"I said who—who—who! I did! I did! I diiiiiiiiid it!"
Nova could hear Peter singing down in the basement as she helped May pack their lunch for school that morning. She could not help rolling her eyes as she stuffed a sandwich into a bag. Of all things Nova could overhear throughout the house, Peter singing is one the the least things she wanted to hear.
"Nova," said May as she placed the prepared sandwiches into three separate brown bags, "Can you be a dear and get Peter? We need to get going or you'll both be late for school."
"Sure May," Nova said as she yanked the basement door open and yelled down the stairs, "Yo Peter! Get your butt up here right now or we are leaving you behind!"
"Huh!" Peter responded, which Nova took; he was not even listening.
May scuffed. "That boy," she stated, "He's been down there all night making such a racket of some sort for a couple of days. I do wonder what he is up to."
"He said something about solving her father's curriculum of some sort," Nova told May, which was not a complete lie.
May only huffed, "Seriously, that again? I should have gotten rid of that stuff when I had a chance but he insisted on keeping that junk and old papers of that workâholic. I just hope it doesn't corrupt him."
Suddenly, they both heard a THWIP sound coming down from the basement.
"What was that?" May gasped.
Nova shrugged, "I don't know but I'll go check it out. Might have been Peter and his discovery," she said as she went down stairs.
As Nova went halfway down, she glanced to see Peter hanging upside down from some thread like a dangling spider.
"My word?!" Nova gasped as she realized seeing her cousin was in his underwear. "Oh god! Damn it Peter! Put some pants on!" Nova screamed before turning away and dashing back out of the basement.
"You should have knocked next time!" Peter yelled back.
May only shook her head and mumbled, "Teenagers…" as she watched Nova wash out her eyes in the sink.
Meanwhile, somewhere in Central Park, a creature hid in a shed. Which was assumed to be abandoned and inactive, giving Norman a place to gather up his thoughts for the things he had done. He did not know exactly how long he had been hiding. But probably about a week from now, since he set his wife into a blaze. Since then, he has been experimenting and trying his new abilities in secret through the night, around a stream nearby.
The first day was a struggle to control the flames he can summon through his body to eventually be able to make orbs of it in the palm of his hand by day four. The next problem was to control the spread of it, whenever he lost control of the flickering flames he held or dropped. It would spread out crazy into a wild fire in seconds. Which is the reason why he did it while standing in the river to contain it better.
On Day five, he had fallen to the costume of his new body and found it more-intriguing and better then his old one. He felt strong and faster at his reflex. But he was more durable at night than at day.
How could she defy me like that? Norman thought of his wife while admiring himself at his reflection in a shard of glass he found. Recalling his wife turned in terror and tried to flee into their home from him. She should have praised me for my work but instead, she insulted me! He growled.
Suddenly, he could hear the handle of the door jiggling to the shed before opening.
Norman quietly reacted and grabbed the intruder and pinned them to the ground. Holding them over the mouth to muffle their scream.
As Norman observes the intruder, he notices it was a frail old man of white hair, speckles and even a white mustache. He seems to mumble something rather than screaming, so Norman withdraws to hear the old man out.
"Jeez gully, you are a big fella aren't you?" Said the old man as his eyes glanced up and down. "I'm assuming you are harmless, since you have not killed me yet and are more scared of me than I am of you."
Norman growled, baring his teeth and lifted up his chin with disapproval. Himself scared? Nonsense. He was not scared of anyone. Not in particular.
The old man hummed. "Not a talker, I see. It's okay, I get lonely here sometimes working alone. It's nice to have someone to listen to once and a while," the old man went on before turning his back to pick up the newspaper he dropped on the floor.
Norman rolled his eyes, thinking maybe killing these old bones won't be bad but could not deny he was enjoying the company for once. But he found this old man-strange and peculiar. But he keeps yapping on. Mention about the economy rising and that he could never retire-yada yada.
The old man placed the newspaper on a bench before heading to grab his tools and other gear.
Norman leaned over to see the title of the paper and found something more interesting than the old man's rants. He picked up the paper and glanced over the title.
THE AMAZING SPIDER MAN AND THE WONDERS OF LADY ARACHNID
The pictures of these beings were not good and seem to be drawn by a poor artist. They seemed more alien than human with their lightbulb heads with long, unnatural arms and legs.
Could it be…. Norman thought as I picked up the paper and started to read the article.
