ULTIMATE SPIDER-MEN
POWER & RESPONSIBILITY ARC
CHAPTER 2
LOCATION: The Waton's Home, Forest Hills Queens...
Ethan Watson awoke with a start. His head moved from side to side as if he was still experiencing the remnants of his memory. He paused, his body trembling as his chest rose and fell rapidly. He could feel his heart pounding fiercely against his ribcage, as if he was still in danger, even though he gradually realized he was no longer in peril.
Fresh adrenaline coursed through Ethan's veins, making him eager and alert for an event that had already occurred. Not only did the adrenaline motivate his body to be vigilant, but it also heightened his other senses. After a few minutes he was fully cognizant that he was no longer experiencing the apprehension of imminent physical danger. Ethan closed his eyes and attempted to calm his body, withdrawing himself from the recollection of the previous incident.
Ethan blinked in bewilderment as his childhood memories played in his mind. During his early years, Ethan used to experience somnambulism, commonly known as sleepwalking. The first incident occurred when he was just five years old. Ethan's sister woke up in the middle of the night to find him walking back and forth down the hall. The episode lasted for about five minutes before Ethan eventually went back to bed.
It happened again the following night, and the night after that. Sometimes, it even occurred during his classes, causing him great embarrassment. Despite the inconvenience, Ethan's mother handled the situation with utmost care and concern, ensuring that he was safe and secure at all times. But once he turned thirteen, those days were over.
Or at least, he thought they were over.
Ethan blinked once more to adjust his vision. It took a considerable amount of time for his inertia to completely dissipate, allowing him to realize the peculiar position he was in. He found himself in an unusual situation, not under the comforting covers of his bed, but rather high above it. He turned his head from side to side, discovering that both his hands and feet were adhering to the ceiling.
Ethan's eyes widened and his muscles tensed.
He was sticking to the ceiling.
Ethan screamed out of pure terror and surprise. As if prompted by some subconscious command from his mind, his hands and feet released their grip from the ceiling, immediately feeling gravity wrenching him down to his bed. He sat upright and gazed at his hands with a wild expression. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he tried to calm himself. Thoughts began to appear in overdrive.
What the hell? What...What did I..? How was I sticking to the ceiling just now? How did I do that? Did I really do that?!
Ethan redirected his gaze towards his bedroom door. The door swung open, and both Mary Jane and his mother entered the room, their countenances filled with concern. Ethan's mother knelt down and gazed at him with an expression of deep worry.
"Ethan, are you alright?" Madeline asked, her tone laced with genuine concern. "What happened?"
Ethan blinked rapidly.
"I—I'm fine, mom." Ethan said, taking in a large gulp of air. "I think. I mean, I just—"
"You had a nightmare?" Mary Jane spoke up, placing a reassuring hand on Ethan's shoulder.
Ethan glanced to the bedroom floor. It wouldn't be a lie if he told them he did indeed had a nightmare today; ones that he rather not talk about. It surely would be better then telling them that he was sticking to the ceiling for God knows how long.
"Yeah," Ethan replied, looking back at her.
Madeline and Mary Jane exchanged a concerned glance before shifting their gaze back to him.
"Well, as long as you're okay sweetie," Madeline said, standing back up. "I'll make you and your sister breakfast. If you plan on heading in the shower, don't be in there for too long or you'll be late for school, okay?"
"Yes, ma'am." Ethan responded with both a thumbs up and a reassuring smile.
Madeline exited the bedroom with Mary Jane trailing behind her mother. Ethan sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he exited his bedroom and started towards the bathroom. Closing the door behind him, he flipped a switch and the lights illuminated the room, making everything look sharper and brighter than it really was.
Ethan extended his arm and rotated the faucet handle to the highest degree of warmth. He commenced the act of cleansing his countenance. After eradicating the grime from his own cheeks and chin, Ethan proceeded to rinse his oral cavity.
