"I can't believe we are doing this," Nova groaned as she stood in line with Peter, in the most ridiculous outfit they both came up with. Speedo goggles beneath a two hole ski mask, long sleeve sweater and sweatpants. No doubt, people were looking at them funny.
"Relax, Nova," Peter whispered, "Just follow my lead and do what I do."
Nova nervously gulped as the line started to move rather quickly. More gullible men tossed out of the ring like a deck of cards onto a safety mat on the outer ring. And some would hubble off the stage with a shameful defeat. No matter what, no one has beaten Thunder and Lighting. They were good. Supper good, that no one could touch them.
Thunder was a lot bulky then his partner. Built as a stone wall and using all his strength to crash into people. Lighting on the other hand, was lean and fast on his feet, that could easily dodge with every hit thrown at him before striking like a cobra in a lock hold.
Soon enough, both teens were up on the ring.
"Oh there goes another candidate," said the referee as two men walked off the stage and the crowd booing. "Could anyone take down the storm and be able to win the grand prize!" He then turned to the line, "Whoa! hold up. What do we have here?" He looked the mysterious masked duo before him up and down. "Sorry you two, this is not a bank robbing convention. I say it's time you both scurry off before I call the cops."
Without any warning, Peter jumped into the ring and charged at Thunder.
"Hey Mister!" The referee called out to the masked man, "You can't just jump in like that!"
But it was already too late, Peter gave a good swing at the guy. Unforchenly, Thunder blocked his punch in the nick of time. "You crazy runt, are you lookin' to get hurt?" growled the Thunder and he lifted Peter off the ground.
"It's not me that's going to be hurting," Peter said before launching his feet to Thunder chest. It was a hard blow to loosen his grip and stumbled backwards.
The crowd was going wild at this.
"What do we have here?" the Referee gasped into his mic, "Do we have a worthy challenger here?"
Peter was so subtracted by the on going applodges, that Lighting was coming at him from behind.
Nova took her chance and slid into the ring to trip Lighting over.
"Ooooh, another challenger has entered! What are the odds of this happening!"
The two men struggled up to their feet as Nova and Peter were back to back.
"Took you long enough," Peter whispered beneath his mask.
"What? I was looking for a good opening," Nova whispered back before having that buzzing feeling in her head.
At the same moment, both teens jump into the air together to have Thunder and Lighting crash into each other, knocking them out.
"I can't believe my eyes! Thunder and Lighting is down?!"
Nova stood to the side as she watched the crowd cheering them on, until she found her friends. MJ looked impressed and seemed to be muttering something while Harry nudged her in a friendly manner as he applode. Then there was Flash and Kong. They were cheering the loudest.
"Shit, man," Kong gawked, "I should have thought of that!"
Nova smiled beneath her mask and gave a bow.
Peter, on the other hand, approached the referee and snached the money. "Believe this has my name on it," before counting the cash in hand.
"Who are you, masked mysterious men?!" asked the referee, "Unveil yourself to the crowd!"
"Men?" Nova baffled as she looked down at herself to realize she did look like a guy beneath all the thick clothing.
"We'd rather stay anonymous," said Peter.
"Are you pros?" the referee pushed on.
"We are now," Peter brushed off before turning to Nova, "It's time we book it."
"Wait!" the referee reached out, "You both come down to the arena monday night? I'll get you a spot on the show. The both of you!"
The two look at each other before Peter responds, "You pay cash?"
"If that's what it has to be."
Peter hummed, "Seeya Monday then," he waved before turning away.
"Hold up! Can we have your name and contact number?"
Peter groan with aggravation, "I told you, we are-"
"We need a name. A stage name…" the referee begged, seemily not wanting them to go.
Both teens were hesitant before Peter blurted out, "the spider?"
"And uh…. the Amazing Arachnid?" Nova followed with a squeak.
The referee smiled and turned to the crowd, "We have a NEW team for our Monday duo match! The Amazing Spider-man and Spatacular Arachnid!"
The crowd went wild and chanted their new names. At that moment, Peter and Nova made their escape.
