Issue #3: A Day in the Life of the Spider-Girls!

The echo of the bell signals the beginning of a new class period. One elderly science teacher fixes his glasses while continuing roll call. "Arianna Gonzalez?"

"Here!" one girl answered, hand raised.

"Dustin Nguyen?"

"Here!" one boy said, hand raised.

"Anna-May Parker?"

Silence fills the room. Teens turn their heads to the center of the room. Annie scribbles on a piece of paper, even having a calculator to do quick calculations.

"Ms. Parker?"

Annie stops when the teacher taps his ruler on her desk. 'Dang, he moves fast for an old guy,' Annie thought before raising her hand. The teacher's eyes squint before taking the sheet of paper. Annie doesn't stop him but is slightly nervous.

"This…is some impressive molecular calculation, Ms. Parker. Though I don't see what formula you're aiming for. Any reason for doing this?"

"Guess I'm eager to learn, that's all," Annie answered. In truth, her curiosity was still on what made those killer robots ticked. She looked at the nanite's molecular structure and wondered how they were created. She figured by starting some basic calculations on what formulas they used as ingredients to build such a unique alloy.

"I can see that; however, this is my class, so please follow my curriculum, Ms. Parker," he said firmly before handing back her paper.

Annie appreciated a lot of things in her life, including her powers. Still, they weren't without drawbacks, such as her hearing being more sensitive. They were so tuned that she could hear even the softest whispers close to her. She knew this very well as she could faintly hear kids whisper about her across the classroom.

"Such a try-hard."

"She's absurdly smart, like charging you cash if you want her help."

"See? Last year's rumors are true. Total showoff."

Annie was irritated, stopping herself from snapping her pen. Rumors were part of life in Midtown High, and somehow Annie just had to be a part of said rumors. They could be worse, especially compared to April's. The difference was that her sister didn't give a damn about any rumor thrown at her. April knew how to take a punch, but not Annie, and she wished she could carry that same carefree attitude. However, something deep inside her refused to let such lies exist, and that the truth was important. It compels her to correct any mistake and, in this case, be defiant of such falsehoods.

Now if only she did a decent job at doing that. A downside to trying to be mild manner.

'I guess it can't be helped,' Annie thought, 'I'll slip this in as reason number fifteen for why I got no friends: nobody wants to be pals with a girl who can't debunk a rumor about herself.' The teacher continued about their new lab, but Annie had long since clocked out. 'Oh great, I don't even recognize anyone in this class. Just when I was making good progress with…uh, b-Britney? No, Brianna…okay, maybe not great progress, but we said hi a few times.'

Part of her was tempted to discuss this with her sisters, but that's the last thing she needed. 'I know they'll mean well…okay, Mayday will. April would probably threaten several people. I want my own space to solve my issues. Not to mention the possibility of Mayday sharing this with Mom and Dad.'

She can already hear it now!

"Wow! Talk about having a weak spine! Had to bring in her parents over some silly rumors!"

"See!? That's why you don't make friends with little Annie. She can't take a joke!"

"Urgh, I heard Osborn's heir was like her only friend. No wonder they split; she must've always been a brat."

Annie's imagination runs rampant over this nightmare scenario. She tried not to think about it by finishing the last calculations on this strange substance. Her teacher then announces, "…with all that said, grab your things and coats. We're heading to the Science and Engineering wing."

'Finally,' Annie sighs in relief, 'I got to take my mind off hero stuff and drama. Be a normal student, Annie, and everything will be fine.'

She throws her lab coat as naturally as her spider suit before grabbing her red pouch. She gasps when her Spidey-sense goes off, and Annie dodges a kid trying to shove her. She swipes her bag behind her and rolls her eyes at the culprit. "Albert Arvad, you jerk."

The blonde hair, glass-wearing boy carried a smug look on him as he snickers. The son of a former supervillain, Will-o-wisp, Albert always tried to frame himself as Annie's equal Partly because his father was a brilliant scientist too. She knew that was far from the truth, but his constant arrogance pushed her buttons. She remembers her parents' advice and tries to calm herself, especially her competitive side.

Albert and his pals stroll past as she raises his hands, "What's wrong? I didn't touch you, so no harm, no foul."

Annie tried not to let others get to her, but smug pricks like Albert she couldn't stand. 'Urgh, and the way he always looks down at me. I don't even want to know his views on women.' In her distracted thoughts, Annie fails to notice a spider bot falling out of her red pouch until it hovers beside her.

"Gah!" she yelps as its adorable little face brightens, waiting for her orders.

"Ms. Parker, we are all- "the teacher said, catching Annie holding something behind her back.

"Yep, right behind you," Annie said with a nervous smile. She's forced to go out and follow the class. Luckily, she could stuff the spider-bot into her shirt's pocket. Unluckily it also got people snickering at her. However, one girl sounded like she giggled, like she wasn't laughing at her. Annie hoped that was the case as she buttoned up her coat, hiding her little friend.

Arriving at their destination, Annie's eyes sparkled from the glee at how cool these rooms were. How jam-packed they were with Stark and F.F. tech. While she had to refrain from touching anything, they still had neat gadgets in the classroom. Assigned to her station, Annie watches as the teacher passes out a handheld circular gadget for their first learning assignment.

"Students, what each of you holds is a modified version of the Cell-Stimulator," he said, "we'll be using this to learn the intricacy of cell division among various types of lifeforms. For example, next to you are a small water tank containing ten plankton. Now, shoot the device's ray at the plankton."

Annie does and gasps upon seeing the plankton multiple tenfold. "Woah, teacher, there's like a hundred of them now! All healthy like the original ten."

"Precisely!"

