So, I just wanna apologoize for being gone for OVER A MONTH, family issues and problems make it hard to focus on a story. But, I shall prevail! and, with things dialed down and calm I may be able to plan, write, and enjoy my story. I don't know, maybe. OOF. But, before I get into that lets start something new, acknowledgements!
ThePurpleSpider: Oh you were defintitely wrong! :) Thank you so much! And, I hope to not be gone that long again. Though the fact people are paying attention and reading my story inspires me!
Neovandaelous: Give in to the thirst! I'll be happy to make everyones lives happier in this story, but you're never quite sure what might happen... Only time shall tell 0.0
The scene opens up with Peter's hands over a young woman's eyes while she giggled, her soft and gentle hands sitting on his forearms as he leads her into a room. She smiled big and walked with caution in each foot step from the lack of her eye sight while questioning the boy as to where exactly did he plan on taking her. A question that he dodged in return.
"So how was your day Gwen?" Peter replied.
"I'm serious Pete, where exactly are we going?" she aid with a nervous chuckle to which Peter reassured her. Placing a kiss onto her rosey and delicate cheek while slowly leading her through a doorway and halting their movement with a smile.
"Uh, are we there yet?" she asked of her boyfriend. Peter moved his hands from over her eyes, and the young woman continued to hold them closed for a second before opening them calmly and recieving a surprise that made her eye lashes flutter. A hand of hers moving in front of her mouth as she gasped before succumbing to a loss of words. It was Aunt May's dining room, dimly lit and complimented with the aroma of scented wax accompanied by the beautiful orange flickering flames from the candles. A perfectly snow white table cloth covering the wooden furniture to which they dined on. Peter leaned in and sat his chin on her shoulder while hugging the woman to which he held like no one else. She laughed and turned her face towards him as her lips pecked his and the both of them found theirselves unable to hide away a grin.
"Oh, Peter this is wonderful. You shouldn't have-"
"Nonsense, only the best for the best girl in the world~" stated our brunette protagonist. He walked over and gently grabbed the edges of a chair that he then offered his lovely girlfriend. She walked over to the seat and adjusted her skirt before she sat down and Peter pushed her chair towards the table.
"No seriously, it would've been fine to just go out somewhere."
Gwen put a hand on Peter's arm before he could get his chair and looked him in the eyes. "Aren't you tired? I don't want you rushing from work just for things like this" she told her boyfriend with a solemn ring in her voice.
"Gwen it's alright, I explained the situation to ol' Jameson and he let me off earlier today"
"Really?" she asked.
"Well yeah" Peter looked off to the side for a moment as a thought came to mind.
"If swinging off while things were slow counts? then yeah. But, maybe it's best she doesn't know that I skipped out on some work"
Peter grabbed a couple of plates that looked of fairly decent quality. He placed one in front of Gwen and opened up the dish to show her what supper for tonight would be.
"I hope the meal will satisfy your desires Ms. Stacy~"
Gwen gave a joyful bit of laughter in return before looking towards Peter and answering that "Yes" the meal would be perfect no matter what. He smiled at this, and then proceeded to take a seat with this beautiful woman before him. That was until the perfect night was interrupted when the crackling of a thundurous boom filled the neighborhood's silent streets. Gwen whipped around and stared towards the front door with a frightened face.
"Oh my god what was that?" Stacy questioned as she sat in her seat and looked to the livingroom window. Peter instinctively reached into his pocket and felt around for his mask, stepping up and heading over.
"I need to make sure Aunt May is alright, stay here!" he shouted as the boy ran out of the door without a second thought while ignoring Gwen's please to bring her with him. She chased after her love and swung open the door and darted to the front only to find Peter nowhere in site. Shaking hands on her chest while she stood alone in the Parker's front lawn.
Xavier's Mansion
Peter suddenly woke up and with widened eyes found himself alone in bed. His eyes rested and the boy layed there just reminiscing on the dream while the emotional weight creeped into his heart. Rolling over onto his back and now staring up to the ceiling, or perhaps upward to his thoughts. A sigh left the boy's lips as he finally spoke.
"I'm not getting anymore sleep am I?..." he questioned himself.
