A/N: I do not own Spider-Man or Avatar
Cranky engines and loud horns caused Peter to stir but the whiff of freshly roasted coffee brought him back to the world. His vision was obscured by his arms and took him longer to analyze his surroundings. The large sign above the bar gave him his answer, Joan's Diner. A waitress silently dropped a couple of cups of coffee on the table.
"Really working hard, eh doll face?" A familiar voice playfully chided.
Peter's daze was shattered as his head darted towards the voice in front of him. Unfortunately, the man's head was obscured by an opened newspaper. He was reading a freshly pressed copy of the Daily Bugle's paper.
"What can I say? Everybody needs a buck right? 'Specially these days." She replied.
"I hear ya sister. Believe me I hear ya." The man folded his newspaper, turned to Peter, and chuckled. "Well, look who's just got done with his cat nap." There he was in the flesh, Ben Urich.
Peter questioned what he was seeing. Was this right? He wondered what to do as he gazed at the journalist dumbfounded.
"Geez kid, you're acting like you've just seen a ghost." He chuckled as he took a sip from the pitch black elixir. "You know if these hours don't agree with you, I could always pull some strings and get JJ to give you a job in the mailroom. It ain't pretty but you'll get home at a dec-"
"No Mr. Urich, no!" Peter snapped back to reality and protested. "I like doing this and please, for the love of God, don't stick me in some stinking mailroom!"
"Relax kid. I was only pulling your leg." Ben assured.
"Thank god." Peter breathed a sigh of relief. "Sorry about dozing off Mr. Urich, I was never really a night owl before working with you, that's all." He hastily grabbed his cup and took a swing, trying to stay conscious.
"Hold the phone, you're telling me you never messed around after dark?" Urich scuffed. "And you're barely out of high school for crying out loud."
"I don't know what to tell you Mr. Urich. I just went to school, went to the library, and helped out around the soup kitchen when this depression business started." Peter told him. "How else did you think I got my diploma early?"
Ben nodded. "Makes sense I guess."
"Besides, Uncle Ben always told me that nothing good ever happened after ten o'clock."
"No argument there Peter. Though some say that's when the night kicks off."
"Forget about me, let's talk about the story." Peter moved to switch gears. "You think Osborn had something to do with that apartment fire?"
"Whoa kid, keep it down!" He demanded and made sure to scan the room before continuing.
"You never know whose listening, catch my drift?"
"Right. Sorry about that. I got a little carried away."
"Don't worry about it, it happens to the best of us. Just be more mindful from here on out." Urich paused and pulled a cigarette out of his coat pocket along with some matches. "As for your question, it's hard to say with any certainty.
Confusion crumbled Peter's face. "What?! This has Osborne's handy work written all over it. It's an open/shut story Ben!"
"You're not wrong but your glossing over some important details." Ben took a moment, he already knew this would be a long winded explanation. "First and foremost, burning down an old rundown apartment complex isn't anything new in this town. Now do I think 'you know who' had a hand in it? Sure. The M.O among other things. Problem is I know four different players that couldn't have done the deed. There's this big albino fella in Harlem-"
"Mr. Urich you're one of the smartest people I know. You know how this city works and who's doing what in it. If you say Nor- 'You know who' did it, then that's all the proof I need." Peter proclaimed as lowly as he could.
Ben just took a deep drag of his cigarette in light of Peter's braise. He couldn't hide the disappointment written on his face. "I gotta say kid that really warmed my icy heart. I'm more experienced so that automatically makes me right, is that it?"
Peter regarded his mentor for a moment and considered his words carefully. "That's a gross simplification, but yes. I've only been at this for a couple of weeks and you've been doing investigations and reporting for most of your adult life. That's not to say I believe everyone over me. I'm no fool, but when you talk I listen. In other words your opinion is invaluable in situations like this."
Ben angrily extinguished his cigarette, the boy's answer irritated him further. "Laying it on a little thick ain't we Pete? Give it a rest will ya? You think highly of me, I get it, but trust me I'm nothing special. Don't just blindly follow what I say or do. Make your own conclusions, support them with evidence, and defend them to the best of your ability. Got it?"
Peter couldn't deny Ben's stance but he still didn't like what he was hearing. "That's all fine and good Mr. Urich but…it's not full proof."
Ben cocked an eye brow at Peter's words. "What do you mean-Oh I get it. Pete, I know you want to nail Osborne to the wall but you have to be patient. Believe me, guys like him always set up their own demise. They surround themselves in webs of fear and lies and think their invincible.
They think getting people good and scared protects them from the outcome of their actions. Thing is their 'power' is also the source of their destruction. I've seen it a dozen times. These guys get so hopped up on themselves that they fancy themselves kings but they fall like us commoners every time. That's where guys like us come in. See we pull the veil away and make their lives very difficult for them. We show the world for the monsters they are. It's an effective method but it's a long con. It's filled with lots of trial and error and sleepless nights. Ergo, me and you drinking some five cent coffee fending off the sandman. Any of that get through to you Peter?"
Peter digested the man's words carefully. "Yeah, more or less." He broke the tension with a small laugh. "You really got a way with words Mr. Urich. Who knew?"
"Flattery isn't going to get you far with me Pete. Besides, I was really scrapping the bottom of the barrel with that little speech. I told you, I'm nothing special. Don't go throwing me a parade or anything."
Peter scuffed and took a swig of his coffee. "Learn how to take a complement and I won't have to."
"Wise ass." He shot back and pushed his paper and coffee aside. "Peter seriously, this life can get ugly, really ugly. The people I invested in will do anything to keep the limelight off of them and I mean anything. Now I'll ask you one more time, man to man, do you have the stomach for this kind of work? There's no shame if you don't. I just need to know if you're up for this." He reached for another cigarette and placed it in his mouth. "Truth be told, I think I've got a few screws loose to be in this game for so long."
"Mr. Urich, Ben, since I've started running with you I've never felt more alive. I appreciate the warning but this is where I belong. Beating the pavement and chasing leads just feels right for me. I live for this kind of work. So yeah, I've got the stomach for it." He answered with a look of absolute determination in his eye. He knew the risks but it wouldn't stop him. "Besides, it's a hell of a lot better than helping around the soup kitchen and helping with the protests."
"Oh, didn't think you resented May's burden of passion."
"It's not like that." Peter argued his Freudian slip. "Aunt May's doing what she can in this crisis but her methods are too passive. I'm happy to help her whenever I have a chance, but it doesn't hold a candle to what we're doing together. She's helping but were out to make a difference.
This isn't safe, I get that, but this life just suits me better that's all.
Ben chuckled, letting the cigarette smoke escape his nostrils. "I did give you a lot, didn't I?" He continued to laugh at an unheard quip.
Peter looked at the seasoned journalists in a new light. His statement was confusing and needed context. "Come again? You feeling Okay Ben. Didn't think the rough hours would ever get to you." He masked his concerns with a light hearted jab.
"I gave you purpose…gave you power…" He completely ignored him and spoke as if he was in a trance. "A new life…but what have you've done for me? What have you done to repay your debt to me?" He growled.
Peter stuck to his guns and tried to reason with the apparent mad man. "Mr. Urich what's wrong.
Did I say something or-"
"Something you did, ha ha…" Ben placed his arms on the table, his head was turned to the table. "You still don't get it do you? Still clinging to your pathetic notion of reason eh? It's not what you've done that has me upset Peter, it's what you haven't done. That's what I have a problem with."
