Chapter 4: "Bully Redemption, Gut Punches, and Internal Monologues"
In which Peter Parker upgrades from punching bags to power plays… and Flash Thompson gets a redemption arc he didn't ask for.
Peter Parker had faced a lot of nerve-wracking things lately.
Spiders with glowing eyes.
A literal mind palace where time didn't exist.
Naruto Uzumaki hugging him like they were long-lost brothers.
You know, normal Tuesday stuff.
But none of that—not even the time he nearly hurled from chakra whiplash—compared to what he was about to do now.
Telling his Aunt May and Uncle Ben that he had superpowers.
He sat between them on their old, comfy couch—the same one that squeaked when anyone shifted too hard. May's fingers wrapped gently around his hands, her touch soft but grounding. Ben leaned back with the kind of quiet patience that only came from decades of dad-hood and a mild caffeine addiction.
"Alright, kiddo," Ben said with his classic you-have-my-attention-but-you-better-not-say-anything-insane voice. "You've got our full attention. What's going on?"
Peter inhaled like he was about to confess to murder.
"Something incredible happened to me tonight."
There was a brief flicker of alarm in their eyes—like maybe he'd stolen a car or joined a cult. But they stayed silent.
"I met someone—someone powerful. He knew things. About me, about my parents… about the future."
Ben's eyebrow slowly made its way toward his hairline.
"And he gave me a gift."
"A gift?" Ben repeated, very delicately. Like Peter had just said, I swallowed an alien ring that talks to me now.
"I have powers."
Boom.
There it was.
The drop. The reveal. The spider in the room.
Silence followed. Not the bad kind—the processing kind. May squeezed his hands tighter. Ben exhaled, rubbing his chin like he was calculating Peter's chances of being sane.
"What kind of powers?" Ben asked.
Peter didn't answer. He stood up, walked calmly to the wall, and—because subtlety had clearly left the chat—walked up the wall like it owed him money.
May gasped like someone had slapped her with a book of miracles.
Ben leaned forward, eyes narrowing, mouth slightly open. Peter made it to the ceiling, did a casual flip (because go big or go home), and landed perfectly.
"I have super strength, enhanced speed, healing, reflexes," Peter listed off casually, like he was reading a grocery list. "I can stick to surfaces and sense danger. And I can use chakra."
Ben blinked. "Chakra? Isn't that a yoga thing?"
Peter smirked. "This version punches harder than yoga ever will."
Ben muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "I need a drink", but he stayed focused.
Then May spoke—softly, but with a quake in her voice.
"Peter… you almost died?"
Peter winced.
"Yeah. But I'm okay now. That's why Naruto helped me. He saw what was going to happen and changed my fate."
Ben leaned back with a sigh, rubbing his face like a man who just realized his retirement plans now included weekly alien encounters and possibly ninja spiders.
"Powerful people interfering with our lives…" he muttered. "I don't know how I feel about that. But if he saved you, then I'm grateful."
May studied Peter's face, scanning it like a scientist checking for signs of alien possession.
"Are you sure you're okay, Peter? Physically? Mentally?"
Peter smiled. A real smile. The kind he hadn't worn in a long, long time.
"I feel better than ever. I finally feel like I can do something meaningful."
Ben stood and walked over to him. His tone was calm, but firm—classic Uncle Ben mode engaged.
"I won't tell you not to use these powers, Peter."
"Really?" Peter blinked.
Ben nodded.
"But promise me something. Promise you'll train first. That you won't rush into danger unprepared. Power without control is just another way to get killed."
Peter nodded. "I promise. Training first. No hero work until I'm ready."
May exhaled like she'd been holding her breath since 1942.
"I won't lie, Peter. This terrifies me. The thought of you out there, fighting…" Her voice broke a little. "But I also know you. You wouldn't be telling us this if you weren't serious."
Peter took her hands gently.
"I know, Mother."
The word hit like a lightning bolt wrapped in a hug. May's eyes welled with warmth.
Ben snorted. "Damn it, kid. You sound like an adult already."
"I learned from the best."
Ben groaned. "Stop it. Flattery like that's gonna make me cry."
May finally laughed—a real, watery, unfiltered laugh—and wiped the tears from her eyes.
