Chapter 2: I'm Being Used, Aren't I...
Dedications: (I forgot to do this last chapter) Thanks to FrivolousThoughts for his chapter of "Caught in The Web" that brought Peter and Pam together. It inspired me so much, and this story is because of it. Thank you Friv.
Key: 'Words' = Peter 4th walling it
'Well hey there. Honestly thought I might have spooked you off with my...Oop. Hold on a sec.'
Spider-Man web lined the back of two muggers trying to escape the darkening, slightly snow covered alley. A light tug and the two men flew backward, landing hard on the ground before our red and blue tights wearing hero.
"One would think you'd learn from past hooligans. I'm the best Tag player there is. I'm unbeatable at this game." Snipping the lines, Spidey looks down on the two angry ski-mask wearing hoods, mist slipping out his mouth, and his fists resting on his hips.
"You ain't gonna be joking when I cut you open bug!" The larger of the two got to his feet quickly, and produced a switchblade from his pant's pocket.
'For the love of me, didn't these guys ever go to school? It's arachnid. Seriously even the Joker got it right and that guy is crazy. Oh well I'm always up for improv. Excuse me again.'
Raising his hands up in a scared manner, Peter trembles a bit, and shies away from the knife. "Oh no knifes, my only weakness. Please mister I surrender, just stop waving that scary and dangerous thing at me." The thug's right eye twitches violently, and he thrust forward with the weapon.
"Stop mocking me!" The hooded man all but spits at him. The stab is dodged by Peter swaying his body left, with his hands clasped together in a pleading gesture.
"No sir I swear I'm terrified of that little knife. Please don't hurt me." A horizontal swipe of the blade was missed when Spider-Man feinted backward, pretending to be feint 'Get it...' , even going so far as to place the back of his right hand on his masked forehead. "Woe is me. This scary man threatens my life. Whatever shall I do?" Pete uses his best southern accent on that one. 'Seriously I should have taken up acting. Heck I already know I could be good at it. Thank you Wanda.'
"You're pissin me MMPH!" Webbing slapped over the thugs mouth, and Spider-Man raises to a standing position, wagging his index finger at the man.
"Now now there is no need for a potty mouth young man." 'Pfffft...Hah hah hah. I don't even mean to sometimes and I crack gems.' Red from rage the man lunged at the hero one more time. Spidey side steps right from the thrust, and brings his right hand up.
"Oh-lay!" The mugger falters forward before getting a spandex foot to the butt, sending him into some garbage cans hard. Webbing launched over the Mugger #1, sticking his unconscious body to the wall.
"Now I hope you didn't run off while I was playi..." Spider-Man says, turning back around to find...
"I got him Spider." A female voice announced.
'OHMIGOD!' "OHMIGOD!" Pete screams like a girl and flails his arms in front of him, taken completely by surprised. Freezing a moment later, he is so glad that his face is covered in a mask. Cause he's sure the expression he's making right now, Huntress would have a field day with.
'GAH MY TICKER! …..Whew. I HATE when they do that. Holy moly, I swear my Gotham allies are gonna be the death of me one day. Geeze. If there is one thing that these people know how to do, and do disturbingly well, it's sneak up on a guy. Hell, since they're friends they don't even register on my Spider Sense anymore, unless they are actually trying to surprise me. Seriously though, I'm the black sheep of the heroes in this city. Me being all flashy and out in the open during all times of the day. Everyone here usually comes out at night, and they sneak around everywhere. I'm stealthy, don't get me wrong, I can sneak with the best of them, but people like Batman and Huntress here, they have sneaking down as natural as breathing.'
Huntress grew a very cocky smile, and swayed her hips to the right, resting her hands on them. 'And some nice hips she has. Hey I told you before, I'm a guy, sue me.'
"Geeze Vie, you just about made me jump out of my suit." Unfeezing himself from his ridiculous pose, Spider-Man rests his right hand over his heart, and breaths deep a few times. Huntress was in her normal business attire, a one piece swimsuit-like body suit, a large rectangle cut in front revealing her belly down to just above her hips. She had black stockings, violet covered boots, violet colored arm gloves, a deep purple cape, and a violet modified domino mask which extended into high points at the top. She has ebony hair, a slightly pale complexion, and blue eyes. She quirked an eyebrow up, and her smirk grew playful.
"Good thing you didn't. There are just some things in this world I'm better off not seeing." She chided, as she drug the unconscious Mugger #2 past Peter, and over to his buddy.
"Ouch, and here I though Catwoman had claws." Spider-Man followed her over, and webbed up Mugger #2 next to Mugger #1. She rolls her eyes at him, and crosses her arms over her chest.
'I suppose it's background time again. Cause everybody likes to know more about sexy kick butt ladies. Who we have here is Helena Bertinelli aka Huntress. She's another of us tragic past heroes. Her family was killed by an assassin in a plot by some wackjob called Mandragora. Apparently the reason behind this was she was born into one of Gotham City's major crime families, and the guy didn't want loose ends. Yeah, a lot of the heroes of Gotham have pretty tragic back stories I won't lie. This is probably why I have more of a kinship with them than most the rest of the League, and other hero teams. Anyway, she grew up wanting revenge and striving to make it happen. She started her career as the Huntress as more of an anti-hero, due to her brutal methods in dealing with criminals. She's calmed down quite a bit, but she still has that edge to her.'
'Needless to say we didn't hit it off great. Considering how serious she is about the job, and my...well...lack of professionalism most of the time, really got on her nerves. Heck Batman worked with me easier than she did initially. Mind you Bats scares the hell out of me, so I'm usually on my best behavior around him. After a while of me hanging with the Birds though, she, like Pam, got used to me. At least enough to not try and beat me with her bo staff every time we'd talk.'
"You have no idea." 'The glint in her eyes says keep pushing, but the tingling in my head yells at me to stop. What to do?' Peter faced her and blank lenses looked her up and down a few times.
