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A/N: Sorry everyone for the delay. I was sick for a good portion of the month and when I wrote this chapter initially, I ended up accidentally deleting it and had to rewrite the entire thing.
That being said, another long chapter. I hope you enjoy!
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Chapter Forty
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Packing for his impending trip was done entirely too soon for his liking. It took away the distraction. Peter had closed the suitcase nearly half an hour ago, after checking the contents through at least twice. Now, he found himself at a loss of what to do and was currently pacing the length of his room in his Spider-Suit. He was almost… twitchy. His fingers kept fiddling in the air by his sides, yearning to do something. But he couldn't help it. His brain couldn't stop dissecting every detail of the night.
Gosh, the feeling of Mary Jane's soft lips pressed against his… the way that her eyes had sparkled from the lights above while on the dance floor… and how her body had felt pressed so close to his own. He was half hard just thinking of it. If he knew then when he knows now - that Mary Jane had feelings for him - he wondered if there was anything that he would have done differently? He probably would have been a hell of a lot more relaxed about the grinding, that's for sure - rather than internally freaking out the whole time like he did in reality. And he would've contributed more to her movements- rather than just holding her hips, he fantasized about letting his hands wander the expanse of her gorgeous body. His lips would've undoubtedly have found their way to the curve of her neck, where it would be a personal mission of his to make her gasp and make all sorts of other sounds.
There was a distinct twitch in the groin area of his suit at the thought.
Damn. Why did Mary Jane have to leave, again? She only just left and he already desperately missed her.
If only she had told him about her feelings sooner. Then he could've had the time to get over his shock of the idea and they could've spent the night stealing kisses and affectionate words. The thought of her whispering sweet-nothings in his ear caused a pleasurable shiver to go down his spine.
More than anything, he wished that he could talk to someone right then about all that had happened tonight. But he couldn't think of anyone that he was close to that was currently available. He knew that May was working the night shift… if she were home right then, she would already be bombarding him with questions on how his night at the dance went - and he knew that there would be no way for him to hold back the new developments surrounding Mary Jane from his aunt. It was just the sort of close relationship that they had. The only secret that he had tried keeping from May had been him being Spider-Man, and look at how well that turned out.
Peter would just have to wait until tomorrow to talk to May… but he was itching with the need to dissect through his every memory of Mary Jane tonight. He had already tried calling Harry and Ned but he assumed that they were still lingering at the dance because they didn't answer… and he didn't want to bother Tony. But there was something inside of him that was about to burst with the excitement that he felt when he thought of Mary Jane, his - girlfriend? Peter stopped dead in his tracks, effectively pausing his pacing.
Was that what she was? His girlfriend? His heart fluttered a bit at the thought. He desperately wanted her to be, that was for sure. Of course, he hadn't asked her yet but she might as well be referred to as such in his mind because it wouldn't be long before he saw her and got to ask her in person. Hell, the way that he was feeling right then, he was almost antsy enough to just outright call Mary Jane and ask her over the phone, just to ensure that they were on the same page.
Perhaps it was a good thing that she was currently sitting on a plane with no access to WiFi… he didn't want to ruin the plan of meeting in Paris and telling her how he feels in person. It was a lot more romantic than asking her over the phone… where he wouldn't be able to look into her eyes or touch her. But there was also another part of him that wanted to put that label on their relationship as soon as possible. There was a deep-seeded fear that suddenly took root in the back of his mind that was stubbornly growing stronger by the moment.
What if she realizes that she made a mistake while she's away?
It was not entirely unfounded on his part to think along those lines. She was traveling to Italy, afterall. For an extensive modeling tour. What if she realized that she is so far out of his league while she was in the presence of vineyards, and talent agents, and culture, and… Italian boys.
An uninvited picture of a shirtless, tanned Italian boy with buff arms and a muscular chest came to mind, impressing Mary Jane with a dashing smile…
Peter gulped down a rushing wave of both nervousness and jealousy at the thought.
If only she had thought to have him go with her to Italy as well, rather than just Paris. Just so he could've kept an eye on her and… just make sure that she was safe and protected. That was what he told himself, at least. He wanted to be there to protect her, not to make sure that he could stay at the forefront of her mind.
Even in his own mind, it sounded like a lie.
A frustrated groan escaped from deep within his chest and his hand automatically came up to tangle in his unruly hair as he began to pace once again.
There was one thing that he knew for sure… he wouldn't be freaking out like this if Mary Jane was currently with him right then, and he wouldn't be able to calm down until he at least had a conversation with her.
He suspected that he wouldn't be able to have any deep or meaningful conversations until he saw her in Paris, and he nearly groaned at the prospect of him getting stuck in his own head for an entire week.
How in the world would he be able to shut his brain off and expect to get any sleep?
His Uncle Ben's packed suitcase caught his eye from where it was sitting on his bed. The warm sheets below it looked far from comforting at this point. The thought of going to bed right then was almost abhorrent, no matter how late it actually was. He was so far from tired, the idea of trying to turn off his thoughts seemed next to impossible.
With that in mind, Peter made a split-second decision and reached up to smooth the spider-mask that was clenched tight in his fist over his head. He needed more action. He needed the wide-open air and the sensation of free-falling through the sky. He needed distraction… and the city that never sleeps was always able provide at least that.
With ease, Peter opened the window that saw a lot of foot-traffic over its mantle and shut it behind him before he launched himself off the brick wall as though it were a sounding board. He cried out in absolute glee at the feeling of cutting through the air like a rocket. This was exactly what he needed.
There were times that he liked to wait until the last possible moment before he let loose a web. Until he was at a point where he was teetering in the air, hovering between the line of soaring and falling.
It was moments like this where he almost believed that he could fly.
"All real boys can fly, mom! All they need is pixie dust and happy thoughts!"
The memory from when he was five came to his mind out of nowhere - one that he had previously forgotten about completely and left him wondering if he had actually recovered all of his memories from his amnesia like he had thought…
The memory was of his mom. Peter was five and was going through a Peter Pan phase, loving absolutely everything involving the character. He was especially obsessed with the movie 'Hook' and would giggle outrageously at the scene where they were eating pretend food that would turn into a magnificent food fight. His mom knew about his obsession at the time and had surprised him once with tickets to a school play - the play was Peter Pan.
When they went to see it, Peter had thought that the play was real. In his mind's eye, he had thought the night to be so magical. That he was seeing the real Peter Pan and Wendy and John and Michael. That all of the Lost Boys were real and that they got to have fun all day long and do whatever they wanted. He was in awe of them back then. Envious of their play-time and of how many friends they all had in one another. While Peter didn't have any at the time.
He had wanted to be a Lost Boy so badly… and in the end, he got his wish.
When his parents had died, he became just as orphaned as the Lost Boys had been…
Peter swallowed hard against a lump in his throat. For a mere moment, it was difficult for him to breathe. He forced himself to relook at the memory with fondness rather than the lingering bleakness - something that his Aunt May had encouraged him to do over the years ever since he lost his parents.