The world around Peter started to warp and change in impossible ways. He had a hard time attaching words to what was transpiring before him. It was as if he was looking at a mirage fading away. The fog in Peter's mind slowly but surely became more cognizant of his circumstances. Was he running around late into the night chasing leads with Mr. Urich? No, that didn't sound right.
"Who are you?" Peter asked lacking any semblance of manners. The pleasantries were thrown out the window. "What have you done with Ben?!"
He had caught the world around with his peripherals to catch some desperately needed details.
The sparse traffic of automobiles and pedestrians were replaced with a distorted nebulous abyss.
The broad windows were covered with webs.
"I think you already know the answer to that Peter." The imposter's head didn't budge as the world was twisted to his liking.
With those words, Peter's mind became fully calibrated to the situation at hand. His last memory was of him openly challenging the creature that sat across the table.
"Gotta say, I didn't think you would actually show your ugly mug." His heart pounded against his chest. This was the moment of truth. An old saying he heard in passing came across his mind, 'Speak of the devil and he shall appear' . "Thought you'd just scurry in your hidey hole to bother me later."
Fake Ben chuckled at the false bravado. "Spare me the theatrics Peter." His head rose from his hands to reveal his grotesque features. It still wore Ben Urich's flesh but just barely. The humanoid-like flesh was on the verge of full blown necrosis. The creature looked like a reanimated corpse. His scleras were pitch black with red irises. The veins were black and resembled the webs on the windows. The creature took a deep whiff and exhaled. "You stink of fear."
The spider god smiled and looked at Peter like a piece of meat. "Ah, but let's not get carried away. I'll ask again, what have you done to repay me?"
A bead of sweat crawled down Peter's jawline. He tried his best not to look disturbed by the grotesque creature he was engaging. "I don't owe you a damn thing. If I recall, you called this 'gift' a curse."
The 'Spider-God' chuckled again. It was clear that he was having a better go of this. He was enjoying every morsel of this fateful encounter. "Good memory. You know, that was a bit of an inside joke, but I'll be happy to let you in on it." The creature's jovial attitude was more off putting than his appearance. Peter wondered if this was some kind of ploy or just his true nature. "You see Peter, it's a curse of your own design. All the pain and turmoil my avatars put themselves through. The broken hearts, crushed loved ones, devastated homelands, that's the curse. And the best part is, I had nothing to do with it." The false god let out a boisterous laugh at his own cruel sense of humor. "Ha..Ha..you get it?"
Again, Peter found this disposition off putting. Based on the few encounters he had with the creature, it never acted in such a manor. He was hostile and vying for control.
"My apologies Peter, that was unprofessional of me." The smile on the Spider-god was wiped clean as he continued. "You say you don't owe me anything but I remember that night at the docks. Back when you were playing private eye with the goblin's men. You called for me… longed for me. Your cries were impossible to ignore."
Blood rushed to Peter's head. This had to be another game. What else could it be? "You're either diluted beyond recognition or just plain stupid. I didn't call out to you. I was only there trying to build a case against Osborne. I came across…you and got powers. I wasn't 'longing' for you. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and made the best of a crummy situation. Nothing more, nothing less."
"So bright yet so naïve. Your ignorance truly boggles the mind." The Spider-god calmly crossed his arms atop the table and leaned forward. "You didn't call me with your words boy. You beckoned me with your heart, your very soul. You cried out for true power and I delivered it to you with a bright red bow on top. And after all that, you lack the common courtesy to give me a simple 'thank you'."
"Again, I didn't ask for any of your 'blessings'." Peter looked on to the sick parody of Urich.
"You prefer the alternative then?" It flashed a mischievous grin. "Just sit around being life's doormat? Have you ever given it any thought? What would you do without me? Who knows, you might've found peace being a sheep hiding from the big bad wolves." He asked like a curious child. "What do you think?"
Peter never imagined this confrontation would play out like this. The spirit might've been playing mind games but this arrangement didn't bother him. He would play along until he figured out a way to exorcise this demon.
"My life wasn't glamorous and nowhere near this…eventful. But you know what? It was mine . And what you're trying to do, what you have done to me jeopardizes that freedom." Peter mirrored his tormentor's position and locked eyes with him. "I'll cut to the chase. You're not going to take what's mine and I don't need you in my life."
His declaration caused the Spider-god's face to go blank. Anger wasn't the culprit though. He just looked into his 'ward' with that blank expression. There was an unnerving silence between the two.
"I suppose you don't need me in your own little ways, and that may very well be the case. You don't need me, but you sure as hell want me."
The light seemed to flee from the Spider-god's form as the shadows embraced the alleged deity. His expression remained calm and collected. Peter wasn't the only one being direct. "Peter, I know the feeling you get whenever you knock a man unconscious. The way their heads snap back in just the right way. The exact moment when their bodies go limp and the light fades aw-" "Shut up…" He demanded under his breath. A suitable retort didn't come to him.
"-the little smile that perks up when they fall at your feet." The Spider-God bulldozed through
Peter's weak defense.
"SHUT UP!" Peter slammed his fist into the table. The imaginary world shook to his outburst.
The windows and wall cracked. An amorphous white light shined through the damaged walls.
The flood of emotion didn't phase the spirit in the slightest. He shook his head like a disappointed parent. "You've been running around playing hero and second guessing yourself all the while. 'Why am I Spider-Man?'" He paused and chuckled to himself, much to Peter's annoyance. "Ah, of all my champions you are by far the most theatrical. Tell you what, I'll make things nice and simple for you. Peter Parker…Spider-Man…you love battle. You live for the thrill and danger. It's nothing to be ashamed of boy. It's one of the reasons I chose you in the first place."
Peter looked visibly disturbed by the spirit's analysis. "You're playing mind games with me. I'm nothing like that. I'm not out there putting my life on the line for kicks. I'm not some battle hungry war dog. I do what I do-"
"Because I'm willing to get my hands dirty to clean up the streets." The spirit finished Peter's thought and scuffed. "Do you even listen to yourself? You sound like a dime store comic strip.
You can lie to yourself all you want but don't waste your time lying to me."
Peter looked upon the creature before him with renewed ire. Despite his best efforts, he was on the verge of losing his cool.
The Spider-god flashed him a knowing smile. He could feel his primal urges taking hold. "Oh Peter, if you had that kind of fire before I came along, who knows, your dear uncle might still be alive."
Peter didn't bother questioning the odd statement. His rage blinded him completely. He proceeded to flip the table aside and charge the tormentor. The spirit didn't raise a hand to defend himself and allowed the inevitable to happen. Peter grabbed the alleged god and pinned him to the cracked wall. The spirit's borrowed face was stone lacking any emotion. Peter presented a stark difference. Any semblance of restraint he once had was shattered. His eyes shined the same shade of crimson as the spirit. Their faces were inches apart.
"YOU DON'T KNOW ME!" His grip tightened around the spirit's neck. "YOU DON'T OWN
ME! I'M NOT YOUR PRIZE! GET OUT OF MY LIFE!"
The Spider-God regarded his host with deadly seriousness. Peter wasn't the only one nearing the end of their rope.
"My intention was to discuss our unique relationship in more detail, but you couldn't control your emotions." An impossibly wide smile appeared on his face. "You want to fight, fine.
Honestly, I like this arrangement better."