Annie inspects the gadget closer when the hidden Spider-Bot begins to shift beneath her coat. "Stop," she whispers, "sto-hahaha!" The crawling began to tickle, making her burst into laughter. She gets many kids looking at her weirdly before she slaps her hand over her mouth. There's an awkward air before everyone returns to listening.

It peaks over her collar, but Annie quickly grabs it and hides it behind her tray of tools. She gets a glance from some students, but they soon turn away. "Please, stay still," she whispers. She then notices Spider-Bot looking at the Cell-stimulator, eager to analyze it. "Okay, but just a peek." After allowing it a quick scan, she allows it to crawl to her shoulder without anyone seeing them. The bot relays its findings to her ear in its quietest settings.

Annie gasps and raises her hands. "Yes, Ms. Parker?" he asked.

"Y-yes, uh, how safe are these devices, sir?"

"Well, if you had been listening two seconds ago, you would know these devices have been modified to be completely ineffective on humans."

"So totally safe then? What about animals, then?"

"Yes, the device is calibrated before class to-"

"And metal, what about that?" Annie interrupts, a concerned look in her eyes.

The teacher looks confused but answers, "Erm, of course, Ms. Parker. Metals don't have cells; they're composed of atoms."

"Hehe, obviously," Albert snickers mockingly, along with a few other students.

"I'm not talking about earth metals or transition metals, but semi-organic metal," Annie clarifies, "the kind of metal where it's possible to imitate the structure and properties of cells. To the point where it can even copy cell division and is magnified by devices like these?"

The class is silent, staring at Annie, who flinches back, realizing her mistake. 'Crud, a got too specific and advanced just now. At least my spidey senses aren't going off.'

"Uh, forget what I just said," she laughs. Luckily the class proceeded, and while she got a few looks from classmates, Annie was able to keep her identity safe by the end of the period.

Albert and half of her classmates laughed at her while leaving class. "Ever thought of being a comedian instead, Parker? You sure know how to make yourself look like a fool."

"Perhaps the day you finally shut up, which is never, jerk," Annie said.

"Ooh, that hurt my feelings, Parker."

"Really? Didn't know you had any!"

Annie's face was turning red in anger, trying to remind herself of her parents' rule. As much as she wanted to kick Albert in the face right now, she didn't want to crack his skull. As Albert and his pals walk away, Annie sighs and clears her mind. It's in this apparent state that feels something different. She turns, noticing a girl with brown skin and dark hair walking away. Annie notices a note on her backpack.

"Don't let them get to you. You're funny and smart! Funny in a good way, I mean!"

Annie blushes at the kind words. She looked back to see the girl was always gone. Her cheeks were warm as she smiled, tucking the note into her pocket. Safely away from any eyes, she has her spider-bot transfer the cell stimulator's data into her phone before making a call.

"Yeah, Annie?" Mayday says over the phone.

"Meet me by our lockers. I got something to share."

After a quick walk, Annie waves at her sister, standing by the sister's lockers huddled together. "What'd you find?"

"This," Annie whispers, holding her phone close to Mayday, which transfers the data.

Mayday scrolls through, checking on a diagram beside it. "Cell-Stimulator…you think this has something to do with those robot's nanites?"

"I'm pretty certain," Annie whispers, "At first, I thought the nanites were pure metal, just a bundle of atoms. Now I think I've been looking at this with a missing perspective. The metal could be partly organic, that the robots perhaps weren't mindless drones but almost alive like you and me."

Mayday leans against her locker, tapping her chin while processing this. "Sound like they were run by an advanced Artificial intelligence then."

"An A.I. whose functions are disturbingly organic, potentially even alive."

"So, you think it's similar to the theory of silicon-based lifeform?"

"It's not alien," April announces while snacking on chips. Using her symbiote powers to change the colors of her nails, she said, "Trust me. I know alien."

"Where'd you get that?" Mayday questions.

"I persuaded some boys to get me some," she said sweetly. Her sisters didn't buy it, and she waved it off, "Kidding, I persuaded the vending machine with a few kicks for them."

Mayday pinches her brows while Annie shakes her head.

"What? I always snack after a good fight," she said, lazily tossing the empty bag to the floor. "Anyway, what we fought looked man-made, and the exoskeletons didn't look like any Kree or whatever alien groups' designs."

"It could be someone stole alien tech," Annie posits.

"Perhaps we're overthinking it," Mayday said, properly disposing of the discard bag. "What chances are the cell stimulators being incorporated into the bad guy's tech? That's how they can get that weird substance to self-replicate so fast. Your notes said how it multiplies plankton tenfold in a second."

"That's still a big if," April said.

"But if true," Annie said, "it means someone is stealing tech from either here or from the big enterprises like Stark."

"Either is deeply concerning," Mayday said before the bell rang, signaling them to get to class.

"Well, we're still stuck at square one if we don't know WHO did this," April said. She goes to open her locker but coughs when she's met with dust and cobwebs. "The hell? I thought the school cleaned these over the summer."

Annie opens her and is confused, "They do. Mine's clean." She blinks in surprise upon seeing a note slipped in. Opening it, she reads to her sisters, "Want to start the new school year with a bang? Then come to this address at seven' o clock for a big party bash. Signed, Heather Noble?!"

The sisters gagged at the mere mention of the name of the junior whose popularity, wealth, and influence have made her the most powerful girl at school.

"Must've slipped in by mistake," Annie said, "why would she ever invite someone like me?"

April suddenly had an idea, and a devious grin crossed her lips. She swipes the letter from Annie and proposes, "Say, how about we get some payback for last year's field trip and crash the party? I know a guy who can hook us with-"

"No," Mayday firmly states, crossing her arms.

"Oh, come on. I'm not even saying to use our powers. Besides, I don't want to be cooped up at home all night, especially since we're still benched. Right, Annie?"