His mom really had been so excited to show him to tickets to that play, and the memory of that managed to bring a small smile to his lips. It had been his very first play that he had attended. As a result, he had always had a soft spot toward the theater, because it reminded him of her... In fact, if it weren't so expensive, he would probably go to Broadway shows all of the time.
His thoughts shifted a bit as he let loose another web, not even paying attention to which direction he was swinging, but knowing that he was far from Queens by this point. He was glad for the shift of mind, memories of his parents were sometimes too painful for him to dwell on for too long - no matter what lens he tried to force himself to look at them through. Instead, his thoughts decided to land on a much happier development in his life - which made sense because lately, she was practically all he could think about…
Mary Jane liked Broadway. Hell, she wanted to be a part of Broadway. If she hadn't outright told him that she wanted to be an actress, then the Broadway posters that he saw hung up on the walls in her room would've given him a clue. Maybe they could go together sometime… He couldn't afford it on his own right now but maybe if he was extra nice to Tony, then-
BOOM!
A rattling explosion out in the distance immediately captured Peter's attention. He scrambled with his hands for a moment before he managed to stop mid-swing and attached himself to the wall of a nearby brick building. His frazzled mind needed a moment to assess the situation.
About a mile away, he could see the after effects from the explosion even from his distant vantage point - the emanating green smoke that billowed up in the air in thick waves was difficult to miss.
"My God," Peter released in a whispered breath to himself, before he shot forward another line of webbing. There was now an undeniable sense of urgency in his chest to get to the explosion site - he needed to ensure that everyone was out of the building and safe. He raced through the air as fast as he could but he still didn't feel like it was fast enough. Any moment, the structural integrity of the building could crumble - all it took was a single second, and he could be too late.
He couldn't bear the thought of anyone else losing someone like he had lost his Uncle Ben… The thought was nearly intolerable and caused bile to rise up in his throat.
As a result of these thoughts, he pushed himself harder, trying to use as much of the momentum of his down-swing in order to launch himself further when he released his hold on the webline. When he finally made it to the same street that belonged to the smoky building, dread immediately overcame him when he saw that it was the Police Precinct that had been attacked. Fuck, it would be a while before other law enforcement from the other districts could arrive to lend a hand. He could only hope that the Fire Department was already on its way.
As he swung closer, he saw people running out through the front doors, covered in green dust and coughing up a storm. Peter landed on his feet in front of one officer as he was vacating the premises, who's eyes were squinted shut from the smoke and dust - and as a result, the man very nearly ran into him.
"Hey, you're alright, man," Peter said in what he hoped was a calm and reassuring voice - though with the adrenaline currently coursing through his body, he felt far from it. Still, he put steadying hands on the officer's shoulders in an attempt to keep him upright as he swayed on unsteady feet. "You're alright. You're safe. What happened in there? Is everyone out safe?"
The officer leaned heavily against Peter's shoulder for a moment as he hacked against the smoke in his lungs. Peter looked on in pity, knowing first-hand the feeling of smoke getting caught in his lungs.
"Spider-Man?" He finally managed to get out.
Peter found himself nodding, forcing himself to be patient enough to hear what the man had to say. "Yep. The one and only Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. What can I do? Is there a fire? Anyone trapped?"
The man coughed as he shook his head. "No… No fire. There was a-" He coughed profusely. "A man. A man in a mask. He flew in there. He-" The man cut himself off again, sounding as though he were hacking up a lung. It sounded painful. "He said that he had a message to deliver. Then he threw the bomb, and I thought that we were done for- but there was no explosion, just dust and smoke everywhere! And he was laughing. It was sickening. And then he-" The officer coughed again.
Peter's entire body was tense as he listened to the man's account of what had occurred not moments before Peter had arrived. A man in a mask? With bombs that released smoke and dust rather than fire? What exactly was he dealing with here?
"And he what?" Peter found himself pressing the man, needing answers. His attention was honed in and rapt on the officer. "Where is the man now? Is he still inside?"
Peter craned his neck over the officer's head in an attempt to see past the green smoke and into the building, looking for the masked man in question. All he could see was the billowing green smoke as it tried to escape out the windows of the building.
The officer shook his head. "No… He-" Cough. "He took Captain Stacy." Alarm bells immediately went off in the back of Peter's brain, it very nearly stole his focus away from the man as he thought over the ramifications of what he just heard - that the police captain has been kidnapped. But where could he have been taken? What was the purpose behind this? Then, seeming to be able to read his mind, the officer was pointing beyond Peter's shoulder, in the direction towards Times Square. His indication was clear. That was the direction that the masked man had gone.
It was difficult to keep still when Peter's entire being immediately wanted to be in hot pursuit. He had gotten the information that he needed. But the officer was still leaning heavily on him for support as he swayed on his feet. Peter held back a sigh as he reminded himself that fighting villains wasn't the only part of the job when it came to being the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. No… he took a vow to take care of the community - to stand up for the little guy. So, he stayed with the man and held him upright as they waited for help to arrive.
Luckily, he didn't have to wait very long- as not a moment later, he saw the flash of lights as a fire truck sped down the street toward them. The sight of it brought a wave of relief as it quelled some of the tension that he felt from the lack of action on his part. He could still feel the need for it brewing deep in his chest. But still, Peter forced himself to wait with the man until they stopped the truck in front of the building and he supported the police officer as they walked over to the firefighters. Peter handed the officer over into their capable hands before he immediately lowered himself into a crouch. Then, with the use of the enhanced muscles in his thighs and calves, he launched himself up high in the air in a giant leap. He lingered in the air for only a moment before he released a strand of webbing - headed in the direction that the officer had pointed, leaving the billowing green smoke behind.
He found himself panting as he swung through the air. He couldn't exactly pinpoint as to the reason why but there was a tight sensation in the pit of his stomach that left him feeling unsettled and uneasy. Not quite a nervous anticipation, but that was the closest that Peter could get to describing how he actually felt at the moment - though it hardly made sense to him. What exactly was there to anticipate? From what the officer described, what Peter was dealing with here was the typical madman you would find within New York and perhaps a potential hostage situation. Just the sort of run-of-the-mill practice that came with living in such a large city. Nothing that Peter wouldn't be able to handle.
Still, it was with mounting dread as he approached Times Square, which upon his arrival, caused him to question his earlier assessment. There was a crowd there, as there normally was, but the only difference was that they were not bustling down the sidewalks like they normally did. No… everyone was halted in a stand-still as they all craned their necks upward at the spectacle in the sky. Where a man in a green mask and a tattered purple hood was standing on some sort of flying contraption. And clutched tight in the masked man's single fist, dangling stories above the concrete ground, was whom Peter could only assume to be Captain Stacy.
