A good man was being buried today.
That's all that had been on Peter Parker's mind for the past twenty four hours. He had missed an important exam that he had prepared months for just to be here, today. But he wouldn't want to be anywhere else. At his side stood his Aunt May Parker, a black vale covering her eyes as she looked down upon the casket infront of her. Both of them held a rose, as they were surrounded by dozens of mourners of close friends and family. A priest stood infront of them, reciting various selected paragraphs from a bible that had come from May's own attic. But even as he ran the words for all to hear... even as the mourner's silently wept, in memorium for their fallen friend or relative... Peter couldn't hear them. He couldn't see them. He couldn't even feel their prescence. It was as if he were there by himself, overlooking the casket as rain poured down upon it.
He wished it was him, in there. Not his beloved Uncle Ben.
A single tear escaped Peter's eyes, as he closed them, and hung his head low. He had promised himself, and Ben, that he wouldn't... but the scene, and the thoughts that came with it, were too overpowering for Peter to handle. Until finally, it was time for him and the mourners to say their final goodbyes to the man that had loved them, and had vice versedly earned their love himself. Placing a rose on the casket that now belonged to her husband, May Parker placed a kiss upon it, managing to control her emotions long enough to grant her final moments with Ben to be peaceful, before finally walking away from the burial grounds, going back to the car to weep in isolation. Peter looked on, as she did, noting just how much stronger she had been during all of this than he had. But then again, she didn't carry the tremendous weight of guilt that clouded over Peter's shoulders. And that weight seemed to feel stronger than ever, as Peter slowly rested his own rose atop the casket, placing a lone hand on it. The emotions of dread seemed to stop, in that moment, as Peter warmly smiled at the thought of Ben's face as they played a game of catch. And it was then that Peter finally managed to say a goodbye worthy of his true feelings, despite the circumstances of Ben's death.
Goodbye, Uncle Ben.
Hesitantly removing his hand from the casket, Peter turned, and walked off into the rain, a look of grieve evident on his face as he silently continued on, recalling fondness in the times he had spent with his uncle. But moreso, he recalled the days leading up to Ben's demise, as they had ultimately sealed both his and Peter's fates. And each time Peter thought back to one, specific moment, he managed to lose just a little more confidence in himself. Because in truth, though he and God were the only ones that knew it... Ben had died because of him. And that was a reality that Peter knew he would never be able to shake.
Hours later, Peter sat on a park bench, soaked in the night's rain, his head still hanging as the memories continued to flood his mind. A car pulled up infront of him, slowly, as he looked up and saw his Aunt May in the driver's seat. Peter noticed that Anna Watson, who had accompanied May and Peter to the funeral, was no longer there. May had probably taken her back home, or more likely, she had managed to get her niece to pick her up. Either way, Peter was grateful... because the only person Peter wanted to see, now, was his Aunt. Getting up from the park bench, Peter opened the door, and got into the car, as his Aunt threw a reassuring smile at him. Her eyes were red with tears... but they had been long since dried, as May drove on, letting Peter continue his silence throughout the entire ride.
Finally, upon reaching their home in Queens, after an hour long drive, Peter spoke his first and only words of the entire day, and entire night. But they rang truer than any that had been said, in his mind.
"It was my fault."
Hours turned into days, as Peter barely ate and rarely spoke. He had decided, after the funeral, that he needed to begin getting out of the house as soon as possible. So over the next few days, when Peter wasn't sitting in his bed in silence, thinking of Ben, or trying his absolute best not to break down at the thought of his own shame, He was packing his belongings, knowing that he wouldn't be able to take living in the Parker houseold anymore. There were just too many memories, and too much of a prescence that still remained within the home. It was a prescence Peter felt as if he didn't deserve to be in, as he boxed up everything from old clothes, to comic books, sci-fi novels, telescopes, workbooks, all the way down to the family photos that May had said he could take with him. Finally, days later, Peter looked upon an empty room, as he closed it's door for the last time and walked downstairs.
Hopefully, with this move would come a new chapter in his life. Because unbeknownst to anyone, there was more in store for his future than anyone realised. Only Peter knew of the task that lied ahead. The journey his life would take, upon sealing a harsh life lesson into a life itself. By the time Peter left the Parker houseold, nearly a week after he had said goodbye to the man that made living there worth it, Peter knew that it was time.
It was time for him to take responsibility.
"You're gonna love it, Pete. I'm telling you now."
Peter tried to see past the boxes he was carrying in his arms, as his best, and perhaps only friend, Harry Osborn, led him down the hallways of the male dormrooms to Empire State University. Harry had been excited to finally gain a roomate in Peter who, despite his social status as the official "bookworm" of Midtown High School, would be alot more beneficial to Harry's needs and alterior motive of upping his grade average when the first slew of classes hit, later that week. Peter, on the other hand, had only truly wanted to move away because of his Uncle Ben's death, and the need to leave May so that she could grieve on her own. Because before that, Peter had constantly turned down Harry's offer, hoping to eventually move into his own apartment in the city. But now, the deal was done, and Peter was on his way to a new life, just down the hall from the two. Harry laughed, a little, as Peter obviously struggled with the boxes.
