Arc 1: The Five Million Dollar Question [I]

Chapter: The Answering Machine.

Ring!

Ring!

Click!

"Hello, Hikigaya Hachiman here. Huh. Did I use the literary device known as alliteration to make my greeting sound cooler? No, I did not. It was a happy happenstance. Don't blame me, blame Hiratsuka-sensei, my Japanese literature teacher. Anyway, I'm probably trying your patience, which, if I'm being honest, is probably the point, because I want to waste your time just long enough, so that you don't feel the need to leave a particularly long message in the answering machine. No one has time for that, trust me. Just be short and get straight to the point. Or, here's another bright idea, call me back when I'm available. No, I can't give you an exact time on when I will be free. What? Are you calling to ask me out on a date? Bad idea buddy, really bad idea. I just moved into a crappy apartment, I have to take a bus to visit the nearest Saizeriya, and for some reason all the vending machines around the neighborhood don't sell Maxx Coffee. Also, I have had a bad day, week, month, year. But it's none of your business. Just leave a message after the beep and I'll call you back. Fair warning: Don't hold your breath."

Beep!

"Hikigaya, for god's sake! Delete this nonsense and re-record it. Seriously, you're not a brat anymore, and I haven't been your teacher for years and yet, I'm ordering you around like I used to, like I'm telling you to re-do your essays. It was for your own good. And this is for your own good as well. Seriously, grow the hell up. You might get an important call from a potential recruiter and after hearing that message, they will hang up and never call again. Do you want that? Do you want to wallow in self-pity? For how much longer, Hikigaya? *sigh* Look, I get it. Miura was the love of your life and she's gone. But there is nothing you can do about it, is there? Take it from somebody who's been there, done that and gotten the tee-shirt. It gets better. Eventually. With time."

"I know you're not a kid anymore and I probably shouldn't worry so much nowadays. You're a grown up now, a legal age adult, a productive member of society. But I guess old habits die hard. I have known you since you were sixteen. You were nothing but a snot nosed teenager back then. I have seen you at your worst, I have seen you at your best and over the years I have watched you become your best self, not a perfect man, but a good man."

"Take it from someone who knows you better than you know yourself – Hikigaya Hachiman, you don't know your own strength. And I'm not talking about your physical strength. Lord knows, you sucked at P.E. But that's not what's important. What I'm talking about is your strength of character. I know it's corny as hell to talk about it, but your capacity to love and empathies with others is not a weakness. It's your superpower. And it's a helluva lot better than sticking to walls or shooting lasers out of your eyes."

"Sometimes I think about the good ol' days. Remember when I found you sleeping on the park bench around midnight and I had to convince you to spend the night with me. Wait, that came out wrong. But you know what I mean. And when I found out about your parents, I decided it would be best for you to move in with me. You were so against it, living under the same roof as me. I almost took offense. But seriously though, I still can't believe the neighbours believed our bald faced lie. Do I look old enough to be your aunt?...Don't even think about answering that question. I will end you, Hikigaya."

"*sigh*"

"Look, I'm bad at this, and you know it. I'm not your mother, I'm no longer your teacher and I have never been your aunt. But I am someone who gives a damn, who genuinely cares about your wellbeing, who wonders whether or not you have eaten dinner or skipped breakfast. I know it's none of my business, but all I'm saying is, don't be a stranger. I can always whip up something nice from the leftovers in the fridge."

"Just give me a call and tell me you're doing fine. That's all I'm asking. And if hell freezes over and you can make some time out of your busy schedule, maybe we can have a picnic in the cemetery like we used to back in the day. I know you haven't visited Komachi for ages. It's just a thought. Think on it, sleep on it, pray on it."

"Good night, Hikigaya."

Author's Note: Believe it or not, I do read reviews and I always have faith in what the readers what to say. Most of you suggested Hikigaya being Spider-Man, so I went with it. Initially, I wanted him to be Daredevil. But I couldn't work in the Catholicism angle. At the moment, the two characters, I have in mind to play Daredevil are Loid Forger or Levi Ackerman. But personally, I'm tilting a bit towards Loid Forger at the moments. It's the duality of the character. Spy, Father, Psychiatrist. Also if Loid is Daredevil, Yor Forger can be Elektra. But, I have decided that I will only start writing the next fic in the "Marvel Series" when this fic crosses the 100 review mark. So yeah, keep reviewing.

Now it's time for some polls –

Poll#1: How Did Hikigaya Get His Spider Powers?

Option 1: Bit by a Radio-Active Spider – [Comic Book Origin].

Option 2: Venom Symbiote – [The Black Suit].

Option 3: An Alien Spider Species - Infused With A Symbiote - Mutated By Radiation – [Author's Original Recipe]

Poll#2: Which Spider-Man From The Multi-Verse Does Hikigaya Meet?

Option 1: Gwen Stacy.

Option 2: Miles Morales.

Option 3: Hobart Brown.

Option 4: Pavitr Prabhakar.

Option 5: Miguel O' Hara.

Option 6: Peter Parker.

Option 7: [Reviewer's Choice] – An Anime Character Who Can Play A More Older, Mature Version of Spider-Man.

Okay, now before we get to Poll#3, I want to talk about the first villain Hikigaya faces off and no, it's not one of the classic Spider-Man foes. I'm saving them for later. The villain I have in mind is more like the version of Vandal Savage from Arrow-Verse who has to kill Hawkman and Hawkgirl to retain his immortality. Of course, I'm tweaking him a little and adding new elements and powers.

The villain's powers include: Life force-absorption, Superhuman strength, Superhuman speed, Superhuman stamina, Superhuman durability, Superhuman agility, Superhuman reflexes, Immortality, and flight.

Now, I want you guys to pick a character who should play this supervillain:

Poll#3: Who Should Play Vandal Savage AKA Morlun?

Option 1: Tom Riddle – [Because he's a psychopath and kills indiscriminately.]

Option 2: Rimuru Tempest – [Because of Rimuru's 'Predator' skill which allows him to absorb and assimilate the abilities and energy of anything he consumes.]

Option 3: Alucard – [Castlevania – Because he's a vampire and Morlun is a vampire.]

Option 4: Decim – [Because he's an agent of the afterlife.]

Option 5: Reviewer's Choice – [Anime Character Who Can Play The Villain – 'Morlun.']

Please pick accordingly.

Hope everyone enjoyed reading this chapter

Leave lots and lots of reviews, follow and fave.

I will be back with the next chapter soon.

Later 'gators.