My earphones play it, webslinging through the air. One of Dad's favorite songs where it all just recedes. For some reason my cooldown wasn't so bad this time. So, what am I doing? Well, I can't stay with Felicia forever. The air rushes past me, my Sense gently pulsing around me, my webbing shining silver in the sunlight. Every part of me makes this all feel right. How it all just comes together. Like I've always needed to be Spider-Man.
Closing my eyes and just trusting my body, trusting my mind and my strength all at once. I can do this. I have to do this. Dad died saving me, and if I let him down or anyone down it's just going to make it worse. Of course, there's a moment where I think about the fact that I could do way more than just save people. I could make money, I could completely change my future just by using my powers.
Landing on a building, the morning din sounds up to me and my Sense thrums along with it all. Eddie and MJ were still in town, and maybe she's got a show she's doing soon? I hope she's okay. Normally I wouldn't worry, but after all the Sentinel attacks have been ramping up, someone like her would probably almost get themselves killed just walking around. I sit, watching. Waiting. My slinging trips were getting more and more frequent. Mostly because I didn't really have to think about it. I just... did. I didn't have to think or feel anything.
I just did.
So I keep going, helping people normally and happily enough. Hiding the pain by just acting like I'm good. My aching, my pain, all of it ignored and shoved deeper into my vault of a brain. You're stronger than this, Jack. You're Spider-Man. You're supposed to laugh in the face of the odds. So I have to keep going, even with those weirdos who keep showing up.
Grand Central Station is a weird place to be in terms of being a supervillain. I mean, unless they can shut the tunnels with whatever new power there is. The odd thing is the feeling of these shockwaves fuzzing out my sense. The building shudders and quakes, the people insides' signatures fuzz and break, my own powers seem to hesitate but I creep my way in from the roof. Crawling through the ventilation and onto the ceiling.
The person standing at the platforms was tall-ish. More average height actually, muscular and covered in a quilted suit, almost like padding. The arms of the person, wait no, the woman, are gauntleted and vibrating with bright yellow energy. I don't want to just land and fight her head on. She looks around with an almost eagerness about her. Almost like she rustled this up intentionally, and well... considering that the Gold Goblin, Vulture, and Rhino have popped up this is the fourth.
What's with these guys?
"Hey lady! I think you should give that back to your grandma!" I snap, trying to web her up but she notices and bursts my webs apart. I close in and kick her skyward, punching her back down and trying to-
BWAAAM.
The shockwaves burst my Sense to shreds as The Shocker rains blows onto me. She's a boxer, she's made for this. You put me in a corner and I'm done for. One heavy shocked blow and I'm on my knees.
"Seriously? I thought he said you were good."
My arms and legs burn with pain, my Sense flickers in and out. I still bunch up, jabs and crosses raining into me and my Spider-Legs still keeping me balanced until a heavy uppercut slams me into the roof.
A meaty crunch and blinding pain crash into my back, my legs spasm and go limp. My breath rushes out of me as I fall back to the floor. People screaming and Shocker laughs. At least after the blinding pain goes from loud to a dull roar. Shocker raises her arms, hands spread wide, showboating like she had no other business to. Almost like Crusher Hogan from all the way back when Peter and I were kids.
"Wow! This was too easy! And you came in all cool!" she walks up to me and kneels, "Too bad I beat you, Spider-Man." My Spider legs broken and fallen off around me.
"No... I'm not..." my hands dig into the floor, "I'm... not..." I try to push up but my legs won't work, neither will my arms. God, did I really push myself that hard? I look up at her and she stands back up.
"Not what?" she looks over her shoulder, "Not gonna fight me?"
"Fuck... you..." I grab her ankle, "You... you're not... gonna..."
"Oh honey... are those really gonna be your last words?" she charges up her gauntlet and I screw my eyes shut. No one's coming, I pushed my powers well beyond their limits, and now I'm gonna die.
Suddenly, my Sense snaps me into action. There's someone familiar nearby. A tide of red hair busts in and engulfs the Shocker. She tries to burst it apart but more and more lengths tie around her gauntlets and hold her up.
"What the-" she yelps before getting tied up and softly whisking in is someone I didn't even expect to see. That and people get even more excited seeing her. Standing there in a purple and black hero suit with a black utility belt with an M belt buckle is MJ?!
"Madame Medusa!" A hostage cries, almost in excitement. How long has she been doing this?
