The Butterfly Effect: a Peter Parker Fan Fic

Part 13; Bloody Memory

What if I don't want to be a hero? I want to shout at him. But I know I can't. It's better if I just keep my mouth shut.

I gulp and nod solemnly. He opens his palm, showing a small and plain gray rock. It looks like the ordinary rock you see on the sidewalk and kick around... if it weren't for the miniscule hole in the centre, showing a vibrant and glowing red stone inside. "This is her's," he tells me.

It resembles the rock from the memory I relived exactly. I'm too scared to touch it. "That's what gave her her powers," I say incredulously.

"How do you know? What did you even do? What can you even do?" he asks.

My arms drop from cradling my legs and he stands up, offering me his hand. I take it and bask in his strong grip. "Well, normally I can say... deceive people. I can make them see things that aren't really there," I reach into his mind quickly and a swarm of blue butterflies fly out from behind me, "like that. I call it the butterfly effect."

The eyes on his mask widen in awe and he looks around. I clap and they disappear within the blink of an eye. "That's awesome!" he gasps in awe. A small laugh comes out of my mouth. My amusement by this young adult seeming as shocked as a young child would be is made clear. He tilts his head, "but what about before?"

"That's new," I run a hand through my hand, "I don't know how I did it, but she was strong, forcing me back. I'm strong enough to fight her physically, but mentally?"

"What was it exactly?" he asks quietly.

"I think..." I chuckle incredulously, "I think I relived one of Mary's memories."

At school the next day, the talks of The Butterfly were viral and all anyone could talk about. I mean, I did save a real life hero to them so I'm not surprised by the sudden appreciation. If only I could be shown the same around here.

The same thing happened on Tuesday.

And Wednesday.

And now it's Thursday.

"Hey Raven," MJ approaches me.

I smile, "hey MJ."

"So Peter told me how you helped me out at the party on Saturday," she fidgets with a strand of hair, "so I just wanted to thank you."

"You'd do the same for me."

She gives me a small nod and gestures towards our first period class. "You coming to Calc?"

"Yeah," I say and turn back to quickly zip up my bag and shut my locker. I walk with her tall figure towering over me towards the classroom.

As we walk, a group of friends share video footage of the fight on their phones and talk hurriedly between their group. "This butterfly stuff is hectic, hey?" MJ laughs.

"I suppose," I shrug and then add, "I mean she did pretty good to save Spider-Man."

She frowns, "I dunno. Spider-Man has always seemed like a weak little dude to me. Like compared to big Tony Stark and Captain America, he's like a twig."

A flashback to seeing Spider-Boy's biceps bulge out from underneath his suit passes through my mind. Like a twig, my ass! "I guess you're right," what a lie!

MJ walks in front of me and the bell sounds as soon as I step foot into the classroom. Pinell points an accusing finger at me, "you're late!"

I scrunch my nose, appalled. "The bell is still going!" I snap back.

"Did you just talk back to me?!" he growls angrily, "that's it. Detention at lunch."

My brow furrows and the students cover their snickers with their hands. MJ exchanges a look with me as if to say what the hell is his problem? I huff and storm over to sit next to her. "Ms Garcia," the high-pitched voice says from behind me tauntingly. I snap my head around to see him gleefully grinning and gesturing to the seat right in front of him with his hand, "your seat is right here."