Ethan displayed a slight frown as his nostrils detected an unpleasant scent emanating from his person. Raising his arm, he cautiously sniffed at the sleeve of his sweatshirt, only to recoil immediately with a visible cringe. A look of disgust contorted his face as he dropped his arm to his side. The malodorous sweat clinging uncomfortably to his body left an offensive odor in its wake. Undoubtedly, his shirt must have emitted a repugnant stench. It is imperative that he takes a shower.
Lowering his hands to grasp the hem of his shirt, he deftly removed it by pulling it over his head and carelessly tossing it across the doorway of the bathroom. However, before he could proceed to remove his pants, his hands abruptly halted mid-reach as he noticed something peculiar in his reflection.
"Woah," he exhaled softly, carefully observing the intricate details of the new image that confronted him.
Ethan stared with wide eyes. To the best of his knowledge, he had always possessed a normal physique, devoid of any notable muscularity. However, he was acutely aware of his relatively diminutive stature; anyone passing by would undoubtedly take notice of this fact. Yet, instead of encountering the familiar sight of his usual normal build, he was confronted by an individual who stood rather tall in comparison.
His arms appeared robust, yet not excessively brawny. Ethan delicately traced his finger along the firm contour of one of his arms, his mouth slightly agape in awe of the spectacle before him. A soft chuckle escaped his lips, as he suddenly became acutely conscious of his own physicality.
Ethan lifted his right bicep up and flexed. The veins that were threaded through his biceps pulsed as he flexed. Another chuckle escaped his lips; he couldn't comprehend what he was seeing.
"Where did all of this come from?" Asked Ethan under his breath.
After a few minutes in the shower he brushed his teeth and returned to his bedroom to attire himself. He rummaged through his wardrobe and chose to wear a pair of black jeans and a white hoodie under his black t-shirt. After drying out his moppy hair and pulling his shoes on, he grabbed his backpack and headed downstairs to the kitchen. His nose caught the scent of eggs and bacon the second his feet touch the floor. Throughout breakfast he did his best to lighten the mood with his usual humor and of course, taking brotherly pleasure in teasing his sister.
It didn't take long for him and his sister to conclude their breakfast. He and Mary Jane bid farewell to their mother, then exited the house and walked forward until they stood on the sidewalk. They briefly surveyed some passersby, observing children their ages patiently awaiting the arrival of the bus from a nearby bench. Ethan turned to his right and caught sight of the bus just as it pulled up.
The bus doors opened and individuals began boarding. Filling the seats in an unending stream of bodies, the pair embarked last with poise. Mary took her seat next to Liz while Ethan sat alone at the back. The bus proceeded forward, rumbling towards its subsequent destination. Making several stops in various parts of the neighborhood, Ethan encountered a few other children along the way, eventually seeing Peter approaching his designated seat and sitting down beside him.
"Morning Ethan." Peter greeted Ethan with a smile.
"Morning little bro." Ethan returned, smiling back at him.
"How're you feeling?" Peter asked, sitting down beside him.
Ethan raised a brow at him.
"What do you mean?" He inquired.
"Like," Peter shrugged. "You know, like your normal self? Do you remember what happened the other day?"
Ethan paused for a moment. He remembered well what happened the day prior. He recalled the scene as clear as crystal:
He was on a field trip at Oscorp Industries with Peter, MJ, and the rest of their classmates from Midtown High. They follow their tour guide as they walked, flanked by advanced technology displayed on tables, and unfinished projects that were still a work in progress. Everything was pretty normal untilâ
"The spider..." Ethan muttered quietly, staring fixedly at the ground before him.
Peter frowned.
"Spider?" Peter questioned. "Oh, yeah. I was actually gonna ask if you remember that."
"The spider," Ethan said again. "The one we saw yesterday. The one that bit you and...me."
Ethan faced forward with wide eyes.
The image of the spider instantly flashing in his mind.
Of course, Ethan thought.
Ethan cupped his chin in deep thought. The spider from yesterday, the one that bit him and Peter. The arachnid probably wasn't an ordinary spider and passed down whatever traits it was carrying to him; and in turn, it affected his physical appearance. His ability to stick to walls was the result of the spider's venom. Which would make him the first twentieth century's super human.