Peter rose up from his sleeping postition and began to stretch in an attempt to loosen up the nerves and muscles, a yawn in his voice while he looked towards the clock and read aloud "3 am". He wasn't sure of what to make for his dream, as it was a combination of a memory and lingering thoughts. He pushed the excess hair out of his face and rubbed the back of his cranium while stretching out his neck.
"I need some air" the boy stated as he reached under his bed and pulled out the suitcase to which he hid the costume in. He casually slipped on his red and blue second skin before leaping out of the window and heading towards the city of Bayville.
The scene reopens with a sight of Spider-Man swinging across the black skies as the stars danced with him in the moonlight. His body contorts and bends within the air while performing his acrobatic stunts to the joy of the bystanders down below who were out for midnight runs or strolls.
With a flip spidey landed on the side of a building and there he begins to think again. A loud and obnoscious sigh leaves him as he lays his back against the brick wall and he looked up to the black cover shrouded over the city. He usually needed a good swing around the town whenever he was in a mood or had heavily conflicting emotions. The acrobatics and freedom of a silent night was calming and just felt so natural as well as right. The boy stood up and walked along the side of the wall in a moderate pace while his arms sat folded.
"I'm honestly at a lost for words" the boy said to himself, "Please something, anything come take my attention elsewere!"
A statement that coincidently was followed by a crash coming from a shop's window nearby.
"Wow, Aunt May always said be careful what you wished for, should probably heed the warning" our hero joked before shooting off one of his signature web lines and swinging over to investigate.
At the scene of the crime Spider-Man somersaults over the ledge of a building and gracefully perches onto a street light below.
"Now, what lunatic is blowing up jewlery stores at this hour?" he asked himself. Though at that moment the culprits seemed to be rushing out of the store already, an older man of average height with blonde hair stood outiside the door. Freezing in place when he saw Spider-Man as he stared with wide eyes into our hero's lenses that glowed in the moonlight.
From his facial expressions Spidey assumed the guy didn't plan on running into the Spider, nobody here really plans on him interrupting their crimes.
"Well, from the look of things you didn't see me being here now did ya? If it helps I could swing off and come back so you could have a do over." Spider-Man gracefully leaned over the ledge and began to repel upside down. The crook grabbed the bag at his hip in a hopeless effort to protect the goodies he just plundered. Then, out came a younger accomplice, looking to be around Spidey's age while sporting blonde hair with bright red lips. Her blue eyes widening at the vigilante before them.
"Tabby! Keep the freak off of me while I get the car" Shouted the older man.
"Yeah yeah Dad! I know!" the young lady shouted back with a krinkled nose and narrowed eyes.
"Woah, I see you crooks like to start em' early huh? You got her doing drills before or after school?" he joked as a line of strong webbing grabbed a hold of and yanked onto one of the older man's legs which bounding him to our Spider-Man's grasp. The wall crawler then began to reel in his prey before a sudden blaring of his spider-sense warned the boy. He looked towards the trouble and found the girl tossing palm sized balls in his direction, objects that lead to the wall crawler back flipping onto the ground below. A boom coming shortly after that practically destroyed the perch he was comfortable hanging from a second ago.
"Huh, I've dodged my fair share of explosives dear. And, I gotta say, I'm not a fan" Spidey then pressed down on his two middle fingers and shot a web ball at the girl. The sticky white substance connecting with her hands and binding them together as he then did the same to her legs to prevent her from causing anymore property damage and to keep himself safe. She squirmed while messing around with her bindings in a fruitless effort to break free from the strong ties. A grit in her teeth as she whipped around and found her father to be running off into a dark alley way, leaving her to face the consequences of their actions alone.
"Dad! Dad!" no answer came from him while the sound of his foot steps echoed out into the streets. "Daddy?..." she said once more before her eyebrows furrowed and a lonesome sigh escaped those ruby lips. Spider-Man having whitnessed the whole thing decided it was best not to say anything on the matter to her and leaped off into the alley in an attempt to catch the other guy. He landed on a nearby wall and then jumped onto another while traversing through a fire escape as he was following the sound of this man's pattering footsteps. Footsteps that then came to a sudden hault when he found himself in a dead end with no place to climb or escape from the Spider. So he began to try to pry a back door open.