"I don't see anything sharp on you Vie. You're all nice soft curves from what I'm seeing." Peter's tone of voice was joking, but that didn't help. 'Kids when a dangerous lady challenges you to continue with the quips, you stop, and let her win. Just a tip for the future. Unless you're me, cause I just can't take a hint.' Helena's eyes narrow threateningly, and a scowl graces to her face. SPIDER SENSE! She grabs her collapsible bo staff on her belt, and swings it forward, it extends and is nearly touching Spidey's neck. Immediately Peter's hands go up in surrender, and he lets out some worried chuckles.
"Not okay?" The nervous inflection is in his voice, made her scowl soften, just a tiny bit.
"Not okay..." Huntress flips her metal staff around in her hand, and it retracts. With practiced ease she slips it back into the belt slot, right out of the twirl. Her frown turns up into a small smirk. "...but thanks for the compliment." 'Dodged a bullet there Parker.' Helena turns away from him and pulls out her grappling gun.
"Soooo...to what do I owe this little visit? Normally you're not on my garbage pick-up route." A familiar Pshh of the grappling gun is heard, and when Spider-Man turns around Huntress was ready to climb the building.
"Just in the neighborhood." Helena sounds a bit hesitant. 'She isn't the best liar around her friends. I know exactly why she's here. It's nice to know they are worried about me after what happened.' The gun's spool reeled and she was in the air, and up the building before Peter can ask anything further.
"And left alone with garbage duty again, wonderful." Spider-Man shrugs, picks up the two knocked out muggers laying amongst the trash cans, and starts to walk them toward the street.
"Hey Spider. Are you still coming to the poker game tonight at the Nest?" Huntress calls down from the roof, making Spidey look up. A smile crosses his face.
"Wouldn't miss it Vie. See you there." And with that she vanishes from over the edge of the roof. 'Oh boy! Looks like its time to get me some extra Christmas funds. They have yet to learn the reason why I was never allowed to play games of chance with the Avengers back home. Heh heh heh, this is gonna be a good night.'
'Don't worry I haven't forgotten you guys. It's just a little hard to regale you with back story while I'm at work. Let's see where was I...oh yeah, mine and Pam's first kiss.'
Peter's eyes moved rapidly behind his closed lids. The dream, if you wanted to call it that, was intense. Images kept flashing from Wanda's fear filled face her reaching for Peter, to Joker launching a rocket at him laughing the entire time, to ruby red lips and seductive black/green eyes closing in on him. All-in-all not the worse dream he's ever had, but still it all came at him again and again fast. Until finally his eyes refused to stay closed, and shot open quickly. He immediately regretted it, as the lights in the room were exceedingly blinding. 'Springsteen you're an ass. Cause it is in no way pleasant.' His brown eyes closed back up mostly, letting them adjust to the whirling world around him. 'The hell am I? Last thing I remember was...'
"...kind of costume is this? I've never seen fabric that could do this without some sort of technology backing it." A curious woman's voice made Pete's eyes open a bit more in search of it's source. Whoever's voice it was, hers was that kind of soft pleasant voice that just makes men dumb. 'Personally I always thought Blossom's voice was made for radio. In no way am I insulting her looks, cause daaammmmnnnn, but she just has that kind of voice I could listen to for hours.' His eyes finally focused enough to look down and see the woman in question. Her hands were running over the white and black material in them. She had a pale emerald complexion, long lustrous crimson hair, and plant-like clothing.
"Dunno Red, but whatever it's made of I want some. Soft, smooth, oh so form fitting, and can change color. I gotta ax Spidey where he got it, when he comes round." That voice Peter did recognize, it was Harley. His eyes moved over to her, who had the other end of the white and black suit rubbing up against her painted white cheek. Peter registered what the fabric they were examining was, and his hazy mind went into auto chat.
"Iz...It's made of generation three Unstable Molecules. Not only can it change color and pattern, its very resistant to extreme temperatures, weight, pressures..." The two women looked up at Spider-Man, a look of slight surprise on "Red's" face, and a quickly changed to a smile on Quinn's. 'Wait...why is my costum... no.' Pete's eyes shot open, his stupor instantly gone. Darting from both woman, to his full suit in their hands, and then slowly down to his... naked body. 'They didn't even buy me dinner first. Typical.'
"WHY AM I NAKED!" He shouted scared and went to cover his shame, but his arms and legs wouldn't move from their spots. Furious at his limbs Pete looks to them each, panic welling up with each limb he saw. All were wrapped up and pulled outward by thick vines. Then his mind registered the other fact he missed since his awakening. "WHY AM I IN THE AIR NAKED!" 'There is a first time for everything, and believe it or not this wasn't one of them for me. Well the air thing was new, but when you're romantic with a woman like Felicia, this thing was bound to happen. Being supers eventually get's you thinking in the bedroom. Nuff said.' Then the damning ramification of his situation popped into his mind, Spider-Man was unmasked. For all Peter knew he could just have been transported to another city on his world. His mind went defensive, pensive, and timid.'PARKER MODE ACTIVATE.'
"You are naked because we didn't want any surprises when you awoke Spider-Man. There have been one to many defeats because of the unknown. So we stripped you to make sure." The red headed plant lady said in an serious no nonsense tone. 'She was actually being professional, and looking me in the face. Eye contact and everything. That put her a few points higher in my book, but also stabbed my ego repeatedly. Bubbles on the other hand...' Harley was blushing and giggling slightly. She seemed to forget that their rescuer was undressed when she got her hands on his costume. Now that she remembered however, she was much less professional that her friend. She brazenly looked Peter up and down once, before her smile widened a bit more. 'I silently blame every member of the Bat Family for that to this day.'
"Not like ya really have to much ta be ashamed about Spidey." She giggled again, and locked eyes with the hard blushing man. 'Ego boost. Thanks Harley.'
"Th...thanks..." Pete squeaked out somehow, barely having any of his Spider Bravado left. "...Umm...can I have my costume back...please." Ivy never took her eyes off Peter's face, while Harley looked down at the costume in her hands.
