CHAPTER 8: SPIDER VS VULTURE

Monday at Middletown High School seemed to drag on as Gwen Stacy sat at her desk. She checked the boxes next to the answers to her homework assignment, making sure the questions were right. The teacher's voice droned in the background, something about how the class could do better. Gwen had always been good with math and science, so she was already prepared for whatever questions were coming. But Mr. O'Brien still managed to give her a headache, like every other week.

He was an old guy, tall, thin, and balding. He wore thick, black reading glasses that were constantly slipping down his nose. His long, white coat hung from the back of the teacher's chair. He paced around the classroom while explaining Faunus' history, which didn't really interest Gwen anyway.

Gwen glanced to her right. Her eyes landed on an empty chair next to Harry Osborn. Her face immediately fell when she saw he wasn't there. She couldn't help but ask under her breath.

"Where is he..?"

The nine companions swiftly traversed through the forest, disregarding caution in favor of swiftness. It proved advantageous when one's aura could be employed to enhance their physical capabilities. Even Jaune, whose aura had been dormant until Pyrrha activated it earlier that day, managed to exert himself to keep pace with the more seasoned warriors. The density of the trees gradually diminished as they neared a cluster of ancient ruins. The ground beneath their feet transformed into a dusty path as they dashed between two archaic suspended stone roadways.

Approximately five hundred yards ahead, a footbridge spanned a mist-filled gorge, leading to a towering dilapidated stone edifice. Beyond that lay their ultimate destination. In unison, they cast their gazes upwards, just in time to witness the Nevermore alighting upon the summit of the tower, emitting a deafening screech. The young individuals swiftly sought refuge behind scattered debris as a barrage of feathers inundated the area. A cacophony emanating from the edge of the forest diverted their attention; another deathstalker was relentlessly pursuing them.

Except this one was bigger than the last one.

Nora slung a grenade launcher she affectionately named Magnhild from her back and jumped for cover. Rolling into a kneeling position, she aimed and fired at the Nevermore. One of the rounds nailed it in the neck, and explosions of pink dust and shrapnel forced the Grimm back as her friends bolted for the bridge.

She chuckled but jumped when the deathstalker came up from behind her, claws swinging wildly. It was pushed back by Ren and Blake, who each knocked a claw backward with swipes from their weapons. Weiss appeared from behind her and wrapping an arm around her waist, launched them forward with a glyph.

Ruby, Naik, Pyrrha, Jaune, and Yang had now crossed the bridge, but the deathstalker was gaining on them. Shifting her spear into a long rifle, she took a knee and aimed at the scorpion.

"Go, go!" Pyrrha yelled as she opened fire. Ren joined her, his twin machine pistols emptying their clips to give Blake some breathing room. The scorpion halted in its tracks which Ren deduced that it wasn't fond of heights.

They sprinted across the bridge, their goal of the tower within reach. But the Nevermore wasn't done. It flew low for another pass, and talons spread.

"Jump!" Yelled Naik as the monster crashed into the bridge, taking the stone with it. It flew on without flinching, but the bridge was gone, separating the group in half. Blake, Pyrrha, and Ren were left to fight the deathstalker while Ruby, Yang, Weiss, Nora, and Jaune were thrown at the tower.

"Where's Naik?" Asked Jaune as he scanned his surroundings.

Naik struggled to hold onto the Nevermore's back. The wind whipped around him, forcing him to squint his eyes as he looked down onto the battlefield. Most of the bridge was gone but thankfully none of his friends were knocked off. Still, three of them were left fighting the deathstalker on their own, leaving the other five at the temple and unable to reach them.

Until Nora turned her grenade launcher into a giant hammer. She knocked Jaune backward from the edge, and brought it down with all her strength, catapulting them to the other side. Naik blinked, shrugged, then turned his attention back to the giant bird he was riding. His left hand gripping the feathers, he pulled Omega free from its sheath, and in a reverse grab, stabbed it into the Grimm's back. It shrieked in response, and flapped wildly as it fought through the pain.

From below, Nora cheered with excitement.

"Ahhh smash!" Yelled Nora, swinging her hammer down on the deathstalker's head. It buckled under the impact but regained its footing and knocked her back with a claw. She collided with Blake, knocking her off from the bridge.

