Disclaimer:
Knock-Knock!
Who's there?
A Marvel comics plagiarism lawsuit!
You can't come in. I don't own any of this. I don't make any money either. I'm also broke.
Well! Now in this chapter... hoo boy... I'll just let it speak for itself. Also: Mild Fluff warning! I think... haven't decided yet...
Possible Mild Fluff!
I apologise ahead of time for the fluff that may, or may not, follow. I'm just in a mood.
The story ahead was actually supposed to only happen in chapter twelve, but I moved my timeline up when I decided that splitting chapters in two (Spidey Chapters and Peter Chapters) was a really bad idea.
Anyway! You don't wanna hear me talk to myself! Here you go. Chapter 9.
Chapter 9:
"A day at the Beach"
Sunday morning at three Peter's eyes drooped open. He was still sore from having a warehouse fall on him and from his scuffle with the Hobgoblin.
It wasn't his alarm clock making the high-pitched whistling sound, the sound seemed to stab at him from across the room. Peter got out of bed if only to mute the noise. He walked to the edge of his room where he noticed the sound came from deeper inside the house.
He groaned and tiptoed past his aunt's bed. He noticed that she was fast asleep, seemingly unbothered.
After walking down the stairs, Peter finally realised the sound came from inside the basement.
What the heck? Peter thought as he walked down into the basement where his shredded costume and mask lay. The whistling cane from his backpack. He carefully opened it, expecting a bomb or something similar that the Hobgoblin left on him.
The whistling was coming from the watch Reed Richards gave him. He lifted it up to see if he could turn it off. The watch was round and silver without any hands or digits, while the straps were wide and metallic.
Suddenly the watch face split in two. Peter yelped as the straps retracted back in on themselves until they were folded under the main body. The parts of the watch reassembled themselves as an eerie blue light started to emanate from the bottom of the now no-longer-a-watch.
The device now clicked together, all of the breaks in the metal sealing so that it was smooth and complete. The device now resembled a kitchen timer more than anything else. On the front was a round shape, where three red dots in a line flickered on and off.
Suddenly they stopped blinking. The dots on the far left and far right remained on. The device floated into the air and buzzed briefly. It then did something Peter did not expect at all. It spoke.
"Observation: all functions online. Inquiry: location?" The voice sounded melodious, like a singer, but strange and distorted, like the singer had a slight cold. And was also talking through a fan.
"Uh... Hi?" Peter said awkwardly as he stared at the device.
"Observation: Unlikely. Geographic sensors indicate location: Queens. Home of Ben and May Parker." The device looked at Peter. A small antenna popped from its head, it buzzed briefly.
"Observation: You are not Ben Parker." The device tilted down, seemingly staring at Peter's chest.
"Observation: You are not May Parker."
"What? Eww!" Peter stumbled back. "No! I'm Peter Parker."
"Statement: I am in your possession. Inquiry: Dr Richards gifted me to you?" The device said in its sing-song voice.
"Yeah. He said to hold on to you till he sent a message." Peter sat down at his desk. "I assume this is the message. What are you anyway?"
"Clarification: I am Humanoid Electronic Robot B-type Integrated Experiment. Statement: Dr Richards requires me to ask you to address me as HERBIE. Request: Please, call me Herbie." The robot extended an appendage from its side and a small spray of tiny fireworks flew into the air.
"Statement: Dr Richards thinks that he is a funny man. Apology: Dr Richards is not a funny man."
Peter laughed a bit at that.
"Statement: Dr Richards would like me to take Designation: Spiderman to the Baxter building. Inquiry: Are you Designation: Spiderman?" Herbie asked.
"Yeah," Peter said and yawned loudly. "Yes I am Designation Spiderman, please just keep it down, Herbie, Ok? If Aunt May finds out she'll freak. Just let me get dressed in some-"
Suddenly there was a bright blue light. Peter felt all his hairs stand on end. The next moment he was in a brightly lit room.
"-more appropriate clothes..." Peter finished.
"Exclamation: Welcome to the Baxter building! Statement: Dr Richards, I have brought Peter Parker, Designation: Spiderman!"
The room he was in contained a long white counter that matched the white walls, floor and ceiling. The counter had many bits of metal and machinery taken apart adorning the top of the counter. Reed Richards was bent over the counter, he looked up and smiled at Peter. He wore a skintight jumpsuit, segmented half in black on his left, and half in blue on his right. The two parts joined in a number Four shape. Over the jumpsuit, he wore his white lab coat.
"Ah, Peter, welcome. I see you met Herbie." Reed said as he plucked off his gloves. "Glad to see the teleporter works. I haven't tested it since it vaporised my downstairs neighbour's cat. I'm glad the molecular bonds between your atoms are still stable."
"It vaporised a cat?" Peter mouthed.
"Yes. Never really liked the cat." Reed smiled. He gestured for Peter to follow as he walked towards the lab's exit. "I'm glad you came."
"How did you know I was Spiderman?" Peter asked as he walked alongside the man.
"I didn't. Herbie figured that out on his own, well done by the way Herbie." Reed said over his shoulder to the small robot floating next to Peter.
