Chapter 1: Michael's New Life

Italic is used to accentuate important words

"This is dialogue"

'These are thoughts'.

These are strong words

This is a Time Skip

I do not own nor claim to own anything Spider-man related, this is purely a work of fanfiction.

Things had changed. I'm different now. Apart from the rest, as if I wasn't already. I was bitten by a mutated and assumably radioactive spider, changing me genetically. I have these powers, dangerous ones. I wish I never got them.

"Hey, Michael, are you okay? You zoned out." Peter, my best friend, grabbed my attention.

I looked up at him, "Oh. Yeah, sorry. What's up?"

"Mr. Parker, Mr. Reaves. Want to share with the class? Must be important if you're talking during a lecture." Our teacher, Mr. Gonzalez, said.

I snorted, mumbling under my breath, "You teach poetry, literally anything else is more important than this.

Apparently, he heard me, his face going red with anger, "What did you say? Poetry is extremely important to history and the way our society was formed. "

He droned on, shifting to another lecture and I looked over to Peter smirking. "Boom." I said, motioning my hands in an explosion.

He chuckled and I dozed off, not literally of course. Another lecture was not on my bucket list.

I was bitten by this radioactive spider, one that changed me genetically. I gained powers, or enhanced abilities I suppose. Super strength, I'm way more agile and flexible now, even though I'm taller than most, and I can stick to things. It's hard to control, I learned that the hard way, and I don't want to use them. I hate every time I do. But I need to help people, and if these powers will help, then it's worth it. I never want people to suffer, not like I did, no one, not even the worst people deserve it. Sometimes though, the worst people need to go. It's my job to do that. As Wolf-Spider. Or Spider-man? I'm still deciding.

My decision making was cut off as the teacher announced it was time for us all to pack up and head to lunch. I put my textbook, one I never used, into my bag and began walking out of class.

"Hey Pete, I'll meet you in the cafeteria. Heading to the restroom quickly before lunch." I shouted, hearing an 'okay sure', though he was quiet as ever.

All my senses were improved as well, including an extremely sensitive sense to specifically danger and negative emotions. I don't know how to tune it, or control it, so high school is hard.

I entered the bathroom, walking to the urinals and taking care of my business. These bathrooms weren't bad, just not good. I walked to the sink when I was done, washing my hands.

I looked in the mirror and for a second, I saw that bastard. The motherfucker who hurt me and my mom every goddamn day of our lives. I punched the mirror, shattering it where it stood and creating ginormous cracks in the wall. Blood dripped on the white sink, staining it. I washed my hand off, pulling out the large shards of glass in my hand. Fuck it hurt like hell, but nobody could know I did this. I couldn't make Uncle Ben and Aunt May pay more for me than they already have.

I rushed out of the bathroom, slinging my bag on and stuffing my injured hand into my pocket. I weaved through the large groups of people in the halls, making my way to the lunchroom where I saw Peter waving at me. I started walking faster, looking down a moment to see my converse untied. I looked back up only to see Peter on the ground, Flash Thompson, the school bully, standing over him.

"Penis Parker, what are you gonna do huh?" Flash joked around, being a dick.

"Flash." I said, grabbing his shoulder and pulling him back. I was the tallest kid in the school, standing at 6'4'. I was imposing, this recent spider bite putting muscle on my previously skinny frame. "Leave him the fuck alone."

I picked Peter up, helping him pick up his glasses. "Oh, and what are you gonna do, huh, Mike? Make me disappear like your dad?"

I looked at him, that pissed me the fuck off. "Maybe I get rich and forget about mine like yours huh?" I shoot back, the slowly developing crowd around us laughing. Flash blushed a dark red, obviously embarrassed and angry.

Me and Peter walked away, heading outside to go to Uncle Ben's dinner. We went there every day for lunch, Peter to study, and me to help serve customers. Ben had tried to get me to study, but I couldn't hold still. As old as I was, 16, my attention problems were still present. If it bored me, I couldn't do it for long.

We arrived after a five-minute walk; the school being located close to the diner. The bell rang as we opened the door, hearing customers talk.

"Hey, welcome to-"Uncle Ben started, before looking up from behind the counter, "Oh hey! My two favorite teens!" He said, a smile on his old face. I felt warm and it felt strange, happiness in my chest. He said the same thing every time, but it never failed to make me smile.

Peter waved and sat down; a meal already set at his study spot. "Hey Ben! How are you?" I asked, smiling. I walked by Peter leaving my bag with him, then moving behind the counter to grab my apron and some plastic gloves.

"I'm good Michael! Tie your shoes, I don't want you falling in the kitchen!" He joked around, reminding me about my shoes.

I groaned; I already had the damn gloves on. I looked at him, getting ready to speak before he interrupted, "No, not this time! Last time you fell and got ketchup everywhere!" He laughed and I blushed embarrassingly.

Bastard. Didn't need to remind me of that. I tore my gloves off using my teeth and tied my shoes, a nice black with some orange I added myself. Peter called them disgusting but I liked them so I kept it.

I got back up, taking over the register for Uncle Ben as a customer came in; "Hi! Welcome to Ben's Diner, how can I serve you?" My work voice came on, my voice lightening and a friendly tone took over.

"Hey, can I get a number one with no pickles and extra mayo?" The customer asked, an attractive blonde girl.

I nodded, smiling, my hair bouncing around. "Yep, no problem. What would you like to drink?" I asked politely.

"A sweet tea please."