"Uh, Ethan?"
Peter interrupted Ethan's thoughts.
"Huh?" Ethan blinked and shifted his gaze towards his friend.
"You zoned out there for a minute," Peter said.
"Ah, sorry." Ethan apologized. "I was just thinking."
Peter nodded in reply and leaned into his seat. Soon the bus arrived at their intended destination. One by one, the students disembarked, with Peter, Ethan, and MJ being the final individuals to alight.
The pair commenced their journey towards the main entrance. Upon Ethan's entrance, he cast his gaze around the vicinity. The extensive corridors on either side were teeming with a multitude of students, engaged in animated conversations amongst themselves. She espied a number of visages that she recognized, albeit not all. The students cordially greeted one another, engaging in light banter, discussing their post-class aspirations. A triumvirate of young ladies gracefully strolled past, their laughter resonating harmoniously.
MJ separates from Ethan and Peter and goes to hangout with her friends. The pair walked down the hallway, conversing casually about whatever came to their minds. Following far behind the two boys, Flash Thompson and Kenny McFarlane stalked them with grins plastered onto their faces.
"Wonchu look at that, puny Parker has his back turned? He's lucky his gay pal Ethan is protecting him, I would've given him a wedgy." Flash said, turning his gaze towards Kenny. "But you know, Ethan never said that we couldn't had a little fun with somebody else, right?"
"Well even so, Flash, you already had your first. I should have this one." Kenny suggested smugly.
Flash turned away from Kenny. Scanning the school hall for anyone for them to pick on, and his eyes landed on a blonde boy with spectacles. He smirked and shifted his gaze back at his giant buddy.
"By all means." Flash stepped aside and gestured his hand forward. "After you."
Kenny snickered slightly under his breath and moved forward. Each step was carefully placed as he crept closer towards the blonde boy. Everyone watched Kenny creeping closer towards him. His arms spread wide in anticipation while his grin widened to reveal perfect white teeth.
Peter and Ethan felt a tingling sensation run down from the hollow skull to their spine. The pair halted their tracks and stared forward. There was a second tingle, almost similar to the sensation of electricity running down their spines. It was as though someone had injected a jolt of electricity through their bodies. They shuddered as goose bumps covered their skin like thousands of tiny ants crawling up their persons.
Peter and Ethan rolled their bodies around and sprinted toward Kenny. The books in Peter's hands no longer mattered as they fell to the floor. The pair ran by the students in the hallway so fast that they hardly registered anything else but their destination. Their goal remained the same: get to Kenny before he got to the poor kid.
As soon as they reached Kenny, Peter skidded to a halt and stood between the surprise blonde haired boy and Kenny. Before Kenny could utter a single word, Peter shoved Kenny forcefully, causing Kenny to stumble backwards. Ethan halted at Kenny's side, stuck his foot out just in time to trip the bully over. Kenny fell on his back with a thud, eliciting a chorus of gasps from the surrounding students.
This also shocked Peter and Ethan who stood dumbfoundedly in front of the fallen balding jock. The pair exchanged glances with each other, both equally shocked for what they just did. They turned their heads back toward Kenny who had managed to scramble onto his knees.
"Ow..." Kenny groaned, rubbing the back of his head.
"Dude! Just—wow!" Flash exclaimed, his mouth hanging open in shock.
"I—I..." Peter stared at his hands, unable to find the proper words.
Ethan assumed the same action as Peter. He couldn't help but stare blankly at his raised hand, which was currently trembling slightly. The feeling of pure adrenaline coursed through his veins, causing goosebumps to rise all over his skin. With his face still painted with shock, he glanced at Peter just in time to see his eyes rolled up into his head and his body collapsed.
Ethan instinctively stepped up to try and catch him. But he suddenly felt tired, as if all the strength had left his limbs, leaving him exhausted and drained. In his last fleeting moment of consciousness, the school floor came rushing up to meet him. The last thing he heard was his sister calling for both Peter and Ethan worryingly, before her calls gave way to silence.
His world faded into darkness.
