Issue #11: Annie (Web of Fate) - Part III

For as long as I can remember, I only wanted to be the best...

Prologue

[Winter, 2006]

It was a cold, snowy night in the streets of Queens. The chilly air was quiet as the strong Atlantic sea wind brushed over the city. A calm night like this was an ideal cover for an opportunist to make thier move. Within one of the highrise towers in Queens, a massive vault weighing over two tons stood idle until an enormous force knocked it open. The whip of a green tail blew away the plume of dust, its razor-sharp tip scraping the wall as green armored claws stomped forward. The Scorpion has acquired his target. This target wasn't some bags of money, however. What the conniving Mac Gargan had in his hand was a shiny metal cube. At a glance, it appears worthless, but holding it in one's hand revealed it as tingling with some unknown power. "Item secured," he reported, speaking into his suit's built-in comms. A smile forms on his face upon seeing one of his offshore accounts displayed on his visor skyrocket in cash.

"Want the rest? Give me the item," his employer demanded.

"Don't have to tell me twice," he chuckled, heading towards a room with an expansive balcony and tall wall of glass windows. Right before he could leap outside, he's caught mid-air by two webs and pulled back inside. From the rough landing, the hand holding the strange item opened up enough for a web to snatch it.

"Seems Ol' MacDonald had a piece of mysterium, and here I was expecting a farm," said Jessica Parker, aka The Ultimate Spider-Woman. She's donned her usual crimson red super suit, its iconic web emblem spread across her chest and back, and her long, brown hair dropped over her left shoulder.

"Grrr! Why are you even here?!"

"Would you believe me if I said my spider senses tingled?" Scorpion answered by firing a barrage of acid at Spider-Woman. After dodging some of his blasts, she webbed up his tail and delivered a swift kick that nearly sent him flying out of the building. "I can't let you get away with this Mysterium, Mac."

"And why not?" Scorpion asked, spitting out some blood. "This is some rich mutant's private vault, and I ain't hurting nobody by stealing some hunk of metal."

"This 'hunk of metal' you're robbing is considered one of Krakoa's greatest secrets. Handing it to god knows who sounds like a gateway to an international conflict. Whatever money they offer will be worth squat if war happens, Mac."

"Not my problem, and it ain't my fault those mutants have shit security." Scorpion rips off the webbing on his tail and raises his fists, saying, "Nor it ain't my fault my employer's offered a deal I can't refuse."

Jessica webs the Mysterium to her back, entering a fighting stance with a fierce, piercing gaze. "Then maybe a beating from Spider-Woman will remind you why you should've."

Suddenly, a voice rings from outside. "Yeah! And her trusty sidekick, AMP!" Both Scorpion and Spider-Woman turn to see a shocking sight. Anna-May Parker landed on the balcony thanks to a pair of crudely made and clunky rocket boots. Her disguise also appeared to be wildly thrown together. Her look consisted of a simple long-sleeve shirt, a pair of goggles, a pink arrangement of gloves, a backpack, shoes, kneepads, and a cape. Jessica and Mac stood stunned by the bizarre sight as she ran to Jessica's side and pointed at the Scorpion, "Let me make the first move, Spider-Woman. I got a new trick up my-"

Before she could finish, Jessica spun Annie around and whispered, "What are you doing?!"

"Helping, duh!"

"No! You need to go-"

"Hey! Are you making kids fight for you, Spider-Woman?"

"She is not affiliated with me!"

"Yes, I am."

Jessica nearly wanted to strangle her niece as she insisted, "Silence child, who I do not know."

"How about this," Scorpion said, "you hand that metal back to me, and I might not tell the whole city you're employing child soldiers."

"Never, villain!" Annie declared. She whips out a metallic glove from her backpack that encompasses most of her arm. "Not when you can't get past my trusty Force Field Glove!" The moment she activated, however, the glove short-circuits. "Aww, but I tested this a minute ago." So distracted was she that she didn't notice a spray of venom hurdling towards her, saved only by Spider-Woman, who grabbed her and dodged out of the way.

Scorpion hurled himself at Spider-Woman and bashed her through the wall, the heroine unable to fight back at the risk of letting go of a defenseless Annie. Jessica was able to put some distance between her and Scorpion but quickly noticed the Mysterium within Mac's hand.

Realizing this was his one chance, Scorpion hurled a wide spray of acid at the two, knowing Spider-Woman would protect the kid first. What he should have accounted for was Annie's gadget. After hitting it, Annie's glove lit up and formed a shield around her and her Aunt, protecting them from the acid.

"Ha! It did work!"

Spider-Woman lets go and leaps forward, snagging Scorpion's tail and spinning him around until he's thrown into the ceiling, ripping off the deadly cess. The dazed villain is now stuck as his legs dangle, webbing fired around him to ensure he stays there and doesn't overhear them. Furious, Jessica marched over to Annie, demanding, "How did you get here, young lady!?"

"Through my turbo-boots," Annie answered, excitedly pointing at the small rockets. "See, I had a scary dream last night."

"Not another one of your weird dreams," Jessica sighed.

"I'm serious! It was scary. You were there, and I felt it meant something. So, I decided to overhear Ben while he trained Mayday, and he let slip that you were tracking Scorpion. So, using some old police scanners, I followed clues to your path, deduced your destination and viola."

"Ben and his damn mouth," Jessica muttered. "Alright, come on."

"We're gonna stop another crime?!"

"No, I'm taking you home."

"What?! Why?"

"There's a million damn reasons why, but if I had to pick one, it's so your parents don't find out," Jessica said with the utmost seriousness.

"They'd never have to know," Annie pleaded. "Please, Aunt Jess, let me be your sidekick for one night?"

"Annie, you're freaking nine years old."