"Acknowledgement: Thank you for the compliment, Dr Richards. Humble Reply: it was nothing."
Reed reached behind him as his arm wound back the way they came. His arm stretched away for a long time and then came back holding a tape recorder.
"Note to self: Herbie's preceding declarations remarking the nature of his responses are accidentally adorable."
"How did you just do that?" Peter exclaimed in surprise as Reed reached back and his arm wound around the corner back to the lab.
"I'll explain in a moment," Reed said as they walked into a big white and grey living room. An open plan kitchen could be seen past an arch on the right, while the elevator doors to the rest of the building as well as a few blank grey doors could be seen to the left.
Behind a long white sofa, a large flat screen TV sat against the wall right ahead of him, where a baseball game currently played.
"Peter, please make yourself at home. I'll be right back." Reed dodged the question and walked off to the left.
On the sofa, Peter could see an orange crystal mass sticking out over the edge. He walked around the sofa where he saw Ben Grim. Ben's entire body was seemingly composed entirely out of an orange crystal substance. His crystalline skin was cracked and shard-like, the edges unevenly and asymmetrically arranged over his body. The crystals were semi-translucent and Peter could see yellow fluids and organs shining through Ben's skin.
Ben looked up and made eye contact with Peter. He looked Peter over and sat upright. Ben sighed deeply and slowly closed and opened his eyes. He stared at Peter. His eyes, unlike every other part of his body, were a deep sapphire blue.
"Go on. Say it." Ben said. His voice was deep like an opera singer's but gravely, as if his vocal chords were boulders scraping against each other.
"What?" Peter asked flustered.
"Say it. I know you're thinking it. Spit it out and then we can move on with our lives." Ben said dejectedly.
"Dude... you look..." Peter started, trying to grasp the best way to describe this diamond monster.
"There it is." Ben sighed.
"You look awesome!" Peter finished. Ben snapped his gaze to Peter and stared at him open-mouthed.
"You don't think I'm hideous?" Ben asked in stony awe.
"Dude, are you kidding?" Peter exclaimed. "Your whole body is made of crystal. That is radical! There was a guy like you on Ben 10, the original series, Diamondhead, only he was green."
Ben stared at Peter as if he was only seeing him for the first time.
"Mind if I join you?" Peter asked and pointed to the part of the sofa unoccupied by Ben.
"Sure," Ben said and scooted over, leaving a place for Peter.
"Who's playing?" Peter asked.
"The Yankees an' the Mets," Ben said, flabbergasted that anyone can find his appearance anything other than horrifying.
"The Mets?!" Peter exclaimed and plopped down. "No way!"
"You're a Mets fan?" Ben asked, finally having something to talk about. "You're kidding!"
"Dude!" Peter laughed. "I'm from Queens."
"No kidding!" Ben said turning to look at Peter. "I'm from Lower East!"
"Wow!" Peter stuck out his hand and smiled. "Peter Parker!"
Ben took Peter's hand carefully, he wasn't sure of his new strength, and aside from Reed, Peter was the first person to be kind to him since the incident. To Ben's surprise, Peter's handshake was firm enough to feel.
"Damn kid." He said. "Quite the grip you got there! What do they even feed you in Queens nowadays?"
"Lots of green vegetables." Peter teased.
"Hey, Ben!" Came a loud and arrogant voice from behind Peter. "Stop scaring the poor kid!"
Peter spun around to see a kid not much older than him, three years at the most, with spiky blonde hair and a dazzling white smile. He wore the same suit as Reed, except it had a red accent instead of a blue one.
"Johnny Storm." The guy said and slid onto the sofa between Peter and Ben, cramming them in. "Astronaut, playboy and, since recently, superhero extraordinaire!"
"Peter. Kid. Not amused." Peter said with an icy tone.
"Move it flame-brain!" Ben said and picked Johnny up by his waist, Ben's hand easily folding over Johnny's entire body.
"Hey!" Johnny squealed. "Let me go you human landslide!"
Suddenly Johnny burst into flames. Peter exclaimed in fear and surprise and jumped up looking around for a fire extinguisher. Ben simply lifted Johnny and started shaking him until the flames went out.
"Ben! Johnny!" Came a voice Peter recognised as the voice of Susan. Her blonde hair was tied in a ponytail and she wore the same body suit as the others. Her jumpsuit had a silver accent, and instead of long sleeves, her jumpsuit had short cut sleeves and ended in gloves.
"That's enough!" She said.
"He started it!" Ben and Johnny exclaimed simultaneously.
"I don't care who started it!" She hissed through her teeth. "We have a guest! Behave yourselves!"
Ben and Johnny grumbled apologies and as soon as Susan looked away they glared at each other.
"Peter, honey, Reed has the lab ready for you. This way, please." Susan said and gestured for him to head towards the lab he came from earlier. With a final glare that promised holy and unbridled fury aimed at Ben and Johnny, they walked into Reed's lab.
