Of course, there was still Aunt May, and if Peter knows her too well, and he does, she'll make sure to give him plenty of a late breakfast including double servings, and of course, a few questions even if Uncle Ben probably already explained.
Jasmine purred as Peter came out of the bathroom, nodding and Peter chuckled, "Not too shabby, huh? Come on, I bet you're starving too...I wish I could give you some human food, but they have to think that you're a cat, just for now, right?".
Jasmine nodded as Peter sighed, "Man... what am I going to do about this? I'm now a bit worried that I might slip up and call you Jasmine instead of Princess in front of them.". Jasmine gave him a small meow, which was basically to assure him not to worry about it as he nodded, "Right... just keep playing as normal... easy enough.".
Peter and Jasmine walked downstairs, seeing May putting out quite a spread of food, and Peter chuckled, "Golly, that's a lot of food, Aunt May.", and May turned around, gasping in awe and joy, "I know Ben told me that you changed a lot and you're still our humble and sweet boy, but look at you!", as she came up to him, holding his cheeks...
"Oh, Peter, it has been years since I saw those beautiful eyes before they had to be covered by glasses, but you look so handsome...just like your father and Ben...the Parker genes are blooming in you...", May whispered in awe.
"Aunt May...", Peter blushed as May chuckled. "Sorry. Now come on, sit down and eat, you'll need it after all that growing and especially today.", she reminded as Peter nodded and took a seat before being handed breakfast.
Jasmine mewed, and May nodded, "Oh, yes, can't forget you either, Princess!", grabbing her food bowl, "There's also fish scraps in there, had to clean out the contents of the container from two nights ago, and something else as well.", bringing a bowl of creamer, and Jasmine purred loudly as she licked May's hand before starting to eat once the bowls are put down before her.
"That's for watching our boy all night, dear Princess.", May ruffled Jasmine's back warmly before heading to sit at the table as Ben joined them.
"He reminds me of you when we were young, Ben. Those eyes, smile, and messy hair, that's our Peter, yet I think he is taller and a bit more defined than you.", May commented in amazement and relief.
"Looks that way... hard to believe almost.", Ben chuckled as Peter gave a nervous one of his own. "Yeah, hard to believe.". Peter knew better, this obviously had something to do with that spider bite the previous day. When he went to bed, he thought he was going to die, but instead that thing somehow supercharged him.
Of course, he wasn't going to let his aunt and uncle know that. After a few minutes, Peter quickly finished up eating before he stood up, "Hope you don't mind if I cut and run, but I want to quickly get all this shopping done early before things get a bit too hectic this afternoon.".
Ben nodded, "Alright. Here's some cash for you, son.", as Jasmine stretched after finishing her breakfast as well. Peter checked, "Yeah, looks like plenty for me. Thanks, Uncle Ben. Let's strap up, Princess.".
Jasmine purred and mewed excitedly, and May replied, "Text us if you get caught up in talking with friends or something, understand?".
"Yes, ma'am!", Peter nodded, and went to check his bike, grabbing his lock keys, his backpack, wallet, phone, water bottle, helmet, strapping Jasmine in her harness and leash.
Jasmine mewed as she sat in the basket, looking at Peter as he adjusted the seat and his helmet, "Still fits, thankfully. Only thing that works for me today, ha. Ready, Jasmine?".
Jasmine nodded excitedly as she braced herself, mewing. She loves this as it equals the magic carpet in a way, giving her freedom and happiness, forgetting her worries, dramas, and even bothersome thoughts.
"Okay...", Peter sighed to himself as the two of them biked to the mall. "Just quickly rush around a few stores... buy a bunch of replacements for my clothes and then we'll be all good for at least the time being...", he explained as Jasmine meowed. "Good to hear.", he chuckled.
Peter locked his bike, and before he could even hesitate to ask, Jasmine leaped into his shoulders, purring as she settled in her favorite spot, and Peter chuckled, "You aren't even fazed by this...Huh, you feel lighter. That's not what I mean!", stammering as he blushed, and Jasmine swatted his ear, looking at him with a meow, knowing that earlier before the changes, he used to walk Jasmine more than carrying her on his shoulders as he wasn't that strong before, and now he feels like he could carry Jasmine all day either on his shoulders or in his arms.
"Okay... glad to know you're not upset by that. So...", Peter didn't really know how to ask his next question as he started to walk inside. "I'm taking a wild guess that the girls somehow know about you?". Jasmine gave him a small purr and meowed in confirmation. "I see... I'm not sure how that happened... same way I found out perhaps? Were you napping close to them or something when Gwen took care of you?".
Jasmine frowned before pawing at his phone in his backpack, and Peter blinked before widening his eyes in understanding, "Oh, I got Gwen's number! I can call her for a moment to figure where to talk. Mall is a bit crazy.", adjusting his backpack to grab his phone, and went to call Gwen while glancing at Jasmine, "Which store you want me to go?".
