Disclaimer: I am in misery...cuz nothing in this story be owned by me, oh yeyah
I'm pretty sure out of all the chapters I've written so far, this is the one I've written and rewritten and edited and trashed and started all over on the most. It's starting to get really hard to please you guys, although I appreciate the criticism and I continue to ask for it because I know I need it. I know whatever I write is not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but I like it, so yeah. Here's your update you demanding little trolls. I love all of you :)
Chapter 9
Despite having a notorious reputation as a stupid and self-centered jerk, Flash Thompson's had some impressive leadership skills. His time spent on the football field paired with his street credibility from his buddies made students and teachers alike obediently follow him as he barked orders, not a person stepping out of line. As much as he hated to admit it, Peter was glad he was there to help. He knew that what he did was not something Peter Parker could've accomplished. He hoped Gwen was safe.
As people poured out of the school in a massive, panicky flow, Peter snuck into the bathroom, which was now thankfully deserted. He slipped into one of the stalls and took off his jeans and jacket/T-shirt combo, revealing the Spider-Man costume that he wore beneath his clothes. He wriggled his fingers into the gloves, abandoned his street shoes for his red, boot-like ones, and stretched the web-etched Spider-Man mask over his face. Peter breathed raggedy, trying to calm the fear raging within himself. He had to have all his wits about him for this one. He was in for the fight of his life.
Peter's suit had taken a pretty heavy beating along with the rest of him in his last squabble with the Avengers, but he hadn't had any time to repair it. The fabric was torn all down his arms and back, revealing the bruised and scarred skin underneath, as well as along the scrape on his forehead. The spandex was also singed along his left shoulder, which made the entire costume smell funny no matter how many times Aunt May washed it. But Peter didn't have time for wardrobe malfunctions at that point. He had a city to protect.
Checking to make sure nobody would see their friendly neighborhood Spider-Man crawling out of the school lavatories, Peter exited the stall and entered the hallway. The school was eerily empty, except for one loiterer who was wandering about aimlessly, yelling out Peter's name over the screaming fire alarm.
Peter ran right up to Flash Thompson and grabbed his shoulders, more than likely scaring the living crap out of him.
"What are you doing in here?" he yelled through his mask, his voice slightly muffled. "You have to leave!"
Flash's fear was instantly replaced with a childish twinkle that sparkled in his eyes. "Sp-Spider-Man?" he stuttered, his voice about twenty octaves higher than what Peter was used to. He didn't have time for fan service.
Peter gave him a much-needed shove towards the back entrance. "Run. Don't stop until you're positive you're someplace safe. The Hulk is going to demolish this entire area soon, and I don't want anyone here while that's happening."
Thompson appeared to have gotten the message, as he began sprinting down the abandoned hallways of Midtown High, but just before he vanished out the door, he turned around and shouted at the top of his lungs, "You're the awesomest, Spider-Man!"
Peter rolled his eyes behind his mask. If only he knew.
Now that he had no more helpless students standing in his way, Peter slipped out of the school through the destroyed classroom and emerged from the wreckage out on the city streets. Fear crawled under Peter's skin as his eyes absorbed the massive green monster before him that was smashing through New York like a humanoid Godzilla, his unstoppable fists pulverizing everything around him. Screams and gunfire ripped through the air, jarring Peter's mind into focus. He fired a line of webbing at a streetlight and swung up on top of a building so that he had the high ground on the Hulk. He scoped out his options, trying desperately to conjure a plan that might turn this thing around, but he could find none. The only thing he could do was fight—occupy the beast for as long as possible until it ran out of juice. Unless, of course, it didn't run out of juice. Then Peter would just have to ad-lib.
Peter's spidey sense rang inside of his head, and he rolled to the left just as a bullet that an idiotic police offer had shot from below completely missed the hunkering green monster in front of it and whizzed past Peter's face.
"Hold your fire!" he demanded to the policemen dotted scarcely along the ground who were surrounding the rampaging Hulk. "Bullets won't even scratch him! Just get out of here; it's too dangerous!"
One officer nodded up at him, and began motioning with his arms wildly. "Pull back! Pull back!"
As the policemen scattered in a chaotic frenzy, none quite sure which direction they should run, Peter fired his web-shooter at the Hulk's eyes, causing him to bellow with rage. The green monster clawed at the webbing that blinded him, tearing it away with unsettling ease, and leered up at the tiny attacker perched on the rooftop. Peter waved nervously.