"Everybody stand back!" Reed exclaimed excitedly and yanked a lever. The floor of the lab shifted and changed until a small obstacle course was in place of the equipment. The only semblance of the lab was Reed's white counter, that now had a large container on it. The container was filled with a strange neon blue mass that shifted and changed.
"Whoah," Peter said in awe. Reed smiled at him.
"Johnny, you first," Reed said.
"Aye-Aye, boss!" He said and saluted. "Flame on!"
Johnny burst into flames and weaved through the obstacle course. He flashed through the ring tyres and twisted around poles.
"When we were hit by that cosmic anomaly our biology was transmuted. Johnny has the ability to vibrate the atoms around him at incredible speed, causing the air an inch from his skin to spontaneously combust." Reed explained. "He can also form small balls of fire and use them as projectiles."
When he got to a small target range like area, he threw four fireballs that left smouldering posts where the targets were.
"Very good, Johnny," Reed said and pressed a few buttons as Johnny landed next to them with a smirk.
The room shifted into a similar obstacle course, only this time with smoke and lasers.
"Susan, please?" Reed asked as Susan stepped up to the course. She stood still a moment and then turned invisible. Even though Peter had seen it before he marvelled at this once again.
Peter saw slight curls and wisps of smoke move but other than that he couldn't see Susan at all.
"Why can't I see her shape in the smoke?" Peter asked, cupping his hands over his eyes.
"Susan's molecules vibrate in such a way that doesn't allow any reflection of light at all," Reed explained. "The rays of light pass through her as if through air. Because of this state of disjunction, her molecules don't actually move smoke or water molecules, causing a state of complete invisibility."
Susan faded back into view when she too reached the firing range. She focused and pulled her arm back as if she was throwing a discus. She let fly, and one target cut in half. Next, she held her hands as if she was holding something. She pushed her hands together and the target crumpled.
"Susan made the leap that if she could change the density of her own molecules, she could do it with air molecules as well. She was right. What you don't see is that she is compacting air molecules to create razor sharp disks, or crushing objects by compacting the air around them." Reed explained as Susan walked up to the last target.
She glared and made a fist. The target shifted slightly. Susan slowly opened her fist as the target started contorting and shuddering. It then exploded.
"She is also able to create these 'force-fields' inside of something. She can then expand that force-field until the target explodes from the inside."
Ben, Johnny and Peter all gulped at this. Susan walked over and wiped her arm over her bleeding nose. Reed pushed a few buttons and the room shifted again. This time instead of a target range, a large metal cylinder extended from the ceiling.
"Ben, if you will?" Reed asked.
"Sure thing," Ben said and walked over. The obstacle course this time was similar to a military training course. Ben easily and agilely hopped through the tires on the floor and easily scaled the rope wall. He did a dive roll under a log and crossed the monkey bars.
"Ben's molecular bonds were mutated by the cosmic anomaly," Reed said. "The carbon in his atomic makeup shifted from being cubic structure to a hexagonal structure. This caused all of his organs to shift their structure from normal to the same dexterity as diamond. His body is nearly indestructible, while still as malleable as normal skin."
Ben stepped up under the cylinder and put one hand behind his back. He lifted his palm until it touched the bottom of the cylinder. Ben nodded and Reed turned a dial on the desk which made the cylinder press down. Ben didn't show the slightest signs of exertion. Soon smoke oozed from the place where the cylinder met the ceiling. Reed turned the dial down again and Ben walked to a wall covered with small black lines.
"Ben can lift the maximum weight my hydraulic press can exert with ease. Even with his bad arm. That is a weight of 1000 tonnes. He currently stands at 2.3 Metres, and Weighs 467kg."
Ben stood against the wall and stretched his neck. He crouched down low and his body started shifting.
"Holy guacamole!" Peter exclaimed as Ben grew to twice his normal size.
"Ben's body has the extraordinary ability to expand and grow by using carbon-dioxide from the air and absorbing it into himself," Reed said as Ben stood up and had to bend his neck to fit in the room. "At maximum potential, Ben can grow up to 5 meters tall, at which point he weighs 1105 kilograms. Because of his crystalline nervous system, Ben loses no speed or reaction time. He is still as fast and sharp as ever, despite his size."
Ben shrunk and walked over while Reed went over and keyed in a few lines on his computer. He removed a small black disk, about half the size of Peter's palm, and placed it on Peter's chest. Next, he placed a smaller circle, about two-thirds smaller than the first, above the other.
"Animation Acclamation: Sleepwear," Reed said while holding a finger on the smaller disk. It beeped twice. Reed then shoved a pile of various fabrics into Peter's arms.
"Matter acclamation: four-inch radius," Reed said, and to Peter's surprise, the bundle clothes started disintegrating as if they were being eaten away. Peter then noticed to his utter horror that his pyjamas were following suit, melting away as if he was standing in a vat of acid. Peter yelped in surprise as he was now only clothed in his molecule print boxers. The disc on his chest beeped twice.
"What the heck?!" Peter exclaimed and tried to cover himself. Reed simply put a finger to the smaller disk and said:
"Animation sequence: Flightsuit, shuttle four, model three, variant three."
