Chapter 10
Disclaimer: I do not own any of Marvel, Spider-Man, or Disney. Please support official
Both Peter and this mysterious stranger stood on either side of the Lizard both carrying a teen uncomfortably on their shoulder. Peter eyed the girl in a white spider-themed suit with mild annoyance. Look Peter didn't invent animal-themed personas, but he was the one who realised the potential in the spider. It felt cheap to see some other masked person in a spider suit without his permission. He knew it was probably childish for him to be focusing on the fact that some random person was stealing his style when he should focus on the massive bipedal alligator that could kill him, but he put effort into Spider-Man. He worked hard for Spider-Man to become a name that both gangs and civilians feared, he put real elbow grease into it. The girl clearly had superpowers by the way she lifted Flash. The boy was well built for his age and on his way to a sports scholarship if his bleeding leg wasn't ruined too bad, regardless he weighed a lot and for someone of her stature to carry him so effortlessly which either meant she had super strength or was wearing some sort of exoskeleton. Although her skin-tight bodysuit made the latter very unlikely.
"Who the hell are you." Peter and Connors asked the mysterious girl, Connors more out of interest and Peter more so out of irritation.
"Name is Ghost-Spider." The girl patted her chest proudly as if exclaiming her name was some big deal. Peter couldn't believe it; she stole his theme and half of his name. He may be a criminal but not even he could believe the theft of his identity.
"Ghost-Spider?" The Lizard scratched his non-existent chin trying hard to dig deep into his memory which was no doubt harder than normal thanks to his brain now being comprised half of lizardy thoughts. "Ahhh, the hooligan that runs around the streets shooting webs everywhere. I always thought your name was Spider-Man." Seriously! Is that what people thought he was like! He was a top tier badass doing drug deals and kicking ass, he wasn't just some vandalising troubled kid.
"I am nothing like that wannabe Spider-Man." Oh, come on. How was this fair? How is the thief claiming he is the wannabe when she stole her suit and name from him? "That man is nothing then a no-good criminal who wishes could be like me." How dare she! "I heard he's only like five foot two." He was average at worse!
"I don't know I hear Spider-Man is pretty dangerous I wouldn't be talking about him like this." Peter fired back at the girl in white who joyfully slandered him right in front of him unknowingly. "I hear he's the strongest person in the Kingpin gang capable of single handily taking down rival gangs in a matter of minutes."
"Nah the kids are probably a loser who doesn't even know what grass feels like. I mean does anyone remember when he used to wear baby blue? The kid probably doesn't even know what a woman is and I've never even heard of a Kingpin."
Gwen didn't know why Peter look like he was ready to blow a blood vessel, maybe cause he was just scared for his life. To be honest Gwen was also worried for her life. This was her first actually real super person fight. Till now she was just dealing with a few pick pocketers who had no desire to actually kill people. Now she was facing down a massive lizard with a boy who could probably recognise her from her voice if he wasn't having a silent rage-induced seizure. She had to get Peter, Flash and Harry out of this hallway, better yet this house stupid house party which she wasn't even invited to. Not that she cared or anything… but seriously? Peter was invited but she wasn't! Gwen knew she wasn't cool, but Peter was worse socially than she was! Damnit she was getting side-tracked. She could focus on her crumbling social life while crying in her pillow listening to sad music at full volume later like she usually did.
Unfortunately for both Peter and Gwen their spider-sense went off as the Lizard made a strong dive towards Peter who skillfully and expertly was able to toss Harry above the monster towards the copy-cat hero. Peter wasn't so lucky. The monster shoulder charged Peter down the hallway with Peter narrowly avoiding claws that could easily puncture through his skin. The crack of Liz's door rung in his ears as the two slammed into the popular girl's room with the Lizard eventually stopping causing physics to carry him crashing into the bed where they were just playing annoying teen games only moments ago. It was official. Worse birthday ever.
"Look If you're going to throw me on the bed you could at least buy me dinner first," Peter slyly smirked.
"Ah Peter that quick wit of yours. I can see why Norman snatched you up."
"Cause I'm a child genius?" The monster let out a cruel laugh.
"I will admit you are a smart boy, but you are nothing special," Okay ouch, that stung a bit for Peter. "No, Norman and I suppose even I enjoy the challenge of an arrogant assistant. Someone to keep you grounded, trade jabs with. Being smarter than everyone else is a curse for the people around you will praise you for it but if you dare ever correct them or show off a little, they turn into little more than jealous wolves. The smart kid and the arrogant asshole is seperated a small line that I as a child treaded… poorly. Unfortunately, intelligence cannot protect you from the bathroom dunks at school."
