Story 1: Spider-Man/Human Torch: Devious Puppetry Part 2
Spider-Man and Human Torch look up at the Thing behind them as he raises his fists up. Human Torch flies up to dodge as Spider-Man flips back as the fists slam down, barely missing him.
Spider-Man: Woah! Wait… Shouldn't he say.. Oh I don't know… "It's Clobberin' Time"?
Torch: He's fighting like he's possessed or something and with good reason, seeing how that's how he is usually.
Human Torch flies around as he shoots his flames at the floor, making a ring of fire surround the Thing.
Torch: We need to hold him without hurting a rock on his face!
Spider-Man's Spider-Sense goes off as he sees the Thing stepping through the ring of fire, not even seeming to flinch from the heat.
Spider-Man: I think your little ring of fire isn't going to be effective!
Alicia watches the battle as she finally gets her arm free from the Puppet Master, who was sculpting some mysterious looking clay.
Alicia: Father, you have to stop doing this insanity!
Puppet Master: Insanity?! I don't think so, my dear girl. I am close to the victory I deserve!
Alicia: Then I will!
Alicia runs out to the battle as Spider-Man, on a wall, shoots webbing at the Thing, restraining him.
Spider-Man: Hope that can hold Mister Blue Eyes.
Alicia: I can't believe you would do this to my lover, Father.
Puppet Master: What do you know about love? Love only brings pain and misery!
Alicia: You foolish old man… you can't see how wrong you are…
Alicia kneels down and puts her hands on the wrapped up Thing.
Alicia: Love is the strongest feeling there is and through our love, we will stop you! Do you hear me? This is.. This is.. No.. No! This isn't my dear Ben Grimm! It's some soulless robot android!
Puppet Master laughs as he holds up a clay doll that resembles Spider-Man.
Puppet Master: That information will not be as much value to you for there is a new pawn in our game!
Spider-Man suddenly feels a weird wave of dizziness as his vision starts to blur a bit.
Spider-Man: W-What's.. Happening to…. Me….
Puppet Master: Also, this isn't the last we see of your "lover" either!
The Thing android rips itself free as both it and the now mind controlled Spider-Man look at the Torch.
Torch: Come on, Bug Boy! Not you too! Spidey? Dang. Now I have to fight two of them! Wait..Of course! If I use their strengths to my advantage…
Torch lands in between as both sides charge at him. When the two get close, Torch flies up into the air, making the Thing android punch Spider-Man in the face and sends him flying into Puppet Master, making him drop the Spider-Man clay doll.
Puppet Master: No! My puppet! I must-
Alicia picked up the Spider-Man doll and ripped it in half.
Alicia: I must destroy it!
Torch: Heh heh… Time to go supernova and fry this stupid robot!
Human Torch charges up and fires a big blast of flame as the Thing android gets fried and melts into a puddle. Human Torch lands and helps Spider-Man get up and then hears a muffled voice.
?: No!
Another statue cracked as a man named Julius, or better known as the intelligent villain The Mad Thinker, breaks through and lands on the floor.
Thinker: How did you know?! How could you be so certain that I, the Mad Thinker, actually controlled that robot Thing through a biochip with a special signal?!
Torch: Actually, I didn't. At first, I didn't believe what Alicia said about the robot, especially with what Puppet Master said about my best friend and the way it looked like the real Ben Grimm. But, he couldn't control two victims at once. When it became obvious that he was controlling the Spider, I knew he wasn't in control of Ben too. Since it wasn't the real Ben, I went full power on it. So, you must have built it with the help of the PM here with his clay.
The Mad Thinker gets an idea and looks at Puppet Master.
Thinker: Yes.. Phillip. May I borrow your clay for a moment?
Puppet Master takes out a glob of clay and puts it into the Thinker's hand. The Mad Thinker puts an odd device in it as he puts his hand on his temple as the clay starts to grow and expand, forming it into a big ball.
Thinker: with the energies of this device, I finally gave us an effective way to retreat!
Both men laugh as they enter the big clay ball.
Puppet Master: This isn't the last you'll see of us, fools!
Torch: It seems the clay formed into some impenetrable orb!
Spider-Man: uh, hate to burst your bubble Johnny, but it's flying away!
Both teenagers see the clay orb fly off into the sky as Torch floats up and flies after it as Spider-Man hops and shoots a webline and dangles off the clay orb. The Human Torch fires a blast of fire to try to break through, but sees he barely left a mark.
Torch: Dang! I'm not getting through!
Spider-Man: I mean all I can do is just hold on with my webbing.
Torch: It's no use, Spider-Man! They're heading towards the atmosphere!
The Human Torch stops and flies downwards in an arch.
Torch: If I go any further, my flame will die off!
Spider-Man: And I can't… I can't.. Breathe…
Spider-Man starts struggling to breathe as he loses his grip on the webline and starts falling back down towards New York.
Spider-Man: You know… I am recently new to this superhero gig… but if this is how I'm going out.. It's been a good… run..?
He sees he's dangling over a sidewalk as when he looks up, he sees he was caught by the Human Torch as they fly to the rooftops.
Spider-Man: Johnny… You're the best.
Torch cracks a small smirk.
Torch: I know.
Spider-Man: You know, Storm can be a bit of a jerk sometimes, but when all bets are off… I'm glad he's on my side.
When they land on a rooftop, Human Torch turns off his flame and looks at Spider-Man. Spider-Man starts a snicker before he bursts into laughter.
Johnny: Hey! What are you laughing at?
Spider-Man: I'm just.. I'm just.. *Heeheehaaa!* All I will say is that you're lucky I left some clothes up here earlier.
Johnny: What do you mean by that?
Spider-Man points up and down at Johnny.
Spider-Man: Come on Storm, think for a moment. Are you forgetting something?
Johnny Storm looks at himself as his face goes red as he realizes that he's in his Fantastic Four themed boxers as he covers himself with his hands.
Johnny: Crap! My tux! It burned away and I forgot to put my uniform underneath! I'm in my underwear!
Spider-Man hops onto the edge of the rooftop as he tosses the webbed bundle of clothes behind him and shoots a webline at a building.
Spider-Man: Here you go, buckeroo. I think you need those more than I do.
Spider-Man hops off and swings as he lands on the side of the Baxter Building to grab his camera that was webbed up there that also contained pictures of the battle.
Spider-Man: Perhaps I didn't get the social pics Jonah wanted, but maybe he would like these instead.
Spider-Man shoots another webline at another building as he swings away into the night.
The End!
Next Time on SM: ATU: Iron Man!
