The Invincible Spider-Man
Chapter 19: Disillusioned
Norman managed to drive to Oscorp Tower, somehow not hitting a single car on the way, mostly because of his increased reflexes and senses due to the huge amount of Globulin Green he had injected into him.
He walked up to the Special Projects lab, where he had taken the Globulin Green from the day before. The closet's door, which contained the serum, was ripped open, by Norman himself.
The voice in his head cackled again. Not much shook Norman, but right now he was downright terrified. He was able to tell exactly how many droplets of sweat trickled down his forehead.
"Do you know, where we are, Norman?" Asked the voice, in its scrapy tone.
"We're…in the lab. Where I took the Globulin Green…" Stuttered Norman.
"More importantly, the place where I was born!" Shouted the voice, in a tone so shrill it may have passed Ultrasound.
"Who…what the heck are you…?!" Asked Norman, shaking all over.
"Osborn, language! Secondly, I'm the person you could never be, Norman 2.0! Hahahahaha!" Cackled the voice demonically.
Norman managed to turn away, and looked in a mirror. But his reflection showed someone else. It was Norman all right, but he had an inhuman smile on his face.
"What…what are you!?" Blurted out Norman, in pure fear.
"I am the superior version of you. The version with pre-cognition. The version who will always be ten, no hundred steps ahead of his enemies! The version…that people will respect! The one…with true power!" Shouted his reflection, in the same raspy voice.
Norman fell to his knees. "How? How do I get…this power?" Asked Norman.
The reflection darted its eyes towards the ripped open closet. "You know how." The reflection said.
"The Globulin Green. But, what about Mendel Stromm? He was my friend, I have to help him. He may need the Green too." Pleaded Norman.
"Forget Stromm! That's your one weakness, Osborn. You care about people. In a race, you don't help the people who you're competing against. Yeah, you'll help them, until they're after you like a pack of ravening wolves!" Scolded the voice.
Norman's face went from terrified, to understanding. "To be perfect, to have power, I need to manufacture more Globulin Green. Then, I will be unstoppable." Said Norman.
"Yes…very good." Cackled the reflection, like a witch.
"But, what do I call you?" Asked Norman.
The reflection flashed its inhuman smile. "Call me… The Goblin."
Peter was still reeling after his encounter with Mysterio and Spot. He was traumatized after what he had seen: The graves of everyone he loved.
Mary Jane noticed Peter, and how he was walking to school all zoned out. She walked up to him and lightly punched him in the arm.
"Ow! Hey." Said Peter, chuckling.
"Earth to Peter. What's wrong? You don't look like your nerdy, nervous self." Joked MJ.
"Haha. And no, I was thinking…about Gwen." Sputtered Peter, trying to come up with an excuse.
MJ narrowed her eyes. "What's wrong?"
"It's just…she's Gwen, and I'm, y'know…me." Explained Peter.
"You're afraid that you're not right for her." Deduced MJ.
"Well, yeah. It's like I'm some commoner and she's a princess." Said Peter.
"Well, like it or not, everyone in Midtown High agrees that you both are the cutest couple. Well, at least second to Liz and Hobie. And, I'm pretty sure Gwen cares about you just as much as you care about her." Reassured MJ.
"Right. Thanks MJ." Said Peter.
"Anytime, tiger." Smiled MJ, as she walked off to class.
All of a sudden, the tiny police scanner Peter kept in his pocket went off. It was on a very low volume, so no one else could hear it, but just loud enough that Peter's increased senses could pick it up.
"Robbery at Alchemax labs…suspect wearing a black and white suit, possibly a super-criminal." Said the scanner.
"Spot! Dammit, I have to go." Thought Peter, as he rushed out of school to change into his outfit.
Spider-Man swung to the location, where he noticed Spot in the fifth floor of Alchemax Labs. He quickly placed a camera and swung in.
Spider-Man swung through the window, much to Spot's surprise.
"What are you doing here?" Asked Spot, confused.
"What, you thought I wouldn't SPOT you committing a felony?" Joked Peter, as he spun a web at Spot's legs, knocking him down.
Before Peter could hit Spot, though, Spot teleported away to the other side of the room.
"So, where's fishbowl head? Did he retire?" Asked Spider-Man, as he shot another web. However, the web went straight to a black portal on Spot's chest, and hit Spider-Man's back
"Ouch! So that's what that feels like." Groaned Peter.
