Peter

Did you know that Britain's Secret Intelligence Service once hacked a terrorist organization and replaced their bomb instructions with a cupcake recipe, effectively thwarting their plans?

Mr. Insomniac

What?

Peter

They called it Operation Cupcake

If you don't know what cupcakes are...

Imma disown you

Mr. Insomniac

Isn't it the other way around?

The dad disowns the sun

Peter

*son

Get ya grammar right

Awww....

You called me you're sun

I'm touched

Truly

Mr. Insomniac

(╯ᗒ╭∩╮ᗕ）╯︵ ┻━┻

What are you even doing up this late?

Peter

Do you even know teenagers?

Mr. Insomniac

Yes?

Peter

Pffft

Mr. Insomniac

Let me rephrase

Why are you texting me this late?

Peter

I'm bored

Mr. Insomniac

Then go to bed

Peter

I can't

Mr. Insomniac

Why not?

Peter

I'm at ... work

Mr. Insomniac

Where do you work?

Peter

Ummm

I volunteer there

Mr. Insomniac

That didn't answer my question

Peter

Oops, gtg

Bye!

Mr. Insomniac

Hey!

Are you avoiding my question?

Kid

Kid

>:(

I turn off the phone and tuck it back into my pocket. I lay on my back and let out a sigh, gazing at the stars above me. The peaceful silence is broken a minute later.

"I'm surprised your secret identity hasn't been blown. You're really bad at keeping it." FABAE states, humor lacing her voice.

"Hey! I'm offended!"

"You deserve it."

I roll my eyes, "Wow, thanks."

"You're welcome Peter. I can't lie to my son."

"Did you just call me your son? I can't tell if I am creeped out or touched."

"Your body language suggests that you are touched. And yes Peter, I consider you my son."

I smile, "I'm glad I created you FABAE."

"Same here Peter."

I lie there and just listen to the familiar sounds of the city, waiting to hear if someone needs my help. After a few minutes of peacefulness, I stand up and swing home. I climb through my window, change into comfy PJ's, say goodnight to May, and climb in bed. I drift off wondering how the test tomorrow will go.

*-*-*-*-*-*

I wake up in the morning to my alarm going off. I sleepily reach over to turn it off, hitting it with too much force. I wince as I listen to the clock break. Ugh. I'm going to have to fix it again. Of course, it would be more logical to use my phone alarm, but Uncle Ben gave me this alarm clock, and I'm not ready to get rid of it yet. Besides, fixing it up regularly is a good little exercise.

After showering I unplug my phone and head downstairs, pouring some cereal into a bowl. I pull out my phone and start eating. I notice a few unread texts from Mr. Insomniac. Curious, I open them.

Mr. Insomniac

Kid, I went to hack your phone and I couldn't!

I couldn't hack you!

And its ME we're talking about!

Peter

Okay, thats just plain creepy.

If I didn't know you like I do now, I would be a lot more creeped out than I am right now

And ha! You deserve to be stopped

I value my privacy and I am glad to know that my coding works.

Mr. Insomniac

But but...

How?

You're just a high schooler

Peter

Ouch!

Just cause I'm a high schooler doesn't mean I can't be smart

I could be a superhero and you wouldn't even know it

And I could be a genius

Mr. Insomniac

If you told me you could be a genius yesterday I would have scoffed at you

But now...

I couldn't hack you!

Peter

Haven't we already established that?

Mr. Insomniac

Yes

Doesn't mean it's any more believable

Hey kid?

Peter

Yeah?

Mr. Insomniac

Don't you have that test today?

Peter

Yeah

Mr. Insomniac

Good luck kid.

You'll do great

Peter

Thanks even though those are lies

Mr. Insomniac

You need more self confidence kid

Peter

....

I finish up my cereal, grab my stuff, and head to the subway. I manage to walk into my History class just as the bell rings. Right after this, I head to my math class and start the mysterious test.

I somehow make it through History, glancing at the clock every five minutes, and then manage to sit down at my desk in math without face planting. I jiggle my leg nervously as the teacher picks up the stack of papers and starts passing them out. When a copy of the test lands on my desk I snatch it up and flip through it.

