Sorry for the wait on this story but I hope you enjoye Issue #4
Issue # 4: Preparations
"Alright." Zack said the next day as he and Cedric were in the Bales Living Room with a lot of paper. "First off we need to create a look for you."
"I thought I was going to be Spider-Man." Cedric said with a raised eyebrow.
Zack waved that off. "You are, but you need your own suit." He said as he flipped the pencil in his hands. "Something that defines you, not Peter Parkers, not Miguel O'Hara's and not Miles Morales. You need something that screams originality Spider suit."
"So no buying a Spider costume from a Halloween shop." Cedric joked.
"Not unless you want to keep doing that and leave a trail." Zack retorted.
Rolling his eyes, Cedric had an idea. "How about a blue vest?"
Zack gave him a questioning look.
"Two years ago, my Dad had an old Kevlar Vest, but when he got a new one he put it up in storage." Cedric explained with a grin. "So I borrowed it since he doesn't check it, because I thought it would be cool to have a Kevlar Vest."
Zack busted out laughing at the image of Cedric doing that. "Oh man that is definately going to be a part of your costume and it will offer good protection at least."
Then Zack had an idea.
"What about those Gloves from the Dark Knight Trilogy Movie that Batman wore?" He asked drawing them out crudely. "Like if someone comes at you with a knife in the streets, it would be good to block it."
"Or I could just trust my Spider-Sense." Cedric pointed out.
"What if you can't dodge?" Zack persisted.
"... True." Cedric gave him that one.
"Alright we have a blue vest and black gauntlets... You want red web designs on the gauntlets?"
"To keep with the Spider persona?" Cedric had a grin as he gave a nod.
He may not want to be a Superhero, but he was having fun in coming up with ideas.
Then Cedric drew out a red suit. "And we have to have the red in it along with blue."
Zack gave a nod. "Alright we can do that."
Then they took another paper and drew all of their ideas together.
"Wow." Zack had a grin. "Now we're missing the mask."
"How about we have the mask the same?" Cedric asked with a shrug. "That way it'll be easy and it'll work."
"True." Zack agreed as he drew out the mask. "Black belt?"
"I am not a Martial Artist."
"No, for your gadgets."
"... Gadgets?"
"Cedric, you need gadgets to be a great Superhero."
"Yeah, great plan except I'm not smart enough to make them." Cedric said sarcastically.
"Actually we both can." Zack had a grin.
Cedric had a blank look. "I don't follow."
"What do we do when we do pranks?" Zack asked still keeping the grin.
"I do the chemicals while you do the mechanics-." Cedric caught on.
"Exactly and the first gadget has to be the Web Shooters!" Zack drew a version of them out. "I can try to make a basic one, I may be no Tony Stark, but I think I can make a simple bracelet with a lever to use."
"While I try to make the Web Formula." Cedric finished. "I don't know if it's possible."
"Dude, you made the worlds smelliest Stink Bomb if Yesterday's incident was any indication." Zack said with a nod. "You can make a webbing formula while I'm certain I can make a basic Web Shooter... I'll have to warn you that it won't be durable."
Cedric gave a nod. "I guess I do want to see what Web Swinging is like." He said before grinning. "Alright."
Now they turned to the look they had done.
"Now this will be badass." Zack mentioned causing Cedric to agree with him. "... Is it too late to mention that I don't know how to sew?"
"... Damnit." Cedric cursed, knowing that would be an obstacle in their path. "Well we can get the mask easily."
"Yeah, you own a Spider-Man costume for Halloween." Zack said with a snort. "We just need to get the red suit-."
"How about just buying a red spandex suit?" Cedric questioned with a snap of his fingers.
"You mean like how Kick-Ass bought that wetsuit?" Zack asked before nodding. "Alright, but one of us should take a sewing class so we can fix it"
"... I'll do it." Cedric sighed knowing he'll have some people give him crap for it. "I can at least take out my frustrations on some thugs."
"See? You're thinking like a hero already." Zack joked with a one armed hug. "How selfless of you."
"Oh shut up." Cedric said in good nature.
(The Next Day: At A Library)
Cedric combed through the Library in search of a book on Chemicals as he wanted to make the web fluid soon. 'Man it's been three days and Dad is still out.' He thought as he searched for the right book. 'I want him to wake up but I'm afraid of how he'll react to hearing about Spider-Man coming to life-.'
"-dric!" Cedric blinked and turned to see Miranda walking towards him.
"Hey Miranda!" Cedric waved with a grin. "How's it going?"
"Are you alright?"
Cedric blinked, not expecting that. "Yeah? Is Harold hinting on something?"
"Your Dad, it was on the News." Miranda answered causing Cedric to go quiet.
'Right, because he's the Chief it's big news.' Cedric thought.
