Illuminant [Marvel]

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of the TV in the living room. My mom was glued to the screen, she was not moving an inch.

I rolled out of bed, stretching lazily. My stunt must've been making waves in the news.

Walking into the living room, I spotted Mom sipping her coffee, her eyes locked on the screen.

"Reports of a new vigilante are sweeping across New York," the anchor announced. The footage cuts to the jewelry store, with a cop giving a statement. 'He was in casuals and had a mask on his face real bright when we arrived, and after giving us a monologue, he just disappeared.'

"This individual was unlike anything we've seen," the officer said. "They neutralized the suspects with ease, used some kind of... light manipulation. It's not Spider-Man, but whoever they are, they're incredibly powerful."

"Light manipulation? Seems awkwardly familiar, as if my son has the same power?" She said, sarcastically.

"Come on, Mom," I said. "Do I look like someone who'd run around in a casuals, fighting bad guys? I can barely make it to school on time."

She was not convinced. "Well, considering you can manipulate light just like the guy on TV, I wouldn't put it past you. And 'barely making it to school on time' doesn't really mean much when you could get there in the blink of an eye, Franklin."

"Mom, you're giving me way too much credit. If I had time to roam as a vigilante, don't you think I'd be doing something cooler? Like, I don't know, stopping alien invasions or something?"

She sipped her coffee. "Oh, so you're saying this isn't cool? Saving lives, stopping robberies? Sounds pretty 'cool' to me."

"Sure, for someone who has nothing better to do," I said, shrugging. "But me? Nah. I've got school, and homework."

"Annoying, huh?" she said, setting her mug down. "Alright, Franklin, I'll play along. Just remember, if I find out you've been out there risking your neck, I'm grounding you. Powers or not."

Nah, she can't. "Also what about your school; project? You were late today because of that, right?" I heard.

"Uh, yeah, the project. You know, history paper on, uh... the Industrial Revolution. Super interesting stuff, I was so hooked that I didn't wanna leave."

"The Industrial Revolution, huh? Funny, because last week you said it was a group project on World War II."

Shit, I know I'm done. Busted. "Oh, right! That was last week. This week, new topic. Teachers love keeping us on our toes, you know?"

"Franklin, you were never good at Drama."

"Drama? I'm a natural," I said, trying to sound confident but failing miserably.

She raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a smirk. "Sure you are. That's why your excuses are about as believable as a soap opera plot."

"Come on, Mom," I groaned, throwing my hands up. "Cut me some slack. I'm trying here!"

She crossed her arms, clearly not buying it. "Franklin, I don't need to be a superhero to know when my son is up to something. You can't even keep your own stories straight."

I opened my mouth to argue but then shut it. She had a point. I wasn't exactly winning any awards for subtlety.

"Fine," I said, plopping onto the couch. "You caught me. No history project. I was hanging out with... Peter, Peter Parker, y'know him?"

"Drama? I'm a natural," I said, trying to sound confident but failing miserably.

She raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a smirk. "Sure you are. That's why your excuses are about as believable as a soap opera plot."

"Come on, Mom," I groaned, throwing my hands up. "Cut me some slack. I'm trying here!"

She crossed her arms, clearly not buying it. "Franklin, I don't need to be a superhero to know when my son is up to something. You can't even keep your own stories straight."

I opened my mouth to argue but then shut it. She had a point. I wasn't exactly winning any awards for subtlety, or am I?

"Fine," I said. "You caught me. No history project. I was hanging out with... Peter, Peter Parker, y'know him?"

"Peter Parker? Isn't he that sweet, awkward kid with the science trophies? Smart kid." 

"Yes! Exactly that guy." I told her.

 "We were just going over some science stuff. You know, molecules and... physics. Real nerdy, boring stuff. You wouldn't be interested." I was putting myself in a deeper pit.

She didn't look convinced. "So, let me get this straight-you were working on 'molecules' with Peter Parker late at night?"

"Yeah, well, you know how he is. Always gets inspired at the weirdest hours. I couldn't just say no; he'd probably build a time machine or something."

"Okay, that's enough. I'll talk to you later. Now get ready for school, " she told me as she sat on the couch.

"Today's Sunday," I told her.

[Third P.O.V]

"Light manipulation, huh?" Fury muttered to himself. 

Fury leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping against the armrest. "Time to find out who's playing hero in my city."

The kid had no formal training, but the way they controlled the situation—it was too calculated.