"Whatever happens, Peter," she said, steadying her voice, "you won't face it alone. We're here for you."
Peter didn't say anything for a moment.
He just… felt. The warmth. The safety. The certainty that, no matter what came next—supervillains, shadowy agencies, or chakra-powered mutants—he had something stronger than any web.
A home.
That night, Peter lay in bed. His window open, the city humming in the distance. He thought of webs and battles, of training and mysteries, of power and purpose.
And of Teresa.
His sister.
Out there, somewhere.
The road ahead was wild. Dangerous. Ridiculous, even.
But for the first time in forever, Peter Parker wasn't afraid.
He was ready.
-----------------------------
Peter had been hoping for a nice, dreamless sleep. You know—the usual stuff: floating on clouds, running through fields of pancakes, maybe having a deep, emotional reunion with a cheeseburger.
Instead, he woke up standing on a floating rock in the middle of a glittering, star-filled void.
Again.
"Well, so much for resting my brain tonight."
He turned—and there was Naruto, sitting cross-legged like a yoga instructor with ADHD, munching on a bowl of ramen like the fate of the universe could wait until after dinner.
"Oh good, you're awake," Naruto said with a grin, slurping a noodle. "Took you long enough."
"You do know this is my sleep, right?" Peter deadpanned. "Pretty sure that counts as overtime."
Naruto gestured for him to sit, and Peter plopped down across from him, the stone beneath him oddly warm. They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, surrounded by the stars, like two old friends catching up at a very weird café.
"So," Peter said, tapping his fingers together. "Can I ask something a little… strange?"
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Stranger than meeting a talking chakra spider and suddenly waking up with abs?"
Peter rolled his eyes. "Fair point. But—how's the other me doing? The one you met before."
That made Naruto pause for a moment.
Then he smiled—genuinely, warmly, like someone thinking about an old friend who had made it out okay.
"He's doing great, actually," Naruto said, leaning back with a satisfied sigh. "He's one of my heralds now. Travels across dimensions to help people. Has this epic red and black armor that glows when he powers up. Total superhero vibes."
Peter blinked. "So… like, Herald of Galactus meets Iron Man, but with better morals?"
"Pretty much," Naruto laughed. "Only he's not working for a space god who snacks on planets. He's working with me. Big difference."
Peter's brain was doing gymnastics at this point.
"Wait, wait. Herald? So I end up like—your right-hand guy? In another world?"
"Yep. That Peter's been through a lot too, but he made it out strong," Naruto said. "He's got an amazing family. Married. Kids. Even adopted a few from alternate timelines. Guy's got this whole dad-energy thing going."
"…Dang. Sounds like he figured life out."
"With time, effort, and a whole lot of mess-ups first," Naruto said. "He went through his own tragedies. Lost people. Made mistakes. But he grew."
Peter stared at his own hands, his mind buzzing.
"How did you two even meet? I mean, I get that you're not from this universe, but how'd you end up there?"
Naruto gave a lopsided smile, as if remembering a particularly wild vacation.
"Coincidence," he said. "I was traveling between worlds at the time. Fell into his universe during a fight with a multiversal parasite. Woke up in a back alley with torn clothes, no chakra, and a severe craving for takoyaki. He found me, helped me, and we clicked. Simple as that."
Peter blinked. "Wait… so you crashed into another universe, lost your powers, and still made friends with a version of me?"
"What can I say?" Naruto grinned. "You're good people in every world."
Peter flushed slightly, scratching the back of his head.
"So… do you think I could become like him one day? Not the glow-in-the-dark armor part—though that does sound cool—but just… someone strong. Reliable. Someone who wins."
Naruto's eyes softened.
"You already are, Peter. You just don't see it yet."
The silence stretched, warm and comforting.
"Thanks," Peter said quietly. "It's weird, but… knowing that another me made it kind of helps. Like it's proof I'm not doomed to fail."
"Exactly," Naruto nodded. "You're walking your own path. It'll look different. But greatness? That's still in the cards."
Peter smiled, and for once, it wasn't weighed down with self-doubt.
"Alright," he said, standing up and stretching. "Guess I'll stop comparing myself to the Spider-Man with dad energy and focus on becoming the Spider-Man who finally remembered to clean his room."
