Chapter Text
LITTLE LIST MAKES BIG WAVES
The World Health Organization, in conjunction with several groups (see page 3 for a full listing), has affirmed that their classification list will stand. Bearing in mind that renewed research is being done to isolate the gene that causes a classification, this list comes alongside a close examination of several laws in the U.S. that have shaped how Littles are to be treated.
“It was a fine line to walk,” said Governor Nancy White in a press release yesterday. “We have to keep in mind that technically […] Littles are physically adults, and we have to afford them the rights that any U.S. citizen is given […] but at the same time, for their own health and safety, we have to look at giving them the appropriate care. Our country was not set up for this to happen, but now that it has we’re trying to make the best of it.
“We already had rules and laws in place, and the fact that all of us simultaneously remember how things were before doesn’t negate the fact that we still have to deal with this. And frankly, I think those laws came about for a reason. […] We are looking at history books, we’re looking at legal documents, we’re looking at everything. We’re asking for the public to have patience.”
When pressed, the governor added, “I do think, you know, that this is a better choice than the Decimation […] When I try to think seriously about the conflicting memories we all have, I do remember that moment of compelling grief when my daughter disappeared […] I would take just about anything over having to live a day without her.”
Several people criticized the governor’s statement for not taking into consideration all the changes. Political activist Jason Cartwright had this to say: “Yeah, of course she’s happy. Why wouldn’t she be? Nothing for her has changed. Her family is all normal. She doesn’t have to deal with it.”
Speculation over the laws, and potential amendments still to come, is running rampant. Right now, there is discussion over whether being a Little will be continue to be covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act, with the appropriate protection when it comes to employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications and access to state and local government programs and services.
The Little classification list from the WHO is as follows:
Baby – 0 – 24 months
Toddler – 2 to 4 years
Little Kid – 5 to 7 years
Big Kid – 8 to 10 years
Pre-Teen – 11 to 13 years
Teen – 14 – 19 years
Already criticism over the terminology is arising, and it goes without saying that the list will be amended in the near future. However, the ages seem firm. A representative of the WHO had this to say:
“We looked at the data we’ve compiled and this is what makes the most sense based on everything we’ve seen. This is still a work in progress, but having a broader scale of classifications makes it easier for everyone […] We may see the terminology change and evolve as time goes on. Maybe it was okay before, but now that we all remember a different world, do I think calling a physical adult a ‘baby’ is the wisest choice of word? No. But we have to work with what we have for the time being, and what we have is a lack of appropriate terminology within the English language.”
There is no word yet on whether or not mandatory testing will continue. For most of us, we’ve already been tested between the ages of six and twelve, as per the Little Care Act, and those results are public information. The government continues to issue a firm ‘no comment’ stance on questions pertaining to testing.
[continued on page 2]
Peter’s heart thudded in his chest as he navigated to to the next page. His eyes skimmed over the rest of the article, but it wasn’t anything helpful. To his eye, it was just a bunch of meaningless opinions from people who felt like they needed to have a say in what was going on. Most of the important data, what mattered to him, was neatly categorized on the first page. He swiped to go back, half-hoping that the article might have miraculously changed in the past twenty seconds. No such luck.
He hunched his shoulders, taking a furtive look around the classroom. It was weird. He still had all his memories from the so-called old world. He could remember coming to class with Ned and Michelle and Flash and all of his other classmates. Peter had attended school with most of them since he was a kid. On the other hand, he had a conflicting set of memories from the 'new' world wherein about a quarter of his classmates had never actually come to school because they were Littles, and fell too young on the age range to be in high school.
Their school had offered access to the guidance counselor, but Peter hadn't bothered to go. For one thing, the guidance counselor was struggling just as much as the rest for them. For another, Peter had an extra secret on top of anything else that he couldn't risk anyone getting suspicious of. In the old world, he'd turned to dust in Tony Stark's hands. That memory lingered whether Peter wanted it to or not. Having another memory of a world where Thanos hadn't attacked, and Peter's field trip had continued unimpeded, didn't really help. There was no guidance counselor who could help him with that.
"Okay, class, let's get to their work." Their teacher strode into the room. "Get your math books, come on now."
Peter got his book out, and even opened to the right page, but his attention wasn't on the equations that the teacher was scribbling onto the board. He snuck another look down at the article on his phone and bit his lip, thinking about everything that had been going on at Stark Tower. The article didn't say anything about the Accords and what it meant for Littles, but Peter knew that this wasn't going to be good. Tony was trying to keep from telling him anything too bad, but Peter could read between the lines enough to know that there were going to be big problems in the very near future.