Jasmine mewed, flicking her paws as she gestured to one of the secondhand stores with good deals. "Good suggestion.", Peter smirked as he started to walk over before the phone clicked.
"Peter?", Gwen answered as Peter gave a small smile, even if she didn't see him. "Hey...", he said.
"Oh, thank God you're still alive.", Gwen quickly said. "Yeah... what a night it was... first I feel like I was going to die... now... well, I'm a whole new man practically.", Peter responded.
Gwen sighed in relief, "That's good to hear.", and Peter appreciated her concern, and took a deep breath, "We need to talk somewhere nobody else can hear, not even our folks...I am getting to know Jasmine, but it's not fair to be able to hear her voice like last night, along with you and Jean.".
There was a pause on the other end. "You... you know?", Gwen whispered as Peter sighed, "Yeah... if you were hoping that I was out of it enough last night to not remember, I'm afraid so. That's one of the reasons why we need to talk... like now.".
Gwen exhaled, "You sound like you're walking around. Where are you?", biting her lip. "In the mall. Shopping for better-fitting clothes and Jasmine is helping.", Peter replied, and Jasmine mewed, pawing at a hanger, and Peter looked before smiling, "Thanks, that's a good shirt.", throwing it in the small cart.
Gwen responded, "The mall is a bit too dangerous for this kind of talk. I still have a couple of hours before I leave for upstate with my dad, and Jean is hanging out with me. Can you make it to Central Park?".
"Sure, I can easily make it...", Peter then grimaced at the thought. "I hope you know some place to talk quietly there, I guess?".
"Yeah, trust me, Pete, there's places we can talk with nobody listening. We... there's a lot we need to explain to each other for sure.", Gwen said.
Peter gave a little chuckle, "Yep. Let me finish this store and another one quickly, and then we'll be there on my bike.". Gwen replied on the other end, "Got it. Text me when you're done, and I'll text you of the location in the park, okay?".
"Got it.", the line then ended as Peter took a deep breath, "Certainly got a lot to explain for sure.". Jasmine gave a meow in agreement.
Peter moved as fairly quick as he could through the two stores, picking up what he needed, he was for sure going to have to be more frequent with his laundry for the time being since he was just barely getting by with over a week's worth of clothes, but it would certainly be enough for the time being.
Peter and Jasmine soon returned to the bike before he started heading towards Central Park. Of course, his trip wouldn't exactly be very straightforward...
Peter got halfway close to Central Park, cautious and alert for Jasmine's sake, yet it was difficult when he found that his senses became acutely clear. It was one thing when the mall was only two blocks from his neighborhood, but deep in the city, it became an entirely different thing.
"Maybe my room would've been a better option, looking back now... Man... I wouldn't have made it yesterday if I was trying this...", Peter said as he kept pedaling. Jasmine rolled her eyes as Peter chuckled, "Don't worry, Jasmine, we're almost there...".
Peter's ears began to ring as the sounds of police sirens began to ring as something nearby was going on and sounding like it was getting closer.
Peter instinctively winced at the increasing loud noise of the sirens when he realized he shouldn't be sensitive since he got used to police sirens every day, but today, it's different and new.
And then he felt something strange buzzing in his head, almost like it's warning him, increasing every second. Peter turned his head towards the direction of the sounds... and his eyes suddenly widened when he realized a speeding car was heading straight for him!
Due to Peter's speed and direction of the bike, and also considering the fact that the car mounted the sidewalk, there was little chance of Peter not getting hit by it. At least, that would've been the case had Peter not had that buzzing really going off in his head before somehow, he instinctually pushed his feet to the ground, and cause himself, Jasmine, and the bike to leap quite a few feet upward and just barely grazing the roof of the speeding car.
Jasmine yowled out in surprise and fear and horror as she nearly was jolted out of her basket, but Peter grabbed her in time as the bike grazed the roof of the speeding car, landing into the curb, and sliding to a brake, with Peter panting and heaving, holding Jasmine to his chest as his other hand clenched white into the handlebar.
"Holy shit...", Peter panted as he was quickly come back down from the high that he was on with those reflexes. If he was off by even a fraction of a second, he would've either been hit or landed on the roof of the car and probably get tore up.
"Jasmine, you alright?", Peter asked her. Jasmine was clenching into Peter's shirt with her claws instinctively out, her heart beating so fast, shaking, and started to breathe and relax as she heard Peter's voice, looking up at him, and she gave out a whimper-purr.
"I know, that was insanely terrifying...I'm glad you're okay. If it wasn't for whatever came in my head, I would have gotten hit by that speeding car...", Peter replied in shock and awe as he relaxed into his seat, starting to take his hand off Jasmine's cat body when he felt stuck, "What the heck?", and Jasmine blinked, meowing as she can feel her fur being pulled, and realized that he's having that ability spiders have when sticking to surfaces.
