Story cover art is by MisconToku, who you can find on Newgrounds.

A/N: I'm back :D Happy new year! I had sooo many ideas for how to do this chapter over the holidays, and it felt SO GOOD to be able to put them down in words again. It's about 5k words long, the smallest chapter so far, but I'm very pleased with how it turned out. Gonna try and get another one of these out before the end of the month but as always, can't guarantee it. Thank you for continuing to read, and for all your reviews and faves! Every single one brightens my day.

ALSO: there's a section of the story that in the original document has the 'at' symbols (the kind you use in e-mails etc). However, this website doesn't allow me to include them in the story, so much like the single slash SP/dr, you'll have to forgive me for using ' ' instead. Sorry! If I could do it the right way, I would 8_8

Recap of last chapter: Last time we left off, Peni and Cindy went on an early morning adventure to the Reed Richards Science Center. The visit went well enough, but when they returned to school they found out that Gene Pop had obtained photos of their outing. Now they're the talk of the school, and not in a good way...

Chapter 11: Heart-Shaped Box (Part 4)

That stupid video was all anyone at school could talk about. Every inch of every hall was hushed whispers and prying eyes. Even in the bathroom people gave me funny looks. I could only imagine what it was like for Cindy. She'd barely spoken all day.

As we sat in class I gave her shoulder a gentle nudge, "Hey, wanna get some ice cream after school? This guy I know gives them to me for free cos I saved his store from some Australian dude in a Kangaroo battle suit one time."

She shook her head. Then a shadow loomed over our desk.

"Am I boring you, Peni?" asked our biology teacher Ashley Kafka.

I looked up at her. She had a strange, plastic smile on her face.

"No, I was just-"

"Good. Then you won't mind repeating back what I just said."

The rest of the class started snickering. With a frown I scanned the many holographic diagrams hovering at the front of the room. They were each labeled with a name in bold white letters.

Missense, nonsense, silent, frameshift…

"Mutations…" I muttered to myself.

"Yes, that is indeed the topic."

More snickering. I huffed, "Miss Kafka-"

She silently raised an eyebrow.

"I wasn't-… I wasn't ignoring you. I thought-"

She smirked, "Don't get too worked up about it. Just pay attention during class, okay? Now, as I was saying, when it comes to induced mutation…"

Ugh! Of course she picked today to teach us about mutation.

SP/dr bristled on my cheek as I glared at the back of Ashley Kafka. I didn't like her. SP/dr didn't like her. Neither of us liked her.

There's something up with her. I just know it.

The lunch bell couldn't ring fast enough. I dashed out of the classroom as quickly as my tired legs would take me, stopping only to make sure Cindy was following.

Don't wanna leave her on her own right now.

"Wanna sit together today?" I asked brightly as I slowed down to match her pace. The bags under her eyes were so dark she almost looked like a zombie.

God, I hope I don't look like that.

Neither of us had got enough sleep last night. Or any sleep, for that matter.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Peni," she finally replied, her gaze focused on the tiled floor, "It'll only make the rumors worse."

"Mmm," I hummed, "you're probably right."

The enormous cafeteria hall was buzzing with students. Like ants they filtered in from every corner, pooling around the food dispensary stations before filtering out to the lunch benches that stretched across the center of the room. I stood and watched as Cindy was swept into the waiting arms of her long-time friends Lola and Rafferty.

I sighed in relief, "Good. She shouldn't have to deal with all this stress on her own."

With one load (partially) off my mind I scanned the hall for Harry. I spotted him sitting alone at the edge of the room, as always. I went and zapped some tomato pasta onto my plate via the dispenser unit, squeezed my way back through the crowds, then strolled over to Harry.

"You look about as good as I feel," I joked.

He didn't reply. He just stabbed whatever strange, meaty dish he was eating with his fork.

"Harry?"

He wasn't smiling, "Is it true?"

I moved my head back reflexively, confused, "Huh?"

"The rumors."

"Oh Harry come on!" I groaned, "Corporate espionage? Do you think I have time for crap like that?"