Peter felt his arms prickle with goosebumps as a thin layer of material, almost like spandex, but much better weaved, flowed over his body. It covered his entire body in the stone grey material, including his hands. Then the same material in a thinner layer flowed over his chest, covering one side of his body. Where the red and grey areas met, a Four symbol formed.
"What the heck!" Peter exclaimed, this time in awe as he pulled on the fabric a little. It was rubbery and made of small hexagonal indentations.
"Well Peter, I noticed that your costume was destroyed when you helped save our shuttle," Susan smiled. "So I convinced Reed to make you an unstable molecule transponder."
"You can use it to create any clothing you want if you've got the technical know-how," Reed said. "I can show you how to make basic things, but you'll have to figure it out on your own."
"I also thought of something else," Susan said with an evil grin. "Johnny is convinced he's a superhero now. If you can beat his time on the obstacle course... he has to drive you wherever you want, whenever you want."
"What! No!" Johnny whined and walked over. "You can't do that! I'm a grown man!"
Susan lifted her eyebrow at Johnny, who whithered under her glare and grumbled in response.
"I'll give it a shot..." Peter smiled.
"A MINUTE!" Johnny exclaimed. "A WHOLE BLOODY MINUTE! HOW?"
Peter landed in front of the others and wiped the sweat off of his forehead.
"How did I do?" He asked and looked up at Ben.
"You beat the hotshot's record time by a whole minute!" Ben laughed and put a hand on Peter's shoulder. "For knockin' 'im down ta' size, I'll heckin' drive you wherever you like!"
"Very impressive, Peter," Reed said looking over at footage from Peter's try on the course. "I randomized the hazards and hidden projectiles, but you evaded them without a hitch. It's like you knew the events were going to occur before they did."
"Oh!" Peter smiled. "That's just my spider-sense."
"Your spider-sense?" Reed asked sceptically.
"It's a form of precognition I developed along with my other powers. It warns me of any threat or danger that may harm me in some way."
"Fascinating..." Reed said. "Tell me, Peter, do you own a computer?"
"Uh," Peter scratched his chin. "Yeah, a really old one my Uncle Ben bought. A Commodore 64."
Reed laughed.
"That's no computer! It's a dinosaur!" He leaned over to his desk and removed a grey and dented laptop. "This was my previous personal computer, it's too outdated for most of the things I need these days, but it still has the original software I used to design the coding first iteration of my unstable molecule transponder."
Reed sighed nostalgically and handed Peter the computer. Peter looked at him in shock.
"Mr Richards, I really can't take this. I'm just trying to help, I don't expect any kind of-" Peter started but Reed cut him off.
"Peter, please," Reed said and smiled kindly. He put a hand on Peter's shoulder, which was a bit strange as he was more than two meters away. "I see what you're trying to do, and I for one appreciate someone doing the right thing because it's the right thing to do. The world needs more people like you. This computer has a built-in uplink with the Baxter building. You can use it to contact us if you ever need to. This is just a way I'm trying to give you a hand."
Peter smiled wide and took the offered laptop. "Thank you so much, Sir! You've all been really wonderful. I hope we'll be working together at some point..."
"You can count on me web-head," Ben said, with his granite grin. Peter smiled up at him.
"Well, I think I'd better get going, without my web-shooters, it'll take me at least an hour to get home," Peter said and looked at a nearby window.
"No problem. Herbie will take you," Reed said. "Until next time, Peter Parker."
"Wait! Mr Richards, really it's no problem-" Peter started.
"Declaration: Stand still." In a flash of blue light, Peter and Herbie vanished.
"What a great kid." Ben smiled.
"Declaration: Welcome home!" Herbie buzzed. "Inquiry: Are all of your limbs still attached and in the right location?"
Peter stumbled and held his hand to his mouth.
"Yeah..." He gasped. "But I feel like all of my organs are upside down!"
Herbie buzzed and scanned Peter with the same blue light from earlier.
"Declaration: All of your internal organs are in the correct location and orientation," Herbie said in his monotone voice.
"Yeah, Herbie. Thanks," Peter said and dry heaved. When he finally got his breath back he set up his new laptop and saw that all of the basics were there, along with a small program titled: 'UMFE'. "Herbie, what does 'U-M-F-E' stand for?"
"Clarification: UMFE, Unstable Molecule Fabric Emulator." Herbie said.
Peter smiled and cracked his knuckles.
"Let's do this."
"Worried interjection: Oh dear..."
Peter yawned loudly and trudged up the steps to his room. He'd improved his web-shooters. Again. He changed the tubing for a small coil and lever set, that shot his webs by using and compressing air near Peter's wrists. Now he could fit the web-shooters under his sleeves, so long as he removed the web cartridges.
"Inquiry: Where are we going, designation: Spiderman?" Herbie beeped from Peter's side.
"SSHHH!" Peter hissed and grabbed Herbie in his hands as if that would make him shut up. "Quiet!"
"Declaration: I will lower my volume."
Peter yawned widely again and walked into his room. He plopped onto the bed and pulled his covers around him.
"Inquiry: Are you tired, Designation: Spiderman?" Herbie asked and zoomed over to Peter's bedside table, where he landed with a soft plop.