The world around Peter started to shatter with the spirit's declaration. The floor gave way and Peter fell through endless nothingness. His senses searched frantically for something to grab hold of. As he fell, another world started to materialize around him. Large stone slabs and pillars slammed into what seemed like assigned spots during Peter's descent. The ground stopped abruptly, and the wall crawler slammed into the unforgiving tiles. His landing was much softer than it should have been. He came to and slowly rose to his feet. The chamber was dimly lit with lanterns. The pillars seemed to go on forever. The more he analyzed, the more familiar it became.
"I know you don't remember, but this is where our contention started."
Peter flinched and darted his head, scanning for the spirit's voice. The irony wasn't lost on him.
He had used this scare tactic on several occasions.
"So that's what that feels like." He admitted out loud.
"I'll be honest, it's hard to explain. Seeing you fumble around in the dark against that charlatan awakened something in me-"
As the spirit explained, it came to him. This was the chamber on the Avatar Aang Memorial
Island where he fought Amon. A shadowy silhouette streaked passed him with absurd speed. That's all he could get from the very brief glance he was able to get. He wasn't using Urich's form anymore.
"-sullying my legacy-my glory-" The spirit's voice changed. It was drenched in intense hate. His rage was building as he told the tale.
"What the hell are you talking ab—"
The silhouette appeared right in front of Peter's face before he could finish his statement. He got a good look now and it was very unimaginative for the Spider-God. It was a simple blank humanoid template standing before him. Before he could lament on the spirits new form a mouth and a pair of eyes were ripped open on the simple form. The same dead lights from earlier shined through its limited features.
"YOU EMBARRASSED ME!" He grabbed Peter by the throat and lifted him off his feet and slammed him against one of the countless pillars.
Peter struggled and fought but he couldn't break the iron grip on his windpipe.
"I have given you everything you needed to succeed! All of the power you could ever need and
still you fail!"
The spirit's form continued to change. Web like veins cascaded across his form. A prominent spider insignia formed on his chest. This couldn't be a coincidence. It was yet another insult aimed at the Spider-Man persona. It was a haunting sight, but it only distracted Peter momentarily. He lifted his foot up and kicked the rouge spirit away. Peter looked up only to see the spirit meld with the shadows.
"Look at you, relying on crude tactics from an old fool." The spirit taunted. "Fighting like a simple man when you could be so much more. Pathetic."
Peter got his bearings and returned to his feet. He was prepared for the worst. "Worked on you, oh high and mighty."
Peter walked through the shadows and as he walked under a new lantern, his form changed. He was now garbed in his traditional Spider-Man costume.
"A sucker punch isn't something to brag about." Spider-Man said coldly.
He stood in the chamber and wondered what the spirit was jumping to end him. Odder still, even in these horrible circumstances, he found himself itching for this battle. He's been seeking a way to exorcise this demon from his mind and soul. The so-called god so graciously gave him his opportunity. He smiled under his mask. He'd finally be free of this pest once and for all.
"Get rid of me huh?" The spirit's words echoed through the chamber. "Hate to burst your bubble kid, but the only thing that could sever our bond is death. But you're more than welcome to try."
The wall-crawler didn't heed the spirits' words and got into a defensive stance. He didn't get much from the Spider-god's tactics. A few slivers of information did make themselves known.
His spider-sense wouldn't help him, his stealth was leagues above his own. The spirit had managed to bypass all his senses and grabbed him by the throat. He only had a few things going for him. One, the spirit was temperamental. He had gone from calm and collected to a blind rage when Spider-Man's shortcomings came up. Two, he wasn't used to the human form. The spirit could've used a flurry of different moves that was far more effective than a simple choke and the fact that a simple counter had proved effective and helped to validate his theory. But that was a glaring hole in his thinking. This was all just theory. For all he knew, this could all be by the Spider-god's design and this whole thing was just another mind game. Spider-Man shut those thoughts out and steeled himself for the next engagement.
"Works for me, your holiness." He goaded his opponent, betting on his theory. "Now stop bumping your gums and get on with it!"
"Heh heh, if you insist."
Spider-Man opened all his senses. It was a gut feeling, but he thought he felt the air shift around his left flank. He moved with all the speed he could muster but it wasn't sufficient. He was swept off his feet and thrown across the chamber. He rolled to his feet and returned to his defensive stance. It was a shaky plan at best, but it was proving to be serviceable. The spirit was in his element and utilizing it to the fullest. He leveled his breathing and opened his senses again. He tasted the stale air and heard the flames flicker. The barometric pressure was shifting around him. He planted his hand on the ground and delivered a roundhouse kick behind him. Again, the web head hit nothing and got the wind knocked out with an absurd amount of force. He returned to his feet while he nursed his abdomen. He recovered from the shock and spread his arms in a broader stance. Panic and frustration seeped through his mental walls. His arsenal was running dry. He took deep breaths as his mind tried to process a solution to this looming threat. It was strange, the only thing that came to mind was his encounter with Yue and an old tea enthusiast.
Spirituality was a difficult concept for Peter to grasp. Even with Yue's hard reality check on the subject it was still too hard to come to grips with. Even now he was attempting to attach caporal solutions to his abstract opponent. That's when it hit him. Against all of his basic instincts, he stopped thinking. He stopped thinking about counters or the consequences. Getting home, The Slayers, Chief Beifong, Korra, Amon, living with this power, innovating with Mr. Sato, Life, death, all of it exited his mind. He entered a strange sense of nothingness. His mind was quiet for the first time in a long time. An incredible sense of clarity washed over him as he opened his eyes. Everything looked so vivid and clear. He saw the spirit as clear as day in his peripherals.
He felt the spirit's rage radiate as he renewed his assault.
"Look at you, jumbling about trying to make-" The spider-god's taunt was cut short as Spider-Man's gaze turned towards him.
The wall-crawler launched himself towards the rogue spirit. He cut through the obsidian void like a raging bullet. The Spider-God's momentum worked against him, it was now impossible to evade.
A gloved fist buried itself into the spirit's 'face'. His form recoiled from the tremendous force and Spider-Man's counterattack had only just begun. He made contact again and again, each time the spirit's malleable body twisted and contorted to Spider-Man's unrelenting blows. He used everything from simple haymakers to complicated twist kicks against the spirit. Every attack found its mark and the spirit was powerless to stop it. Spider-Man was caught in a trance-like state through the entire assault. The fact that he had the spirit pinned to one of the endless pillars almost slipped his mind. Did he just go toe-to-toe with an alleged god and win?
He snapped back to reality and locked eyes with the spirit.
"I'm not here to talk and I don't give a rats' ass as to what you have to say. I'll repeat myself as many times as it takes to get through your thick head. This is my life, not yours. Understand?" His voice was low and deadly serious.
The spirit looked at his avatar with awe. There were no snide remarks or condescending insults. This wasn't the outcome he expected. His mouth twisted into a smile. The spirit started to laugh softly to himself.
"Getting your ass handed to you supposed to be funny?"
"Not particularly, no. It's just well, you beating your chest and announcing your little ultimatum with a meaningless victory under your belt is quite humorous." The spirit's laughter grew and began to echo through the chamber. His smile grew wider. "It's down right hysterical actually!
HAHAHAHA!"
Raw emotion overwhelmed Peter. Without thought, he struck at the spirit's head with all the strength he could muster. The spirit vanished as his fist smashed the pillar into rubble.
Once again the world around the web slinger started to shift and fade from existence. The massive tiles and darkness gave way to hard wood floors and blinding lights. Peter shielded his eyes as the world continued to transform. He didn't catch when the shift was completed but one thing was clear. The spirit did his research. He had manifested a perfect recreation of the Black Cat in all her glory. He found himself seated to a table in the coveted VIP section of the infamous speak easy. It was the domain of the shot callers of New York's underground. It would take him two life times before he could afford a seat here.
