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Chapter IV

Courage

"So you actually kicked him in the nuts?"

"Oh yeah, that's like, the only way to take him down..."

Spidey listened to Courage, the green cloak, with growing admiration. A third emotionally whacked out Raven hadn't been a very good thing before, but Courage was something else. No silly laughter or apologies for everything. This was a girl that Peter knew.

This aspect of Raven is maybe her strongest... but she hides it under everything else.

"So, do you know where the rest of the emoticlones are?" he asked.

"Emoticlones!" Happy screamed. "Brilliant!"

"Nope, sorry," Courage admitted. "I only know where Smart is..."

"Smart?" Peter repeated. "Oh, yeah..."

"I'll help you find her," Courage said. "She'll probably be able to tell you more. But I warn you... it's very dangerous. I wouldn't trust them..." She jerked her head in the direction of Happy and Timid, "... to not get hurt."

"Yeah, but I don't want to lose them," Peter said, lowering his voice. "I can't leave them anywhere."

Courage thought about this for a second.

"Good point," she said grudgingly. "Okay, they come with us."

"If I'm a burden, I'm-,"

"IT'S OKAY," Peter and Courage said at the same time. Courage rolled her eyes. Timid lowered her head. Happy was giggling.

"So, where is... Smart?" Peter confirmed.

"This way."

In an instant, they were standing on a high mountain, with snow and hail swirling everywhere.

Spidey blinked. It wasn't an illusion... it was really cold.

"How...?!" he shouted over the wind.

"Raven can teleport!" Courage shouted back. "So can we!"

Spider-Man felt furious. He turned on Happy and Timid.

"Why didn't you tell me that before?!"

Happy said something about more fun, and Timid said he would have hated her more. He was seriously tempted to say he actually hated her a lot now, but the wind prevented him from saying much.

"Follow me!" Courage shouted, and Spider-Man did, Happy and Timid following into line.

She led them a little ways into the mountain, where they came across an opening, leading into a dark cave, or tunnel.

As soon as they could hear each other again, Spider-Man spoke.

"Is there only one way out of here?" he asked Courage. She nodded.

"We can't teleport in or out of this cave," she explained. She didn't seem to have broken a sweat, or chilled at all. "Smart doesn't like to hang with us 'plebs.'"

"Great," Spidey said, thinking he was about to meet another negative. He still was unsure about Happy.

"So we can leave these two here," Courage said. "We can go on together."

"Sounds good," Peter said fervently. "Happy, Timid... don't kill each other. We'll be back."

"Y'know, we really like you."

Spider-Man didn't freeze, but just let the words wash over him. Courage had been talking like this for the past five minutes. It was odd, but then he realized that she had the courage to say those things that Raven had never said before.

"Yeah, we're dating," Peter said.

"No, it's more than that," Courage said, stopping suddenly and turning to face him. "She'll never say it, but... we depend on you. All of us." She blushed, as if ashamed to admit she needed help for anything. "There's a lot at stake, more than you know... right now. Smart will be able to tell you more."

"So what are you saying?" Peter asked, feeling a little confused. Courage was still red, but a sly smile curved her lips.

In a flash, she had pulled his mask off, grabbed the front of his costume, and pulled him into a deep, hard kiss.

His eyes closed instantly, kissing her back. It was strange... shallow, and yet more real than he had ever kissed Raven before.

Finally they broke apart.

"I'm saying..." Courage whispered. "Thanks."

"No problem," Peter whispered back. And then she backed away, gesturing him forward. He pulled on his mask, giving her a last smile.

And then it all went dark.

"Uh, Courage?" Spidey said, trying to blink away the dark. "Are you there?"

And then the lights came back on.

Standing before him was another familiar face, albeit one he would have rather not seen.

"Electro," he hissed.

Max Dillon floated in front of him, glowing blue and shooting off sparks of electricity at every direction. He was, once again, not wearing pants.

"Hey kid!" he said. "I missed ya!"

He shot some lightning at Spider-Man, who dodged out of the way just in time. He could see Courage jumping to attack.

"No, wait, NO!" he yelled. But too late.

Electro supercharged his chest, and when Courage's foot made contact, electricity shot through her body, leaving her spasming on the ground.

"Oops," he said. "Sorry 'bout yer girlfriend there."

Spider-Man snarled, firing webs at Electro. They disintegrated on contact, and suddenly Spider-Man was afraid that this was more than just an illusion.

No, he's not real, he can't be real...

"You were shot by an old lady!" Spidey taunted him. "There's nothing you can do to scare me!"

"Oh yeah?" he called back. "How's about this?!"

He flung out his arms, charging up the room with power. Spidey felt the edges of his costume tinge.

Oh crap.

The walls and floor sizzled with power. When his feet touched the ground, Spider-Man felt pain shoot through his body. He was rooted to the spot, and couldn't move.

This isn't possible! The ground should just take the electricity!

His vision was beginning to darken. His arms and legs were going numb...

And then Electro gasped. He had a look of surprise on his face. He crumpled to the ground, vanishing in a puff of smoke.

Raven was behind him, clutching a large heavy book in her hand. She was wearing... spectacles? And a yellow cloak?

"Great..." Peter said, wincing in pain. "Great..."

And then he collapsed the floor, and knew no more.

NEXT: Smart!