"Uhh…"

"Powers or no powers, we shouldn't engage in petty fights," Mayday said. She opened her locker and was surprised to find a baker's dozen worth of letters. "Okay, what's up with our lockers?"

April opens one and gasps, "Day one, and you're already getting love letters?"

"Huh, from guys and girls," Annie said after looking at two.

Blushing, Mayday snatches up her letters, "It's not like I ask for them, April."

"This coming from the same girl who blows kisses at her fangirls. At least Annie is decent enough not to show off."

April's phone suddenly rings. She sighs and walks off, "Gotta go."

Mayday squints while watching April rush through the halls, "What's got her in a hurry?"

"You know April, she hates unfair situations," Annie said, walking away too. "And I see where she's coming from."

Mayday looks at her letters and her sister's locker's unclean, lonely state. She frowns, throwing away the letters. 'I don't have time for another life anyway,' she thought before class.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

[Later…]

"Across academia and pop culture, you'll eventually learn that Isaac Newton invented calculus. However, for extra credit, can someone tell me one fact that's overlooked," a math teacher asks. The class was so silent that crickets could be heard. Sitting in the far right back of the class, one incredibly silent student had her feet kicked up on her desk. She was absorbed in her phone as if trying to distract herself. "April Teresa Parker, you'll probably need the extra credit."

April laughs, "Oh? Singling me out on the first day, teach? That's unprofessional and worthy of reporting."

"And who would believe you," the teacher mumbled beneath his breath, but April heard him clearly. "Just try and answer the question, Parker."

April rolls her eyes, answering, "Well, it is Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz. Born July 1st, 1646, he was a renowned mathematician, scientist, and optimist philosopher who was so vital to calculus that Leibniz's notation is named in honor of him."

The teacher blinks in surprise, "That's…exactly it-."

"He was such a big contributor to Calculus that there was a big old dispute between him and Newton, who deserved the title of 'inventor of calculus.' Honestly, teach, I can relate to that Leibniz guy. The man published his findings first, but because Newton's supporters accused him of plagiarizing, the world eventually remembered Newton over him. Tsk, talk about history being written by the victors."

April crossed her arm in a huff before noticing the class was staring at her. She feels her phone vibrate in her jacket pocket and quickly raises her hand. "May I excuse myself to the restroom, please?"

April walked out before the teacher could even speak. Roaming the halls, her mind can't shake off all the praise her sisters keep getting, especially Mayday. She pulls out the note from before and opens it to see the name 'Mayday Parker' scribbled onto it. "Tsk, that hypocrite," she mutters, tearing the letter to shreds. "Maybe the real reason is because she wants to enjoy that party alone. Some team leader you are, sister."

At that moment, April remembers the counseling she received as a child. Despite the lessons and help they gave her, she can't shake off this feeling. No matter how often people say they're equals, a part of her doesn't believe it.

There is no doubt in her mind that she's the strongest of the three. Powers she bets Mayday wishes she could have. Yet despite her contribution, she's only appreciated once every blue moon by the public.

'That bigot lady especially pissed me off,' she thought. 'People see me as a menace when people like her are the real menace.' And describing her as a menace was the least offensive word April had heard. There were two words in the English vocabulary that she never wanted to hear: 'monster' and 'clone.' She'll tear apart anyone who dares throw that latter term at her. That was an unequivocal promise.

Her sulking is interrupted by a whistle from the staircase. She travels from the third floor to the rooftops, using a hairpin to open the door to meet the only other person she tolerates.

"Yo, I've been waiting forever up here," Stephanie Kim said. A fellow junior with long dark straight hair with a streak of blue dye across her hair bangs. She wore dark and blue colored clothes with a red scarf and the trans colors painted across the back of her jacket. Stephanie became acquainted with Annie and her during middle school. Though Annie and Steph don't talk much now, she and Steph stay close friends. Simply put, the two had a shared distrust of adults, creeps, and stuck-up, high-class students.

"Hey, I had a lot on my mind this morning. Give me a break," April said back. However, this was just their way of saying hello. April looks over the sports field with Stephanie when she spots her pulling out a cigarette. She snatches it away and lights it for herself with a small match. "I told you, Idiot, these aren't good for you."

"Oh, but they are for you. How?"

"Heh, wouldn't you like to know," April chuckled. This was another benefit of her unique physiology. Being half-symbiote meant she didn't have to worry about the side effects of smoking. "So, how did summer school treat ya?"

"Your tutoring made it bearable. For once, my folks looked proud of my grade. You?"

"Last week of summer was alright. We had a family fun day over in Manhattan. Mom and Annie were thrilled, which is nice. Dad and Mayday chatted a lot, like always."

"And you?"

April dodges the question with another question, "How's the shiner on your cheek?"

"The bruise went away last night. Worth it for scaring away those drunk rich pricks. I still can't believe they tried driving that girl home. Idiots would've gotten all of them killed."

April puffs out smoke, saying, "Alright, let's get down to business. Did you find any clues on anyone sneaking into school recently?"

"I got the usual suspects," Stephanie answered, pulling out her phone with a list. "Alex Sytsevich?"

"He'd be good muscle to hire, but he's a good kid. Ain't too easy to trick into stealing. Next."

"Ross Wheele?"

"He would make a good getaway driver. He went to juvie too, but he's too stupid to trust info with. Next."

"Natalie Lemelin?"

"Screwbie? You serious?" April chuckles before pausing, pondering the idea further. "She is the best gymnast around here…good enough to sneak past security. She doesn't give a crap about doing anything illegal."

"And she's the anonymous owner of that growing live stream channel, Screwball," Steph said, "Not many people know she's that loud chatterbox."

"Which means she'll love a little chat if it means gloating about it," April smiles, tossing away the cig. "Where's the last place you saw her?"

"I've seen her hang around to couriers of illegal substances. Over on 23rd street."