Patrons appeared and a live band started playing. They all seemed to be enjoying themselves all while paying no mind to the costumed individual with a table to himself. Illegal booze did have that effect on people.
Despite his grim circumstances, he found himself being taking in by the atmosphere. He knew it wasn't the genuine article but it felt just like home. He shook his head, cursing his lapse in focus.
He moved to stand, but an unseen force wouldn't allow it.
"This is a good time to pick up where we left off now that we worked through some of those hard feelings, don't you think?" The spirits voice echoed in Peter's head.
The deity's voice reignited his anger and attempted to free himself once more. Again his efforts were fruitless. No matter the effort he couldn't overcome this overwhelming force keeping him seated.
"I'm in control here Peter, I've been in control since the start. Our little battle only transpired on my volition. You can struggle all you want but you will listen to what I have to say boy, whether you like it or not." The spider-god stated his intentions with a feral growl.
"There's nothing-ugh!-you can say that could change my mind monster!" Peter replied in kind.
"Huh-huh 'monster'. Tell you what, if you stop your pointless struggle then, I'll release you after I say my peace and we'll let the chips fall where they may. What do you say, do we have an arrangement?"
Spider-Man complied and ceased all attempts to free himself. "Fine. Hurry up and spit it out, I don't have all night."
Again the spider-god laughed. "You know, I've always admired you Peter. Your tensity knows no bounds, but you know when to be practical. The delicate situation we've found ourselves in."
Spider-Man shook his head and scoffed. "One minute your insulting me, one minute and complementing me the next. Your a real piece of work you know that? Some god you turned out to be."
"It was you humans that gave me that moniker." The Spider-God retorted. "When I first made contact with primitive man they all called me a god. Of course I'm no such thing. Humanity gave me the title.
"So what is your name then?" Peter asked.
"There have only been a handful of you to actually ask me my name, color me impressed boy. I have several names, but my favorite was always Kumo."
"Alright then 'Kumo', say what you gotta say." Peter slumped in his chair seeming disinterested. His campaign to destroy the spirit was put on hold for now. It wasn't an ideal situation by any stretch of the imagination but it wasn't a total loss. He could use this time to know his enemy better and formulate a better plan. He was doing well under these circumstances but it wasn't going to cut it.
"A wise decision my young protege. Don't worry, this won't take long. Despite your less then favorable qualities, you are my pride and joy. You're merely satisfactory as you are now but with my guidance you could be something spectacular." Kumo's pitch was heavy with gravitas.
Confusion was written all over Peter's face. He had totally misjudged the spirit's intentions. He originally thought the spirit had buyer's remorse and wanted him gone. Then his first encounter since New York happened. He was angry one moment and approving the next. Now he sounded like a disappointed parent lecturing an unruly child. One thing was clear though, this wasn't another one of his mind games. Then it hit him.
"I can be 'spectacular' with you in control."
"You make it sound like a bad thing."
"It sure as hell isn't a good thing."
"I would only do what I've been doing Peter, lending a helping hand in your time of need.
Nothing more, nothing less."
Peter shuddered at the thought. "I wouldn't call that incident in the police truck painless. Your
'help' almost cost four police officers their lives."
"If I had acted as you should've, I wouldn't have had to intervene. You forced my hand child." Kumo explained.
Peter fought back an outburst, he kept pressing for answers. "And what do you call those visions in my head, your helping hand?"
"I call that proper motivation. Honestly it's pathetic, even when I leave you to your own devices you force me to step in. Do you have any idea how infuriating it was to stand idly by while you made a fool of yourself, when you made a fool of me?!"
The memory of being at the slayers' mercy was a bitter one. "I could've gotten out of that on my own! I didn't need your 'help'!"
"YOU WOULD'VE BEEN-" Kumo cut his tirade before it started. An argument would get him nowhere. "We're not here to discuss the past but the future, our future."
"See that's the problem Kumo: we don't have one."
"Peter, with all due respect, you wouldn't have a future without me. If it wasn't for me you'd be locked up in the deepest, darkest hole Befiong could find, and I assure you your situation would only get worse without me. You can curse my name until your dying breath but the facts are facts."
Spider-Man took deep breaths and slowed his pounding heart. "Your 'help' was the most pain I've ever felt in my life. It was like fire was running through my veins. I was shocked I could even stand up when it was all over." He paused and quietly relived that horrible night. "Let's say
I do agree to your terms and agree to play ball for whatever crazy plan you have in store for me.
Is that what you have in store for me? I do what you say or you punish me when I don't?"
"That wasn't retribution Peter. Allow me to clarify. As you know you were injected with a massive dose of shirshu toxin. All I did was speed up your metabolism to burn it out of your system. I know it wasn't a pleasant experience but I knew you could bare through it. You might've been able to escape on your own but Beifong's treachery had put you through the ringer and I didn't know if you could do it on your own after all that trauma so I took matters into my own hands once again." Kumo completed his side of the story.
"And if I hadn't stopped you when I did..."
"Then you would've sent a proper message." The spirit admitted. "Everyone in this city would have known that the 'Spider-Man' was not to be taken lightly. All your enemy's would've feared you, truly feared you. And in the case of those officers, Beifong and her masters would think twice before sending their dogs after you."
Peter's eyes went wide at the spirit's words. This was a painful exchange but it was proving itself to be invaluable. He was getting much needed insight on the spirit and himself. Kumo had some morality to him, why else would he choose him? But it was warped. He might have suited him in a different life but not in the here and now. No matter how well meaning the spirit's actions were, he couldn't justify taking a life. He didn't have that right, no one did. Kumo had no qualms with murder. The Spider-Man mantel was designed to take on the underbelly of the New York crime scene. It lacked the constricting oversight of a police officer and used a mobster like infamy that was used against the criminals. Now Kumo's offer chilled him to the bone. If the spirit had his way, he would be no better than the Goblin or any one of his hired goons. Worst of all, he would have a front row seat to all the carnage. He'd be a passenger in his own body.
Peter took a moment to soak in the Black Cat in all herglory. Oddly enough, this was the most home he felt in what felt like years. The speak easy was just as majestic as he remembered. The glow from the overhead lights made the place look more sublime than it had any right to be. Ms. Hardy did the impossible and made a palace in the middle of a depression. It was like an oasis in the middle of desolate concrete wasteland.
The brief reprieve had passed and Peter's mind focused on the rogue spirit before him. His choice was so obvious that he wondered what Kumo was hoping to accomplish with his proposal. He had to already known what his answer was. Was all this an elaborate plan or simply unchecked hubris? Either way, he would play along a little while longer. He needed more information to arm himself against this unorthodox threat. He hoped the spirit wasn't in his head like earlier.
Something told him he wasn't.
"Let's say I buy what your selling and go along with this grand plan you have for me. How is it supposed to work exactly?"
"I see why you hold Ben Urich in such high regard. He's taught you well."
A cold sweat trailed down his jaw. It might not have mattered, but he was happy his mask was still on. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"A simple observation Peter, that's all. Don't write too much into it. As for my proposition, it would be similar to what you've experienced before but without any of the draw backs. In your time of crisis I would take control and pull you out of the proverbial fire. I would be your guiding light in this cold world." Kumo finished.
