"STOP HIDING, BECK!"

     Peter shoots his webs out at one of the drones, but he misses as the drone dodges his attacks. Suddenly, their cloaking devices activated and disappeared from Peter's line of sight, encasing his surroundings in a pixelated picture. Peter didn't expect the abandoned building to shift into an illusion, trapping the boy in a world that he couldn't maneuver around. Catching his attention, Peter glanced down at his hands when the pixels warped his body, turning his black suit into his original red suit.

     "I tried to help you walk away. To take Eszter with you," Beck's voice mocked a gentle tone, irking Peter. "Now, you're making me do this." A light fell from down the hall as the lockers fell in line with a loud clatter, making Peter flinch as he stumbles back in fear of being hit. The fog began to flood the ground, but when Peter glanced up, he froze at the sight of Mysterio walking toward him. "You told me you were just a kid--" Peter tried to attack Mysterio with his webs, but the only thing that came out with green smoke. "--you told me--" Peter punches Mysterio but grunts in pain when his fist collided with a wall. Curling away, the boy cradles his throbbing hand to his chest. "--you wanted to run after that girl."

     Somewhere in the distance, there was a cry. "Peter, help me!"

     Peter's heart skips. "Eszter?"

     Determined to find her, Peter rams into the door aggressively, knocking it back. He made a noise when his feet slid near the ledge of the building; balancing backward, Peter pulls toward the building. Taking in his surroundings, Peter realized he was standing on the top of the Eiffel Tower.

     "Peter?" Eszter's trembling voice filled Peter's ears, capturing his attention. At the other end of the tower, the enhanced was balancing on the ledge as the wind whips through her hair; Peter shifts on his feet, unsure how to react because although he knew this wasn't real, he couldn't deny the panicked feeling coursing this his veins. "What's going on? I'm scared."

     Eyeing the enhanced, Peter noted the cuffs linked around her wrist, but he hadn't thought too much about it. He stared at it when he noticed it blinking with a dim light, and he recognized the way it looked; it was similar to the dampener she once wore around her neck. It was hard for Peter to dismiss the situation because he couldn't decipher the difference between what's real and what wasn't, but deep down, Peter knew Eszter wasn't real. Eszter never joined Peter on his journey to reach out to Fury and Hill because the enhanced had taken off shortly after their situation--not that Peter likes thinking about it. Much to his dismay, Eszter had inflicted her powers onto Peter against his will, putting all of their friends in danger because she couldn't control herself.

     Clearly, things between Eszter and Peter were strained--no doubt. Never had they ever been in a fight, nor has she ever used her powers against him before. This type of anger and grief was new to Peter. For as long as Peter had finally caught on, he remembered always hearing Eszter claim that she was okay but was coping in her own way; turns out, Eszter had been bottling everything up and refused to let herself feel anything. Peter felt weird being around Eszter for some reason.

     "I know this isn't real," Peter says firmly.

     When fear struck Eszter's features, Peter felt doubtful.

     Mysterio materialized from the bright moon as his helmet replaces the planet, creating a mist of green smoke that swirled around him and snagging around Eszter's neck. Gasping in a desperate cry, Eszter yanked her cuffed hand up and clutching the invisible line, kicking her legs aggressively. The enhanced panicked as her body was pulled away from the ledge and dangled over the edge.

     "Do you, though?" Beck taunts.

     She's not here. She's not here, Peter chants in his head.

     Peter was fighting with his conscience, trying to remind himself that Eszter had taken off, most likely somewhere safe; however, a part of him was screaming at him to save her.

     Mysterio cautiously examines Peter's reaction.

     "Eszter," Peter calls softly. He felt like he could save her here since he didn't back at the hotel, but he hadn't expected Mysterio to release Eszter suddenly. The enhanced screams in horror as her body was yanked down by gravity, reaching out to grab Peter. "Eszter!"

     He dove off the edge of the tower and tried to reach for the enhanced, but as she fell further away, Peter lost her in the misty green smoke. To his surprise, Peter smacks hard against the ground, and he swore he heard a loud snap in his ears, but he was numb from the pain. She wasn't real.