"Wasted..." Peter said and rolled over to look at Herbie. "Any chance you could turn back into a watch? My Aunt would freak if she saw you."
"Affirmation: Indeed," Herbie said. Peter stared at Herbie expectantly.
Herbie stared back.
"Herbie?" Peter asked.
"Inquiry: Designation: Spiderman?" Herbie replied.
"Could you turn into a wristwatch, please?" Peter asked.
"Dejected Affirmation: Alright, Designation: Spiderman."
Peter closed his eyes and curled up under his covers. He smiled and drifted off to sleep.
"Peter! Honey! Are you up?" Came the voice of AuntMay as she walked into his room and tutted. "You millennials. Always sleeping in."
Peter yelped as his Aunt plucked the comforter off of him and poked his nose.
"Alarmed Exclamation: Designation: Spiderman, you are under attack!" Herbie beeped from his bedside table.
"No! No, I'm not!" Peter said and grabbed Herbie, he quickly closed the wristwatch on his arm.
"Peter, what was that?" Aunt May asked, her voice coloured with caution.
"Uhm... That was my..." Peter wracked his brain trying to think of something. "...Alarm... Clock..."
"Oh! Well, Peter!" Aunt May smiled. "What a dreadfully splendid idea! I would also surely be wide awake at the thought of that... costumed scoundrel."
She laughed. Peter awkwardly laughed as well, a fake smile plastered to his lips.
"I always knew you were a sensible boy." She said and ruffled his hair. "Be ready in fifteen minutes, you and I are going to see a movie, then, lunch."
"Sweet!" Peter said and leapt out of bed, walking to his closet. As soon as Aunt May left his room though, he slumped against his closet. Peter yawned widely as he retrieved the UM-transponder and container from his pocket and stuck them to his chest.
"Animation Sequence: Everyday Joe." Peter yawned as his everyday outfit materialised around him.
"Acknowledgement: You were right, Designation: Spiderman." Herbie beeped from Peter's wrist. "Statement: You did not accidentally cut off your limbs."
Peter and Aunt May laughed loudly as they exited the movie theatre. They had gone to see the sleaziest rom-com they could find and were now heading to a nearby pizzeria for lunch.
"And the part where he said: 'If your eyes were the ocean, I would happily drown...' I mean who comes up with this stuff?" Peter laughed loudly as he and Aunt May slid into a booth at the Pizzeria.
"Oh yes!" Aunt May laughed. "And then she replied: 'But if you drown, then who would kiss me?' They had just met! They knew each other a day, and already slept together! Ludicrous!"
Peter laughed along with his Aunt. They ordered their drinks and sat in comfortable silence.
"You know," Aunt May smiled softly. "Your Uncle Ben used to love taking me to the movies."
A sad smile crossed Aunt May's face as she said that.
"One time after a particularly cheesy movie, we walked outside and your Uncle was gushing about how great it was." She laughed small tears prickling in her eyes. "He took my hand and spun me around, then he said: 'May! Someday, I'll treat you to a life as luxurious as that.'
"I remember myself saying: 'Ben Parker, I could care less about luxuries. I only want you.'
"He took my hands in his then and said: 'I'm not talking about the money!' He smiled that smile that could melt my heart in an instant. He said: 'One day, we'll have a son. A little boy with my looks and your manners. And we'll love him. And he'll love us.'
"Your Uncle and I had been married seven years at that point. We'd been trying for years to conceive a child. I didn't know that I was sterile yet."
Aunt May wiped a single tear from her cheek then.
"The next day," she said. "We woke up to the sound of the doorbell. The rain was pouring down like a hurricane. Your Uncle opened the door where a small wicker basket lay, drenched in rain. You were folded in a blue blanket... barely the size of your Uncle's arm. The only other thing in your basket was a postcard, from the Statue of Liberty, it said: 'Take care of him. It happened. Rick.' Till this very day, I only know that your Father and Uncle hadn't spoken in over a decade. It must have been bad."
Peter frowned and looked at the table.
"But then..." Aunt May's eyes brightened. "I finally found the son your Uncle and I wanted so badly, all those years."
Monday passed in a blur for Peter. The only thing he remembered was running into Alex at lunch.
"We need to talk." Peter said and plopped down across from Alex.
"How's Gwen?" Alex asked. Peter was dumbstruck by Alex's docile tone. He expected to be yelled at or punched. A civil conversation was not something he was prepared for.
"Better. She'll be out of the hospital today, maybe even at school tomorrow." Peter looked at Alex, he noticed dark red rings under his friend's eyes. "Are you okay?"
Alex looked up with a glare of such anguish that Peter's heart broke.
"It's my mom," he said, choking up. "My dad owed some mobsters money, he couldn't get it to them in time, so they killed her. A hit and run by the grocery store. I knew you were still dealing with your Uncle. I'm sorry for the things I said."
Peter did the only thing he could think of. He grabbed Alex in a hug and held him there. Alex sobbed, but no tears came out.
"I'm so sorry! Tell Gwen, I'm so sorry!" He wept into Peter's shoulder. "I never should have let him..."
