"Tony Stark. He needs to see me. It's important."
"More important than school?" MJ looked skeptical.
"Yes. Trust me. I'll explain later." Peter glanced around. Made sure no one was listening. "Practice your control today. Try not to break anything. I'll teach you proper techniques this afternoon."
"Peter," Gwen said quietly. "Are you in trouble? Is something wrong?"
"No. Just opportunities. Big ones. I'll tell you everything later. Promise."
He left before they could ask more questions. Walked out of Midtown High like he belonged there. Confident. Purposeful. No one stopped him.
Outside, Peter looked around. Made sure no one was watching. Then he jumped. Straight up. Grabbed a fire escape. Climbed to the roof.
Manhattan stretched out before him. Stark Tower visible in the distance. Tall. Gleaming. Iconic.
'I could swing there,' Peter thought. 'Test my abilities properly. But I don't have web-shooters yet. Just the natural adhesion.'
He ran across rooftops instead. Jumped between buildings. His enhanced strength and agility made it effortless. The city became a playground. Obstacles became stepping stones.
Whoosh!
Peter launched himself across a three-story gap. Landed smoothly. Kept running. His spider-sense guided him. Warned him of dangers. Helped him find the optimal path.
People below never looked up. Never noticed the teenager running across rooftops like gravity was optional. New Yorkers were too focused on their own lives to notice impossible things happening above them.
Peter reached Stark Tower in twelve minutes. Came down a service ladder. Entered through the main lobby looking completely normal.
The receptionist recognized him from before. "Mr. Parker. Mr. Stark is expecting you. Top floor. Private elevator."
Peter took the indicated elevator. It moved smoothly upward. Counting floors. Passing through the heart of one of the most advanced buildings in the world.
The doors opened. Peter stepped out into Tony Stark's personal workshop.
---
*Tony's Workshop. 11:28 AM.*
The space was chaos and genius combined. Workbenches covered with components. Holographic displays showing complex schematics. Robot arms moving autonomously. The smell of metal and electronics.
And in the center of it all, standing next to a partially disassembled suit of armor, was Tony Stark.
He looked different from the last time Peter had seen him. Thinner. Harder. There was a glow in his chest. Blue light visible through his shirt.
The arc reactor. Keeping him alive. Powering his heart.
Tony looked up. Saw Peter. Grinned. "Kid. You made it. Good. We've got work to do."
Peter approached slowly. His eyes took in everything. The Mark I armor pieces scattered on a table. Crude. Functional. Built in a cave with scraps.
The Mark II armor partially assembled nearby. Sleek. Advanced. The evolution of the concept.
"You built it," Peter said. "In Afghanistan. You actually built it."
"Had to. Terrorists wanted weapons. I gave them an escape vehicle instead." Tony's grin turned sharp. "Your designs helped. The heat dissipation system. The power redundancy. Saved my ass more than once."
"I'm glad they were useful."
"Useful." Tony laughed. "Kid, they were revolutionary. I had three different power failures during the escape. Each time, your backup systems kicked in. Kept me alive. Kept me flying." He gestured to the arc reactor in his chest. "This thing. This is based on your miniaturization concepts. I couldn't have built it without your input."
Peter felt a strange mix of emotions. Pride. Guilt. Satisfaction. He'd changed the timeline. Made Tony's escape easier. But he'd also accelerated everything.
"So what do you need from me now?" Peter asked.
Tony's expression turned serious. "Everything. I need your brain. Your insights. Your complete lack of giving a shit about conventional thinking." He pulled up holographic displays. "I'm building something. Not just a suit. A system. A way to protect people. To make a difference."
"So you want to be a hero in an Iron Suit? You'll be called Iron Man... probably," Peter said quietly.
Tony's eyes sharpened. "I haven't told anyone that name. How could you guess it so easily?"
"It's obvious. A man in an iron suit. Iron Man. Simple. Direct. Memorable."
"Huh." Tony processed that. "Yeah. Okay. Iron Man. I like it. Better than what Rhodey suggested."
"What did he suggest?"
"Tin Man. Asshole." Tony zoomed in on the suit designs. "Point is, I need help. This armor is good. But it can be better. Faster. Stronger. More efficient. And you're the person who can make that happen."
Peter studied the schematics. His enhanced Mind processed them instantly. Saw the flaws. The inefficiencies. The potential improvements.
"Your power distribution is still sub-optimal," Peter said. "You're losing 23% of your reactor output to heat and resistance. And your flight stabilization system is going to cause problems at high altitude."
"I know," Tony admitted. "That's why you're here. Fix it."
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