"Good work, Steph," April congratulated, and the two ran downstairs until they reached the school fences. Making sure no security was watching, the two sneak out of school and reach a bar on the street where Natalie was last spotted. They peeked inside, catching her with three guys walking out the back.

"Be ready and stay behind me," April whispers to Steph, who already has a bat on her. Sneaking to the back, April recognizes that purple-haired Natalie, wearing trendy sunglasses and fashionista-style clothes. It contrasted the three boys her age who wore jock uniforms not from their school. They were beside a black van, showing off to her the money they make from dealing drugs and the fancy switchblade knives they bought.

April sees Steph was already recording before surprising the four with her announcement, "Say hi to the camera, fellas."

"Woah, hey! Put those cameras down!" one dealer panicked.

"Yeah," Natalie shouts, "I'm supposed to be filming, so stop stealing my thunder!"

"W-what?!" the boys exclaim, "you're filming us holding this stuff?!"

Natalie nonchalantly nodded, tapping on her sunglasses which had a hidden camera in them. "You be surprised how many of my viewers just love seeing this stuff."

Watching the three boys' jaws drop was hilarious to April. "I swear. These dealers are getting desperate if they're picking these losers," she told Steph, who chuckled. However, things become serious when the leader of the boys grabs Natalie by the wrist and breaks her glasses.

"We have tough friends," he said before turning to April and Steph. "N-none of you won't get away with this."

Seeing the other two approach them, April glares with a confident smirk. 'Good, I got some steam to blow off,' she thought. She shoves Steph away for her safety. The boys try grabbing April, but she throws the first punch. The inexperienced teens armed with switchblades stood no chance against April's fists. Their bruises were so nasty that blood began to stain her knuckles. Within seconds she had both boys down on the pavement, nearly passed out from the quick beating. 'Damn, I don't know how dad did it holding back his punches. I'm barely trying.'

Her spider senses warn her of the last boy charging from behind, knife in hand. She was ready to dodge when Steph stepped in and bashed his leg hard with her bat, causing him to fall hard into the pavement. Kicking the knife away, Steph kicked him hard in the gut before April pulled her back. "Steph, it's over. They're finished."

Steph huffs, "Shouldn't I be telling you that?"

April looks at the tiny blood on her knuckles, "Well, do as I say, not as I do."

Natalie squeals, "A real knife and fist brawl. How fun!" She walks up and kicks the leader, angrily saying, "You owe me a five-hundred thousand-viewed video, jerk!"

Scared of all of them, the boys stagger back to their van and drive off.

"Yeah, run home to your mamas!" April shouts.

"What cowards," Natalie sighs, "on second thought, they totally would've ruined my viewership." She casually leans against the wall and asks, "What ruffled your feathers?"

"Every troublemaker in midtown knows that you are down for anything," Steph said, "Your acrobatics are top of the district, good enough to steal something even."

"You stole something from the school recently, didn't you?"

"Oh, how I love to hear my rep grow," Natalie said, brushing her hair in pride. "Well, if you want to know, I'll tell ya. The only loyalty I give a damn about is that of my viewers. All I ask is a quick favor."

April groans, "Don't tell me; we must subscribe to you. You have three million subscribers, girl."

"It'll be three million and two if you say yes. Oh, and if I see that number go down two numbers, I'll make you regret it."

Both teens roll their eyes and whip out their phones. "See? Now we're a part of your 'screwball' gang or whatever. Now talk."

"Hmm, this was almost three months ago, so my memory is a bit fuzzy," Natalie said, tapping her forehead. "I was leaving summer classes late afternoon, streaming my best gym performance, when a tall girl my age with a crimson red trench coat approached me. She had an accent, German, I think. She offered money in exchange for stealing something from a construction site."

"I suppose it was the science building while it was being built," Steph said.

"Yep!"

April pulls a picture of the cell stimulator from her phone, asking, "Did what you stole look like this?"

"Dunno."

"What do you mean 'dunno'?"

"She just said to snatch a special black box. I did that, got paid, and she disappeared. I don't know what was inside."

April slaps her forehead, "you sure that's all you know?" When Natalie nods, Steph and April make their way back to school. "Well, at least it's something."

Upon sneaking back on campus, Steph asks, "What's your gain in figuring this case out?"

"Case? Don't say that like we're cops," April said, "look, Annie noticed one of these devices was missing. She looked concerned, so I thought we try looking for the culprit."

"Heh, you're a softie sometimes."

"Shut up."

"Never. So, I'm guessing it's dangerous?"

"In the wrong hands, yeah." April enters one of the buildings with Steph when her spider senses go off. "Uhh, Steph? You go ahead."

"Oh, sure. See you later then. Remember, baseball practices start Wednesday. Better see you there."

April waved goodbye until she was sure Steph was gone. She huffs a strand of her hair, saying, "Alright, we're alone." Mayday casually walks out from behind the main doors, a look of suspicion in her eyes. "I got some deets on who could've done it. A seventeen-year-old girl with a red trench coat and German accent. She hired someone to steal a black box from the science building, most likely a cell stimulator."

Mayday stays silent, approaching April before snatching her right hand. Raising it between them to reveal the dried blood on her knuckle. "What did you do?"

"Nothing that broke the code," April said, pulling her fist back.

"Was this unavoidable, or did you just head straight into trouble looking for a fight?"

"Hey, I didn't get Steph or bystanders hurt. That's what matters most, right?"

"Don't dodge the question. April, fighting for us means more than simply holding back. What if one of these people you attack one day ends up in a hospital from a hidden traumatic brain injury? What if they die from it?"

"I just taught some idiot drug dealers kids a lesson they won't forget, yet you're treating it like a bad thing."

"Using your powers recklessly is a bad thing, April. We fight as the Spider-Girls, not as the Parker sisters."

