New Identity ~ MCU/SWCW Story

//Chapter Twenty-Eight//

I realize that stopping midway through my editing of the previous paragraphs meant that the scene of Peter discovering Ashley's powers has not yet been include. I apologize for that misunderstanding. For now, please just accept that Peter knows. In the mean time, please enjoy this chapter.

    "You think my daughter is a what??"

    The unbelieving tone in Bethany's voice failed to hamper Peter's confidence. Admittedly, his proposal probably sounded immature and improbable to anyone besides Ned and himself, but he was positive now. The longer he pondered the topic, the more he realized he had failed to pick up on. Every peculiar thing he had discovered about Ashley previously correlated directly with his discovery.

    Ashley was absolutely a Jedi. There was no doubt about it now. She wasn't just your typical, run-of-the-mill Jedi either.

    She was strong. Incredibly strong. So strong, in fact, that he found it a bit unnerving.

    The real question, though, was what Ashley was doing on Earth. From the extensive research he and Ned had conducted for 48 hours straight, there was no concrete evidence to suggest that there were any other Force-sensitive entities that existed in their universe, let alone their planet. While this initially made Peter second-guess his verdict on Ashley's identity, he eventually realized that it wasn't possible for Ashley to not be a Jedi.

    Perhaps something in the multiverse had glitched? Maybe Ashley wasn't supposed to be from this planet, or even this entire timeline.

    This theory was a long-shot and pretty unbelievable, but after the recent events of his life, Peter was beginning to think that nothing was impossible.

    "Your... daughter?" Peter echoed in confusion. He had never heard Ashley refer to Bethany as her mother or Bethany call Ashley her daughter. The dynamic he had priorly interpreted from the pair was honestly more of a mentor-mentee type relationship. While both treated each other with kindness and affection, there was a certain lack of familiarity that was found between people like himself and May.

    Bethany seemed to flush in embarrassment at her slip-up. She had never openly conveyed her true attachment and feelings towards Ashley, yet here she was expressing her sentiment like a sappy, emotional kid. Where had all of her training from the Red Room disappeared to?

    "Ashley... I mean," she corrected sharply. "But still, I don't understand how your theory is plausible. I hate to break it to you kid, but Star Wars is purely Sci-Fi."

    "Ms. Everglade, I assume that you know about Ashley's... how would you put them? Specialties?"

    Bethany nodded slowly, though a curious look washed over her features. "How are you aware of them? Did she tell you?"

    "Not... exactly. I found out on accident, and, well, she doesn't exactly realize that I discovered her abilities," Peter sheepishly admitted, thinking back to the time when he had first discovered that she was an enhanced. He still felt the same enchantment and amazement flood his emotions as he relived the memory. Of course, she always seemed to have that breath-taking, mind-muddling effect on him any time she was near, and adding supernatural abilties to the equation certainly didn't help the situation. "But either way, I know what she is capable of. Or, at least, some of it, and those skills all correlate directly to Jedi. Mind manipulation, telekinesis, enhanced strength, a sixth sense, and potentially Force echoes. Now, this discovery may not get us any closer to figuring out where she is at or who kidnapped her, but I could do some research. I experienced something called a Force echo when I went to the area she was abducted... and I think that maybe--just maybe--I could use that to learn more."