With quick thinking, she gracefully hurled Gambol Shroud towards the remnants of the bridge, skillfully embedding the blade into the crumbling stone, allowing her to swing to safety. It was at that precise moment when the Nevermore swooped through the gorge once again. Squinting her eyes, she discerned the figure of her brother perched upon the creature's back, relentlessly hacking at its neck. Adjusting her swing ever so slightly, she deftly pulled the blade free at the pinnacle of her motion. Blake gracefully somersaulted through the air, on a collision course with the Nevermore.

Utilizing her semblance, she elegantly vaulted from a shadowy replica of herself into the face of the bird, vigorously swinging Gambol Shroud as the blades sliced through their intended target. She conjured another replica and materialized once more on the creature's back, eliciting a nod of approval from Naik. Descending towards its tail, she slashed at the creature as she descended, yet the blades barely pierced its resilient hide. With a nimble flip, she safely landed as the Nevermore passed by the tower.

"Naik's up there trying to bring it down," she said as she rejoined the girls. "It's a lot tougher than it looks."

Yang as she reloaded Ember Celica. "Let's hit it with everything we've got!"

The girls morphed their weapons into their ranged forms and as one, sent an eruption of gunfire and dust blasts at the Nevermore. Naik ducked as a fire bolt shot dangerously close to his head. Realizing the bird was going to ram the tower, he yanked Omega free just in time when the Grimm crashed through it. He jumped to safety on the ruined base. The girls vaulted through the collapsing rubble, blasting, swinging, and glyph skating their way up to join him.

"None of this is working," complained Weiss.

"Any bright ideas?" Naik asked.

Ruby's lips parted, as an idea popped into her head until she and her companions paused. They felt the ground shake beneath their feet, akin to a giant mallet striking the earth. They looked over their shoulders, and were greeted with the sight of a group of men and women.

All of them wearing similar winged exo-suits that the assailant from earlier wore.

Naik shook his head in disbelief.

"You've gotta be kidding me…"

The canopy rolled in turbulent waves as a huge pack of beowolves scurried away from the villain's onslaught. Birds burst through the canopy and spiraled through a clear blue sky as shadowy fragments. Multiple explosions of gunfire drifted from the forest. Hundreds of animals were squawking and screaming, tearing apart the treetops as they fled.

Spider-Man found himself surrounded by a hazy world as he gracefully swung through an expansive forest of towering trees. With remarkable agility, he skillfully evaded a relentless barrage of bullets from the chain gun, all the while being pursued by the formidable Vulture, who matched his speed with uncanny precision.

The heavily armored adversary crashed through the dense foliage, leaving a trail of severed trees in his wake, courtesy of his razor-sharp steel feathers. As the trio of barrels on his weapon spun, they unleashed a continuous stream of projectiles toward Spider-Man, each one aimed with deadly accuracy. In a moment of sheer terror, a bullet grazed his cheek, prompting an involuntary yelp of surprise.

Regaining his composure, Spider-Man opened his eyes only to be confronted by an approaching branch. Reacting swiftly, he instinctively ducked beneath it, simultaneously shooting a web towards a nearby tree. Determined not to look back, he remained acutely aware of Vulture's relentless pursuit, the howling wind serving as a constant reminder of his presence.

Spider-Man landed on a trunk and began leaping from tree trunk to tree-trunk with nimble grace. Showering foliage to the ground through each leap he made. All the while dodging more bullets that shot both over his head and past his hip.

Vulture removed his finger off the trigger as the chain gun in his hands overheated. He can feel the heat radiating from both the grip and handles. Once the heat has faded away, he proceeds to trail behind the web hero whilst firing more projectiles at him. Vulture growled in annoyance when Spider-Man effortlessly dodged each round that speed passed him. Giving a good flap, he increased his speed towards him.

"You know Vulture, if you really wanted to hang out with me, there's always karaoke night." Spider-Man quipped, acrobatically dodging Vulture's sharpened feathers that he shot at the web-head. Vulture growled in frustration.