"Hey, I think someone's behind you."
"Huh?" shouted the man.
WHAM
And, Spider-Man laid the man out with one punch that sent him face first into a pile of garbage and unconcious. "You know, that look suites you" he quipped.
"I could say the same about this view~" said a mysterious female from above as her familiar sultry voice filled Spidey's ears.
"Cat. What are you doing here?" Spider-Man asked the cat burglar from before. Her pink lips shaped into a innocent smile as her perfect teeth shined like the snow white fur placed around her outfit. She effortlessly jumped down from her perch and landed on all fours before standing up seductively. With his guard up Spider-Man back flipped onto the nearest wall while she playfully placed a single hand over her collar bone, which sat above her costume's exposed cleavage as she tilted her head.
"Would you believe me if I said I'm going straight Spider?~"
Our hero shook his head and then responded back "I wouldn't really be inclined to no." Black Cat gave a fake sigh as she walked backwords and sat on the top of a garbage can, staring the Spider-Man up and down before flipping her hair to one side.
"Well you see this town fortunately didn't have much of a super hero pressence like Manhattan or The Big Apple. Then you came along, and with you around it's much harder for us thieves.~ And well, as of right now I just happened to be in the neighborhood-"
"With a list of shops to 'visit' no doubt" Spider-Man interrupted.
"Don't tempt me~" she retorted as her legs crossed towards the Spider. "But I really was simply out at the time, stretching my legs. And then I heard the commotion and when I arrived I saw this bozo running down an alley and WHAM! There you were and there you took care of him.~" The woman placed both hands beside her and hopped to her feet gracefully as her arms reached above into a stretch and Spider-Man webbed up the guy and pulled him up towards to where he sat on the wall, slinging the unconcious criminal over his shoulder.
"Little guy should leave it to the pros~... All chumps like him do is give us a bad rep, 'No honor among thieves', 'Threat or Menace', etc.-"
"Are you sure you should be including me in that statement?"
"Details, Details... They're not always that important. But, onto some actually very important matters, you go ahead and take this jerk back. Leave him for the cops, me and you have much to discuss Spider.~" Cat jumped from where she was onto the window of the third floor of an apartment building before winking towards the web slinger and pouncing to the roof. Spidey having both crooks caught now returned to the crime scene. The girl still laying there and struggling as he sat them up for the cops to arrive from the alarms, and then he returned to the black Cat in search of answers. And, to his surprise she did keep to her word as she waited patiently for the hero.
She laid on her stomach with her head resting upon the back of her hands like a pillow while her feet swayed back and forth in rhythm. A satisfied smile spread across her face as she looked up and made eye contact with him.
"So, what is it you wanted to talk about?" Spidey asked.
Cat rolled over onto her back and looked directly at him before rolling backwards and springing herself up and onto her feet. "I figured we could go out on the town together~... Maybe have just a little bit of fun showing off to the bystanders what we can do. What we are capable of~" she offered with a purr with hands clasped behind her back as she casually strolled across the roof top awaiting his answer.
"You don't say?" he questioned.
"Awe, why so skeptical?~" she teased.
"Because, I'm like... ninety percent sure that's not what you came for" Spider-Man replied.
She gave a fake gasp with her signature smile before replying "Oh whatever do you mean?"
"What you said back there, 'no honor among thieves' kinda gave it away" he replied. Cat looked at him through her lashes with nothing but a contempt smile. "Your brief 'appearance' on the news combined with the fact you definitely saw what went down at the shop. Leads me to believe you've been watching me, which I have some mixed feelings about. Not sure if I should call it creepy or flattering?"
"Look at you, brawn and brains~... But yeah, maybe a little" she replied.
"So, what is it you're really after then Black Cat" Spider-Man asked again with crossed arms.
"Awww, fine. Well since you asked so nicely I supposed I could fill you in on a little something Spider, a little secret~... I'm out here for my boss, he's interested in meeting someone of your 'variety' " Cat answered.
" 'Variety'?"
"He's seen the way you fight, the way you move~. So agile and precise, the type of stuff he likes to see under his leadership so to speak. He wanted me to get your attention and bring you aboard for a generous offer, and I do mean, generous~."