     "I don't think you know what's real, Peter," Beck's voice echoes. Peter stood back on his feet, but he was given any time to adjust when Beck jerks him across several buildings at the speed of light, causing a light gasp from Peter. Glancing up, Peter spotted a building with a bright neon sign, Queens, above it. Mysterio's fist shot out and knocked Peter back, sending him flying through the glass and a bed of webs. "You need to wake up!"

     Peter crashed on the roof of a car with a loud thud, creating a disgruntled noise of discomfort to escape his lips. Begrudgingly, Peter slid off and stumbled once his feet touched the ground, nearly losing his balance as his head was spinning. Even as Peter pushes past the pain, the hero trudges through his pain and forces himself to keep going. A strong feeling shot up his spine like an electric shock, making Peter jerk a bit as he stumbles on his feet, but the boy gritted his teeth and endured the pain.

     Panic was starting to settle in Peter's head as he felt lost, feeling like his brain was thrown in a blender and shredded apart; Beck had put Peter through hell and left the boy wondering what was real at this point, and even as he trudged through the abandoned lot, Peter didn't know if this was real. No plans were coming to his mind. Peter was terrified at the extent of Beck's plan, and without Eszter, the boy felt hopeless.

     His best friend--girlfriend and partner-in-crime--was no longer by his side to support him and have his back; Peter hated knowing that he and Eszter weren't on the best terms. Things have changed between them, and it wasn't for the best. His mind wandered at the thought of Eszter, and he began to wonder where she was and if she was doing slightly better than the last time Peter had seen her.

     A loud crash from behind caught Peter's attention, and when he looked back, the boy gaped at the drones flying out of the building; racing at him, Peter attempted to run away but was encased in another illusion. Large shards of glass rained from the sky and landing around Peter, who barely escaped from each.

     "I mean, look at yourself. You're just a scared little kid in a sweatsuit!"

     Peter's reflection reached out and attacked him in surprise, catching the boy off-guard. He struggled to escape, but more of them had run forward like a stampede, wrestling him. Peter could barely fight them off as they began tugging on his arms, his shoulders, and the fabric of his suit; it was happening too fast. Peter couldn't react fast enough when someone had tackled him from behind, knocking the boy to the ground. They continued to pull and yank at Peter aggressively, and the only thing the boy could do was push them away, but it felt impossible.

     However, they retreated in a flash, and Peter was sprung up on his feet, wearing the first suit he had created from the depth of his clothes--a red cut-off sweatshirt with a spider symbol, a blue sweater underneath with matching leggings that were tucked under the red socks.

     Then, large statues of the Avengers began crashing to the ground, but only one was left standing. Mysterio.

     "I created Mysterio to give the world someone to believe in. I control the truth," Beck's voice lowers an octave, but it was warped. "Mysterio is the truth." Mysterio appears behind Peter, but the boy was prepared and went in for his own attack; however, Peter hadn't expected something real to collide next to him. "If you were good enough, maybe Tony would still be alive."

      The air was stuck in the back of Peter's throat once he found himself eye-level with Tony's tombstone. His heart clenched before it felt as if it had shattered, and like a big swoop in his chest, Peter could feel his heart fall. Feeling like a disappointment to the world, Peter knew he'd never be the next Iron Man as they all want him to be--Peter could never take Tony's mantle. It was stressful and too hard for him to bear. Tony left a legacy behind that not even Spider-Man can fulfill, but the deep desire to fill those shoes is all Peter wants.

     Unexpectedly, a mechanical hand shot out from the ground and nearly clawing at Peter, but the boy shrieks in fright as he flung his body backward. Peter crawls back as fast as he could, ignoring the feeling brewing in his chest as he faced Tony's crusty suit practically chasing him. It hurt to see Iron Many after so many months of going on without him. Peter couldn't accept Tony's death.

     "Deep down, you know I'm right."

