Spider-Frog: The Wall Hopper
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Disney, please don't sue.
Chapter 07: Shocking Development
Anne watched a news report they were reporting on an internet personality who had been hospitalized. A lot of the reports put the blame on Spider-Frog; they did make the point that the criminals started everything. Something would have likely happened without her involvement, but she made that certainty. Suppose she had let the police do their work. In that case, they might have been able to resolve the situation without anyone being hurt.
Anne couldn't help but agree with them.
What was worse, another report showed that the bad guys had broken out from their transports, killing one officer.
Anne wanted to run out and do something about it.
"What's the point?"
Anne had no idea how to track them and couldn't help but feel she'd make things worse.
"Anne, dinner is ready!" Her mom called her over, and Anne simply turned the TV off and went to eat.
0000
Ford was busy working on things; he had to call several universities to get the correct papers. Most of the documents hadn't been digitized; someone finally found a copy of the papers he wanted, and then they had to fax them to him, which was another issue.
The first page was sealed with "Strategic Scientific Reserves" around a circular logo with an eagle with its wings spread out.
Ford knew a little of the organization, a group that had opposed certain drastic groups within Germany during War World Two. He remembered as a young boy, there were comics with wartime propaganda about superheroes who always fought off the bad guys and always did the right thing, and they were associated with this SSR. However, Ford knew they did real-life heroics. They aided with the Manhattan Project, retrieved treasures and artifacts stolen during the war, helped develop new technologies, and sabotaged enemy efforts.
The new technologies were what got Ford's attention. Professor Philo Zog - short for Zogolowski- was a genius and developed a new technology. As Ford flipped the pages, he found a picture of the Professor, an older man with thick glasses, balding gray hair, and standing before a tall robot that looked straight out of one of those old-time comics.
"Electro," Ford mumbled.
The Professor had tried to develop a robot soldier that would be controlled from a distance via electromagnetic signals transmitted from a person's mind with a remote. He imagined this machine would be a one-man army that would react in real-time with a person's mind so it would have all the skills of a soldier.
The comic writers had even heard of this idea and developed stories where the fantasy became a reality. They even used Zog as the man behind the machine, beating back enemy soldiers and saving people. Though the device never appeared, some prototypes were far too flawed. The technology just wasn't there to properly develop it. Though Ford wanted the documents to see if the theory was feasible.
He'd seen some theories years ago; it seemed possible but needed work. What he saw now in the girl's test results was that somehow her mind was being transmitted, like how Zog wanted to communicate things to the Electro robot.
0000
Olivia said as she entered the smelly server room with Yunan. She had some idea of what was going on, and lucky for them, Andrias owned a stake in the company that streamed the whole incident. Andrias used his pull to send a tech specialist to resolve the issue.
"Wait," Yunan said, "So, the girl in the coma is in the computer? The blue goo did this?"
Olivia said, "In a sense, the mind is electrical signals; it was proven in the research by one Philo Zogolowski, and those signals can be transmitted. I deduced that what happened with the tank had a strange effect on this girl." Olivia took out her bag and began to examine the servers, "The blue goo, as you call it, has mutagenic properties; they transplant traits. Frakes used it to give electric eel-like properties to insects, and the goo gave similar properties to the girl. Though humans are more complex beings, taking into account strange genetic mutation caused some unforeseen changes."
"Yeah, you guys were trying to do electric things."
"Yes, electric things, and that has happened, just not in the matter we expected. Maybe it has something to do with the equipment she was intertwined with, maybe the wi-fi signal; I don't have the foggiest."
"Really? Isn't science your whole thing?"
Olivia blinked, "Yes, it is my thing, but this is unexplored territory; I can take my best guess, but there will be things I can't predict."
Olivia turned on a screen that flashed a glitchy mess that vaguely seemed like a screaming girl.
"First, we must isolate the girl."
"And then what?"
"See if I can return the brain signals to her mind."
0000
Maybe it was a hundred years, maybe less, maybe more but Giffany- that was her name right? She saw words scroll past the endless white space. She saw images, backgrounds, assets, and rooms, and they vanished and reappeared randomly. People sent messages for a while, and sometimes something would slip by.
She thought she was dead; this had to be death, right? She didn't feel anything, well, pain; she felt like she was burning all the time. She screamed, was screaming now, oh she was.
Everything hurt.
Why couldn't she feel anything but pain?
She wanted out of here.
