At the Connor's Lab…
A bottle of blood was examined while he was going through yet another x-ray.
Curt was amazed by the complex and spectacular DNA forms and shapes, altering the boy in ways never thought possible. The Spider DNA not only merged with the genetic code but was evolving the young man's entire being. Peter was absolutely a mutant, an artificial one but a mutant, nonetheless. But what makes him so different is that even after the bite, the changes are still happening at an alarming rate, such speed and form… there is no telling how much Spider-man will change or what he may become in the near future. It's no wonder that Eddie Brock has been keeping a close eye on him.
He then hears Peter sigh.
"Is something the matter?" Curt asked his patient, who seemed down in the dumps, who had his examination done and put on his shirt.
Peter was usually the peppiest thing he had ever seen, always trying to bring joy to others with his positive energy. So, it was noticeable when something was bothering him.
"Oh, just teenager trouble… my date for the homecoming party bailed on me and now I have no one to go with."
Yeesh.
Teenager troubles.
He remembered those days… oof.
Curt dreads having these talks with his own son once he gets to Peter's age. Well, that at least is not for a few years, yet.
Feeling uncomfortable about how to approach this, Curt Connors was thankful that his newest lab assistant, Michael Morbius came in.
"Greetings, Dr. Connors. Forgive me for being rude, but I have those chemicals you requested." The man greeted.
"Thank you, Michael. You can place them on the table. Peter this is Michael Morbius, one of my students." Curt introduced the boy to the college student.
"Hey, I'm Peter Parker." The boy smiled slightly, who seemed to enthrall the young man of science.
"The highest pleasure to have to be in the presence of someone of radiant and also quite an intellectual as yourself." He greeted him and then gently kissed his hand, causing him to blush.
"O-oh, um… thank you."
"Peter is one of the high school students who were offered to be our interns. He's quite a child prodigy." Dr. Connor praised the boy.
He grinned at the young man who was flustered by all this praise.
"High school, hmm… I would think someone of your brilliance should be in college by now."
"W-well, my aunt and uncle thought it would be good for me to get social skills and want me to make friends of my age," Peter admitted.
"I see. Do you have a homecoming party coming up? I assume since this time of year."
"Um, yeah but I wouldn't be going… I don't have a date." Peter answered, his head drooping from the thought.
"I could come." Michael offered, surprising the boy.
"What?"
"I would like to be your date. A charming thing like you shouldn't be left out on the fun, I also love to pick your brain on your opinions of biology and technology." Michael explained, "The Connors give you the highest praise."
Alister sneered at the student from Europe, hiding from sight as he refused to allow anyone to have Peter.
Outside the campus…
Peter felt like he needed to breathe after the college student wooed him into letting him take him to the homecoming.
Peter felt like his heart was pounding on his ribcage, he was sweating like crazy as his legs still felt wobbly. He was so charming and well polished yet mysterious and intelligent. Peter thought for a moment he was in those sexy vampire movies. He then bumped into Alister.
"Oh, sorry Alister." Peter greeted his friend, who also seemed to be acting odd around him as well.
"Hello, my sweet, sweet Peter."
Oh dear.
At the Park…
"And-and Alister wanted to take me to homecoming too and I couldn't say no to him," Peter admitted to his childhood friend, MJ.
It was nice for the girl to return home as she listened to her dear friend.
"Well Tiger, it seemed you hit the jackpot here." Mary Jane praised the young man.
"I don't know. I mean, they are both very nice but I feel…"
"A little overwhelmed?"
Peter nodded.
"Tiger, don't worry. I'll tag along to keep the boys behaving themselves and if they try anything… they'll have to go through me."
"Thanks, MJ. I could always count on you." Peter thanked her.
"And be sure to tell Eddie. That way, you can have backup on both sides."
At Conner's labs…
"Those ravenous weasels… how dare they?" Eddie growled as he continued to do lab work, Gwen noticing his anger and hot blood.
"Are you okay, Eddie?" Gwen asked her friend, who was upset and fuming over something.
"That jerk Alister and that batty assistant Morbius pressured Petey into taking them to his dance," Eddie answered while Gwen was surprised to hear it.
"I thought Peter wasn't going to the dance," Gwen responded a little upset that someone could go with the boy she-.
"That's why I said they pressured him. They cornered Bro like an animal and made him take them out. Grr… At least you and MJ will be there to keep him safe. I can't stand the idea of Peter stuck with those two bloodsuckers." Eddie grumbled as Gwen knew how deeply he cared about Peter, maybe as much as she did.
Gwen then had an idea.
"Hey, Eddie, do you want to come to the dance with me? I can have a date and you can make sure Peter's date doesn't try anything." The young High School Student suggested, Eddie liked the idea.
"Sounds good, and if they try anything, I'll be ready." The blond-haired man grinned.