"Mhm? Oh! You want to read the newspaper?" Said the old man with over joy in his voice, "I'm sorry to inform you, but that paper is kind two days old, I think. Somehow my delivery boy seems to be missing my house every other day. So I hold onto them until I get a replacement or something."
Norman grunted at him. Trying to read the paper from its tiny print, but they seemed to merge and make it more difficult that he started to get frustrated.
"Hey, those two seem to be everywhere ever since they suddenly showed up a week ago. They saved my granddaughter from some scratchy young men that followed her. If they never showed up, I don't want to think what would have happened to her. But I am glad she is safe now."
Norman raised a brow at that and placed the paper down before walking away.
"Uh? Where are you going? Are you going to stay a bit longer?" Asked the old man.
But Norman ignores him, for he wants to meet this Spiderman and Lady Arachnid.
Later on that day, Peter usher Nova to meet him at his locker that morning. For he told her he had something neat to show her.
"What is that?" She asked, taking the device and twirling the item around in her hands. They were both huddled close as they handled something secretive between each other in a crowded hallway.
The thing looks like a metal bracelet with a long wire sticking out of it that bends and curves in a strange angle.
"I call it the web shooter," Peter whispered proudly as he hooked one to his wrist and let the wire mold to the palm of his hands.
Nova did the same and found it a bit uncomfortable and weird how it clamps but it bends so easily without losing its previous forms.
"What kind of metal is this?" Nova asked as the device was now molded perfectly to her wrist now.
"It's made of a sturdy aluminum I adjusted with a couple of ingredients and with some engineering I was able to create a metal that never breaks or crumbles. Also, that's not all," Peter said before pulling the trigger with his middle and index finger together, a string of white substance came out and thunk to the back of the locker, leaving a long trail of thread.
Nova's eyes widened as she looked at it. "You made webbing?!" She gasped, looking excited to try hers out, but Peter stopped her and gave her a hush.
"It took me almost a week but I think I made the perfect combination," said Peter, smiling, "Along with my fathers research. Apparently, he was working on something similar to help mankind in the workforce. But I think it's more useful for our gain then anyone else. For now."
Nova nodded and was awestruck with her new toy that she didn't bother to take it off. "Thank god I have a genuine cousin!"
Peter gushed and took it highly.
"Yo Peter!" Yelled an incoming voice coming from the crowd of students. "What the hell! Have you gone mental?!"
Both Parker turn to see Kong storming towards them both, looking furious. Flash was right behind him, with a smug smile on his face. "I told you! I told you he was a freakin worm!"
With all that commotion, not far away, both Liz and MJ could see Kong changing directly at the Parkers that they both slip in to see what's going on.
"Uh-oh, did you tell them?" MJ asked as she made her way to Peter's side.
"Tell them what?" Liz asked, looking confused yet curious with the whole situation.
"This A-hole quit the team!" Kong yelled, now standing before Peter, "Why man? I thought we were good and you pull that shit on us? We could have gone to the finals! You abandon your pack! Why man, why?!"
Without realizing, the whole basketball team showed up and they all did not look too happy either. Except for Flash, he was smiling ear to ear that Nova wanted to sock him.
"Look," Peter started, as he could feel himself being surrounded and cornered by his old team. Along with Nova and MJ at his side encouraging him to tell them all. "It's nothing personal and nothing agents the team either. It's just…" he looked over at MJ then to Nova, "It wasn't me."
"It wasn't you?" Kong yelled, as if Peter just broke up with him. Then again, this did all seem like a break up how all the team were acting by shaking their heads and rolling their eyes. "What kind of load of crap is that?!"
"I'm just telling you it wasn't me," Peter repeated, now fully standing his ground and sounding serious. "I'm going through a lot of things right now and I believe my Uncle-"
"Your Uncle croaked a week ago," Kong yelled over Peter, "and you suddenly can't play ball?!"
"Excuse me?" Nova jumped in, "You know that is my dad you're talking about."
"Stay out of this, Nova," Kong warns her, still seething with rage, "This does not involve you!"
"Well it does when you disrespect my dad and my cousin!" Nova spat back.
"Oh shit," Flash laughed, "Carrie is back! She is pulling a Carrie!"
"Shut up Flash, or I'll break your jaw this time!" Nova snapped at him as well.
"Whoa Nova, calm down," MJ stepped in the middle to be a wall between them from the Parkers, "Lets not go that far," before she turned her attention to Flash and Kong, "And you all should be ashamed of yourselves. They lost someone close to them and you're mad over a stupid ball game."
"It's not stupid!"