There's a wide variety of questions ranging from math to all the fields of science. The difficulty of the questions also vary, although looking at the test, all of the questions seem simpler than I expected. I decide to start at the beginning and end up quickly making my way through the test. As I get to the last page the questions morph from school subjects to questions like "What are your goals in life" and "What is your greatest accomplishment." I think about my answers before writing them down, but pause as I reach the last one: "How can I best make a difference in this world?"

My pencil hovers over the paper. I can't talk about my Spider-Manning. What am I outside of Spider-Man? Puny little orphan Peter Parker. I frown. Will the differences I make in the world really matter?

I divert my train of thought to the good things that I do. I help others, love my friends and family, and hope to go to a good college. We don't have to make one big difference. Small differences over time often matter more. I smile as I organize my thoughts before starting to write:

People tend to think that you can best make a difference by doing something huge. But often the best and biggest differences and impacts you can make on the world and those around you are the small and consistent things. Every day I seek to lift those up around me, which I feel is the best thing that I could ever do. I have found that the formula of life is W / GP ⇒ GR. With that in mind every day, I am able to make better decisions that will help me impact the world by helping those around me. We must focus on others rather than believing that we are the center of the universe.

I put down my pencil and flip the test back over to the first page. I double check then triple check my answers, doubting what I wrote on the last one. I decide that there's nothing else I can do and stand to turn my test in. Once I stand up, everyone swivels to stare at me. I'm confused for a second until I realize that I'm the first one to turn their test in. I glance at the clock to find that I still have an hour and a half before we will be let out for lunch.

I duck my head and walk to the front of the classroom, blushing in embarrassment the whole way. When I hand my test to my math teacher she looks at me and whispers, "I knew you'd do great. I have no doubt you'll get in." I smile at her before pivoting around and heading back to my seat. What did she mean by 'get in?' What is this test for? 

I pull out my homework from my other classes and start to work on it. Within an hour, I had finished everything I had been assigned. I lay my head on my desk and close my eyes.

I jerk awake when the bell rings and walk to the lunch room. I sit at our normal table and wait for MJ and Ned to sit down. They appear from around the corner with their lunch trays and slide them next to me.

Ned sits down excitingly and starts rapidly firing off questions, "Hey dude! What'd you think about the test? It was different from a usual test. What do you think it's for?"

I laugh and hold up my hands, "Whoa whoa whoa. Slow down there. I can't answer all of your questions at once, much less remember them!"

MJ looks up from her book, a rare sight, "Yeah, I don't know how the characters in books can remember all of the questions like that and then answer them like 'Yes, no, maybe, no, and I would love too.' Is that even humanly possible?"

I chuckle at her little rant and ask Ned to repeat his questions before I can answer them, "I agree that the test was different. I wonder what it is for. How do you think you did?"

"I hope I did pretty good. I know that I didn't do as good as you! I know you did amazing!"

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" I exclaim.

I feel someone smack the back of my head with a book. I turn around to see MJ glaring at me, "You need more self confidence."

"I'm apparently told that a lot." I grumble.

Tony's POV:

After waking up in my lab from my coffee coma, I think for a moment before making up my mind. Who cares about personal privacy? Pffttt! I'm not betraying my Kid's trust or anything! Right? Right?

I rub my hand down my face groaning. I just need to know.... I huff and spin around in my chair towards the computer, "FRIDAY, track this number and give me all the info you get."

"Yes, sir."

I stand up and walk over to a whiteboard covered in mathematics. I've been trying to figure out this equation for weeks, and it just isn't clicking with me. After a while of frustration and dead ends I decide to take a break from that and work on upgrading my repulsors. About an hour later I am snapped out of my concentration when FRIDAY's voice speaks over the AC/DC music playing from the speakers, "Boss, I am unable to hack into the number you gave me. I have no information to report."

I spin around, shocked, "What?!"

"I was unable to ha-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I heard you the first time." I roll my chair across the room to one of the more advanced computers. I pull up the code and stare at it. This is one of the most complicated security systems I have ever seen. Scratch that, this is the most complicated security system I have ever seen, "Okay, FRIDAY, I'm going to try this on my own."