"Ugh, silence you bug!" Vulture shouted, proceeding to spray more rounds at Spider-Man. Spider-Man chuckled at Vulture's outburst before leaping out of the way just as Vulture released a second volley at him.

"Okay, no karaoke; I wasn't gonna invite you anyway." Spider-Man remarked dryly as he swung away from another onslaught.

"Enough about the karaoke. As soon as I'm done with you, I'm gonna make sure that no one hears you ever again!" Vulture bellowed as he pursued him relentlessly.

Vulture followed Spiderman all the way down to the riverbank, where the waterway was narrow and the current swift. Spider-Man landed on the ground in a crouch. He looked over his shoulder, and saw Vulture approaching fast whilst dodging tree after tree. In a matter of flaps, he'll have him in his sights.

Spider-Man blinked. An idea struck him as he glanced down at the river. He pierced his hand through the river's surface, causing a rippling effect before retracting it, holding a handful of water. A shadow loomed over him, blocking out the midday sun as Vulture's silhouette appeared above Spider-Man.

"I have you now." Said Vulture as it prepared to drop the payload onto Spiderman.

In a sudden moment, Spider-Man swiftly rose to his feet, gracefully maneuvering his body as he hurled water toward Vulture. The water landed upon Vulture's countenance and chest, causing sparks of electricity to dance across his form. A tremendous bolt of lightning erupted, enveloping Vulture in his brilliant display. The lightning left its mark upon his armor, scorching and marring its surface, while his anguished cry reverberated throughout the expansive forest.

The chain gun fell from his hands. Similar to a projectile propelled from a cannon, Vulture was propelled through the air, only to collide forcefully with the earth beside a towering tree. His body convulsed with great intensity as he valiantly fought to maintain consciousness. Attempting to rise, he faltered and collapsed upon the ground, emitting a strained grunt. Spider-Man approached Vulture with purpose, assuming a crouched position before him.

"Well, I guess you didn't think of making your cool-looking exo suit waterproof, huh?" Quipped Spiderman sarcastically. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm done playing with you now."

Spider-Man stood up and discharged his webs around Vulture's body, pinning the man down to the forest floor. He wiped his hands in satisfaction, as if he had successfully completed his first job well done, or even better yet: taking down his first prominent villain. Spider-Man retreated backwards whilst maintaining his gaze on the pinned-down villain.

"You know, it's good that you were the only one I have to deal with today. Now I can get back to watching Leather Man with no further distractions." Spider-Man remarked. However, he halted in his tracks when Vulture suddenly chuckled.

Though the web hero couldn't see it due to the villain's mask, a wicked grin graced Vulture's lips.

"Who said I was the only one?" Vulture questioned, his voice low and smooth.

Spider-Man arched an eyebrow at the villain's inquiry. His lips parted, poised to inquire about the intended meaning, until his spider sense abruptly reverberated within his cranium. Subsequently, a resounding explosion resonated, compelling him to swiftly pivot toward its origin. His gaze alighted upon the heavens, where a plume of gray smoke billowed, far removed from his current location.

Oh no, Spider-Man ruminated.

Spider-Man's arm ascended and discharged a web that adhered to a nearby tree. He propelled himself into the air, subsequently releasing another web that found purchase on a different tree, repeating this process multiple times. He deftly swung through the air, expediting his journey, all the while clinging to a glimmer of hope that Ruby and the others would remain unharmed until his arrival.

Just hang on, Spider-Man thought, I'm on my way.

Ruby Rose countered the assailants' wings that lashed at her by blocking them with Crescent Rose. Ruby would be lying to herself if she said she didn't expect the initiation to turn out like this. She thought it would go out fine with her and her companions fighting off both the Nevermore and Deathstalker, completing the exam with no issue. That was until some strange man in an armored suit appeared.

Now here she was. Fighting against a group of enigmas wearing armor similar to the man from earlier, pursuing her for some goal that Ruby honestly didn't know about. It's bad enough that she and her companions have to deal with a Nevermore soaring above them; these people were not making it easy for them.

Ruby switched Crescent Rose to sniper mode and fired at a fast-approaching armored winged thug. Said thug evading the bullets with ease, extending his arms in anticipation to grab her. But that was until he felt an explosion of pain radiating from his left cheek.