He stabbed his food again, "No, not that. The other one."

"The other one!? Me and Cindy? No! We're friends, Harry. Just friends."

His face softened, "Really?"

"Yes!" I replied emphatically, "It's just more Gene Pop fanfiction. You know how they are."

He started idly stirring the sauce on his plate, "The video looked so real…"

I didn't wanna tell him it was real.

"Yeah, well," I said, starting on my pasta, "they always do. Remember their swimsuit special?"

"How could I forget, when you keep bringing it up."

"It still annoys me!"

I stuffed a ball of knotted pasta into my mouth. It was too hot. Again.

One day I'll remember to let it cool down first…

The burning sensation filling my mouth didn't do anything to wake me up. I felt like I was stuck underwater. Just keeping my eyelids open was a struggle.

Sugar time.

I reached into my backpack and busted out a big bottle of soda. I downed at least a quarter of it in one go.

"Phew!" I said, wiping my mouth with my forearm, "That's more like it."

Suddenly the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.

Is that-?

Then it kicked in. Spider-sense, like a wave blasting through my head.

What the heck!?

I heard them before I saw them. Explosions. Laser fire. The sound of the school's emergency forcefield straining to keep whatever was trying to get in, out.

I grabbed Harry's arm, "We have to get out of here."

But we didn't have time to run, because as soon as I got to my feet the ceiling was blasted open. Huge chunks of reinforced concrete rained down from above. In the blink of an eye I took it all in. Each fleeing student, every speck of debris, the hole, the heat, the smoke, the silhouette(?) lurking up above, and-

"No…"

Cindy. Cindy was sitting right underneath an enormous spike of concrete. It was falling fast, and she was halfway across the room. I'd never reach her in time.

"My mech-"

But I wasn't in my mech. It was just me, Peni Parker, normal schoolgirl. All I could do was watch, my heart in my throat, my skin on fire with raw panic.

"CINDY! RUN! RUUUN!"

She looked over like she heard me. The concrete was just a few feet from her head now. She recoiled in fear. I held my hands over my mouth.

Then a light filled the room. Blindingly white. From within the light came a deep voice.

"Fear not, my children. Mysterio is here to save you!"

Gradually the white subsided. Grey blobs began to form in the brightness, getting larger, clearer. My spider-sense was still going wild as my eyes finally adjusted to the piercing light. The room had fallen silent. One thought filled my mind.

Cindy!

I looked across the room and saw her, still at her table, a mammoth chunk of concrete levitating over her head.

"What…?"

Beside Cindy floated someone who looked like some kind of mythical god. His face was shrouded by an orb of pure white light. He wore armor, shimmering green armor that sparkled like a star-filled sky. A golden eye was emblazoned on his chest. From his shoulders descended a blood red cape, which rippled behind him as if blown by a gentle breeze.

He raised a gloved hand and snapped his fingers. Immediately the huge chunk of concrete crumbled into fine grains of dust.

"How is he doing that?" I whispered under my breath. The ache from my spider-sense, like a pebble stuck in my brain, began to dim as I watched the glowing man descend onto the cafeteria floor. SP/dr, however, couldn't relax at all. He watched Mysterio vigilantly from atop my shoulder. In fact, we were all watching Mysterio. He stood there in the middle of the room, bathed in light from the hole carved out above us, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Then out of the silence I heard a commotion from one of the halls. My spider-sense flared up again.

Of all the days to not have my mech.

But it couldn't be helped. I was stuck without it. Mysterio, however, seemed completely prepared.

"They're coming," he said in a low voice, a voice which seemed to quietly resonate through the entire room, like he was speaking directly to your mind. And he was right. Moments later the source of all the carnage smashed its way through the cafeteria door and hissed:

"Where's Peni Parker!?"

The throng of students parted, forming a kind of pathway through the room, and in the distance I saw the intruder. His heavy power armor was covered in strange knobs and dials. His hands were claws, and his back was shielded by a dense, smooth carapace. He had a purple helmet which covered his whole face and extended out into two vicious horns.

Definitely going for that 'insectile' look.

