1764/Transition to Adulthood

Transition to Adulthood
Date of Scene:	20 May 2020
Location:	Midtown High School Football field, NY
Synopsis:	Peter Parker and Mary Jane graduate from Midtown High...and goes out in grand style.
Cast of Characters:	Peter Parker, Mary Jane Watson

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Peter Parker has posed:
All things come to an end. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

The morning of Madison High's Senior Class of 2020 graduation ceremony is held a week before the actual end of class, but the finals have all been taken and there is little chance anyone is going to tank their grades now.
The day is bright and warm on the football field. A stage has been set up, with folding chairs in long rows for guests. The graduating class will be sitting in the front rows, heading up to the podium to get their diplomas, and then the last part will begin - the speech of the valedictorian class.

It is not a great surprise that Peter Parker is wearing the gold ribbon over his shoulders as he sits in his chair.
He looks back to see Aunt May, who looks very dignified. She still has an undercurrent of excitement, but it is not going to be surprise.
He nods to her, then looks back two rows behind him. MJ is in the last row, because they are going alphabetically. He smiles to her, that baffled smile that says 'How Did I Get Here?' It is a smile he has worn for years, during the good times, as if unable to believe it.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson flashes Peter a grin and a wink when he looks back at her, also looking pretty darn proud of what he's done so far. She mouths over at him, 'You got this, Tiger' as she seems to be positively delighted in actually making it to this point.

Of course, she's also having an interesting conversation in her head with her new 'partner' about the merits of a graduation ceremony. Sonja has never been a fan of such things, and is chafing at the bit to do something about that.

Better watch out what happens at the Graduation Party later!

Peter Parker has posed:
The principals and the teachers speak, but they are short speeches. They tend to know their audience.

Then, the names begin.
"Charles Adler...Martin Akerson...Linda Allister..."

Peter glanced back again, and he was absurdly pleased to see that Harry Osborn had made it. He was sitting next to Aunt May, grinning broadly, and waving to him and to Mary Jane. He waved back, feeling a little sorry for Harry. He'd lost his mother, his father was a psychotic costumed villain with his own multinational, and Harry was a doomed man.

Unless he did everything he could to remain Harry's friend.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
MJ listened to the names, smiling and waving to those going up as she knew... well, just about everyone, really. She grins over towards Harry, giving him a cheerful look as well with a bit of a 'hey I'm here!' gesture. Though she tries to respect the decorum of the ceremony...

Mostly, anyway. But then again, she's pretty much at the tail end of the ceremony, so there's not too much attention in her direction in general. Though she does mutter under her breath, "No, of course we had to leave the sword at home..."

Fortunately with the din of the ceremony itself, no one has a chance to really hear that...

Peter Parker has posed:
Harry waved back, then winked to Peter, who grinned and nodded. By the look of the area called "Harry's Hovel" in Peter's lab, it was easy to see Harry still found sanctuary at the Parker house...

"...Richard Houseman...Alita Hyland...Nadia Jackson..."

So much had changed, but so much had not. Peter found that both encouraging and sad. he looked down at his notes. This had been his first draft of the Speech, and he had spent an evening of "spleen-venting" to put it together.

"To all the girls who stole my notes, good luck trying that in college. To the guys who liked to make fun of my clothes, my grades, my life, how does it feel to know YOU PEAKED IN HIGH SCHOOL?"

He sighed. It had been an uncharactieristic display of vitriol...

"Julia O'Connell...Peter Parker..."

He blinked, then stood up and began walking towards the podium. Accept the diploma with the left hand, shake with the right, open the thin panel to show the diploma for the picture, the flash, and then stepping down the steps back to his seat.
He smiled to Aunt May and Harry, who of course pumped his fist and went "WHOOO!" and then Peter looked to MJ.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane looks right back at Peter, and then tossed him a wink, remembering the first draft of Peter's speech and unable to keep from snickering then at hearing it.

Sonja, of course, recommended something about eviscerating them and letting them suffer in their mediocrity, but MJ is a pretty helpful muse since Peter going Mad Max on the speech wouldn't have been the best thing. Entertaining, maybe, but not the best.

And then it happens.

"Mary Jane Watson..." Her name is called, and Aunt Anna claps, as well as Harry who lets out the loudest wolf-whistle that anyone has probably ever heard outside of a cartoon. MJ grins, blushes a bright red, then makes her way down to get her diploma, giving Peter another wink as she goes. Then, she makes her way back up towards her seat, taking a moment then and only then to catch her breath as she sits down.

Peter Parker has posed:
There are a few more names, and then it happens. The principal steps up to the podium, and says, "And now...the commencement speech, given by the Valedictorian of the Class of 2020...Peter Parker."
A smattering of applause as Peter steps up to the podium. Mostly from the teachers, of course, but some from the audience. Aunt May, MJ's Aunt Anna, Harry (who made it though biology thanks to Peter), and MJ of course.

He looks out at the crowd, and Stupid Mouth makes one last bid, sending up the impulse to smile evilly at the whole class.

Instead, he smiles pleasantly...

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane gives Peter a proud expression, applauding loudly from her spot in the back. She's smiling brightly at him, too, looking very encouraging as she waits for his speech. After all, she was there when he was brainstorming for it, so she's certain it's going to be a good one.

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter took a deep breath, then spoke.

"Greetings, graduates. You are no longer high school students. You have a diploma, which is the absolute minimum acceptable document in education. There are many who never got that far. So, serious accomplishment."

