Chapter 11: Why I Hate Gym
"Can't believe we got stuck on Bug Catching duty." "Yea. We could be training right now." "Not only that but this is the 3rd time this week that Spider-Man's skipped training." "Mmhmm." Tiger and I were running across buildings trying to find Spider-Man. When we finally saw him he was fighting Batroc The Leaper. Not much on him. What's to know? He's French. He Leaps.
"Spider-Man, Director Fury says get back to the Heli-Carrier for training." "Don't be so official White Tiger. When life gives you Batroc, make French Toast." While Web-Head obviously wasn't paying attention Batroc kicked him. "A boot in ze face!" Tiger went after him. "Wouldn't do that if I were-" She flipped and almost went over the edge. "-You." Batroc flung Spidey into the billboard. "Nicely handled." I tried not to laugh. "Get lazy and even the lame ones can cream you. That's what training's for." "That and mastering new weapons like Electric Claws!" "Yes that and mastering weapons like Electric- Huh?!" Batroc went flying into the billboard. 'Is Spider-Man a student at Midtown High?' "Where does he get this stuff?"
Few hours later we were at school. "That was humiliating." "No kidding." We met up with the rest of the team (Except Peter) in the lunch room. "All city campuses are on high alert. Report anything out of the ordinary." Peter walked in. "Great show with Batroc ze leaper huh?" "Lapse training late for school." "Good show Parker." He did little bunny ears at the both of us. I just ignored him. "So. How was Bug Catching Duty?" "Horrid." "We ran into Batroc. Ava and her Electric Claws saved the day...night...hour...you get it." "Yea well-" "You gym teacher Mister Moleskin will be out because or a freak accident after last night's game. Mister Jager will be your substitute until further notice." "I looked forward to unlocking your hidden...talents."
"Doesn't that Jager guy creep you out." I work with a guy who wall crawls and live in a mansion with a box that has tentacles in it...nothing creeps me out. "He's definitely...odd." "Yeah. Hey remember the Demon Diaries movies?" "Remember them? I loved them. I still do." "Well they're making a new one." "Your kidding?!" "Nope. They're playing it Sunday at the movie theater." "Cool." "Yea. I'm trying to get two tickets but it's hard." "I can see why it would-" "Excuse me." We looked back to see Danny behind us. "May I borrow Latara for a minute." I looked over at M.J. "I don't mind. See you at gym." She walked away. I turned around. "Yes?" "I was wondering if you wanted to do something tomorrow." "Uh...tomorrow? As in...tomorrow tomorrow?" "Yes..." "Um...well..." Come on Latara! This is your chance! "Sure." Danny smiled. Before we could chat some more the bell rang.
"I'm looking for finalists to compete in the city wide athletics championship. Run this course well and you might be in. Thompson, GO!" Flash ran the course. "Ayala!" Ava did really well. "Rand!" So did Danny. "Hanu!" I was being a show off, cartwheeling across the balance bar. "Osborn!" Harry...not so well. "Cage!" Luke got stuck in a tire...oops. "Watson!" M.J did well too. "Alexander!" Sam...not so much. "Parker. Your last." Peter failed miserably. I know it's just to keep his identity but seriously. "I'll see three of you here tomorrow for the final cut. Rand, Thompson, Osborn." "Tomorrow? Saturday?" "Did I stutter?" "Danny, Flash and Harry? Harry?!" "I aced that thing. Why aren't I a finalist?" "Are you the only one who sees school on a Saturday a good thing?" Danny tapped me on the shoulder. "We need to talk." "Okay..." We walked out.
"Whatcha wanna talk about?" "A rain check?" "Figured. It's great and all that your a finalist but it sucks that it's tomorrow." "Mmhmm. So is Sunday good?" "Yea." "Ok. See you Sunday." He walked away. "See you...oh crud."
"Crud crud crud!" "What's wrong?" "M.J and I made plans to see the new Demon Diaries movie Sunday but Danny just asked me if we wanted to do something Sunday and I accidentally accepted." "Why don't you ask uh...what's her name...Cupid is it?" "C.A Cupid. Luna your a genius!" I hopped up and got my Valentine's Day addition of Teen Scream Magazine. "Right here. C.A Cupid was adopted by the Greek God of Love. She's dedicated her life to helping monsters with relationship problems. One of her best quotes is 'Love doesn't have to be scary.' She's the perfect person to help me. And lucky for us her radio show starts in a few minutes."
A grabbed my phone and when she started taking calls, dialed the number. "Ok let's start things off. Caller your on the air." "Hi Cupid. I've read all about you in Teen Scream Magazine and really need help. See a friend of mine and I made plans to do something on Sunday but then my 'crush' asked me if I wanted to do something on the same day and I accidentally accepted. What should I do?" "Hmm...how long have you known them?" "I've known the friend for 5 years. The crush...only a month or so." "How understanding are they?" "Really understanding." "Well then I think that they'd understand no matter which you go with. Just ask yourself one questions. Do you want to do something with a friend or go on a date with your crush." "Ok. Thanks Cupid." "No problem." I hung up.