"Not until you tell us everything we want to know. Starting with who you are, and why you are here?" The green lady said in her no-nonsense tone which commanded his attention, more so when she crossed her arms under his impressive bust. This put his mind to ease a bit. 'They don't know who I am at least, and don't seem to recognize Spider-Man. Whew.' Shy Peter just darted his gaze from woman, to woman, to the world around him. He was in a garden, a very large and rain forest-y garden, but there were walls. He tested the vines, checking them against his restrained strength. There was give, and he could break free. His eyes landed on the table near the wall, his web shooters and belt were there, they looked intact. If he could take them by surprise he could escape. Leaving only his dignity behind at least.
"I'm just you're friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, and I was in the...uh neighborhood." Parker was a well renowned linguist in the suit, out of it though not so much. The red head's eyes narrowed, obviously not amused at his answer.
"Funny. You should realize your situation is less advantageous the more you prolong my patience Spider-Man. Resistance is futile." Poison Ivy added threatening to her tone.
"Uh Scotty, you...you can beam me up anytime now." Pete said sheepishly, which instantly got both ladies up in arms defensively. 'Even as my mild mannered self I can't resist a good Star Trek pun when I hears it.' The Green lady looked around the room, as if expecting an ambush. Harley stared hard at Spidey, expecting him to vanish. It took a few moments, and a raised brow from Peter, but suddenly it sank in. Harleen's cheeks puffed out, and then she let out a roar of laughter. Her voice was melodic when she laughed, something he noted. She dropped his costume on the ground, and quickly wrapped her arms around her stomach and sides. Peter actually began chuckling along with her contagious laugh. Even more so when she bent forward attempting to catch her breath between laughs. 'I knew I liked her.' He thought. 'I actually liked Harleen from the very beginning. Aside from the whole trying to whack me over the head with a mallet thing, this little joke just cemented it.' Poison Ivy just stared incredulously between the two of them, her guard slacking, and confusion rampant on her lovely features.
When she moved toward Harleen, who was the rolling on the dirt, Peter took his chance. Flexing his all his legs and arms towards his body at once, the vines quickly snapped, and he fell to the ground. Gracefully he landed in a crouch in front of a stunned Ivy, and still laughing Harley. Peter dived forward between the two, and scooped up his costume, before rolling forward into a dash. Pamela at this point regained enough composure to jump into action. Quinn had also stopped laughing when she saw a pale caucasian blur past her, and she was getting to her feet.
"You cannot escape!" Ivy shouted, by the time Spider-Man reached the table, and grabbed up his web shooters. He already had his mask back on, and his suit was on up to his waist by now, back in its red and blue. 'You'd be surprised how quick you get about changing on the fly in the super hero business. Me more so cause I'm on the street a lot, and the street is random as hell.' SPIDER SENSE! Spidey leapt forward into at flip, narrowly avoiding several vines wrapping around his legs. He landed against the concrete wall and stuck fast. Quickly he slid on his right web shooter, and thanks to his Spider Sense avoided another group of vines striking out toward him. He back flipped up the wall, and then spun around after he put the second device on his left hand. In what could be described as amazing, he scaled the wall at incredible speeds, coming to the ceiling quickly.
"I'm certainly gonna try Red. Thanks for the hospitality, but I don't wanna overstay my welcome. Besides I have a Witch to look for." Poison Ivy felt a surge of anger at the use of Harleen's pet name, but kept on him. She could not let him escape and leak out their home. Harley knew the consequences as well, and was already jumping up and swinging on the thick plants and small trees, towards Spider-Man.
"C'mon Spidey stay a while. I promise I won't hurt you." The harlequin said half cheery, half serious.
"It's not you I'm worried about Harls. It's Red down there." Peter rebuked, sounding much more like when they first met, confident. He came to the metal shutters in the middle of the ceiling, and quickly looked them over, while he dodged several more vines. They were quickly growing in volume and speed.
"Hey it's rude to use others pet names guy. That's mine to use exclusively mista." Harley Quinn burst from the flora canopy on a giant leaf that rose her up toward him. She quickly produced several orbs, that looked like marbles, from somewhere 'And to this day I still have no idea where she hides these things. I mean there is no where to hide anything in that outfit. Honestly I've tried to find out, watching her when we were out doing stuff, but all that gets me is a playful wink and a distracting wiggle of her derriere. It's very...redirecting when she does that.', and threw them at the ceiling sticking man. His six sense tingled a bit from them, but he decided to not ignore it, and pushed his top half off the roof. When the marbles struck the metal shutters they exploded into a cloud of yellow gases. Peter web lined to the nearest tree, and avoided the gases all together.
"Sorry Harley, I didn't mean to. So what do I call her then She-Go, Theadora, Marta, Oola, 'I watch a lot of TV if you couldn't guess. It's not easy to keep up with the trends in banter. Props for getting three of them right without looking them up.' Shulkie...wait that one's taken." As he looked down he didn't notice the budding flower growing next to his head. SPIDER SENSE! Peter turned his head to see the flower bloom suddenly, and it sprayed a mist of violet pollen in his face. 'Damn me and my perpetual need to look at what's coming.' His reflexes kicked in to late, and he kicked off the tree, heading for a branch. Then things got fuzzy and disorienting behind the mask. His foot missed the branch completely, and he started to fall. Reflex kicked in again, and his right hand grabbed the branch in passing. He held onto it as the room spun around. A light vibration on the limb made Spidey look up. Harley was squatting above him expertly balanced on the thin branch.
"You are fun to play with Spider. But...This little Spidey went to the market." She pulled his picky finger back, his strength was already faltering thanks to the flower. "This little Spidey stayed home..." There went the right middle finger. "This little Spidey had roast beef..." Middle finger. "And this little Spidey had..." Peter stared drunkenly up at her, trying to collect his mind.
"An extra few seconds to think please." Spider-Man said his words slurred a bit. His index finger was already burning from the strain of holding him up.
"..." She gave him a huge sweet smile, and for brief moment he had hope. "...none." Peter plummeted down into the jungle. He bounced and smashed into plenty of things on his way down, crying out 'ouches' with each hit, before finally slamming into the grass covered ground below on his back.
