High above the New York rooftops, I'm perched under a skyscraper overhang, peering out into the expansive inverse of lit up streets sprawling with constant bustle, honked horns, and the colorful language that I call home.

I've only been a vigilante for a few weeks now but I think I'm getting the hang of it, especially now that I'm used to what Havoc imagines fabric is supposed to feel like on skin. But the thing that took the longest to get accustomed to was the idea of having a symbol on my chest. A spider formed by white, black, and gold symbiotic biomass.

Corny, pay attention, Havoc says through our mental connection.

It's Coryn, I say back.

I know. Now look. Unfavorables over there.

They're people… I say with a sigh. The lenses of my mask focus into the distance where a couple of cars are speeding down streets, rattling with the cracks of gunfire. Bad people, probably.

I see no difference. Now go.

I nod before stepping into a freefall toward the city. Ground approaches fast. Havoc's biomass extends into a tether with a thwip, sticking to the side of a building, before the momentum swings me through rushing air and traffic.

It doesn't take long to catch up to the cars. My feet thud against one of their roofs.

"Ah, shit! It's Spider-Woman!" one of them shouts.

"That ain't no damn Spider-Woman! This one's too masculine to be her!" another chides before addressing me with his finger on the trigger of his rifle, "What are ya some cheap knock-off, copycat or somethin'?"

"Yep," I say.

"Huh, self-aware, I appreciate that," he says before opening fire.

Corny, there is another coming.

Can you be more specific, Hav? I ask, flipping backward onto the trunk, avoiding the initial spray of bullets. Havoc sticks to car metal before connecting a tether to street tar. Moments later, the tether catches and the car stops with a thud.

Another like you, with strange priorities towards guardianship.

"Ah, dammit," I mutter, feeling the hairs on my skin stand. The gunman in the car aims for me. My grip bends his rifle barrel before lobbing a piece of Havoc into the window that erupts as a black web, trapping the criminals inside.

They grunt against their restraints to no avail. "Shit!" they shout, "Shocker! Jimmy! He's on your tail!"

I slingshot myself back through the air in the other car's direction, hurrying to try and finish this. But there's another thwip and I see her soar through the air with the grace of a dancer. Spider-Woman, the one person in this city whose radar I've been trying to stay off of.

I land on the car's trunk. Underneath my mask, my gaze meets with the widening lenses of a white mask under a hood. A moment goes by as her lithe figure stands on the car roof and on the points of turquoise ballet slippers while her voice is alight with amusement. "Hey! You're the guy JJJ's been talking about, right?"

"Y-yeah," I mutter, thankful that Havoc distorts my voice, "That'd be me." Hav, don't do anything symbiote-y for now. No teeth or claws.

How dull.

"Alright, new guy," Spider-Woman says, amidst the sound of car screeches and rushing wind, "What do they call you?"

"Co-... Havoc," I answer, "Look, I've got this. I'm sure you have bigger fish to fry."

"Hey! Get offa my car!" shouts a man wearing a yellow puffer jacket and visor.

"Shocker?!" Spider-Woman says with faux enthusiasm, "What's up, bud? Weren't you just in prison? Also, it's like ninety degrees out here, aren't you sweaty in that jacket?" She turns her head to me. "Right?"

We meet eyes. "Definitely hot. Too hot," I say.

"SHADDAP!" Shocker shouts, metal gauntlets on his hands beginning to glow.

"Oh, newbie, you're gonna want to avoid this," my fellow vigilante says before a booming column of sound tears through the rear windshield. A rush of vibrations just passes me as I flip onto the hood.

"You alright?" I call out.

A white gloved hand sticks up from the side and gives me a thumbs up. "Peachy!"

"Cool, hang on!" I shout. Hav, brace, please.

"Dammit, Jimmy, get your ass in gear and shoot this guy already!" Shocker commands.

My symbiote suit hardens as Jimmy pulls out his gun. A flash of light erupts from its barrel along with the scent of metal and sulfur, punching a hole through the windshield. I feel pellets shower me, the force knocking me back a bit, but it doesn't hurt. I drive my hands into the hood, peeling it like an apple if one had screeching metal skin. Cars aren't very good without engines, evident when I yank theirs out and it comes to a crawling stop.

Careful of the yellow puffy one, Corny, I'm still not entirely good with loud sounds.

I know, Hav, I say before rolling out of the way from another sonic blast. My eyes scan the area, teaming with civilians. Spider-Woman is already motioning for them to escape. Jimmy pumps his gun, expelling a smoking shell with a clack. I fire a web ball that knocks it from his hands before I've dashed up close and my fist collides with his gut.

Sometimes, the problem with powers isn't knowing how to use them but rather scaling them back. At least, if you want to stay in the good graces of the police, where vigilantes are concerned.

I hear a crack in the punch as Jimmy falls to the ground in pain, likely from a couple injured ribs. "Oh, dude, I'm… I'm so sorry," I say to Jimmy, "Are you okay?"

Jimmy groans but nods. "You're good, bro. This ain't nothin' new for me."

"Y-you're sure?"

"Honestly, I probably deserve it what with the robbin' and the shootin' ya and stuff. Anyways, go on and web me, then deal with Shocker now."