"Medusa?! No way!" one of them exclaims, "Hey, Spider-Man's hurt!" I watch as she looks at me and I want her to stop looking. She walks towards me, her hair winding around me and lifting me into her deceptively strong arms.
"Hey! He's mine!" Shocker snaps, "I had him, you bit-" a length of hair wraps around her mouth with a soft chiding laugh from MJ.
"Shocker... there're kids here." she waves a tress at a little girl holding a Wasp doll. I can barely move but MJ still holds me close. She looks down at me and her expression's full of that... I don't wanna say mocking, more like that caring worried expression she gets.
"What am I gonna do with you?" she sighs, almost swaddling me in her hair. My cheeks burn with embarrassment. MJ continues on, her hair carrying her along and still keeping me safe in its tresses while Shocker bounces along with an angry growling.
"I swear, he's gonna have a fucking cow..." she bobs along, a length of hair whacking her on the head, "Hey! I'mma give you intel!" MJ tuts and dangles her by a length of hair, upside down and hanging over the side of a building.
"Alright, spill. Or you do." she starts, "I'd much rather not kill you for what you did to my friend here."
"Whoa whoa whoa!" I squeak, "Who said anything about killing?" MJ looks down at me with a serene smile.
"This bitch tried to kill you. I wanna know who put her up to it." she snaps. Shocker rolls her eyes and then there's another BWAAM. We go flying and MJ swaddles me up in her hair, holding me close as we roll.
I end up on top of her, she ends up below me, squeezing me as tight and as close as she can. My overworked body roars in a dull pain. But MJ takes me back to my apartment, flowing along on her long tresses of hair.
Mostly blinded from the pain, I feel my bed hit my stomach. The soft sheets falling over me, and a soft, gentle touch on my cheek. Mary Jane stays by my side. My Sense overwhelmed as she bustles about, looking at the sad state I'm in, my costume a little rough around the edges from The Shocker's attacks.
She hovers, sitting next to my bed on a chair she set up, "Jack... sleep well, okay? I'll be here when you wake up."
"Thank you, Mary..." I mumble, closing my eyes. Not long after I passed out she went through my stuff. Mostly just because she was curious. Or maybe it was because she didn't trust me when Felicia showed up at that dinner a week ago. Not that I have anything to hide. I just passed out and wake up to my school alarm going off. I rise from my bed, finding a lunchbox packed for me, my clothes folded and put away, and other small things.
I guess MJ wanted an excuse to take care of me again... I take it and grab my walking stick, my powers in a sort of cooldown mode where I can't use them, and considering the absolutely blinding, disabling pain that my body goes through because of it, it's only natural my family and friends worry about me.
MJ sees me wandering out, "Have a good sleep, Jack?" she asks with a serene, almost regal smile. Like she's been proper even though I've seen her deal with things beyond my own ability to.
I nod and eat my breakfast just kinda normally. Not that there's much to say anyway. she watches me, leaning on her hands with that same entertained smile on her face. I don't know what the hell is with her.
"I'm ah... going to class now."
She drifts up to me and hugs my arm, "Let's go then."
And just like that I'm on the way to the campus with her, the fact that she's even with me sending my mind into a panic because Harry's there, and so is Felicia. Maybe that's the point? Hell if I know. She walks along with me, some people staring at her hair wrapped around my arm, meandering along with me like she doesn't even have anywhere to go or anything to do. Like she's always found time to center her life around mine, which freaks me out deep down. Is she obsessed with me? Or is it just some other reason and I'm being dramatic?
Some of the other students look at me, almost whispering excitedly seeing MJ. Especially the drama kids. My cheeks heat up and I try my best not to draw attention to ourselves but of course it doesn't take long for something to go horribly wrong. I ended up bailing on her so I could sneak into class without any awkwardness. Of course I never really got that far because stealth and I don't really mix. She didn't notice me cutting and running.
Felicia sees me, "Hey Jack!" she calls, waving me down. I raise my hands, trying to quiet her down.
"Shshshshshshsh!" I shush, "MJ's here!"
"What? What's Mary Jane doing?" Felicia asks, "Is she being weird again?"
"No, no, actually she's being weirder." I say, looking around, "Can we just get to class?"
"Sure, are you okay?" her tone's concerned, "I heard about the whole Shocker thing. Who knew MJ was a media darling?"