Spider-Man looked at her with his arms still crossed and his head cocked to the side, it wasn't the first time someone tried to get him under the payroll. But, he didn't expect it to come so soon after getting back into the ol' webs. "Are you serious?"
"He's not one to make jokes Spider, when he says something, he most definitely means it" she replied with a smirk.
"Well, I'm not one for dissapointment, and I don't exactly remember scheduling an appointment with crazy mobster number 2, but at least its free. It is free right?"
Black Cat snickered at the web slinger's sense of humor and leaned back against the ledge of the building before replying "Play your cards right, and he'll be paying you Spider."
"Hm, well then I don't see why not?" His reply was a good one, and the thief free fell backwords with closed eyes before swinging off.
"Then lets go!~"
The Boss Pent House
Spider-Man and Black Cat were swinging down the street as she purposely went for flips and tricks in an attempt to try and pull our hero into doing the same. And, he bit the bait maybe once or twice just for the fun of it. Cat then performed a corkskrew and went for a graceful landing onto a fire escape which lead to Spider-Man doing the very same thing too as he stuck to the flooring upside down and went to see what was up.
"Hey, why did we stop?"
"Just thought I should fill ya in Spider. He's a very important man. I advise you treat him with respect before he ruins what that pretty face looks like underneath."
"Eh, I'm not worried about him. You've seen one crime lord you've seen them all."
"Suit yourself Spider, his pent house is right up here" said Black cat as she took off and grappled her way upwards before being followed by the hero she was leading. He told himself to be on his gaurd and cautious when entering enemy territory. His spider-sense was definitely his most important asset in the moment as he slung himself in through the open window and landed directly on the cieling within this man's office.
"My spider-sense isn't giving so much as a peep right now" our wall crawler thought to himself as the man turned around in his swivel chair. His hands were clasped together and his mind deep in thought as the web head entered his domain, his sacred space. Spider-Man looked around, and found the room to be the usal for a modern pent house, and the modern vibes came with everything that just spelled rich. A computer well above Spidey's pay grade, shiny floors and office furniture that screamed 'professional' whenever one looked at them for more then a second. Ten foot windows to admire the view from their swivel chair and one pool table with perfectly set up balls.
"Hello Spider-Man" the man had said.
Spider-Man dropped from the cieiling and casually landed into one of the available chairs within the room. "And hello to you dark and mysterious. So who may I have the pleasure of meeting this afternoon?" he asked.
"The name's Lonnie Lincon. I've been intrigued to meet a man of your-"
" 'Variety' right?" Spider-Man said.
"Indeed, So you know of my offer?"
"Cat made sure to disclose the details, seems to me you're looking for another lacky?"
"More of a 'partner' really. You're an interesting one Spider-Man, agile, fast, strong... A formidable force to be reconned within a brawl" the man replied as he stood up from his chair. And, once more of him was in view Spidey could get a good look of the man running things around here. A tall and well built albino man with short silver hair that matched his pale skin tone. He wore his clothes in particular fashion, rolled sleeves to his button up shirt and suspenders connected to his dress slacks. His walk was an extension of how he carried himself with dignity and descipline in each step he was taking while making his way around the office.
"Yeeeah... and what exactly do you offer that I haven't heard of before?" Spider-Man asked.
"I offer you the ability to get paid for this 'hero' gig of yours."
"Really?"
"I like what you do Spider-Man. You're a man of code and many talents, dedicated to your cause day and night. Respectable traits." Lonnie walked towards a window and stared down towards the masses as he spoke, a reflection of himself and his guest in the mirror.
"But what's the catch? WAIT, let me guess, play body guard for you and your admirers? Or maybe you want me to perform a few heist here and there with cat lady back there?" Spider-Man said as Black Cat threw a wave towards him.
"If you work for me, I won't require physical labor of any sort. I have men that get paid for that, and they earn their pay well. What I'll need of you is arguably more important. To do no more then what you have already been doing previosly, with a few modifications."