Naruto laughed. "Now that Peter I want to see."
-----------------------------
If you told Peter Parker yesterday that he'd walk into Empire State University feeling like a main character in an action movie, he would've laughed—then probably tripped over his own feet and dropped his books.
But today? Today, he walked in like he owned the pavement. Chin up. Shoulders back. And—not that he wanted to brag—his hair looked phenomenal.
Last night had changed everything.
The talk with Uncle Ben and Aunt May, the emotional avalanche, the terrifying honesty… It had settled something deep inside him. For once, he didn't feel like life was running over him with a metaphorical bulldozer.
And just as he was basking in that sense of newfound control—destiny decided to test him.
Cue: Flash Thompson, ex-bully, full-time annoyance, and surprise emotional minefield.
"Hey, Parker, hope you didn't get mugged yesterday."
Peter didn't even flinch as Flash slung an arm around his neck in a classic "friendly headlock" that still felt a little like a threat. But this time, Peter didn't reach for his chakra, didn't duck into a defensive stance.
This time, he felt the difference.
Flash's tone wasn't cruel. It wasn't even mocking. It was just… Flash. Big, loud, Flash—minus the usual insecurity-fueled venom.
Peter blinked.
Was he growing? Or was Flash evolving like a weird Pokémon?
"How's everything going now, Eugene?" Peter asked, casually using the one name guaranteed to freeze a former bully in his tracks.
Flash actually froze. His head turned slowly, one eyebrow raised so high it could've joined the ISS.
"Didn't think you'd take an interest in my well-being, Parker."
Peter smirked. "My father did. Ben Parker. He told me everything."
The air shifted. The usual locker-room banter dissolved like sugar in warm tea.
Flash's usual smirk faltered. For once, the tough guy looked… human.
"Uncle Ben, huh…" Flash rubbed the back of his neck, his voice dipping low. "He's been helping my mom and sister a lot… even while I was being an absolute jackass."
Peter blinked.
Was that a genuine moment of regret?
Flash was admitting he'd been a jerk?! Was this a prank? Was Ashton Kutcher about to leap out from behind a trash can?
"So we're clear, Parker," Flash said, letting him go. "You're free."
Peter stared. "…Is this real?"
Flash smirked. "Yeah, it's real. Now run off before I slap your face."
Well, some things never change.
Peter opened his mouth—ready to unload years of sarcastic trauma—but then a voice echoed in his head like a divine narrator with battle scars and ramen breath.
"Forgiveness is better than vengeance in this case," Naruto's voice chimed in. "Your words would only lead him back to the darkness he's trying to crawl out of."
Peter flinched. Mental ninja hotline activate.
"You're connected to me now, remember?" Naruto added helpfully. "This guy's at a crossroads. Help him, don't crush him."
Peter took a breath.
Flash wasn't just a punchline anymore.
He was someone real.
Someone who'd suffered.
Someone… who could change.
Peter stepped forward.
And hugged him.
Yes. Hugged. Flash. Thompson.
Flash's soul visibly left his body.
"Wha—?"
Then—BAM!
Peter's fist met Flash's gut with the grace of a sparring partner and the satisfaction of poetic justice.
Flash wheezed, folding like a cardboard box. "You—little—ugh!"
Peter smirked. "I forgive you. Doesn't mean I like you. But I'll be watching."
Flash looked up through watery eyes… and then—he laughed.
"Don't regret that offer, Parker."
"I won't."
And just like that, the world shifted.
Not with explosions.
Not with dramatic music.
Just… two guys on a campus walkway, trying to leave the past behind.
As Flash wandered off, Naruto's voice returned, gentler this time.
"You accelerated his growth. He was always going to change, but you helped make sure it stuck."
Peter exhaled slowly, a weight lifting from his chest.
"He has a tragic future, Peter. And he's tied to you in more ways than you realize. Wherever you go, you'll find people like this—connected to you. They might become heroes… or villains. But you have the power to help them before they make the wrong choice."
Peter didn't reply.
He didn't need to.
He wasn't just a superhero.
He was a guy who hugged his former bully and punched him in the gut—all in the name of friendship.