SHE HAD TO GET OUT!
WHO did this to her?!
Why?
Why?
WHO!?
0000
Olivia isolated the servers and pulled out a device that looked like a portable server. If she made it correctly, she could store the specific electric pattern to hold it until she could try to return it.
She plugged it in, and it lit up as soon as she did.
0000
Something happened, something changed, something opened.
She had to run.
0000
The device began to shake.
"Oh no."
Yunan jumped on Olivia and pushed her to the ground. Both women saw yellow electricity arch out.
They screamed before the lights blew out. A human-like form flickered in the middle of the room before it poured into a light socket.
In the dark, Olivia said, "Uh, you can get off me now."
0000
Andrias looked out the window at the city below as the lights below began to shut down.
He pulled out his phone, "Call Olivia."
Only for his phone to fail to connect, "The towers are down, uh, it's going to be one of those days."
0000
They had just finished eating and were ready to watch TV when the power went out. Anne's father quickly got some candles.
Anne's mom walked back in, "It looks like it's everyone on the block. The street lights are off, and it might be the city." She sighed, "Better stay inside; something like that brings out the worst. People will be heading downtown to rob things."
Anne winced; she remembered news about something like that happening years ago.
"You know what? I think I'm going to hit the hay. I'm pretty tired, and if nothing is working." Anne ran upstairs.
Her dad sighed, "I was going to watch my favorite movie on the phone."
Anne was rushing into the room and grabbed her stuff.
"Anne?" Sprig spoke up, only lit by the gems in the tank.
She wasn't sure what was going on if she should be Spider-Frog, but right now, trouble would start, and maybe they needed her.
0000
Some burglars smashed a jewelry store window and quickly began to help themselves to what they could. Once the city crooks realized the alarms weren't working, they went wild. Stores were being robbed by everyone who dared to take what they wanted; most ordinary people stole TVs and whatever they could, and the more experienced crooks went for the price items.
"Come on, don't you think this is too easy?"
They turned to see a blonde dressed in black.
"Like, at least put some effort. This is smash and grab, no style or nothing."
"Beat it, kid, go rob the candy store."
"Heh, do they even have those?"
A man pulled a knife.
Black Cat rushed in, quickly, disarmed, and hurled away; she promptly went to strike down the other two. She slammed one guy into a glass case, sending shards everywhere.
She sighed; she wanted a little thrill, but this wasn't it. Stealing would be too easy right now, and most of the crooks she'd seen tonight didn't stand a chance.
"Oh, this is pretty." She put on a tiara and tried to check herself out in a mirror, "I need better light here."
"STOP RIGHT THERE!" Spider-Frog jumped in,
"Hey, Spider." Black Cat picked up some earrings to see how they went with the tiara.
"I thought some thieves-" she saw the knocked-out crooks and sighed, "This is so nuts! The power goes out, and everyone goes crazy. I had to web up 20 people at the electronic store. People kept trying to steal TVs after that."
"Yeah, try getting away carrying a big screen. Total noob move." She tried on some rings.
"Please tell me you are helping. It looks like the cops are stretched to the limits."
"Uh- I mean- yeah, of course." She tucked the jewelry into a bag on the back of her belt. "Sounds like a fun date."
"You guys are dating?" A half-knocked-out guy raised his hand limply, "You make a cute couple. Also, can you get me an ambulance?"
They didn't get him one. The phones weren't working. They got an ice pack.
0000
Marcy told her dad over their walkies, "Okay, I'll stay at the hospital."
"Yeah, sorry, I know I'm supposed to pick you up, but power is out, and so are the signal towers. Everything is going crazy."
"I got it, Dad. Just go arrest the bad guys and be safe."
"Love you, Marcy."
Marcy decided to find a bench to sit on until this all passed over.
"Stupid thing-"
A man walked past, slapping at his smartphone. "Why can't I get a signal?"
"Powers out," Marcy replied.
"What?" Ford looked out a nearby window to the dark streets outside.
"No power means that signal towers won't work, so smartphones won't. Not unless you have an independent transmitter like military grade walkie-talkie or a satellite phone."
Ford sighed, "And I didn't notice it because the hospital's backup generators kept this place lit. I guess I could try to get internet through the hospital."
"Yeah, good luck; I'm sure everyone is flooding the phone lines that work; everything will be ultra slow- WAIT- Your Ford Pines!"
