Epilogue: Growing and Changed Feelings
I eventually got back with Scarlet Spider and we both left the Wakandan Embassy. While I was originally going to go my separate ways with Scarlet to handle that 'return the adoption documents back to the zoo' thing, he insisted on tagging along. He didn't want to leave my side just yet.
Also, Shuri was kind enough to fix up my damage belt before I left. She repaired it after stabilizing my wounds.
The two spiders eventually arrived a few blocks away from the zoo. Star took a brief pause not just for her destination, but also making sure they weren't being followed.
"You really like going to the Central Park Zoo a lot, don't you?" Scarlet questioned.
"Believe me, I've only been there less than ten times in one month," Star remarked, unable to hide her smile that later was a sad one. "I honestly feel way more at home being there than where I live now."
"Oh... I take it your regular home isn't all that nice, huh?" Scarlet asked, but seeing the sad look on Star's face, he felt sour about his comment. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't think I offended you that way."
Star just sighed before shaking off the sad feeling. "It's fine. And hey, if you like, you can stay here as a lookout while I'll go in to handle something there."
" I guess. You won't be in any trouble, right?" Scarlet Spider was concerned.
"Nah, I'll be okay. Not the first time I had to go in and out of a zoo undetected," Star remarked, using her belt to go invisible before web-swinging over to the main office.
"Everybody is starting to go invisible now." Scarlet said to himself as he looks outside the zoo to make sure nobody would dare trespass.
Around Star returning the documents while still invisible, she noticed the pin for Summer Internship applications right in front of her. And Star still had her own application.
With everything going between Mangos about to be adopted by my own ex-father and almost getting exposed, I nearly forgot the major reason why I came to the zoo in the first place. Still, now that the opportunity was right in front of me…was I going to take the chance?
Meanwhile, Scarlet Spider pounders over what he thinks of Star. Talking to her just makes him feel right. Like... normal. Like a special kind of normal. Under his mask, there was a grin. His heart felt warm.
It didn't take long for Star to return to where Scarlet was while being visible once more and walked past him with a blank look. Scarlet Spider shook his head back to reality and sees Star and looks at her expression. It's as if the female spider had a lot going on in her head.
"Hey, punkette, is everything okay?" Scarlet asked.
"Yeah...I took care of what Shuri asked," Star responded neutrally. "I...I should go now. Thanks again for saving me back there."
"I can take you home, if you like." Scarlet suggested, offering his hand. "You don't have to be alone."
"Don't worry, Scarlet. I can go home from here," Star assured, secretly flattered that Scarlet Spider cares about her enough to still tag along. "Besides, I have my own secret identity thing where I'm not ready to reveal my home location. When that time ever comes...You'll be the first spider I'd tell you."
Scarlet lowered his hand, and nodded. "Okay, then. I understand."
"And be sure to inform Princess Shuri that I accomplished the task. She was the nicest and smartest woman I ever met. Kind of reminds me of..." Star Spider drifted in thought on that subject.
Scarlet Spider was confused. "Of what?" He asked.
Although reluctant, Star Spider had this feeling of trusting Scarlet Spider to tell him. She sighed gently before answering. "Not what... who. I was gonna say that Shuri reminded me of my mom. Before she became...gone,"
Scarlet Spider was shocked for a bit but felt some remorse for Star. "Oh, I'm... I'm so sorry, Star."
"Don't be. It's not your fault and you didn't know until now. Maybe the next time we see each other, I'll tell you a little more about myself," Star suggested, rubbing her own neck.
"I'm fine with that." Scarlet Spider, offering his hand to shake. "Take care, Star-Girl."
Star chuckled, taking Scarlet's hand to gently shake before letting go and taking a few steps back. "See you around, Scar-Boy."
After saying that, Star two fingered saluted to Scarlet before leaning off the building to web-swing and go invisible once more.
Scarlet Spider swings away back to the home, still having Star Spider in his mind. "She's...amazing." he said to himself. "I hope to see her again soon."
So, all of that happened. You pretty much know the rest from here. Mangos was no longer adopted by Sergei. Instead, he was outbid by a certain ruler of Wakanda and the white ape would be later transferred to the Wakandan Sanctuary for rare animals. I had Queen Shuri to thank for that.
Sergei and I were still keeping secrets from each other. While our relationship seemed normal, I was soon starting to resent and rebel my so-called father more in not seeing him the same ever again. Especially when learning about my own animal connections becoming stronger as much as my spider powers. But that's a hard story for another time.
By the end of the day, being Star Spider was not an easy task. But I never regretted in having that Radioactive Spider bite me. I would never stop doing what was right and do everything in my power to help Spider-Man.
Now, I know while we slowly get to end of this story, you probably still have a few unanswered questions. Did I ever get the Summer Internship? Was I able to escape from my ex-father's authority for good? Did Scarlet and I become more than friends? Well, I think you can figure it out.
My new role as Star Spider had both its ups and downs. But I promise you all that, despite the bitter sweet parts, things did work out in the end. And not just for me.
Somewhere at Queens, May Parker, or as her nephew Peter Parker calls her 'Aunt May', was settling in after doing the dishes and enjoying a good book on the couch.
When the door opened, it revealed Ben Reilly aka Scarlet Spider coming back from S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy…and helping Star Spider out.