"Ok so...um...jeesh this is harder than I thought." Eevee sighed. "Just go with Danny." I looked back at her. "Since when do you give advice?" "Since you started to get really annoying with your relationship problem. Danny's your natural opposite but still a good match considering the fact that you guys balance each other out so to speak." "You got that from my Magazines didn't you?" "I need to do something when your gone." "Ok." I grabbed my phone and text M.J, telling her I couldn't make it.
The rest of the day and night past by really fast. I awoke when my phone rang. "Hello?" "Latara?" "Yes?" "Get down to the school ASAP." "Why?" "Because I think the fence is electrified." "It's really early and...Electrified?" "Get here. Now." I was changing while she was talking. I hung up then teleported to school. "Quick enough?" She rolled her eyes. Guess that doesn't work. I touched the fence. "OOOOOWWWW!" "Told ya." "Ok so it's electrified. Are Danny, Flash and Harry in there?" "Yeah I saw them go in about an hour before I called you." "Hmm..." We waited for about another 2 hours. "That's it! I'm calling Webs." I grabbed my phone.
"Huh? Hello?" "Hey Pete, have you heard from Harry? It's noon and no one's come out of the gym." "I'm not late for training!" "Something's wrong. We can't get into the school. The fence is electrified." "Why are you-Electrified." "I had the same reaction. Just get here ASAP." In a matter of seconds he was there. "Quick Enough for you?" I looked over, surprised. "Yea that's right. I'm that good." Ava quickly suited up and we went in.
"Who electrifies the fence but leaves the door unlocked?" We kept walking. "Dark, Creepy, Dank." "Told ya we shouldn't of come." "Help! Help!" We ran towards the voice to find the janitor pinned up against the wall. "Hold on. We'll get ya out." Peter pulled the robotic...arm back. "Major Malfunction in the Security System." "Oh my." I heard a click. "Don't move." Part of the floor dropped. "Ok so maybe you should of moved." "Who built the security? Doctor Doom?!"
"That's it I'm calling Coulson." "No phone needed. He's here." "What? On a Saturday?" Spidey opened the door. "Don't come into my office." Agent/Principle Coulson was hung upside down over a vat of...chemicals. "I can see why you wanted to be alone. Nice tighty-whities." "The whole school is rigged. Taskmaster hacked into the S.H.I.E.L.D tech." "Who?" "Assassin. Hates me. Hates Fury." "We gotta contact Fury." "Can't. He jammed the signal. You shouldn't of come to school today." "Told ya." Tiger growled. "Get yourselves out of here then contact Fury. Don't go after Taskmaster alone you here me? He's a combat chameleon." "He was bitten by a radioactive chameleon?" Before Coulson could answer there was a scream. "That's Harry. I remember that scream for slasher movie night at camp." "Well then let's go!" Coulson yelled something but we couldn't hear him.
"Spidey Sense. Get down!" We ducked from...trophy missiles? "Well...If Flash and Harry are here at least they have Danny to protect them. Right?" "Yea I guess. But what did Coulson mean by Combat Chameleon?" "No idea. No time for questions or answers. We gotta find them." I nodded.
"He's right behind us!" "Keep running!" "Slow and steady. Slow and...look out!" Danny pushed Flash and Harry underneath a door. "We gotta get out of here!" Harry sighed. "Your right. Let's go." They kept running. "Up here!" They ran up some steps. "Is he behind us?" "I'm not looking!" Taskmaster jumped right in front of them. "Which one of you is gonna change into Spider-Man?" They were shivering in fear.
"They're in danger!" "It's the moment you trained for!" "Oh that's right. You never train." A net swooped up Harry. "Flash! Don't leave me here!" "Hey I'm the strongest guy in school, but I ain't Spider-Man." Taskmaster looked at Harry. "You're obviously not him. Come on out Spider." "What should we do?" Peter paused for a few minutes. "You get Harry and Flash to safety. I'll deal with Taskmaster." I rolled my eyes. "Great Plan."
Tiger cut the net with her claws. "What...what's going on?" "Don't know. All I do know is that we're gonna get you to safety." Spidey and Taskmaster were fighting. Well...kinda. "He's coping your moves Web-Head!" Peter started fighting Taskmaster again. "You can take off the mask, Thompson." "I was gonna say the same thing. If that is a mask!"Ava scratched the mask off. "Mister Jager? Our gym teacher?"