Peter Parker awoke with a gasp. He faced forward and bolted upright, gasping for air he didn't need but which he felt like he did anyway. He found himself on a hospital bed flanked by three people that stood by his side, two he didn't recognize and the last one who was familiar to him. Aunt May placed her gentle hand on the back of Peter's shoulder, squeezing lightly in an attempt to calm him.
"Oh my god! Thank the—Peter are you okay?" Aunt May asked, sounding worried.
"Uh—yeah, yeah, I'm fine." Peter managed to get out. His heart rate slowed from its elevated state as he took in the room around him.
"You're not fine sweetie, you fainted. You and Ethan." Aunt May informed him.
Peter's eyes widened at the revelation.
"Ethan? H-Hey—where is he? Is he okay?" Peter inquired anxiously.
Aunt May patted Peter's shoulder.
"He's fine sweetie, he's on his own bed next to you." May reassured him, gesturing to the other side of the room.
Peter turned towards the direction of his aunt's gesture and felt relief flood through him. Ethan was indeed by his side, laying on his own hospital bed. His eyes were closed and breathing was steady. Peter shifted his gaze towards the doctor when he cleared his throat.
"How many fingers am I holding up, son?" The man in question asked, holding up three fingers.
"Three." Peter replied automatically.
"Any dizziness? Blurred vision? Nausea?" The doctor probed.
"No. I'm thirsty though. I'm really thirsty." Peter pointed out.
"Nurse?" The doctor shifted his head toward the woman in question.
"Yes, doctor." She responded quickly, rushing off to retrieve some water.
The doctor redirected his gaze toward Peter.
"So, what happened back at the school Peter?" The doctor questioned.
"I don't—I don't know exactly. I guess me and my friend just sort of checked out." Peter answered, adjusting his spectacles back on.
"How's your hand?" The doctor inquired, nodding over to Peter's left hand.
Peter looked down at it and noticed it was wrapped up.
"Oh—Yeah, no, it's fine. It doesn't even hurt anymore." Peter assured the doctor.
The doctor raised a brow at him.
"Have you and your friend been taking any drugs at all? Marijuanna?" The doctor interrogated.
"No, of course not." Peter replied.
"Now's the time to tell me, Peter. We are going to run blood urine tests. So—"
"No, I swear. I wouldn't even know where to get any."
Aunt turned to face the doctor.
"The thing is that Peter has always suffered from environmental allergies." Aunt May informed him. "I don't know about Ethan's case, but maybe the spider bite mixed with—"
"Maybe." The doctor conceded after a moment of consideration, then turned his attention to Peter again. "We'll run a full blood work and some x-rays, make sure nothing got fractured."
Another nurse entered the room holding a small square shaped metal plate with a syringe and an empty vial next to it.
"I need you to relax your arm, okay? It'll only sting for a bit." The nurse instructed as she approached Peter.
The nurse set the metal tray down next to Peter's side desk. She took Peter's arm with one hand, while using the other to lightly tap the antebrachium. Veins suddenly began to emerge from under Peter's skin, which didn't go unnoticed by the nurse. She stared down at Peter's arm for a moment before pressing the syringe toward his forearm.
"Huh." The nurse noted, a bit surprised while still looking at the veins. "Thick skin you got there."
Peter winced a little as the syringes' needle pierced into his skin. A smirk suddenly graced Peter's lips.
"You coulda fooled me."
Two nurses were immersed in their computers. Monitoring data that was being sent back to them from the medical center on base. One short black haired nurse nonchalantly chewed a pen in her mouth, resting her cheek on her fist while darting her eyes around the screen of her computer. The other blonde ponytail nurse focused entirely on her computer as well, with a pen in hand and occasionally tapping her thumb on the retractable plunge. Another nurse leaned her head slightly close to an open window and set her sights at the black haired nurse.
"Hi, could you take this to the lab and have them do an express on this one?" she asked, showing her the tray in question. "They're waiting. The two boys are cute."
"Whatever." The black haired nurse said with disinterest. She continued with her typing on her computer, not bothering to turn her head. The latter simply smiled.
"Thanks." She said with a cheerful smile.