"Ouch ouch ouch all the way down." Harley shouted from above in a sing song voice, before she started to come down as gracefully as a feather. Spider-Man's head lolled to the side as he groaned in pain. He attempted to sit up, but then he felt a weight situate itself on his lower stomach. His white lenses opened a bit, as if they were real eyes, as he looked up into the green goddess's eyes not more than a few inches above his. 'Oh I forgot to mention, thanks to the Future Foundation suit I'm wearing, my mask lenses widen and fall along with my expressions. Neat huh?' As Ivy drew her face closer, Peter felt something soft press down on his still bare chest, and he already had a great guess as to what it was. 'It was her melons if you couldn't guess...Heh melons, plant lady. HAH!' He managed the break from her gaze to steal a glance down and confirm his suspicions. 'Yep she's laying on me...not the worst way to go I suppose.' He mused, before her fingers sliding under his mask's hem brought his eyes back up.
Pamela was slowly seductively leaking out her pheromones, and at the same time using her straddling position to keep Spider-Man's arms pinned under her knees. She slowly rolled his mask up, rubbing herself teasingly over his body. If Peter wasn't so heavily out of it, he was sure he would be feeling awesome right now. 'Freaking Parker Luck right?! Universal joke butt.' Now his mind was getting hazy for a total other reason, as her pheromones finally started to take effect.
"Uh wow this is nice and all..." He dreamily spoke, and his mask slipped up past his nose.
"My name is Poison Ivy." She almost purred, her lips inches from his, and closing excruciatingly slow.
"Perfect name Ivy, but...uh woo...uh could you please stop stripping me." There was little resistance in Peter's voice at this point. His mask was finally pulled off, and tossed to the ground somewhere he didn't care.
"Why? It's not like you have anything I haven't already seen?" Her breath was the pleasant type of hot against his lips. 'My face was so red there, I thought my brain would drown. Then again I wasn't really using it much at this point.'
"Trah...true, but I kinda...would like to...escape now." He was speaking very softly now, drowning in her eyes, and lust. Ivy cupped his cheek in her hand, and tilted her head very slightly, pouting. 'I swear women get away with murder with those pouts. I'm actually pretty sure Pam has, but like I said I'd rather not think about that. Back to Spider-Jelly.'
"You want me to stop Spider? But I want us to get to know each other much much better." She closed her eyes, and the very short distance between their lips. The kiss wasn't anything anyone would consider deep, or sincere, but it did it's job, and Spider-Man didn't care. Whatever resistance or will power he had left was gone. Everything in his mind was filled with the woman on top of him. He wanted to please her, and do whatever he could for her. 'Women, am I right guys? And for the ladies out there, I don't actually mean it, please don't hurt me.'
Dr. Isley raised herself up, a victorious smile gracing her lips, which she ran her tongue over once. "Now let us try this again Spider-Man. Who are you, and where do you come from?" Peter's eyes were focused solely on Pam's face, his body was slack, and he had the overpowering urge to answer her.
"I'm Spider-Man, and I am from New York City, New York." He answered dreamily.
"I mean your birth name you fool. What is your birth name?" Pam sighed, her right index finger was already rubbing her temple. There was a soft thump, and she turned her head to see Harley approaching them. She looked rather curious to hear this as well.
"Peter Benjamin Parker." He answered slowly, almost as if trying to resist her influence.
"Peter Parker...not exactly a stand out name. What are your powers, and how did you come by them?" She asked. He gave her the basic run down of his powers, neglecting to mention some of the more subtle ones that he usually didn't mention. 'Like having a high immunity to toxins, and being able to build up resistances to them.'
"...and my powers come from the bite of a radioactive spider." Both Pamela and Harleen were rather intrigued by his list of powers, and origin. It wasn't unusual for science experiments to become something great and powerful, the woman sitting on him was a perfect example.
"Ya said ya weren't from here, what didja mean?" Harley asked this time. Peter probably didn't have to answer her, as his allegiance was to Ivy at this point, but he did anyway. This raised Pam's right brow up out of curiosity.
"I'm from New York City. I was helping Wanda catch a rogue mutant, when her powers were force activated and was sucked into a portal along with her. Next thing I know I was lying on top of a warehouse near where I found you two." Peter's mind was getting clearer slowly. He was blinking more, and wasn't finding Ivy quite as all that as he did.
"That doesn't explain why we haven't heard of someone of your powers there." Ivy's brilliant mind went over what they knew. "How long have you been Spider-Man?"
"Roughly ten years or so. I've been Spider-Man since I was fifteen." Pam and Harleen shared a questioning glance.
"I've never heard of him before, and considerin' how long he's been a cape that's surprisin'. You'd think that the League would have picked him up by now." Dr. Quinzel said, as she looked down to their captive, who's blinks were getting longer, and his head was moving a bit more around.
"True. Well let's see how far removed he actually is." Ivy returned her attention to Spider-Man. "Do you know of Batman?"
"Bat...wha who's Batman. Ow my head." Both woman's eyes shot open. The entire world knew who the Dark Knight was, and Peter not knowing meant something greater. He may have come from another world all together. Then Ivy realized he was moving under her, quickly coming out of her drugged kiss. This man was dangerous if he should escape. And if the display earlier was any indication he could if he wanted to. The only option that came to her was silencing him.
Peter's mind and body began to clear up. His immune system was fighting off the toxins quickly, and he felt he was coming back around. Until he felt soft lips against his. His eyes opened and he enjoyed the feeling, then his body pulsed in pain. All his muscles tensed in excruciating fire. He wanted to yell, but her mouth covered his, and kept him silent.
"Red don't kill him." Harleen said apprehensively, placing her hand on her best friend's shoulder and pulled her back into a sitting position. At this point Peter, was silently screaming, his eyes wide and pupils contracted. His head thrashed, but his body couldn't move against Ivy's weight. Ivy stared at her friend suspicion in her gaze.