"'Sup, ugly?" he asked with a grin, crouching down with his hands on his knees. "I'll make this easy for both of us. I'll run, and you try to catch me. Sound like a plan?"
In response, the Hulk roared ferociously and launched himself towards Spider-Man, his beefy fists clenched in rage. Letting out a yelp, Peter sprang sideways, and the green monster crashed into the roof like a wrecking ball. Peter scrambled to his feet as the beast shook its head, its fierce green eyes locked on Spider-Man's skinny form.
"Oh, sweet mother of—"
The Hulk bellowed savagely and began thundering towards Peter like a muscly green rhino, and without thinking Peter spun on his heels and began running for his life. He flung himself off the roof and fired a web at a narrow streetlamp, swinging all the way around it with powerful momentum and connecting a kick against the Hulk's contorted face. He hollered with bloodlust deep in his voice, and grabbed at the air above his head, his boulder-sized fingers barely missing Peter's body as he flipped out of the way. Peter shot webbing from his wrists in rapid alternation, zipping himself down the street with the Hulk in hot pursuit. As he swung forward, however, small dots of people scrambling about ahead of him came into view, and he hissed between his teeth. He had to keep the Hulk contained in this area, otherwise he'd start smashing at civilians instead of Spidey.
Peter somersaulted through the air and fired both his web-shooters at the same time, which connected to the buildings on his left and right. His forward momentum carried him further down the street, causing the webbing to stretch taut between his wrists. Like an enormous loaded slingshot with Spider-Man as the ammo and his webs as the rubber band, Peter rocketed himself back towards the the Hulk, flying with his fist cocked behind his head. With all his strength and speed behind it, Peter slammed his fist right between the Hulk's eyes, causing him to stumble back and roar in pain, clutching his face. As Peter jumped off his big green forehead, he fired a strand of webbing into his palm and held on to both ends of the web with each hand. Flipping over his head and landing on his shoulders, Peter wrapped the webbing over the front of the beast's throat and pulled on it with all his might, digging his heels into the back of his monstrous neck. The Hulk bellowed with rage, trying to grab at the thin string that was choking him but his thick fingers refusing to find purchase. Peter continued to yank on the webbing, tighter and tighter, until he was positive it was light's out for Mr. Green Machine, when a gigantic hand suddenly reached back and grabbed him in its fingers. The Hulk chucked his thin body like a rag doll and watched Spider-Man fly through the air, his limbs flailing sporadically. Unable to stop himself, Peter slammed against the street, rolling along the pavement for a long stretch of road until he skidded to a slow stop, moaning. He just laid there face-down for a moment, trying to regain his bearings, his skin stinging with fresh cuts that began to leak rivers of blood down his back. Peter struggled to his hands and knees, his plan beginning to backfire as exhaustion crept into his own muscles, and went rigid when an enormous shadow loomed over his shivering body.
The Hulk stared down at Peter, his massive hands balled at his sides and trails of sweat dripping down his face and muscles. He growled, then raised his fists above his head.
Adrenaline spiked inside Peter's bloodstream, and he rolled to the left, but the impact of Hulk's smash sent him flying sideways. He slid against the ground and quickly hopped into a low crouch, breathing heavily. Struggling to recover, Peter sprinted forward, firing a web at the Hulk's gigantic kneecap and running around his leg. The green beast grabbed at the air around his feet, trying to snatch little Spidey up in his monstrous fists, but he rolled out of the way and wrapped the webbing around the front of his legs. Next, he released a flurry of web fluid on to the Hulk's feet, trapping them against the ground if for only a moment. Like a red and blue bullet, Peter dashed towards the monster's gigantic body and sprang into the air, his legs out in front of him. His feet rammed against the Hulk's chest, causing him to roar and begin to lose his balance. Then, in a flash, Spider-Man bolted behind the unsteady beast and slammed his fist against the back of his knee, causing it to buckle completely. Peter rolled out of the way, and with a mighty howl, the Hulk tumbled backwards, his shoulders crashing against a tall building and shattering countless windows. The rest of his body slammed against the sidewalk, cracking the concrete beneath it.