"Wait! your contact number!" the referee called after them.
The next day at the gym, the fight at the UCW was the talk of the school. Mainly from Kong and Flash mouths. That is all they could talk about Spider-man and Arachnid.
"I'm tellin' ya" Kong bragged, "You should have seen them! They took out Thunder and Lighting like a snap!"
Flashed nodded and followed along with, "And they were both two skinny guys in a mask and both supper fast too! Doing flips and all sorts of stuff. They say they will be there next monday."
MJ rolled her eyes, "I still think it was all set up," she scuffed as she overheard the two idiots' conversation as she passed the basketball to Nova.
Nova catched it. "So, are you saying I didn't miss anything?" she hummed before passing it back to MJ.
"Oh God no," MJ scuffed again, "I wish I could have left with you in the first place. By the way, where did you go?" The ball was passed back to Nova.
"Home, where else?" she casually answered before passing it back. Part of her would like to correct them all the true story and reveal it was herself that was under the mysterious man in the mask. But then again, that would bring more attention to herself and Peter.
Suddenly someone grabbed it and dribbled the ball around the two girls. It was Harry.
"If you girls want to play basketball, why didn't you speak anytime sooner," he playfully winked at the two before dribbling the ball away from them.
"Hey, we were playing with that!" MJ went after him but he would always move it out of reach from her.
Nova jumped in to help MJ.
"Two-agents-one, so unfair!" Harry declaim and he tries to find a way out and sees Peter in the corner, "Hey Peter! think fast!" before throwing the ball at him.
With quick reflexes, Peter caught it and made an easy toss into the basketball hoop ten feet away from him.
All that saw were shocked.
"Peter!?" MJ gasped along with Harry.
Nova gave a silent face palm to herself.
Peter was smudged, "What? I got some skills," he said as he went to retrieve the ball.
"That was minor luck," Harry laughed, as if Peter just told a joke.
"Are you saying I'm not good?" Peter raised a brow at him.
"If I had a choice, I would ask Nova to be on our basketball team if I could."
"What's that?!" called out Flash nearby, "You're not thinking about replacing me, are you?" He got up from the bench and went up to the group. Kong tagging behind him.
"What choice do we have?" Harry responds, "We are a member short and the couch is desperate for another player."
Flesh grit his teeth before shooting a glare at Nova. "This would not happen if she didn't break my hand!" he pointed at her but Harry got in his way.
"If you listen to me to not mess with them, then you would not get yourself hurt in the first place!"
"SHE DELIBERATELY BROKE MY HAND!" he held up his caused arm, that was barely showing his fingers down to his forearm.
"And you deserved it!" Peter snapped.
Everyone became quiet.
flash eyes narrow at Peter, "What you say?"
"You heard me," Peter stood tall over his bully for the first time, "In fact, I want to see you struggle a bit and see how it feels to be helpless for once."
Peter made an automatic toss the basketball into a hoop in a further distance, making it in.
"In fact, I'll speak to the couch about it right now," he smuggly smiled before leaving.
Nova stood there quietly and wished the floor boards could open up and swallowed her down.
Flash grunted, "Good luck! The couch won't allow it!" before he went back to the bench. Kong still quite behind him.
Once those three were gone, Harry and MJ turn to Nova.
"Are you okay?" they both asked her and she quietly shook her head.
"How about we head out after school? Go to Footstuck after school," said Harry, "It will be my treat to you ladies."
"Maybe…." Nova mumbled before feeling an arm hooked around her, it was MJ's.
"Come on, it will be a threesum," she teased and Harry's face blushed.
"What about Peter?" Nova asked, seeing the others' faces turn to eh…
"He might be too busy with tryouts today but we three haven't hung out for a long while. what do you say?"
Nova gave a generous smile at the two, "That sounds nice."
Harry beamed to see her smile again, "Great, maybe after, we should hang out at my place?"
"How about mine instead?" Nova offered, for part of her did not want to meet up with Norman after that one incident.
Harry and MJ both agree as they plan to hang out together that evening.