All eyes were on me as I climbed up onto a cafeteria table, "I'm right here! Come and get me!"

I expected some long monologue about how I was the root of all evil. I expected him to gloat about how he finally had me where he wanted me. What I didn't expect was for him to generate a boulder of hard light out of his back.

"Oh no-"

He lobbed it at me immediately. On instinct I crouched down and covered my head with my hands. I felt the heat of the light as it tickled the tiny hairs on the skin of my fingers.

Oh my god that was close.

I looked up. He was readying another.

"Hey!" I yelled at Mysterio, "Aren't you gonna stop him!?"

He didn't move, "Isn't that your job?"

"What!?"

The second boulder came even faster than the first. I leapt out of the way, scraping my already-scraped knees on the floor as I landed like a sandbag against the cold tiles.

"Damn it!"

I watched as the boulder meant for me dissipated into thin air.

He can deconstruct them at will?

I didn't stand a chance against someone with tech like that, not without my mech. SP/dr crept out of my hair and onto my cheek.

"Get back in there," I whispered, "just stay safe, cos we're gonna be doing a lot of-"

Suddenly the intruder was on top of me. I could smell the metal of his outfit.

"I am the Beetle," he growled, "and on this day, Peni Parker, you shall die!"

He raised his hands and slammed them together around my head. Then he started to squeeze. The pain came down like a knife through my skull.

"AAAAAAAHHH!"

He couldn't have held me for more than a second before Mysterio kicked him away, sending him flying into the wall on the opposite side of the room. The urge to throw up was almost too strong to resist.

SP/dr are you okay? SP/dr?

I felt his presence in my mind and almost started crying in relief.

"Dear me," Mysterio tutted, "you're not much good without your suit, are you?"

I couldn't believe I was being insulted by this random stranger - in the middle of a battle, after nearly being killed. I took all my hurt and fear and channeled it into anger.

"Hah!" I snarled, "You can talk! You expect me to really believe you're some god? I don't know what you've got inside that armor but we both know that you'd be just as screwed as I am without it!"

He floated up into the air, "That's where you're wrong."

I heard the Beetle moving in the rubble. I pushed myself upright, clutching my stomach as another wave of nausea sank through me. As I cast my eyes in the direction of the noise I saw that, sure enough, the armored assailant had already recovered.

He pointed at Mysterio, "Strange being, who are you? I've never seen someone so powerful! So much more powerful than me, and much more powerful than SP/dr!"

Mysterio laughed, "Yes, I am powerful! More powerful than you could ever imagine! For I am the almighty Mysterio! The pinnacle of evolution! My impregnable mind has absolute power over matter. Behold!"

He stretched one of his hands out and dramatically clenched his fist. Out of thin air a ball of water began to form, getting larger and larger.

"And now…"

With a wave of his other hand the ball suddenly exploded into a cloud of gas, fizzling and sparking as it dissipated into nothingness.

The Beetle stared at Mysterio in astonishment, "Such terrifying power! Please, oh great Mysterio, spare my life!"

"I cannot accept your repentance, insect, for your sins weigh upon you like the universe on the shoulders of great Atlas."

"Please!" the Beetle begged, now on his knees, "I had no choice! I have a wife and kids!"

Mysterio folded his arms, "Save your words for one more merciful. Now, begone with you!"

There was another flash of light, then suddenly a vortex opened up behind the armored insect.

"NOOOO!" he screamed. For a moment, no more than the blink of an eye, I thought I saw a hand drag him into the hole - then he was gone. The hole blipped out of existence. The room fell silent once more.

Mysterio spread his arms wide, "Witness my power, children of New York! Wherever evil may lurk, wherever criminals gather, wherever I am in need I shall be there, for I am all-present and all-powerful! Remember my name: The Almighty Mysterio!"

Then just as mysteriously as he came he disappeared in a burst of smoke, leaving behind only soot, rubble, and what smelled like… gunpowder. My spider-sense, which had been going off constantly since the commotion started, finally fell away, becoming a dull headache instead.

What the hell just happened?

Suddenly I was being glommed from behind.