No… There was nothing standard or run-of-the-mill about this.
Peter took a moment to try and determine what exactly was going on. The masked man seemed to just be hovering in the air in front of the Mega Screen… waiting? What exactly was it that he wanted? Why did he take Captain Stacy hostage? What was his end goal here? Peter could only assume that the man would have demands. Money? It was the only thing that made sense at the moment.
Still, Peter approached with caution. One wrong move on his part could lead to the accidental death of Captain Stacy. There was always the chance that he wouldn't be able to catch the Captain in time if the masked man chose to drop him. Peter landed on the wall of a nearby skyscraper. Down below, he heard exclamations of his alter-ego's name from the crowd, especially from those he assumed to be tourists. He wished that they wouldn't just stand there and gawk. There was no telling what this could turn into and there was always the potential that this could get dangerous. He especially felt uneasy about this as his spider-sense tingled with warning signs at the back of his spine. And not to mention that the police in the area would be no help given the fact that their precinct was just attacked.
Peter was on his own here, that he knew for sure. And it came at the cost of some very meticulous planning from the masked man before him. Peter couldn't help but wonder if he counted on Spider-Man not showing up? If he hadn't, then he obviously hasn't been paying attention to the amount of crime that Peter has been stopping lately. The streets have honestly never been cleaner.
"Ah!" The masked man laughed gleefully as soon as he noticed Peter's presence. Somehow, his mask was so expressive. Was it a hologram that morphed with the emotions of the man's face? Or was it some sort of nano-tech that caused the mask to move with the man's expressions? Peter stopped his theorizing as the masked man continued to speak, his voice gravelly with a taunting lilt. "Our guest of honor has finally arrived! I knew that my little stunt at the precinct would get your attention sooner or later."
Peter blinked behind his mask. The explosion at the precinct was all for him? To get his attention? So he did want Spider-Man here… for what exactly? And what did Captain Stacy have to do with any of it?
As Peter eyed the Captain - who was smart enough not to struggle against the hold that the man had on him, the hold that was ironically keeping him captive and also prevented him from falling to his end at the same time. Peter swallowed against the dryness in his throat as he replied, "Who are you? What do you want?"
He was proud of the way his voice came out demanding and strong. He wasn't about to let this masked man dictate the situation if he could help it. Something told him that the man hovering before him preyed on any weakness that he could find and Peter wasn't about to give him any sign of his own anxiety that he felt currently as he continued to eye the Captain with wariness behind his mask.
"What do I want?" The man mused before he threw his head back and laughed in a way that made Peter's blood run cold. Especially since it seemed that the masked man talked expressively with his arms, something that Peter also had a habit of doing, but it was definitely not a good thing to do when he flailed his arm about with Captain Stacy still grasped in his hold. The poor man looked so jostled but Peter could also see a spark of defiance within the man's side-long glare at his captor, which was something that Peter couldn't help but admire. Many men in the same situation would have pissed themselves by now, if not already resorted to outright sobbing. When the masked man finished his laughter, he continued speaking in that gravelly voice that reminded Peter of nails scratching against a chalkboard. "Why, I'm here to offer you a deal - nay, an olive branch, persay,"
The masked man cackled again and the sound of it sent another round of chills down Peter's spine. This guy was a fucking lunatic. "And as for who I am? Why, we've practically already met before. I'm almost offended that you don't recognize me-"
The man stretched his arms out wide, Captain Stacy's body now hovered dangerously over the open air, the only thing keeping him from falling to his death was the tight fist the madman had on his buttoned-up jacket. Peter prayed that the buttons were of high quality and would be able to hold against the weight of the Captain - Heaven forbid if they snapped now…
"I am the Big Man of Crime!" The Masked Man declared with the utmost narcissistic pride, "But some know me by the name, THE GREEN GOBLIN!"
All of the air whooshed out of Peter as though he had been hit in the gut. There was a low buzzing sound that began to ring in his ears as his focus finally snapped away from Captain Stacy to the madman that was holding him captive. As he stared at the green mask that was currently thrown back with maniacal laughter, there was a sensation that started brewing in the pit of his chest - boiling and red hot.
"You!" Peter couldn't stop the exclamation no matter how hard he tried. Gone was his resolve to not show his emotions or any of his weaknesses. Gone was the notion that this entire situation was simple and would find its conclusion with minimal effort on Peter's part. No… this was entirely more serious than Peter had originally anticipated. Because hovering before him, was the Big Man of Crime. The same man who had tried to kill him with an exploding building - that wound up giving him amnesia. The same man who had set up a bomb at the party at the Mandarin Hotel, very nearly killing Mary Jane and Harry who had been in attendence. The same man who had been creating super-powered villains and releasing them onto the streets.
The same man that Peter had vowed to find and stop.
"You finally see the resemblance?" He said with a laugh, "Only a mastermind such as myself would be able to lure you out of the hole you crawled out of."
Peter didn't say anything, his mind was already whirring with ideas - options. He couldn't fight him, not yet… not until he managed to get Captain Stacy out of his grasp. Though he longed to punch that disgustingly wide grin off of the bastard's green face.
"Nothing to say, Spider?" The Green Goblin mused with a dissatisfied shake of his head as he tsked. "I've got to say, that leaves me feeling a tad disappointed. I've heard so much about how you run your mouth behind that mask."
It was meant as a jeer but it actually served to shake Peter out of his shocked rage. It reminded him that he had a role to play…
"I only save that sort of talk for people actually worth my time," Peter taunted, his voice dry. He then made a show of looking the man up and down with his masked eyes, sizing the man up. "You know… when I pictured 'The Big Man', I thought you'd be a bit more… burly? Less green? Maybe a bit less psychotic?"
But to his dismay, The Big Man only threw his head back and laughed again. Peter liked to quip jokes as he fought crime to set his opponents in a state of unease, as well as to distract them into rage enough that they made a mistake eventually. He wasn't used to his insults being brushed off so easily. Hell, every word that he said to Sandman during their fight had him boiling with fury - Peter had him eating out of the palm of his hand. But the Green Goblin… was he really that unhinged? Did he even care?
"Perhaps if you listen to my proposal, then you will be more willing to see me as worthy of your time…"
Peter only stared, his entire body was taught and poised, ready and looking for any opportunity to strike. So far, he hadn't seen any favorable openings. Not any that resulted in Captain Stacy keeping his life.
"I'm sure that you've noticed my walking experiments out on the streets?" The Green Goblin continued, "I would hope so, considering that you've fought them on multiple occasions."
Peter swallowed against the bile at the back of his throat as he recalled the results of this madman's experimentation. He turned to criminals and gave them powers to use for evil. And what he did to Mary Jane's dad? The thought churned his stomach, especially as he remembered the tear-stained look on Mary Jane's face. Still, he fought against the sickening sensation as he forced the next words out. "Your bright idea was to create a giant dust bunny and a walking campfire? What's next? The oh-so-fearsome Marshmallow Man? Hell, paired up with the Molten Man, the two could have a team name called 'The Sinister Smores'."