"I don't wanna hurt you. It'll just slow me down." Said Spot.
"You were pretty ready to traumatize me last night, though." Accused Spider-Man.
"That was Mysterio! I never wanted to hurt you. I just need to fix myself, please." Pleaded Spot.
"Wait, what do you mean, fix yourself?" Asked Spider-Man.
Spot took off his mask, revealing a blonde young man, except he had black spots all over his face.
"My name is Doctor Jonathan Ohnn. This happened to me while I was researching portal tech at Alchemax, when that bombing happened two months back. Mysterio said he'd cure me, if I helped him steal money. What he did yesterday, was uncalled for. He revealed to me his tricks, how he's not some sorcerer, magician, whatever. So I left and came here." Explained Spot, as tears started to form in his eyes.
"Wait, what do you mean he's not a "real magician?" Then how does he fly and trick you like he's Loki?" Asked Spider-Man.
"It's all practical effects. Under his cape he has a jetpack, and that smoke is a hallucinogen. It makes you hallucinate what you fear, plus he uses drones to create illusions to trick you." Said Spot.
Spider-Man put his hands down. "Dr Ohnn, what happened to you wasn't your fault. If you are sure you can cure yourself, take what you need and go. No one should have to live this way. But, before you leave, can you tell me where Mysterio is hiding?" Asked Spider-Man.
"Yeah, he's in the abandoned Maria Silva theatre. That's where he's holed up. And Spider-Man, remember, trust your senses." Said Dr Ohnn, as he opened up a portal and disappeared.
Norman finished perfecting the formula. Ten vials full of Globulin Green.
"You know what you have to do now. To become me." Said the voice.
"I do. I won't be used any longer. I won't be doing the dirty work for anyone like Mendel Stromm or Wilson Fisk. To hell with whoever doubted me. Damn them all!" Shouted Norman, as he drank all ten vials, without missing a single drop.
Norman felt, different. He felt satisfied. The voice began to chuckle.
All of a sudden, Norman fell to the ground, gasping for breath. He clutched his stomach as he screamed. His forehead felt heavy, and his teeth started to grow. It felt like he was carrying the entire world on his skull. His legs felt like they were being crushed.
It felt like his entire body was being compressed into a box only one millimetre large. Norman's heavy, laboured breathing stopped. He closed his eyes, as he lay on the ground.
He wasn't breathing.
Spider-Man swung to the theatre, whose seats were now collecting dust. He swung backstage, and that's where he saw it: Many inactive drones on tables, and a camera.
Spider-Man swung down towards the camera. However, as soon as he touched the camera, everything around him went black.
"I know this isn't real, Mysterio! Spot told me everything." Shouted Spider-Man.
All of a sudden, Mysterio hovered down. "So he told you, huh. Well did he tell you, that my lasers actually do damage?" Laughed Mysterio, as he hit Spider-Man with a green laser. All of a sudden, the walls around Spider-Man caved in, and the floor disappeared, being replaced with an abyss of darkness. The ceiling started to ripple, like an ocean. All of a sudden, Peter felt himself falling, and yet he was standing in place.
"What's wrong? Disoriented?" Chuckled Mysterio, as he started to multiply into hundred copies of himself. Spider-Man was totally confused, as he shot two webs, but all that came out was green gas.
The army of Mysterios all jumped on Spider-Man, but Peter managed to break free of the pile. That's when something weird happened. Each of the hundred Mysterios turned into copies of Spider-Man.
Spider-Man remembered what Dr Ohnn said. "Use my senses. That's what'll get me out of here." Thought Peter, as he made a blindfold out of webbing and tied it around his eyes, concentrating his Spider-Sense.
Spider-Man gracefully dodged each of the attacks, and focused on the real Mysterio. He shot a web, and kicked him in the face, cracking his fishbowl helmet.
Suddenly, the black surrounding disappeared, and Peter suddenly found himself in the middle of the street. Mysterio got up, chuckling. "You really should mind your surroundings." He said, as a truck straight up rammed into Peter, who was knocked away and sent tumbling down the street.
Mysterio took off his helmet, revealing his face. "What's wrong, Spider-Man? Can't get up?" Taunted Mysterio, as he started to fly.
All of a sudden, a black portal appeared under Mysterio's legs, and a hand came out and tore off Mysterio's cape, revealing the jetpack he was wearing.
As Spider-Man tried to get up, Spot came to his assist.