*Pause* Please note that we in no way mean to suggest that all gym teachers are evil Taskmasters that strive to bring misery to teens everywhere...except the ones who do. *Resume*
He threw her over to me. "So that test was all about finding Spider-Man?" "Now I don't feel so bad about getting cut." "Shadow you deal with him. I'll get Harry out of here." "Right." I started attacking. Must I say...that didn't work. "Never met a move I couldn't match. Yours, the Tiger's, Spider's, That K'un L'un kid's." "Danny? What did you do to him?!" I started to growl. "Oh no." I went at him claws and all...that didn't work either. He threw me into Tiger, both of us fell down the stair well. If it wasn't for Spider-Man's webs we'd be pancakes. He shot one at me and I grabbed on and wrapped it around my wrist. Taskmaster was saying stuff to Spider-Man. I just cut the webbing and Tiger and I dropped down. Moments later, Peter dropped down too.
"The training...it's useless. He copies everything we do." "Hmm...I got an idea." We ran to the gym. "He mimics what we do. So let's do what we don't." "Won't work. He copies it as soon as he sees it." Peter grabbed a ball. "But what if he doesn't see it?" He put it behind himself and when we saw it it was in between his legs. "I got something in my locker just for this...problem is, I only got one." "Not a problem actually. I can see in the dark." "You can?" "Yea. You know that cat myth?" "The one that cat's have 9 lives?" "No Web for Brains. You mean 'cat's can see in the dark'?" "Right. Being part cat demon I really can see in the dark." "Cool." "Mmhmm."
After getting his other mask we went back over to the gym. "Ok so I'll lure Taskmaster into the gym then Tiger, you turn the lights off." "Right. Then we swoop down and attack Taskmaster with each others weapons." Tiger and Spidey switched gloves. "Then I'll be waiting for him on the beam. When he tries to grab on to those rings..." I pointed to two rings. "I'll pull them up causing him to fall down. Then Spider-Man, you catch him with the tires." "Mmhmm." "Ok then. Let's do this!"
It all went like plan. "Uh oh. I think Taskmaster spotted me." Peter started running towards the gym. "Darn those budget cuts. No lights on the weekends Tasky." "You're only prolonging the inevitable." "Then we might as well make it fun right?" He ran into the gym. "Now!" "I make this spider mask look good." Tiger and Spidey started attacking. "Remember where you are?" "You just did me a favor. I have a photographic memory. I could move around as well as if the lights were on." Taskmaster went to grab the rings. I pulled them up. "You could if everything was where it was yesterday sucker!" "Dodge Ball!" Spider-Man started throwing dodge balls. White Tiger webbed one of Taskmaster's legs, Spidey put three tires onto Taskmaster. After cutting the webs I threw Taskmaster onto the bleachers and Tiger webbed him on. "Now I know why you use these things. They're fun!"
"There's still time to join me." "You may think I'm a loser but I don't. So I'll have to decline." "Then I'll just expose your identity as Flash Thompson!" "Which Flash? This one?" I pointed behind me to Harry and Flash. "It's Spider-MAN Jager. Not Spider-Teen, but this school is still under my watch. Just like the rest of the city." "There's a lesson here." "Yea, you go schooled!" "Not helping." Taskmaster pressed a little button on a remote and smoke went everywhere. When it cleared Taskmaster was gone. The only thing left was a mask. "Great distraction." Tiger picked the mask up. "How many masks can one guy wear?" "You're asking me?" "Think he'll be back with a different face?" "He knows what he's up against." "Yea cuz he got schooled!" "Yea still not helping."
"And that's...why I hate gym." "What do you mean? You love gym." "Luna...I don't today." "Hmm...aren't you forgetting someone?" "Uh...eep!" I ran back into the halls. All the traps were disabled. I looked around. "Danny!" I ran towards him. He was knocked against the lockers. "Danny are you ok?" He groaned. "Except for a headache...I'm fine." "Good." I helped him up. "Let's get out of here. I've had enough school for one day." We got outside to find Ava and Peter. "Hey guys!" They looked over. "Guess who I found." "Danny!" "You're ok." Danny nodded. "Mmhmm."
"Flash actually did me a favor." "Taskmaster never even thought that you were Spider-Man." "Your plan was more efficient then my training." "Really?" "Going solo paid off okay." "There's still one thing I don't get." Peter turned toward Principle Coulson. "The tight briefs?" "I swim." I tried not to laugh. "Leave the man's underwear alone Pete or he'll get 'short' with you." I couldn't help it. I started laughing. "Um..." "I'll explain everything later. K?" Danny just looked at me...then smiled.
I plopped on my bed. "One normal day...is that to much to ask?" "Apparently." I picked up Eevee. "Thanks. For being annoying most of the time...you're a great friend." I squeezed her. "No problem. Now may I ask for one thing?" "Name it." "Oxygen." I let go. "Sounds like you had a rough day." "Oh Lucario. You don't know the half of it." I fell backwards, landing on my pillows. I sighed. "Well...at least I'm not alone."