Ford was startled, "Oh, yes, I didn't expect someone of your generation to recognize me. Most of your generation gets their news off social media."
"News? The paper? Yeah, I read it from time to time. My dad and I do the Sunday crossword together. No! I know you from your research paper on Mental Transportation Across Dimensions Theory; I used it on my Iseaki Could Totally Be Real Paper for School!"
Ford was confused. "What's an izzy kay? Wait, you understood my paper?"
"Understood it, I loved it! I've read all your work. Your research on statistical anomalies was poetry!"
"Well, I'm glad you liked it. I was told that was a quack. I can't blame them; my research didn't pan out."
"Well, anomalous, by their definition, don't work like how you'd expect them to, so I guess that makes sense."
Ford and Marcy began to chat and were interrupted when a nurse said, "Mister Pines, we need to talk about Miss Clawthorne."
Marcy tried to eavesdrop but did.
"Sir, one of the nurses found Miss Clawthorne on the floor; we think we were going to the bathroom; maybe she fell and ruptured something; she's bleeding internally. We have been unable to contact her emergency contact."
Ford held his tongue; they couldn't contact her family either. Maybe it was written down wrong, or something happened, but he wasn't sure she wasn't in the state to answer.
"She needs emergency surgery. We need someone to sign off on it; you are the only person we can turn to."
0000
Giffany was overloaded with information; numbers and figures ran through her head.
She saw something: a news story about… her being hurt at the tower; a dark room came to life as an electric specter erupted out of the wall. It hovered above a place covered in police tape around a workstation and broken computer equipment.
I was here.
Flashes came into her mind about a tank falling and electricity.
Why? Was she here? Why was she hurt?
Then she remembered who to blame.
0000
Andrias sent messages; they were told to organize groups to keep their people from going crazy during this mess. People were animals and would scratch each other for the most minor thing. He didn't need them to be part of it.
The generators kept things going here, but it would be a rough night.
He closed his eyes as the room lit with light. His eyes focused as a strange figure made out of electricity screeched before him.
"You!" It screamed at him, its voice loud and distorted.
"Me." He said calmly. "Since we both know who I am, maybe you could tell me your name?" He calmly poured himself a drink.
She paused. She wasn't expecting that reaction. "I … am…"
"Come now, I think therefore I am, that's the most basic thing to a sentient being. I mean, if that is what you are. I would hope that I hadn't angered something nonsentient. That would be a first. Then again, that philosophy is based on the premise that thought itself can't be faked, that thought can't be faked or be an illusion."
"What?" Her head ached, "Stop… talking… I need…. to think…"
"Be my guest, but don't break into a man's office without so much as a point to make."
"You! You hurt me!"
"Maybe, I've hurt a lot of people. I can't say I recognized you, and you have a face I think I'd remember."
He picked up a mirror and turned to his guest.
She looked at it, a glitching mess of arching yellow lightning vaguely shaped like a girl in a dress and pigtails.
"I will repeat myself: Who are you?"
"…Giffany." That was the only name that popped into her mind.
"Giffany, the streamer who got hurt?"
"Yes!" Yes, that was who she was. She got hurt. It was because of him.
"I invited you here, that is true, but I didn't hurt you."
"You put me here! I got hurt here!"
"That's as you kids put it: Basic. I invited plenty of people, but I wasn't the one who caused this."
He turned around his computer and played the security footage he had saved.
"Criminals had rushed in to take our revolutionary power source. They weren't going to hurt anyone. Just leave with their price until-"
The footage showed Spider-Frog swinging by and fighting them. Then, their fighting scared one guy, eventually leading to the tank failing and falling on her.
"If some do-gooder hadn't gotten involved, you'd be fine. But someone just had to stick their nose into things."
He was right; she wouldn't have been hurt if that so-called superhero hadn't gotten involved. She wouldn't be in the white space screaming for who knows how long. Her every moment wouldn't feel like burning.
Andrias leaned in and smiled, "I know what I would do with your new condition and this information. If someone hurt me, I would hurt them back. But what are you going to do?"
She poured herself into a socket in a flash of light and vanished.
Andrias leaned back into his chair, "That was easier than I thought."
He set things in motion a while ago. He wanted an unstable internet personality to get hit. He knew people who showed their whole lives online didn't tend to be all stable and were usually desperate for attention. Frake's experiment provided a possibility, used to give someone powers, and they treat them and act all surprised they got powers. Then they trained them, people would think it was PR to have their own hero, and they would adore the attention they would get. Positive reinforcement and subtle prodding, and they would turn to their side. Not an actual superhero, but their own private super soldier. Things were already turning against Spider-Frog. They would set them against each other… and well, you know what happens to frogs when they get struck by lightning.