Yang leaped at the speeding thug with a punch to his cheek. Sending the man flying towards a pillar, which subsequently collapsed on him. Yang turned to her right in time to see an armored woman ascending into the air, flapping both of her wings, and raining down a thick volley of feathers with razor-sharp points.

They fell with whistling speed, nailing themselves into the ground and causing Ruby to quickly sidestep. Yang leaped out of the way as she barely avoided impalement. She landed in a crouch and glanced up at the armored woman with a glare.

"Give us the girl, and you may live to see another day." The armored woman ordered, narrowing her eyes at Yang. Yang rose to her feet and assumed a fighting stance.

"Not gonna happen, lady!" Yang replied with a shout.

The armored woman's wings spread wide. "Fine, then you'll—"

"In-COMIIIIIIIIIIING!"

Ruby, Yang, and the armored woman blinked. A flash of red and blue speed-blitz past them. The red and blue blur flew past the woman, then slowed down to reveal themselves as Ruby and Yang immediately recognized the big red spider emblem on the person's back. Spider-Man rolled his body around, extending his wrist, and shooting a web that found purchase into the woman's back. The woman thug shouted in surprise as gravity pulled her backward.

Spider-Man planted his feet onto the woman's back. The pair descended into the cobblestone floor with incredible speed, causing the castle to shake and forming a small crater in the ground. The woman didn't even have time to scream from the pain.

Spider-Man climbed out of the crater whilst waving the dust away from his face. He turned to look down at the unconscious woman. He shot his webs around her body, pinning her down to the floor.

"Wow, I was expecting another challenge like I had with your boss," Spider-Man said, shaking his head in disappointment. "But all I got was this? Talk about bummer."

"YOU!"

Spider-Man's head tilted up to see five armored wing thugs flying towards him. All of them glared at the web hero with a mix of hatred and frustration. The group hovered in the air above the trio.

"What did you do to our boss?!" The armored thug demanded aggressively. The group all nodded their heads in agreement.

Spider-Man looked at Ruby and Yang over his shoulder. "Mind if I take care of this?"

Yang chuckled.

"By all means," Yang replied.

Spider-Man redirected his gaze towards the hovering assailants. Assuming a crouched stance in anticipation, Spider-Man swiftly leaped into the air, surpassing the thugs. With a twist of his torso, he discharged a substantial strand of webbing that effectively ensnared all the armored winged thugs together.

Almost instinctively, Ruby retrieved her scroll from her pocket. She delicately raised it to her line of sight, zooming in for a clearer resolution before gently tapping the button on the screen with her thumb. She managed to capture the image just in time, as both the thugs and Spider-Man transformed into a blur, their diminutive figures vanishing behind a nearby hill.

For a brief moment, Ruby wore a worried expression.

Be safe Spider-Man, Ruby thought.

Ruby redirected her gaze back at the soaring monster. The Nevermore was still flying around them in a circle, which she deduced was probably waiting for the right opportunity to strike. The creature was taking its time; it knew they had nowhere left to run. Ruby's eyes narrowed at the flying beast before turning her gaze to her companions.

"I got an idea," said Ruby. "Blake, I need your ribbons."

"Got it," she answered.

Yang rushed forward, loading a clip of explosive rounds as she joined Naik. Together they opened fire on the Nevermore, fire erupting around the bird as they peppered it with shrapnel. Unable to get close through their shots, it circled and waited, screeching at them in anger.

Back at the bridge, the deathstalker stabbed forward with its tail, sending its enemies stumbling as the stone continued to break apart.

"We need to get closer! Pyrrha, with me!" Said Jaune as they rushed forward.

Pyrrha arrived first, ducking under a claw swipe and repelling it with her shield. She in turn stabbed forward with her spear at its face, Jaune joining her to block the other claw as it swung in to strike her. Switching it back to sword form, Pyrrha vaulted over him and with a spin, sent a slash through the scorpion's many eyes.

Ren ran forward next, firing a few rounds and stepping to the side as the tail crashed next to him. With honed reflexes, he grabbed onto the stinger before it could retract, emptying the clip into the weak spot. Nora covered them with several more shots from her grenade launcher.

