Erma © Outcast Comix/Brandon J. Santiago
Spider-Man © Marvel Comics/Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
During Lunch Hour, Sidney was sitting with 'The Gang' at the lunch table.
While Terry debated whether or not the cafeteria food could even be considered food,
Sidney eyed Percy, who was sitting alone far away from everyone else.
"Watcha doing, Sidney?" spoke Amy.
"EEP!" Sidney jumped, startled and slightly embarrassed with herself. "N-Nothing!"
Terry smirked. "checkin' out the new kid?"
Sidney blushed hard at this. "N-NO!..I was only-"
"He's only kidding, Sidney..RIGHT, TERRY?!" spoke Amy, her tone stern.
"yeah..sure." said Terry, who slumped back into his seat.
Conner looked over at Percy. "gee, he looks kinda sad..Maybe we should go talk to him."
"YEAH!" chirped Sylvia.
"I agree, but..he seems rather shy." spoke Amy. "and, we don't want to overwhelm him."
Sidney was silent for a moment. She then looked back to Percy.
The boy silently drew out a 'Ninja Turtles' lunchbox, and began to take out some items.
Sidney then breathed out sharply, and stood up. "I'll go."
"try not to scare him, Okay?" spoke Amy. "He might not be used to..everything here."
Sidney nodded silently, and then slowly walked in Percy's direction.
She was tempted to change into her more human form, but decided against it for a few reasons.
1) Since Percy saved her earlier, he probably already knew that she wasn't fully human
(he at least had to spot her long rat tail, assuming her big ears weren't obvious.)
2) Changing her form was very difficult. Almost like flexing a muscle.
and, 3) The presence of fully Rat People children made it pretty obvious
that this wasn't a normal school, and any attempt to hide her true self was redundant.
At last, Sidney approached the table where Percy sat.
The boy looked up at her..and, reacted in surprise.
"h-hi.." spoke Sidney, her voice soft. "you probably don't remember me-"
"you..You're that girl I saw crossing the street." spoke Percy.
Sidney blushed. "y-yes..I was. and, I just wanted to say..Th-Thank You. for ss-saving me."
Percy was silent as he stared up at Sidney. "you..you're welcome. just..be more careful next time, okay?"
Sidney took a chance, and sat down across from Percy at the table.
"that was very brave of you, Percy..You could've been killed saving me."
Percy looked down. "yeah..I know. but, what else could I had done?"
Sidney fell silent. "most people..even Good people. Wouldn't take such a risk."
Percy sighed as he nibbled a cupcake with lavender icing. "I'm..not like most people." spoke Percy.
There was a long, uncomfortable silence.
Sidney looked at Percy..then looked away.
Percy looked at Sidney..then looked away, too.
"would you..like some cupcakes?" spoke Percy, finally.
"my mom, she..she made them for me. but, we can..sh-share if you want."
"Oh, uhh..sure." Sidney took a cupcake, and bit into it.
"oh..w-wow. this is..(gulp) Really Good!"
Percy smiled. "I'm glad that you like them. My mom recently opened a baked goods
delivery service in town, so I have plenty of goodies to spare."
Sidney looked at Percy. "so..you're new here? I haven't really seen you around before."
"yeah.." spoke Percy. "me and mom just moved here about a week ago.
some..'things' happened where we used to live. and, well..mom heard good things about this town."
Sidney looked at Percy. "what kind of things?"
"Things I don't want to talk about." said Percy.
Sidney looked down. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry."
"It's okay..Sorry if I sounded mean." said Percy, who looked down.
"(deep sigh) it's..just Mom, and me, now." confessed Percy.
Sidney stared at Percy. "Split Up?" inquired Sidney.
Percy looked at Sidney..who looked into his eyes.
..and, it was THEN that she figured out what he meant. "oh..I'm sorry."
Percy fell silent..avoiding eye contact with Sidney.
"I..It's also just me, and my dad..too." said Sidney, sadly.
Percy looked at Sidney. "I'm very sorry to hear that..How long?"
Sidney looked down, poking a donut that Percy shared "since..the day I was born."
Percy grimaced. "that's rough. I'm so very sorry..and, I really mean it."
Sidney looked at Percy..and, smiled. "thank you."
((*RIIIIIINNNNGG!*))
"guess that's the end of lunch period." said Sidney, as she stood up.
"Feels like Lunch only just started." said Percy.
"How is it that Lunch and Recess goes so quickly, yet actual classes seem to go on forever?"
Sidney giggled at this. "I..(tee-hee) don't know."
As the Lunch Room began to clear out, Percy looked to Sidney. "I guess I'll see you in Science Class...Umm-"
"Oh!, my name is Sidney."
"Perc-oh, wait. you already know that, don't you?" said Percy, mildly embarrassed.
Sidney giggled. "you're funny..well, thanks again for saving me."
"You're welcome, Sidney." said Percy. "just..Remember to look both ways before crossing the street, Okay?"
"oh, I certainly will.." said Sidney, as she turned to leave.
..It was then that Percy noted the long, slender tail protruding from her pants.
"whoa..that cannot be cosplay." mused Percy.
[Later That Day..]
Once the final bell rang, Sidney walked out of the school building with the other kids.
She waved good-bye to Amy, Conner, and her other friends before walking towards the sidewalk.
"SIDNEY!"
Sidney turned, and saw Percy run over to her.
"Percy?!"
Percy breathed out. "I, uhh..I was w-wondering." began Percy, panting.
"would it..be okay if I..w-walked you home? I'm a little worried about you."
"oh, d-don't worry. I'll be careful." said Sidney.