"Harold says that he's sorry as well-." Miranda began before Cedric snorted.
"That'll be the day."
"Look, I know you and my Cousin aren't friendly anymore." Miranda said with a look. "But he really did say he was sorry to hear about your Dad, he may be a jerk but he still has a heart."
Cedric looked away again.
Giving a sigh, Miranda decided to change the subject. "So what book are you getting?"
"Uh Marvel Comics." Cedric lied.
Miranda raised an eyebrow. "You're in the wrong section."
"I know, I was just getting a chemical book first for future pranks that Zack and I have planned." Cedric continued the lie. 'Great I'm not even wearing the costume and I'm already lying.'
After a second, Miranda gave a nod since it made sense given Cedric and Zack's reputation. "Speaking of Marvel did you see the News about this Spider-Man guy in that Hostage Crisis?"
"I've heard about that." Cedric said with a nod. 'I was there.' "But I don't know what to think of it."
"I would've thought you would be excited to have a real-life Spider-Man."
Cedric quickly put a smile on. "Oh I am, but it's just my Dad raised me to believe in the law and since I want to be a Cop and there's a Masked Man out there doing stuff like that-."
"You're conflicted." Miranda finished as Cedric nodded.
"Yeah." 'I hate lying.'
It was silent for a few seconds before Miranda spoke up. "Hey are you doing anything next Saturday?" She asked changing the subject again as Cedric found the right book.
"Not that I know of." Cedric answered as he grabbed it. "Why?"
"Well there's a new Restaurant that opened up and I already know that my cousin wouldn't like it." Miranda said gaining Cedric's attention. "I don't really want to go alone so do you want to go with me?"
"Uh s-sure." Cedric said with wide eyes. 'Is she-? Am I-? Is she asking me on a date?!'
Miranda beamed at that. "Great, I'll see you there." She said as she took off.
Cedric stood there dumbfounded for a few seconds before a big, goofy grin spread across his face. "WAHOO!" He shouted, not caring who could hear him.
"Ssh!" The Librarian poked her head around the corner.
Now Cedric was red in the face since he forgot he was in the Library. "Sorry." He whispered as he took off to check the Chemical Book out.
(That Night: Cedric's House)
Cedric was in his basement with the chemistry set as he mixed some chemicals.
He's already did twenty combinations and none of them were right and he's been a chemist on fire trying to find the right combo not resting for the last three hours.
Once actually on fire at that.
It was reasons like that, when he was happy that there was a Fire Extinguisher in the Basement.
"Alright Experiment Twenty-One." Cedric said as he put the chemicals in together.
At first it sizzled before calming down.
"Swe-."
Spider-Sense.
BOOM!
Cedric was on his back four feet away with webs covering his face, chest and legs along with webbing all on the walls and ceiling.
"... Ow." Cedric muttered as he got up to see the mess. "Aw man this will suck to clean up."
With a sigh, Cedric reached over to grab the broom.
Crack!
As the broom broke in half, Cedric's eyes widened.
'Oh crap, I need to control my strength!'
Why was he worrying about the costume and making web shooters when he has to learn to control his punches?!
Running upstairs, Cedric made to grab the phone, only to pause and he gently picked it up before gently pressing the numbers to call Zack.
After it rang, Zack picked up. "Hello?" He asked chewing something as sounds of gunfire was in the background.
"Are you playing Call of Duty?!" Cedric asked in annoyance.
"Of course." Zack said with a grin. "I have to keep my Highscore online."
"Can you get over here soon?" Cedric asked before remembering stories of how some people talk code on the phone. "Something came up in that issue you wanted to help me with."
Sure he might be paranoid, but he has actual powers and he didn't want to risk anyone else finding out about them.
"Issue-?" Zack asked before he realized what Cedric was hinting about. "I'll be right there."
"Thanks." Cedric went to hang the phone up only to crush it. "Damn it!"
Giving a sigh, Cedric went back to the basement and used the broken broom to clean up the webbing debris for twelve minutes before Zack came in to the Basement. "So what's the problem-?" He stopped at seeing the webbing. "Good lord, what happened here?"
"Chemistry mishap." Cedric said before getting to the point. "I can't be Spider-Man unless I can control my strength!"
"Control your-." Zack groaned as he noticed the destroyed phone and broom. "Of course, I forgot about that."
"And I need to make headway for Saturday."
Zack gave Cedric a confused look. "What's so important about Saturday?"
"I think I have a date with Miranda."
"A date?" Zack had a grin. "You dog."
"I said I think it's a date." Cedric said with a nod. "I don't know for sure."
"Alright, so how to help you control your strength?" Zack muttered before snapping his fingers. "Do you have any eggs?"
Cedric gave him a confused look.
