direction as He lets go of the cap "You... saved me even when I was butt to you... even when you were getting... hurt by that big guy..." He frowns remembering the villain who took his parents and the resounding defeat He took at the fist of Deku "You... saved me... and got that guy taken in... I guess you are my hero too..."
"K-Kota-kun..."
"So no sad face or I punch you in the nuts again, okay?!" He yells "And take care of my hat, I want it back later!"
Deku couldn't even begin to form a response when a soft hand was placed on his shoulder revealing Melissa Shield's smiling face
"You saved Papa and his research from a terrible threat, even it was his fault.." Said father looked a bit embarrassed as He was called out "I can never thank you enough for what you did on I-Island, saving Papa and Uncle Might... so chin up." She offers her own comfort.
Deku swallows the lump that was forming in his throat. He was so embarrassed he could just... just! "B-Bwa!" He began to cry firing his teary geezers from his eyes to everyone's shock
"Been a while. since this happened, Huh?" Kaminari was shocked at Mt Midoriya's eruption
"Hey- You're getting my hat wet!"
Kathy slowly nods, a smile growing on her face with light tears brimming as Spider-Man offers a hand "So can I... help you back over?"
A distance away from the love sat Katsuki Bakugou. He saw the amount of support Deku had received for all the deeds He preformed ever since coming to UA... proving everything He had ever said about the guy wrong...
He was Spider-Man. He was the hero. He was the underdog rising up. Who was He? A brat... an obnoxious brat... one that... didn't...
He looks to the screen, at the outstretched hand of the hero Spider-Man. Then He looked at his own hand. Two entirely different people. One a hero... the other not.
Kathy looks at the hand and then the mask of the hero and could just make out his eyes, looking quite... warm.. So... Comfortable... Kathy makes her decision and slowly grabs Spider-Man's hand
'I am... not a hero.. Not like you... either of you...' He finally admits to himself, truly unsure of what His destiny now holds, what was always so clear is now foggy and murky 'But if I am not... who am I?'
"Gag me." Shigaraki groans as He truly did not care about this emotional crap.
Soon enough, at ground level, Kathy is seen walking just below the rooftop She planned to jump off of, She walked around a bit aimless and unsure of herself until her phone rings, it was her mother and She answers "Hey mom... I'm fine... I know It's getting late..."
Calming down, everyone looks back to the screen, pleased Spider-Man had completed his mission
"Miss Kathy is safe and contacting her mother to let her know of her location." Nezu smiles "As you can see, this experience has changed the young woman for the better."
"Aye!" A few of the pros agreed to a few chuckles of the younger audience.
"Y'know... I don't say this often but... I love you..." Kathy listen to an inaudible response, but it was a good one as She smiles "Yeah. I made a new friend today.. And He was pretty cool..." In the distance, Spider-Man is seen swinging away
La Brava dabs her eyes with a tissue "That was so beautiful..."
Her partner chuckles at her reaction "What? The show onscreen or the one off?"
"Can I say both?" She says in response, earning a few laughs
Mina Ashido watches the Spider-Man swing off into the sunset after helping the girl, her chest feeling immense pride for her Spider-Boi "I wonder... what will happen now?"
Several years later, Kathy is all grown up. She was setting things up her camera in a chapel getting ready for a wedding to a few high profile individuals, an actress and a scientist. Huh, nerds do get the girl!
Mina blinks, as well as a few others. She breaks out into a squeal. Not only is Kathy living her dream, She gets to shoot Pete and MJ's! "Oh my god, this is happening!"
"Hello?" She turns to see the groom, Peter Parker if She remembers correctly
They look at a older Peter Parker with his more defined features and boyish good looks. He grew up good.
"Yes? I won't take long sir."
"No, No, It's alright, I just wanted to see how you were doing?"
"Even after so many years, still making sure She is alright.. He really grew into a good man." Mandalay couldn't help but feel a blush at Peter's kindness. MJ was a lucky girl.
"Me?" She asks surprised "I'm cool, it's a nice day and I know I can get quite a clear image, sir."
