SPIDER-MAN
a fanfiction by Chipolata
[Chapter 3]
Bulma paced around the kitchen, restless and very angry. Her husband, Vegeta, had left the house for a walk, and was three hours late. To make matters worse, an ex-employee of her father's company, Capsule Corp, had been arrested by the police for destroying a factory downtown, and Capsule Corp was being blamed.
"Oh my, dear, shouldn't you sit down? I could make you a nice cup of tea, and you could try these new cakes I bought at the bakery today." Her mother, Mrs Briefs, suggested.
"Sorry, Mom, but I can't relax while my husband is missing and Capsule Corp is getting the heat for a destroyed factory." Bulma stopped pacing and looked at the clock. "Grr! Where IS he?" She growled.
Suddenly, right on cue, Bulma heard the sound of the front door opening and then closing. Down the hall marched Vegeta, back-pack slung over one shoulder, and a lot on his mind.
"There you are! Where have you been? Do you have any idea how worried I've been?" Bulma yelled at him.
"Out and about." Vegeta told her.
"What? Capsule Corp is being blamed for a blasted factory, and you walk in LATE and give me some weak 'I've been out' excuse? And where did that back-pack come from? What's in it?" Bulma yelled.
Vegeta was stuck. Peter Parker, the previous Spider-man, had told him not to tell anyone about his Spider-Powers, as it could endanger him and everyone close to him. But how could he lie to his wife? The one woman he loved?
"I...I don't have to tell you anything! Out of my way, woman! I'm going up to my room." Vegeta said to Bulma, then marched straight past her and up the stairs.
Bulma, stunned, forgot she was furious and stood there, watching him go.
As soon as he got in his room, Vegeta closed the door behind him and leaned his back against it. He didn't like yelling at Bulma, but to keep his new powers secret, he had to.
After a few moments, Vegeta got back to his feet and, sitting on his bed, opened the bag Peter had given him. He pulled out the costumes and hid them in the wardrobe. He also put the box of web-shooters and web-fluid in the wardrobe, and hid the papers explaining the technical side of everything deep in the back of his underwear drawer, certain no-one would go digging around in there.
Then, after he was certain there was no-one who was going to bust into his room, he put on the Spider-man suit. He put on, and loaded the web-shooters on his wrists, and pocketed some spare fluid capsules. He then looked himself over in the mirror.
'I can't tell the difference!' he thought.
He opened his window, and climbed out into the night.
Vegeta swung his way across the city. It took a while, but he got used to the regular pattern of shooting and swinging, and learnt how to aim the webs. Several times he had to use his ki to stop himself from being splattered over the pavement when his web shot missed or didn't fire.
Vegeta never felt so free, not even when he was flying. The total dependence on the web, the lack of ki to keep him up, and the feeling of the cool night through his suit.
Shoot, swing, shoot, swing, shoot, swing. Vegeta could've kept it up all night, if guilt hadn't made him think of Bulma and turn back. As he landed on the roof of his house he looked back at the glowing lights of the city, knowing that this was just the beginning of a new life for him.
The next morning, the newspaper held a small surprise for Vegeta. As he walked into the kitchen to make himself some breakfast, Bulma, who had forgiven him for being so rude (he is Vegeta!), showed him a small article on page five.
"'Spider-man spotted in Pepper City'" Bulma read out the headline. "'Several reports have been made to the Pepper City Police Department that Spider-man has been seen web-slinging his was around town. One person even managed to capture this photograph of him as he swung his way past.' Weird, huh? What would Spider-man be doing here?" Bulma asked.
Vegeta didn't answer, secretly cursing himself for being so careless. He simply poured milk on his cereal and sat down to eat it. As he slowly shovelled down his cornflakes, he planned out a trip to Goku's he planned to make later that day.
When ChiChi went to go answer the door, the last thing she expected to see was Spider-man (Vegeta) hanging upside down in front of her. In fact, she almost screamed, but shock kept her from doing so until she had calmed down enough.
"I'd like to speak to Kaka... I mean, Goku, If he's in at the moment." Spider-man asked.
"Uh...uh...sh...sure..." ChiChi stammered. "W-wait here." She turned and left.
Spider-man dropped to the ground and stood up. He entered the doorway, and looked around at the room which he recognised as the dining room. 'Typical!' He thought. 'Of course Kararotto would choose a house with a kitchen just inside the door, so he could get to dinner faster!'
"Hullo, Spider-man." came a voice.
Spider-man turned towards the voice. There stood Earth's hero, Goku, black hair standing up in all directions and in his usual orange and navy training outfit.
"Goku," Spiderman responded.
Goku moved over to the kitchen. "So, why do you want to talk to me?" He asked as he opened the fridge.
"Well, there's a story behind that. Surely you've seen the article on me in today's paper?" Spider-man began.
"Oh yeah, you were spotted in Pepper City, right? What brings you to Japan?"
"If you must know, I...my alter self has moved here. I was just getting a feel of the city, you know, finding everything and stuff. Anyway, I'm here because although I'm in Japan, there's still trouble in New York. I'm needed there. I just need a way to get there quicker to help. Do you think you could teach me the Instant Transmission?" Spider-man asked.
Goku stood up and looked at Spider-man.
"How do you know about the Instant Transmission?" Goku asked.
"Let's just say I have my sources."
Goku thought for a moment. (World First! Tell the Media!)
"Alright. That shouldn't be too hard." He said. "We start as soon as I've eaten."
Spider-man sat down.