a spider trapped on a cherry tree

Chapter 1 - To Embark on a New Adventure - Part 1 (Aoi)

Insert song: One Republic - Rescue Me

The warning Peter said to me on the phone was right. I should tell my parents about my hidden acts since way before. But every time I tried to do it, my bladder went off. I could imagine how their faces would be like when they heard about it. And in my vision, it wasn't the good kind of expression. I've promised Peter I'd tell them before he landed on Sunday. It was two hours before he arrived. I finally slapped my fear away and was ready to reveal everything.

"Mom! Can I tell you something?" I called her, "It's kind of important."

"How important?" she replied from the kitchen.

"Uh... As important as me coming out last time?" I tried to find something extreme to compare.

My mom didn't respond for some time. It made me sweat hard.

"Hold it. I'm turning off the stove," she said.

She went out of the kitchen, hanged her apron, and sat on the chair in front of me.

"Is it about your school? Did you decide not to continue?" she asked, "It's okay. You can learn anything else."

"No. Although, I do have something to say about it too," I answered.

"Hm. What else is there?" she thought for a while then gasped, "Did you get someone pregnant?"

"NO! I haven't even done anything close to it with a guy yet."

"Oh. So what is it?"

"You're aware of the Stark Internship Program, right?"

"Yeah," her face suddenly turned somber, "Oh, sweetie. It's fine if you lost it. I know it's important to you and-"

"It's not that!" I cut her short, "It's... It's not actually an internship. There's no internship involved at all."

"But Tony Stark came here," she didn't believe me.

"Yes. To cover the fact of me...," I hesitated, "... joining the Avengers."

"Wow. You became a secret agent of some sort?" she was stunned, "I can't see it. You barely could lift your luggage by yourself."

"Rude, but you're right. It's not as an agent or physically demanding stuff," I continued, "I'm.... secretly... a mutant."

"Huh?"

"You must be aware of the Blue Kitsune? The one who took the place of Webs... I mean Spider-Man?"

"Yeah?" she put two and two together, "You're Blue Kitsune?"

"I'm sorry," I bowed as deep as I can, "I'm sorry I've kept it from you for two years, no, it's actually three years now."

"Wait. I can't be the only one who should discuss this with you," my mom stood from her seat.

"Are you mad at me? I swear I've been wanting to tell you," I reasoned.

"Just wait, child," she told me.

"A-Alright..."

I followed everything she did. She went to the mini version of a haiden put on top of a drawer, which is always peculiar in the first place. I never knew why my parents have it for. She performed a prayer ritual, as to how people do it at the actual one, drop a coin, ring the bell, bow, clap hands twice, offer a prayer, and bow again. I thought she was doing it so she would be composed and not lose her temper. I found it weird, but as long as I wouldn't get chewed off, I stayed quiet.

"He'll be here in any seconds," she sat back on the chair.

"Who?"

Suddenly, dad appeared from nowhere. He was finishing up the onigiri on his hand and threw the wrapper into the trash can.