"Harley he knows where we live, and he's to dangerous to let free. If he escapes he will reveal us to the other heroes, and our lives will be thrown into the chaos again. Do you want that?" Ivy asked calmly, but the underlying harshness wasn't lost on Harleen.
"I know I know, but he saved our lives, and he mustn't know who we are, or he wouldn't of saved ya or helped me. Please." Harleen was sitting with her knees tucked under her, next to Pam and Pete. Her eyes were pleading with Ivy's stern ones.
"He's obviously the hero type Harley. We can't let him roam free, he knows to much. Even if he saved our lives." Pam took a quick glance at Peter's writhing form, his veins were bulging and a violet red coloration. It was almost done.
"We can keep him here then. Keep him under you're control. If he's a new hero than we can use him. We can use his strength to keep us safe. If he doesn't know the capes here then they don't know him either. Think about it." Harleen's psychology schooling kicked in, as her intelligent side came out. Even if she just liked this stranger cause he was interesting and funny, he didn't deserve to die because of one mistake in saving the wrong people. She pandered to Ivy's ideal of safety and secrecy, hoping to save his life.
"Hmmm. You do have a point." Pamela looked down to the twitching Spider-Man. He was only occasionally spasming under her now. About a half minute away from death, which was already longer than any other normal man would have lived. She took one last look at Harley's pleading gaze, and let out a long breath.
"Fine." Ivy bent down again, and mixed the poisons in her own bloodstream, before kissing Peter on the lips a third time. Quickly his veins sunk back in and lost their hard coloration, his spasms subsided, and his eyes rolled back to the front of his head. "However if he slips up once I shall not hesitate to end him. I expect him to be of use to us. You better be right about this Harley." Ivy moved slowly up off Spider-Man, and walked away from both he and Harleen without another word. She exited the garden, leaving Quinzel to deal with the rest.
"Thanks Red." She looked down to the still hero on the ground before her. Spider-Man was rendered unconscious from the sheer pain his body just went through.
'Curious as to why I wasn't commenting throughout that whole section? Mainly because it was a very important point in our relationship, but also I was pretty out of it and only have memory fragments of the interrogation. Hey, I can shut up and be serious when I need to. Geeze you people give me way to little credit. Anyway I actually heard most of it second hand from Harleen. It wasn't until I woke up that I learned of what happened, and the new life I was about to have forced on me.'
For the third time in the span of a day Spider-Man woke up dazed and confused. 'It's not a habit I suggest picking up.' He went to cover his throbbing head with a hand, but found both again incapacitated. The lenses on his mask blinked open a bit, as light bombarded his eyes. 'Phew at least my mask and costume are on.' He was happy for that little ray of sunshine.
"Ugh. Again...c'mon it's not funny anymore." Peter grumbled weakly, as he tested the bonds holding him down. His entire body, up to his neck, was restrained. When his vision adapted to the light, and he could looked down he found he was strapped to something by very thick and twice overlapping vines. 'This again. Damn I was hoping it was all a dream.' He thought. Looking around the room, he saw it was filled with boxes, and a bunch of stuff, even some bags of fertilizer were in the corner. It was a storage room he guessed. 'And eventually my new room.' The light inside the room came from two halogen strips on the ceiling, which was concrete. The rest of the room was made of concrete walls and floor. There was ventilation at least, cause it wasn't freezing for this time of year. The door to the room was open.
"Uh hello. Harley, Ivy, anybody there. I'm awake now, and ready to go home." Peter said loudly out the open door. Sounds of movement came from wherever was outside the door.
"Red he's up." Harley shouted from outside the room. Then she herself walked into the room, her jester cap pulled off, revealing she was a blond with two pig tails. She hadn't removed her makeup yet though, and what flesh Peter could see she was slightly tanned. "Welcome back Petey."
That instantly got Spider-Man to stiffen, and his lenses narrow slightly. 'How...' 'In the immortal words of one almost immortal Logan. Ahem. *Gruff voice* "Kinda hard to say no to a pretty redhead." Wise man that guy.'
"We were hoping you could stay a few nights. Ya know, catch up and all that." Harley joked from behind a grin. She was leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed.
"As fun as that sounds chessboard, I have to get going and find my ride home. She gets angry if I'm even a second late." Peter tried to not sound as if he was talking through his teeth. Even if he might have been. 'Just a bit.' He flexed his muscles under the vines, attempting to gains some sort of leverage.
"You mean Wanda?" And that got him to stop struggling all together. 'How in the...' A red housecoat clad Poison Ivy walked in before Peter could ask.
"If you are curious Spider-Man, you told us everything relevant about yourself when I had you drugged. So we know who you are Peter Parker." She strolled up to the table he was strapped to, stopping just shy of a foot from his face, and placing her hands on her hips.
"There are much easier ways to get my personal information, like maybe look up my Facebook page." 'Have you been on Facebook lately? I swear some people live to update on that thing. I don't know how Spider-Girl can manage that whole twitter thing and still have her identity intact.' Peter quipped, trying to not sound so irate. Not only have these women saw him in his birthday suit, they also know his secret identity. Harls 'Bless her soul' chuckled at his joke quietly.
"Peter Benjamin Parker. You don't exist." His lenses curved into a questioning look.
"What do you mean I don't exist? I'm not dead am I? You didn't turn me into the amazing Spider-Zombie did you?" Ivy just shook her head at him.
"No, you literally don't exist, at least not on our world." She said calmly, but the information she got not minutes ago confirmed her suspicions. Neither Peter Parker nor Spider-Man were known to anyone.
"My contacts ran your name, age, home, and Spider-Man identity through their systems. There are no known heroes by your alias, and the only alias close enough to yours is the Black Spider. Both Harley and I know of him, and you are not him. His abilities are close, but in no way superhuman, and you aren't a new legacy, because he is still in operation. 'Dang not even a day and I am already stepping into copyright infringement.'" Pamela paused, checking for his reaction. He was oddly quiet, and his mask wasn't giving anything away, so she continued.