(Much later)
"This is just weird." Cedric remarked as Zack was tossing him an egg and it cracked as he caught it.
They've been at it for an hour and twelve eggs were destroyed and he finally managed to keep from cracking it.
"We just need to keep practicing until it's natural." Zack said knowing that it was only because Cedric was focusing on not cracking the egg. "Maybe two or three months at most?"
"If I never see another egg again." Cedric muttered looking down at the broken eggs, knowing it would be a pain to clean up.
"Hey now, we'll have this down in no time." Zack said with a smile.
(The Next Day)
Cedric was running to the Hospital.
Why?
His Dad woke up.
"S'cuse me!" Cedric grunted as he gently pushed his way through a crowd of people, trying to get through the front doors.
As he did he ran to the front desk.
"I got a phone call that my Dad woke up." Cedric said to the Desk Clerk who smiled.
"And your name?"
"Cedric Bales!" Cedric answered as the Clerk gave a nod.
"He is-." That was all he got out before Cedric took off running. "But he has a visitor!"
Cedric was grinning as he went down the hallways, ducking through and around people his Spider-Sense actually helping him out with that.
Coming to a stop, Cedric was about to open the door when he heard his Dad's voice.
"Are you kidding me?!"
Freezing, Cedric looked through the window to see Officer Kent in there.
"I'm afraid not, there's a vigilante running loose." Kent said to him. "The Media is calling him Spider-Man."
"Great we have a crackpot on the streets." Chief Bales muttered as he pinched his nose.
"Actually... He might be the real deal." Kent said gaining a look from Chief Bales.
"Care to elaborate?"
"The guy he caught only had two punches to him and it was as if he was hit by a car, he was lucky to be alive." Kent said before shaking his head as he crossed his arms. "Then when we fired our guns, he danced around the bullets before running up the wall and jumping out the window. I feel crazy for saying it, but I think we have an actual metahuman out here."
Chief Bales was silent for a bit before he laid his head back. "Am I still in a coma?"
Kent chuckled. "Sadly it isn't as simple as that."
Giving a sigh, Chief Bales looked at Kent again. "Is there a warrant out for his arrest?"
"Yes, but he's been laying low the last few days." Kent said to him. "And the guy he hospitalized is comatosed as well."
"Increase the patrol for this-... Spider-Man." Chief Bales felt weird saying that. "I want him off the streets."
Guilt flowed through Cedric on hearing that before he shook his head, placed a smile on his face and opened the door. "Dad!"
Chief Bales gave a smile as Cedric ran in. "Hey there Ced, how are you doing?"
"Better now that you're up." Cedric said giving his Dad a hug, being mindful of his strength. "Are you alright? When are you coming home?"
Chuckling, Kent backed out. "I'll leave you two to talk." He said before grinning. "Nice seeing you, Cedric."
"Thanks Officer Kent." Cedric said as he walked out before turning his attention to his Dad. "So are you fine?"
"I'm fine." Chief Bales promised as he hugged his son. "And the doctors insist on keeping me here for the rest of the week despite that."
"Well they want to make sure your fine." Cedric said trying not to show worry but Chief Bales sensed it and chuckled.
"It'll take more than a guy sneaking up on me to take me out." Chief Bales promised Cedric. "How are you doing in school?"
"Fine." Cedric answered with a nod. "I'm keeping with my studies and I've also did some spring cleaning for the house."
"You did." Chief Bales was surprised since Cedric normally wouldn't take initiative like that.
"Yeah." Cedric then hugged his Dad again. "I'm happy that you're awake."
"I am too." Chief Bales said with a smile.
(At Home)
Cedric sighed as he was in his basement again.
He had four days to find the right web formula before his Dad came home.
'Alright Experiment 54.' Cedric thought as he mixed the chemicals very carefully.
This time it simmered and Cedric tensed, thinking it would explode before it calmed down and after a few seconds he smiled as his Spider-Sense wasn't going off.
"Did I actually do it?" Cedric asked with a smile before the basement door opened up.
"Delivery!" Zack came down with a package and to silver bracelets. "This package was on my porch today and here are the web shooters."
"Just in time, I think I got the formula down." Cedric told him as Zack placed the package on the table before tossing him the web shooters.
"How many tries did it take?" Zack asked curiously.
"Fifty-Four tries." Cedric answered causing Zack to wince.
"Sounds like I had the easy job then."
"I bet you did." Cedric said as he saw the opening before he paused. "... How would I put the web shooters in there?"
"Didn't Spidey from the comic have them as cartridges?" Zack asked with his arms crossed. "That's the web shooter I based it off of."
"I need to look into how to make cartridges." Cedric sighed before he placed the shooters down and went for the package to pull out a red shirt and red pants along with the black gauntlets. "The beginning of the uniform."