"I'm sure you will be, but..I just want to make sure." said Percy.
"I can't explain why, but I have a feeling that maybe I should walk you home."
Sidney stared at Percy for awhile..which Percy took as rejection.
"i'm sorry. I didn't mean to come off as.."stalker-y" (turns away) i'll just go-"
"N-No, wait.." Sidney approached Percy. "it's fine..we can walk together if you want."
Percy looked back to Sidney. "You sure? I don't want to force you into anything."
"no.." said Sidney, her tone soft. "actually, I..kinda want some company."
Percy looked puzzled at this..but, pushed it aside
as he began to walk with Sidney down the sidewalk, and away from the schoolyard.
After several minutes, the pair had entered the larger city of New Blairwood.
as Percy darted his head around..he glanced over at Sidney.
"forgive me for saying this, but..your ears."
Sidney swallowed hard, feeling dread as Percy spoke.
"they..aren't some elaborate headband, are they?" inquired Percy.
Sidney breathed out. "no..they are REAL."
Percy grew silent for a moment. "so..those kids with the mouse masks-"
"Not masks..AND, not Mice." corrected Sidney.
"oh."
Sidney sighed as she stopped walking for a moment.
"Sidney?"
Sidney looked at Percy. "my mother was human." began Sidney. "but, my father. he's..he is a..uhh.."
"an Anthromorph?" spoke Percy.
Sidney looked at Percy. "If that is some brainy way of saying my dad is a "Rat Man"..then, Yes."
Percy fell silent. "I..I see."
Sidney looked at Percy, worried. "you..aren't bothered by this, are you?"
Percy smiled. "naw..it's kinda cool." said Percy (much to Sidney's relief.)
"In fact..I think it's VERY cool. It's like your dad is Master Splinter!"
Sidney looked puzzled. "Master Who?"
Percy took this moment to show Sidney a comic book he was carrying.
"Master Splinter. He's a Mutant Rat who is the sensei of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." explained Percy.
"They are crime fighting martial artists who live in the sewers, and eat pizza."
Sidney wasn't sure how to respond to this..other then a light chuckle. "I..see."
"Sorry..I guess it might be a tad insensitive to compare your family to mutants."
"No-No, It's fine.." spoke Sidney. "I'm just glad you don't think I'm a freak."
Percy looked at Sidney. "I'm not the judgmental type."
Sidney smiled..and, then hugged Percy (which made him blush bright red.)
Eventually, Sidney (who was also blushing) parted from Percy.
After several minutes had passed, Sidney and Percy managed to reach the entrance of an old subway station.
as the pair walked down the staircase, Percy looked at Sidney.
"So, let me see if i've got this straight in my head.." began Percy.
"Your father is some kind of Rat King..and, you live with a race of Rat People in some kind of underground city?"
"yeah." said Sidney. "It even ran underneath the school..but, we had that pathway sealed."
As the two entered the abandoned subway station, Sidney looked to Percy.
"My home is just just a ten minute walk down that tunnel." said Sidney.
"Is it safe?" asked Percy.
"I suppose.." answered Sidney. "I mean..I've never ran into trouble before."
"Then, you go on ahead." said Percy. "It sounds like your, umm..'People' don't like new visitors."
Sidney looked at Percy. "Dad won't-"
"AND, Besides that..I need to get home myself." interjected Percy.
"my Mom doesn't like me to stay out too late, and I'm already cutting it a bit close."
Sidney nodded. "okay..I understand. Hey!, why don't you take that other tunnel over there.
It's a great shortcut that will take you to anywhere in Blairwood."
Percy smiled. "thanks..But, I'll find my own way home."
Sidney looked at Percy. "okay.." Sidney then hugged Percy again.
This time, Percy hugged her back. Feeling more comfortable.
"bye, percy. i'm..really glad to have met you." spoke Sidney, softly.
"same." said Percy. "see you tomorrow."
The two finally parted. they stared at one another for a good while.
Sidney finally turned, and began to walked down the dark tunnel.
Percy exhaled, and then turn back around and began to leave the subway station.
..Sidney looked back for just a brief moment.
Back above ground, Percy exited the Subway and quickly darted for a nearby alley.
He breathed out heavily as he hid behind a dumpster.
he then proceeded to pull the hood of his blue hoodie over his head,
and tugged at the strings so his face was concealed from view by the constricting hood.
he then hopped onto the dumpster, and then proceeded to scale up the building.
His hands actually clinging to the surface like some kind of insect.
Once he reached the top, he flipped his body onto roof of the building with acrobatic grace.
Percy then began to run across the roof, and leapt incredibly high onto the roof of another building.
He effortlessly parkoured from one rooftop to another. and upon reaching a building too far away to jump to,
Percy shot a 'silvery rope' from his hands, and propelling himself like a bullet towards the far off building.
..He was headed in the direction of a towering suspension bridge at the edge of the city.
[End of Part Two]
[Author Notes]
While trying to take my time with the pacing of the story,
I realize of course that most readers REALLY want to the Spider-Man part of the story.
well, good news: I won't waste time with a predictable origin scenario,
and ended this chapter with a cliffhanger that literally jumps straight to the good stuff.
also, it is possible that the canon Blairwood is just a small town in the woods,
and there might not be a larger city like New York anywhere near it.
BUT, for the sake of the crossover, let's say there IS a larger city
beyond the smaller town where Erma and her friends live.
(be kinda a boring Spider-Man Crossover without a big city.)
Originally there was going to be a scene where Percy webbed up a would-be mugger,
but I decided to take things slow, and just have a simple Parkour sequence.