"Welcome back, Ben. How's teaching your students going?" May asked warmly.
The Brooding Hero just shrugged. "Alright, I guess."
Just before Scarlet could go upstairs, Aunt May spoke up that made him stop.
"Ben? Before you leave, there's something I want to talk to you about," May called out.
"And that would be?"
"You've been acting more than your usual self. And believe me, I can tell when it comes to my Peter hiding his secret hero identity from me," May pointed out. "Is something wrong?"
That was true. Over a week or so, Scarlet Spider aka Ben Reilly has been acting more than his usual Scarlet self. And this clearly was not from grading assignments from S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy.
"Nothing!" Scarlet insisted, looking down frustrated with his hands in his jacket pockets. In his heart, he wanted to tell May everything. But his mind told him not to.
"I see," May nodded her head in understanding, smiling a little. "So...What's her name?"
Scarlet turned his head up to her in shock. "What?!"
"Ben, I have seen how Peter acts when it comes to being with Mary Jane Watson. We all have different ways in liking someone," May reasoned calmly. "It's why I wanted to talk to you about this subject when Pete's not around. I'm guessing you met her a few days back?"
Scarlet groaned, burying his face in his hands. "I don't know what's wrong with me. Ever since she came along, I felt...well, I don't know how to describe it!"
May smiled. "I think you do. But you're just too afraid to say it."
Scarlet let out a long sigh, knowing what May said was true. "...Star Spider. That's what she calls herself."
"Star Spider? So, she's like another spider person?" May questioned. "How did you meet her?"
Sighing, Scarlet walked to the couch and sat down next to May. He started from the beginning on how he truly first met Star Spider at the zoo in battling Mesmero…along with his memories erased but later gained days later. Now, Scarlet/Ben didn't tell May that it was Star who made Mesmero do it while under his own trance. Considering it felt like a sensitive subject for Star. But he did tell May about seeing Star again when crashing through the classroom during a battle with Beetle. Even hurried out of there and apologized for ruining our class session.
May did recall that story from Peter once. Of course, he barely gave much detail into that one. Especially about a new Spider Heroine crashing there.
"You could say that our greets were…interesting," Ben explained, remembering how Star saved him from getting bombed by Beetle and ended up falling on the ground close to each other.
May smiled a bit on that. "Probably not as interesting as the other girls you and Peter have met in the past."
"Yeah, I have met crazy girls before. One of them was under a love spell once. But Star Spider...She's different,"
Scarlet was right. He has met other girls that were anything but normal. However, when coming across Star Spider, Scarlet seems to find her not as annoying as the others. She was...kind of cool and tough.
"... And that's pretty much all I know about her so far." Scarlet Spider finished.
"So, Star Spider is a new heroine that just showed up in the city? Do you know anything else about this new girl? Who she is or anything?" May responded.
"That's just it. There's not much I know about her. All I know is that she is elusive, likes the zoo, is nice to animals, and has her own stingers. I thought I was the only one with that ability. Except for the fact that her stingers seem to paralyze her enemies by piercing their skin,"
"Oh, my!" May gasped, shocked on that last part.
"Don't worry. According to Star, her stinger effect is only temporary," Scarlet assured. "And she seemed to be telling the truth when using them on Beetle...Along with Shocker and me by accident once."
Sighing in relief, May noticed something else troubling the brooding hero. "Something else about Star that bothers you?"
"Well...I'm wondering if this seems too good to be true or not. What if Star Spider isn't as good as she claims to be? She could be another genetic clone created by some mad scientist punk to spy on us. Or an agent working for Hydra," Ben groaned, placing his hand on his face in a frustrated way. "Or maybe..."
"She's a teen with spider powers trying to be a hero who wants to impress you?" Aunt May guessed.
Scarlet just looked down on that. "Yeah...that,"
In truth, the brooding hero wasn't sure if Star actually does have feelings for him. Although, she does call him 'Scar-Boy' before leaving. And she seemed to blush hard when being close to him. But would Star Spider actually still like him when knowing about how he used to be Doc Ock's lapdog spy and experiment to destroy Spider-Man?
"Ben. You can't assume anything until you know for sure who Star is. She'll come around in being part of the team, one of these days. And when she does, you will get to know her better and see for yourself in whether Star Spider might be the one for you," Aunt May reasoned, placing a comforting hand on Ben's shoulder. "You deserve to have someone who sees you as a good man and loves you as yourself, Ben. Just like I do."
In response, the brooding hero looked up and gave May Parker a small smile. "Thanks, May. I'll keep that in mind."
Smiling back, Aunt May stood back up and went to the kitchen. "I'll go see what we have for dinner tonight. Be right back."
Once alone in the room. Ben Reilly couldn't help but think of his conversation with May Parker. Is it possible that the brooding hero has actually grown feelings for someone as more than just a friend? Could he be...falling in love with Star Spider?
The End…For Now
I know, it wasn't the spectacular conclusion you were hoping for. But things have been busy at my end! I already have so much stuff left behind that I need to pick up the slack. Maybe later on, I'll get to doing a story of how Star Spider goes against her ex-father and later joins the Web-Warriors. Major thanks and credit to my user friends Alvaxerox, newbienovelistRD, and Goldie/Auto. Thank you all for your patience.
No flamed or fake reviews, please.