"Who even are you?"
"Can't you tell from my charming smile?" The monster gave a toothful grin, ew. Peter thought that the old men in his father's gang had unsettling smiles but unsurprisingly a bipedal alligator was worse. "It's me, Curt."
"You look different? New hair cut?" Peter gave the monster a bittersweet smile. A small attempt for humour in a rather unfortunate circumstance.
"No, I would also like to find out. Unfortunately, the man responsible is nowhere to be found. Where is Norman Peter? Tell me now before the little shred of morality that survived brain reconstruction finally gives out and I find out how sweet your blood is." Peter despite being threatened with death kept his confident smile, although he was curious. Peter had been delivering materials and weapons to Normans for months. Recently Norman hadn't been buying from the gang so much was there a reason? Did he just lack the funds, so he tried to accelerate Connor's progress causing a disaster? It wasn't important right now, Peter just had to live.
"We don't have to fight Peter. Don't you see? You can stop this all right now. No one has to be hurt. The only one causing conflict is you, please I don't want to hurt anyone. This can end right now if you just follow me."
"Damn, you must have been a really crappy boyfriend with gaslighting like that?" The lizard a step towards Peter the floor creaking under his weight threatening to break under the pressure but remained strong. Peter cursed the builders of this building for making it so stable. Curt opened his mouth either to deliver a cutting insult or to continue his 'join me' speech. Peter never heard what he said as he was interrupted by a dropkick by the female wannabe version of him. The poor scientist was sent flying into the closet where Cat had been annoying Peter.
"Hope you don't mind me just dropping in?" Peter couldn't see under her mask, but he could tell she was smiling at her own weak joke. Ugh, amateurs. This was supposed to be the hero version of him? This was going to be bad for his reputation, but he'll take all the help he can get right now. Peter pushed himself off the bed opting to stand next to the superhuman girl rather than the massive lizard that somewhat wanted to kill him and somewhat make him his pet.
"Where are Harry and Flash?" Peter whispered over to the girl.
"I got them out, they are with the police outside," Peter noted the distinct sound of sirens and the lights flashing blue and red from the window. When had they arrived? He was a bit busy with not dying from a reptile with a genius complex to not them. Although Peter didn't feel too relieved with the idea of the police protecting him, even if he hypothetically got to them what were they supposed to do about Curt? Shoot him? The cops were great and all, but they are regular people meant to stop other regular people. Bipedal alligators that could crush cars with their tails? Not so much.
Gwen herself wasn't fairing too well either. Physically she was fine, but she was not ready for this kind of threat, she could taste her heartbeat. How could a person taste a heartbeat she didn't know, she just knew she could. Worst she had her dad outside and a classmate right next to her so she couldn't exactly run. She had to fight this monster and win, but in all honesty, her chances were looking very slim.
"Peter, you run away I'll deal with this discount Godzilla." Her voice was strong but they both knew she was faking everything. Peter rolled his eyes at his copycat's antics. It was a little weird how she knew his name though. He didn't remember anyone telling her, it could have been Flash telling her that she should just leave him inside though. Regardless they didn't actually have to fight. Harry was most likely getting rushed to a hospital with Flash as most police arrived with ambulances and the Lizard just wanted Peter. He runs away everything works out great, the only issue is he was still here so this girl wouldn't get herself killed. He'll just scream run and hopefully, the Lizard will follow him and leave the gi- or she'll just charge him.
Before Peter could enact his brilliant plan, Gwen or Ghost-Spider charged forward planning to put a lizard shape hole through Liz's wall. The sight was something to behold for Peter, cause at that moment he realised something terrible. These two idiots had no combat experience. It wasn't so much as a fight as it was two toddlers wrestling. The Lizard was a gigantic monstrosity, his strong arms kept getting caught on the walls or roof or any other poor object in Liz's room unfortunate to get hit by his blind swinging. Ghost-Spider on the other hand was just a joke, she was like a person who took a year of karate and thought that she could beat up people on the streets. She kept doing spins and overextended on every dodge. It was painful to watch, and Liz would probably be crying at the state of her room. No Peter had to do something; this was an insult to superhuman fights.