"Peni!" Harry sobbed, "I thought you were gonna die for sure!"

I rubbed his hands, which were clasped around my stomach, trying my best to stop my voice from jittering, "Don't be silly, no way some knock-off Rhino was gonna take me out."

"But-"

"But nothing! I told you in grade school didn't I? That I'd always protect you."

"Mmm," he mumbled into my back, "I guess I… I never realized how dangerous it is… when you're not with the mech."

His words wrenched at my chest. He was right. Without my mech I was completely powerless. I couldn't remember the last time I'd been caught without it.

Cindy came running over to us, "Peni! Oh my god! Are you okay?"

"Am I okay!? Are you okay?"

She nodded, her cheeks wet with tears, "Yeah, just a bit…you know."

I breathed out, shuddering as the stress worked its way out of my body, "Yeah. I know."

Harry was still attached to me, "I don't understand how they got through the school's security… There's a whole army of guards. I'm pretty sure Dad employs drones and stuff too."

SP/dr crawled down onto my cheek. Just knowing he was there sent a warm feeling of strength through my tired muscles, "I don't get it either. The school's AI was still online. It can see everything happening in the school in real time. Like, everything everything. It even activated the emergency forcefield. No way anyone could get in here if they weren't meant to be. It's impossible."

Unless they were meant to be here. Like a staff member… or even a student…

Cindy wiped her eyes, "God today has been a crappy day."

I nodded absentmindedly.

It doesn't add up. No one's ever bothered to attack me at school before. They know it's impregnable.

Harry released his grip on me and sat down on a lump of fragmented ceiling, "My dad is not gonna be happy about this."

Why did Mysterio even bother showing up? All that power and he used it to… what? Protect some Oscorp kids? Really?

An announcement played over the one school speaker that was still functioning, "All students, report to the assembly hall immediately. I repeat, all students must report to the assembly hall immediately."

It was all over so quickly… and he spent half the time making fun of me… this guy who can turn concrete into dust, and warp people into non-existence…

Cindy grabbed my arm, "Peni, come on."

"Hm? Oh, yeah."

He triggered my spider-sense. Him. Mysterio.

I picked up my backpack. It was covered in dust. We started ambling towards the exit that led to the assembly hall.

He triggered my spider-sense.

We all crammed into the narrow hallways. Shoulder-to-shoulder, slowly shuffling to our destination. Mysterio's words echoed in my mind.

'You're not much good without your suit, are you?'

My heart started racing.

Oh my god… it's just like that message. The message-

From the stalker. I immediately unzipped my backpack and yanked out my phone to check my message history. Sure enough, there they were.

[You're nothing without that glorified hunk of metal.]

[I'm going to show them all who you really are.]

I felt weak. The stalker. It was him. Mysterio. He was right there. He was right there in front of me and I couldn't do anything.

He can disintegrate concrete with a click of his finger, and warp people through space, maybe even through time.

I stared at the back of the student in front of me.

No, he can't really be that powerful. No one can be that powerful. Anything he can invent, I can invent better. I'm a genius. I've always been a genius. It's what makes me special. That, and SP/dr.

With that thought my eight-legged friend stroked my cheek with his tiny legs. In all the chaos I'd forgotten what it meant to be bonded with another living creature. I'd forgotten that I didn't have to deal with all this on my own.

Cindy squeezed my hand, "I'm just glad you're okay."

The way she was looking at me made me feel like I'd missed part of a conversation.

"Don't worry about me, Cindy."

A single, ragged sob shuddered down her shoulders. Her eyes were becoming wet again.

"I've never felt like that before. With you around, I always felt safe."

"And you are! I'll always protect you! All of you. You know that."

She smiled weakly, "It's okay. None of us expected something like this. I had no idea Mason Banks could be infiltrated so easily."

"It couldn't have been that easy," I protested.

Harry sighed, "She's right Peni. Whoever that beetle dude was, he was clearly stronger than anything we've seen before. And that Mysterio guy…"

"Yeah, about him actually-"

Cindy interrupted, "How did he get so powerful? Do you think he stole Oscorp technology?"