He would be the first to admit that it wasn't his best line… but that was kinda the point. He wanted to make the man before him think that everything that he stood for was perceived as stupid - something to be mocked and laughed at. This usually worked on others, but so far, The Big Man seemed to be immune. Which, in a roundabout way, left Peter as the one feeling somewhat rattled.
"I'm more partial to the name 'Spider-Slayer', myself, but to each their own," The Goblin tittered lightly to himself as he hovered slightly closer. Peter was watching closely from his vantage point on the skyscraper wall - keeping an eye out for any opportunity to get Captain Stacy out of the green maniac's grasp. "Now… about my proposal…?"
The Goblin's free hand reached over and started to stroke the silver hair on top of the Captain's head, as though he were merely petting the coat of fur on some dog. Captain Stacy couldn't seem to hold back the flinch at the touch - which had The Big Man grinning.
"Proposal?" Peter said, drawing the Goblin's attention back to him. The less that he paid notice to the Captain, the better. "You're not about to give me a ring, are you?"
"Ringing ears, perhaps. Depending on how compliant you are, I may not have to beat you out of an inch of your life."
Peter outwardly scoffed at that. It was actually sort of amusing to think on. This guy thinks that just because he has some cool gadgets and a menacing voice that he can actually beat Spider-Man? Did he not know that Peter had super-strength? Reflexive agility? This man was more delusional than he thought.
"Well, this outta be good…" Peter forced himself to relax as he made a show of leaning his body against the wall he was attached to, crossing his arms casually over his chest. He waited a moment before he waved a hand at the madman for him to continue, "Let's hear this proposal of yours then. And make it good. I wanna hear at least one declaration of love out of this. And maybe a promise that you'll give me the world. It's my first proposal, you know, so please make it count."
From out of the corner of his eye, he could see Captain Stacy flash him a very terse and annoyed look. So the Captain didn't approve of his methods? Well, everyone's a critic…
"Love is for the weak…" The Green Goblin mused. "But the world? That I can provide," The Goblin gave a vindictive chuckle. "I want to offer you a job, Spider-Man - one that you will be heavily compensated for."
From his peripheral vision, he saw the Captain whip his head to look over at the Goblin in shock. Peter couldn't blame him, because this was honestly a first… never had he been offered a job from a criminal before. He usually got a shaken fist in his direction or the one-finger salute - and that's not to mention the curse words that usually accompanied those gestures. Despite himself, he actually found himself to be intrigued by the offer. And not just because he wanted to keep the Goblin talking...
"What sort of compensation are we talking here? Arcade tokens? Galleons? Monopoly dollars-?"
"You're weight in gold, if you wish it," The Big Man interrupted with a raised brow, "All I ask is one simple request in return… You can continue to play the hero - fight the good fight, team up with the rest of the Avengers and stop world-level threats…"
"Thanks for the permission-"
"But when it comes to the petty crime, I want you to simply take a step back. It's not too much to ask, really. You can just sit back and rest those sticky feet of yours for a change."
Peter let out an exaggerated gasp and made a show of 'clutching at his pearls'. "That's rude! I don't comment on the clamminess of your palms-"
"So, Spider-Man?" The Goblin said, ignoring Peter's jibe as he interrupted once again. "Are you in or are you out?"
Peter wasn't stupid. It didn't take much of a logical leap for him to guess at why The Big Man of Crime wanted Spider-Man to stop fighting petty crime. He obviously had a stake in the cut of all that was stolen from these low-tier criminals. And here, Peter thought that every low-level criminal he had fought had only been in it for themselves, when they had actually been a part of something larger - an organized crime ring that was lead by the man hovering before him.
It also didn't take much for him to deduce that Spider-Man got in the way of business by stopping all of these 'low-level' crimes - at least, that's how the Avengers labeled them as. But it seemed that Spider-Man got himself into the middle of something that was so much bigger than any of the Avengers even realized. It was enough for a criminal mastermind to come out from the shadows and confront him himself. Hell, to even try and offer him a job in order to get him to stop. Despite himself, a burst of pride swelled in his chest. All this time, he was truly making a difference. Every thug that he stopped on the streets caused a chink in the armor of an entire criminal enterprise, resulting in it becoming weaker and for the streets to become safer. For the first time in a long time, he felt that Uncle Ben would be proud of him and that Peter actually deserved that pride.
Getting serious, Peter's eyes strayed to Captain Stacy. The poor man looked on at Peter with something akin to wariness. Did he seriously think that he was going to accept the Goblin's offer? Or was he merely just fearful for his own life and didn't have faith that Spider-Man could save him? Either way, it seemed as though the Captain was trying to convey a message to him with his eyes. They were looking at him with such ferocity and depth that Peter couldn't help but take a moment to linger on them in order to try and grasp what the man was trying to say to him. The only thing that he was left was with a level of awe once again at the man's apparent lack of fear.
He seemed to be a good choice for Captain.
Finally, he gaze strayed back to the Goblin before he said, "It's you who's out, Gobby… Out of your mind."
"WRONG answer!"
Two things happened simultaneously. In a flash of time, the Goblin reached into his bag, produced a circular object that looked vaguely like an orange pumpkin, and flung it towards Peter.
At the same time, Peter finally saw his opening in this distraction on the Goblin's part. In a split-second decision, Peter finally launched himself off of the building and hurled himself into the air toward the dangling Captain Stacy.
The orange pumpkin suddenly produced rounded blades as it arched in the air like some sort of boomerang. From its trajectory, it was still coming after him as it rounded in the air. If he let it, the bladed object was going to catch him. He just had to make sure to be faster, lest he gets sliced to pieces.
From his momentum, Peter was able to dislodge Captain Stacy from the Goblin's steely grasp as soon as his lithe body collided into the older man. As soon as they made contact, Peter wrapped an arm securely around the Captain as they started the fall through the open air.
The crowd below gasped, horrified and intrigued by the 'show' that was being displayed to them from up above as they watched a masked hero and a police Captain potentially fall to their deaths.
Honestly, tourists…
Peter then released a long strand of webbing to the other side of skyscrapers on the opposite end of Times Square - effectively catching their fall. Their fall was also effective in dodging the bladed boomerang that the Goblin had thrown his way.
Cheers from the crowd below echoed up to the sky as Peter latched himself to the wall of another building. But he was far from out of the woods… he could feel it in the urgent tingle at the back of his spine. His spider-sense was still going crazy.
From his vantage point, he could see the Goblin turn on his glider slowly, a menacing grin grew on his green face.
Yes… this was far from over. But Peter couldn't fight yet. He first had to get Captain Stacy to safety.