"I have some black thread." Zack held it with a grin. "Learned any sewing yet?"
"I watched some videos on the Internet." Cedric answered as he opened his desk to show a sewing kit. "Now to get ready."
"I can make the cartridges." Zack sat down near the web shooters. "It'll be the same as a Paintball Cartridge so it should be easy."
"Should be?" Cedric asked placing the black thread through the loop of the needle.
"Hey I never made a cartridge this small before." Zack protested.
(Later that night)
"OW!" Cedric held his bloody thumb in pain. "Son of a bitch."
"That's what the twelfth time?" Zack asked with a bunch of small parts around him as he tried to compact them into a cartridge small enough to use for the web shooter.
"It's the fifteenth time." Cedric retorted as he looked at the suit to show the web lines on the suit. "I just need to stitch the spider emblem on it.
"I'll need to take the web shooter home in order to work on the cartridge again." Zack said standing up since he saw the time. "You need anything else?"
"No, I got this." Cedric waved off, trying not to wince at the pain in his thumb. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Alright, peace bro."
"Right back at ya." Cedric smiled as Zack left.
(The Next Morning)
Cedric woke up with his neck aching before he groaned and sat up, wiping drool off his face.
"I fell asleep down here?" Cedric muttered before looking at the costume to show it looking a little amatuarish with the web lines but it was pretty good as well. as the black gauntlets having red web lines marked into them.
He even had enough red fabric to make the gloves and stuff to cover his feet.
Cedric had to rip apart one of his shirts to get fabric for the blue that covered the feet and arms but he thinks it looks pretty good.
Now there was one thing missing.
The Mask.
Standing up and popping a few bones to relieve some discomfort, Cedric made his way to the attic and opened a box that held halloween costumes where he pulled out the Spider-Man mask.
Holding it up, Cedric gave a smile.
Despite his earlier protests to being Spider-Man, he would be lying if he didn't want to give this a try.
"But I need to replace the eyes with reflective lenses to be more efficient." Cedric muttered as he head down before he saw the time.
It was ten-thirty.
"Oh crap, I'M LATE!"
(At the Hospital)
"It's no use." A man spoke in the phone. "He's comatose."
He was standing next to the bed that held the man caught by Spider-Man.
"Inject him."
"You sure? It's experimental."
"Do it."
With a nod, the man held a syringe up and approached the unconscious man and held his arm before injecting the syringe into his bloodstream.
The effect was immediate as the man convulsed with the heart beat monitor going overboard and foam came out of his mouth while the mysterious figure saw doctors heading towards the room in a hurry so he went out the window.
As the doctors entered the room the mans eyes shined and from the outside you can see blue light shining through the windows as the doctors screamed in horror.
To Be Continued...
Next time Spider-Man will make his first official appearance with his new costume and his first official member of his Rogues Gallery.
He will also have his first 'maybe' date with someone but will he be able to make it or will his new duties as Spider-Man cost him?
Now for the reviews.
Coldblue: Thanks, I'm happy that you enjoyed how I'm writing Cedric and to be honest I wasn't so sure about typing this story due to how some OC related stories are taken, but I'm happy I did now due to all the positive feedback. And I figured that realistically he would make more mistakes with not having control over his strength, even with breaking into someplace. Now for your questions. 1) A little of both, but it's mostly the first one. 2) That will be a surprise and I hope you enjoy it. 3) Yes and yes because realistically that will happen. 4) They will but in the beginning, Cedric will only have the web shooters and as time goes on I will add more to it. 5) Well something like that. He couldn't really question a comatose person, so instead he used him as a Guinea Pig in hopes of having the man go after Spider-Man in revenge which will lead this man to observe the new hero to find out more about him. 6) Yes there will be a bounty. 7) He will. 8) Overtime yes, but things will put him in the field before he's ready. 9) Yes they did and more will happen in the next chapter. 10) Of course. 11) Yes. 12) In all honesty, yes I did.
Overlord Susanoo: I may have something like that and thank you I'm happy this story is enjoyed by many people. And sorry but if I have him kill the villains there wouldn't be a story, plus people wouldn't really trust a hero that killed like that and he would have more problems with authority than needed.
NightMaster000: Thanks, I'm happy to have this story being realistic even with superpowers.
Celtic-Moon-Wolf: Good point on the Captain America.
Shadowbird852: Huh good point.
Vampireharry the 2: Thanks.
Phantom Fan: Actually in the trailer I didn't say it was the chief. And thank you for the explanation on all of that, it gave me a lot to think about as well as how I would do some things, I'm happy that you liked this story and I hope you enjoy it more.
... Question.
Should I add Cedric to the Spider-Verse story coming this fall?
Alright Spidey Signing Out.