Upon hearing the shots, the Grimm swung both claws forward, knocking Pyrrha and Jaune back as it protected its face from the explosive rounds. Pyrrha waited in anticipation, watching the creature swing its claws back open to clear the smoke, then threw her spear with expert aim into its large, right eye. The Grimm flailed in pain, swinging Ren loose and into a pillar, knocking him out.

"Ren!" Nora cried in concern.

Jaune groaned as he cleared his vision, then noticed the stinger was barely hanging on by a tendon, poison, and black blood dripping freely from the wound.

"Pyrrha, the stinger!"

"Done!" She answered, throwing her shield like a disc and severing the barb completely. It embedded itself into the creature's mask.

"Nora, nail it!" Commanded Jaune.

She nodded, weapon back in hammer form, and turned to Pyrrha. "Heads up!"

Pyrrha complied just in time when Nora jumped, landing on her shield like a platform. A pull of the trigger from Magnhild sent her flying into the air, Pyrrha ascended with the shot to give her extra force. Nora rode her hammer like a flying broom, giggling and giving a mock salute. She fired another round, sending her spinning back to earth with twice the force she'd normally have, burying the stinger as deep as possible into the deathstalker's head.

The force sent them flying over the corpse and onto the safety of solid ground. The monster gave a death rattle as it fell into the gorge with what was left of the bridge. Ren stumbled over to them, holding his side from a cracked rib, and promptly collapsed. Finally able to rest, the group looked towards the tower as their friends continued battling the Nevermore.

A lull in the gunfire prompted the bird to go back on the attack. Yang jumped as it charged her, planting herself into its beak. Yang clamped her fist whilst anchoring it back, preparing for a devastating blow

"I. HOPE. YOU'RE. HUNGRY!" She yelled with each shot into its open maw.

With severe injuries to endure, the avian creature found itself in a precarious situation, its throat aflame with the agony of buckshot wounds. In a momentary lapse of control over its wings, it careened towards the precipice of the cliff. Yang swiftly disengaged and joined Ruby and Naik, while the Schnee Heiress gracefully glided forward, her weapon Myrtenaster poised and emanating a radiant glow of icy energy. The nevermore convulsed in anguish, desperately attempting to regain flight. However, as its wings flapped with great effort, Weiss deftly thrust her weapon forward, impaling the creature's tail and securing it in place with a sudden surge of ice. Sensing the imminent conclusion, she promptly withdrew to prepare for the final strike.

Blake and Yang promptly executed Ruby's plan, with the former expertly embedding Gambol Shroud into one of the pillars, while the latter deftly seized the ribbon and secured it to another. The concept was simple yet ingenious: to fashion a colossal slingshot, utilizing Ruby herself as the projectile. Ruby skillfully propelled herself backward, her weapon Crescent Rose resting upon her shoulder as she pulled the ribbon taut, akin to drawing back a bowstring. Weiss, having rejoined the group, swiftly conjured a gravity glyph and skillfully retracted her teammate, the audible strain of the ribbon becoming increasingly palpable as it stretched to its utmost limit.

"Of course, you'd come up with a plan," Weiss scoffed.

"Think you can make the shot?" Asked Ruby.

Weiss snorted. "Can I?"

There was a pause between the two. "Can-"

"Of course I can!"

In perfect synchronization with Weiss, who had released the glyph, Ruby discharged a round to grant herself additional speed. With a scythe poised for the neck, she propelled herself towards the Nevermore. Colliding with the bird with an immense force, she managed to tear its tail into two pieces, firmly planting her feet into the cliff face. Wasting no time, Weiss swiftly flicked her sword, causing a line of white glyphs to materialize in front of Ruby. With a resounding roar, she activated her semblance, propelling herself upwards along the wall in a flurry of rose petals, steadily increasing her velocity.

Her companions stood in awe as they witnessed Ruby effortlessly hauling a bird that was easily two hundred times her size up a sheer cliff wall, utilizing the recoil from her weapon to aid in the ascent. The bird futilely struggled as they reached the summit. Firmly grasping the shaft of Crescent Rose, Ruby emitted one final cry and swung, severing its head in a gushing fountain of black blood. With a breathless landing, she turned to observe the remnants of the bird tumbling down the side of the cliff.