"Are you alright, Sir?" Peter asked as he unlatched himself from the wall he was connected to. Before them, the Goblin was slowly advancing, like a lion that was stalking its prey. Why wasn't he rushing toward them? Advancing when it was obvious that Peter was currently occupied?
The Captain brushed off his question about his well-being as though it were nothing as Peter let them fall again for a moment before he released another web, trying to get to the ground in the safest form possible for the Captain. "That was a reckless maneuver you did there, Spider-Man. You could have-"
"Yes, yes, I know. I'm reckless and irresponsible," Peter dismissed as they finally landed on solid ground. Peter barely had a chance to steady the Captain on his feet before the surrounding crowd swarmed them as Peter released his life-saving hold on the Captain.
"Spider-Man!"
"Is it true what J. Jonah Jameson says about Coney Island?"
"Will the Avengers get back together?"
A spike of irritation shot through him coupled with another dose of his spider-sense hitting him. He shot a look upward, the Goblin was now hovering several stories right above where he stood, in his hands was another pumpkin that he was casually throwing up and down in his hand as though it were nothing but a baseball.
Peter shot his attention back to Captain Stacy, "You're a police officer, right?"
"I'm actually a Capt-"
"Yes, I know. Do your job, get this crowd out of here somehow! It's not safe."
Captain Stacy looked perturbed by the prospect of getting an order - especially from Spider-Man - but still, he managed to roll his eyes as he aqeuested to Peter's request. "You heard him, people! Move it along. Any people lingering within a hundred yards of these costumed weirdos, I will have arrested for loitering!"
With only a small amount of relief finding him at hearing this, Peter himself didn't loiter for another moment. He would just have to trust that the Captain knew what he was doing regarding crowd control. Because he didn't trust the Goblin for a second… there was a reason why he chose to hold this- standoff in such a crowded and public place. And now that Peter knew about those pumpkin doohickeys, he knew that there was a chance that a stray pumpkin could find its way to the crowd below - and that was only the potential accidental occurrence. Who's to say that the Big Man won't just deliberately throw his gadgets at the open crowd?
With unease in his chest, due mostly to the never-ending spider-tingle that coursed through his body, Peter leapt high in the air, not releasing a web until he was at eye-level with the Goblin. Now on equal footing without any hostages, Peter tried to take the initiative and swung in an upward arch in an attempt to kick the Big Man in the face. But to his surprise, the Goblin quickly dodged Spider-Man's fluid attack with a gleeful chortle. Peter swung past him in a shocked daze. It was a rare occurrence when someone managed to out-maneuver Spider-Man.
Peter rounded in the air on his webline, changing course back to the green madman who was still laughing with blithful triumph at Peter's missed mark.
"I've been watching you Spider-Man…" The Green Goblin admitted once he let go of his laughter. There was a sickening, derisive smirk while he eyed his form as Peter latched himself to the building once again. He needed a moment - a split-second to try and decipher the man before him. To try and calculate his next move before he advanced once again. "I've got months worth of footage on you, studying your style- your moves. I know about your preemptive ability, that you're able to sense danger before it even happens."
Peter couldn't stop his eye lenses from widening, giving away his apparent shock at hearing this statement tumble from the Big Man's lips. Peter could count on one hand the amount of people that knew about his spider-sense… the prospect that the Green Goblin knew about this ability was downright terrifying. What else did he know? His secret identity? No… if that were the case, he would have attacked Peter in his civilian clothes rather than set up this elaborate scheme in order to draw him out. But then again- his thought stopped short as the man before him smirked at the emotion Peter's mask had displayed. "Surprised? I can't see how… I wasn't made the ringleader of a criminal enterprise for nothing."
Peter could only swallow against a forming lump in his throat as he fought to compose himself. If the Goblin knew about his spider-sense… then did he also know how to get the jump on Peter? It was clear from the beginning that this was all some sort of grand trap, but Peter wasn't banking on actually getting caught within it… until this very moment, he hadn't considered it to be a possibility. He suddenly felt like a small fox, who's paw had just been snapped within the clutches of some sort of gruesome bear trap.
"I want to test those enhanced senses of yours," The Goblin mused, as though they were discussing the rules to what he thought to be a fun game. Perhaps to him, it was. He casually threw that pumpkin in his hand up and down again - catching and tossing, catching and tossing. Peter couldn't stop his eyes from tracking the movement of it. It was rather hypnotic to his senses, actually. "I've hidden twelve of my pumpkin bombs throughout Times Square."
An abrupt jolt shot through him at the casually said statement. The Goblin chuckled at his very obvious reaction to it.
"Yes, you heard me correctly. Bombs. And not the gas-infused ones that I used on the Police Precinct earlier."
Peter was listening, but his head was snapping all around the busy city center - looking for any sign of the twelve bombs. He didn't see anything. Instead, he couldn't help but notice that Captain Stacy was having a rather difficult time getting people to obey his commands of vacating the area. It seemed that the threat of arrest wasn't enough for some people when compared to a front-row viewing of a live-action superhero fight.
He could feel the blood drain from his face, sure that his cheeks were a ghostly white as he eyed the large crowd of people below… at the mercy of twelve bombs.
Dear Lord… Twelve bombs.
"They are set on a timer to go off in a coordinated fashion. Each one is set to go BOOM at its specific time - and with a touch of a button, you can deactivate each bomb. Yes, I've made it that simple for your small mind. If your… spider-sense can detect and deactivate them in the correct order, then you have proven yourself to be the hero that the people deserve. But if you miss one and it sets off…" The Goblin cut himself off with his most crazy and maniacal laughter yet. "Then you have proven yourself to be the FRAUD that we both know you are."
Peter's mind was whirring. If each bomb had already been set for a specific time, then- his eye lenses widened. It all suddenly clicked into place in his mind. That meant that he was wasting time!
The bombs have already started their countdowns.
He could see on the Green Goblin's face the moment that he saw that Peter realized. The feral grin cast in his direction was sickening.
Jumping out from the building in a blind panic, Peter immediately tried to hone in on his spider-sense as he fell through the air. It was difficult to pinpoint his spider-sense when it was currently flaring up like crazy. It honestly seemed like all around him was danger - that he was surrounded by it, drowning from it. He shook his head and closed his eyes as he let himself free-fall for a moment. Below he could hear cries from the crowd when he didn't immediately cast a web to catch himself, but he tried to drown out the noise. Instead, he looked within himself, trying to navigate through the constant tingling throughout his entire body that was trying to pull him in so many varying directions. It was like untangling a knotted ball of yarn… where he had to meticulously pull a single thread in order to begin to hope to make it a straight line again. Or, perhaps it better reminded him of a web… as ironic as that is. That he was a spider currently in the middle of a spiral web and he had to stop and feel the tethering pull from each webline in order to get to his prey. In order to do that, he had to feel and navigate which webline was the correct course and-
Without thinking, Peter's hand shot up and released a web, effectively catching his fall. Below, the crowd cheered but Peter didn't pay attention to that. No… instead, he was focused on the flag pole in the middle of the city center, which proudly displayed an American flag.