The nurse left the tray on the stool and turned away from the window. Not long after she left, a silhouette approached the stool and stood beside it. The shadowed figure took the two blood filled vials from the tray, then replaced it with a pair similar to it before putting the actual two underneath their jacket.
The balding man turned away with a smirk. Walking slowly towards the exit.
LOCATION: Osborn Industries, Main Laboratory Faculty, Long Island, New York...
Norman Osborn stared intensely at thousands of blood cells through the microscope lens on the main laboratory's computer screen. Justin stood by Norman's side, looking at the altered blood cells on screen while Shaw stood behind his boss. As Norman gazed at both Peter and Ethan's altered blood cells, a feeling of profound satisfaction washed over him. For years he had been trying to perfect the Oz formula that would unlock the next step of human evolution: making a serum capable of turning any man or woman into a super soldier. And judging by what he was seeing on screen, it seemed like he finally succeeded.
There was, however, a problem.
"Sir?" Justin asked, breaking Norman out of his thoughts.
"The Oz, it's killing the both of them." Norman said matter of factly.
"How?" Justin frowned.
Norman snapped his head at Justin with a hard glare.
"Well, I don't know, do I?!!" Norman barked impatiently.
"They'll trace it back to the lab?" Justin asked.
"Yes." Norman replied.
"Set the project back. Maybe forever."
"Yes."
"How long does he have?"
"Not long."
"So, he's going to dieâ""
"Yes."
Justin turned his gaze toward Norman.
"So, no matter what, he's going to die?" Justin repeated slowly, as if not believing the words coming out of Norman's mouth.
Norman paused for a moment. It indeed would be a shame having to see his first two human test subjects die having such a success with his formula. But before that tragedy happens, he at least wants to know if the spider transfer any other traits to both Parker and Watson.
"Shaw?" Norman called, looking up at him.
Shaw chuckled with narrowed eyes and smirked.
"Taken care of, sir." Shaw replied confidently.
Shaw turned away and started toward the main laboratory's exit.
LOCATION: Forest Hills Queens...
Peter and Ethan walked together down the sidewalk in the peaceful neighborhood of Forest Hills Queens. The town had been rather quiet. The only two inhabitants seemed to be Peter and Ethan of them as they passed by a row of houses, a couple of cars parked in driveways, and giant trees dotting every apartment's available space.
Ethan deduced that the inhabitants in the neighborhood were all probably spending their day inside their homes doing who knows what. There was no activity at all. As Peter and Ethan traversed the tranquil neighborhood, they were greeted by the familiar sounds of birds singing from the trees. There was a moment when the pair heard a helicopter flying overhead but it left them alone, seemingly uninterested with anything other than its own business. But despite how peaceful and nice the day was, Ethan was not really interested in the weather nor the peace.
Ethan mentally muted the world around him as his mind wandered. He couldn't stop thinking about the incident that happened at school yesterday, replying in his mind akin to playing an old video. He vividly remembered the tingling sensation running up from his nape, his body moving on his own, and in seconds he was right at Kong's side. Even Peter was there by his side, moving just as fast as he was.
Ethan folded his arms. Then there was him waking up in the morning sticking to the ceiling of his bedroom, which he's still not able to fully wrap his head around even today. Two of these incidents happened in one day, and he firmly believed that the spider that bit him and Peter was responsible for these events. Which would further prove Ethan's belief that the spider that bit them wasn't an ordinary arachnid.
"Hey, Peter?" Ethan spoke after awhile.
"Yeah?" Said Peter, turning his gaze toward Ethan.
"You remember that incident the other day? You know, with that Kong guy?" Ethan asked.
"Uh, Yeah." Peter responded. "What about it?"
"Okay, this is gonna sound weird. But...Did you feel anything? Like, did you feel something at that moment?" Ethan inquired.
"I don't understand. What exactly was I supposed to feel?" Peter said with a look of bewilderment. It was obvious to Ethan that Peter didn't get it at first but Ethan wanted to try again, trying to explain it in more detail so Peter could see what he meant.
