2

You know what sucks? Waking up after a fight.

Make no mistake, waking up after a fight is a big deal, it's the biggest sign that you're out of the fight, a real wake-up call. However, everything sucks. Your whole body aches, some or all parts of you ache to move, you want to eat or drink, the list goes on.

Why couldn't you wake up nice and comfortable after a fight? is it too much to ask? You went through everything to get here, would it be so hard to wake up nice and cozy? You know, get something out of getting beat up.

Unfortunately, even with Mr. Stark, waking up still sucks.

"Ugh, Mr. Stark, your suits aren't all that comfortable for sleeping."

Wait, Mister Stark...

Space...

Aliens...

Thanos...

Syria!

Big ass!

Feeling the numbness all around as death sweeps you over and reduces you to-

Peter gasped and jumped up, grabbing the ceiling before he could stop himself. Outside of the ceilings he crawled on, it wasn't that bad. Clean but rather bland. Not quite fair, most cells don't match the color anyway.

Wait a minute, cell phone?

Peter looked around, the visors on his suit taking in every detail that came his way. Sure enough, he's in a prison cell. A board for the bed, a bathroom, a big light, but no window and no bars?

… are not important?

Either way, Peter falls through the ceiling. He needed to find someone, there were a lot of questions going through his head. In the first place? Why isn't he dead?

Wait no, bad question for now.

Better question, when were there so many superheroes? Did the Avengers have a recruitment drive while he was in space?

And where the hell is he? Why were there giants and forest people now? Of course there was the alien lady with the antenna and Drax looking all clay, but this was even weirder. He walked forward, only to jump right in. Stepping away from the blow, Peter blinked and held out his hand. He took a step forward and his hand hit something solid.

"Invisible walls?"

There is a sound of footsteps and Peter sees the scariest mime ever! He's in a police uniform, why?

"Umm... hello?" he asked, waving his hand.

"彼は起きていますか" comes a voice.

"Translating: Is he awake?"

Another officer, this one looking like a normal person, enters with black hair, Asian features and a scowl. Peter winks, "Oh yeah, I just got up," he says rubbing his shoulders, "Ummm... hello officer? I just want you to know I didn't do anything wrong. I helped save some civilians from that monster guy earlier . Not that I'm telling you how you do your jobs. Keep up the good work, thank you for your service and all that you...police."

The officer's face screwed up in confusion, and the mime didn't budge from his position.

"あなたはこれのどれかを手に入れましたか" he asks his partner.

" Translating: Are you getting any of this?"

The mime shakes his head. Oh shit, they don't understand him! How are they going to talk? How is he going to get back to New York!? Wait, they're bringing a phone. The policeman waves to the mime, and suddenly Peter can't hear anymore.

They just the ghost?

That's just bad!

"Okay, it's not cool to dress up like that!" Peter yelled, sitting on the edge of the bed with his arms crossed. He looked around the walls of his cell... He could maybe punch his way through, or use the Iron Spider's legs to break through, but he has a lot of respect for the police. He doesn't want to cause any trouble, not when he can just contact Mr. Stark and-

Mr. Stark...

Peter let out a sigh and his shoulder slumped, looking down at the floor. He had to get information. Or this was all just a crazy dream and he buzzed off on the bus. Maybe it is that. All he has to do is wait for Ned to wake him up.

Oh well, no use complaining about it. The officer appeared to be in a heated conversation on the phone. From the back, Peter had no idea what he was saying.

Could this suit read lips?

Peter shook his head. This was one of Mr. Stark, of course you could read lips? Right?

The cop puts the phone away and turns enough for Peter to see him swallow hard. So immediately he becomes aware, the mime right behind him following. A second later, a new policeman in a much nicer uniform enters. He's there, tuxedo and all with short, faded red hair and different eyes. One red, one black. He glares red-eyed at me, whose hands go in a machine-gun rhythm as the other cop grabs a chair from the left.

The man in the tuxedo sits down and adjusts his tie, running a hand through his hair. "Hi."

Peter blinked. "You can speak English?"

"A little." he replied, his accent thick but coherent.

"Oh thank goodness you have no idea how much time I thought I would have to read the captions on my suit. It makes everything really distracting because people are talking but things are happening so what I focus on is words or action that results in a really confused face. So...thanks." Peter said, getting up. He just has to keep talking... and he'll wake up.

The man in the tuxedo took the entire walk breathlessly calmly, albeit with an arched brow.

"I'm sure you are. Now, I'm Police Chief Botan Fukuda, I run this police station."

"Oh, nice to meet you, sir." Peter said with a nod. "I am Spider-Man."

Botan raised an eyebrow, "A bit early to be naming yourself a hero, isn't it, Watcher?"

"Isn't naming yourself the first thing you do? I mean, I can't give my real name and all because, identities and all."

Botan looked more confused. "Young man, I believe you are mistaken." and his eyes narrowed, making Peter nervous. "It's illegal to use your quirk without a hero license. We've run your face into the database, unlicensed for anyone matching your description or costume. We even tried to remove it, but it wouldn't budge."

"Oh, uhh..." Peter then felt the nanomachines slide over his face, giving him a clear view of the suddenly startled Botan and his two other officers. "What about this?

