AN: I've just been lazy. Sometimes you just go through a period where you want nothing more than to do the bare minimum in life and let other people work. As far as writing this chapter went, I had to do more research for this chapter than I originally intended, including: brushing up on my Pharmacology, Astronomy, and doing further research on John Dee (who is a real person). With more research than usual to do, being unsatisfied with the first several drafts, and not feeling like doing anything more than watching TV after work, this chapter took a while. Also, to Chimera629, Black Cat didn't date Michael Morbius in the comics like she did in the 90's cartoon. Big thanks again to NeoTyson, Cellgress, Highlander, and now Kamer Rider Tigon for all of you continued and enthusiastic support.
Chapter 5
Peter looked up relieved from his workbench. He had finished the prototype of a new invention that he had created to fight Mysterio. Once again, Peter was enormously glad he had access to a full lab now to help fight villians. Before he worked for Max Modell and Horizon Labs, if he used his vast scientific knowledge, he needed to scrape together chemicals, compounds and solutions to get stuff, and most things that he needed didn't come out of a hobby chemistry set.
His employment at a major lab allowed him to easily acquire more restricted materials, in this case, benzodiazepines. These were downers that were commonly used in anti-anxiety medicines. The gas that Mysterio used was some kind of panic including amphetamine. The best way to cancel out the upper in his gas was to use a downer. At least in theory. Given the way that different people react differently to drugs based on everything from body type to lifestyle and medical history. Still, with his altered metabolism, Peter wasn't going to experience the same level of panic that Felicia would, and this would help.
"This issss the Periodic Table, noble gasses stable, Halogens and Alkali react aggressively." Peter sang gleefully. Science made him happy. Even with trouble in his life, he loved experiments, inventing, and discovering.
Peter's current project was an inhaler that could administer a benzodiazepine. Basic pharmacology was that compounds that were inhaled were the most effective because they had to go through the least amount of membranes before they had an effect on the body. Because Mysterio deployed his chemical in a gas to be inhaled, the only real way to fight it was to administer the medication in a similar fashion.
Peter set down the tiny allen wrench and looked at the small orange device. He examined it carefully with a frown creased his face. "I should probably make this black. Shouldn't I?" He asked to himself.
# # #
Peter walked into Felicia's apartment, duffle bag of Spider Armor on one shoulder and a messenger bag on the other. "Felicia!" he called out. "It's me."
"I'm in the kitchen." Felicia called.
Peter set his duffle down by the door, and walked deeper into the apartment. He strolled into the kitchen and saw Felicia at a breakfast bar. It was near dinnertime and she had fixed herself a small chicken salad that she was in the process of consuming. Unlike Peter, who took a certain joy in eating food in the most expedient way possible, Felicia preferred to make sure that her meals were well consumed with poise and grace.
"I've got something for you." He said walking up to her.
"What is it?" She asked after swallowing her current bite.
Peter held out the inhaler for her to see with his thumb and index finger. He explained what it was and what it was supposed to do. Felicia nodded her head in understanding as he talked. She silently thanked him that he kept his explanations to a high school level, so that she could understand. Not many people understood or cared about the critical function of the benzene ring in a benzodiazepine.
After taking the inhaler and putting it in a nearby purse, Felicia looked back over to Peter. "So what's our next move?" she asked eagerly. Peter's attempt to help her had revived her confidence.
"Well I tried to call for some expert advice on stuff like this." Peter said.
"Who?"
Peter opened his mouth to respond when a flash of light from behind him caused him to flinch. He turned around and saw Dr. Stephen Strange, The Sorcerer Supreme. Peter sighed.
"Mr. Parker. We haven't really talked since you asked me to help conceal your identity. How my I help?" Dr. Strange asked.
Felicia stood with her mouth agape at the stranger who stood in her kitchen. Just when she started to get a hold of her world back, she had to deal with this intrusion of privacy into her personal sanctum.
"What the hell Strange?" People yelled shocked. "Ever hear of knocking?"
"Ah. Apologies." Dr. Strange said bowing his head slightly. "I am not actually here, I am projection my aura to your location. I did not mean to intrude."
Felicia got her attitude together just enough to mark her territory. "Who the hell are you and what the hell are you doing in my apartment?" She interrogated.
"My apologies ma'am. I am Doctor Stephen Strange. I am here to assist." The elderly man said.
"With what?!" Felicia said, freaked out and annoyed.
"Mr. Parker asked me to assist with a man named Myterio."
"Oh." She muttered embarrassed.
Strange looked over to Peter. "Now, what do you wish to know?"