"Could've used you a couple of minutes ago." Joked Spider-Man, as Spot smiled.
Just then. Mysterio came swooping in, but Spider-Man flipped out of the way and webbed up Mysterio's jetpack, before pulling it, and Mysterio, back to the ground.
Before Mysterio could get up, however, Spot punched him out.
"Great work." Said Spider-Man.
"Thank you. However, I must face punishment for what I have done." Said Spot.
"No, wait. You saved my life. Thanks." Said Spider-Man.
"Of course. I promise to change." Said Spot, as cops came on the scene to arrest Mysterio and Spot, and Spider-Man swung away.
"Spider-Man and Spot in cahoots! What do you think, Hoffman?" Asked Jameson.
Jameson's bumbling assistant, Hoffman said, "How-how about: Spider-Man SPOTTED working with Spot?"
"No that's too lame. Something better. OH WAIT! I got it! Mysterio, Spot and Spider-Man: The Terrible Trio!" Exclaimed JJ.
Peter entered Jameson's office to give him the pictures of Spider-Man he had taken.
"Heh, not bad Perry. You actually got me passable photos, for once. Wait no, that one's crap. They're all crap! I'll give you the usual rate." Said JJ, switching from calm, to angry, to calm again.
As Peter began to leave, Jameson called out to him.
"Hey, Percy, wait! I have a special assignment for you." He said. "My son, the astronaut, John Jameson, is returning from the Moon in a couple of days. You're freelance, so I need you to take some pictures of it." Said JJ.
"Okay, Mr Jameson." Said Peter, as he rushed away before JJ could give him any more work to do.
Peter quickly swung back home from The Bugle.
"May? I'm home." Said Peter. Aunt May was sitting in the living room with another woman. She looked her age, and was wearing a pink hat.
"Peter! Meet Anna Watson, Mary Jane's aunt!" Introduced May.
"So great to finally meet you, Peter!" Squealed Anna. "You're just as handsome as May said you were." She commented.
"May!" Chuckled Peter.
"Well, I should be heading off. Hey, speaking of which, what are you guys doing for Christmas?" Asked Anna.
"Oh. We honestly don't know." Said May, suddenly realizing she had forgotten about one of the biggest holidays.
"Well, me and Mary Jane are hosting a Christmas party, and you're more than welcome to come. I would love to have Peter there!" Offered Anna.
"Well, that sounds great! We'll most certainly be there." Reassured Peter.
"Great! See you soon." Said Anna, as she took her handbag and left.
Next day at school, Peter was walking down the corridor and quickly approached Gwen, who was talking to a couple of classmates. As soon as she saw Peter, a huge smile came on her face.
"Peter! There you are, where were you yesterday?" She asked.
Peter realized that he had run off from school the day before to fight Mysterio.
"I-uh. Had an emergency. With the Bugle, because Jameson needed me to take photos of Spider-Man vs Mysterio." Explained Peter, trying his best to lie to Gwen.
"Jameson may just get you killed one day." Joked Gwen.
"Yeah, but well, I need the money." Said Peter.
"Yeah, just be careful next time, okay?" Asked Gwen.
"I promise I will." Said Peter, as he hugged her.
Mendel was in his workshop, trying to perfect his new and improved exoskeleton, when all of a sudden a man came crashing in, wearing green and purple armour, and on a glider.
The man grabbed Mendel and choked him to a wall, before violently throwing him back to the ground. When Mendel managed to get up, he was horrified. The thing that attacked him looked like a goblin, with a huge forehead and bulging green veins. Its canines were more or less fangs, and its eyes were a dark emerald green.
"What…what are you?" Asked Mendel.
The creature was on a glider, and he glided towards Mendel and stabbed him in his chest.
"N-No-Norman?" Asked Mendel, terrified as blood started to pour from his mouth.
Norman crushed Mendel's vocal cords so he couldn't scream.
Mendel fell to the ground, lifeless.
"Not Norman. Call me…The Goblin!" Cackled the man.
Hey everyone! I guess you now know who the main villain is of Season 2: "Green Grows The Goblin." There is still one more villain to be introduced in Season 2, and let me give you a hint about who it is: Amazing Spider-Man #6. Until then, stay tuned for the next chapter!
P.S: I just wanted to tell you guys how much I value your support. Every favourite, every review means a lot to me. Thanks guys!
Yours Truly,
Shadow Strike.