Chapter two: A Mysterious Duo

Instead of the usual, "hey mom," or "hi dad," May came in and went strait to her room. She didn't go unnoticed.

"Poor May," Mary Jane Parker said. "She loved being Spider-Girl."

"And it almost got her killed," said Peter. "I can't have her swinging around New York risking her life every day."

MJ sighed. "You're right. Sometimes you have to sacrifice the things you love."

"So you've decided to resume your secret identity?" Felicity said over the phone.

"I didn't say that," May said, but softly so her parents wouldn't hear. "I'm not going to be Spider-Girl. As I said, my parents would kill me. So I'm redesigning my costume. What's better: Arachna-Girl or Black Spider?"

"Black Spider. But I think to keep your parents unaware of your identity, you should try to think of something besides spiders."

"That's why I'm offering you a job as my partner."

"Now that I can do!"

May hung up and got to work on designing her costume. She twisted a stand of her dark brown hair between her fingertips. How should she start? Should she have webs? Yes. But they'd be under her costume instead of above. Wig? Nah, it'd get in the way. How about see-through goggles? And the mask should cover her mouth so her parents couldn't recognize her voice. What about a red spider on the chest, complete with fangs. How high should the boots go? Knee high would be good.

Twenty minutes later, May completed her sketch of her new costume. She and Felicity decided to get together that afternoon to compare sketches and maybe start on their costumes.

"Hey, mom," May called, "I'm going over to Felicity's for a bit."

"Sure, May," MJ said. "Come back by 6:30. Dinner should be ready by then."

May barely heard the end of that sentence. She had already dashed out the door.

Two weeks later

MASKED WOMEN STOP ROBBERY! New York Times

THEFT FOILED BY COSTUMED HEROINES! Daily Globe

MASKED MENACES ATTACK STOREKEEPER! Daily Bugle

"Oh, well," May sighed. "You can't win 'em all."

"Does your mom or dad suspect anything?" Felicity asked.

"Don't think so."

"What do you say we go out and patrol a bit?"

"I'm up for that."

Soon the Black Spider and Katana were leaping across rooftops on the lookout for criminals. "There we go!" Felicity said. Down below, on a rooftop, was a person trying to open a skylight.

As they descended the rooftops, they got a better picture of the person. She had unnaturally flaming red hair and green skin. Green Skin? She wore what looked like a mini-skirt made of green material and thigh-high, green, high-heeled boots with stiletto heels.

"Hey!" called May. "Hold it!"

The green-skinned woman turned to face the two girls. Despite the green-skin, she was gorgeous. Her beauty almost made you forget the color of her skin. She seemed to be wearing bright red lipstick because her lips were the color of cherries. But her eyes, her eyes were frightening though. They were yellow where the white should be and she had no irises. Her pupils were slits like a snake's eyes. The minute she saw the two costumed girls she stopped trying to break into the building to stare at them. It seemed as if she had never seen anything like them.

"What do you think you're doing?" said Felicity.

The woman scowled and she bared her teeth. That's when the Black Spider and Katana got the fright of their lives. Instead of teeth, her mouth was filled with yellow fangs. They were an inch long at least and thin as toothpicks.

"I think I'm breaking into this joint," she replied.

"Well, I think you're not going any further," May said.

The woman smiled a fang-full, sinister smile. "Oh, I think I am."

May just caught the evil look in her yellow eyes before a hand grabbed her from behind. "Hey!" Felicity spun around and came face-to-face with a huge man. Or more like fist-to-face. The giant man socked her across the face and she fell backwards onto the cement rooftop. Rubbing her cheek, she got the first good look of the newcomer. He wasn't a man. His body was human but his head was one of a dragon's. He stood probably seven and a half feet in height. Most likely because, instead of legs, he had a horse's body like a centaur.

Felicity drew one of her various weapons. This time she chose her signature, or will-be signature, weapon: her katana. She held the long sword threateningly. She was grateful to her mother, the former Black Cat, for teaching her all she knew about martial arts and fighting skills.

"Put her down," Felicity threatened.

"I will put her down," the monster said, "if you let us pass." His voice was like steel; hard and determined.

"In your dreams," said Felicity as she leaped at the monster. He sidestepped and drew a weapon of his own. A dagger dripping with blood. Who's blood?

Yay! Longer chapter! Don't worry Spiderman fans! Spiderman will be in the story. The next chapter probably! He won't be able to resist the action for long! Apologies for keeping you waiting. I had a lot of boring stuff my mom made me do.