"There are no people by your name, general age range, and description anywhere in New York either, according to my contact. You, Parker, do not exist here." She carefully watched him now. As he hadn't made a move or comment, something was up.
"Well that cements it, I'm in another dimension. I was hoping it would've been a parallel world, or maybe an alternate time-line, at least then I can chat with Julia about getting me out of here." Peter responded a few seconds later, exasperated, but taking it well. He let out a loud sigh, and rested his head back on the table. Ivy's eyes narrowed, at what he said and how he said it.
"You seem to be taking this rather well considering." She said cautiously.
"This isn't my first experience dealing with this kind of thing. You kinda get used to it after like the third time." He looked up at a incredulous Poison Ivy, and then to an openly gaping Harley Quinn. His lenses shifted between the two a few times. "What? You've never been to another reality or time?" The blond at the door shook her head vehemently. Ivy however was a bit more conservative, and just shook her head once. 'That's right, the Doctor's got nothing on me.'
"Wow and I thought I was sheltered. I suppose you've never been to another planet either." He tossed that one out as a joke, but their further surprised reactions brought him to a chuckle. Pam shook her head, clearing her thoughts, and getting her game face back on.
"I already know I'm going to regret sparing your life." She said. Peter's 'eyes' focused on her.
"I've been told that by pretty much everyone." He joked back, but her hard gaze quieted him for a moment.
"You owe Harley back there yours Spider-Man. She saved you from death by my hand." She was serious, dead serious, about it. Peter moved his head up to look at Harley, who just smiled and waved. SPIDER SENSE! His head tried to turn to Ivy, but she caught his head in one hand, and lifted up the hem of his mask a bit, exposing his neck. A vine crept down her free arm and put some sort of plant seed there. He only managed to glimpse the tiny seed before she put it against his neck.
"What are you...!" His voice was cut when his neck felt like hundreds of pins were stabbing him at once. 'I may have a pretty high threshold for pain, but needles, like paper cuts, still hurt.' Pam forced the seed to sprout, breaking past his skin, and burrowing into his neck. The roots ripped past veins and muscles until they reached the base of his skull, and wrapped around his spinal cord. Peter's eyes were actually wet around the edges by the time she finished planting the seed. He let out long haggard breaths, as she pulled her hands away from him.
"Gah lady...you are mean. Wha...what did you..." He stammered.
"What I did was plant a specially grown seed on your spinal cord. My child will embed its roots deep into your spinal column and brain. At any time I can have my child severe your central nervous system, or simply apply pressure to it. This will..."
"Effectively end my life or immobilize me. That about right Ivy?" His lenses were slits as he interrupted her. Peter's words were harsher than any the two women heard yet. Harley actually cringed slightly. 'I can joke about pretty much anything, even my supposed death, but this was an invasion of the most perverse. So yeah I was miffed. Don't worry though, I got better.'
"Correct. As of now you are ours." Pam had played her power move, and succeeded. Her job here was done. 'I much preferred the sexy power play over this one. Damn you Parker Luck.' She headed to the door, and Harleen moved out of the way, into the room.
"And if I refuse?" She halted in the doorway, her house coat hugging her body. She didn't bother to turn around as she lifted her left hand up so he could see it. SPIDER SENSE! She made as if she was gripping something in the hand, and Spider-Man convulsed in blinding white pain. His body locked up, and he couldn't move, but the pain continued to grow. She let her hand relax again, and his straining body slacked against the table. Ivy left, and Harley moved up next to him.
Again he was breathing hard, but at least the pain was subsiding. Quinzel pulled up a stool that was in the room, and sat down.
"Not...not the nicest way...ta...to ask me to stay the night." Peter breathed out.
"Red's not known fer her like or trust of men. She'll warm up to ya...hopefully. Heck ya bein alive is already a step forward." She said with a smile on her face. 'It's really hard to be mad at Bubbles when she tries to lighten the mood. She just has that kind of personality...well you know when she's not being Harley Quinn at least. I dunno, maybe I just try to see the best in people.'
"Here's hoping. Thanks for that by the way." Peter was steadying his breathing, trying to come to grips with the situation.
"No problem Hun. I figure it was only fair." She beamed her pearly whites at him.
"Right. So since I'm gonna be here for a while, mind if I get your name? Considering you already know mine...and have seen my intimates." He turned his masked face to her, and she giggled. Then she grabbed his mask hem, which he tensed. 'It's really hard to get used to having your second skin pulled off of you without your consent. Though it's much easier if it's a pretty girl.' She pulled his mask off with little resistance from him. 'I wonder why?' His now visible brown eyes followed her movements as she took off her domino mask and wiped away her makeup on his mask. 'She cleans off her makeup with third generation Unstable Molecules. I'm...I'm...not sure what to say to that.' Harley comes back from behind his mask, and her face is clean and smiling. 'I didn't find this out till after, but my suit actually burned away the makeup after a while. Third generation Unstable Molecules for the win!'
"Harleen Quinzel. Working name Harley Quinn. It's nice to meetcha." She says as jolly as ever, and extends her right hand out. Peter looks at her hand for a few seconds, she's still smiling at him, and he rolls his eyes jokingly.
"Peter Parker. A pleasure Harleen, though it's kinda hard to shake hands." He returned her smile, which she gave him a questioning tilt of her head. "Kinda tied up at the moment you know." Peter chuckled.
"OH! Yeah. Well then." Harley's 'Trust me I didn't give her the nickname Bubbles in passing. It was well earned.' smile only blossomed further. She moved her hand up, and lightly patted his forehead. Peter's smile grew bigger as well. 'This is gonna be interesting, to say the least.'
"Well Harleen..."
"Harley's fine." She interrupted.
"Mike." He continued. She tried to hide a giggle. 'It was cute.' "So what am I in for then?" Harley tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"You're gonna be our hero." She perked up, her hands on the stool edge inside her thighs, and her legs pushed up, as her feet were on the metal connecting bars. 'But this was cuter.'
