A Goblin of a Different Color

Part One

            Peter rolled over in bed as the morning sun looked down upon him through his window. Upon opening his eyes he was greeted by Mary Jane who lay beside him. "Did I ever tell you how much I love you?" He inquired running his hand down her cheek.

            "Every moment I'm awake." She replied with only warmth in her eyes kissing his hand gently.

            He smiled and held her body to his, loosing himself in its scents and delicate nature. "Whenever I go to sleep, I pray to God, this isn't a dream and that when I wake up you'll still be there."

            "What if it is a dream?" MJ asked.

            "Then I hope I sleep forever." Peter answered with MJ kissing him in response. He brushed his hand against her long red hair, "I'm going to tell her, tonight."

            MJ nodded quietly with her mood becoming somber, "It had to happen sometime."

            Peter agreed, "It's about time, she deserves to know. I can't let anything stop me this time." He placed his forehead against hers, "I love you and we shouldn't have to hide something like that."

            "We've come a long way, haven't we? Remember the first time we met?" MJ asked.

            "How could I forget?" Peter replied quietly, "I was more afraid of my shadow than anything. I was being chased by Flash, he's changed so much I don't even recognize him anymore, and I bumped into you. That was a good day."

            MJ sighed, "Peter, I talked to your Aunt May that night." He became silent, "I was messed up, I had a pretty bad fight with my dad, and I came over. You were out, and I talked to her."

            Peter's face became cold, his eyes lifeless, "W-what did she say?" He asked nervously.

            "She talked about you, said you were a good guy and all. Then she asked me how I knew you." MJ laughed nervously, "I-I don't know why, but I said, I said I was your girlfriend."

            Peter frowned rather confused, "We weren't seeing each other then." He stated factually.

            "I know." MJ replied, "Don't ask me why I did it, I still don't have an answer for myself, then she started talking about marriage." She smiled but it was mixed with fear, "I had never wanted to be married. All of the guys I…slept with, they were wrong, cruel even with shades of my father mixed in." She grabbed his hand and held it tightly, "You are the first person I want to be with."

            "Then what happened?"

            MJ lowered her head, "She said, she was happy you had met me. Then she heard a noise and went to check it out."

            The rest of the story was already well-known to both of them. She held back a tear and a sea of grief. Peter held her the closer for it, "Hey, don't worry. It's not your burden to carry, just worry about us."

            "I love you Peter."

            He smiled again, "Thank God for that."

            "I am not insane, no that is Osborn's honor and he can keep it for all I care." The HobGoblin exclaimed in the safety of his supply base atop his glider. "No, I am quite brilliant in fact. It took my genius to discover the true identity of the Green Goblin and use his own formula to become this twisted Frankenstein before you."

            He soared slowly past a rack full of missiles and pumpkin bombs, shrouded in darkness through which only his glowing red eyes cut through. "Of course my results thus far have been…unsatisfactory."

            The HobGoblin picked up an old newspaper from several days ago detailing Osborn's many successes. "I attempted to destroy him by attacking his industrial facilities as this alter ego. I did moderately well, until Osborn intervened and halted my efforts. His son was amazingly incompetent! I gave him the tools, the resources and even pointed him in the right direction and he still failed! From my surveillance outlets, I'd guess Osborn brainwashed his own son but went too far and turned him into a slave with the personality of wooden chair. It's even possible he administered an underpowered dose of the formula green. I can't know without directly talking to the boy which is too dangerous now that Osborn knows I've attempted to directly kill him as he must have pieced together thus far."

            "So, the sacrifice I made for the industry I built has thus far been in vain." The HobGoblin didn't seem the least disappointed. "Now I've found a common enemy of Osborn's, one that can get the job done. Spider-Man."

            He chuckled quietly, "This is by far my most ambitious operation and I trust that Osborn will be torn to pieces after this is over. You have a front-row seat to the show." HobGoblin stated staring at his own reflection in the glass.

            Gwen Stacy draped her arm around Peter lovingly as they walked through the halls of Midtown High. "So what's swinging like?"

            "I don't know what you're talking about." He replied quietly, "Now can you keep it down? I'd prefer that half the school not thinks I go out in tights at night."

            "Have it your way." Gwen replied seeming disappointed before a big bright smile swept across her face, "After I prove you're Spider-Man and I will, will you take me out."

            Peter sighed heavily, "I don't need to answer that because I'm not Spider-Man." He repeated anxiously. You're a horrible liar

            Gwen ran her fingertip across his jaw, "We'll see. I just think it's pretty convenient that Spider-Man showed up in the very same mall that you were at. Anyway, we're still going out tonight?"

            "Yeah, but, I need to talk to you, it's important." Peter said feeling another knot form in his stomach.

            "Tell me over dinner. I need to scram, Pete, I've got Mr. Thomas next and he's a stickler about being there on time. I'll see you." Gwen said breaking her embrace and fading into the crowd of students filling the school's hallways.

            Peter had been surprised at how far Gwen had gone to ensure a respectable dinner. Her dad had a friend who owned a restaurant that he had once saved from being burned down by some wacky arsonist and as such it was just a phone call before she and Peter had reservations. It had been far more than the trip to a pizza parlor he'd been expecting. He had tried to convince her to scale down the dinner but she wouldn't hear of it. This tore a hole in Peter's resolve considering the news he had for her tonight, but there was little he could do, if he didn't tell Gwen about MJ tonight he'd never get the nerve to do it again.