Peter ran forward his spider-sense screaming to go in the other way but he had long ago been able to ignore it. Peter had to sidestep the piece of Liz's nightstand flying by his head as the Lizard crushed another one of the popular girl's furniture, but the monster was left with more openings than Peter needed. Running towards the two fighters Peter ran fast, faster than someone who was deemed a nerd could ever run. He had to though cause if this copycat had similar powers to him then she might have precognition like him. The weakness with precognition though is just cause you know something is about to happen doesn't mean they are capable of reacting to a surprise and this girl just didn't have the experience to move on instinct. Ghost-Spider let out a started cry as Peter put a firm step onto her back forcing her forward turning the girl into basically a stepping stool. A stepping stool Peter gladly used as he launched himself towards the Lizard who happened to stand in front of a conveniently placed window. Peter couldn't help the small smirk form on his lips as he heard the satisfying sound of glass shattering and the roars of a person falling out of a second-story window.
"Heh, see you next fall," Peter whispered to himself hearing the satisfying crunch of bone against concrete down below. Peter took the time to get up from Liz's ruined floor, the whole room was a mess and he had seen drug labs in better condition. Those places were not nice, they were made in shitty bathrooms that reeked of faeces, urine and blood. "Okay here is the plan Spider-Man wannabe. I'm going to get out of here cause that arrogant alligator is going to shrug off his broken bones like a bad hangover. I'd love to stay but I'd hate to die you know."
"We got to get you to Da- the police." The girl quickly corrected. Da police? Was she some sort of rapper? Peter hoped not, she didn't seem like she knew what she was doing. Regardless Peter couldn't allow her to get him to the police, they certainly couldn't protect him and would more so just keep him in one place. No, he needed to just get home, let a real Spider-Man deal with this. A Spider-Man who had the tools, experience and strength to actually put down a monster.
"No, what I need is a shower. The last thing I want is the first person to contract a reptilian STD from all this blood on me, I think some got into my mouth."
"You won't be safe! The police can protect you." They really couldn't.
"Okay okay, you are right. Let's get out of here an- Flash? What are you doing here?" Peter peaked behind Gwen in admonishment. She whipped her head around to see nothing. Where was Flash? He shouldn't even be able to walk properly yet! Where even was he?! He's not even there!
"Peter what are you-" Gwen looked back around to the loser of her year only to discover he was the one who was gone. Oh, that little bastard. How did he even sneak by her? Of course, Gwen had no idea Peter simply left out the window and climbed up the wall. "Shit."
Meanwhile, Peter was hopping from rooftop to rooftop trying to get as much distance as possible from the house. There were two possible solutions, number one was he gets away and the Lizard flees after losing both Peter and Harry. Number 2 is the Lizard snaps and kills everyone near him till an avenger comes along and ends it in one punch. Either way, not his problem, he did more than he should have in the first place. What was his problem was the girl. There was a copycat hero of him. Peter couldn't help but scowl at the thought, he's had enough of cats to last him a lifetime. Just the thought of the white-haired girl made his skin crawl. The 'Ghost-Spider' wasn't something to really worry about though. The girl had no fighting prowess nor the tech to compete. She was basically running around in tights which while definitely distracting didn't provide much protection. The newbie didn't even have web-shooters. Regardless Peter needed to get back home.
Peter travelled from roof to roof in the cold chilly nights of New York. The lights of the city blocking out any chance of seeing stars in the night, the only thing that stayed in the night sky was the moon and the occasional aeroplane. He enjoyed his night runs. He usually enjoyed his web-swingers more than his legs, but it was a pleasant experience regardless. Although tonight seemed different. It felt different. Perhaps it was a gut feeling or maybe it was his spider-sense but something in the back of Peter's mind whispered to him thoughts of anxiety. Peter never really experimented with his spider-sense. It kept him safe and that's all he ever really needed. Peter never needed it any more than that. Peter wasn't exactly too keen on pushing the limits of the thing that prevented him from dying. Before Peter could hit the next rooftop, he felt the phone in his pocket ring. Great, now what? Did his dad want to set up another drug deal or maybe it was Norman telling him where the hell he was? It would definitely would have made the last five minutes of his life easier if that was the case. Peter stood alone on that rooftop, taking his phone out of his pocket he put it back to his ear. Peter had heard the voice on the other end once. The voice of a certain albino crime lord.
"Good evening Peter. Do you know how easy it is to intercept an ambulance?"
This chapter was significantly shorter than the others, but I do have something interesting planned for the next chapters so hopefully, I'll have more motivation to write more.