Peter expertly landed on the pole toward the top, where the ornament that usually sat at the tip of the pole had been replaced by an orange pumpkin bomb. He only allowed himself a mere second to study it. In the middle of the circular bomb was a circular button that was glowing a deep, angry red. His hesitation for that one second was palpable and felt as though it stretched on for years - but it stemmed from his deep mistrust of this madman.
What would happen if he pressed the button?
For that one moment, he couldn't stop the flash of the idea that he could potentially be opening Pandora's box by pressing that button.
But- he was sure that he was running out of time. There were eleven other bombs out there. So many lives could be at stake…
Trusting his instincts and the fact that he was sure that his spider-sense would stop him if his next action would actually cause danger, Peter pressed the button on the pumpkin bomb. With bated breath, he waited for something catastrophic to occur. But the only thing to change was that the red lit button on the orange bomb, went out completely.
He would've slumped with relief if he had the luxury of time in order to do so. He only took another moment to web up the bomb as a precaution. Then, Peter closed his eyes and let the tingle pull him, leading him to the location of the second bomb. It ended up being behind a billboard and after taking care of that one, he turned around on his perch to notice that the Green Goblin had followed him, lazily hovering close behind him in the air with a gleam in his eyes.
"So what's with the sadistic easter egg hunt?" Peter couldn't help but ask as he was slowly gaining confidence in his ability to track the bombs. He wondered how any of the other Avengers would fare in finding the bombs without the aid of a spider-sense ability? A prickle of pride stroked at his chest. Slowly, he could feel the tension in his shoulders relax as he released another web that would lead him to the third bomb after he finished deactivating the second.
The Green Goblin chuckled as he followed after Peter to his next target, which Peter could feel was at a higher altitude than the others so far… Peter started crawling up the side of one of the skyscraper buildings, sensing that the danger was pulling him toward the roof. "And here I thought you were paying attention…" The Goblin laughed, "This is an experiment to test your capability, or lack thereof. But now it's time to up the ante-"
Peter was very near to the top of the roof when his eyes widened in alarm. He just managed to dodge out of the way when a green fist slammed into the glass window he had just vacated, shattering it into a million tiny shard pieces.
But the Big Man didn't stop there - he wouldn't even give time to let Peter breathe or to allow for his mind to catch up to the situation. Because in a maneuver that was definitely not classified as ammature, the Green Goblin swiveled his whole body on that glider of his in a roundhouse kick that landed in a direct hit on Peter's left shoulder. The grip that Peter had on the side of the building slipped from the blow and he was falling... He fell in a daze for only a second before his hand snapped outward to connect to the wall once again with nothing but pure instinct saving him.
That was when the pain registered.
Flaring heat licked up his arm and down his neck toward the spot that had impacted his shoulder. The wound site stung so badly that his thoughts first went to think that he probably had one nasty bruise already from the attack. Because holy fuck did it hurt. It took a second for his mind to play catch-up before his eyes widened at the implication of this. The Green Goblin's kick had actually hurt. How? Why? What- Was it super strength? Did the Big Man also have enhanced abilities?
A vicious laugh escaped the Big Man as he aimed another blow, this time aiming for Peter's head. Peter flipped upward on the wall in order to avoid the clenched fist. The movement in his shoulder ached with blazing pain from the aburptness of his actions but it was better to cope with than what he imagined his head to be like currently if he hadn't moved at all. The window shattering below him from the Green Goblin's fist was a testament to that fact.
Then, in a brief juncture in time, both Spider-Man and the Green Goblin paused - Peter latched to the wall, looking down at the Goblin with his eye-lenses widened to the widest degree, and the Goblin… who was minutely craning his neck to look up at Peter with a slow and ferocious leer on that disgusting green face of his. They regarded each other for half a second, before-
"I'd run if I were you…" The Green Goblin said in the quietest tone of voice that Peter had heard from him since he had the displeasure of meeting him. The whisper of his gravelly voice sent a frigid wave down his spine. Peter forced himself to ignore it as he actually heeded the advice, as he turned and started outright sprinting up the wall. His every footfall left cracks in the glass under his feet as he ran. Behind him, he could hear the mechanical whirring of flying machinery that accompanied the sound of unhinged laughter. The Goblin was in full pursuit.
Peter was breathing heavily- scratch that, he was outright panting. And though it only took him less than a minute, it felt like years until he finally reached the ledge of the roof of the building. But Peter didn't stop running once he was on the roof and upright with gravity - no, he dashed with all of his might toward the air conditioning unit that sat on the skyscraper rooftop- where his spider-sense was directing him. But before he could reach it…
SLAM!
The collision of the Goblin's glider against his body knocked the wind out of him. For just a moment, Peter let himself fall to his hands and knees. He wheezed, gasping for breath as he watched the Big Man fly beyond him and started to circle Peter's prone form in a gloating manner. Like a Tiger that circled in on its prey.
If the fight were up to physicality alone, Peter knew that he was losing. The Green Goblin had already managed to hit him twice now, while Peter's one attempt at a kick had been out-maneuvered.
Peter could feel the heat in his eyes at the insurmountable irritation that he felt in the moment. The Green Goblin was lucky that Peter had to be so focused on these bombs. His hands balled into fists from where they lay against the concrete floor - and though the Goblin couldn't see the full extent of it, the state of Peter's narrowed gaze as he watched the madman fly about would at least give him a moment's pause before he tried anything again.
Without warning, Peter launched to his feet and bounded over to the air conditioning unit in a single leap. The effort caused strain on his sore body, but he clenched his teeth in an effort to ignore it. Not wanting to waste the time in trying to figure out any latches or screws in order to get the air conditioning unit open, Peter instead tore off one of the panels with relative ease. The orange pumpkin was easy to spot amongst all of the mechanical gray. He went to make a grab for it when his spider-sense went off inside of him in a sharp, jerky alert, which caused him to nearly jump out of his skin in reaction to it. Risking another second of potential danger, Peter chose to ignore his spider-sense as he extended his arm further in order to get the bomb in hand… which was the exact moment when another pumpkin shot through the air and crossed his way, this one with the boomerang knives that slashed easily into the skin of his forearm.
The temptation to cry out was immense but Peter managed to clench his teeth again and endure the pain. There was no way he wanted to give this fucker the satisfaction. In fact, he hated how unbalanced this fight actually was - if it could even be called a 'fight'. It felt more like a sadistic game of cat and mouse… There must be some way of swaying at least some of the odds to his favor. His normal tactic was to use humor and insults, as it not only distracted whoever he was fighting, but it also helped to keep Peter calm when he would otherwise be terrified out of his mind.
Which was exactly how he was feeling currently, though he was also trying to deny how scared he actually felt.