"Okay…" Then I web him. Weirdly forgiving crook this one.

"Uh, little help?" Spider-Woman calls out, flipping to avoid more sonic waves. Without a beat missed, my web rope finds purchase onto one of Shocker's gauntlets. I yank him off balance as my fellow vigilante bounds off his back into a spinning flip, a sticky tether following her gymnastics while restraining Shocker.

The supercrook struggles against the bindings. Spider-Woman says, with such assurance that I can almost picture the wink that probably accompanies, "Shocker's called that for shock-absorption. So you can hit him a little bit harder than usual."

I sprint forward, the ground almost cracking beneath my step, arm reeled back. With resounding strength, my fist collides with Shocker's chin, sending him spinning into the air. Spider-Woman seizes the opportunity and fires a couple webs at his hands, snatching away Shocker's gauntlets before he lands with a thud.

She comes over and fist bumps me with one of the gauntlets. "Not bad, rookie. But don't forget your victory line."

"Uh, don't be so shocked about it?" I try.

"Uh uh."

"Shock till you drop?"

"Oh, that one's not bad," she says, making me heat up under my mask.

The sharp whine of police sirens approaches us. Spider-Woman taps my shoulder before running ahead. "That's our cue to leave, come on!"

. . .

We swing up to a high city rooftop. Pigeons coo and flap away as I land. Honestly, I'm wondering if following her is even a good idea.

"Good work, newbie!" Spider-Woman says, fistbumping me. "You handle yourself pretty well."

"Thanks and ditto," I say with a chuckle, my eyes noticing the way her suit hugs her up close, "I've still got a lot to learn about this superhero gig."

Ugh.

Quiet, Hav.

"Well… I think you and I work pretty well together," Spider-Woman says, "we could team up? Cohavoc and Spider-Woman."

"It's actually just Havoc."

"Havoc and Spider-Woman," she corrects before looking back up to me, "what do you think?"

I ponder it a bit. In any other case, I would swing at the chance. If only it wasn't her.

Corny.

I know, Hav. "Sorry," I say, not wanting to meet her eyes, "I don't think that's a good idea… not with what I know."

"Okay… Mr. Broody and Mysterious," she says, "what exactly is it that you know?"

Are you certain this is how you want to go about it, Coryn?

I nod to myself before meeting her eyes again. A tendril of gold stretches from my hand. "I'm pretty sure you know what this is, right?"

The lenses on her mask widen again. "That's… a symbiote. H-how did you get that?"

"It, Havoc, found me." Her posture shifts with tension and I know through Havoc that this is a natural response to symbiote hosts. "Don't worry. It's given me all control, though it and I do talk."

"Well, there's a lack of 'we' in your speech, so… maybe you're right," Spider-Woman says, her voice untightening just a bit. "And not just anyone would have jumped in to stop those crooks, symbiote or not."

No going back if you continue this Coryn.

The tendril retracts into my suit. "It's not about what the symbiote is doing but rather… what it knows," I explain, "You see, symbiotes can share their memories with their hosts. Not only that, they can gather memories from them too… which I'm sure you remember from your own experience with one as well?"

Her breathing quickens. "H-how did you…"

"If you and I were to team up, Spider-Woman, I need to be completely up front with you, otherwise we wouldn't be on equal standing, wouldn't be a team," I say, my fist trembling, "Havoc consumed the symbiote you used to host. And now I have its memories too. So, I know… that you're Gwen Stacy."

And there it is. The truth that I can't take back. The truth that I watch sink in behind Gwen's mask, causing her to shake her head and her chest to rise and fall faster and faster.

Then, goosebumps crawl up my spine as I feel a thud when I'm webbed against a wall.

"Huh?" My eyes widen as they focus on the outstretched hand of Gwen's that had shot it. "Wha… what are you doing?"

"I-I-I don't know!" Gwen stammers, stepping toward me. "But… but I know I can't just… I need to-!"

Corny.

I know.

Corny!

I know!

CORYN!

HAV, CLAWS!

My hands shred the webs and I bolt. Wind rushes past my face and I swing faster than I've ever done before.

"Wait!" Gwen shouts, swinging after me. "Stop!"

I land against the side of a building, my feet carrying me along its surface as the wind grazes me from web balls just missing. I can't stop. Panic courses through my veins. I swing to another building, then round the corner, then through another apartment, the occupants just as shocked as me when I dash through and out.

Running, on and on, tightly on rooftops, into an alley. But I'm caught in a web before I can make it out.

Gwen lands nearby, her chest heaving just as much as mine. "You're… you're not going anywhere!"

Spikes? Havoc asks as Gwen approaches.

Do it.

It takes only a moment but Havoc sharp spines erupt along the suit and I twist free from the web. My arm extends and a symbiotic tether shoots from my forearm. Lenses on her mask widen, but it's too late. Gwen is caught against the wall.

She growls with such frustration that I want to let her free. But I don't know where her head's at right now nor what'll happen. I hear Gwen break free, calling out Havoc's name as she swings away while I'm below the surface, smelling the sharp stench of a sewer.

She cannot sense us, Coryn. Be patient.

Right. Patient… I say to Hav, trying to catch my breath.

Dammit. This wasn't how it was supposed to go… I just… I just wanted to be honest with her.