Maria Hill walked in, "We've got a potential lead," she said, handing him a file. "Came through the network this morning. A report from Midtown High about a student with... unique abilities. Name's Franklin Rogers, but there's a connection to one of the earlier incidents."

Fury glanced at the file. "Franklin, huh? What's the deal?"

"The kid's got powers, no doubt," Hill continued. "But the way he handled that heist... it wasn't just instinct. It was organized. I mean, we're talking about light manipulation and not just the basic stuff we've seen before. He knows what he's doing."

Fury studied the files. "He's good. But no formal training, you said?"

"Not a hint of it. Just seems to… know what works," Maria answered. "We've got another report on his class schedule. Apparently, he spends a lot of time daydreaming during class. But something doesn't add up. A kid this powerful wouldn't be content just playing around."

Fury nodded. "That's the thing about kids with powers—they think they know it all until something comes along that pushes them."

He looked at the file again, scanning Franklin's background. "And NO one knows about this kid's family?"

Maria flipped through another page, shaking her head. "Nope. Nothing major, though there is a little something. His mother, Margaret Rogers, works in an office job, pretty standard stuff. She seems to keep an eye on him—keeps him grounded, so to speak."

Fury's fingers hovered over the file for a moment, then he put it down. "I want a team on this. Keep an eye on Rogers. If he's who I think he is, we'll need to bring him in before someone else does."

Hill nodded. "Understood."

"Make sure no one gets too close," Fury continued. "I don't want him to panic."

Maria didn't need any more explanation. She knew exactly what Fury was thinking. A kid with abilities like Franklin's could be a game-changer. But if they weren't careful, he could also become a problem.

[First P.O.V]

"Franklin?" The teacher's voice snapped me back to reality. "Care to share your thoughts on the Industrial Revolution?"

I blinked, realizing everyone was staring at me. My mind scrambled for an answer. "Uh, yeah... the Industrial Revolution was, uh, pretty... revolutionary, you know? It changed a lot of stuff. Machines, factories... big impact."

"Right. Glad to see you're paying attention."

"You know about that new vigilante?" Who is that trying to make short talk? I looked around, it was Peter. He was sitting behind me.

"Yeah, I heard," I muttered. "Crazy, right? Some guy in casual clothes, fighting bad guys like it's no big deal."

"Do you think it could be someone we know? I mean, New York's full of crazy stuff, but this is… different."

"Could be anyone," I said quickly, not wanting to get too deep into it. "I wouldn't put too much stock in it. People talk about heroes like they're the next big thing, but this city's full of surprises."

Peter was looking at me like he knew there was more to the story than I was letting on, but I didn't have time to explain. Not with Ned sitting beside him, clearly eavesdropping.

Ned leaned over to Peter and whispered loudly enough for me to hear, "You really think it's someone we know? Like, one of us?"

"I mean, come on, Ned," I muttered. "Anyone could be out there doing the whole vigilante thing. It doesn't mean it's someone from school."

Walking out of the classroom, I saw a group of students gathered by the lockers, chatting about the vigilante. They seemed to be getting all hyped up about it, and I couldn't help but think how ridiculous it all was. 

Peter caught up to me again, lowering his voice this time. "Franklin... about yesterday, I… I know you know, but you've gotta keep this under wraps. This isn't just some joke. I can't have everyone knowing about me, alright?"

I stopped and turned to face him, throwing my bag over my shoulder. "I wasn't planning on telling anyone, Peter. Relax. You don't need to keep stressing over it. Anyway, you know about those guys out on that building looking at me with binoculars since morning? They seem to be spies and shit." I asked him.

"Spies? I don't know man, they could be tourists or something." Peter asked me.

"Maybe they are some randoms, or some secret organization trying to recruit me." I told him.

"Why would they wanna recruit you?" Peter asked me.

"Because I'm the new vigilante."

"Wait, hold up," Peter said, glancing over his shoulder, then back at me. "You mean... you're the one that everyone's talking about? The vigilante with the light powers?"

I sighed and shrugged. "Yeah, Peter. I've got people watching me. Not just regular people, either—there's something off about these guys. They're too... focused, too organized. If they're just tourists, then they're doing a hell of a job pretending."

"So, what, you think someone's hunting you down because you're a vigilante now?"

"Could be," I replied, looking over at the group of students still talking about the new hero. They had no idea who they were gossiping about. "Or maybe they want to recruit me. Either way, they're keeping an eye on me."

Peter ran a hand through his hair, looking uncomfortable. "This is... a lot, Franklin. I mean, I've been there, you know? With the whole... Spider-Man thing. But this? This is different. My powers are science, yours are literally magic."