"Oh no..." Peter thought out loud. The thought of him being a willing meat puppet was beyond unsettling.
"Calm yourself Peter, were you not listening? The experience would be virtually painless if you don't fight me. And this wouldn't be a frequent affair."
"Only when I need a course correcting right." Peter finished the spirit's thought.
"Not the words I would use but yes, more or less."
"So that's it huh? You've got a problem with the way I do things so you want to step in and mold me into a 'proper' champion that conforms to your standards." Peter stated bluntly.
"These aren't my standards, it's the very law of nature. You think you live in a world of rules and civility but you don't. It's a jungle out there Peter, no matter how much humanity innovates. You're trying to operate in a cold dark world with a pretty candy coating. You should know this better than most Peter. I don't blame your obstinance, honestly I expected it. You've been prey most of your life so your conclusion is expected. The path you are walking will lead to unimaginable pain and suffering in your future. I will not standby as you walk into oblivion. I won't watch you battle tyrants and despots without fangs."
"Now your trying to save me from myself. Is that it?"
"In simple terms yes. I'm a student of history Peter. I know how the story ends for your ilk. It's agonizing to say the least. I would do anything in my power to prevent you from meeting such a
fate."
The discussion was reaching it's logical conclusion. Spider-Man wordlessly made his choice. His hands balled up as the fire escaped his lungs. This was going to be messy.
"If you know my ilk so well, then you already know my answer." The wall-crawler announced to the powerful spirit.
"Very perceptive Peter. You are correct but I had hoped to sway you to reason. But fear not my wayward protege. I won't give up on you."
The fake club goers vanished following Kumo's deceleration. Spider-Man jumped to his feet and scanned his surroundings. The spirit had kept his end of the bargain but that only meant Peter was back in the thick of it. The building was empty. The shadows around him started to warped and formed to his rear. They shifted from blobs and started to take humanoid shapes. The shadows split into three and rose up into the third dimension.
Before Peter could continue his search, someone grabbed him in an unbreakable choke hold. Instinctual panic arose at his compressed windpipe. He flailed about, trying to get his footing and break the hold. He thought it was Kumo continuing their bout, but this was different but strangely familiar. The two figures behind him stepped forth and revealed themselves. He didn't know the meaning of this charade but Montana and Fancy Dan had cheated time, space, and reason to torment him once again. He deduced that the man trying choke the life of him was Ox. Montana drew his trademark bullwhip while Dan deployed a long butterfly blade. They weren't the genuine article, but The Enforcers had returned. The hitmen wasted no time and went straight for the kill. Montana flipped the table out of the way and cracked his whip in anticipation.
"Ox! Throw him over yonder on my mark!" Montana ordered.
Dan flashed a toothy grin while flicking his knife around his wrist in anticipation.
"You realy...think...this is going to stop me..." Spider-Man struggled to free himself from the former strong man's grip. "You're dumber then I thought!"
The Enforcers had gotten the drop on him but they were barely a threat. There was a reason Kumo manifested his old enemies but he couldn't figure it out.
"On three!" Montana shouted. "One!Two!-" "Three!" Spider-Man finished for him.
Ox doubled over and gave the wall-crawler perfect leverage. He threw the mountain of a man towards Dan. Ox collapsed like a heap atop the diminutive mobster, leaving Montana to deal with Spider-Man.
He cursed and cracked his whip at Spider-Man. With Spider-Man's reflexes he saw the whip as clear as day and proceeded to catch it mid flight. The whip wrapped itself around the web-slinger's forearm. He tried to pull Montana in but he wisely released his whip and reached for his spare from his belt.
"Ugh! Get off!" Dan shouted.
Ox didn't acknowledge the man. He got to his feet violently and charged into the fray.
Spider-Man dodged yet another whip strike from Montana. The fights with the metalbender cops gave him experience dealing with this type of assault. Montana's usual bag of tricks weren't working on the vigilante and he was getting increasingly frustrated at his short comings.
Thankfully Ox's intervention would break up this minutiae.
Spider-Man caught the Ox approaching from his peripherals. He made a grim discovery in that split second before the storm. Once again, his spider-sense was out to lunch and it was a safe bet that this was true for the other enforcers. He turned and threw a hasty punch towards the immense fighter. Ox grabbed his wrist, pulled, and sent a devastating uppercut to his gut. Spider-Man's body contorted around the great blow and knocked the wind right out of him. Ox finished with a simple hook to his jaw and threw him off the VIP balcony.
"How you like that bug brain?!" Ox shouted.
"Ox you goddamn idiot!"
"What?!"
"I wanted to keep him close and boxin' him in. You just went and made our job harder!" "Ah hell I forgot..."
"A regular bull in a china shop eh Monta-?"
"Shut up and get down there!" Montana pulled his duel revolvers and walked over to the railing. He saw the web-head disorientated on top of a collapsed dining table. "I'll keep him busy in the mean time."
Spider-Man shook his head and massaged his aching jaw. The event would've sent a lesser man to the hospital but for him it was like a falling off a speeding bicycle. He looked up and saw the shine of two nickle platted gats aimed at him. He moved before the bullets could make contact. He never had much luck with firearms, it didn't help that he was usually on the business side of them. The fact that his spider-senses weren't functioning truly made this a dangerous affair. He jumped and vaulted off the furniture using his immense agility to stay out of his line of fire.
Lucky for him, Montana's talents didn't extend to his marksmanship.
He vaulted off the bar lending his full attention at the gun toting gangster. He turned and stopped, narrowly avoiding a knife slash from Dan.
"What's the matter Spidey?!" Dan gloated and drew another knife. "I just wanna take a little off the TOP!"
Dan launched a fury of slashes with his blades. Spider-Man dodged accordingly using Quoan teachings to the fullest. Again his enhanced reflexes proved to be invaluable in this twisted little game Kumo had started. He grabbed his wrist and threw him away, collapsing a couple tables on the way. Ox huffed and puffed down to the ground level, his size was working against him. Spider-Man caught his eye and immediately resumed the assault. His punches were even slower than Dan or Montana. They were powerful but that wouldn't help in this scenario. Spider-Man didn't let his obvious superiority go to his head. The fugazi Enforcers weren't much on their own but since they now flew under his mental radar they were a new threat all their own.
"Stop running and start fighting you stinking coward." Ox yelled in anger.
Spider-Man stood his ground next to the bar and squared up. Ox smiled, thinking he took the bait and cocked back for another punch. The web-head opened his palm and shot a web on the side of Ox's face before he could throw his attack. He pulled his head down, grabbed it with an open palm, and slammed his head through the bar. The downed enforcer was dazed and tried to get up again. Ox lived up to his name.
He pulled the dazed Ox by the collar to deliver the final blow. But before he could a sharp pain erupted from his shoulder. He turned around to see Dan running at him wielding a chair. He shattered the chair against his right flank, pushing him away from a disorientated Ox.
"How you like 'dem apples Spider freak!" Dan cheered.
The hit wasn't anything to boast about. The damage he dealt was superficial at best. The knife was blocked by his shoulder blade and the chair did very little, if any, damage.
He knew this was all an elaborate mind game Kumo was playing but it was starting to tick him off. He balled his fist and was going to show the undead gangster real pain but the barely audible click of a gun hammer stopped him cold. He wasted no time and jumped behind a large parlor lounge couch. The crack of a gun shot soon followed.
"DAMN IT!" Montana yelled before violently holstering his pistol.
"Nice marksmanship there." Dan scuffed. "Thought you country boys were supposed to be good with guns."
