So Connor's finally home, I finally have my casts off. Now we enter the first big arc. "The People VS Spider-Man." Here this arc will show how Connor is going to deal with what he has done,coming home to Washington DC(after all this shit is like Supreme Court worthy.) and how a world full of comics about superheroes that exist in the real world view Spider-Man. Since Agent Brad Hall is kind of exhausted this is where you'll see Kendrick Durham for a while.
Chapter 11: The Reveal/The Day that changed everything.
June 1 2015
Michael Chen stood in the middle of the street. He was dressed in a black suit. Very formal, but that was fitting for what was about to happen. His brother would be going on trial for what was apparently called "the most immature and controversial set of crimes ever seen in superhuman history." He thought back to the battle with the Inheritors which had only been a while ago.
Spider-Verse
BANG, BANG, BANG. Michael fired his pistols into the mouths of what appeared to be symbiotes, many of them. He wasn't tired, but he could tell Symbi was very uncomfortable killing her own race,
"Mike, I don't know how much longer I can hold out for. They don't want to hurt you it's just their hosts are-"
"Evil I know, most of these guys seem to be Venom, is that symbiote just a crazy psychopath in every universe?"
Mike felt a click sound from his guns, he was out of ammo. Which meant, he'd have to do this by hand. He felt Symbi holster the guns to reload them, a process that would take at least 5 minutes which meant he'd have to pull out his ace. He stared down the crowd of multiversal maniacs.
"Symbi?"
"Yeah?"
"Code Red."
To the outside observer, this was incredibly quick series of events, Mike multiplied. Almost instantaneously clones began to pop up all over the battlefield. Mike's mind began to hop from body to body simultaneously controlling each clone's movements. This was no easy task, the strain was incredible. He could feel himself tiring as each clone was slowly obliterated by the assembled villains. He had put everything he had into those clones, he noticed a crowd of Goblins swoop in. It was over.
"Symbi, we're gonna need a miracle aren't we?"
"I think it's the end Mike."
Suddenly a red and blue blur crashed into the crowd of Goblins. The figure blasted lightning from his hands, taking down a substantial portion of the villains. When he was done, the figure stood breathing heavily. Mike sprinted toward the figure. He knew that suit. He'd made it for one person and one person only.
"Connor?"
Connor POV
Connor felt his head spin. He had never used that much bio-lightning before. His brother had explained that their extra powers were the results of their X-genes being activated. While his brother had gained telepathy, Connor had gained something much more complex than the ability to shock people. He'd gained the ability to in a sense, supercharge the mitochondria in his cells, and discharge that excess energy in bursts of super speed or in the traditional venom sting. He felt himself being carried, and his body instantly tightened as his cells prepared to recharge for another attack, one last sprint to get away from whoever…. His mind stopped, he knew that voice.
"Mike?"
"Kid, you scared the shit out of me."
The mask retracted as the familiar messy black hair, and crooked grin of his older brother came into view. Mike's eyes glowed blue as a symbiote tendril reached out to Connor.
"Shhh.. It's OK relax."
"What? Oh you're Symbi from the journals."
"I'm giving you some energy, a little piece of me, so you can talk to me as well. I'm healing your cells. That took a lot of damage on your body"
"Wow, I mean I had no idea. That Mike could.. I mean.."
Mike propped him up.
"You need to stay alive OK? I don't care what's happened since I died, how much of the money you've spent or what you need apologize for. Make it home alive."
Connor nodded.
"And squirt?"
Connor looked back.
"I'm proud of you."
Connor felt tears well in his eyes as Mike swung off toward the Inheritors castle.
Rooftop
"Connor, you ready?"
Connor snapped out of it. Daisuke was waving.
"Yeah, I'm coming."
He checked his phone. It was June 1st?
"Daisuke?"
"Yeah?"
"Why is June 1st? It was May when we left."
"It's not a time machine Connor, you should've known some time would have past.
"Daisuke, I've been gone a week, my trial might have started already!"
Teen Pete and Ken walked back in.
Ken started.
"Dude your trial's tomorrow."
Peter piped up.
"Your girlfriend says hi, I think she wants to fuck me though."
Connor stared him down. Pete backed off. Ken continued.
"Your brother is down there. He seems like a badass from what I saw before Drake y'know."
Connor remembered that Ken had seen his brother die twice now. He'd been advised to cherish this reunion, his so-called 2nd chance. This couldn't wait any longer. The 5 dropped down into the streets. Daisuke had camouflaged the Spider-Bus and Connor now stood face to face with Michael.