"Magic? Nah, science. Wanna do some interrogation?" I asked him. "Act normal."

"Interrogation? What, you think we can just stroll up to these guys and start asking questions? 'Hey, why are you spying on Franklin?' Real subtle."

"Subtlety's overrated," I said, trying to keep things...light. "Besides, you're Spider-Man. You're used to being sneaky. We could totally pull it off."

"Franklin, this isn't a joke. If they're really after you or us-you don't just walk into situations like this. You plan. You think."

"Plan?" I raised an eyebrow. "Okay, Mr. Friendly Neighborhood Vigilante, what's the plan, then? Sit around and wait for them to make their move?"

Peter rubbed the back of his neck, glancing slightly toward the building where I'd noticed the binoculars earlier. "Look, if they're watching you, then maybe it's better if we wait and see what they do next. Figure out who they are without tipping them off." 

"Nah, I'mma do my own thing," I told as I caught his hand. In an instant we both were behind the guy.

Peter barely had time to react before we were suddenly behind the guy with the binoculars. He stumbled back, eyes wide, dropping the device in shock.

"Whoa, whoa!" Peter hissed, yanking his arm free. "A little warning next time, Franklin!"

The man we appeared behind—a middle-aged guy in a nondescript black jacket—froze for a moment before fumbling for something in his pocket. I was quicker. With a flick of my wrist, a small burst of light flared in his face, disorienting him just enough to stop him from pulling out whatever it was.

"Relax," I said, stepping closer. "We're just here to talk. Unless, of course, you're not up for a little conversation?"

"Wh-who are you?!" the man stammered, shielding his eyes from the residual glow.

"Wrong question," Peter said, stepping forward, his voice calm but firm. "The real question is, who are you? And why are you watching him?"

The man looked between us, clearly trying to figure out his next move. "I... I don't know what you're talking about," he said, his voice shaky.

I crouched slightly, getting on his level. "Look, I could light up your day or night real fast. But I'm feeling generous. So, how about we skip the part where you lie and get straight to the truth?"

The man hesitated, then sighed, realizing he was cornered. "Alright, alright! My name's Agent Carson. I'm with SHIELD."

"SHIELD?" Peter and I said in unison.

Carson nodded. "Yeah. We were monitoring you, Franklin. You showed up on our radar after the jewelry store incident. Director Fury wants to talk to you."

"Fury?" Peter whispered. "Oh man, Franklin, you're in deep."

"Yeah, no kidding," I muttered, crossing my arms. "And what if I don't feel like talking to Fury?"

"Look, kid, this isn't optional. Fury thinks you're a potential asset. You're not the only one out there with powers, but yours are... unique. You've got a choice; come with us willingly, or... well, let's not go there."

"Spidey, you got connections with the Avengers, right? How about you do me a favor?" I asked him.

Peter's eyes widened at my suggestion. "Whoa, whoa, hold on. A favor? What kind of favor are we talking about, exactly? Because if this involves Fury and the Avengers... you don't just call them up like it's pizza delivery."

"Parker, you're not exactly off Fury's radar yourself. Maybe you'd like to explain your involvement here?"

"Oh, me? Involved? Nah, I'm just... you know, Franklin's classmate. Total coincidence I'm here. I mean, yeah, I've met Fury a few times, but it's not like we're pen pals or anything."

I smirked, trying to keep things...light. "Relax, Spidey. All I need is for you to let your Avenger buddies know that Fury's trying to recruit me. Maybe get them to give me a little breathing room?"

Peter's face turned serious. "Franklin, I'm telling you, Fury doesn't recruit people unless it's really important. If he's this interested in you, it's because he thinks you can make a difference. And trust me, ignoring Fury doesn't usually end well."

"He's right. You've already caught our attention, Franklin. You can either work with us, or you can deal with the consequences of trying to go it alone. Fury doesn't like loose ends."

"Man, shut the f*** up, if I kill you, your body won't even be found." I pointed a finger at him, and a small orb of light hovered in front of my finger's tip. 

Peter quickly grabbed my arm. "Franklin, stop! Threatening a SHIELD agent? Not a great move. Trust me, you don't want to go there."

Agent Carson visibly tensed, but his training must've kicked in because he didn't reach for a weapon. "You think that's going to scare me, kid? You're powerful, sure. But you have no idea what kind of forces you're playing with."

"Just talk to him once and then decide."

"Alright," I said, stepping back. "I'll talk to Fury. Once. And if I don't like what he has to say, I'm out. Got it?"