"Ugh..." Ox nursed his pounding head and got to his feet. He was recovered for the most part.
"Enjoy your nap big guy?" Dan asked.
"What do you me- AH SON OF A BITCH!" Ox came to his senses. "Get your butt back out here
Spider! You hear me?! Come out or I'll-!" "Settle down Ox." Montana instructed. "But-!"
"I said settle down! We ain't won yet but we damn sure ain't losin'. He may have given us a few lumps but he's on the defensive. We got him where we want him." Montana explained. "All we got do now is keep our heads on and walk over there and collect. Read me?"
"Yeah I get it. You got a plan in mind?"
"That's a good question." Dan chimed in.
"We don't really need one." He pulled out his duel whips, never taking his eyes off of
Spider-Man's cover. "Just keep doing what your doing. You two will back each other up and I'll cover you from mid range."
Dan pulled yet another knife and grinned. "I can work with that."
Spider-Man sat behind the sofa with astonishment. Hearing the apparitions converse was surreal.
They almost sounded real. He had assumed they were merely extensions of the shadowy form Kumo had took in their first battle but that theory was shot full of holes now. The best explanation he could muster was that they were weaponized memories like images from a film reel made solid. But there was even a hole that new theory had and it revolved around Fancy Dan. He knew of him and caught a few tales from the streets but he himself knew next to nothing about him. If they were based off of memories they weren't based on his in Dan's case. For some reason this all reminded him of his encounters with Iroh. He snapped back to the matter at hand. So far he had just been reacting and keeping the Enforcers at bay, this needed to change if he had any hope of winning. He winched and yanked the knife from his shoulder.
He stood up and threw the blade back at Dan, kicked the sofa at Ox, and jumped towards Montana. Dan narrowly avoided the blade while Ox pushed the sofa out of the way and tried to save his underboss.
Montana swung his bull whips at the Spider. The web-head anticipated this, webbed his floor and pulled himself for a dive kick. The whips cracked at thin air as Spider-Man planted his boots firmly in Montana's midsection. He didn't hold back like he usually did. Montana's body broke through the floorboards. He was far from a medical professional but he broke a few ribs. His painful howl shocked Spider-Man but he plowed through his instinct to hold back. 'Get a grip, their not real,' He repeated in his head.
Dan looked on in horror, seeing Montana's fate. He picked up his other knife and charged at the so called 'Web Slinging do gooder.' Any semblance of a plan was thrown out the window. Ox saw what Fancy Dan was up to and moved in opposite of him in a pincer attack.
Spider-Man saw what they were up to and acted accordingly. He launched a web shot and blinded the raging ox and turned to face Dan. He performed an impressive spin kick at the last minute, only for Spider-Man to vault over his head, landing behind him. Dan turned and swung in a vain attempt at slashing the vigilante. Spidey caught his hand much to his surprise. He hastily lunged his free hand but it was caught as well. Before he could mount any sort of counterattack Spider-Man simply squeezed and broke every bone in his hands. Dan screamed in pain and fell to his knees holding up his deformed hands.
Spider-Man ignored the sickening feeling of crushing the man's hands and knocked him unconscious.
"AHHH!" Ox cried out as he charged.
Spidery had no time to react and was tackled. With his massive frame it looked like a he was carrying a small child. He was slammed into a load bearing beam and started choking him again.
"You going to pay for that bug!" He cried out. His face looked damaged. He must've pulled the webs and some skin went with it. Blood dripped down his face. He looked like a crazed lunatic.
"Not today!" He kneed Ox in the gut and slammed his forearms, breaking his grip. Ox doubled over and Spidey wasted no time striking him. He grabbed his collar and hit him again and again. He didn't bother holding back. With all that had happened tonight he was more than angry at this point and he took it all out on Ox. It sounded like he was pounding wet stake after a while. His fury had surpassed the Enforcers by a country mile at this point. Months of quiet rage and anguish were unleashed on the fake Enforcer. He lost count of how many times he struck him. It took a moment before he realized what had just transpired. He paused in shock at the horror he had just committed. Ox was on his knees bleeding profusely. His blood stained the floor and Spider-Man's glove. Ox's face was battered and deformed. His life was hanging by a thread. He released Ox in shock at what he just did.
His gaze turned to the other Enforcers. His victory was undeniable but the cost was haunting. These men were cut down like dogs and it was at his hands. The Enforcers, the Goblin's famous vanguard, laid broken on the Black Cat's floor. These men were feared in the underworld but when the wall crawler didn't hold back, even without his spider-sense, they were nothing to him.
When the point finally came to Peter he heard a chilling laughter tickle his ears. He heard a rumbling noise behind him. Ox's decrepit form lurched back up as best it could. His broken face smiled weakly at the disturbed hero. His smile grew wider and his face started to crumble away when it did. The flesh broke off like a shattered mirror and resembled Kumo's previous form. His suspicions were proven correct.
"Bravo Peter. I knew you had it in you."
Peter just stared at the gruesome sight before him with quiet fury. "You don't know a damn thing about me." He shook with building anger and leftover adrenaline. "This little game of yours proves nothing. They weren't the real Enforcers. None of this is real."
"The Enforcers weren't, that much is true, but your actions were. I conducted a little case study. This was a test and you passed with flying colors. See what your capable of when you abandon your childish notions. I placed you in a difficult situation but you got yourself out. You're capable of so much more when you take the kid gloves off and now you see the explosive results. If you had done this to Zolt's little ambush squad he'd be singing a different tune now wouldn't he?"
Peter's psyche was being pushed to it's breaking point. He was strong willed but he had his limits. "This means nothing. You're just trying to convince me that I'm something I'm not. You engineered an unwinnable situation all for the sake of proving a point. Hate to break it to you but you know it's not going to work."
"Unwinnable?" Kumo voice came from another source. Spider-Man turned and saw Dan getting up with. His hands were crushed to powder while his jaw hung open. He was only slightly better of then Ox. "Not from were I'm standing."
"You control this world. You created this place and you set up the rules. Why else wouldn't my spider-sense work here. You dug into my memories and made carbon copies of the of the
Enforcers. I didn't have a choice in any of this."
"THERE IS ALWAYS A CHOICE BOY!" Kumo's voice boomed and shook the Black Cat. "You can fight me all you want but I will not abide such cowardice! Don't ever hide behind that flimsy excuse, ever ! I did everything in my power to recreate these men as you remembered and that's all. Your senses were blinded on your own volition, not mine. This battle could've went any way you wanted it to. Tell me, did it ever occur to you that you could've changed the outcome or that you didn't have to fight these men? You claim none of this is real and yet you come at the Enforcers like it was. This outcome was your doing and yours alone."
"No, this isn't me and it never will be!" He reached for his mask and started to pull it off but it didn't budge. He pulled again and again but the mask wouldn't come off. Peter started to panic and devoted all of his will into taking the mask off. It felt wrong on his face. He needed to breath but the thick leather wouldn't budge.
Peter's struggles amused the Spirit. "And now you're having another tantrum."
He ignored the taunt and continued to pull at the mask. He hit his breaking point and fell into a pit of hopelessness. He thought he could defeat Kumo but he was wrong. He was simply too much.
Kumo extinguished the Enforcers and emerged out of Ox's remains. He pulled up a chair and sat looking over Peter in the midst of his breakdown. He didn't revel in Peter's failings.