I make a mental note of it, "Alright. Anything else ma'am?"

"Nope, that'll be all." She replied, pulling her wallet out of her purse.

"Alrighty, that'll be 9.12 please!" I said, noticing Peter look over at me and roll his eyes. He always criticized the way I speak for no reason; it was stupid.

She dug in her wallet, bringing out a ten-dollar bill, "Here you go."

I took the bill, rummaging through the cash register to grab her 88 cents. I wasn't great in school, but math was one thing I could do. "Alright, here you go, we'll have that out as soon as possible." I finished, handing her the change and heading to the back to help Uncle Ben.

"Thank you." I heard her say, before I put some fries into the fryer and set them down, before moving over and grabbing a cup for her drink. I walked to the drink dispenser before freezing, was it sweet tea or just tea?

My frozen image must have caught Ben's attention as he looked at me chuckling, "Sweet tea Michael."

I nodded, thanking him internally, "Yeah, I knew that." I waved him off, seeing him laugh in the corner of my eye.

I popped a lid onto the drink, grabbing a straw and heading back to the counter, placing it down. I moved back, popping the fries back up and scooping them onto a plate. I walked to Uncle Ben, giving him the plate as he placed the wrapped burger on top. I swiftly moved to the register counter, placing the plate with drink, "Order 342! Your food is ready."

I saw her get up and I went into the back, checking the time. I had about a half-hour left of lunch before we needed to head back to school.

30 minutes later

That half hour went by quickly, me and Peter headed out quickly onto the streets of New York, the tall skyscrapers lit by the orange sun.

"So, you actually learn anything from those books you study all the time?" I ask as we turn into the school's entrance.

Pete looked at me, "Yeah, I do. You really should study more, you know. Your grades aren't the best."

What he said was true, I had mainly B's and C's, but it was passing. I wasn't dumb, I was told I was extremely smart by some doctors. I think that was bullshit though. "You know I can't sit still Pete."

He shook his head, "If only you took the medication Mike. It helps."

I looked at him, just appalled. I was truly appalled. "You think I need meds Pete?" I questioned, a hand on my chest. Being dramatic was truly my forte.

He looked at me, aware of my antics, "Yes." He was so blunt it kind of hurt. Jeez.

We entered the school, maneuvering through halls to get to the next classroom. Physics, I think? Peter's favorite so I always just followed him, he knew where to go by heart. Probably do it blind if he needed to.

I sat in the back with Pete, out of the way. I could see just fine, my height finally helping somewhere in my life. I looked out the window as the teacher started the lecture, looking out at Central Park. Man was it beautiful. Kids played and had the time of their lives, adults working out in nature, or feeding the pigeons and doves. It was a pretty sight.

"Michael, do you know if as the process of light spreading from a star weakening occurs, gaps form between the photons?" The teacher asked, breaking my thought process.

"Uh, yeah, though I think it depends on how you look at light right?" I spoke. I think Peter said that one time, like a week ago.

The teacher nodded, "Good job Michael. Correct. There are multiple different ways to look at…" She droned on, explaining something about light. Peter helped tutor me outside of school, explaining concepts which is the main reason I had that small piece of information.

Peter and his family truly saved me. After the…situation with mine, both of my parents were out of the picture, and I was on my own. However, Peter and his family showed empathy to me, and took me in. I didn't know how to fit in just yet, but I made much more progress. It felt like an actual family, something I hadn't experienced before. They, without realizing it, motivate me to do this super-hero thing. They helped me realize good is in the world, and I try to look for it now. I still struggle with it, getting angry and revisiting the past make it hard for sure, but progress is progress.

Class passed by quickly, it was the last class of the day. Me and Peter left the school, walking home.

"So, why do you like physics so much Pete? I don't understand it very well, but you seem to." I asked, walking in the shade of a beautiful green tree.

"Its because…" And after that I stopped hearing. Something in my senses told me to focus and get into my costume, the one I designed borrowing some of Peter's ideas for science.

"I'm sorry Pete but I got to run. I'll see you later at home yeah?" I shouted, already running.

I heard him mutter something, confused and probably annoyed. Eh, I had to go and physics is boring anyway.

I run into a nearby alleyway, only about a block away from the house, and find my backpack. I had plenty as Peter had won a big science fair a while back, and the prize was unlimited backpacks. Pretty nice ones too, so he lent me one whenever I asked.

I pulled out my suit, a black base fading into an orange. It had webbing all over the costume, bolstering the flexible material I used to create the actual base of the suit. It creates a bullseye on the mask, because if someone tries to shoot me with something I think my senses will pick up on it easily. The orange, which is the color of the big spider emblem on my chest and back, is there to protect my vital organs, something I read about online. It also distracts enemies in case my senses don't work. Pretty smart, I think. The mask is black and has orange around white lenses which I see through. They also animate with my face, which I created using some tech from school. I incorporated a hoodie, which I thought just looked cool, and helped create a cover for my head. Orange highlights run through the fabric, which I made look mostly professional.

I slid the suit on, leaving my normal clothes in the bag. I found that I created organic webbing in my own body, really strong stuff. I can use it to swing around, and web up the bad guys. That's what I'm focusing on today, learning how to better swing around and maybe add some tricks to it.

I start heading up the building, reaching the rooftop. I stand on the edge, looking down at the futuristic New York I live in.

In all seriousness, I became a super-hero to help people, stop people who want to hurt others. That's why I'm here.

That's why I'm Spider-man.