Without wasting a second, Peter crawled up the damaged building and hopped on to the Hulk's chest, spraying his entire face with a thick layer of webbing. He then began punching the beast's gigantic face with his fists, knuckles cracking as they slammed against the thick chin, cheeks, and nose. The Hulk was a practically indestructible being whose body could withstand bullets and bomb blasts without even flinching, however, and although Peter packed a lot of power behind his punches, they just weren't doing the damaged he needed. The Hulk let out a bellow of rage, his lips ripping through the webbing encasing them, and flung himself forward blindly. Peter jumped off his collarbone in response, backflipping as he flew, and fired a web at the windows above the green beast. The Hulk was quick, however, and brought his two meaty palms together in a powerful clap. The impact created a shockwave through the air that sent Peter flying helplessly like a spider caught in a tornado. He crashed through a pastry shop's display window and tumbled backwards in a flailing heap of shattered glass and beautifully decorated cupcakes. He hit the tiled floor roughly, colorful icing splattering all over costume.
"Seriously?" Peter groaned, wiping pink frosting off his face. "All my aunt's hard work, gone to waste. Although I do like the smell of red velvet better than our crappy laundry detergent."
A gigantic fist suddenly crashed through the wall, narrowly missing a sugarcoated Spidey. Peter fired a web at the Hulk's bulging bicep as he sprung to his feet, then sprinted up his arm and flipped over his shoulder. But the Hulk was ready this time, and he spun around violently, the back of his hand connecting with Peter's wiry body. Peter slammed into the concrete, gasping as he felt his spine pop painfully and the back of his head snap back against the ground. He laid there, unmoving.
The Hulk reached down and scooped Spider-Man in his beefy fist, trapping Peter's arms against his sides in his iron grip. Peter's head swam as he slowly became aware of the powerful fingers squeezing his body, and he began to squirm.
"Banner! L-let me go!" he yelled in a strangled voice, thrashing to escape his beastly grip but without success. "I don't know what the hell has gotten into you, but you have to fight it!"
But Bruce's mind was lost in the sea of rage and distemper. He squeezed Spider-Man like a toy in his hand, causing him to choke and sputter. Black dots began to outline the peripherals of Peter's vision, and his lungs refused to expand. He could feel himself fading into unconsciousness, and his head pitched forwards, going silent.
Suddenly, a bright blue blast exploded against the Hulk's face, causing him to howl in agony and drop Spider-Man's limp body. A red and gold object rocketed past the bellowing monster who was clutching his smoking eyes in pain, caught Peter in its arms, and zipped out of harm's way in one quick turn. The Hulk roared at them from below, but the figure was too quick for him, and was far from his grasp within seconds. Peter's eyes fluttered open beneath his mask, his head and muscles throbbing, and he sucked in a large gasp of air, gulping fresh oxygen into his starved lungs. He could feel the wind whipping against his open scrapes, which made it clear that he was flying at a dangerously fast speed. His body was being held by a pair of cold metal arms.
After about minute more of soaring above the cityscape, Peter felt his rescuer land on the ground. He placed Spider-Man gently on sidewalk, and he rolled on to his hands and knees, moaning.
"Easy there, Spidey," he heard a familiar, robotic voice comfort him, which caused Peter to groan irritably. "Don't move too much; you've taken a serious beating." An amused confusion entered his tone. "Is this...frosting?"
"Ah, crap," Peter muttered, coughing into the ground and feeling his senses finally begin to come around. He sat back on his haunches, clutching his head. "You again."
Iron Man laughed boisterously, placing his metal hand on Peter's shoulder. "Funny way to address the guy who's saved your red and blue ass from going ker-splat on the street...what is it, twice now?"
After their last encounter, all his former admiration for the iron Avenger was gone. Peter shook his head, clearing the fog that had settled over his mind. "That first time didn't count. You attacked me."
Stark clicked his teeth together. "Actually, it was Clint who shot you down. Without the consent of the rest of us, might I add. Don't worry, you can have a go at him later."
A violent crash echoed in the distance, followed by a mighty roar that seemed to shake the earth beneath them. Tony stood, staring off in the direction that the noise had come from. He glanced back down at Spider-Man.
"But right now, we need your help. The Hulk isn't our only problem."
"Really?" Peter inquired sarcastically, rolling his aching shoulders. "What's more problematic than a gigantic green monster rampaging around the city?"
To answer his question, a bloodcurdling shriek rang out from high above their heads, causing Peter's heart to jump. The two masked heroes glanced upwards with a start, uneasiness twisting in their stomachs.
A massive figure was crawling up the gigantic flatscreen in the center of Times Square, inciting screams and yells from the people on the ground below. The large figure looked as if it was wearing some sort of sickly green armor, with its massive, crab-like claws hooking into the glass, raining glistening shards on the crowds beneath it. A long, thick tail swung behind it with a jaggedly pointed tip that made Peter's skin crawl.
