Sacrificing yourself for others... that's dumb.
- It's impossible! That guy can't be! -
- IS IT SPIDER-MAN?!...-
...
- I did it! I hit the giant sentry right in the face. - The robot was shattered in the head, fell backwards destroying all the buildings behind it, only... stopping it was one thing, saving the others... - I managed to stop it! Now the others should be... Well? Ahhhhh! -
But now... WHO THE HELL IS GOING TO SAVE ME?!
It was a little silly of me to jump in without thinking... like Mr. Stark said... THIS IS REALLY IDIOT!, I don't know how I was able to get here, my impulse was only supposed to take me by the hands of my stomach, just enough to make me back up...maybe...
But this!
- That boy... IS GOING TO KILL HIMSELF! -
I was in the middle of a free fall, I had to do something if I didn't want to die like a squashed spider, which in my opinion would be a stupid way to die. - I just have to...do a...AAHHG- I tried to shoot a net to catch myself or swing, the only thing that came out of my wrist was a lot of blood.
My arms were purple with clotted blood, but my right arm was in worse shape, my hand was completely broken, although that was not the worst. - Okay, I can see that it won't be easy, I just have to... Fall on your feet? - my legs were completely broken, I didn't understand how, this had never happened to me before...
- Aahhhh... FACE! Well I just need a spider web...
"LITTLE CREATURES, ONE MINUTE LEFT!"
- One minute! - My mind went blank, I hadn't achieved anything on the exam, the giant sentry didn't count at all for a score, - Ah, SHIT! - In between my thoughts I forgot about the fall and when I realized I was too close to the ground to do anything, I just thought
- THERE'S NO OTHER WAY! - ...to block with my arms on guard, would be a painful fall, but at least this way I could save myself... - AHHHH... Uh? I'm...
- I... I have... - The nice girl?! She... saved me?
- Hey, uh... WAIT! - She was floating on a debris, she made a strange gesture with her hand, although it didn't last long, the moment she left it, we both fell to the ground. -aah...this...is definitely going to hurt in the morning...wait! Are you OK?!...-
I knew the state I was in, yet I wanted to confirm that she was not hurt, when I asked her, she looked up but instantly her eyes paled, which usually meant that she...
- Hey...! HEY! WAKE UP, YOU CAN'T DIE... * SNORING* - IS HE SLEEPING?! -
For a second I felt like I was dying too...even though I was practically in that line already...I wasn't going to bear to see someone else die in front of me...and because of me...
-Ah...what a relief...one moment... The exam is not over yet! I CAN STILL PASS! ...-
"WOOO, PICK UP YOUR PENCILS KIDS, THE TEST IS OVER!"
- Huh? ... EHHHHH?!...- Yes, a second after my hopes were raised again, they were dashed by a simple sentence. I blanched, my dream, my promise, everything I had fought for had been ruined only by my cowardice...
In the face of such frustration, this may seem childish to you, but I really found no other way to express how I felt...
- WANDA! Are you okay? Are you... Are you sleeping?, she must have overused her power, thank goodness, she doesn't seem to be too hurt..., All thanks to that guy... he jumped at the last moment and landed a big blow on the sentry... if it hadn't been for him, she would have been completely crushed...
- Why? -
-Huh? -
- BECAUSE I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING! -
- That's...
My frustration had made me collapse completely, my anger made me irrational, I was banging my face senseless against the floor, blaming my stupidities...
- ONE POINT...IF ONLY...HAD A BAD POINT...NOTHING WAS...wasted...-
- Hey, uh... WAIT! STOP! You're going to hurt yourself! -
The guy with silver hair came quickly to me, he held me down and laid me down, I think the adrenaline in my body was gone, because the only thing I remember afterwards was seeing a white light...and after that...nothing...
- I just... I just need... a... point...
Exhale those last words before you lose consciousness.
- Hey, uh... Hey! Don't go dying on me. -
...
"That guy... did he really pull that off?"
"It can't be, it seems to be finished."
"His... his jacket, the... he has the Spider-Man symbol."
"You don't think it's him, do you?"
"You saw their power, look at the cobwebs, there's a lot of debris held back by them."
"But... Spider-Man doesn't hurt himself with his own power, just look at him!"
"It's true... he did all that damage to himself with his own power"
"If he had that power of strength, was he acting to get out more?"
"I don't think so, what would that accomplish?"
- You didn't see it, did you? -
- What do you mean? -
- He didn't act before for a reason. Look at the marks on his arms, he was already hurt before he came here. -
- But then why did he risk so much? It seems too convenient that he acted at the last second...
- I don't see it that way..."if only I had gotten a point" is what he said...he...even though he knew he would fail...he didn't hesitate for a second to jump in...to save my sister...-
- Wow...really...but what an idiot and what would he get out of it? -
~? As far as I'm concerned that boy... may have already passed the exam... ?
- Huh? Who said... that...
Behind all the applicants, a female figure was shown on the spot.