"God, what is with you and your speeches today?"

"Because I promised to always look after you and Annie," Mayday answers, "April, thanks for getting this info while protecting the school. I'll admit that I don't show my appreciation for your efforts as much as I should. Next time, however, please consider the unintended consequences that may come from your actions."

"Well, you ain't exactly doing a bang-up job," April said, shoving a piece of paper into Mayday's hands. She walks past her, stopping briefly to say, "It's always the same. I could do as much hero work as you, but you get all the praise while I'm treated like I'm the problem."

"April," Mayday said, "you are a hero no matter what others say…and you'll always be a hero in my eyes, sis." April stops, tilting her head up as if surprised. Her clenched hands relaxed, and she almost looked back. However, she walks away at the last moment, leaving Mayday alone.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/

[Later…]

A whistle echoes across Midtown High's gymnasium. Ten players split into two teams and began their last match of basketball. The team in white has possession of the ball through their best player, Davida Kirby, and her eyes were set on that basket. Her tall stature and years of experience made getting around the opposing as easy as pie. However, this was not to be, for she failed to notice the last player standing when she attempted a two-point throw.

Mayday Parker caught the ball mid-air before making a calculated dash to the opposing basket. The opposing team tried to block her, with Davida directly blocking her path. This proved fruitless as Mayday made a great leap and tossed the ball over.

She landed a perfect three-pointer.

The coach blows his whistle and declares, "Team Black are the winners!"

Despite the defeat, the teens laughed and high-fived each other for a good game. This was Midtown High's esteemed basketball team, practicing for the upcoming season as part of their P.E. credit. It was a fun but challenging match, and seemingly no one had it tougher than Mayday sitting on the floor from exhaustion. 'Wow…,' she thought, 'I don't remember having to hold back that much last year. It's like forcing myself to go through a vat of molasses.' Mayday was no stranger to holding back. It was the first thing her father taught her. Yet with each passing year of fighting and training as Spider-Girl, she feels herself getting stronger.

'If this keeps happening, then even holding back won't be enough for me to play fair,' she worried.

She spotted a hand before her, looking up to see it was Davida. "You…look so gross."

Mayday takes a whiff of herself and gags, "Yeah…and I smell gross too."

After a quick-hitting of the showers, the two long-time friends march to the cafeteria for a deserved lunch break. "Gosh, my stomach is dying," Mayday groans.

"Same, girl. It was fun, tho, getting back into real games with you. Nothing beats the thrill of shots like yours. Speaking off, did you buff up over the summer?"

"Me? N-Nah, I'm very peculiar about my weight."

"I don't know, it felt as if you moved faster than last year," Davida said. She taps her chin as Mayday gets a little nervous. Then her friend pats her back, "Calm down, that's a good thing. This means that once we play our first match, those other school's star athletes better watch out for you."

"Y-yeah," Mayday nods, trepidation in her voice.

"Hey," Davida whispered, "You and your sisters were late for school today. Did it have anything to do with today's attack?"

"What attack?"

"Seriously? Look!" Davida opens her phone and pulls out her social media.

It was a video shot from the sidewalk in the middle of downtown. Mayday recognizes it as the middle of her sister's battle. "Oh my god," the young camerawoman said. Mayday knew that voice quite well. She should've known her number one fan would be there. "Guys! Felicity Moon here, and you won't believe what's happening right now! Spider-Girl's team is beating up flying robots! Wow, she caught that guy falling. Hah, isn't she so dreamy—no, brave! She looks so brave saving others!"

"Hehe, you think it was love at first sight for her? I swear tho, that girl's is going to get herself killed one day," Davida said, shaking her head.

"Don't say that," Mayday said.

'But seriously, Felicity, don't get hurt out there.'

"Anyway, you coming? Courtney texted me that today's menu is delicious!"

"Uh, sorry, but my mom packed me lunch, and I want to start my first homework assignments."

"Seriously, Mayday? Alright, but don't starve yourself for some homework."

Mayday heads down in the opposite direction, waving at fellow juniors and running for her destination. 'There's no way. Am I changing so fast for people notices?' she thought, remembering her recent discussion with April. 'Gosh, Mayday, way to sound like a hypocrite. Reprimanding your sister for tapping into her powers while you carelessly still think of playing this year.' She shakes her head and slows down upon seeing she's alone.

"Okay, calm down, girl. This only means you must hold yourself back further. It'll be hard, but it'll be worth it if it means going pro one day. I'll see it as special training, yeah, that's it."

She checks her surroundings before opening the door to a closed-off science room. She heard from Davida that some rooms were still under maintenance and had her guarantee that technicians wouldn't work on them until after school. She enters the dark room, walking to the other end to see the robot skull still there.

Mayday has quickly hooked it up to a clean computer and has used tools to repair most of its damaged parts. "Hopefully, I'm close enough to see what's inside your head," she whispered before throwing on some gloves and grabbing her tools.

Sparks fly, and drivers move steadily as Mayday studies this remarkable machinery. 'Annie was right. Whoever made these custom drivers and machine parts is ridiculously smart. We faced some clever foes since our careers began but never one who can build an army.'

She recalls April's findings and can't for the life of her recall any woman who fits the description. "They don't attend Midtown, that's for sure. Perhaps she went after our school because the tech had fewer guards. Though, Mayday also factor that could be them assuming. Perhaps this lady isn't even the mastermind but an accomplice to the creator of these.

Carefully, she reopens the center of the skull and spots the burnt CPU still inside. To her relief, it was still functional, and she could transfer what data survived into another CPU. With her technical mind and trusty computer, Mayday can copy most of the circuitry and design of the CPU. She pulls off a sheet, unveiling the perfect machine to recover and transfer the data.