"Modifications?" Spider-Man asked. The question inciting Lonnie Lincon to bring his point in a more hands on approach as he reached down and lowered himself back into his chair. He firmly held the handle a metallic briefcase from the right side of his desk, lifting the baggage with one hand and slapping it onto the table with a heavy thud. A stoic face looked our hero dead in his eyes before spinning the case around and revealing its luggage to his guest. Spidey glanced at the cash inside and for a moment examined the money from his seat as Lonnie proceeded to further drive his offer home.
"Ten Grand, it's but a small fraction of what you could make within our partnership. And, it's a fraction that'll be all yours at this very moment if you agree to the condition I'll explain in a moment."
Spidey was speechless for a second, it was a lot of money at once for someone within the finacial lower class such as him. He didn't have much to say based on what Lonnie was telling him, but he knew the deal seemed almost TOO good to be of any use to him.
"And that is?"
"Any crime I so choose you step aside, My boys are not to be harmed and all you have to do is let them do their job. If you comply to that task you will earn forty percent of whatever that job makes. Each and everytime you do this you'll bring money into your pocket for letting one or two go under the radar. A deal where you get to be the hero and the benefactor, reaping in some due respect for your hardwork."
"Woah."
"It's an offer I only give once, and if all goes well between our deal... I am a bargaining man, and values are open to increase down the line once we've grown a mutual trust between us." Spider-Man however remained silent at the final comment, a silence that did not please the man behind his chair. "You seem to have thoughts, you may speak them if you wish."
Spider-Man nodded before speaking his mind.
"Yeah, I have some stuff on my mind. I'm just kind of stuck on this one thought, just one thing I'm wondering..." he stood up from his chair and placed a hand to his chin, as if he was massaging an imaginary beard. "Like, I don't know... Just how you actually thought I would agree to that?"
Lonnie's face remained unfazed as the wall crawler continued on "So, I just blindly agree to let any crook of the day roam free because you said so? Sorry, not my style, got to keep my neighborhoods friendly you know?" Lonnie proceeded to close the case with a sigh, placing it under his desk while listening to our hero's ramblings.
"It is a shame we couldn't come to an agreement."
"Yeah real shame, but dissapointment is just one of my many skills Lonnie. Mind if I call ya Lonnie?" The man looked at Spider-Man with a blank stare as he fixed the tie around his neck, not bothering to confirm the question or even acknowledge it.
"I've done this dance before, Willie made it very clear that you can't just punch your way through a business man such as yourself. So you're safe for now 'partner'." Spidey shot a web line towards the window and made one comment towards Black Cat before leaving. "You should get better management, guy's a looney." And, with that he zipped out of the window and was off into the cool night. Black Cat now alone with Mr. Lincoln turned towards her boss with a look of unease from how things had went down with the Spider.
"Uhm... Well-"
"No need for words , I figured he wouldn't take the offer when I gave it to him."
"Wha-... Then why?"
Lonnie silently turned his chair back around towards the window while he had took in the sight of the Spider-Man below, the wall crawler looking up into the sky at the pent house he just left as he then lept off into the distance.
"In business one must try to make allies of potential enemies, I gave him the choice to be of the same thread. But, as expected, the boy would rather play the long game without seeing the big picture. A game more often bloody and lonesome then not. You know Fisk had offered a deal for me to kill him where he stood? A good sum of money to rid him of anymore red suited pesk in his life."
"And you turned it down because?-"
"Enemies into allies. The more cards you have in your hand, the more options available to you when making a play. Of course, I don't expect you to think about these things. Your job has a much more shorter frame of time when compared to mine, and it's a job you excell at." With a clap of his hands Black Cat jolted as the doors behind her had opened up and a single goon came walking through. He held a tablet in hand and offered it to the lady before him, and she took the device as she followed along. The screen came on as it prepared to begin displaying what Lonnie would mention to her next.
"For your hardwork tonight I took the liberty of compensating your troubles with bringing to me or guest."
She saw her name and bank account for business, it had just increased by five grand since the last time she saw it. The silver haired woman looked towards her boss and smiled before placing the thing under her arm and giving a salute to the man she worked for. Taking the liberty to walk out of the office in good spirits as she had gotten her fill of a thrill tracking down the Spider, and quick paycheck for the simple task.
"Goodbye , do enjoy the rest of your night."