It was all the fault of the Rogues, he reflected. Following the change, people got all freaked out at the idea of Thanos and how easily life as they all knew it had been changed. In spite of Tony's reassurances that Thanos was dead and would never be a threat to Earth, public outcry had quickly turned in support of the Rogues. In the United States, at least, most people seemed to think that Captain America was capable of defending them. Peter knew that was complete bullshit, but as always the idiots who understood the least were the loudest.
The Rogues hadn't gotten off scott free, but as far as Peter was concerned they might as well have. The conditions of their pardons were private, but they were all still allowed back in New York. They were living at the tower for now, until the Compound was repaired - and since Tony was refusing to pay for it, Peter didn't know when that was going to happen. They could leave the tower whenever they wanted. They could go out at 2am for a Chinese food run! Not to mention the missions. Oh yes, the Rogues were now allowed out on missions too. The Avengers were back, if you were willing to believe Captain America.
Peter wasn't. Not when he'd overheard some of the hushed conversations Tony and Rhodes had been having when they thought Peter wasn't listening and no one else was around. He didn't know what had happened to Tony after the decimation in the old world, but Peter wasn't stupid. He'd figured out that there had been a fourteen month gap between the decimation and when this world came into formation. Peter had no memory of those fourteen months because he'd been dead, but he'd worked it out based on what he'd read fromt he internet. No one remembered seeing Tony Stark during those fourteen months, and Peter knew Tony had been left on Titan.
Only Thanos had known where he was.
The implications of that were something Peter tried not to think about too deeply, because it made him want to cry and throw a desk against the wall all at the same time. That wasn't as important as the fact that Tony was a Little in this new world, and that was causing a lot of big problems. Namely, that the Accords Council was pushing to have an amendment go through that would mean that, if Tony wanted to remain an active Avenger, he had to have a Caregiver. A Caregiver who was already an Avenger, someone who could supervise him out on the field.
As of this moment, the Avengers consisted of Captain America, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, War Machine, the Vision, Wasp, Ant Man and Iron Man. Spider-Man helped out on occasions, but he wasn't on the official roster and wouldn't be until he came of age. Of the Avengers, Captain America and Hawkeye were the only Caregivers. The Council would not accept a baseline human as as a substitute for a Caregiver - some bullshit about how only Caregivers were truly equipped to give Littles what they needed - and that meant Tony's options were severely limited. Peter honestly wasn't sure who would be worse as a Caregiver for Tony, but when the choices were Captain America or Hawkeye both spelled trouble.
Tony was a good man. Too good. He wasn't going to walk away from the Avengers when his presence could mean the difference between an innocent victim living or dying. The odds of him successfully blocking the amendment were slim to none, which meant that at some point in the near future.... well. Peter wasn't going to let that happen. Tony was terrified of Rogers, and Barton openly hated Tony. Neither of those were options. That's why Peter had a plan, which he was going to put into motion as soon as school was over.
It seemed to take forever, but finally the last bell rang. Peter launched himself out of his chair and raced out the door, barely remembering to toss a wave back at his baffled looking friends. He ran towards the street. He'd looked at the address so many times that he knew exactly where to go. It would take a while to get there on foot, but luckily Peter had a much faster way of crossing the city.
Spider-Man landed outside the New York Sanctum. It looked like a normal building to the inexperienced eye and - well, actually it looked like a normal building to his eye too. But FRIDAY had promised him that this was where Dr. Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme, lived. He quickly climbed the stairs and knocked on the door. It opened immediately, much to his relief. People were already starting to turn and look, their attention caught by the recognizable colors of his costume. Spider-Man quickly slipped inside and shut the door behind him.
The hall was empty. He wrung his hands together and called out, "Uh, Dr. Strange? I need to talk to Dr. Strange?" He pulled his mask off. There was no point in hiding his identity because Strange already knew who he was.
"Mr. Parker? What are you doing here?" Strange came around the corner at the top of the stairs, wearing a perplexed frown. Some of the tension in Peter's shoulder eased at the sight of him. It had been a while since he'd seen Strange, so he'd almost forgotten what kind of presence Strange carried around him: settled, calming, like Strange knew what he was going to do and how to do it.
"I have a problem. Well, Tony has a problem. And I think you're the only person who can do something about it," Peter said.
Strange was quiet as he came down the stairs, only speaking once he got to the bottom. "Does Stark know you're here?"
"No," Peter said bluntly. "He'll probably be mad at me for coming here too, but frankly I think we're way past me being worried about that."
"I see. Well, what can I do for you, Mr. Parker?"
Peter gathered his courage. "You're a Caregiver, aren't you?"
Both of Strange's eyebrows rose. "Yes."
He'd thought so, but hearing the confirmation was a relief. Peter gave a grim nod. "Then we need to talk."