Chapter 15 - Spider-people (Part 2)

Tyler Riddle

After I got Cindy's address from Nia, I glided over using my phone as a guide. I'm currently outside her house, listening for signs of distress. A few people's heartbeats are erratic, but there's no discussion or erratic movement, so I knock on the door.

*Knock**knock* 

"Hello, this is Cindy's classmate in Biology, Tyler Riddle. I've come to talk about something important." I announced and I can hear whispering from inside the house.

"Tyler? Is he the handsome boy you keep talking about Cindy?" A middle aged woman whispers.

"I thought you said that no girls have gotten close to him. I knew my little girl could do it." A middle aged man whispers.

"Really mom? Dad? This is NOT the time." That should be Cindy.

"Sorry. Cindy isn't home right now. Maybe if you could come back tomorrow?" Mr. Moon yells out.

"...I'm gonna be honest with Mr.Moon. I heard every word of your conversation. I've come to help Cindy and the rest of your family with your situation. I should've come earlier, but I was a little busy. Can you please open the door?'

*Silence*

"Mr.Moon?"

"....We can't come to the door."

"I understand Mr.Moon. I'll have to damage your door to get inside, but I'll pay you for the damages." 

"O..ok."

I look around to make sure nobody sees me, then I kick the door open. The inside of the house is covered in webbing like it's a spider nest. I follow the sounds of heartbeats towards the living room, where I find Cindy and her parents all webbed up.

"How long have you guys been like this?" I ask.

"A couple hours." Cindy replies cautiously.

"Ok, let me free you guys, then we can meet up at the kitchen table after you all take a bathroom break."

"...." They appeared to be both confused and relieved at my statement.

I moved from Cindy to her parents, absorbing the webbing that kept them from moving. Cindy was bent at a couple of odd angles in the air, and I unfortunately had to put my hands over her breasts and backside to free her. Her father wasn't all too pleased to see that, but he stayed silent. They thanked me and I sent them off before I walked into the kitchen.

Thankfully they already had cold sticky rice and a couple of ingredients needed for kimbap, essentially Korean sushi. I make the table for 4 and finish making dinner. 

The Moon family arrives to see the table set and dinner served. I motion for them to sit at the rectangular table. Cindy's parents sit on one side, leaving me to sit next to Cindy.

"You know how to make kimbap?" Cindy's mom asks.

"I know how to make many dishes from many cultures, usually only the popular ones. I figured that none of you have eaten in a couple hours since you were all webbed up and you would like to eat something familiar. How about taking a bite."

No one takes a bite, they just stare at the food cautiously. They probably think something is wrong with it. I reach across and take one piece from each of their plates and replace them with three of my own. I eat all three of theirs.

"See, the food is fine. Eat, I hope you like it." I beckon them.

Cindy's mother is the first one to take a bite. "It's very good, did you use soy sauce?"

"I mixed a little soy sauce and vinegar with the rice."

"I wish Cindy could cook, but we spoiled her too much."

"Eomma!" Cindy shouts.

"Thank you Ms.Moon. I'm glad you liked it."

"So you said you came to help Cindy and us? What is going on with Cindy? What did you do earlier?" Mr. Moon speaks up.

"Yes. Well, I'll start with the last one. I am certain… supernatural abilities and I know things about the world and special people. I say that vaguely since it's very complicated and we would be here forever if I tried to go into more detail about everything I know."

"Abilities? Like what you did earlier, when you freed us?" Cindy asks.

"Here, I'll show you. I can absorb things like what you saw and gain energy from them. I can also create things from materials I've absorbed before using the energy I have, or I can edit things to a certain degree using a smaller amount of energy. I improved my senses and hearing using my ability. That is how I could hear your conversation from outside the door earlier." I demonstrate to them by creating a 6 inch cube of 24K gold rimmed with white jade and engraved with the korean symbol for Moon on all sides, before passing it over to Cindy's dad. 

"...So did you do this to me?" Cindy asks hesitantly.

"No. It's not about what I did, it's about what I didn't do. During our trip to Oscorp, you, along with my friend Peter, were chosen for human experimentation. Two radioactive spiders were led to bite you both. They mutated you both to give you spider-like abilities. Increased strength, durability, stamina, flexibility, sensory perception, the ability to stick to surfaces, and a sense for danger. Yours gave you even more flexibility and the ability to shoot webs. I let myself get bit by a different spider that gives me different abilities, I'll show you some other time."

"So you could've prevented this?" Cindy's father asks gruffly.

"Yes, but you could say that Cindy was destined in a sense. I could have tried to push that karma away from her, but someone would have to pick it up at some point. Someone that I don't know well and they might use it for evil purposes."

"What do you mean by all this?" Cindy's mom asks.

"Well, let's see… how do I explain this?….Do you know the legend of the Ten Rings and The Mandarin? I know you aren't Chinese, but maybe you've heard of it."

"Yes, we heard the legend as kids before we came here from South Korea. What of it?" Cindy's father replies.

"Well the legend is all true, and the rings are VERY powerful. Magic is real, but not in the way that most stories can describe. Magic and Science are practically the same. And soon, the world will experience magic and science fiction coming to Earth. Much of it is already here, lying dorman, waiting to start a show that will cost an innumerable amount of lives. I need all the help I can get to stop that. I know it's not fair to Cindy or to any of you all, but I promise that I'll protect her and you both with everything I have."

"With your life?" Cindy's father asks me, while staring deeply into my eyes.

"...if I knew sacrificing my life would accomplish everything I want, I would, but that's just not possible. I can only live on and keep working for the world I desire. I'm not a hero or a martyr. I'm a man with goals. My goals just happen to align with helping people."

"Good. I wouldn't trust a man who calls himself a hero. No man is pure good. But I'm laying my daughter's safety in your hands. You make sure to protect her." Cindy's father warns.

"Of course. I'll take care of her." I assure him.

"Is that a proposal?" Cindy's mother asks out of nowhere.

"What? What do you mean?"

"That's a proposal gift is it not?" She says, gesturing to the gold cube I made.

"No Ms.Moon, unfortunately I have a girlfriend. That cube is meant as an apology to your family."

"Are you sure? Mistresses may be uncommon in korea these days, but it wasn't so uncommon so long ago."

"Eomma! Stop trying to embarrass me!" Cindy chides her mother.

"That's not my choice to make."

"Pity." Cindy's mother says, causing Cindy to give her a glare. 

I look around the table to see that everyone has finished their food quite a while ago.

"Ok Mr. and Ms.Moon, could I borrow Cindy for a couple hours? I think it's best if I show her how to control her abilities as soon as possible. Oh, and uh here," I create a gold diamond ring and pass it over to Cindy's dad, "you can pawn that to cover the damages to the door. The cube is yours to keep." 

"Sure, just be sure to bring her back safe." Her mom told me.

I brought Cindy with me to teach her to climb and web sling for two hours. I had to catch her a couple times which put us in some awkward situations, but Cindy wasn't exactly angry at me for those. I dropped her off, before I made my way back home, only to get tackled by Nia. 

She chose a horror film to get an excuse to cuddle as close to me as she could. I fell asleep halfway through. I was worn out.

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