"Nah," Harry replied, waving his hand dismissively, "Oscorp has some good tech, but it's not the kind of stuff you could hide in a single suit."

I raised a finger, "Actually, they do have spacetime camo suits."

"They can't really warp people through spacetime though," he replied.

"Well they sort of can. On the spot, anyway. You can kind of…it's like…disappearing and reappearing in-place. They quantum entangle the light particles around you with-"

Now Cindy came back in, "That's not the same though. That's not teleportation."

I was starting to get agitated, "Who said anything about teleportation? Guys, listen to me, there's no way he's as powerful as he looks. He's got a flashy suit - so what? He's probably just some nobody under there."

They both stared at me.

"What!?"

Harry looked away. Cindy frowned, "Isn't that… the same as you?"

I felt the blood drain from my head, "No! No… it's totally different with me and SP/dr."

She bit her lip, "Yeah, you're right. Sorry."

But I knew she didn't mean that.

"Cindy-"

"It's fine, Peni. It's been a bad day. For both of us."

I remembered all the crap we had to deal with on the way to the Reed Richards Center… and then Gene Pop…

"I'm sorry," I said.

"No, don't-"

"No, I am. I didn't mean to be snappy. It's just…I'm… you're right, okay? So let's… let's just forget about it…"

"Mm…"

Suddenly Cindy grabbed one of her wrists, her face contorted in pain.

"Cindy!?"

Harry looked across at us. I couldn't let him know about her mutation. Couldn't let anyone know. We were totally surrounded by students and now-

Cindy's eyes were full of panic, "I… really need the bathroom."

I tried to picture the school's layout in my mind, but I was so tired…

Come on, come on!

"Wait," I said, as I came to my senses, "isn't there one near the assembly hall?"

"We'll never make it that far at this pace… Agh, it hurts!"

We were starting to draw attention to ourselves. I could feel all the stares, feel everyone judging us. My brain was mush. I could barely string two thoughts together.

There's nothing I can do…

Then it happened. That moment where you're so out of it, so lost and exhausted and confused that you somehow get more energy. My rational mind shut down and my irrational, hyperactive mind kicked in.

I spoke without thinking, "Oh my god Cindy! Don't you have an implant for that?"

She furrowed her brows in confusion. I continued, loudly, "I got mine when I was eleven. No more periods for me! Who would choose to bleed in the year 3145?"

Cindy was shocked speechless. Harry grabbed my shoulder, "Peni, what the hell!? Shouldn't you be more quiet about that?"

Cindy finally caught on, "Ugh! I can't have the implant, too expensive. If I don't get to the bathroom soon, though…"

I gasped dramatically, "You're gonna bleed all over the floor!"

Please don't kill me Cindy.

Now the other students were really paying attention. They immediately started dispersing as best they could, dodging out of our way like we were lepers as we pushed through the crowd.

Cindy was almost doubled over in pain as we reached the bathroom. She ran through the door. I went in soon after.

Then Harry joined.

"Whoa, Harry!" I said as Cindy slammed her stall door shut, "You don't wanna be here for this. Trust me, it's nasty."

He rested his hands on his hips, "I'm not an idiot, Peni. I know it's not that bad."

"Oh but it is. It's uh, real gross. Wouldn't recommend it. If you ever get offered a full genital makeover definitely take a hard pass on it."

He frowned, "You just want me gone, don't you?"

"What? No, it's not like that."

"You're not allowed to have more than one student per stall, you know?"

"Harry, I don't know what you think is going on, but I have no intention of joining Cindy in that stall."

A wet splat echoed through the room, breaching even the heavy-duty soundproofing of the floor-to-ceiling stall door. Harry grimaced.

"See?" I said, "Nasty."

With that, he seemed satisfied that I wasn't trying to hook up with Cindy. He scratched the back of his head, "I need to use the bathroom anyway."

He went into an empty stall. Danger averted.

Today can't end soon enough.

I flopped over to the row of sinks and stared into the mirror. I looked like a zombie. Felt like one too. My legs were shaking from sheer exhaustion. Once again I was reminded of the burning pain in my kneecaps.

