Chapter 9: A Mesmerizing Date Part II
As Spider-Man gradually roused from his slumber, he found himself disoriented, the unfamiliar surroundings of the room greeting him with a jolt of confusion. Blinking groggily, he raised his head from the pillow, his gaze wandering across the room to the shelves adorned with glass figurines – a stark contrast to Carol's bedroom, where he was sure he had gone to sleep last night.
Frowning in bewilderment, Spider-Man pushed himself upright, his senses on high alert as he took stock of his surroundings. He observed a set of glass figurines in different shapes adorning the wall shelves in front of the bed. But it wasn't just the décor that seemed out of place – it was his own body. With growing unease, he glanced down at himself, his eyes widening in shock at the sight before him.
His body was different – bigger, more muscular, and tinged with a vibrant shade of green. His fingers traced the unfamiliar contours of his face, his skin rough and textured beneath his touch. And as he glanced down, he realized he was clad in purple pants – a stark departure from his usual red and blue attire.
Heart pounding in his chest, Spider-Man stumbled across the room, his movements awkward and cumbersome in his new form. With trembling hands, he reached out towards the full-length mirror on the opposite wall, a sense of dread building within him as he braced himself for what he might see.
As his reflection came into view, Spider-Man's breath caught in his throat – staring back at him was the face of the Hulk, his features contorted with panic and confusion. Panic surged through him, his mind racing with questions and fears as he struggled to make sense of his predicament.
Frantically searching for answers, Spider-Man's eyes fell upon an object lying on the floor nearby – an Avengers ID card, its surface gleaming in the dim light of the room. With trembling hands, he reached out and grasped it, surprised by its weight and durability.
With a sense of urgency gripping him, Spider-Man called Ms. Marvel, his heart pounding in his chest as he waited for her to pick up. He had no idea how he had ended up in the body of the Hulk, but one thing was clear – he needed answers, and he needed them now.
As the sound of Hulk's voice echoed through the room, leaving Carol dumbfounded, Peter's panicked outburst snapped her back to reality. She turned to see him standing naked before her, confusion etched across his face as he yelled, "WHY HULK VOICE THERE WHEN HULK HERE?"
Carol's mind raced as she quickly processed the situation, her fingers flying over the keypad of her Avengers ID card as she initiated a conversation with Hulk. "Hulk, it's Ms. Marvel. What's going on?" she demanded, her voice tinged with urgency.
Hulk's response came in a burst of static, his voice strained with distress. "Carol, it's me – Spider-Man. I'm in the Hulk's body, and I suspect Mesmero is behind this," he explained, his words sending a chill down her spine.
Before Carol could say anything else, the line abruptly cut off, leaving her with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. And as if on cue, the sound of breaking glass echoed through the room, followed by Hulk's anguished screams.
With a sense of urgency coursing through her veins, Carol sprang into action, her mind already formulating a plan. She turned to Peter, who was still growling in confusion, and wasted no time in helping him gather his clothes.
"Clothes smell funny. Hulk hungry," Peter protested weakly, but Carol ignored his protests, her focus solely on the task at hand. With determined efficiency, she helped him into his Spider-Man costume, despite his muttered complaints about preferring purple.
Once Peter was properly attired, Carol summoned her own costume with a flick of her wrist, the familiar fabric materializing around her in a swirl of energy. With a final glance at Peter, she grabbed him firmly around his waist and lifted him off the ground, her powerful muscles effortlessly carrying them both into the air.
"Time to go, Spider-Man," she declared, her voice firm with resolve as they soared out of the window and into the bustling city below. Whatever Mesmero's plan was, they were going to put a stop to it – together.
As Spider-Man, now in Hulk's body, plummeted from the Avengers Tower, panic surged through him, his mind racing with fear and uncertainty. But before he could crash to the ground below, a familiar figure swooped in to catch him – Iron Man.
"Whoa there, big guy," Iron Man exclaimed, his suit whirring as he stabilized Spider-Man in Hulk's body mid-air. "What's going on Hulk?"
Breathless and shaken, Spider-Man quickly explained the situation to Iron Man, his words tumbling out in a frantic rush. Iron Man listened intently, his brow furrowing in concern as he took in the gravity of the situation.
"We need to get to the Helicarrier," Iron Man declared, his voice firm with determination. "SHIELD has custody of Mesmero." Iron Man then contacted Ms. Marvel who was carrying Hulk in Spider-Man's body and instructed her to meet them at the Helicarrier.
The four heroes made their way to the SHIELD Helicarrier. But as they reached their destination and attempted to contact Director Hill, their hopes were dashed.
"Mesmero never made it here," Director Hill's voice crackled over the comms, her tone grave with concern. "His current location is unknown."
Iron Man cursed under his breath, frustration evident in his voice as he turned to Ms. Marvel and Hulk, who were still grappling with their own bodies' unfamiliarity. "We need a plan," he declared, his mind already racing with possibilities.
Ms. Marvel nodded, determination shining in her eyes as she turned to Hulk and Spider-Man. "We're going to need some backup," she said, her voice steady with resolve.
Iron Man wasted no time in issuing orders, directing Ms. Marvel to track down Wolverine and enlist his help in finding another telepath to reverse the mind swap. Meanwhile, he would work with SHIELD to gather intel on Mesmero's whereabouts.
As Ms. Marvel grabbed Hulk and Spider-Man, contacting Wolverine with a sense of urgency, they were met with an unexpected response. Wolverine, it seemed, was on a date with Jean Grey, and he was none too pleased at the interruption.
Annoyed but resigned, Wolverine agreed to meet them at the Tower, his irritation evident as he began to inform Jean of the situation. But before he could say anything, Jean held up a hand, a knowing smile playing at the corners of her lips.
"I already read your mind, Logan," she said, her voice teasing as she glanced at him knowingly.
Half an hour later, Logan and Jean arrived at the Tower, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern as they took in the scene before them. With a wave of her hand, Jean quickly reversed the mind swap, restoring Hulk and Spider-Man to their rightful bodies.
As Spider-Man cracked a joke "On thank god I am in my regular sweaty red and blues", relieved to be back in his own skin, Hulk surprised them all by speaking coherently and in full sentences for the first time in forever.
"Bug man, you have no fashion sense," Hulk declared, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Always remember, purple is the best color."