Xavier Mansion
Peter came in through the window like usual, stretching out muscles while a yawn escaped his breathe as he slipped out of the suit and threw on some comfortable clothes. A simple pair of shorts and a Tshirt did wonders for anyone who regurally went through the work outs he did running along rooftops and slinging webs.
"The crazies just keep getting crazier these days huh?" Peter said while rubbing an eye. sudden knock came hitting on his door which took him by surprise, a quick glance at the clock only causing even more confusion as "6:11 am" wasn't exactly a time for socializing. He walked over to the door and attempted to offe up his best "I just woke up" impressionfor whoever was there. Only, the ruse somewhat faded when he found Logan himself standing at the door and he wasn't looking that happy in the slightest.
"Uh, Isn't it a lit-"
"Come on Parker, Professor and the rest of the staff wants to see you asap."
Peter was even more baffled, scratching the back of his neck while his mouth sat open with a small gap. He couldn't find the words to exactly use for the occasion as it was kind of stacking on top of the thoughts rolling around about Lonnie Lincoln. So, Logan helped to "encourage" the boy as he pushed the door further open and threw a han up with the thumb pointing towards the hallway. "Okay, okay. I get it, I'm coming" Peter responded.
The two began walking down the hallway and then down the stairwell while Peter's mind was running at full speed. "Okay, what's going on with tonight? I get a nightmare and I can't sleep. So I go out on a swing and evil business man number two wants to hire me. THEN, I get back here and not to much later He-man comes busting down my door after all of that!" Peter looked towards the man while deep in thought "Something's up, he seemed more irritated then usual... I swear if Bobby played a prank and blamed me for it..."
The two walk into the observation deck near the danger room and Peter is met with all the staff just as Logan said, Ororo, Hank, and Charles all waiting for the two. Peter walked in carefully and visibly was uneasy with the situation as he tried to not lead on any thoughts that he was nervous. Though it wasn't a very convincing act as Hank tried to calm down the boy from where he was.
"It's okay , we all just have a few questions in need of answers."
"Well ask away I guess."
"Alright, I found an anomily in your blood. The DNA sequences are quite... 'unique' "
"How so?" asked Peter.
"Well first off you are carrying higher amounts of radiation then possible for a regular human being or mutant with abilities unrelated to such things. Then your sequences and make-up is quite extrordinary to say the least, remarkable stuff honestly." Logan cleared his throat while Hank spoke, and after a short pause the doctor continued.
"Though what I'm getting at is the fact that it's raised some interesting questions for staff here."
"Questions like?"
Ororo placed a hand on the boy's shoulder before giving her input. "Me and my colleges are only trying to help the students we take in. To help young minds grow and those with their uncanny abilities learn control over their gifts."
"Yes, it is a process that requires a mutual understanding and trust between the staff and their students for progress to occur within these walls and sustain outside of them. We're all trying our best to provide the tools for moral and character growth in order to give each and every one of you the chance to become the best versions of yourselves" added in Xavier from his wheel chair.
"So in other words we need you to come clean, and we need only the truth from our students. So that includes you Bub" interrupted Logan as he grabbed a computer monitor and spun it around towards the boy, and wide eyes and a sudden jolt of life gave them all of the proof they needed to confirm Logan's suspicions. Suspicions that couldn't be ignored any longer as he popped the question quick with no warnings.
But Parker had made it obvious through body language alone that those suspicions were true after all, that Peter Parker indeed was SPIDER-MAN.
Phew, that was a tough one to do I'm not gonna lie, Now for my commentary. I always LOVED the way Spectacular had took the creative liberties with Tombstone and made him a big crime boss with class. It was a fun and interesting move that honestly had me hooked when they first introduced the guy onto the scene when him and Spidey came face to face for the first time. so, I took inspiration from that very version in creating the one you see in this chapter as of now. I hope you all like the exchange between the two and Black Cat's exchange with Spider-Man as he searched for an answer or two, this was definitely a fun write. T
Now onto my message for those following and reading my take, I just wanna thank you all a ton! Means a lot that people are taking the time out of their day to enjoy this ride of what I'm cooking up, and so I wanted to know. If you could choose any one scene from this turned into a single comic page which would you choose? I'll try my best to fulfil one of those remade and linked in my next chapter update!