"Wait, really?"
"Yeah, people love her." Peeking around because I don't know if she's still here or not thanks to the cutting off of my Spider Sense. Felicia nods but the thing is I can't get a read on what MJ even wants.
As we get going, I notice her standing and waving at me. I wave back and Felicia's arm goes around my shoulders, glaring at her. Mary Jane doesn't seem to mind. Felicia lets go once we get inside and sit down. Harry's off towards the front again, being stressed out because he's been running his hand through his hair. Felicia sits next to me, passing a note my way.
You okay?
I scribble on it, Nope. Cooldown's a bitch and a half.
She chuckles, and we take notes, but she slips one back towards me, Wanna go to a show with me?
I send one back, Well, I don't have much to do thanks to my powers crapping out.
She smiles, "Doors are at eight, I'll get you at seven." she says, leaning down and kissing me on the cheek, "Be ready to get knocked around a little gentler than Shocker."
"Oh please, that was nothing." I scoff, yeah. Yeah it was something. That wasn't gentle it was brutal. Why'd she bring up a 'him?' who is this mysterious 'him?' Mysterious 'he?' Seems like there's something up and I have no idea what it's going to be.
After class, I rush over to Harry as fast as I can. He's gotta know something about what's been going on because he breaks into a very suspicious run the minute he sees me. He outruns me, guess he's not good at hiding things? Or maybe I scared him? Maybe the second thing is way more plausible because I was limping like I was going after Danny Torrance.
However, I buzz a little with excitement over the fact that this was going to be Felicia and I's first date. A show! A metal show! I can't wait! Felicia laughs behind me, and I take her hand. Just another day in the new insanity called my life I guess, but the whole 'he' thing is looming in the back of my mind like the real-life foreshadowing it is. Maybe whatever it is was my archenemy? Maybe he's not.
"You're thinking again." Felicia pipes up as we get into her car to get to the show, "What's up?"
"Am I really that obvious?"
"Yeah, your face scrunches." she smirks, "What'cha thinking about?"
"Just... The Shocker brought up a 'he' when we were fighting earlier." I start, "I hope you know something about it because I don't. All I know is that these attacks are coordinated, it's almost like a fighting game in a way."
I look out the window, "That. An' MJ's also a vigilante."
"Oh shit, guess that's the rub." She sighs, walking next to me and holding my hand. We get into the club and the band sets up, but surprising me entirely is the fact that Felicia takes the stage herself.
She takes the lead guitar and goes up to the mic, "How're we doing tonight?!" the people there cheer.
"Well hell yeah!" she answers, "Welcome to the Black Cat! My band and I are excited to play for you all tonight, too! This concert goes out to my lovely boyfriend and that new vigilante Spider-Man!"
At that a light shines on me, not for the Spider-Man bit thank God but the whole
People cheer and her drummer smacks her sticks together to start the show. I'm leaning against a pillar, stabbing my stick into the floor and shaking my arms, every fiber in me is jostled around and I see my girlfriend completely change up there. Her voice goes from low, almost sultry, to a full on metal HOWL. Screaming something about Spiders on strings and other spidery things. Not like the old TV show theme but something new.
Felicia's hair becomes a fluffy tornado of platinum blonde, shining in the spotlights as the fog builds. She leaps off the stage, strumming and thundering away, the pit spreading to allow her some space. She wades through them, walking towards me and slinging her guitar away from her front, the mic cutting off as she yanks me forward and kisses me.
She then yanks me up to the stage, giving me my own mic. I know what to do because I've always wanted to do it and I give it all I got, screaming along with her to lyrics she gave me earlier in class. I practiced the entire day but at this point I wanted my cooldown to end already so I could be Spider-Man again. I have stuff to investigate and not a lot of time to do it in. Every second and every moment I don't the more things seem to not make sense.
There's four or so supervillains. Gold Goblin (Maybe, he's a weird dork.), Vulture, Rhino, Shocker... my thoughts seem to spin and whirl but Felicia's music banishes it for a while. We land on her bed, half-alive and ears ringing like the constant scree of her guitar and the thunder of the drums and crushing bass. She giggles at my kisses.
"Okay, okay, Spider!" she laughs, "You've been all over me lately..."
"That was the best surprise ever! My girlfriend's a noise sensation?!" I yell, my voice way too loud from the ringing of my ears. She kisses me some more, lipstick leaving traces all over my face and neck, breaking me out of my storm of thoughts.