At the Parker House…
Aunt May was gussying up her sweet little nephew while she was all the elation for Peter to enjoy homecoming, with two sweet young gentlemen callers for each arm.
Honestly, she thought that Eddie would finally confess his feelings and ask him out. Oh, the poor boy was still too shy to admit his admiration. What can she say, her darling nephew was a natural charmer like his uncle Ben. Peter will be the belle of the ball while the two men will be able to keep him company and show him a good time, but not a too good time. She was accepting of her nephew, but she was still old-fashioned, no naughty stuff without a ring on the finger. That was the rule.
"Oh Peter, you will be the most beautiful boy in all the world at the Homecoming Dance. You will have a blast there with all your friends and those young men." May giggled as she helped fit the young boy into a bespoke suit.
Her time as a seamstress was really paying off and she wanted to help Peter look his best.
"Thanks, Aunt May. It's still a little unnerving though. I never went on a date with college boys before, let alone two of them." Peter admitted though he was still a tad worried about other things.
The big man…
Some time ago…
Peter was able to track down the one responsible for all the bad guys, the big boss of crime behind the scenes.
"Tombstone… got anything on him, Eddie?" Peter asked through a listening device.
"Only the good stuff. A guy like the Big Man never leaves a trace when it comes to his real career. Be careful, Bro. This guy is not like the other bad guys you faced. He's an artificial mutant too, an accident that made him both invincible and powerful. Do not give him the chance to kill you." Eddie warned, having a bad feeling about this guy.
"Don't worry, Bro. I will."
"I mean it. If things get out of hand, run. Don't stay and fight. Run."
Peter breathed and entered the office of the most dangerous crime boss in the city.
"Spider-man, so we finally meet." The man breathed as the face was facing away from the hero.
"And you're Lincon Tompson, also known as the Big Man of Crime," Spider-man growled as his spider-sense was warning him of this man.
"I go by many names, little one, much like you. My personal favorite is the Tombstone." The man who looked like death introduced.
"Hey, I may be small, but I'm the toughest arachnid in town." Spider-man scoffed.
The Big Man only laughed at his outburst.
"Still a surprise that the elements of this city fear and respect a child, a powerful and talented child, but a child nonetheless." Tombstone remarked, "Now, why don't we have a nice talk, and you can sit down?"
"I-I'm not a kid!" Peter squeaked but sat down anyway.
"Oh, no? Your size alone should have been a dead giveaway, but your childish behavior, your naïve sense of duty, your ideals… only a child could believe that you can change the world without getting their hands dirty." He answered, calculating everything in his own mind, "And little boys shouldn't be playing this type of game."
"I'm not scared of you."
"You should be; child. Though, it would not sit right for me to harm someone so young as you."
"PETE, GET OUT OF THERE NOW!" Eddie screamed in his earpiece as did his spider-sense, but too late!
Tombstone pinned him to the wall by the neck!
"You don't fully understand the game well for someone as young as you."
Spider-man tried to throw a desk at him with his webbing, but Tombstone crumbled it into dust!
"A talented and skillful little thing, but one to understand how the world works. It's simply business, Child and we all have to do the work." Tombstone formally informed.
"What about the people that get hurt in your business pursuits?" Peter snarled.
"Accidents will happen, but you can't have progress without a little… destruction and you would know that due to your battles with the others."
"I am not a monster like you!"
"That is why you can't play this game. You're too innocent, too naïve to understand. Still, with talent like yours, it seemed to be a waste for it to go unnoticed." Tombstone informed, "I want to make a deal with you."
"Oh?"
Peter didn't like this.
"You can still be the hero and I can help with your publicity; help you shape up a bit. You can keep defeating the bad elements at bay. But when I business is at work, look away."
Look away?
Look Away?
'Not my problem…'
'Not my problem…'
'Not my problem…'
A snarl spewed from his lips as Tombstone was fast enough to escape from his claws! Peter was losing control again by that one remark.
"Hmm… It seemed a touched a nerve and my associates were right, your genetics are unstable."
Peter gasped and tried to calm down, the shell of his claws falling off his hand.
"Interesting… You are indeed an interesting creature. My offer still stands, whenever you are ready. But I hurry if I were you, Child."
The police soon came, and Peter fled through the window!
"No, no, there was no trouble. Spider-man was simply here to check up on me, worried about my safety."
Tombstone, he was extremely dangerous… He read Peter so well to the point that he caused his mutation to flare up so easily and we had him outmatch.
How can he beat such a guy?
Could he even?
"Ow!" Peter squeaked from the needle.
"Sorry, Sweetie." May apologized before finishing, "Try to enjoy yourself tonight, after the busy weeks you have, you deserve a break."
Maybe his aunt was right. Maybe he really needed a break from everything that was going on, especially with the Big Man.
"You can still be the hero and I can help with your publicity; help you shape up a bit. You can keep defeating the bad elements at bay. But when I business is at work, look away."