Peter swallowed heavily as he allowed his thumb to find the glowing red button on the bomb, effectively deactivating his third one. He racked his mind for thoughts of what could be said or done to help him get some advantage here - no matter how miniscule it would seem.
"Nice throw," He said, finally.
Ugh. That wasn't exactly what he had in mind. He swallowed and ventured out to try again as he started running toward the ledge of the building. With a giant leap out into the open air, Peter released a web immediately this time - his intended destination was the building on the other side of the heavily populated streets. The whirring sound from behind him told Peter that he was still being pursued. He licked his chapped lips beneath his mask before he blurted-
"Ok, but seriously… What is up with your costume?" Peter jibed, trying to get a feel for where it was exactly that he was going with this. He allowed himself a moment to look back over his shoulder to survey the costume that his enemy chose to sport - covered in green and purple from head to toe, the next words just blurted out of Peter's mouth before he could stop them. "You got a Baby Bop fetish or something?"
For a split second, it almost seemed like Peter had managed to finally surprise him, but then he was disappointed when the Green Goblin laughed as he gained momentum on his glider, closing the distance between them. "What if I told you that my fetish was actually drawing the blood of my enemies?"
Peter blinked. The way that he said it told him that the Big Man was being entirely truthful in his confession. Bile rose from his stomach at the thought as he watched the Green Goblin slowly lick his lips from out of the corner of his eye. What sort of sick fuck was this guy? "See… I usually don't judge people's bedroom habits, but even that is a bit too much for me. Can't you just admit that you are a part of the furry community and we can call it a day?"
Peter landed on a wall right above an awning near the street. The crowd nearest to him cheered in delight at his sudden proximity as Peter clenched his jaw. What the hell was Captain Stacy doing, anyway? The bomb was sitting at the very end of the edge, teetering to the point where it was threatening to fall over. So close to all of these unsuspecting people. Peter launched a webline to the bomb and forced it back to him with the momentum of his strength. Peter immediately caught it in his hand.
"Aww… does Spider-Man not want to play?" The Green Goblin swung a fist but this time, he missed as Peter was anticipating the attack this time and flipped out of range with ease. "It hurts that you aren't more… open minded. Perhaps it is time to educate you."
Pressing the red button on the bomb, Peter was in the process of webbing it up as he responded, "Hasn't anyone ever told you that no mean no-"
RAM!
SMACK!
POW!
He couldn't stop the groan of pain this time at the triple attack. The world around him spun for a moment and he very nearly lost his grip again - and he would have if he wasn't currently clinging to the wall with all of his might. For what seemed like an hour, Peter sat slumped against wall with his eyes closed as he contemplated how exactly he had gotten to this point. It was difficult to detect the Goblin's onslaught of attacks when his spider-sense was trying to warn him of the danger all around him. He felt as though he were being tugged in so many different directions, that he could hardly keep it all straight when he was trying to focus on finding the next bomb.
Slowly, awareness came back to him in the form of cries from the crowd that had previously cheered for him.
"Spider-Man! Spider-Man, can you hear us?"
"He looks hurt!"
"Are you alright, Spider-Man?"
Minutely, Peter lifted his head as he blinked down at the crowd. A lot of them had their phones out and pointed at him, no doubt live-streaming the entire thing. Did they not know of the danger? Could they not sense it? He had to get them out of here. He had to at least warn them.
"G-Get out of her-"
He cut himself off as he sensed the Goblin's approach once again. And with all of his might, Peter tried a preemptive strike of his fist toward the green psychopath. But he wasn't fast enough - his head was still spinning and his body spasmed in pain with his every movement. Instead of making a hit on the Big Man's chest like he intended, the man managed to catch his fist in his open palm before returning a similar punch to Peter's own chest. The assault sent him sailing through the air from the impact and Peter couldn't stop the cry that escaped his lips.
It hurt like hell. All of it. Everything. But there was at least one benefit to the Goblin's hit… it sent Peter far enough away from the Goblin that he could begin to find all of the other bombs again. Mid-air, almost to the point of falling, Peter released a webline in order to do just that.
But it seemed that no matter where Peter went, the Green Goblin was there too… where his abuse against Peter increased with intensity with each bomb he managed to find.
Peter had never been so bruised and beaten in his entire life. Not even crashing an airplane on the beaches of Coney Island felt this awful. The pain was so excruciating, that he couldn't believe that he was still upright. The only things that must be keeping him going were adrenaline and pure will-power.
When the twelvth and final bomb was found and deactivated, Peter finally felt that he could breathe easy.
He'd done it.
He'd won.
Peter staggered slightly on his feet while on top of one of the rooftops. His right arm was wrapped protectively around his torso - which he was suspecting to have broken ribs. He also had suspicions about his left wrist having a similar condition… He watched with a wary eye as the Green Goblin hovered around him in the air.
It was time to fight.
Peter didn't know how, but he somehow had to find the strength to keep going. He had to fight back now that the crowd below was finally safe. Because this bastard belonged in a cellblock of his own at the Avengers compound.
"I've beat your test," Peter called out, the taste of blood in his mouth from where it ran down from his broken nose, "Is this where I get an A and get named Valedictorian of the Avengers?"
The Goblin tittered as the circle that he was flying around him tightened minutely. "I must thank you, Spider-Man. You've given me all of the information that I needed and more."
This stopped Peter short of the retort that had been on the tip of his tongue. "I… What do you mean by that?"
The Big Man chuckled deeply to himself. "That's for me to know and for you- well, you know the rest."
"How about you fly a little closer and I'll tell you what I really know?" Peter yelled forcefully. His endless circling reminded him of a vulture about to land on its dead prey. But Peter was far from done. He was angry enough to feel like he actually had a chance of subduing the madman. "Better yet, why don't you come down here and we can spar like real men. Or are you trying to compensate for something by hiding behind all of those gadgets?"
In response, the Goblin did as Peter requested and actually flew down until he landed on top of the rooftop. He watched with wide eyes as the man stepped off of his glider and held his arms out wide as if in a form of welcome. "It'd be my pleasure to play your little game, Spider-Man."
With that, the Green Goblin advanced and the fight began, Peter's spider-sense going berserk throughout the entire spar.
Peter gave as good as he got, and depending on how injured he actually was, he was surprised that he had managed to punch the Goblin right in the face twice, not to mention the knee he had administered to the other man's gut. He found out pretty quickly that his webbing did not hold the Goblin for long. His super strength saw to it that he was able to tear through the emboldened threads after a small amount of struggle. But that was usually when Peter was able to go for the face. Hell, the way that he was feeling right now, he was tempted to go for the groin.
"This game is not so fun now that you're on the receiving end, huh?" Peter hissed after he retaliated a kick to the Big Man's side. Sometime during the fight, a bit of Peter's mask had torn so that a corner of his mouth was exposed. He could feel the blood from his nose dripping down his face. It probably would have started to heal by now if the Goblin didn't keep giving licks to his face - which seemed to be his favorite target.