Maybe this next round'll go better for me. That's when my phone rings and I reach out for it, I don't know the caller but I answer anyway.
"Hello?" I ask.
"Kid? It's Zeke." Zeke's voice sounds kind of stressed, "You're making waves. Big ones."
"Isn't that what I have to do?" I ask.
"No! Now I gotta deal with this kinda bullshit!" he snaps, "Get out here and he-"
He gets cut off and the call disconnects. Felicia watches as I get up and run towards her closet, where I put my backpack and all that. I take out my suit, shouldering on the turtleneck and my leather jacket, my gloves, my mask...
"I'm going. Someone's gotten Zeke." gently I flex my muscles, the pain and soft dull Sense still there.
"Not alone you're not!" Felicia snaps, "Gimme a minute."
"Felicia, these guys are strong, The Shocker almost beat me half to death." I say. She scoffs.
"You don't need to tell me the odds, I'm helping." She pulls off her shirt and reaches for her costume, "You're still cooling down and you're not alone."
"I don't want you to get hurt!" I snap, "This is my chance. This is my chance to make it right." I open the balcony window, my Sense buzzing only a few inches away from me, not even that.
My Spider Legs aren't back yet, my fangs deploy, my web slats slide open and there's an almost whistling pain going through them, but my webbing shoots out, I need to go. I need to help him. I need to save him. I hit the air, swinging through the air and ignoring the pain and the constant pulling of my Legs trying to restore themselves. Hopefully I can find him. Hopefully I'm not too late.
Hopefully I can make it right.
The Shocker, Hanna Scultz, unwraps her hands. Almost cheerily so as she saunters to the bag on the table. Her pay for taking out the Spider-Man and well, while Madame Medusa was a setback, it wasn't too bad. Her shockwave gauntlets almost knocked the poor webhead out, if not downright kill him. If she wasn't doing her job she thought he was kinda cute. She smiles, 'Man, I love it when they fight back.' her thoughts go back to that intense glare even through the mask.
No wonder her current boss was interested in him. She takes out some of the money, counting it as someone slinks from the shadows. A bowed form of a woman, slouching with her posture but still slinking. Dragging a body behind her, a tail whipping around, a cruel set of dark scorpion legs spindle down from her sides, between her ribs.
Mandibles mar her tanned face, long black wavy hair with a dark green tint slopes down her back in a slick and smooth rain of hair, normally bunched into a segmented braid resembling her tail. A wicked, also segmented one lashed around the old man's neck.
Dark green and cold, leaking poison from the bulbous and sharp stinger. She could snap the old man's neck in seconds, but their employer didn't want them to. Her mandibles and legs fold into her face and sides, restoring her to some kind of humanity. Blood rains softly from her nose, her arm at an odd angle but a sharp POP relocates it. Two punctures hissed closed by chemical burns on her neck. A few muscular segments pulse under shards of her dark green carapace.
Compared to her victim, she was barely hurt.
The old man, wrapped in her tail on the neck, has bloody stumps where his Spider Legs once were, his mandibles torn out, and his face marred and healing. His bone stingers clink and clatter around her neck from an almost leather cord. His chest rises and falls, he was a fearsome opponent, but old. Old and not as strong as she wanted him to be. Ah well, there'd be a new one. He took pain well, but still was fragile in some way.
Hanna looks up, seeing the Scorpion, "Hey Maria." she greets plainly.
"Schultz." Maria snarls, her tone lightly tinged with an accent Hanna didn't care about. She wasn't too concerned with where her buddy for this enterprise was from. Only that she got results.
"So... we got the old man." she states.
"Yes. And soon... we shall fight the little spider..." Maria croons, a blush coloring her cheeks at the thought of the Spider-Man's screams of agony. Hanna scowls and turns her attention back to her shockwave gauntlets.
"Maybe I can kill this one?" Maria asks.
"No. The boss said to take the old fart and wait. Then get the kid and push him to his limits." Hanna grins, liking the idea of dominating a super-powered opponent. Judging by what Maria did to the old man there's no way they could lose.
But she thought back to the Spider-Man's grip on her ankle, and even through the mask she could see his eyes. How wide and sharp and dangerous they were. How strong he could be.
She adjusts her gauntlets and slides them on, "Well then, Scorp. Let's get hunting."