He leaned closer to Peter. "I know this is difficult Peter, frankly you're making this a lot harder then it has to be, but this is a hell of your own design. You have the keys to your own cell. This can all stop whenever you're ready." He paused and looked over him as he continued to struggle. His words fell on deaf ears. "I never wanted to play the dungeon master in this disagreement but it's as I said, you're worth the effort."
Spider-Man stopped struggling, the spirit's words pulled him from the depth of madness. His breathing leveled out and slowly rose to his feet. He looked at Kumo. He felt no animosity or dread towards the spirit. His words had given him a desperately needed sense of clarity. He hated that it didn't come to him sooner.
Kumo's 'face' contorted into a poor example of a smile. "Ah, whats this? Are we done playing these little games Peter?"
Spider-Man said nothing. He needed to focus for a little while longer.
Kumo stood up from the chair. "Is this, what do you humans call it, the silent treatment? I hope you haven't pushed yourself into insanity. Happened a few times in the past." He shook his head.
"Such a waste."
The wall-crawler ignored his small talk and calmly reached for his mask and pulled it off without a hint of resistance. The spirit looked dumbfounded and was greeted to a deadly serious Peter
Parker "No, I'm not crazy and yes we're done playing."
With Peter's words the Black Cat started to burst in flames. Kumo was caught completely off guard. The flames were strong enough to burn the fabric of his personal reality. The world wasn't bending to his will anymore. But that was impossible. He snapped back to Peter and their eyes locked. The answer was as plain as day and yet he still found it hard to believe.
As the fires burned away the Black Cat, a new world was forming in its place. The flames clung to the wall of the rundown looking building. Kumo quickly came to the realization that this world was based on another one of Peter's memories. It didn't take long for the answer to come to him. This was the apartment complex where Vulture tried to escape Spider-Man's pursuit. All of his men were neutralized and he got desperate, so he chose to set the building ablaze to escape Spider-Man and to keep his hands on the fragment. Kumo successfully deduced the situation but not the intent.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Kumo demanded.
The blaze was difficult to bear. It was beyond stifling and difficult to breath. Kumo wondered how Peter managed to navigate through the blaze, save the poor souls trapped in the building, and evade Vulture's firebombs just to fight the man right after.
"I was going about this all wrong." Peter paused to catch his breath. "I've been playing it too safe. You're trying to take everything from me, so I have to be willing to lose everything if I'm going to beat you."
"Are you insane?!" Kumo snarled in open fury. He closed in on Peter, only for a loose arch to collapse on him and actually burned his form. "Augh! Do you have any idea what you've just done! The world you created is too raw! It could destroy us both!"
"That's the idea!" He charged through the flames to get to Kumo. The spirit was caught off guard and was taken off his feet. Both combatants crashed through the burned dry wall. Peter wasted no time and started pummeling the false god.
Peter's negligence proved to be more damaging than his attacks. He yelled and his body shifted through Peter's grapple. He was thrown into another room.
"Of all the tribulations I've had to endure, this is by far the worst!" Kumo stepped through the hole he made. "Do you place so little on your own life?!"
The smoke and flames were reeking havoc on the wall-crawler. He didn't know what he was doing with when he recreated this world but it was proving to be a double-edged sword. It could hurt Kumo but it was hurting him much more.
"At least I'd die being me."
The building was in horrible shape before the fire and was falling apart around them. Before the battle could continue the floor gave out and both of them fell through the story below. Kumo arose from the burning rubble screaming in pain and fury. He turned to Peter's last known location only to be greeted by the sight of an angry teenager swinging a charred piece of debris. He had no time to react and took a face full of the improvised weapon. His face was partially disintegrated and was the most damaging thing Peter did to the spirit. This was unprecedented for him. He hadn't felt this kind of pain in a thousand years. Let alone from his own avatar no less.
Peter dropped to a knee. He had his own growing list of injuries to deal with. When he materialized this memory, it was exactly that. This wasn't a simple image tailored to its creator like Kumo did with the Black Cat or the diner. Peter was far too green to accomplish anything that complex. This burning building was a simple memory with the hard rules of the reality it was based on. Peter was fighting with smoke inhalated lungs and multiple second degree burns he suffered in the middle of the five-alarm fire. It was beyond unbearable, but he found the will to return to his feet and continue the assault.
The spirit held his partially missing face and snapped his head towards Peter. "IDIOT!" He screamed and back fisted him away. "This is your hail-marry?! Mutually assured destruction, pathetic!"
"...Best I could do..." He turned up and flashed a mocking smile at Kumo. Their roles had reversed and he found it comical. "I won't...give up...on me either..."
The world play didn't go unnoticed by the spirit. He concentrated and his missing face and torso re-materialized. "You would expire before your plan could bear any meaningful results."
"You don't know that. You see...I'm learning a lot...of new tricks...dealing with you..." He answered between shallow breaths. "And I'm...just getting started."
The spirit's anger was palpable but his goal was clear. "You made your point Peter, end this nonsense now!"
"Your still here...I won't stop..."
"This is practically suicide boy! Surrender!"
"You...first..."
Peter attempted to continue the fight but his fading vision stopped him. He struggled to regain his facilities. His own fire was doing him in.
"What's the matter boy? This is your endgame, the least you can do is see it through." He approached an increasingly disorientated Spider-Man.
Peter let out a feral war cry and threw an obscenely quick haymaker to Kumo face. He followed his tormentor's advice.
Kumo responded in kind and started trading blows with his spiritual ward. He recoiled from inhuman angles and connected with an uppercut to Peter's gut. Peter took the blow and tackled Kumo around one of many open flames. Before the spirit could recover, he grabbed his head and dunked it into the fire. Kumo yelled and fought to get out but Peter wouldn't let him go so easily.
Spider-Man's bones ached. There was next to no oxygen left in the apartment and every fiber in his being begged him to quit. He was pushing himself well past his limits, reaching heights he never thought possible before this drawn out battle. The situation called for nothing less. He didn't know how much longer he could keep this up. He could drop at any moment. Neither of them knew what kept him going through it all.
The ethereal flames burned away Kumo's form. A spare arm materialized from his torso and pushed Spider-Man away. He got up with a fire damaged head and a boiling rage. It was obvious that Kumo withstood the blast furnace. He could be harmed but the sands of time made him more than capable of shrugging off any damage Peter could dish out. He was angry but he couldn't help but marvel at Peter's grit. Seeing a mortal man walk and withstand all his riggers was unheard of. Even now he continued to resist him when countless others embraced him without question.
"I won't stop!" He threw a punch that the spirit hardly registered. "I...won't..." Peter's world was getting dark as his arms went slack. This battle was over whether he accepted it or not. He started to fall to his back but Kumo grabbed his collar before he did. He looked at him with cold eyes as the fire continued to rage. He thought he knew Peter Parker inside and out. But now, calling him unpredictable would be the understatement of the century. If he had been more adept with his spiritual ties he would've had a better chance. What infuriated him the most was that he truly didn't know how this battle would've played out if it was allowed to reach it's natural conclusion. Kumo growled at the unconscious teen he was holding but quickly turned his attention to his flawed domain. He focused on the realm and expanded his power. The shanty town apartment didn't dispel right away, a testament to willpower, but the flames did dispel at the end.
Kumo materialized Peter's old attic and dropped him. This was the birthplace of the Spider-Man identity.
Peter awoke and took deep breaths which, annoyed Kumo. He regained his bearings and the two locked eyes. They shared a pregnant pause until Kumo broke the silence.
"Simmer down Peter, our battle is done." He announced plainly.