"Like...a tingling? Or a buzzing? Something like that?" Ethan clarified, not entirely sure if he had managed to put enough emphasis into his words, or if he didn't even need to.
Peter blinked and paused for a moment.
"Actually...now that you mentioned it, yeah. I did feel something like that at that moment." Peter said, glancing at the ground. "But as quickly as I had felt it, it faded away."
Ethan nodded slowly and looked down.
"Same for me." Ethan stated.
Ethen shifted his gaze back at Peter. His lips parted to ask him something, until he and Peter felt a tingling sensation run down from the hollow skull to their spine. The pair halted their tracks and stared forward. Electricity ran down their spines and their bodies stiffened slightly, as if some form of shock was coursing through them.
Ethan noticed Peter jumped in the air with a flip from the corner of his eye. Ethan rolled his body around, and his eyes widened when he saw a black car speeding fast toward him. Peter landed behind the speeding vehicle and watched in horror as the car was getting closer to Ethan. The buzzing in Ethan's head intensified as the car drew nearer to him.
Ethan shot his hands forward and grasped the speeding automobile by the bumper, stopping its momentum immediately. The wheels screeched loudly against the pavement, causing Ethan to grit his teeth. Both the driver and Peter watched in shock as Ethan slowly and effortlessly lifted the still speeding vehicle up over his head, twisting his torso, and threw the car across the street. The car slammed against the concrete with a loud thud. Peter stood there frozen, staring wide eyed at Ethan in amazement, his mouth hanging open.
Ethan stared wide eyed at the upside down vehicle that now laid flat on the ground where it crashed into the road. A trail of smoke rising from the exhaust pipe, indicating that the engine had overheated due to the sudden movement. He couldn't comprehend what he had just done.
"Oh, man. Oh, man." Peter stammered, stepping up by Ethan's side.
Peter and Ethan sprinted towards the car in unison. As they approached the vehicle's door, Ethan tried to pull the handle. But it wouldn't budge. Ethan began taking his hoodie off of his person and wrapped it around his fist.
"Stay back, Pete." Ethan commanded, anchoring his arm back. Peter backed away and stood beside him.
Ethan took a deep breath and punched through the window. The glass instantly shattered upon impact, scattering thousands of tiny pebbles across the ground. Ethan threw his rolled up hoodie aside, crawled inside the vehicle and grabbed a black coated balding man by the collar. He dragged the man outside of the vehicle and laid him down on his back a feet away from the car.
"Is he okay?" Peter asked worriedly, walking over and kneeling next to the unconscious balding man.
Ethan placed two fingers on the man's neck.
"He's alive. Just unconscious." Ethan confirmed.
"Hey!"
Ethan and Peter turned over their shoulders to see a chubby man approaching them. He wore a simple white t shirt for his size, black jeans, and white sneakers. A baseball hat rested atop his head which finished his appearance. He looked between Peter and Ethan with both bewilderment and shock.
"What's going on out here?" The man inquired.
Peter parted his lips to say something but Ethan beaten him to it.
"Call 911." Ethan ordered, not breaking eye contact with the man while gesturing his hand to the unconscious latter. "This man needs some assistance."
"My God—what happened?" The man inquired, looking down at the unconscious latter.
"Some mutant came out of nowhere and tossed this guy's car like a soft ball." Ethan explained. "They ran away before me and my friend could even get a glimpse of him. Please sir, call 911."
"Okay, don't worry, kid. I'm on it." The man reassured him, turning away from the boys and pulled out his phone.
Once the man was far enough away, Peter and Ethan let out a sigh of relief. Peter placed his hand on Peter's shoulder.
"Come on, let's get in my lab before authorities arrive." Peter suggested.
"I was thinking the same thing. We—We really need to talk about, well, whatever's going on with us." Ethan admitted.
"Definitely." Peter agreed.
Peter and Ethan walked past the unconscious man and proceeded onward down the sidewalk. The pair didn't say anything as they passed by multiple houses, a couple of cars parked in driveways, until they reached Peter's house. By the time they reached the basement, Peter went to work. The pair stayed down there for hours as the sun slowly descended below the horizon, creating space for the moon to rise into the midnight sky.