Peter muttered, "Hell, how can I get this off without hurting you?", and Jasmine mewed at him, gesturing at her paws which she released her claws from his shirt, hiding them back in, and Peter blinked, "Just relax and hide them...okay, let's see if you're right.".
He took a deep breath, and relaxed, thinking of hiding the sticky barbs back into his skin, and exhaled in relief as he wasn't pulling at Jasmine's fur anymore, and he waved his hand, blinking as he reflexed it, "Dang, okay, this is definitely coming up in the talk with the others.".
Jasmine meowed as Peter nodded. "Okay... we're all good now... hopefully we get no more excitement then on the way to Central Park.", Peter said as the two of them continued back on their way.
It was a few more minutes but Peter soon pulled into one of the entrance ways to the park before pulling out his phone and texting Gwen. 'Here now, where you want to meet?' Peter's phone pinged a minute later with Gwen's text response, 'We're waiting in the Ravine. The Loch trail.'
"The Ravine... good choice.", Peter said as he started to walk his bike with Jasmine continuing to sit in the basket. After some minutes, he finally was in the right place as he saw the small waterfall that was the Ravine. "Hey, I'm here!", Peter called out, hopeful to run into the girls pretty quick.
Jasmine swatted her tail into Peter's face, and gave him a look, and Peter blinked, "What? I shouldn't call out like that?", and Jasmine nodded with a meow before sniffing and pointing with a paw, and Peter blinked, "Okay, I'll follow your nose and paws.", as he got off the bike, walking it down via Jasmine's directions, coming deeper into a section of woods near the waterfall, behind an incline of rocks, and he saw Gwen and Jean sitting upon a spot of moss.
They looked over upon hearing the crunch of the bike's tires on the leaves and rocks, and Jasmine mewed as she jumped out of the basket as Peter settled the bike against the rocks. Gwen smiled, "You told him, huh, Jazz?", and Jasmine mewed, nodding.
Jean giggled, "You can't blame him. First time for him to be all secretly sneaky, Jasmine.", and Peter blinked, "Okay, how are you understanding her?".
Gwen and Jean looked at each other for a moment before chuckling. "Okay, look, we've got a lot of things to explain but right now... I think we should quickly talk about you.", Jean said. "You've certainly bloomed into quite the young gentleman there, Parker.".
Peter blushed as he sat down on the spot of moss before the girls, "Thanks, Jean...It still feels a bit weird, being a bit taller and stronger...And my eyesight...It's like beyond better, like I can see that lizard on that rock behind you.".
Jean glanced behind her, and smiled as Gwen whistled, "Looks like I'm gonna be the teacher on a couple of things.", with a grin, glancing at Jean who nodded with a chuckle, and Jasmine mewed with a flick of her ear.
Gwen nodded, "Right. Looks like the spider back in Oscorp wasn't just an enhanced spider, it changed your DNA in ways, but you're still Peter Parker.".
"So far... but I'd hardly recognize myself in the mirror sometimes... God, have to imagine how school's gonna react. Some of the teachers might think it's a prank or something.", Peter said.
Jean smirked lightly, "Don't worry, the teachers will know that it is a growth spurt and such as they were teenagers, after all, but for the other kids, I bet the girls would be either surprised or curious, and the guys would be shocked and jealous.".
"Especially Flash.", Gwen snickered. "Can you guys imagine the look on that douchebag's face the moment Peter comes to school? Oh, man, it's going to surpass yesterday's field trip by a mile!".
Jasmine gave a meow, and Jean blinked, "Really? Jasmine says that if Flash ever knew, he'd be jealous to know that you're even faster, stronger, and quicker on your feet, as something happened earlier on your way here.".
Gwen gasped, "Something happened?", and Peter nodded, "It's true...My hearing was getting crazy, and I was sensitive to the police sirens for a moment as it was somehow louder to me, yet other people wasn't fazed by it, and then something came off in my head, almost like a buzzing alert...".
Jasmine mewed, and Gwen gasped, "Golly! Jazz says that it was so quick. Your bike was over a speeding car?", with wide eyes.
"Yeah... timed it perfectly too, considering that the bike is fine and so are we. A fraction of a second later or earlier could easily have been fatal.", Peter said. "And then of course, there was the moment after that when I couldn't let go of Jasmine, she was stuck to me like my fingertips were covered in glue.".
Jasmine mewed again, and Jean replied, "That makes sense...Peter, I have to ask you a deep question...How do you feel about mutants?".
Peter thought about it for a moment. Honestly, he never truly thought about them one way or another. For him, he was always just more concerned of trying to live normally in NYC and not get hurt or worse, especially considering how frail he was until today. And her asking about mutants... was she going to imply...?
He pointed to himself, "Uh, are you trying to tell me that I'm one? I mean, I know the spider bite, and all clearly must have given me something other than a physical boost and such with the whole reflexes and sticking to poor Jasmine's fur...".