Peter just hugged Alex tighter, comforting his friend in the way only true friends could, no words were needed. Peter hugged Alex untill the bell rang for lunch to end.
"See you around?" Peter asked as he and Alex parted ways after biology. They'd sat together again in class, and Peter had noticed Alex looking over to Gwen's seat every few minutes. He'd flinch every time, as if he knew something, as if he felt guilty. Peter and Alex didn't share health, which was the last class of the day, so Peter watched Alex walk to PE.
When the bell rang Peter sprinted out to the alley behind the school.
"Animation sequence: Dress to impress!" Peter yelled as he loaded his web-shooters with cartridges from his backpack. The small disk beeped and his clothes reanimated. His chest and shoulders were covered in red fabric, as well as his feet and hands. His mask had big white eyes and black rims. A lighter shade of red ran criss-cross along all the sections of his body covered in red, forming a web pattern. The rest of his outfit was a bright sky blue. The small disk sat above its larger counterpart, with black lines next to the disks forming Peter's now iconic Spider Icon.
Peter leapt into the air and shot a web at a nearby building, swinging at top speed. Peter was rushing as fast as he could towards time's square, and more specifically, the office of the Daily Bugle. In the previous class, Health, Peter got two consecutive messages:
"NEVER BE LATE FOR A MEETING!"
Followed by:
"By the way, you have a meeting with me, J Jonah Jameson, editor of the esteemed Daily Bugle, TEN MINUTES AGO!"
Peter swung in a fast arc, prematurely letting go of his web, which caused him to launch over a passing truck. Peter shot two consecutive webs at the rooftop of the Daily Bugle building, praying to every deity he could think of that the door on the rooftop was unlocked.
"Animation sequence: Business Casual!" Peter said and dive rolled on the building's roof while his clothes changed from his new Spiderman suit to a white button-up shirt, bow-tie with black jeans and dress shoes.
He rushed into a room where people were darting about everywhere, either busy typing on a computer or rushing around carrying paperwork. Peter's spider-sense buzzed and he barely managed to avoid a brick-shaped phone that flew over his head.
"YOU!" Came a voice that sounded like the guy who played Arthur Rock from that Steve Jobs movie, the one without Michael Fasbender. "I SENT YOU TO GET ME A SANDWICH TEN MINUTES AGO!"
A sandwich came flying over Peter's head as he walked towards the commotion.
"Mr Jameson, please, that was your sandwich! I-" The man was cut off and Peter had to dodge a flying shoe.
"THAT'S MR JAMESON TO YOU, URICH! YOU'RE FIRED! WORST INTERN I EVER HIRED!" The man yelled. Peter saw the man that fit the voice now. He had a greying buzz cut and moustache that would make Hitler proud. His face was as red as the tie he wore over his tan striped shirt and brown suspenders.
"But, Mr Jameson! I'm not an Intern! I'm a Reporter!" The smaller man said in a frightened tone.
"WHAT?! COME BACK HERE! YOU'RE HIRED! NOW SAY THAT TO MY FACE SO I CAN FIRE YOU AGAIN!"
"Mr Jameson, your wife is on line three," a voice said from near the door. It belonged to a beautiful brunette with a bob haircut and a white sundress.
"TELL HER I'M OUT! NO! TELL HER I'M IN! TELL HER-" At that moment the phone beeped and a voice could be heard over the old style dial phone.
"Hello dear," Mr Jameson said, surprising Peter with his light tone. "Yes dear. I'm in a meeting, dear. With my best reporter, Ben Urich. No, dear. Yes, dear. Meatloaf would be lovely, dear. Goodbye, dear. I love you too, dear. AND ONE MORE THING!"
"Mr JAmeson, your 1:30, a Mister Peter Parker is here," The secretary said. As Peter walked closer he noticed her nametag said: Betty Brandt.
That's Mr Daniels' fiance?! Whoah! Peter thought as he walked into Jameson's office.
"YOU'RE PERKINS?" He thundered.
"Parker, Peter Parker, yes Sir," Peter replied while his ears rang.
"YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE HERE TWENTY MINUTES AGO!" Mr Jameson screamed and plopped down at his desk. "WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?"
"I was in school up till five minutes ago, I came here as fast as I-" Peter was cut off as Jameson started "talking" again.
"DO YOU KNOW WHY THE BUGLE IS THE ONLY SURVIVING NEWSPAPER IN NEW YORK PABLO?" He asked.
"It's Peter, Sir, and no, Sir."
"IT'S BECAUSE I EMBRACE CHANGE! WHEN I WAS A YOUNG JOURNALIST, I HEARD ABOUT THIS NEW INVENTION CALLED THE OUTERNET." Jameson bellowed.
"The internet, sir?" Peter asked, confused.