She inserts both devices and sees the progress bar appear. It was progressing quickly until a loud error blared from the device. She quickly shuts it off and is left confused. "I swear I matched it one for one," Mayday sighs.

"You ain't exactly doing a bang-up job."

"You think I don't know that, April," she mutters. She throws away the CPU copy and ponders the source of this roadblock. She spins around in her chair, thinking for a minute, and suddenly snaps her fingers. "A fail-safe lock," she exclaims, "of course, whoever made this designed it so that any sensitive data is locked from intruders." She slides over to her computer, carefully inserting the CPU for another scan, and sees the firewall in all its glory. "There you are, now how to break through you."

Staring at the screen, she considers the alternative of locating a backdoor, but it's risky. She was a solid hacker, but not only was Annie the best, but who knows how long it'll take to find this backdoor. "We could be looking at hours, and I feel we don't have that much time." Then, a light bulb flickers above her, and she snaps her fingers. "However,…I know someone who could crack this egg."

She isolates and copies the firewall's code, masking any other info before rushing to a hidden spot she and another girl knew. She heads to the computer classroom on the third floor and finds another old friend sitting in the back. "Hey, Liv!"

The sixteen-year-old girl, Olivia Macroni, was fixing her short brown hair before her brown eyes beamed up from Mayday's presence. "Mayday, hey," she smiled. Leaping from her chair, Olivia hugged her childhood friend, who was now more than twice her size. "It's been too long, old friend."

"Liv, it's been like a week since we last chatted. How's Anna doing? She sneezed often the last time my dad met her in the lab."

"Yeah, about that. My mom caught the flu."

"Oh no," Mayday said, sitting beside Olivia, "she's taking all the proper precautions, yes?"

"Oh yes. You know how much of a clean freak my mom is. She's beginning to feel better also."

"But she's still at home, yes?"

"Of course. She's probably sharing notes online with your dad as we speak."

"Good. Kinda weird how she got it sick, though, right?"

Olivia fixes her glasses, "It's New York, and my mom's a very busy woman. She probably got it while getting donuts." Olivia finishes the lunch her mother packed for her before changing subjects, "So, did you uh need anything, Mayday?"

"I do. See, Annie has been beginning to work with my dad more on the experiments they do at the labs. He then challenges her skills by creating this firewall code." After entering a few keys, Mayday pulled out her laptop and brought up the copied firewall.

Seeing Olivia lean closer to the screen made Mayday slightly nervous. She made sure that no evidence of the robots was apparent, but she also recognized how out of nowhere this question was. Still, she also trusted Olivia with this task and that she wouldn't connect the dots.

"Huh, certainly looks advanced," Olivia said.

"Yeah, and Annie was able to find a backdoor to it. The way she did it reminded me of you, and I know you always love a good challenge."

Olivia chuckled, cleaning her glasses, saying, "You know me too well, old friend." She cracks her knuckles and begins doing her digital magic. While working, she said, "So, how's the family?"

"Things are a little tricky, to say the least," Mayday admits, "I talked with my dad over the summer about making this year formative for us three. I remember sophomore for me being so excited, and I want to help Annie find her place as I did."

"Ah yes, Annie wields a promising mind, but she was never the best at socializing."

"Especially when she gets competitive or pissed off," Mayday says, "it's that quiet side of her which makes it hard to talk to her sometimes. I give her all the space she needs, but I feel like there's a bubble around her."

"Great minds do thrive in solitude," Olivia said.

"And I'm also her sister. I also know too well what being cooped up in a shell is life. I feel like a turtle in more ways than one."

"And now you feel Annie is doing the same?"

"I think so. Heck, she's probably been like that since high school started for her," Mayday said.

"A turtle is protected in their shell."

"But the family doesn't fight their battles alone. They do it together. I think I haven't been doing my part in helping April and Annie recently."

"What do you mean?"

"Long story, but the short of it is my sisters are driven to form their own lives while I'm more focused on being just like my mom and dad. I have friends and hobbies, but it's like walking on ice: I keep making cracks."

"So, everyone thinks you're perfect when that's far from the case."

"I guess so," Mayday sighs. "How do I balance being sister April and Annie need? Why do I feel like I'm wearing a mask while walking around school? I can't just ignore the expectations put upon me either."

"Geez, even a therapist would have difficulty answering that."

"Sorry that I'm spilling all this to you."

"Hey, you trust me enough to share this baggage. I appreciate that, Mayday."

Mayday smiles at her friend. "Back on the subject, I got my sisters wrapped up in other businesses only I'm obsessed with. I didn't even ask them how their day was going or if anyone was picking on them."

"And?"

"And…perhaps I should stop letting fear drive me today, grow a backbone, and remind myself to be their sister first."

"Interesting conclusion. And…done," Olivia said, folding her arms with a prideful smile upon finding the backdoor.

"Hoo-boy, you sure are fast," Mayday chuckles, taking the encryption code created by Olivia.

"Also, if you ask me, I find that taking charge but standing your ground is also a viable option."

"Hmm?"

"You're the coolest, strongest, and smartest of your sisters. Doesn't your strong character justify helping people be more like you, even if they don't see it? It's like science. The principle and integrity of it are all that matter. Anyone else who laughs or argues is just white noise."

"You believe that?"

"I mean, wouldn't April be better respected if she was more responsible like you? Wouldn't Annie better fit in if she followed your advice on socializing?"

"From a certain point of view, sure," Mayday shrugs, "You're right on one thing, I do have a responsibility, but that shouldn't be at the cost of making my sisters into people they're not. They want to branch out independently, so I'll encourage and help whenever possible."

Olivia raises an eyebrow, a look of doubt in her eyes, until she smiles. "Correct answer!" Mayday squinted back at Olivia, who said, "What? I play devil's advocate to challenge you."