Peter got to his feet cautiously, never breaking eye contact with the spirit. "How do I know this isn't another trick?"
"Because I said so." He casually strolled over to Peter. His form was so alien in this humble setting. "I don't have to hide my intent Peter. You may be my charge but you are still a mortal man. I will not connive to the likes of you."
"But you're fine with capitulation." Peter shot back.
"Don't get the wrong idea boy. This is not surrender. I am simply reevaluating my tactics for the time being. Make no mistake, you will be a champion worthy of my name even if I have to drag you kicking and screaming." Kumo's announcement was drenched in animosity.
"You're reevaluating, fine. So how do we stand from here on out?"
"You don't want me to intervene, fine." The spirit wasted no time with his answer. "Your business is yours for the time being. Of course, this is all hinged on my discretion."
"That's mighty magnanimous of you, oh high and mighty Kumo." He hid his relief with sarcasm.
"It's pains me to admit this but my methods were...crude, sloppy even. Perhaps returning to my home reality awakened my baser instincts. I'm a finely tuned blade, not a blunt instrument." He turned for the door and opened it to reveal an endless white void.
"That's it?"
"That's it." He looked up and snapped. "Oh, something to keep in min Peter. If you ever fall short of my standards, well, you remember what happened to Dan, right?"
Peter stood stunned at the final revelation. "Wait! Haven't I been doing that?! Why didn't you ever do that before?!"
The spirit ignored Peter but left with some parting words. "You have a good morning Mr.
Parker."
A blinding light engulfed the small room, causing Peter to shield his eyes. When it was all over he stirred and slowly opened his eyes. He squinted at the new light above him. He rose up, still squinting. Was he on his back? His cognitive ability was returning just in time to notice the brazen lizard crows scurrying around taking an occasional nip at his costume.
Peter waved the chimeras away. "Shoo! Shoo!"
"Oh, thank goodness you got up." A masculine voice said.
Peter turned quickly to see a man resting his head on a push broom.
"Whoa kid relax. I was just watching you that's all." The blue collar worker explained.
Peter took his surroundings. He was on what looked like the rooftop he challenged the spider-god. It seemed like a brisk morning in Republic City. At least that's what his eyes told him.
"This is real, right? Please tell me this is real." He asked the the janitor. He needed verification after walking around a maze of illusions. His lying eyes couldn't be trusted.
The janitor looked confused by the question but answered anyway. "As real as real can get...I guess."
It was a lame duck answer but it was good enough for Pete.
"Thank god..."He said with a sigh of relief.
He looked on at the early sun kissed skyline with tired eyes. The spiritual encounter was by for the most taxing in his young life. He was totally spent but he came through it a stronger man. He allowed himself a modicum of pride to lift himself up, but a sobering thought snatched it away. This wasn't a victory so much as a cease fire. Under these extreme circumstances, it was the best outcome he could hope for. In retrospect, it was foolish to openly challenge Kumo. If he really wanted, to the creature could end him any time he wanted. He only humored him because of his warped sense of pride for his 'champion'. He would have to settle for the small victory. His actions and body were his own once again. Now he could devote his full attention on the Equalist scourge uprooting the city. He stood and smiled. For the first time in what felt like years he was at peace. It was anyone's guess at how long it would last but he didn't care and let the feeling linger.
"Ugh yeah, you an escaped mental patient or something?" The janitor asked nervously. "I mean it's alright if you are, live and let die right?"
Peter's gaze focused on the building's caretaker with an arched brow. He was so far in his own mind that he genuinely forgot the man was there.
"This coming from a guy who watches people sleeping?"
The janitor's face contorted at the accusation. "Hey, I just came up here to finish this work order and I find some kid out cold on my roof. I was going to wake you up but you were jerking around like a lop-eared rabbit. I was about to call an ambulance but you woke up."
"Oh...Sorry for snapping on you. It's been a long night."
"I bet. Say, how'd the heck you end up on this roof anyway?" The janitor asked the million-dollar question.
Peter did a quick scan of the roof and walked over to his discarded mask. He took a moment to spin a believable story. "Oh that? Well..." He presented his mask to his mask to the janitor. "You see I'm a...uh...'cosplayer'? Right! Acosplayer! See I'm a huge Spider-Man fan and, this is a little embarrassing, I wanted to see what it felt like to be him. So, I came up here and I got myself stuck up here. Heh heh, dumb idea, right?"
"Sounds crazy, but I did some wild stuff when I was a kid too." The janitor chided him but ultimately accepted the story. "Well the doors open now, so get going. I'm sure your parents are worried sick about you."
"Right, sorry for any-"
"Just go will you? You've held me up enough already."
Peter heeded the janitor's words and left him to his respective tasks.
He stepped through the door and, unbeknownst to him, a brand-new world.
A/N:
Alright ladies and gents after a ridiculously long amount of time, the update is released. It took all year. (I literally started working on it during basic and all through AIT). So, I ended the Spider-god v. Spider-Man story line for now and were on to the main event. This was all originally a single scene but the dang thing kept growing and turned into a single chapter, go figure. I'm going to keep working on this as promised all those years ago. Thanks for keeping with me and to all the reviews and kind words.
crazycarl364: Amon's 'electro' ness was just him getting paranoid over what happened at the memorial island. I just thought Sato would didn't have enough time to make anything radically new in such a short time. So, I figured he would just repurpose existing equipment. The sandman vs. Noir Spider-Man didn't happen yet. This takes place after vol. 1 but before vol. 2
Miltonius: Thanks for the spelling help. Spider-Man is using his head more but he still has some flaws to work out. What Beifong did was unprecedented and he had no idea that a member of law enforcement would do something like that. The legality of what Beifong did was intentionally interpreted as a moral gray area. I lean more towards illegal myself.
White Lantern Oath 009: For as much as I love LOK there were some glaring flaws that I just have to fix. It's a bit of a beautiful mess if you think about it. Those are some good ideas to rectify those flaws. Never saw doctor stone but I hear good things about it. The two already have words in my head cannon and it's going to be great to write it in 2029.
tigerdancer21: I'm a sucker for scared characters. But I don't see a need for such a thing for Peter. But hey, who knows what the future holds.
Wizardwolf 1020: I won't spoil anything but let's just say that Korra has some questions for Spider-Man next chapter. I don't do ships at all. Hell, there have been times where ships actually turns me off to some stories. It was a toss up at first but I'm glad I went with the Korra/Peter parring. It's really came into its own.
Astrovert: Yeah, I wasn't too hot at first. Glad to know I've improved so much.
Guest: *Monty Python voice* 'I'm not dead!'
Other Guest: I'm a horrible speller.
SilverExcel115: I finally saw Django Unchained last year and now understand that reference. And holly shit someone who actually likes my stupid BioShock cameo.
wargreymonxtreme11: While he does practice the whole percentage thing, he wont just outright say it. He wouldn't bring it up and he wouldn't just tip his enemies off to it. It's pretty much just a way for the protag to flex on the bad guy and I can't see Peter doing that. I'll have to look up that smash bros. combo you're talking about.
Asura Zeron: Ideally, yes. I would love to go all the way to book 4 but hot damn this stuff takes me a while to update. I'm going to keep going don't worry but I got a huge story in my head and that's going to take time.
Gundam-Knight-Chris: It was. I finally uploaded the edited version and it's been so long that I forgot I could change chapters without reuploading. My bad.
johanhaniff28: Armor, no. Equipment, yeah.