Peter explained the events of the attack on the art gallery, and how the purple caped criminal was after a manuscript by a man named John Dee. Dr. Strange listened and when Peter finished, he had a small grin.
"That's all?" Dr. Strange asked.
"Well…yeah." Peter stated with a pause.
Strange smiled. "The good news is that any powers that Mysterio may acquire from reading John Dee's work will likely me minimal. In the same way that Copernicus's and Galileo's astronomical observations are taught to elementary school children today, the powers discovered by a 16th century, British alchemist are basic studies for sorcerers in this day."
"Okay, but why did he still steal a pointing? He was looking for a manuscript?" Peter asked.
"Dee is known to have been a fairly vain and arrogant man in his own way. He was an advisor to Queen Elizabeth the first. I imagine that he hid results of his experiments on one of his own pictures to service his own ego." Strange explained.
"So what do we have to worry about? Is he going to destroy the city or something?" Felicia asked.
"No nothing like that." Strange said, waving his hand to dismiss fear. "John Dee created glyphs to summon, focus, and expel small amounts of energy, and well as obsidian scrying mirrors to communicate with beings not of this realm. He can direct some of the elemental energy in the area, if he has captured it. Nothing that should be much of a problem."
"Any other advice you can give?" Peter asked, trying to get an edge.
"No. Your knowledge of Mysterio is more valuable at this point than my knowledge of magic. After all, the magic will be used by the man." Strange said. He then disappeared from Felicia's kitchen without even saying goodbye.
"Yeah. Goodbye to you as well ol' buddy." Peter said with sarcasm.
Felicia flipped out. "What is this all about? What is going on? How did he do that?"
Peter took a deep breath. "Okay. As he said. He was here to help us. Strange is a sorcerer, and certainly knows more than we do about occult powers and alchemy and other thing like that. He just gave us a solid lead for what to look for." He explained. He was already on his phone looking for further information.
Felicia couldn't take it. She started sobbing quietly. This intrusion into her home was the last straw. Peter looked up from his phone and over to his girlfriend. When she noticed this she started crying openly.
"Hey. Hey. It's okay." Peter said moving to support her. "What's wrong?" He asked hugging her.
"This is all wrong. Monsters and magic. I don't know how to deal with it. And if I can't handle it, then I'm no good to you." She cried into his shoulder. "Your Aunt is right!"
Peter just held her for a second. Every once in a while he needed to remind himself that his life is far from conventional. Even an exceptional individual can find themselves overwhelmed if they weren't given support in his life. With her behavior after the art gallery, Peter should have prepared for this. He decided that now was not a time for secrets. Peter only kept a few from her, but she now needed to know how crazy his life could get, but that he would support her.
"Hey. I need to tell you something." Peter said.
Felicia looked up from Peter's shoulder. "What?" she sniffed.
Peter took a breath. "When you saw me on the rooftop before that race we a few days ago, I had just come back from an absolutely crazy adventure."
"What?"
"Yeah. I had just been in an interdimensional war with a bunch of other 'spider-men' and a group called the Inheritors. Spider-Men from across dimensions, from other Peter's, to some Spider-Women, a Spider-Pig, and even a reformed Doc Ock. We fought against a dimension hopping group of beings who saw us as a threat."
"Why are you telling me this? Is it this bad?" Felicia asked with a look of horror on her face.
"No. I hope to be giving some perspective. That trip was the single craziest thing I have ever done, by a long shot. And I was able to handle it." Peter said. "My life has some insane parts to it. Parts with aliens, and magic, and stuff that I don't even know what to call."
Felicia just stared at him.
"I freaked out some times. It's a normal response. Not all of us are as hard to phase as Nick Fury or Frank Castle." He reassured her. "I will help get you through this. This is easy. Mystrio is just a thug who has a unique way of intimidating his victims. You can do this." Peter said smiling.
Felicia looked back at him.
"If you're uncertain, that's fine. If you're uncomfortable, I get it. Been there, done that. You'll get over it. I know you will." Peter said lovingly.
Felicia smiled for the first time since the party. "If you can learn to handle being flirted with by me, then I can handle another bad guy with bad taste in fashion." She said with venomous cheer.
Peter did the impossible and smiled a little wider. Black Cat was back.
AN: One big change I made in my editing was to shorten up Felicia inner conflict. I was going to keep it around for another chapter or two, but it's just not as fun to write. While it may be brought up in dialogue how out of her depth Felicia is, her behavior will more or less return to normal. Feel free to review or message me any criticism you have. Even if it is negative.