     Peter yelps as he leans his body back until it nearly touches the ground, feet still planted firmly on the ground; the boy watches a violet energy ball fly over him. Straightening his back, Peter jerks his head in the direction of where the attack had come from, but his eyes widen at the sight of his attacker.

     A young woman sent out a blast that absorbed the landing, creating a small wave of violet energy to bounce outward as her feet touched the ground. Her gaze still pointed downward, slowly with anticipation; she lifted her gaze and met Peter's. Peter stared back in horror, clamming up as he knew Beck was trying to use someone he deeply cares about against him.

     Eszter's eyes were a dangerous violet color with a terrifying look in her eyes; a desire for power and mass destruction lingers in her dark gaze. There was no sign of life in her eyes. The violet hue shimmered in her harsh stare, unlike the gentle green eyes that Peter adores. Energy orbs hum in her hands as they dangerously linger in the air, awaiting Eszter's command to cause more destruction as she pleases. The enhanced stood tall and proud, a snarl curling at her lips as her eyes narrow into a menacing stare.

     Peter could barely recognize her.

     "And let me not forget Eszter, right? I mean, she is the one with the powers to do anything, or even destroy anything," Beck began to taunt. "Why could she save Tony? Oh, right, because she's the cause of it."

     Eszter swings her arms as she releases her energy into a blast, shooting them out Peter with a loud grunt. She grits her teeth as she doesn't hold back, swinging her arms aggressively as Eszter curls her fingers with every motion. Peter would attempt to dodge them by jumping out of the way, even stepping back, but Eszter followed him; the boy could barely dodge each attack, but he wasn't going to give up.

     Peter was beginning to fear for his life and his sanity.

     The enhanced raises her hands as the violet energy mixed with a dark hue. Eszter grits her teeth as she grunts from pressure, making Peter furrow his brows in worry. Then, Eszter yanks her arms downward. It took Peter a second to register what she had done, but then he saw something tipping over him; yelping, Peter braces for the impact.

     But then, it turned to dust.

     "You made your choice, and all you and Eszter had to do was step aside. And now, you have--"

     Reality snapped into place when Beck collapsed to his knees, gasping for air when something had pierced him from behind. Peter glanced around in panic, trying to decide if this was real or not. He couldn't let himself get too excited, but when Peter found Fury and his team coming to his rescue, he couldn't be more relieved.

     "Fury!"

     "Beck's people are trying to find everyone who could expose him," Fury informs, limping closer to Peter. "Who'd you tell? Who did Eszter tell?"

     Peter stutters. "Um . . ."

     "I know you told someone. So, just tell me, who did you tell?" Fury's patience was wearing thin, but it was making Peter clam up nervously. "Who else did you tell?"

     "Just Ned and MJ from our class," Peter sputters in sheer panic, letting the guilt swim over him. "And maybe Ned told his girlfriend, Betty, but that's it."

     Fury chuckling had taken Peter back, confusing the boy as he stared at the man with wet eyes and furrowed brows. Fury shook his head in disappointment, bowing his head as he grinned to himself.

     "What?"

     "You . . . are so gullible."

     Something wasn't right. "What?" Peter repeats with a tremble in his voice.

     "I mean, you're smart as a whip. Just a--" Fury disappears as the illusions of his men, and instead, replaced with the real Beck. "--sucker. And now, all your friends have to die, and Eszter will be in a government prison."

     Then, everything happened so fast. One minute Peter was standing in front of Beck, then the next thing he knows, Eszter was standing before him and was immediately attacked. Peter dodges and takes as many steps back to get away from the enhanced, but Eszter merely steps forward as she continues to rain as many energy blasts at Peter. He was losing.

     "It's easy to fool people when they're already fooling themselves. But for what it's worth, Peter," Beck watches as Peter continued stepping back. "I really am sorry."

     Suddenly, Peter was staring back at Beck as the illusion dropped. But without a second to waste, a train zoomed by and crashed right into him.

☁︎𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬☁︎
❝ okay, so this is super short
and more of peter's pov,
so get ready for a small
chapter of eszter's pov that
takes place after this scene ;) ❞