The cloud of rose petals surrounding her scattered with the wind.

"Wow..." breathed Jaune. His friends all had the same thought as they watched the Nevermore's body tumble into the mist of the gorge.

Naik, Blake, Yang, and Weiss all stood in the middle of the ruined tower staring up at Ruby in her moment of victory.

"Well, that was a thing," said Yang to break the silence.

"Russel Thrush, Cardin Winchester, Dove Bronzewing, Sky Lark. The four of you retrieved the Black Bishop pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team CRDL. Lead by... Cardin Winchester," Headmaster Ozpin announced at the induction ceremony, their faces and team names displayed on the holo screens above their heads.

Team CRDL bowed in respect and left the stage.

"Jaune Arc, Pyrrha Nikos, Nora Valkyrie, and Lie Ren." The four in question stepped forward. "The four of you retrieved the White Rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team JNPR. Lead by... Jaune Arc."

Jaune flinched when he heard his name.

"L-lead by?" He said under his breath.

"Congratulations young man," said Ozpin.

Pyrrha smiled and lightly punched him on the arm, knocking him over much to the amusement of the audience. Team JNPR took their leave.

"And finally, Naik Belladonna, Blake Belladonna, Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, and Yang Xiao Long. The five of you retrieved the White Knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team RWBY. Lead by... Ruby Rose."

Both Ruby and Weiss jumped in alarm. Even the Belladonna siblings rifted a brow. They all didn't expect Ruby to be named the leader. It steadily dawned on Ruby what had just happened and a wide smile grew on her face.

"I'm so proud of you!" Squealed Yang as she wrapped her sister in a big hug.

Ozpin allowed a small smile to show.

"Yes, this is looking to be an... interesting year."

Located far from the bustling city of Vale, on its southern outskirts, lies a research company known as Oscorp Industries. This esteemed organization specializes in the realms of experimental science, military research, and cross-species genetics. While some individuals may not find themselves captivated by the wonders of science and technology, many others do. It is an enthralling field, particularly for an organization as young as Oscorp. In recent years, this company has emerged as an international success story, renowned for its groundbreaking research endeavors. Oscorp has embraced a new ethos, one centered around utilizing its employees' expertise to make a positive impact on the world.

Gazing out of the window in his office, situated on the highest floor of Oscorp's headquarters, Norman Osborn, the company's founder, stood in contemplation. From this vantage point, he could survey the sprawling expanse of Vale, a sight that never failed to inspire him.

He stood tall with his hands clasped behind his back. He gazed down on the busy streets below him. There, he could see a group of teenagers dressed in leather jackets and leather pants. One girl had dyed brunette hair and beauty marks on her cheek. She waved her hands for them to catch up and ran after her friends.

"Mr. Osborn?"

Norman looked over his shoulder to see his invited guest standing across from his desk:

Jaques Schnee.

"Mr. Schnee."

The two men took their respective seats.

Silence descended the whole room.

Jaques crossed his arms.

"So, shall we continue where we left off?"

Norman Osborn smirked.

A/N: And that was chapter 8 young readers! I gotta be honest, I didn't know whether to put Naik, Blake's brother, into team RWBY or put him in his own said team; making one OC is one thing but having more and trying to add descriptions of their appearance, semblance, and personality is another challenge. Not to mention making certain designs of their weapons. Now you all have seen Ruby take a picture of Spider-Man. Just to wash away any worries you may or may not have, no, I'm not planning to have her work at the daily bugle. That's Peter's thing so that is not gonna happen.

Back at chapter 3, when Ruby and Glynda were saved by Spider-Man, she decided to embark on her own personal investigation into the web-hero and his remarkable exploits. Kinda how in Spider-Man 2 when Harry was trying to find out who Spider-Man was and where is. Though his search for him was out of vengeance due to the fact that he assumed Spider-Man murdered his father, while Ruby's investigation is out of fascination and love as a supporter and a fan.

With all of that said, I'll be taking my leave. See you in the next chapter, young readers!