The Goblin laughed as he staggered back from the blow, such a contradicting response that it left Peter a bit stunned, if not truly questioning the man's sanity.
"This is the most fun that I've had in years, actually," The Green Goblin wiped at his face with his forearm, before casting a wide grin Peter's way. "I find you most interesting, Wall-Crawler. If only you hadn't been so stubborn to your ideals and accepted my offer… You and I could have gone far together."
"I'm touched, Pickle-Puss," Peter said dryly as he started to advance in staggering steps of his own. "Next, I'll be hearing love poems from you."
When he was only a foot away, Peter administered a kick straight to the Goblin's jaw that caused the man to fall to his knees. He watched as the man coughed before he spit out blood. The Goblin then turned and flashed Peter a bloody smile.
"In fact, maybe I write one for you, just so you have an example," Peter said, trying not to shiver at the disturbing sight before him. There was some level of him that knew that the only reason why he was talking at the moment was to make himself feel better. He had already learned that his words hardly had any affect on the psycho before him.
"Dear Spider-Man," Peter began as he hurled a fist at the Goblin's right cheek - the benefit of which caused the man's face to turn away so that Peter wouldn't have to keep seeing his bloody teeth. "Though my loins burn with a passion for my furry addiction, I cannot hold back my admiration for you-"
"-And though you are the scum between my toes," The Green Goblin interjected as he swung his legs in a low-sweep kick that landed Peter on his back, his breath vacating his lungs, "I find you to be a peculiar specimen."
The Green Goblin got up on two feet as he stood over Peter. His green boot then came up and rested on Peter's chest, pressing him down into the concrete. Peter coughed, and his voice came out wheezing. "That's not quite as romantic as I was expecting. How abou-"
BOOM!
Peter's entire being froze and his head swiveled to see the flames of an explosion that had occurred behind the Mega Screen that oversaw Times Square. Below, there were hollars of surprise from the surrounding crowd.
His head snapped back over to look at the Goblin above him, who was smiling down at him with that feral, bloody smile.
"Did I say twelve bombs? Twelve… Thirteen… I've always been bad with the technicalities."
The groaning of metal from the Mega Screen's support caught Peter's attention and he watched in panic as the large screen started to sway.
It was going to fall.
Peter made to get up, but the Goblin's boot dug into his pectorals, forcing him back down. A spike of adrenaline from the fear that he felt for all of those people shot through his veins. And Peter's arm shot up and made a direct hit to the man's kneecap. The Goblin actually hissed in pain from this maneuver and it gave Peter just enough freedom to wiggle out from underneath his boot.
Peter rolled his body onto his hands and knees before he was staggering to his feet, making his way toward the ledge of the building. The screen was now tilting forward over the busy city center.
He leapt with all of his might out in the open air, releasing a web immediately in his panic to get to the screen immediately.
Gravity was gaining momentum with the large screen. The advertisement now flickered out from its broadcast.
That was when he heard the distinct snap of metal and tethers breaking their hold.
The Mega Screen was now falling, starting its descent into the crowd below.
"NO!" Peter screamed as he pushed his body further. The people seemed to just be realizing what was occurring and cries of panic could be heard even from his vantage point.
He landed on the building at last and Peter cast his weblines immediately toward the Mega Screen that was gaining momentum in its fall to the ground. People below were only just starting to run, having been gawking in shock as they stood frozen in place. The sweet taste of success swelled within him when his webbing connected to the screen. His muscles strained and ached with the effort when his weblines pulled taut, stopping the screen in the air. When-
WHAM!
The hit landed right on the side of his head, with the force of speed that the Goblin gained from his glider. Peter very nearly dropped the screen from the attack, but he somehow held on, his knuckles white with the effort.
Peter closed his eyes tight, praying that the crowd below would get out of the way soon… he didn't think that he could hold on much longe-
BAM!
Another blow was struck on the other side of his head. The webline in his fists slipped an inch before Peter grasped even tighter on his hold. He blearily opened his eyes. His vision was now fuzzy… and there was a distinct blackness along the edges of his vision. The world was starting to spin and-
POW!
Another strike to the head. The hold that he had on his webbing released. Darkness was slowly creeping in. He could feel his body leaning forward as the world around him spun like he was on a nightmare carousel that he couldn't get off of.
That was when he felt fingers wrap themselves around his throat. All of the colors around him blended together like water-color as he felt himself being lifted into the air by his throat.
An overwhelming crash sounded from below from where the Mega Screen impacted with the concrete. He wasn't even in the right state of mind to think on whether he had managed to save everyone or not. No, instead, he was struggling to breathe as the darkness in his vision kept creeping in more and more. His one hand instinctively came up to claw at the hold on his throat but the Green Goblin only laughed at his pitiful efforts.
"You've failed, Hero!" The Green Goblin gloated, his voice becoming even more gravelly in his boastful pride. Peter shut his eyes tight as he gasped for air. "Not one can stop THE GREEN GOBLIN!"
'This isn't happening,' Peter thought, 'This can't be happening!'
But it was. This was his reality. At the mercy of this tyrant.
"PUT him down!" A new voice demanded, reaching Peter in the darkness. He blearily blinked open his eyes. He was still in the Goblin's hold as he held him as a shield in front of his body - to protect himself as they faced down against the newest arrival…
"Mr. Stark," Peter rasped desperately as he felt tears come to his eyes, mixing with the blood that was stained on his face.
The blurry outline of the Iron Man suit was easily recognizable to Peter's desperate gaze, as was the sight of Tony's glowing palm where he was aiming the repulsors directly at them. Peter struggled once again against the hold that the Goblin had on his throat, which only resulted in the fingers to tighten. He gasped as his limited air was restricted even more.
"I said let him GO!" Tony demanded through the robotic tint of voice that he always had while in the suit. Peter had never before heard him sound so furious. Not even when Peter had nearly sunk the ferry. Not even against Captain America. He wished that he could speak, just so he could tell Tony how sorry he was. Tell him that he tried, but in the end the Goblin was right - He had failed.
Tony's palm glowed even brighter, threateningly. "Now! Drop him!"
The Green laughed maliciously as he backed up a few feet on his glider. Tony matched those few feet in equal measure as he flew closer. The Goblin stopped when he was right at the edge of the building. The darkness was now quickly overcoming Peter with each passing second. And the last thing that he heard before the darkness conquered him was "Drop him, you say? As you wish-"
The hold on his throat was released… and Peter knew no more.
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A/N: I hope that The Big Man reveal was all that you were waiting for and more! I think it's safe to say that Peter underestimated the Goblin. Also, this chapter was difficult to write, not going to lie.
Please leave me a comment/review on your thoughts and predictions. Thank you all so much for your support and patience.
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