Chapter 17: The Rise of Heroes
Peter Parker's First Rescue
Peter Parker knew something was wrong the moment he woke up.
His body felt lighter, stronger. His vision—once terrible without glasses—was now perfect. Every sound, every smell, every movement in the world around him felt sharper.
At first, he thought he was sick.
Then, as he stood in front of his bathroom mirror, he froze.
The scrawny, awkward teenager staring back at him was gone.
Instead, he saw defined muscles, a stronger frame. He wasn't suddenly massive, but he was athletic in a way he had never been before.
"…What the hell?"
He hesitated, then reached for his glasses—only to realize he didn't need them.
His heart pounded.
Something had changed.
And it all started after that spider bite.
The Moment That Defined Him
That night, Peter was walking home from the library when he heard it.
A woman's scream.
His body tensed instantly.
A week ago, he would have frozen. He would have been scared, unsure of what to do.
But now?
Now, something inside him pushed forward.
He ran toward the sound, heart pounding, mind racing.
And then he saw it—
A mugger, dragging a terrified woman into an alley, a knife glinting in his hand.
Peter's fists clenched.
His instincts screamed at him to act.
Before he could second-guess himself, he moved.
Faster than he thought possible, he closed the distance.
The mugger turned just as Peter reached him—
And Peter grabbed his wrist.
The mugger's eyes widened. "What the—"
Peter's body reacted on its own.
He twisted, flipping the mugger onto the ground hard.
It wasn't a normal move. Peter had never been a fighter, never been strong.
But now?
It was effortless.
The mugger groaned, reaching for his knife—
Peter flicked his wrist.
The knife flew out of the guy's hand and landed ten feet away.
The woman scrambled to her feet, pressing against the alley wall. She looked between Peter and the mugger, stunned.
Peter's own breathing was shaky.
"…Uh," he said awkwardly, looking down at the guy he had just thrown like a ragdoll. "You good?"
The mugger scrambled up and ran.
Peter let him go.
Because he was still processing what just happened.
The woman stared at him, eyes wide with shock. "T-Thank you…"
Peter blinked.
He had just stopped a crime.
He had saved someone.
"…Yeah," he murmured. "No problem."
Then he turned and ran.
Because he wasn't ready for this.
Because he didn't even know what he had just become.
But deep inside?
A part of him felt right.
Ethan Watches from Above
From high above, perched on a rooftop, Ethan Carter smiled.
He had watched the whole thing unfold.
He hadn't interfered. He hadn't needed to.
Because Peter Parker?
He was already a hero.
And one day, he would become one of the greatest.
Ethan stood, letting the wind carry his cape behind him.
Peter's journey was just beginning.
And soon?
Their paths would cross again.
The Carter Family's Decision
While Peter Parker's journey was just beginning, something else was happening in Montana.
Ethan's family was changing.
It had been two weeks since the Oscorp spider had bitten them.
At first, they had dismissed the strange occurrences. The increased strength, the heightened senses.
But now, there was no denying it.
They were different.
And the moment it became undeniable was the day Lucas leapt over the barn.
Testing Their Powers
"Alright," Daniel muttered, standing in the barn with his arms crossed. "This is officially insane."
Lucas, still shaken from what he had just done, looked at his hands. "I… I didn't even think. I just jumped, and—"
"You cleared the damn barn," Jacob Carter muttered, staring at his youngest son like he had never seen him before.
Rebecca Carter, always the calm one, took a deep breath. "We need to talk about this."
Ethan stood at the entrance of the barn, silent.
He had done this to them.
And now, they had a choice to make.
"Alright," Jacob finally said, rubbing his temple. "We got… powers now. No point in denying it."
Lucas nodded. "Yeah. And they're getting stronger."
Daniel clenched his fists. "I can hear things from miles away. I lifted the truck yesterday like it was nothing. Mom—" He turned to Rebecca. "—you don't even need glasses anymore."
Rebecca nodded. "I know."
Jacob looked at his family, then sighed.
"I ain't one for speeches, but we need to be smart. We don't tell nobody. Not our neighbors, not our friends. Not even the government."
Ethan finally spoke. "You don't have to hide it from me."
Jacob turned to him.
His eyes weren't angry. They weren't scared.
They were firm.
"We're not like you, son."
Ethan frowned.
Jacob continued. "You? You're meant to be out there. You're meant to fly around, save people, be a hero. But us? We ain't meant for that life."
Daniel nodded. "We're farmers, Ethan. We ain't looking to be superheroes."
Lucas hesitated. "…But what if we could help people?"
Jacob gave him a long look. "Then we'll cross that bridge when we get there."
Ethan felt something deep in his chest.
Relief.
They didn't hate him for what he had done.
They weren't angry.
But they also weren't following him.
They had chosen to live their lives.
And he had to respect that.
He exhaled. "Alright."
His father patted his shoulder. "Good. Now, let's go back inside. Your mother made dinner."
As the family walked back toward the house, Ethan stayed behind for just a moment, looking up at the night sky.
He had given them power.
But they had made their choice.
And he would honor it.