Peter was at his computer desk researching spiders and Oscorp. Ethan sat on a long table, his arms folded while watching Peter working on his desktop. Neither of them had said anything throughout the entire process, both lost in their own thoughts as they stared at the screens displaying images of different species of spiders. After a long while Peter turned away from his computer and leaned back in his chair. Peter turned his chair around to meet Ethan's gaze, both teens staring at each other blankly.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Asked Peter after a few moments of silence.
"Yeah." Replied Ethan without any hesitation.
Silence fell over the room once again. Ethan sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Peter adjusted his glasses before clearing his throat.
"Okay...let's recap what we both know already." Peter began after a pause. "The spider was no ordinary spider; It was radioactive or maybe an experiment that might have escaped from containment, apparently, and we were there at the wrong place at the wrong time. And because of that it—well, it bit us."
"Us of all people." Ethan added, glancing at the wood floor.
There was a pause between the pair. A smirk graced Peter's lips, followed by a chuckle. Ethan perked up at the sound, his countenance plastered with puzzlement, confused as to why Peter was laughing at a time like this.
"What?" Asked Ethan.
"You know...I take it as a blessing." Said Peter.
"A blessing?" Ethan repeated, still confused.
"Think about it," Peter explained. "With our spider-powers, no one like Flash will mess with us, and we can detect danger before it happens. To top it off, you don't have to safeguard me from Flash or Kong anymore."
Peter stared down at his clenched fist as a confident grin spread across his face.
"No more feeling weak and helpless anymore." He concluded.
Worry flashed across Ethan's face as he looked at Peter.
"Pete, you're not thinking about starting a fight with Flash at school are you?" Ethan questioned, raising a brow at his friend.
Peter blinked twice at Ethan's question.
"What? No. No, of course not." Peter assured him. "I wouldn't do that, I'm just saying—"
"Peter, get up here. Now!"
Peter and Ethan glanced up at the basement stairs. Their eyes crawled up to the staircase until they saw the silhouette of Aunt May staring down at the pair, anger plastering across her features. Not wanting to keep her waiting, Peter got up from his chair and headed up the stairs, his friend following behind.
The pair stood before Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Aunt May had her hands on her hips, Uncle Ben had his arms folded. Both legal guardians stared at Peter with narrowed eyes. However, Aunt May's countenance softened when she turned her gaze toward Ethan.
"Oh, Ethan. Your mother called me. She wants you home right away." Aunt May informed him.
Ethan blinked twice at her.
"She did? Oh, well, guess I shouldn't keep her waiting." Ethan commented, turning his gaze toward Peter with a raised fist. "See you tomorrow at school?"
Peter briefly stared at Ethan's extended fist before looking back at him.
"Yeah." Peter answered, smiling at him.
The pair bumped their fists together before Ethan left the Parker's apartment. Ethan began walking down the sidewalk, following the long path towards home.
An atom seed spark of blue energy briefly looped around Ethan's leg before it disappeared.
A/N: Hope you all enjoyed the second chapter my little shimmerings! Now I've been asked about Ethan but I didn't explain it in the first chapter, so I've decided to do it here. Ethan Watson is Mary Jane's twin brother; the both of them are very close and dealt with everything together, especially when they learned that their herb of a father cheated on their mother. As for why he was in a different school instead of being in the same one with his sister, there was simply not enough room for another transfer student at the time. Until now.
His character is both an inspiration and combination of a few characters some of you may or may not know. The first among them is Chris Chambers from Stand By Me; I've always loved how heroic he was in the face of danger and loyal to his best friends Gordie, Vern, and Teddy. The second is Jack Dawson's quarter of optimism from the movie Titanic, which is my favorite film to this day. I could go on about this but all that makes Ethan Watson who he is, is combined into his character. He's loyal, friendly, empathetic, and the kind of guy one would wish would have as a friend in real life.
I'll be going now, I hope you all have a wonderful day or night wherever you are. See you in the next chapter, my little shimmerings!