"Just call me Peter." He says simply
"Pretty smooth work, makes them like real friends." Midnight nods with a smile
"Well... I'm good Pete." She says causally removing a lenscap from her camera
"That's good... I hope you are happy, Kathy." He smiles
"Oh? Yeah, I'm pretty happy, Peter." She smiles back honesty "This would certainly help my business boom, so I'll do my best!"
The room was filled with smiles as the girl who was in such despair earlier had found her way back to the light. Now a grown woman with prospects for the future bright... thanks to a certain hero.
Peter smiles oddly, as if remembering something "I know you will... See you, Kathy." He walks away as Kathy looks back
"Why dies He feel so... Familiar? Oh whatever, I got a job to do." She opens up her laptop which has a sticker of our friend neighborhood Spider-Man!
Thus a round of applause came as a result of the ending
"I do hope that shows the power of a 'Friendly Neighborhood' Spider-Man." Web smiles "It isnt always battles to the finish or even about villains, it is about the power of people doing the right thing."
Doing... the right thing... Why is it that rule of being a hero not a higher priority on my list until now?' Grumbled Katsuki Bakugou. 'Really, being the strongest? Who really cares at the end of the day?..'
"Y-Yeah.. Shame I couldn't really take notes this time, I let emotions get ahead of me... again..." Deku said sheepishly.
"Have no fear Midoriya! I had quite memorized the lesson of this feature and-"
"I'll help you Deku! I remember a lot of this and the do's and dont's!" shouted Uraraka, cutting off Iida who looked shocked "I'll help you fill out your notes here!" She smiles awkwardly
Deku blinks "Oh! um.. sure, Thank you Uraraka-San, I'll trust your judgement seeing how you want to be a rescue hero so this might really be your specialty."
She smiles brightly "Yup!"
Iida adjusts his glasses 'Well... that was rude. But I suppose I'll just have to place my faith with Uraraka on supplying the notes, I do wonder why She was so hasty?...'
"Not too much action in this one, but I suppose the message at the end was a nice one." Comments Pixie-Bob, scratching behind her ears.
"Yes, it is always good to remember as heroes that it isnt always about combat, but the safety of others... I do believe we should add that do our curriculum, a few of our students didn't immediately think of talking down Ms Kathy.." Nezu scratches his chin
"Y-Yes sir! Great idea!" All Might says, thinking of when He first met Young Midoriya, how He crushed his young protege's dreams of heroism when He was without a quirk. He supposes He would have to retake that lesson looking back He handled that situation quite... poorly now that He thought about it..
"Ugh... What time is it?" Says Shigaraki as He awakens from his nap
"Did you honestly fell asleep, Tomura Shigaraki?...".
"Well excuse me if that world bored me to tears!" Groans Shigaraki 'I won't fall for it, I will not believe their lies!'
Web frowns but notices Eri looking alittle drowsy "I do suppose it is time for a break." She snaps her fingers and the room changes.
Now all of the audience finds themselves in a hallway before many doors
"These will be your temporary quarters for this experience, after a period of 8 hours of rest, I shall awake you all to continue to our next world."
"So we just pick a room or?.." Kaminari trails off
"I'll personally like to bunk with the ladies~...Hehe..." Mineta perversely laughs, causing many to shudder
Katsuki Bakugou pays no mind to the others as He enters a room. He sees a few beds with red and blue sheets. Pillows with red spiders were presented before him. He sighs and sits on a random bed, thinking of the events that transpired. He knew that the teachers were deciding whether or not He should be expelled from UA... Maybe He should make it easy and just leave on his own acc-
"Hey Kacchan?" Bakugou looks up to see Izuku Midoriya standing before him to his shock
"Dek-... Midoriya?" He halts his usual nickname for Izuku
"Is this room free?" He asks awkwardly to his shock
"Huh?... What about foureyes or round cheeks?..."
Izuku blushes bright red "U-Uraraka-San is a girl and all the girls agreed to share rooms with each other and Iida-Kun volunteered to keep Mineta and Kaminari in line and bunk with them... so is this spot taken?" He points to a random bed in the room.
Bakugou looks to him strangely "Why... I mean, with anyone else..."
"Well, I do have a reason."
Katsuki Bakugou looks to see Izuku Midoriya look at him with very serious eyes
"I want to talk."