"Okay, I am rerouting all of my progress to that computer."

"Thanks Fri." The computer screen changes and my eyebrows go up, "This is all of the progress you were able to make?"

"Yes Boss."

"This is barely anything!"

"Yes Boss."

Pride swells in my chest for this Kid, "Okay FRIDAY, wish me luck."

"Good luck."

Three hours later I hit my head against the desk repeatedly and sigh in defeat, "How?!"

FRIDAY answers, "He is smarter than you."

I groan, "Thanks so much."

"Just answering honestly Boss."

I glance at the clock: 7:00. If my Kid, er, the Kid lives nearby then he should either be up, or getting up soon, for school.

I pull out my phone and text him

Tony

Kid, I went to hack your phone and I couldn't!

I couldn't hack you!

And its ME we're talking about!

Natasha's POV:

Tony's been acting strange the past couple days. He actually is coming out of his lab more than once or twice a week and he smiles more. Honestly, it makes me really happy to see Tony this way, but my curiosity has spiked and I can't get rid of it. Come on! I'm a spy for crying out loud! I absolutely hate being out of the loop.

I keep a close eye on him, trying to figure out what changed. I haven't seen him in a while so I decide to pay him a visit. When I walk into his lab unannounced I catch him smiling like a maniac at his phone.

"Boss, Scary Russian Spider has entered."

Tony doesn't respond. He just keeps typing away on his phone. Now I absolutely need to know what's going on. I purposefully sneak up on him and slap my hand on his shoulder, scaring him.

He jumps and quickly turns his phone over so that he sets it down with the screen facing the table, "What the... Nat! What are you doing here?"

"Tony, I've been here for at least a few minutes."

"Well, what do you need?"

"It's lunch time."

Tony looks at me suspiciously, "You came all the way down here for that? You never come down here to tell me it's lunch."

I think fast, "Who says I just came to tell you it's lunch?"

He looks at me confused, "What?"

"You need to get out of the lab Tony," I say right before I grab him by the ear and pull him into a standing position.

"Ow ow ow!" He yelps like the little man-child he is, "Let go of me Nat."

I spin him around to face me and shoot him my death glare. His eyes grow slightly and he holds his hands up next to his head, "Okay okay. Just let me-"

He goes to grab his phone but I latch my hand on his arm and spin him around to face the door again, "Nope nope nope. You've been down here far too long."

"But-"

"No! You are coming whether you want to or not. Do you know how many ways you can knock someone out with just one finger?"

"Er, no."

"Do you want a demonstration then?"

"I'm good."

"Good." I push him towards the elevator and step inside with him, pressing the button for the Penthouse. The elevator dings and we step off and head towards the kitchen. Steve turns around, an apron tied around his waist, "Great timing. I just finished making lunch."

I guide Tony to one of the stools, "Sit." He doesn't need to be told twice.

I turn to Steve and point at Tony, "Don't let him leave that chair until he has eaten and has had a decent conversation with someone other than FRIDAY. Got it?"

Steve nods his head, "Yes ma'am."

"Good. I'm going to blow off some steam before eating." With that said, I stalk to the elevator and step in. Once the doors are shut I say, "Please take me to Tony's lab FRIDAY."

"Yes Scary Russain Spider."

I give the ceiling a glare. I will have to talk to Tony about that new nickname.

When the elevator opens I rush to his lab, my curiosity getting the better of me. I pick up his phone, "Um, FRIDAY?"

"Yes?"

"Are you willing to give me Tony's passcode?"

There is a pause, "My programming does not specify that I can not give you Tony's passcode."

"So is that a yes?"

"Only if you promise to never use it again or share it with anyone else."

I only need a brief moment of consideration before I answer, "I promise."

"It's 2940683."

"Thanks Fri!"

"No problem."

I open his messages and look at the person who he last talked to. Who's 'Sun'?

I skim through his messages with them and smile. I already like this kid.

I pull out my phone and quickly add him to my contacts. I replace Tony's phone where I got it and decide to hide in my room while I finally do what all of this has been for: text Sun.

Natasha

Is this Sun?