"Thanks," Mayday giggles, the two doing a quick fist pump, "I'll be seeing ya, Liv."

Mayday stares at the driver, coming across a split in the hallway. To the right was the cafeteria where her sisters would likely be, and to the left was the possible key to discovering who did this. She can't shake her mind off the potential vision that could endanger her family. Then again, that's if it was even a vision. "I…can't take that risk," said, taking a left, "I'll find who you are, and I'll make time later for them."

'Stop it!'

A voice rang across Mayday's mind, it was Annie, but she wasn't talking to her directly. Whatever was going on, her emotions were extreme enough to escape her thoughts. Mayday's spider-sense may not be tingling, but she felt compelled to turn back and rush to the cafeteria. She quickly texts April that something's happening in the cafeteria involving Annie before blitzing through the empty halls.

'Faster, May,' she thought, 'you gotta hurry!'

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

[Meanwhile…]

Midtown High's massive and pristine cafeteria housed hundreds of students within its glass walls. A building whose state seemingly reflects the high standards and quality Midtown is known for. Inside, however, reveals the ugly truth. A crowd of teens forms around an intensifying scene.

Annie Parker defensively stands in front of two students. Junior year Jimmy Yama had a bruise on his arm and a sophomore transfer who had her lunch stained across her face and clothes. Annie was facing off against any random bullying. However, she was challenging five of the top dogs in Midtown.

Brad Miller, Midtown's golden football champ, and Maurice "Moose" Mansfield, Midtown's most formidable football player. Next to them was Eugene Thompson Jr., son of a prominent league sports trainer, Simone DeSantos, an esteemed student council member, and finally, Heather Noble, the most influential person in school.

Annie didn't need a vision to know this wouldn't end well. 'Crud. I should've texted April when I had the chance. No backup this time, Annie.'

"Leave them alone," Annie demanded.

"What? I was only getting her settled into life here," Heather said innocently.

"By trashing her clothes?!"

"She tripped." Heather turns to the growing crowd, asking, "Everyone saw her trip, right?"

Annie hears their murmurs, and practically all of them nod in agreement while others stay silent. It disgusted her. "And you! What's Jimmy ever done to you?"

"That's none of your business, little Annie," Maurice answered.

"You heard him," Eugene said, "so unless you want to join his shitlist, you best stand aside."

Mayday busts through the main doors and spots her sister. 'Come on, Annie. Calm down,' she thought, hopeful that her sister was listening.

Annie grits her teeth at his threat. Trying not to clench her hands while remembering her family's words. She lowers her head, and the five teens laugh at her.

"See? Little Annie doesn't have it in her," Brad said.

"It's okay, Annie," Jimmy said, offering some kind words. "Just help this girl out of here. This is between me and him anyway."

"Yeah, it is," Maurice said, cracking his knuckles as he walked past Annie.

Mayday rushed to the scene but was blocked by the crowd. While she was trying to squeeze through, everyone gasped to see the nearly six-foot-tall Maurice trip into a discarded food tray.

Annie was the culprit.

Maurice quickly gets up, and Eugene steps in front of Annie, who still has her head down. The whole crowd is quiet. Shock is still present across their faces.

"Gene, Moose, easy there," Brad said, "May and April could be- "

He's interrupted by Heather, who whispers, "I want to see where this goes."

"Hey," Gene said threateningly, "you think you're May now, Little Annie?"

Mayday breaks out of her shock the moment he saw Gene shove Annie. She pushed aside rows of teens, even if it required her not to hold back.

The words, 'Don'tdoit! Don'tdonit! Don'tdoit!' repeated in Annie's head.

It stops when the second Gene shoves her again. She shouts, "You know, you've been looking for—"

POW!

A fast right hook hits Gene's left cheek. This knocked the wind out of him and made him fly five feet back. The crowd gasped upon realizing Gene was utterly knocked out. Even Heather was shocked at this development.

Annie, her fist right to punch, stood dumbfounded to see Mayday suddenly beside her and be the one to deck Eugene. Her blue and green eyes glare at the teen who made the severe mistake of laying a finger on her little sister. Mayday glances at Annie, her eyes soften with present worry for her. Annie nods, relaxing her hands and cooling down her temper.

At this moment, Maurice grabs a tray and strikes Mayday's head with it. He's stopped when a hand grabs the back of his jersey shirt, and all his momentum stops, nearly making his trip. "Nuh-huh," April said, holding his shirt. Before he could respond, she stomped on his foot before punching him in the face. His toughness made him not pass out, but he didn't get up soon. April twists her wrist proudly, "Nobody messes with Mayday except me."

Mayday thinks to her, 'Was the foot stomp necessary?'

'What's that? Didn't hear ya over you breaking the rules.'

A look of shame spreads across Mayday's face. She protected her sister but at the cost of looking like a total hypocrite. 'Time to defuse this,' she thought before confronting Heather.

"Well, well, well, we meet again, Parker sisters," Heather said, trying to hide a drop of sweat on her brow. "I see you didn't skip arm day over the summer."

"Heather, I'll be straight with you. Back off from Annie and Jimmy, and leave transfer students alone too. I haven't heard rave reviews about you as a tour guide."

"You ask that while my friends lie on the floor beaten and bruised?"

"Oh please," April said, "your callout posts and smear campaigns hurt people more than we ever could, your friend."

"That's a bogus claim!"

"Uh-huh, sure. Then I guess this is bogus too," April said, pulling out her phone and sending Heather a private e-mail. The blonde teen opens the mail, and horror fills her eyes.

"What is it?" Simone asks.

"Nothing!" Heather shouts, shutting off her phone, "April you—!"

"You want the school to know a little secret about you?"

Mayday and Annie looked confused and concerned, feeling this threat was going too far. Mayday especially was ready to step in when Heather approached the sisters. "You three better watch your backs, especially you, May. I won't forget this."

