DISCLAIMER
'Spider-Man', 'Spider-Girl' and all the characters from both belong to Marvel Comics.
CHAPTER TWO – The Debut.
Just over a month later, Simon Parker was allowed to return to Midtown High School.
"Yo, Simon!" greeted Steve Graham, Simon's only real friend. "Good t'see ya back, man."
"Good to see you too, Stretch." replied Simon, having to look up slightly at his much taller friend. "How've things been?"
"Not too bad." shrugged Steve. "Nuthin' exciting, though it seems that Moose's been leavin' people alone since you popped his nose. In fact, you were almost a hero for a week afterwards to some people."
"For real?" said Simon, slightly surprised by this. "Like who?"
"Well, Kathryn Powell seemed pretty happy every time you were mentioned in a good light." said Steve.
"Really?" exclaimed Simon, hoping he didn't sound too hopeful.
"Yup." grinned Steve, seeing the hopeful look on his friend's face. "She likes ya man. Dunno how many times I'm gonna hafta tell ya' though."
Simon nodded as the bell for first period rang. If things went well later on, then he would definitely ask Kathryn Powell on a date later – if he could build up the nerve to, that is. Unfortunately, the second he saw her, any nerve he'd managed to build up thus far instantly vanished.
Still, she did say 'hi' to him…
-x-x-x-
Well… thought Simon as he slipped the mask over his head. Here goes nothing…
Simon dived off the top of the building he was standing on and sent out a web-line, which attached itself to a nearby building. Swinging through the air, Simon could see why May enjoyed web-slinging so much. As he reached the end of his swing, he sent out another web-line, only to find himself dangling in mid-air, still attached to the first web-line. He severed it and swung again from the other one. The same thing happened with the next web-line.
Hmm… he thought to himself as he once again dangled above the street just around the corner from the High school. Maybe I should try a different tactic.
A few minutes later, Simon was swinging through the air above the streets of Queens with no problem, having found that jumping between swings was much easier and gave him a lot more distance. Sending out another web-line, Simon swung as high as he could before letting go, doing a backflip in mid-air before sending out the next web-line. Already, the black and red figure looked as if he belonged in the sky. Eventually, however, Simon decided that he should stop and actually figure out where he was.
Maybe I shoulda brought a map, thought Simon as he looked down from the rooftop he'd just landed on. Wait… is that a Starbucks? But… the closest one to Midtown High is… oh my god, I've just swung half way across Queens in just a few minutes! And Mayday always complains about it taking so long to get across New York, even with web-slinging. So is that just an excuse she uses or have I just come up with a faster syle of web-swinging? Oh well, it doesn't matter. All I really have to do now is hold my own in a fight, then come up with a name…
"Get off me!" yelled a voice from an alley below. "Let go!"
"Just give me the bag, bitch!" responded another voice.
That'll do, thought Simon as he went to the edge and began wall-crawling down the side.
"I'm warnin' you!" one of the three muggers shouted at the struggling woman. "If you don't give us that purse now, we'll…"
"You'll what?" retorted a voice from behind them.
The three burly criminals turned to see a figure wearing a red and black costume standing in the alleyway. "Who." said one of them as he caught sight of the spider logo on the figure's chest. "Is that…?"
"Don't be stupid!" replied one of his companions. "It's just some stupid kid in a spider costume."
"You best get outta here, kid." the third mugger warned. "People who mess with us get hurt. Especially punk ass kids like you…"
"Blah, blah, blah. Man, you guys're boring me already." interrupted the costumed kid. "Y'know, I was always told that thugs like you were best avoided, but so far, I'm not impressed."
"Why you little…" one of the thugs yelled, pulling out a gun from his pocket and aiming it at the boy. Before the thug could pull the trigger, something extended from the boy's hand and pulled the gun out of the mugger's hand, straight into the boy's own. The boy in the costume looked at the gun for a few seconds before tossing it to one side.
"Oh shit…" muttered one of the muggers as the three of them realised that this wasn't just some kid in a fancy costume.
-x-x-x-
"And then what happened?" the police officer asked the still terrified woman.
"Well… he jumped from where he was and landed right next to us." the woman began to explain. "Then, he grabbed one of them from behind and threw him into one of the others… with one hand… then he fired out a web and pulled the last one towards him and did… some kind of spinning kick. Then he said something like 'not bad for some kid in a spider suit, huh?' before kicking one of them again. Then he mumbled something to himself and said 'that could work', before telling me to take care and jumping halfway up the side of a building and climbing the rest of the way to the top… just like Spider-Girl does, only faster. The whole thing couldn't've lasted much more than a minute."