"Don't worry, pal. We're almost there. Just take it slow... nice and easy..."
"Hey! Rich boy!"
Harry turned, as both he and Peter stopped, hearing the voice of the coming Eugene "Flash" Thompson. Harry gave a friendly wave, as Flash approached the two, sporting the same football jersey he had worn to lead the Midtown football team to victory, this past summer.
"Good to see you showed up, Harry-boy. I was beginning to think I'd have all these chicks to myself.", Flash joked.
"Not that I would've minded..."
Harry snickered at this, as Peter realised he wasn't maintaining a very good grip on the boxes.
"Yeah, yeah... keep talking, Flash. I'm sure by the end of this semester, you'll still be scaring off Liz."
"HA! You wish. I got a feeling, man... today's gonna be my year."
"Really?", Harry asked, curiously.
"Cause the way Mary Jane put it over the phone... Liz already slammed the door on you twice, this week."
"What can I say? She's playing hard to get on the ole Flash-miester.", Flash responded, flashing a grin, before turning to Peter, behind Harry, not recognising who he was because of the boxes.
"So, what, is this like your personal bellboy or something?"
"Hardy har har, Flash...", Harry stated.
"But no. Nothing like that. I finally got myself a roomie."
At that moment, the boxes in Peter's hands went flying, as he fell back, landing right under the falling clothes and picture frames. Flash looked down, a look of amusement coming on his face that instantly faded, as he realised who Harry's roommate really was.
"...Parker?"
Peter looked up, with an embarassed smile on his face, as he waved.
"Uh... hiya, Flash.", Peter greeted.
"What's new?"
Flash simply stared down, his cheerful demeanor now replaced with an annoyed one, as he looked over at Harry.
"Yeah, I'm gonna now. I'll call you later, Harry."
"Uh... yeah. Sure thing, Flash.", Harry uneasily said, as Flash walked off, before turning to Peter as he stood up.
"Sorry about that, Pete.", Harry stated.
"Hopefully you won't remember this as your first memory at ESU."
Peter shrugged, looking off as he began to gather his things.
"Don't worry about it, Harry.", Peter responded.
"I guess some things just never change."
Hours later, Peter had set up some of his things in his side of the dormroom. Harry was out partying with some of his friends, a crowd of which Peter never felt he had really belonged to, and vice versa, which left Peter alone to think for the first time, that day. Hunched over on his bed, Peter looked to the side, as the first item Peter had unpacked was staring him right in the face: A photograph of him, his Aunt May, and Uncle Ben, from when he was a boy. Peter grabbed the photograph, looking at it closer, before sighing to himself. How he wished that he could still live in that time.
But... he couldn't. And it was probably best that he didn't. Because today was a new day for Peter, and perhaps the first chapter of the rest of his life. But as Peter placed the photograph back on his sidedesk, and looked out at the relatively still unpacked room, a new priority faced him. A goal of which he had decided on earlier in the week, but had forgotten about until now. Getting up from the bed, and walking over to one of the boxes, Peter looked over, making sure the door was locked, before removing a box that was stacked upon another, unmarked one. Opening the unmarked box, Peter walked over with it in hand, and placed it on his bed.
Digging through it, pulling out various art supplies and other random items, Peter finally rested his fingertips upon the cloth inside. Pulling it out, Peter's eyes rested on a crimson and dark blue bodysuit within, as it stretched out and revealed itself in it's entirety upon Peter's tug. The top half, which was the red half, had a prominent web-like design upon it, with the chest covered by an overlapping, three demensional spider-logo. Peter stared at it, long and hard, before throwing it over his shoulder, along with other pieces of the outfit, before grabbing his coat, hiding it within, and walking out of the room.
Tonight, Peter Parker would leave that dorm room an unresponsible boy, grieving over the loss of a father figure that had been unrightfully taken from this world. But Peter would come back to that dorm a responsible man, finally setting a true purpose in his life in honor of both his uncle, and the heroes that had come before him. Tonight... Peter would take responsibility for his mistakes, and make them into something better. Something purer. Something with a great power. Because with great power, came great responsibility.
"Well... here goes nothing."
Thunder cracked atop the skyline of New York City, as a figure stood amongst the pouring rain, crouched like it were a human sized spider. It stood vigilant, silent... unmoving amongst the harsh weather conditions that threatened it. A flash of lightning revealed it's face, as the determined face of Peter Parker stared out across the Manhattan view, preparing to enter that area in a most unusual manner. Peter looked over, the rain blanketing his hair and nose like the day he had said goodbye to Ben Parker. He stared at his own reflection that was cast into the window of the skyscraper to his right, for a long moment. As if he were saying goodbye to a near and dear old friend. But the truth was... he was saying goodbye to himself, and the life he had been accustomed to up until Ben's passing.
Reaching up, with a heavy sigh, Peter pulled down on a piece of cloth that rested atop his head, as a fully face mask covered him, completing the costume he was adorned in. Giant, bug-like eyes stared out at him now, as he said hello to his new self. And his ultimate responsibility.
"This is for you, Uncle Ben..."
"The first day of the rest of my life."