"THAT"S WHAT I SAID! THE INNERNET! DON'T INTERRUPT ME!" Jameson yelled. "ANYWAY, I HEARD OF THIS INNERNET AND THOUGHT: WHAT A LOAD OF HOGWASH! BUT! TO BE SAFE, I STARTED AN UNLINE BLOG CALLED "THE BUGLE". BY THE TIME NORMAL PAPERS DIED, I, J JOHNAH JAMESON, WAS STANDING TALL, BECAUSE VERYONE USED MY BLOG! RECENTLY I FELT IT WAS TIME TO RECRUIT A YOUNGSTER TO OUR RANKS, AS I WAS RECRUITED WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE! MISS BRANDT'S FIANCE RECOMENDED YOUR ENTRY, I DIDN'T EVEN READ ANY OTHERS! SPARED ME AN ENTIRE AFTERNOON'S READING! HAH!"
"You didn't even read my essay?" Peter asked in shock. "I got in by chance?"
"NO SUCH THING, PATRICK!" Jameson said.
"It's Peter."
"THAT'S WHAT I SAID!"
Suddenly the sound of police sirens rang through the windows from the streets below.
"HEAR THAT PHILIP?" Jameson smiled a wide grimace that looked like he didn't know how his face worked, and that smiling in and of itself was a tormenting act. "THAT, MY DEAR BOY, IS THE SOUND OF NEWS."
Peter stood there waiting for Jameson to say more.
"WELL?! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! A WRITTEN INVITATION?! GO GET ME THAT STORY!"
"Right away, sir!" Peter yelled and started running, putting a finger to something in his pocket.
"AND I WANT THE STORY WRITTEN! PEN ON PAPER! NO TYPING" Jameson yelled after Peter. He then sat back in his chair and rubbed his moustache. "Am I out of touch miss Brandt?"
Jameson asked as Betty put a cup of tea on his desk.
"No, Sir. Why do you ask?" She asked.
"I could have sworn I just saw that Porter kid jump out a window..." He said, rubbing his chin.
"I haven't an idea of what could make him want to do that..." Betty said as she sat down at her desk.
Peter swung onto the front fountain of a bank, where a man dressed in rich green, with a flowing purple cape came striding out, carrying a black duffel bag, stuffed with money. Peter leapt down and landed in front of the man. He could barely hold his laughter.
"Dude," Peter giggled. "Is that a fishbowl on your head?"
"Says the kid dressed like the Union Jack," Fishbowl-Head replied. His accent was very British and he had an arrogant sneer. Peter had to admit, the fishbowl made it hard to see the guy's face.
"So, would you like me to get your name before, or after I kick your butt?" Peter asked and cracked his knuckles.
"You ever read any Shakespeare, Spiderman?" The man asked.
"OH, sorry," Peter said. "I shalt doth taketh thy name after whooping thy rump, good sir."
"I, the great Mysterio, pose you the question, Spiderman," The man plucked a purple orb from his pocket. "To see, or not to see?"
He then vanished in a puff of purple smoke.
"What the?" Peter exclaimed as the smoke disappeared.
"Spiderman!" A police officer ran up and stood next to Peter. He recognised the man as Stan Carter. "Did you see that? He vanished!"
"No kidding," Peter said. He was about to say more when Stan's radio rang.
"All availible units! Blockade around the Fisk construction site near Times Square! Perimeter of nine blocks! Holy SHIT! What is that thing!"
Peter leapt in the air and swung there as fast as he could. When he got to the location, he noticed that the all of the sand in the area was churning and clumping, sometimes opening up in a grimace.
Woah. Peter thought as he landed on the road in front of the site. Sand near his feet started slowly flowing to the middle of the site, forming a pillar of sorts.
Oh, my over-salted mushrooms. Peter thought as the pillar grew in volume and started to change shape. Into a human shape. The sand monster roared. More and more sand started pouring into it as it grew three stories high. The monster roared as it slammed into the ground under its enormous weight. It reared up with a giant maw and screamed.
Peter was desperately thinking of what to do when a nearby policeman said: "What is that! UP in the sky!"
Peter snapped his gaze skywards where he saw what looked like a long white bathtub descend from the heavens. Inside the vehicle sat Ben, Reed and Susan.
"Told you it was faster," Susan said as Johnny arrived a moment later.
"Not now, Sue." Reed Said. He plucked a tablet from his lab coat and pointed it at the Monster. "Sue take care of the civilians. Ben, Top size, keep it busy. Johnny, it's made of sand. Make it glass"
Everyone snapped to attention as soon as Reed started talking and immediately did what they were told.
"HEY YOU WALKING SLOBBERING SANDCASTLE!" Ben yelled. "IT'S CLOBBERING TIME!"
Peter jumped up to Reed as he watched Ben uppercut the sand monster with a fist the size of a taxi.
"Mr Richards what can I do?" Peter asked.
"Spiderman, I need you to take this and swing in as close as you can!" Reed said and handed Peter a small black orb.
Got it! Peter yelled and swung up jumping over the monster onto Ben's shoulder.
Reed looked at the data on his pad as Johnny, Ben and Peter kept the monster busy.
These reading make no sense! Reed thought as he stared at the data. Unless...
"SUE!" Reed yelled, and she ran up to him. "I NEED YOUR TRANSPONDER!"