"Why are you wearing your death suit?"
Mike froze. He'd forgotten that this was the suit he'd been wearing when he had died. He reached inside and tossed out a bottle of orange soda.
"Hey, just because I died in these clothes, doesn't make them any less stylish lil bro,"
Connor caught the bottle.
"How'd you get all the blood out?"
Mike sighed. Connor had always been a realist, wanted to know the answer to everything.
"Hey slow down there Con. Introduce me to your friends."
Ken and Peter stood almost gawking at how casual the two were.
"Oh, um this is Kendrick Durham. He's technically dead."
The aforementioned Kendrick stood up and walked over.
"Nice to meet you."
Mike smiled.
"I saw the whole thing, the cameras in Connor's mask caught everything. You're one hell of a fighter. Sorry about your brother though."
Ken bowed his head.
"Thanks, and for what it's worth, I'm glad you get to see Connor again. I know what that's like. To have regrets about what you've done, and maybe not get the chance to apologize"
Pete waved .
"This must be Peter Parker?"
"The one and-well I guess I'm not going to be the only Peter parker here."
Mike led the three into a building and Connor wasn't prepared for what he saw.
Connor Cheng Legal Defense Team
The room was packed with people in suits, people with microphones,tape recorders. There were people scrutinizing his social media. He gawked as a lady holding a makeup brush started to pat his face down with stuff. A man dressed in a suit, sunglasses and earplugs walked up. He waved him over, and the group followed. Mike gave the man a hug and Connor immediately knew who the man was.
"Hey you're supersensitive guy from the funeral!"
The man rolled his eyes.
"Jack Murdock Jr. I'm gonna be your lawyer for this trial kid. Also yes, I'm Daredevil."
He led them over to a table where various people sat reclining.
"These are the other consultants on your team, they are literally the best and most acclimated superheroes, who are the only people who don't hate you."
Connor quickly scanned the table.
"So She-Hulk, Paul Rudd Ant-Man and Nova? The only people who don't hate me because?"
Jack shrugged.
"Hey you're the imitation, people can tell."
Scott Lang looked pissed.
"Paul Rudd? Is this because of my movie?"
She Hulk sighed.
"Scott, you were well compensated for that, I mean I'm probably never getting a movie, and it took them 3 tries to do one for Bruce."
Nova took off his helmet revealing that he was Sam Alexander, who Connor also recognized for 3 X Games gold medals. He immediately dug through his suit and pulled out his skateboard.
"Dude, you are my HERO. Can you sign this?"
Peter and Ken just stared at the pure insanity of this whole affair.
"Dude, old you is like rich."
Teen Pete smirked.
"Dude, you think I could sign up for a credit card here?"
Ken sighed.
"You realize they'd notice once you put in the wrong birthday. I mean that version of you is probably like thirty-"
"You better not finish that sentence Durham."
Peter walked in the door holding a set of papers.
"Well Connor, Ken, young me,good to see you're all alive, this kind of a problem, but when you were gone. This trial has gone public."
Connor dropped his skateboard.
"Wait what?"
Teen Peter looked at one of the TVs.
"Connor you might wanna see this."
Connor looked. He was on every news channel. CNN,NBC,ABC,CBS all showed one story.
"THE PEOPLE VS SPIDER-MAN?"
Peter nodded.
"You broke a pretty big law,that's bound to get people riled up."
"NO ONE TOLD ME! I mean, I kind of knew but… I mean."
Connor was flustered. He didn't know that he could get into this kind of trouble, he thought this would be a top-secret affair. But now? The whole world was watching. Jack spoke up.
"We can do a press conference, get him some sympathy. I mean there is support for him."
He gestured to a monitor where many people were tweeting about the case, and Vines of him swinging through DC and New York were on a near endless loop.
"Kids and teenagers love you. You're going viral. That's why we've been checking your social media."
Connor gaped.
"PEOPLE KNOW MY REAL NAME?"
Jack nodded.
"We had to release it. You're already listed in the SHRA files, as a minor but the public's had the right to know who's under a mask for years now. They usually just don't bother. Plus we can't just sue Spider-Man, Peter owns trademark on the name and all related media, the two trilogies of movies, cartoons, the whole shebang."
Teen Pete gawked.
"THERE'S MOVIES ABOUT ME?"
