The Butterfly Effect: a Peter Parker Fan Fic

Part 42; Reconciliation

You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have ~ Cayla Mills

The suit is fitted exquisitely on a mannequin. My mouth is open in shock, drool practically dribbling down the sides. It is an exact replica of the original suit... just with some insane new touches. The mesh fabric and the dark gray color scheme seems to have stuck, but this time, with touches of a vibrant green. One single green stripe runs down the side of both legs, each meeting up to the waist to form a belt. Pockets line the waistline, presumably for holding any weapons.

On top of this, the mask has also been upgraded to provide more confidentiality to my identity. It covers the entirety of the mannequin's face except for the mouth, for breathing purposes, and the color matches the green from the belt. Two patches replace the gap for the eyes, similar to Peter's Spider-Man mask, but more feminine with winged eyeliner. What strikes me most, however, is the wings that sprout out from behind. They're much slimmer than they were before and the dark gray and black patterns are now replaced with more intricate dark gray and green patterns.

It's safe to say that this is the coolest thing I have ever seen in my whole life.

"Pretty incredible, isn't it?" Tony appears next to me, his hands crossed across his chest, marveling at his masterpiece. "Your father used very similar coding and materials to the ones I used to make things like my suit. Except, mine is made from iron and your's is made from... well, mesh."

Nothing comes out of my mouth, tremors of shock coming in waves through my body. This is amazing. How could I ever accept this, particularly after how I had treated him? And most importantly... yeah, I can't take this.

"Tony, I can't accept this," I tell him bluntly, a hint of disappointment apparent.

His eyes bulge out of their sockets, "what? Why not?"

I sigh, "it is just way too much!"

He tuts, "no. That's not it. Your mouth is saying that, but your eyes are telling me otherwise. Tell me the real reason why you can't accept this. I put a lot of hard work into this, just so you know!"

My fingers tangle in my hair, anxiety coursing through me. Fine then.

"The truth is that this suit is made for a hero. I'm not a hero. Peter Parker is a hero. You're a hero. Captain America is a hero. Thor is a hero. I'm not one of you and I never will be. For God's sakes, I thought it was a good idea to torment two elderly people! Just because I want to save my home, it doesn't make me a hero like you guys."

Tony sighs and takes a step closer to me, planting his hand on my shoulder. His stance reminds me of just how much power he has, but his eyes are soft and comforting. "Raven, it's not as simple as that. We've all made mistakes. I, in particular, have made many mistakes. Do you think I wanted all of those people to die in Sokovia? To yourself, you may just be some pathetic teenager who accidentally gained powers and is completely lost. To others, you may be a pathetic superhero. But to many, many people, you are a savior. You saved Peter's life, you're trying to save Cam's life, you tried to save your father's life."

He's not particularly done, but I cut in anyways, "they're different. I care about all of them."

"You didn't let me finish," he states firmly. "That may or not be true, but you are trying to save Queens. You may think you're only doing it for yourself, but I can see from your face that you want to do it not only for yourself, but for everybody else. And besides, being a hero doesn't just mean saving the world. Being a hero involves being praised for one's courage. We haven't been in touch for years, but I know that you are the bravest person that I have ever met."