"You need my WHAT?!" Sue asked holding her hands up in horror. "If I don't have this thing I'll be naked, Reed!"
"I need you to trust me. You can turn invisible, and I need to do this, I'll send Herbie to get my UM-Container. HERBIE! RETRACTION CODE: C-098-UM!"
"Affirmation: Affirmative." Herbie disappeared from Peter's wrist.
Susan Turned invisible and handed Reed her transponder.
"You're so making this up to me later," she whispered.
Reed stretched over to the vehicle and removed a small screwdriver. Herbie materialised next to him.
"MR RICHARDS!" Peter yelled as the sand monster formed a giant mace on one appendage and slammed Johnny out of the sky. It roared and formed two hammers that slammed Ben off of his feet and towards the unfinished building. Before he could hit it an invisible force seemed to slow his descent.
"Thanks, darlin'," He said and cracked his knuckles. "Round two, Beach Boy."
Ben charged at the monster and leapt into the air, he slammed both his fists onto the monster's head with a deafening thunderclap.
"My Pa was a boxer you know!" He said as he swung his entire body into another double-handed blow to the side of the monster's head. "fun fact! He never fought fair!"
"Spiderman!" Reed yelled, and Peter landed next to him. "I need you to take this transponder and shove it down the monster's throat! If my calculations are right, you'll be out in a second."
"Yes, Sir!" Peter said and grabbed the transponder. Ben flew across the sky and once again Susan caught him with an invisible force.
"Fellah can take a hit!" Ben said as he rubbed his jaw. "And dish out as much as he takes!"
"Ben!" Peter yelled. "I need you to throw me!"
"WHAT?!" Ben said.
"Throw me! Right down the monster's throat!" Peter sad and leapt into Ben's hand.
"I hope you know what you're doing, little buddy!" Ben said as he pulled his arm back and charged. "HEY SANDY! FASTBALL SPECIAL!"
Peter flew through the air like a javelin, holding his arms ahead of him like an Olympic diver. The next moment his spider-sense flared and his vision blacked out. Peter felt the transponder beep and then felt tonnes of sand crushing from every side. he couldn't breathe. He couldn't see. He struggled and twisted but that only seemed to make him sink deeper into the sand. Peter's lungs were on fire as he suffocated under the sand. He began to see stars and his ears started ringing when he felt something close around him.
Peter gulped in huge lungfuls of air as Susan, now covered in Reed's lab coat and sporting a killer nosebleed, lifted him telekinetically out of the ground. Reed's unstable molecule container now contained a black swirling cloud that changed shape and twisted into a face every few minutes.
"What... the heck... is that..." Peter gasped between dry heaves.
"That," Reed said. "Is Flint Marco."
The crowd suddenly cheered and applauded, Peter held the transponder out to Susan who happily reanimated her jumpsuit.
When the wave of journalists finally burst through, it was Johnny who stepped forwards, smirking, in front of the cameras.
"Who are you?" Seemed to be the most common question, so Johnny smiled and said:
"We are the earth's greatest super heroes yet! The Fantastic Four! Our brave leader! Mr Fantstic! The lady who puts the 'damn' in damsel, The Invisible Woman! I, the powerful, courageous, and awesome Human Torch!"
"Who are you?" One reporter asked, holding a mic to Ben. Ben looked over at Peter, Who smiled and nodded. Ben grinned and said:
"Diamondhea-" Before he could finish, Johnny cut him off.
"He is known as THE HORRIFYING THING!"
"JOHNNY!" Ben yelled and tried to grab Johnny by the neck. Johnny guffawed and flew high into the sky, using his flame trail to make a giant '4' symbol in the sky before flying back down to earth.
Well, JJ. Peter thought. You wanted news. How's the world's first superfamily do?
Unbeknownst to Peter and the other onlookers, from under an orange traffic cone near Peter's feet slithered a black, goo-like creature. It shuddered at the bright lights. It was hungry... so very hungry... it just managed to grab hold of Peter's foot as the Spiderman swung off into the New York skyline. It feasted on the sweet nourishing adrenaline as Peter's suit retracted where it touched. Everywhere it did, it lapped up the salty taste from Peter's skin and gorged itself on the rush Peter felt as he dive-bombed the street.
It needed more. The creature expanded until it covered Peter's whole body, including the strange metallic devices on his wrists. Instead of silvery strands, Peter shot a glistening black chord of web at a nearby building, and swang twice as hard and as fast as usual. Slimy white tendrils wrapper around Peter's shoulders, arms and chest to form a long insectoid spider shape.
Peter shot a web at another building and pulled. His strength felt doubled as he pulled himself so hard that he cracked the three-inch-thick glass when he landed against it.
What the Hell?! Peter thought as he saw a black version of his suit reflected back at him.
Next time on the Perks of Being a wallcrawler...
Peter deals with his newfound toy, an organic suit that greatly increases his power and shoots organic webs! But what is this strange creature? And what dark secrets lie within its black tendrils? Find out next time, when Peter tries to find the source of mysterious man-made earthquakes and learns to handle his new power!
Tune in next time for Chapter 10:
"Shockwave: Part 1!"