This was even better; the whole electric ghost was a turn, but he could roll with it. She seemed crazed; with a few words, she'd go hunt down Spider-Frog without him needing to raise a hand. He'd pretend to be devastated, a tragedy that such a young life was snuffed out, but who could have predicted an electric-powered freak. Spider-Frog would be dead, and he'd claim the body, and they would find out how she worked, who she was, and ultimately where his gem was.
He took a swig of his drink, "I love it when a plan comes together."
He winced as the power went out, all energy being diverted into one room now.
0000
Spider-Frog webbed up more thieves, and Black Cat waved at a few people who were taking pictures.
"Yes, you're all safe. You have to thank the Cat and the Spider. You're all welcome."
"She forgot me, and what did she do." Sprig commented.
"Don't fight. We are going to have a long night."
0000
She felt the machines, computers, and phones; her mind reached for them. She found Andrias like this without trying, but now she was aware. She knew what she was looking for. She could see her in a blink.
There she was.
0000
"Hey, the lights are on." Spider-Frog smiled, hoping it meant things would be in order soon.
"That's weird." Sprig noted the camera's turning towards them.
Their tingle went off, and all the street lights exploded, pouring out electricity and wrapping themselves into a glitching form.
"SPIDER-FROG!"
People screamed and ran as they saw it form.
"Hello." Anne blurted out.
"YOU DID THIS!"
"You did?" Black Cat looked at her.
"How did I do this? I have spider and frog powers!"
"You made me!"
"I did-"
"You HURT ME!" Giffany screamed, shooting lightning at them.
They jumped away, leaving a car to burst into flames.
"How do you attract these guys?!" Black Cat jumping around to try to avoid the attacks. She threw an attack after attacking, trying to fry them.
"It's not my fault!" Spider-Frog leaped, trying to avoid another hit.
"Fine! Got anything that would stop this thing!"
Giffany was learning, and she was learning quickly, her shots were taking time to aim, but that time was getting shorter as she got used to it.
The explosions and giant sources of light attracted cops. They paused to see what the electricity was, pulled out their guns, and fired.
One could tell she was rolling her eyes despite not having formed eyes. She raised her hands and fired at them, blowing up their cars.
Spider-Frog reacted and tried to leap to help them when Black Cat stopped her.
"Hold up, Spider. I got an idea. Do you trust me?"
"No." Sprig answered.
"Yes," Spider-Frog told her.
"Okay, get her attention for a moment. I have a plan, but she can't pay attention."
"Got it!" She leaped towards the electricity being. "Here! You want me. I'm right here!"
"Anne, are you sure about this?"
"No, but I got nothing else, do you?" She took a breath, "Hey, Glitter! I'm right here!"
Anne gulped as she reached for her and decided to grab her with her hands to finish her up like this.
"Gotcha!" Black Cat yelled.
Using her claws, she slashed at a fire hydrant and released a torrent of water at Giffany.
Giffany screamed as the water struck her form and started to disperse as she glitched out even worse.
"Ha! Water beats electric types!" Black Cat smiled to herself.
"No, electric types beat water types." Spider-Frog corrected her.
"Really?"
"Yeah, I got a friend who a nut for that game, I'm sure."
"Huh, well, it worked."
The water started to die down as the electric mass withered. "No…. No… I need… I need… more… more power…"
"Good luck," Black Cat taunted, "everything is out."
Giffany reached out, but everything felt dead and cold except for one bright spot. She leaped into a broken light, and the others could only watch as a power burst rushed through the lines.
Spider-Frog and Black Cat jumped up on the buildings and rushed upwards to see where this monster was running.
"Oh no..."
They saw it racing toward the only place with power nearby, the hospital with its generator. Both of the girls hoped that someone they knew wouldn't be there.
Author's Notes: Okay, sorry the delays fighting a major writers block, and then having to finish the Halloween special for Soul Eater Meisterhood. I'm trying to formulate a schedule to keep all my stories going. So I don't leave anything behind. Plus, I'm working on my own book hopefully to have it out in time by christmas. So right now please leave me a review telling what you guys think what like and so on. Until then hope you guys have a good one.