Scraped them twice today. Really, really should've cleaned the wounds.

I'd survive. I wet my hands under the faucet and splashed my face with water. SP/dr expertly evaded the assault of moisture, leaping onto my shoulder.

"Sorry, buddy," I mumbled.

I was a wreck. I preferred being bashed around by man-eating kaijuu to this. I took a deep breath, holding back tears.

Everything's going wrong at once.

Completely against my wishes, the smart mirror began to analyze my face.

"You are suffering from sleep-deprivation," it said.

"I know."

Treatments for sleep deprivation began to appear on the screen. Pills, ointments, numbers for sleep therapists.

I closed my eyes. The urge to cry was so strong.

I'm sorry, Dad. I can't do this. I can't do it on my own…

Tears forced their way past my eyelids. I wiped my cheeks.

Come on Peni, pull yourself together. You'll get through this. It's just a bad day.

I gazed into the metallic sink. Just a bad day.

I'm the hero of New York. A genius. No one's smarter than me. No one's better than me. It doesn't matter what Gene Pop says. And Mysterio…

I shook my head. Mysterio was an issue. But at least now I knew what he looked like. Sort of.

It's better than nothing. And now I know what he's capable of, too.

One of the stall doors opened behind me. I quickly dried my eyes and turned around. It was Cindy. She looked concerned.

Just tell her. Tell her everything.

"Peni…"

"Cindy, I-"

"The uh," she lowered her voice, "webbing…it's still stuck to the toilet."

"…Oh. Yeah…I…hmm. I don't know how to clean that."

"What was the stuff Professor Richards used?"

"Probably some acid he cooked up, but-"

Harry's stall door swung open. He stretched his arms over his head, "You guys done?"

Cindy and I looked at each other. There was nothing we could do about the webbing now.

"Yep," I replied, stretching my lips into a smile, "let's go and get this assembly over with."

He didn't move, "Is there something I'm not getting here?"

"Nope! Nothing!"

He quirked an eyebrow at me. I knew I didn't sound right, probably didn't look right either. Thankfully before he could ask any more awkward questions Cindy stormed forward and out of the door. I followed close behind, clapping Harry on the back as I passed him.

"Don't forget to wash your hands!"

The assembly was about as much fun as you'd expect it to be. The room was completely filled with students and staff. There was nowhere to stand, let alone sit. Once we were all in they sealed the room with a military-grade forcefield. Every student was checked over by a nurse, and heads were counted (electronically and manually, the latter of which took forever). Thankfully no one was badly hurt. The school's principal, Roger Harrington, was beside himself with emotion as he explained that no, security had no idea how the intruders got in. After his speech Mr. Osborn's PA came in via video call and assured us that Mr. Osborn was gonna look into the matter personally, which made Principal Harrington even more nervous.

Then they sent us all home.

"Finally," I sighed in exasperation as we trickled out of the jam-packed hall.

"Kill me," Cindy groaned.

"I'm already dead."

I could barely keep my eyes open. I was pretty sure I fell asleep a couple of times during the never-ending assembly. Yawning, I pulled out my phone and messaged Aunt May.

[I'm out now. School's cancelled for the day]

A few minutes later, as I waited outside the school gates next to a group of armed soldiers, she replied, [I'll send someone to pick you up ASAP]

Send someone, huh? Guess she must be busy.

She always was.

If I had my mech with me I could just head home.

Mysterio's words shot through my brain like a bolt of lightning, 'You're not much good without your suit, are you'. I gritted my teeth. Without the mech I was just a smart kid with a terrible attendance record, and I knew it. Without the mech I couldn't protect anyone. Couldn't even get myself home.

I suppose I could walk.

My phone buzzed again. The notification sound was familiar.

Isn't that the sound for Echo?

Echo, the fourth millennium's way of letting you share pictures of what you ate for lunch. It was the only social media I liked, apart from Spacebook, which wasn't so bad when you made sure to only add your actual friends as friends (not that I ever took my own advice). Of course, I used to like it all a lot more before I became a celebrity.