Just above them, a distinctly feminine figure in a red and blue costume was listening. No way, thought May as she listened as the woman continue to describe the 'kid in the spider costume'. Another spider? In a red and black costume? But… that would mean… no way… Simon?
As the three still unconscious muggers were loaded into a couple of ambulances, no one noticed Spider-Girl swing away.
-x-x-x-
"Dad!" exclaimed May as she burst through the living room door, still in her spider costume, minus mask. "There's…"
"Someone going around in a red and black spider costume calling himself the Spider Kid, we know." interrupted Peter, glancing at the news bulletin on the TV. "Now get that costume off now, before someone looks through the window or something."
"Huh?" exclaimed May, looking down and realising she was still in costume. "Oh." was all she then said before dashing upstairs to her room. About a minute later, May came back downstairs, this time wearing her usual clothes. "So what've I missed?"
"Well, apparently there's a new costumed crime-fighter in town." said a voice from one of the armchairs. "And before you say anything May, it's not me. I've already had the interrogation from Mom and Dad."
"Simon!" snapped Peter before turning his attention back to his daughter. "Well, so far, all we know is that he's stopped a bank robbery and he calls himself the 'Spider Kid'."
"As well as a mugging." said May. "That's how I heard." she then added.
Simon quickly tuned out the rest of the conversation between his two fellow spiders and turned his attention back to the TV. Plastered over the screen was a still picture of him perched on a streetlight from which several would be bank robbers were suspended from a web-line – something not seen since the days of Spider-Man himself. Man, I can't believe that's actually me in that costume, he thought, trying not to grin. That's me they're talking about. I just stopped a bank robbery and a mugging, all on my first day and now they're talking about it on the news. Not only that, but I finally have a kick-ass name for myself to go with my kick-ass costume…
"One eyewitness described it as being 'like watching Spider-Girl, only in fast-forward'." said the voice of one of the newsreaders on the TV.
Simon struggled not to laugh out loud at this, but failed when he saw May's expression.
May scowled at her younger brother. "What's so funny?"
"One appearance…" he gasped out. "One appearance and they're… already making comparisons… between him and you. I guess… I guess you've got some… competition on your hands… Mayday."
"Very funny." mumbled May as she slumped down on the sofa.
"Aw, is Mayday feeling upset 'cos there's another spider stealing her thunder?" Simon couldn't help but say in a mocking voice once he'd stopped laughing.
"Shut up, Simon." growled May.
Simon merely smirked – normally he would have backed down at this point, if it even got that far, but this time, he was feeling confident. "Oh dear. Looks like I struck a nerve."
"Simon…" began May, giving her brother a warning glare as she did so.
"Alright, alright, fine, I'll shut up." interrupted Simon, getting up. "But I do reckon you're jealous of him, though I'm not sure whether it's those sweet acrobatics or the kick-ass costume…"
Before May could make a retort, Simon left the living room.
"It's him." muttered May angrily. "It's definitely him."
"Now, May…" began Peter.
"I don't care what he said to you, Dad!" said May, her voice rising sharply. "He's mocking us, can't you see it? He's become this 'Spider Kid' without us knowing and he's rubbing our faces in it."
"You wouldn't be saying that if you'd heard him when the story came on." replied Peter. "The second I said anything, he just exploded. Some of the stuff he said really upset your mother though, so don't talk about it when she gets back in."
"Alright, Dad." nodded May. "Just as long as you're sure he's not this 'Spider Kid'."
"I'm not." admitted Peter. "But hopefully he isn't."
"Yeah." agreed May. "Besides, Mom would have kittens if she found out Simon was 'playing the hero' too."
Peter gave his daughter a disapproving look, but nodded in agreement.
-x-x-x-
In his room, Simon was feeling very pleased with himself.
Okay, let's recap today. thought Simon. First, I go back to school and find that I'm a hero for what I did to Moose and Kathryn says 'hi' to me. Then I put on the costume and master web-swinging within a few minutes, foil a mugging, then a bank robbery. Now, I have a name for my alter-ego and already it's gotten under Mayday's skin. Plus, my performance to Mom and Dad has hopefully convinced 'em that I'm not the Spider Kid, though I'll probably have to repeat it if Mayday comes asking. He sat down on his bed and grinned to himself. The Spider Kid – 'like watching Spider-Girl, only in fast-forward'. Man, this is so cool! I'm a superhero – a real live superhero with a colourful costume, a secret identity and really cool superpowers. This is so sweet! Today so kicked ass, and it's only gonna get better from now on…
For the first time in a long time, things were looking up for Simon Parker – for once, he was happy with who he was.