Pause. "The question you should ask yourself today is, 'where do I go from here?' For some of you, you alrady have plans. Plans that include college, higher learning, seeking out a good job, a good career. My advice to those of you doing that...good luck. Make sure you don't hate what you do, because consigning yourself for the rest of your life to an occupation you picked because your parents told you to will make you miserable. Use college to find out what you REALLY want to do. It's not the degree you get at the end, it's what you learn on the way there. And if you find a career you love, work at it as hard as you can, because doing what you love will make your life a lot brighter."

Another pause.
"Some of you will not go to college. You will go to a trade school to learn how to be plumbers, HVAC techs, mechanics, nurses, a hundred other things. Don't let anyone tell you you should have gone to college instead. Pipes will break, people will get sick, cars will break down. People want to be warm in winter and cool in summer. Always. If you want to do this, more power to you. You will never go hungry."

Another Pause. "Some do not have a plan. Some want to 'discover themselves,' or take a year off first. Some will simply go into the business their parents plan to give them. I can't keep from saying this. It will be tough for you. You have to be tougher. A great man once told me that, in many boxing matches, the winner is just the last guy who falls down and gets back up again. Never quit until you reach your goals..."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane beams proudly at Peter as he gives his speech, and she's far from the only one. Her smile is pretty infectious, as she fixes her gaze on him, even though he can't really see her right now given that she's in the back row and he's up front.

Still, it's the thought that counts, as she listens attentively to what he's saying.

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter leaned forward to look at all of them. The King of Geeks, and this was, for a moment, his throne.

"You face an uncertain future. There is little you have control over. But one thing you CAN control is your attitude. It's not what happens to you, but how you respond to it, that makes you what you are."

Aunt May and Aunt Anna are suddenly tapped by Harry, who stands up and elicits them to stand as well. MJ gets a quic text on her phone from Harry.

<Stand up, and walk to the right of the assembly.>

"If any of you doubt what I am telling you, know this. I feel it is the choices I have made that have brought me to this point."

Then it happens. A large, black, gleaming Wayne Motors YT7, an $80,000 luxury vehicle, rolls onto the football field using the access road. It rolls towards the assembly, humming like the precision instrument it is.

Peter smiles. "To wit, my job at Stark Industries, which began at the end of last month. When your dream job pays you 80 grand a year before you finish high school..."
There is an audible gasp from the audience.
"...It can open a lot of doors. Speaking of which..."
The vehicle stops and the driver gets out, one of Harry's chauffeurs. He nods to Peter, holding up the keys.

"In closing, I wish to tell you, one and all...dreams CAN come true." Peter grins and walks past the startled teachers and principal, down the side stairs and towards the vehicle.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson normally is the center of attention when she comes into a room, so when her phone buzzes and she gets the text, she looks at Harry with an 'Are you serious?' expression. He grins, points to the side, and winks...

So MJ does it, but then seeing the car pull up there's literally no eyes on //her// at all. As she steps down the stairs, her strides long and fast despite the graduation gown as she engulfs Peter in a tight hug, her voice a soft whisper, "Tiger! You could have warned me!" She grins brightly, as she embraces him by the car, giving him a proud look.

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter smirked. "I keep telling you. The look of dawning comprehension..." He walks over to the shotgun-side door and opens it for MJ. "It was Harry's idea when he heard about the car."

Harry grins foxily, the look of a man whose plan has come together. He nods to Peter, who nods back, and then Harry opens the rear doors for Aunt May and Aunt Anna, who are ooohing and ahhhing over the car.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
MJ gives Peter a peck on the cheek, "I swear you and Harry are the worst..." She grins and gets into the car, sliding over to make room for Peter since, hey, there's a chauffeur! She then looks over at Harry in the car, "The /worst/!" Then she laughs, reaching over to hug Aunt Anna when she gets into the car herself.

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter walks over to the chauffeur, who hands him the keys. Peter looks to Harry, who waves to him. "I got my own ride. I'll meet you at the restaurant."

Peter hugs Harry, shakes the chauffeur's hand, then gets into the driver's seat. He starts the engine, smiles to MJ, and then the vehicle drives off towards the access road.


Harry doesn't go to Midtown, but he smiles to the class as they look from the departing vehicle to him and the chauffeur. "And since Peter is too good a guy to stir up trouble, I have a message to the losers who made his life hell for four years. Go unscrew yourselves." He grins to the chauffeur. "Restaurant, James."
The chauffeur responds glibly, "My name ain't James, Restaurant."
"...You were always my favorite."

And with that, the two of them stroll off towards the parking lot.

The principal makes his way to the podium, then says quickly, "Uhmm...The Class of 2020 is hereby dismissed."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane leans against Peter as he takes the driver's seat, undoing the tassel from her graduation cap. Then she grins, rolling down the window on her side to shout, "LET'S PARTY!" With that, she tosses her graduation cap out of the car, letting it catch the wind and sail off to who knows where!

Then, she rolls up the window and grins at Peter, leaning in to give him a much firmer kiss on the cheek, "So, Tiger, restaurant?" With that, she snakes her graduation tassel around the rear-view mirror, since well... traditions are good for /something/ right?

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter nodded. "And tonight...you're my date for the graduation party tonight."

Aunt May calls from the back, "I think it is MANDATORY that you both use this car to drive there."