CHAPTER 1
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A COPYCAT?




"With great power comes great responsibility."
This is my gift. It's my curse.
Who am I?
I'm Spider-Man.

Peter Parker, the nerd of all nerds. The hero of all heroes. It had been about a month since he had visited his Uncle Ben's grave. Peter was off in thought as he sat perched on top of skyscraper building over the busy city of New York. "Not much trouble tonight.." he said through his crimson and black webbed designed mask. He was Spider-Man. The one who so many envied, yet just the same loved him. His life had completely changed around when he was bit by a Genetically Altered Spider on a class fieldtrip. Peter was intellegent and hansome. Crisp brown, short, and neat hair. Eyes that were blue like the afternoon sky.


After a long while of just sitting on the building, there was finally the sound of sirons in the distance. Of course, he had felt the danger before the sirons went off; for his spider sence always picked it up. In a flash, this muscular figure extended his right hand and brought his ring and middle finger towards his palm. A sticky, white, thread-like material shot out of his wrist as it glued itself on the building across from him. He swung from one building to another with the same technique, towards the sound of the flaring sirons. Within a few minutes he was at the scene of the crime. A scene it was indeed. Police cars parked in all directions, police officers standing behind them with loaded guns, and a large flame engulfed hole in the back of the main bank. "Casual robbery," the figure said, once more shooting a blast of webbing up towards a pole. Before he could swing down and blast through the flames to catch the criminals, two men wrapped in what looked alot like his own web were tossed out into the street. Confused, yet stunned, Spider-Man just watched to see whether or not he was imagining things. Once again, another pair of men flew out, but this time they were followed by a figure. Through the dark lenses that protected his eyes did he see...himself, standing before the flames. He had to shake his head and blink a few times to make sure he wasn't hallusanating. He was a bit hesitant at going down to see who this person was, but he studied the copy-cat. After gawking at the mimic of himself and watching it nod to some cops did it perform the same exact action with its hand to release a webbing. Dumbstruck he watched it dissapear into the darkness. Spider-Man wasn't about to let a copy-cat run loose, pretending to be him. It's probably some looney tune with gadgets that shoot 'web like string'...Peter thought securely. He didn't know how to react, but out of instinct he followed; determined to find out who this person was.


The mimic was moving just as fast as Spider-Man. Wierd, but he had super strenght.. there was no way a normal human could move that fast. Enhancements? It couldn't be. They didn't have such technology yet. Finally, after swining from one building to another, the mimic came to a hault on a roof top of a tall flat building. He landed swiftly and silently behind from where the mimic landed. He was close enough to study the physical features and—wow, did this guy have a waist. What curves...what..it was a girl! Stunned and slightly mused, he inched foward. Perhaps he'd get a chance to talk to her? Maybe she wasn't a looney tune..wait, maybe she was, but either way; she beat up those criminals. He was hesitant at first, but then made his way closer to her, but just as he was about to speak up she turned around in alert, ".... Spider-Man?" came a rough, but soft feminine voice. He eyed her carefully and nodded slightly. He could tell she was eyeing him too, as if scared to speak; just as he felt. It was odd looking at your double, only it being the opposite gender. How could this be possible? The spider that had bitten him couldn't have bitten someone else..it died when it bit him. "Who are you?" Spider-Man finally said in a tone that expressed curiosity and a slightness of confusion, "I am.. Spider-Woman." she said softly. Ha! Maybe she IS a looney. Spider-Woman.. what a joke. He thought to himself, "Seriously.. what sort of moron do you think I am?" he said with a bit of annoyance. "I don't. I actually look up to you, Spider-Man." she said. Gimme a break. How can some girl, with no powers like mine run around in a costume like mine... only...with a diffrent spider design on the front...and pretend to have my gifts? He mused. A soft chuckle escaped his covered face as he approched her, "Take off your mask." he said in a serious tone, "you can get hurt for wanting to be like me," he continued, "I am like you." she said, stepping back and falling off the building, "No!" he howled, running to the edge to see her dangling from her fingertips at the near end of the building, ".. What the hell is going on?" he whispered, watching her dissapear into the darkness of an alley, ".. this can't be true. She couldn't have gotten bit, too........"


"Peter! Get up! Breakfast is ready!" came the soft voice of Aunt May from downstairs. He was in his apartment in which he shared with Harry Osborn. He opened his eyes and squinted. The sun peered through the blinds and lighted up the room with warmth. He'd gotten home late last night and hadn't gotten that much sleep -- he especially didn't get much sleep, being he was thinking about that girl... that Spider-Woman. Peter sat up in his bed, to find he'd slept in his costume. He grunted and rubbed his eyes, jumping out of bed in a flash and getting ready for a new day. He dressed in his cusual clothing, still having his Spider-Man outfit underneath. As he went down to eat his breakfast, he felt a slap in the back, "Mornin` Pete!" said a distinct voice. It was Harry Osborn, Peter's roomate and good friend, "Hey Harry.." Peter replied sleepidly, "Something wrong?" Harry asked, quirking a brow as he looked at Peter's extremely tired and worn out expression. "Uh.....no. Just.. y'know.. stayed up late ...studying.." Peter knew he sounded like a total idiot. Of course if you want to include the fact that I was up chasing a frikkin copycat and then found out it was a girl..otherwise than that, everything is just peachy. Peter held in his thoughts and put on his best smile, "Nothing to worry about!" Harry nodded as they both headed downstairs.


The Daily Bugle was in hot topic when he entered. People were running around in a frantic as Peter made his way to J. Jonah's office, "What do you want, kid?" scruffed Jonah's voice as Peter stepped through the doorway, "What's all the fuss about?" Peter asked in a respectful manner, "We got a new story. There's a new 'hero' running around. They say it's Spider-Man, but the police that saw 'her' stated otherwise." Peter quirked a brow, "'Her', sir?" he was interested, but he knew what he was talking about, "That's right. It wasn't Spider-Man. It was a girl. Think you can get some snapshots of this babe?" Jonah grinned, eyeing Peter with a glint that said 'Here's a challenge, kid.' Peter grinned as well, nodding an answer, "I'll try my best, Sir." Peter said, turning around and leaving the office, "They better be good!!" howled Jonah's voice behind him as Peter walked out of the franticly busy office with a smirk on his face.