"Can you...control your fantasy?"

"I... guess? Mr. Stark did this and he... He can explain everything! Just contact Tony Stark and-"

"One at a time, young man." Botan fired, brought Peter to a halt.

This is... off-putting. Peter thought that after that fiasco during the ball, at least his name would be out. Even more important...

"A Quirk?"

"Powers," Botan clarified, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world. "Did you hit your head really hard when you hit the sidewalk?"

"Ah. I…" The young man from Queens paused.

"So… why does everyone have superpowers?"

"彼は頭を強く叩いた." said the officer behind him, Peter looked confused.

"What did he say?" Botan rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"Nothing. You're an American teenager, here in Japan, and you still don't know a hint of our language?" he asked irritably. Peter bit his lip, blushing.

"I uhhh... well... this is all a dream anyway so... yeah?" Peter shrugged. The redhead let out a sigh.

"Now, I don't want to do this to someone who helped to minimize the damage, as the media appreciated his small feat in helping local heroes and I would like to go without being crucified in the tabloids, but the laws are there for a reason and you committed a crime."

"What did I do wrong?!" asked Peter. "So me, helping people is a crime?!"

"You used your Quirk without a hero license. Is there a guardian we can call? There's a lot of paperwork that will go much faster if we contact your parents."

Peter paused, then sat down.

"Just, get in touch with Tony Stark. You know, Iron Man." Botan's eyebrow rose.

"Iron Man?"

What?

"Yes, Iron Man! Leader of the Avengers, Earth's Mightiest Heroes?"

"たぶん彼は病院に行くべきです" The regular policeman behind the Chief of Police stated and Peter was getting frustrated.

"I know a lot of heroes, but I've never heard of this Iron Man."

"CEO of Stark Industry, the biggest tech company on the planet! Who doesn't know him?"

"To calm down." Botan fired. "Listen, we don't know anything about this...Stark Industries or even this Tony Stark." He looked at the cop and muttered. "メモ帳してください" The policeman handed him a notepad and pen, and he sat back, ready to write. "Now, tell me... what is your name."

"I am a man-"

"Your normal name," Botan growled, not wanting to stutter as Peter bit his lip, clutching at the sheet. He let out a sigh. "If you're worried about your identity, don't worry," Botan taps the badge on his lapel, "I swore when I put this badge on, nothing will leave this room unless you want it Young." His eyes softened. "I just want to help you. But I can only do that if you answer my questions. Do you understand?"

Peter sighed in relief and bit his lip. "Okay...my name is Peter Parker." It felt like a toxin coming out of his mouth, saying those words while he was in the Iron Spider suit under these circumstances. Now he will never get the chance to be a hero again if he returns home.

"Age?" Botan continued.

"16." Botan began to write.

"Birthplace?"

"Queens, New York - wait, everyone turned to dust!" Peter yelled, jumping to his feet, frantic.

"What are you talking?" Botan asked.

"Thanos he... he won and he left and... everyone was turning to dust and..." Peter hugged himself, breathing hard as his mind started to work. He wasn't on Titan or even New York. He was in a city in Japan with a Mime policeman and there were giants and wood people walking around. They talk about hero quirks and licenses as if they treat heroism as simple as driving a car. They don't know Mr. Stark or the Avengers.

What...

What the hell is going on now.

"Mr. Parker." Botan's voice cut off. "What do you mean people turning to dust?"

That's right...

He turned to dust too. He couldn't escape whatever Thanos did...

He died.

He... literally died.

He died and... just woke up in... somewhere new.

"Can…" Peter's voice came out, and it sounded weak, almost like a sob. "Can I just... write down my contacts, and... see if you can reach them?"

The police chief was incredulous, but upon seeing Peter's face, he softened. The swelling of tears, the adolescent enthusiasm collapsing before him, it was a tidal wave of emotion. He snapped his fingers and the Mime made more hand gestures. The fellow officer had his hand on his gun when the chief of police walked up to the scowling Peter and handed him the notepad and pen.

"Write them down. Then we can try our best to contact them."

Please... Please let this be a dream.

"Can you pinch me too?" Peter asked as he started to write, looking at him.

"Mr. Parker?"

"Do it!" Peter fired. "Anywhere! Just... wake me up-" Botan touched Peter's forehead, and Peter felt the slight inconvenience... But he did.

He didn't wake up.

All this happened. The aliens. Doctor Strange. The Space Donut. Helping Mr. Stark saving the wizard. Going to Titan. Meeting the Guardians of the Galaxy. Fighting Thanos...

And losing when it was reduced to ashes.

"It was real." He went back to writing, even with Botan hovering over him. Peter finished handing him the contact list.

Please... please just... let him go home and something weird happened. That's all he asks.

Botan took the notebook and walked to the door. "Let's start working on that, see if we can get in touch with your guardian or parents." He snapped his finger and the Mime made more hand gestures. He turned to the officer. "彼に食べ物をもらおう."

"ハイ" And the officer left when Peter turned over, lying on his bed.

"We'll do our best, Mr. Parker." Botan said. "I promise." And he left the cell and walked down the hall, leaving Peter in his thoughts.

This must be a dream...

It has to be.