"Two of them."
Peter squinted, struggling to comprehend what he was seeing. "What is that thing?"
Stark shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. "Beats me. Some deranged maniac who got ahold of some dangerous armor that resembles a bug. He struck Banner with that stinger thing, and it caused him to turn."
Peter glanced up at him in shock. "That thing is what made Doctor Banner turn into the Hulk?"
Tony nodded slowly, his brow wrinkled with worry behind his metal mask. "He called himself 'Scorpion'."
Peter looked back up at the hunkering armor as it climbed up the screen, cursing under his breath. What did this thing want? Who would be insane enough to release the Hulk on to the city? He frowned behind his mask. "I'm starting to think green is New York City's least favorite color. I mean, in, like, every aspect. Decoration-wise, sports team-wise, dietary-wise, and, oh yeah, the-people-who-terrorize-the-city-wise." He rubbed his hands along the ground, scraping icing off the red fabric and on to the concrete. "So, what do you want from me?"
Iron Man offered Peter his metal hand, which whirred and clicked with the movement of his fingers. "We need you to occupy that Scorpion guy until we can get the Hulk under control. He's not as big and destructive as Banner, so he shouldn't be too tough to handle, but he's already attacked some people and caused some major damage to the city...including my house." His voice grew aggressively deeper as he said that last part. "Asshole. Anyway, once we calm Brucy down, we'll come help you with Scorpion. Do you think you can do that for us?"
Peter laughed raggedly, his voice dripping with distrust. "And how do I know you're not just going to use this as another opportunity to try to snatch me up and drag me off to S.H.I.E.L.D. again? You already tried it once with that sick 'come with us and you can join the Avengers' trick."
Tony Stark looked down at him, his outstretched hand still hanging in the air. His Iron Man mask suddenly flipped up to reveal his face, which had an surprisingly serious expression on it.
"That wasn't a trick, Spider-Man. I sincerely wanted you to join our team, and I still do. I thought that if you got this whole 'spider-menace' ordeal sorted out with S.H.I.E.L.D., which you could clearly prove them wrong about, you really could become an Avenger." His gaze went downcast a little. "True, it wasn't guaranteed by Coulson that you would be accepted for sure, but I've seen what you're capable of. The way you whooped our asses the other day—that was convincing enough. And just now, the way you took on the Hulk all on your own to protect this city's people." Tony Stark's eyes softened, unwavering and earnest. "The Avengers need a guy like you."
Peter sat silently, eyes wide, mulling over what Iron Man had just told him. What was this guy playing at? Did he really think that little Peter Parker was capable of being an Avenger? The sincerity in his voice made it seem just that, but Peter did not want to be fooled again. And he still did not want to reveal his identity to anyone. A pat on his shoulder jarred Peter from his thoughts.
"Come on, Spider-Man," Tony Stark said impatiently, a tinge of comical sarcasm in his voice and his usual discourteous demeanor making a reappearance. "All this sappy crap is making me nauseous. We've got a city to save."
Peter laughed authentically and shook his head. Then, with a heavy sigh, he reached up and grabbed Iron Man's hand, allowing him to help him to his feet. Peter grimaced as he stood, grabbing his head in his hand as it started to throb again, and he let out a groan.
"Are you going to be alright?" Stark asked, patting him cautiously on the back.
"Sure," Peter answered with a forced smile, fighting the urge to collapse back to the ground and curl up into a ball. "Y-you know, nothing major that the amazing Spider-Man can't handle, right?"
Tony Stark chuckled, slapping Peter on the shoulder with enthusiasm. "In that case, see yah around." His metal mask dropped back over his face, and he blasted off the pavement, flying towards the sound of ferocious roaring and buildings being smashed. Peter watched Iron Man soar across the sky until the red and gold suit had disappeared behind a towering building, the sound of his repulsor engines fading into the distance before vanishing completely.
Breathing steadily, Spider-Man glanced back over to where the Scorpion thing was, who released another violent screech from his throat that echoed across the city and sent a chill down his back.
"Yeah," Peter sighed, firing a web strand from his wrist that connected to a nearby apartment complex, "see yah."
Sorry, no switching of the POV in this chapter. I was going to do it all in one, but that just would've been gigantic, especially when you see how freakin long the next chapter is. Speaking of which, the next chapter is kind of sad and painful. Sorry :P