Peter nodded.
"Three by Sam Raimi, Two by marc Webb, I hear they're rebooting again, so this time I might get a say in casting."
Young Pete was kicking himself. Ken looked confused.
"So everyone knows who Connor is now? How come there hasn't been people stalking his house, or supervillains killing his family?"
Jack spoke up.
"Under SHRA II, if a supervillain attacks a hero whose identity is publicly known, they face life in jail. That's why Connor's never fought the original Doc Ock or Lizard. Because one's dead, the other one took the terms. But I don't have time for all this. Mr. Cheng here has to get to DC and smile for the cameras."
Connor paled. His mom and dad would kill him, plus Oliver Octavius probably would show up.
"Wait, where's Oliver Octavius and Curt Connors Jr? Aren't they testifying against me?"
Jack scratched his head.
"They're well gone. No one's seen them in months. Daniel's working on finding them, but whatever's going on, it's not bigger than this trial. So focus, and look good for the crowds."
Connor nodded. He had to rest, Ken and Pete needed a place to stay because Daisuke was probably off to god knows where.
"My friends go with me though."
Jack smirked.
"Just like your brother."
Washington DC, Marriott Hotel.
Pete and Ken were stretching in a pretty roomy hotel room. They were watching the Spider-Man movies and eating junk food.
"Dude, I love this world."
Ken threw a bottle of Mountain Dew into his hands.
"Because you're rich and have a hot wife. I'm dead in every other world, but this would probably be in my top 5. Honestly, seeing Superman eat cereal and Kerry Washington taking a bath has probably ruined anything I'll ever see for the rest of my life."
Pete looked out the window.
"You think Connor's OK?"
Ken sighed.
"He's had a rough week, I mean I saw Drake die again, but it's like everything's been turned up to 11 for him. Did you notice he sulks a lot? I mean he's probably blowing off steam. "
"Like being a superhero wasn't turned up to 11?"
"Dude go hit on his girlfriend or something. I wanna watch the movie. Did you know Gambino was almost Spider-Man in the Marc Webb movies?"
Pete sat back down.
"My world's Gwen is definitely hotter than Emma Stone."
Ken turned the volume up, Pete started dialing Sara's phone number.
Across town
Connor was dressed in black, swinging around town. This city, or more accurately its surrounding suburbs, had been his home for 15 years. Yet now, he felt like a stranger. He'd needed to clear his head. But everywhere he went people were taking pictures of him. It was ironic that he missed being the nerd, or the disabled kid, at least then people weren't taking pictures. He stopped near the fish market. His brother had been following him around and he'd felt Mike poking around his head for the last 5 minutes. He turned around.
"Mike, why are you following me?"
Mike sat down,opened a foam carton of fried shrimp,french fries and coleslaw and tossed him a bottle of soda.
"We need to catch up squirt, and plus I'm hungry, being dead for 8 months will do that to you."
Mike patted the roof.
"Good thing we stopped here, no one will notice us, C'mon Connor, tell me why you're wearing your emo clothes."
"Mike I'm not emo, why the hell does everyone think-"
He sighed and sat down.
"I don't know, I mean I helped save the multiverse and everything, and you'd think that would make this a piece of cake, but-"
"You're scared aren't you?"
Connor put his head on his chin. Mike looked him in the eye.
"You know how everyone thinks I'm a hero?"
"But you are."
"Connor, I was a punkass kid like you once, ask Star Lord if you don't believe me. I mean, I used to hate you."
Connor choked on his soda. Mike pat him on the back.
"You were like the extra kid, the brother I didn't want. But Dad, y'know his speech?"
"The one about mistakes?"
"Yup. He's right as crazy as he is. You can't change the past. Oliver and Curt. It wasn't your fault that they turned into supervillains."
Connor looked at him.
"Coulson briefed me on everything. By the way, good call buying that jewelry for your mom."
Connor looked at the Harbor, Mike ate a fry.
"My point is, whatever happens in the next week, Things are going to change."
He put his arm on Connor's shoulder.
"But whatever comes next, we'll be together, because if you have my back, I'll have yours."
They sat there in silence for a few minutes before Connor got noticed by his new fangirls.
AN: So I got this out in time for Ant-Man on Friday. Mike and Connor finally have their talk. Whole bunch of references here. Really hope AgentBradHall is OK with this, and if you're wondering why Marvel exists. Read the prologue. Next chapter is day one of trial and Connor's speech.