Heather snaps her fingers, and her group leaves, waking Eugene up and dragging him away.

"Heather," Mayday said, pulling out the torn invite before handing it to her. "consider this my answer to your invite."

April and Annie chuckle from the deviant display as the group stomps out of the cafeteria. As the crowd disperses, Mayday helps Jimmy up, "Been a while, Jimmy."

"Hehe, I wished we caught up in a better situation."

Annie hands the transfer teen a unique bottle. "Here, it's something my mom gave me. It's stain remover spray, super effective too."

The transfer student smiles, "Thanks. Annie, right?"

"What my friends and family call me," she said before taking notice of her transfer student's hair. "Are you one of my classmates?"

The teen blushes and looks at her phone, "Oh, uhh, parents calling. Gotta go!" She takes the spray before walking away quickly.

"Y-yeah," Annie said, waving and smiling. 'Man…she had pretty eyes.'

April grinned at Annie, 'I know what you are,' she thought.

The scene was soon broken up by Ms. Perching and other teachers arriving conveniently after Heather's group left. Perching glares at the sisters, asking, "Who. Did. This?"

Mayday bit her lip, thinking of what to say before making the only choice she found was responsible. "It was me," she said, "it was all me."

She glances back to see Annie, and April steps up to say something, but she gently raises her hand. 'I got this,' she told them through their unique spider-sense.

"Was it now? "Well, May Fitzgerald Parker, I'm sure your parents will be proud to know their daughter will be receiving detention on her first day," Perching declared. "After school, you're staying here for two hours."

'Two hours?! It'd be practically evening when she gets out,' Annie thought.

"And don't even think about skipping. If I find you gone, then you're spending this Saturday here. Understood?"

Mayday nods, fully accepting her punishment.

"Go to the principal office. I think he'll want a quick chat concerning a certain sport."

The sisters gasp, Mayday's face filled with worry, but she accepts what's coming and follows Perching out of the cafeteria.

April and Annie can only watch as their sister takes all the heat from this.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/

[Later…]

Annie sits nervously outside the principal's office and stands beside her, leaning against the wall. April noticed they'd been standing there for ten minutes, and Annie had been staring down since.

It was so quiet that it surprised the sister to see Mayday step out of the office. They watch Mayday sigh and say, "I'm still on the team."

Annie and April share a look of relief, knowing how important and dear sport is to their sister.

"But something tells me they'll be expecting more of me this year," Mayday continued, sitting beside Annie. "Yeah…that's what I need…more expectations."

Annie and April share a look, and April sits beside Mayday. "Welp…our first day could've gone better," Mayday said.

"You can say that again," Annie and April said simultaneously. The sister shares a laugh.

Mayday turns to her little sister, "Annie…are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?"

"God, now you're stealing Dad's jokes," Annie chuckled. "I think my day could've been better…but at least I could find a new potential friend."

"It's good you didn't swing at Gene," April said, "I may not be looked highly by others, for good and bad reasons, but it helps to know you ain't getting on others' shitlist."

"April," Mayday said, "you're right. It's not fair that you do as much work and yet none of the attention. If anything, I wish we could share that more. I'm sorry if I act more as a captain than I do as a sister sometimes. Am I putting too many expectations on you two?"

Annie and April sat back, thinking for a while.

"It feels that way," Annie said.

"But really, you're only being responsible," April admits.

"Yeah. You can be both. You succeed in being both," Annie said before whispering, "especially as Spider-Girl."

"Thanks. I'll do my part in helping to make this year different for both sides of our lives."

"Here, here," Annie and April said.

The school bell rings, signaling that the last two periods are about to start.

"April, go to room C-230. Use this. It'll automatically get you to the digital backdoor."

"On it," she said, snatching the drive.

"Well, guess I'll see you two ways later," Mayday said, waving goodbye as Annie and April went to finish the day.

'Well…this day could've gone worse,' the sister thought.

They each suddenly receive a notification with the latest headline from the Daily Bugle by J. Jonah Jameson.

"Spider-Girls terrorize New York once again! Train catastrophe narrowly stopped by the brave crew!"

"Oh, come on!" the sisters shout.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/

[Meanwhile...]

A figure in a cloak stands on a rooftop, looking through thier binoculars at this evening's target.

Everything was almost set.

"Hey, Doc," the figure said to a communicator built into her suit, "Party will start pretty soon. Where are you?"

There's static on the other end. This worries the cloaked figure. A few tin heads they can lose, but the Doc was a valuable piece of this plan.

A signal is picked up, and a female voice with a German accent comes through. "I'm making the last preparation for my gear."

"Good. For a moment, I thought you were made."

"No, no. I assure you nobody suspects me or the plan. Is everyone in position?"

"We're just waiting for you. Don't want you to miss the firework."

"I'll be there shortly. Remember, leave the machine to me, and we need him alive. He's the key to knowing where he may be holed up, and the machine will draw those Spider-Girls straight here."

"Of course, doc. Anything to squash those bugs." The figure looks up to the tower housing thier target. "By the end, there'll be nothing here but ashes and rubble!"


A/N: I hope you all enjoyed it! This is a longer chapter and took a lot of work to get right! I took characters from May's & Annie's comics while mixing with some side OCs. Some characters are related to past Spidey antagonists, while others are related to civilian supporting characters. Screwball was fun to adapt here. I hope I wrote the civilian side of Mayday, April, and Annie as compelling and distinctive.

Now, with that said, we're approaching the end of the build-up to this impending threat! Who could these dastardly figures possibly be? What compels them to work together and form such a risky plan? Could the Spider-Girls realize this plan in time to save the day?

Find out next time in Issue #4 of THE MARVELOUS SPIDER-GIRLS!