- That woman, she's one of the main pillars of the academy... and of the super world, the specialist in medicine for the inhumane... Dr. Helen Cho. -
~ No one got hurt? You seem to have some scratches... here...
Dr. Helen Cho
Superpower: Reactivation and modification of cells.
Dr. Cho is a world-renowned medical specialist, one of the first doctors to find treatments for the inhumane community, one of the avengers' main allies. Her gift allows her to modify the cells of her patients for a short period of time. By making contact with her index finger on the forehead of any person she can completely manipulate the cells' capabilities, reactivating them and accelerating their healing factor, regenerating tissues such as nerves, muscles, veins, etc. Her biggest job was to regenerate a complete digestive system to a hero in a critical state after a battle. The effect lasts an average of one hour after contact although the effect is continuous if she maintains it.
- Oh dear, I see you've done yourself a great disservice with your power. - *What a child, it seems as if you're not used to your power, curing it will take me a little longer... for now I'll just administer the auxiliary treatments. *
Dr. Cho placed her finger on Peter's forehead, his body glowed, his arms returned to a normal skin tone, his legs reset, his wrists returned to their common position.
Although it was a quick treatment, it was enough to get Peter's body stabilized...
3 days later
-P...Pe... PETER! ... -
- Huh? -
- Hey react, you've been lying down all week, shouldn't you start moving? -
- That's the plan Aunt May, my stuff has already been sent to the academy, this Friday I should be there to check the results...
- But I'm sure you did well, you did an impressive job without the proper training, I'm dying to see how great you'll be when...
- I WON'T BE ABLE TO DO IT FOR NOW! -
Aunt May was not to blame for my frustration, she has only been supportive of my situation, and all she gets from me is loud screaming... I am the worst nephew in the world...
- Peter...
- I'm... I'm sorry, Aunt May, I shouldn't have yelled at you, it's just... I don't think I'll pass the exam for this year's heroes course...
- Why do you say that, honey? Tests have always been your forte, and now with your powers it should be even easier. -
- No, Aunt May, it was just the opposite, I froze when the test started, the others only used me as bait when the robots came for me, and when I only had a minute left, I couldn't do more than crawl on the floor a couple of inches before passing out. -
- Peter... I... I had no idea... Why didn't you tell me? -
- I'm sorry Aunt May, you said not to worry, I thought the moment you knew you'd get into your aggressive mode. -
-Oh honey...of course I was going to worry, but above all I worry about you, I know that for you it is not easy to do this alone, I would like to be more useful, but my gift is much less impressive than yours, if Ben were here he would give you a whole speech about greatness and that you should not give up no matter what...
- And what do you think that speech would say...
- Well...I think it would be something like..."There is a big difference between a super person and a hero, you would be a fool if just because you have a super power it makes you something better, a hero is considered a hero when he does what he does for others, but he stops being one when he only does it for himself". -
Aunt May was right, the exam was supposed to test the hero candidates, and I just focused on me, even though she doesn't know how I felt completely... I think she read my mind...
- You know, Aunt May, that sounded exactly like something Uncle Ben would say...
- Right?! Even I'm amazed by the imitation, but now I'd like to say something that May would say...
- And what is it? -
- I want you to be Peter Parker no matter how long it takes, no matter how many masks you wear... okay? -
- Of course...
After that I spent my last two days in the house where I grew up, and then took my big step on the road to being a hero....
It was the morning of the second Friday of December, it was still two weeks before Christmas, it would be the first Christmas that I would not be with Aunt May, I had to go to the Stark Tower, there I would take the transport that would take me back to the academy.
I tried to contact Mr. Stark, but the calls were only going back to the mailbox, and I think when I see some unfortunate results now, I'll be looking for another successor. Although it would be a great honor for me, I don't think I'm ready for such a burden, things happen for a reason and if it was my destiny to fail this time, then I would have no choice but to try again later.
The same kids who arrived with me that day were back on the transport, and for some reason I was happy that they had been in the field where I had the test.
When I arrived at the entrance of the academy, there was a large crowd surrounding the bulletin boards, obviously it must have been the results of the entrance exams.
Unconsciously I approached to see like everyone else, but... a part of me wanted to run away, once I was facing it I bent my head, closed my eyes and in between my thoughts I said...
*? Whatever happens, I'll go my own way, it doesn't define how good a hero I'll be, it's just a step... it's just a...
Before finishing the sentence, I gathered all the courage I could and raised my head quickly, that moment was one of the longest of my life, my heart was beating fast, so much so that I could hear the beating, when I finished looking what I could see was...
"HEROES COURSE - PASSED"
"Class 1A - Post number 7: Peter Parker"
I remember I was frozen for a second, and all I could feel were a couple of tears coming out of my eyes. I haven't had this feeling in a long time... this feeling of happiness and relief...
- You...
Something that only lasted two seconds....
- What the hell are you doing here...
That happiness was interrupted by a deep, angry voice I hadn't heard in a long time...
- WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE, PARKER? -