'Don't get me wrong, I was still very frustrated with my sudden lap-spider title. Ever since I was a kid I masked my insecurities with witty banter and false courage behind the mask. My life had just been quite literally uprooted and planted in a potting jar. I was stuck here until I could either somehow get rid of the thing around my central nervous system cluster, or pissed Pam off enough to have her kill me. It was a lot of information to process. At least I seemed to have some sort of friend in Harleen. If it wasn't for her I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be here telling you this. I'd have been dead months ago, and helping fertilize Eden. I owe her a lot more than I can say. She is the wind beneath my wings, the anchor to my listless ship, my cuddly clown on a rainy day. God, even I found that sappy. But more or less it was true for those first few months.'
Spider-Man shot another web line to one of the buildings ahead of him. Pushing his feet forward he speeds into the swing. He flys by a billboard that had a clock on it, and notes the time, 10:21 PM. A cold blast of wind chills him, and he shoots another line to the building ahead of him.
'Sorry bout that. Just making sure I'm not gonna be late for the Bird's poker night. I know they are actually just wanting to make sure I'm okay, after what happened last month. Heck, I even had a visit from Arrow and Flash just last week. It was actually pretty nice, they even brought me some flowers. No, seriously they did. Out of everybody in the Super Friends, Barry and Ollie are probably the guys who I get along with the best. They are the kind of guys who take and give jokes like pros, so my kinda guys. I actually met Ollie thru his wife Dinah. She's a founding member of the Birds, connect the dots. By the way, the Leaguers hate when I call us the Super Friends. I've been given mean glares many a time by several of them for it. Still surprised some of them haven't strait up smacked me for it.'
'Oh yeah I haven't told you yet, I'm a part of the Justice League myself. Well more of an honorary member, but hey I've helped them stop a few of those doomsday plots. Backtracking the conversation to the original subject, I got in some serious trouble about a month ago, and of course Batman happened to be out of town at the time. So you can imagine how bad it got. Actually it...no wait I'll tell you another time. I'm getting pretty far ahead of the story here. So lets go back to about two hours after Bubbles introduced herself, because that's where another important point comes up.'
After a bit of coaxing Harleen had Ivy free Peter from his restraints. Ivy did it without leaving the Garden too. This got Pete curious about the range of her powers. He'd already correctly guessed a good portion of her abilities, plant control and manipulation 'Duh.' , pheromone production 'Not that she really needs it.' , and toxin manipulation of some sort 'Dangerous kisses, check.' , even that she must have had some sort of plant-like physiology based on when he brought her into the Garden. However when he asked Harley about this she kept tight lipped, and changed the subject back to him, wanting another story of his adventures instead. After about two hours of hearing his stories, she fell asleep on the couch from exhaustion. He couldn't blame her. He himself had been through a lot tonight, and he wanted to join her in slumber, but his mind just wouldn't shut off. So he decided to do what he always does when his gears wouldn't stop turning, 'Go for a web sling.' go for a web sling.
It was as he was carefully draping a blanket he found over Harls, that he discovered a problem with that idea. That problem's name was Ivy. He hadn't seen her since she placed the seed in his neck, and he wasn't really wanting to wake her up if she was sleeping. She already seemed to not really like him, and as the old saying goes "a women needs her beauty rest". 'Great now I'm gonna be up for hou...' A door opening upstairs caught his attention. He looked up from his standing place over Harleen, and met Ivy's gold and black gaze. She squinted in disgust, before heading toward her room.
"Wait, I want to talk to you." Peter spoke in a hushed tone, that was not enough to wake the sleeping woman on the couch. Peter moved quickly to the stairs, and stopped about mid way up when Pam appeared next to the top of them, one hand on the railing. She was staring down at him with a gaze that said "make this quick arachnid, or you get my boot".
"Listen Spider, we are not friends, and we are not allies, unless I need you to be. You are nothing more than a disposable tool to me, which I can use at my leisure. So do not expect me to be willing to put up with your drivel." She was harsh and blunt, but Pete actually expected it, so it phased him little. He just had to change up his tactics around her.
"Thanks for reminding me, but I still want to ask you something. I'm hoping we can be professional enough to at least let me say my peace, and get a civil response." SPIDER SENSE! Quickly Peter raised his hands in surrender, just as Ivy was raising her free one. "Wait wait wait, there's no need to do that." Her brows furrowed at his sudden insight to her action. "Seriously I just want to ARGH!" Peter immediately dropped to a knee, as the white hot pain returned and his body started to lock up. He gripped the railing of the staircase quickly, fastening himself so he wouldn't fall down them.
"As I said I will not tolerate your antics arachnid. Ask what you want and leave me alone." 'Props to her for correctly identifying my alias's denomination.' She let her hand loosen it's grip, and Spidey slowly looked up at her. His expression was strained, and he tried to clear away the hard gaze he was going to give her. 'Luckily I succeeded. Hair trigger on this one I tell ya.'
"Guh...right. Short and sweet. Okay...what exactly is my job here then?" Peter calmed himself, and turned to sit on the stairs, steadying his breathing.
"Harley didn't tell you?"
"All she said was that I was gonna be you ladys' hero." Pete brought his hands up and shrugged, before setting them down across his knees.
"That doesn't really surprise me. I shall explain then. You will continue your heroing activities. Eventually you will get the attention of the local capes, and you will infiltrate their ranks. From there you will keep us informed of their actions and plans. You for lack of a better word will be 'spying' on them for us. However you will not tell them of this, or I shall kill you." Poison Ivy told him this with a commanding authority.
"And how will you know if I tell them or not?" 'I'm not all that dumb about fishing for information. Ask the correct questions to someone with a superiority complex, and you can get their entire life story. Then again bad guys seem to monologue with the smallest of prompts.'
"My child imbedded in you 'I suppose I should clear this up too. Pam sees any and every plant as her family. She takes a very parental role with them. Watching her tend to them, is actually like watching a mother and her children. She would make a wonderful mother...at least in my opinion.' has a twin, which I have within me. It will relay information to me through it's sibling in you. Allowing me to know you're movements and whereabouts." She stated rather matter of factly.