Next moment there is a screaming match between all the teeangers. Yelling and throwing insults left and right.
"Hey!" someone called out, "HEY!"
Everyone stopped and turned their attention to the one before them.
"I leave for a while and I come back to this madness?" Harry sighs as he looks rather disappointed until he looks over to his friends and smiles, "Hey guys, I was told you all miss me?"
"Harry?" they all gasped. But Harry stood there still smiling like normal.
"What? You are all looking at me as if you see a ghost," he laughed, that seemed and sounded fake. He even dressed differently as well with a turtleneck and a jacket over it.
"Harry," Nova said, "You looked different," she pointed at his outfit.
"Mhm? Oh this?" Harry lifted his arm up for all to see, "Yeah this happens if all your clothes burn in the fire and you have to borrow your grandfather's wardrobe for now," he chuckled, "Turns out the hospital staff was keeping them out until my release. Just like you said Nova."
Everyone was quiet and stunned as other students seemed to be moving around them, without acknowledging their surroundings and only to get from point B to point A, for the bell was about to ring.
"You were in the hospital?" Kong asked, looking confused and dumbfounded.
"Well yeah, where do you think I was?" Harry asked back, "In Jamaica getting a tan?"
Nova was about to say something, until she felt a strange tingle at the back of her head.
"Well…. No…." Kong mumbled, "We didn't know where you were exactly. You didn't answer your texts or calls."
"Well I lost my phone in a fire, so you know," said Harry, sounding annoyed before turning his attention to Nova. "Hey, is something wrong? Are you that shocked to see me?" He asked.
"No….." Nova mumbled as the tingle only increased that she placed a hand on her head, finding it more aggressive than before. Even Peter next to her was reacting the same.
"Whoa man," Kong stepped back with his arms up, "Are you two about to faint again or something?"
"No! It's just-ah…. Why now…." She mumbled before her ears picked up a scream coming from somewhere.
"Nova…." Harry placed a hand on her shoulder that made her jump before she suddenly grabbed him and pinned him to the locker and held him in place with one hand sticking to the locker behind him.
"Duck!" She yelled before a sudden explosion blew through the building. Everyone was pushed by the force and fell to the ground, except for Harry and Nova.
"What da hell was that?!" Kong gasped as he struggled to get up.
Peter was holding onto MJ, who had fallen on top of him in a hold. "Are you okay?" Peter asked as MJ clung to him in terror.
"Oh god…" she gasped, "was that a bomb?" She cried.
"Whatever it is, we should get out-" Peter said before there was another wave, knocking the teens forward before a strange smoke started to spread their way before a horde of students and teachers are heard screaming and running their way, flooding their way like a river dam had burst or a herd of a stampede.
Fire….
Everyone was in a panic and trying to get out with their own lives. Everyone was pushing and shoving, knocking those back on the ground that were struggling to get back up to realize what was happening.
"What is happening?!" MJ and Liz cried as both girls were frozen in fear.
Nova finally detached herself from the locker and could feel Harry clinging to her, trembling.
"He's here…." Harry mumbled, "He is here to finish me off…."
"Who's here?" Nova asked, looking confused before she felt herself being tugged and lifted up off the ground.
"No time to ask questions," Kong said as he hosted her over his shoulder with ease, "We need to get the eff out of here!"
"Wait!" Nova cried before slipping out of Kong's grasp and grabbed a hold of Harry before pushing him to Kong. "Take him instead!"
"What?!"
"Like you said, no time for questions," Nova said before dashing off towards the flames.
"Nova?! Nova, get back here!" They all called for her until Peter started to push everyone forward.
"You all need to get out of here!" He said, pushing MJ to Harry, who was now smushed into Kong.
"But what about Nova?!" MJ cried as she looked back into the direction she went.
"Nova can handle herself, trust me," Peter said before giving one last push, "You all need to go or we all die!"
"Where is Flash?!" Kong asked, looking for his friend.
"Oh god! Liz?! Where did Liz go too?" MJ asked.
"They already left, so go! Now!" Peter tells them as the fire was now up to them.
Without hesitation, all of them left in a hurry and Kong raced ahead of them.
One by one, everyone was flooding out of the building and away from it. They could all see the smoke and flames smogging the sky with heavy smoke. Everyone was in panic and confused.
"Did someone blow up the lab?" Someone asked in the crowd.
"No, it came from the cafeteria!" Another one said as another explosion erupted within the building.
"Someone hide me!" Harry cried in a panic, "He is coming for me! He is coming for me!"
