A Spark of an Idea
The workshop hummed with life. Spools of tubing, polymer samples, and Stark-grade components were scattered across the benches. Peter Parker stood at the center, goggles slightly skewed, explaining with the kind of rapid-fire excitement only he could muster.
"So—my web fluid? It's not just sticky. Under the right conditions, the base polymer can filter toxins at the nano level. With a few tweaks, we can refine contaminated water into drinkable form at almost no cost."
Brendon leaned forward, studying the prototype cylinder Peter held up. "You're saying your webbing can act as a filtration matrix?"
"Exactly." Peter's grin widened. "We run water through it, the impurities bind, and what comes out is clean. No electricity needed."
MJ raised an eyebrow. "And you're sure people aren't going to end up with spider DNA after drinking it?"
Peter sputtered, and Ned burst out laughing. Brendon chuckled too, but his eyes gleamed. "This is good, Peter. More than good—it's scalable."
For the first time, the trio felt the weight of what they were contributing—not just tinkering in a lab, but building something that could save lives.
Aunt May's Push
When Aunt May heard about the project, she immediately looped in her FEAST network. Within weeks, test units were being deployed in rural communities across New York state. May handled logistics with practiced grace—organizing volunteers, training locals, ensuring maintenance.
"You kids may have built it," she told Peter one evening, "but trust me, it's the aunties and grandmas of these neighborhoods who'll keep it running."
Peter's chest swelled with pride. MJ pretended to roll her eyes but secretly admired the way Peter beamed. Ned just whispered to Brendon, "Dude, we're basically running an underground Spider-Ikea."
Brendon laughed, but he saw something else in Aunt May: a steady hand, a human face for Nirvana's growing movement. Exactly what they needed.
The Launch
The official unveiling took place in a community hall packed with volunteers, journalists, and families. Children carried the first clean water pitchers like treasures. Local officials cut ribbons. Aunt May gave a speech about hope, dignity, and responsibility.
Brendon stood off to the side, letting May and the teens take the spotlight. For once, he didn't need to be the leader. Watching Peter, Ned, and MJ glow with pride, he realized—this was the future he wanted to protect.
Ripples Beyond Borders
Word spread fast. Clean water in struggling districts. Affordable purification units. Schools and clinics writing to Nirvana for help.
Soon, shipments left New York bound for Sokovia, a nation scarred by decades of conflict. In dusty villages, children filled cups with clear water for the first time in years. Mothers wept. Communities cheered.
At the same time, Nirvana quietly established info nodes near rural regions of Africa—not far from Wakanda's borders. Officially, they were humanitarian hubs, offering healthcare, clean water, and sustainable construction materials. Unofficially, they were Brendon's first steps toward laying foundations in places history would soon ignite.
Alicia flagged the reports one evening. "You realize what this means, don't you? You're creating a network—supply lines, goodwill, infrastructure. You're becoming global."
Brendon only nodded, eyes on the map glowing across his wall. Sokovia. Africa. New York. The lines between them glowed brighter with each passing day.
A Bond Forged
Later that night, the teens gathered around one of the first purifier units installed in Nirvana's cafeteria.
MJ filled a glass dramatically. "Behold, Spider-Water™. Now available in rural Sokovia, New York public schools, and maybe one day at a 7-Eleven near you."
Everyone laughed, even Brendon.
But Peter grew serious. He looked at Brendon. "You trusted us with this. You didn't have to. I… I just want to say thanks."
Brendon shook his head. "No, Peter. I should be thanking you. You reminded me what all of this is really for."
For a moment, it wasn't leader and recruits. It wasn't founder and volunteers. It was just friends—kids on the edge of changing the world together.
And Brendon realized that sometimes, revolutions didn't start with fire and fury. Sometimes, they started with a single drop of clean water.