"And just how far can I go before you cant?" He asked in a mock defiant tone, still not looking up at her.
"There is no where I will not be able to track you through my childrens' connection. You shall forever be under my watch."
"At least I've upgraded from a short leash. So just to be clear, you want me to continue being me, only you want me to get the skinny on the heroes around here? You know that goes against pretty much everything I stand for right?" Peter finally looked up at her, his chocolate eyes connecting with her ebony and golden ones. There was resistance in his, and she broke a sinister smile.
"It's either that or die. Besides the longer you play along the more opportunity there is for you to somehow escape my control. No matter how inconceivable it is." 'I knew it was a challenge. She wanted me to try, to give her an excuse to have me pushing up daisys. But she was right. The longer I had out there the more time I could come up with a way to uproot this problem. She won...for now.' Peter broke a lopsided determined smile.
"'You use that word. I do not think it means what you think it does.' They don't call me the Amazing Spider-Man for nothing." 'Even dealing with Blossom at this stage in our relationship, it is really hard to pass up a gem like that.' Ivy cracked a ghost of a genuine smile. 'Wait...what!?'
"'You mean you wish to surrender to me? Very well, I accept.'" Ivy spun on her heels after she saw the gaping dumbfounded look he gave her. 'Ivy...just quipped me...I...no words can describe...how hot she just was. Turns out The Princess Bride was her favorite movie.' Her voice came again after she opened the door to her room. "Besides they don't call you that. Remember you don't exist." 'A freaking twofer!' Her door closed, and Peter suddenly felt very very tired. Web slinging would have to wait, he needed sleep to make sure he wasn't just dreaming that she quipped him.
Peter walked back into the living room, and glanced at Harleen's peaceful sleeping form. The blanket rose and fell steadily, and she had a smile on her face. 'Maybe this won't be so bad...' He thought before plopping himself down in the recliner. He hated sleeping in his costume, but at least the FF costume was warm and wouldn't chafe. He stared out one of the large windows on the second floor for a long while. "Wanda I hope you are okay, wherever you are." Letting out a long sigh, Peter Parker resigned himself to his first non forced sleep that night.
'And that's my first night with my roomies. Not quite what I'd of called a warm welcome, but not the worst welcome I've ever gotten. Just wish I could remember the kisses Pam gave me better.'
Spider-Man lands on the side of the large old Gotham Clocktower. He climbs up the wall towards the roof. The skylight window is closed, but he moves over to it and peers in. A huge smile grows on his face, and he opens one of the panes quietly, before slowly web lining himself down. The Birds are all gathered below him, readying the nights game. 'Heh heh heh. Worth it.' Slipping down very carefully, he holds up a finger to his masked lips, as some of the residents see him. They crack a smile as he stops just above an unsuspecting Helena.
"BOO!"
'Welp I'm here, and probably about to be thrashed violently. So that's about all the story I got for you tonight. Till next time true believers.'
CHAPTER 2 END
A/N: So chapter 2 closes. I want to thank everybody who followed/faved/reviewed my last chapter. I'm strait up surprised at the reception I go for the first chapter. Thank you.
So as you read this chapter was mostly story development. Hopefully you all liked it. I had a pretty good time writing it. I guess I should answer some rather common questions I got about the last chapter. Wanda will be back. I am going to leave that subject with that statement. I was amazed at how many people wanted to see her come back. I have a soft spot for her, and would never leave her in limbo like that. With this chapter I have decided to go with Peter telling the story, switching between present time and back story, with back story being the majority. However there will be a story in the present, so expect chapters based solely on present Peter and the girls. Not sure if I'll do chapter from the Girls' perspectives though. We'll have to see. I think that just about covers it. So till next time. See ya.
~ Wiggles
koryandrs: Thank you. I will do my best.
alchemists19: Then have more.
FrivolousThoughts: Please don't beg man, you have no reason to. I will be sure to keep this updated regularly. Yeah it took me hours of searching for some being in the Marvel verse who could intentionally make Wanda's powers go nuts. Coincidentally she just happened to have a history with Wanda, so bonus. Don't you worry I love Wanda too, I would never throw her aside like that.
The Raggle Fraggle: Thanks. I mean you actually made my blush a bit with your comment. I would never be so mean to Wanda. I love her to much.
Spidey Legend: There will be many more. As for Wanda you'll just have to keep reading to find out.
Guest 1: It would be interesting if he dated all three wouldn't it? I won't lie the thought has crossed my mind. Originally it was a Pete/Pam romance, but Harley is writing so well, and I love Wanda...I'm just not sure anymore who's gonna get who. Time will tell.
mkeeg91: Wait no more. And thank you.
The Fool's Journey: Thanks, here's some more.
auron187: I found that Peter and the Girls' relationship kinda flowed, at least once they get to know each other. The beginning of their relationship is gonna be the challenge.
Dragonskyt: Don't be I'm just trying to make an enjoyable story. If you think I'm good try Maximus Reborn, FrivolousThoughts, and RebukeX7. They are very talented in Spider-Man authoring.
GumGumOnigiri: Don't hurt me I'll update. I'll update!
Arachnobat: I'm right there with you. Honestly I know next to nothing about the DC verse, but this idea was to good to pass up. I hope you will keep enjoying my work.
Tcuisine: Cool
DreamKnightess: Hope you'll continue loving it.
MrNeedsToRemoveAllFavs: He is, but Spidey just can't help a pun when he sees the opportunity.
Guest 2: Here's more of the interesting idea.
Dark Vizard447: So much praise in so few sentences. Thank you. I hope to keep you interested.
RebukeX7: Hey Rebuke! Glad to hear you made it, and even more so that I got your approval. I may be needing a pointer man, you up for it? Oh and here's chapter 2.
Never-End66: Honestly, I have no true end in sight right now. But I do hope to come up with a journey along the way. Not sure if I'll be switching between the main three, but we'll find out as I continue. 't you worry Wanda's story will be coming around eventually.
Thanks Everybody