"Hold yourself together man!" Kong yelled at him with huffing breaths. "Who's after you?"
"My dad!" Harry said in a panic, "He killed my mom and I'm next!"
"Hold up! Whoa! I thought your old man was dead?" Kong asked.
"Not dead! Deformed!" Harry cried before going behind one of the cars. "He knows I know his secret and he wants me to die with it!"
"And you're telling us?!" Kong snapped before grabbing Harry by his jacket. "Give me one reason for not offering you back into that building fire or help me I'll-"
"Where's Peter?" MJ cried as she desperately looked around. He was nowhere to be found.
"For god shakes!" Kong growled, "Did he trick us out so HE can save Nova himself?!"
"She is his sister… or cousin?" MJ said.
"They are NOT related!" Kong said before storming back inside, but someone held him back by the hand.
"What do you think you are doing?!" Said Flash as he just magically showed up.
"Oh! Now you care?! You left me behind!" Kong snapped at his friend who was taken aback and baffled.
"I-I thought you were behind us…." He mumbled as Liz showed up and hugged her friend MJ, who was relieved to see her.
"Peter and Nova are still inside!" MJ pointed as there was another explosion but it sounded a bit closer and moved through the building.
"They are long dead now," Harry cried, "He must have found them and we are all next if we don't-"
Suddenly, something swooshed over all their heads as two figures ran into the building.
"Heads up!" One called out as the other followed with, "Big time superheroes coming through!"
Everyone stood there stunned and in awe.
"Dude, seriously," said someone in the crowd, "If they blew up the school. They are totally my heros!"
"Big time superheroes?" Arachnid smirks beneath her masked towards her partner, right after they burst through a window into the school. The sprinklers were doing their job taking out the fire but the smoke was so thick that they couldn't see past it. They both stood back to back to get both sides for coverage of all blind spots.
"Yeah, I need to work on that," Spiderman admitted as he tried to scan through the smoke. "That was foolish of you running to flames like that," he scolded her.
"Well I'm sorry," Arachnid half ass apologies, "I had to help those who were struggling."
Moments ago, Nova ran towards the incoming flames to help those students and teachers to get back onto their feet and run. Until Peter showed up and dragged her into the men's bathroom.
"What are you doing?!" He hissed as the sprinklers were now setting off by now.
"I'm helping!" Nova said before she was about to storm back out to help more people, but Peter stopped her.
"Not looking like that!" Peter said, "Do you want to attract attention to yourself?"
"Oh right!" Nova realized before she started to peel off her shirt to reveal her arachnid suit beneath. But Peter stopped her once again and yanked her shirt down.
"Not in here!" He yelled, "We need to get out of here first THEN spider up," Peter tells her.
It finally clicked with her. "Oh right!" Nova said, realizing what position she got them in. "If spiderman and arachne were already in the building, people would be suspicious…"
"That's right," Peter nodded as he went over to bust through the boys bathroom window. He looked around outside before ushering his cousin to follow along and hid into tall bushes. "Here, now give me your clothes," Peter whispered as they both slipped out of clothes to reveal their skin tight suits beneath. Peter then folded and tucked their daily clothes beneath the bush before they scurry and sneaked around the crowded students and teacher. No one knew what was going on and was more focused on the burning school building before them. This is where they made their leap and jumped over the heads of the crowd before dashing to the building. It seems to work and everyone took the bait as well and possibly thrown off their friends' guard as well.
Leading back to where they are, they search the area closely and arachnid uses her high keen of hearing to hear anything that sounds out of place.
"There," she whispered and she pointed at something coming right towards them. It was a heavy stepper and sounded pretty large the way it was walking.
"Hello?" Spiderman called out, making his partner jump and jabbed him in the ribs. "Ow…" he hissed before they could see a shadow within the smogged smoke. "Hey, as hall monitor, I'm going to ask to see your hall pass."
Arachnids wide eyed looked at her partner for joking around then being serious. "What are you doing!" She hissed but Spiderman just shush her.
Suddenly, they could hear a growl before a pair of glowing eyes were looking at them. The figure moved closer, assumedly further away then expected and was hovering before them as it stood seven feet tall.
"Oh… my… god…" the duo gaped together as they both faced something larger than them rather than Kong. Nova was shaking as she recognized this creature she ran into a week ago, but he was taller than she remembered.
The creature smirked at them, showing off its pointy teeth and growled.
"Arrrrrr kerrrr…"