You'd think people would go easier on an eight year-old.

They didn't. Gene Pop taught me that. Swiping my phone screen I opened up the Echo app and saw why I'd received a notification.

"The ice cream dude 'd me!"

His post read: [Hey therealspdr you okay? Just heard the news.]

He wasn't the only one. I got notified about his echo because I follow him, but when I expanded my notifications window there were over a thousand mentions of my handle, therealspdr.

"I guess it is pretty rare for Mason Banks to be attacked."

I checked my timeline. The last time I sent out an 'echo' was…

Yesterday morning. Before the car chase.

[Morning New York!] my echo said, above a picture of me in my pajamas, [First day back at school 8_8]

Hard to believe that all this stalker crap happened over the course of just twenty four hours. He must be as tired as I am.

I decided to make another post. I couldn't let some bad press and an idiot with a god complex keep me down. No matter how exhausted I was, I had to keep going - for New York.

For Dad.

I activated the phone's orbital positioners. It bobbed out of my hands and glided out in front of me. Then it began to slowly circle around my head.

"Why is rotation the default setting?" I grumbled.

The phone drifted behind me, out of sight, then it slowly made its way back round. When it finally hovered in front of my face again I said, "Lock!" and it froze in place.

Good.

"Activate camera."

The camera turned on. I could see the phone was too far away for the right angle. I grabbed it and pulled it a little closer.

"Tilt," I commanded. Now the phone could be moved on the vertical axis. I dragged it up and round till it was at just the right point above my head, then I said, "Stop tilt."

There.

The angle was good, the distance was good, the lighting was…okay.

It'll do.

I made a peace sign with my right hand and pulled a silly face, then I said, "Countdown timer: three."

The phone started counting down. When it reached zero it took a burst shot of five photos. After it was done I hopped in the air and snagged the phone from its orbit around my head, then I turned the orbital positioners off. It wasn't an automatic thing. You had to turn them off manually, or else the phone would pop back into position as soon as you let go.

They really need to make the whole thing more convenient. I should make a prototype or something.

But that would have to wait. First, I had to post the echo.

And deal with Mysterio, and Cindy's whatever-that-is, and-

First, the echo. I captioned the photo: [Some beetle tried to take me out, but I'm fine now. Don't underestimate a SP/dr!]

I double-checked that it all looked okay, airbrushed the bags from under my eyes, then I hit 'post'. Almost immediately it started getting echoed.

Echoed by we stan the spider spdrpatrol

[she's alive! she's alive! omg my HEART!]

Echoed by J. Jonah Jameson johnjonahj

[What did I tell you? Where this girl goes, trouble follows. Next she'll be getting a hospital blown up.]

Metalhead allthingsmecha

Replying to johnjonahj

[Stick to your dumb magazine, jackass. No one cares what you think.]

I closed the app, "Well, at least some people appreciate me."

You can't please everyone. That's what Dad always said.

I need some music.

Music always calmed me down - and helped me think, too. Reaching into my backpack I pulled out my Oscorp NeuroSound earphones. They were the closest you could get to 'no headphones' listening without taking the plunge and getting an auditory implant. I placed the 'C' shaped earphones over the back of my ears and swiped across to one of the music apps on my phone.

Yeah, gimme some of that classic rock.

I leaned against the school's perimeter wall as the screaming guitars of the third millenium roared in my head. It'd been an intense couple of days.

Maybe now things can get back to normal.

Yeah… fat chance. But I did make some progress. I learned my stalker's name: Mysterio.

He made a mistake coming here today. Now I know he's just some guy… just some guy in a flashy suit. Though I still don't know how he made the beetle man disappear…

A black car floated round the corner, interrupting my thoughts. Sunlight glinted off of its perfectly polished body. As the door swung open I knew it was for me.

Just my luck…

Like a cherry on the cake of my garbage day, Norman Osborn stepped out of the car with a grim scowl on his face.

"Get in here. Now."

I steeled myself for bad news and climbed into the car. My long day was about to get even longer.