"I'm nine and one-twelfth!"

"Still five and eleven-twelfth's years behind, kid. That is the rule your parents and the rest of this family agreed on," Ben returned.

"But that rule suuuucks!"

Scorpion's muffled voice suddenly asked, "What are you two yelling about?"

"None of your business, nosy!" the two parkers said in unison.

In the brief respite, Jessica sighed and asked, "Why are you even here."

"To help-"

"No, why are you here."

Annie, briefly, is silent of an answer. She removed her goggles and said, "Because I'm trying to awaken my powers."

"We've been offering you lessons-"

"Breathing exercises and reflex tests are doing nothing," she whined. "No, it gotta be like how Mayday got her powers. And what better place to find danger than with THE Spider-Woman?"

"Alright, do you feel any different?"

"N-not yet...but maybe-"

"Maybe you nearly got yourself hurt for nothing!"

Jessica was a very blunt person, taking every superhero matter seriously. Annie has heard this since being told her Aunt's secret identity, but to face it firsthand really hits home how stern she is. In frustration, Annie muttered stubbornly, "So trying to be great is stupid?"

"Annie, you're approaching this wrong," Jessica said. "You already have awesome potential."

"Not as great as Mayday's," she mumbled.

"Don't see the fancy powers and think that's what you need. It's more complicated than that. People recognize you without them."

"Not everyone. At least with powers, I can be someone else they do like," Annie moped.

"Annie..." Jessica sighed, kneeling to her level and hugging her. "Look, it's past bedtime, and you have a big event tomorrow. Let me take you home."

"Okay," Annie muttered, a tired yawn escaping her.

Jessica, holding Annie tightly, swings away into the night. This night will only be between them, but she hopes Annie gets to talk about this with her parents, hopefully without outside interference. Secrecy is also a delicate matter for their family; the last thing they need is more drama.

Part 1: A Strange Reunion

[That Morning...]

It was still snowing as Annie lazily swung on some swingset with her sisters at a local playground. The whole thing quickly lost appeal compared to the real thrill of web-swinging, such as the one felt last night. That whole ordeal was, in fact, more challenging to keep secret than she thought. Maybe it was because hiding a pair of rocket boots was troublesome, or perhaps she wanted an opinion that could understand her.

"No way," April suddenly shouted. "He sounds like a fun teacher, but there's no way he's that cool."

"April," Mayday replied, "he shoots freakin' electricity out his fingertips! You should've seen the things he showed me the past two months. Oh, and his combos with Uncle Ben and Aunt Jessica are freakin' spectacular!"

"Listen, it's like I always say: Never fully trust a man who shoots lightning."

"...you've never said once that in your life."

"And you never had great taste."

"Oh really? Well, guess what 'poor' tastes got me." Mayday whips out a cute photo with a distinct yellow signature. "An authentic photo AND autograph by Ms. Marvel herself," she said, "all thanks to the coolest Spider-man."

April gasped in utter shock. One of the best heroines that's ever hero-ed posing with and signing her sister's photo?! "Oh, now you're just rubbing this in my face." Mayday slips her fingers to reveal a heroic picture of Ms. Marvel signed for her. April stared blankly at the gift. "Still have crap taste," she muttered before swiping her gift and admiring it.

"Erm, hey," Annie spoke, grabbing their attention. "Listen, I got something I want your guy's thoughts on."

"Sure, Annie." Mayday's supportive tone was enough for Annie to feel now was the perfect time to share this with her sisters. Upon telling them everything, thier reactions were surprising.

"You what?!" they said in unison.

"Yeesh, really exuding that twin energy when you two do that."

"Now isn't the time for jokes," Mayday said. "Urgh, I should've noticed you were eavesdropping, but for you to go through following Aunt Jess, that's like the textbook example of irresponsibility."

"For once, she's right," April said, "what if one of your gizmos failed? You could've fallen straight down into the pavement, Willie Coyote-style, or get pelted with acid! I've seen those alien movies, and let me tell you, not a pleasant picture."

Mayday nodded, "Yeah-wait, you seen what movies?"

"But I didn't, did I?" Annie refuted. "I only wanted to...to..." Annie paused, letting out a long, tired yawn.

"Are you even gonna stay lucid for the contest?"

Annie shook her head to wake up. "I'll be fine, Mayday. Though it doesn't help neither of you back me up here."

"There's being determined and being stubborn. You were being plain stubborn."

"Greatness is often born from stubbornness. Dr. Stark said that once, Mayday."

"Yeah, and look where that kind of advice got'em," April said, scooping up and throwing a snowball that decapitated a nearby snowman. "Dead."

"Come on, April. You gotta feel the same way. At least a little?"

"I do, Annie," April sighed, a hint of frustration in her breath. "It's dumb that we haven't got our powers yet, and I wanna find out my powers at any cost, but it's plain stupid to get yourself killed over it."

"Harsh but true. Thanks for the backup, April."

"Don't push it, May."

Annie's shoulder slumped in defeat. "Oy, my weird dream was bad enough. Now this?"

Mayday sat beside her on the swing set and asked, "Hey, you've been saying that a lot the past few days. You sleep well, Annie?"

"Yeah? You know how much of a heavy sleeper I am," Annie explained. "Besides, everybody has weird dreams."

"But you've had them since you were two. You don't find that a little weird?"

Annie fidgets from the question. Annie would disregard these dreams at any other time in her life. However, ever since Mayday's powers manifested, the past two months have left her curious about any quirk that could hint at potential powers. Still, Annie tried to think things out logically, especially if she was the best scientist someday, and everything so far gave her a clear answer. "Mayday, don't give me hope," she said, "so what if a few dreams are weird? What does that have to do with spider-powers? Dad, Ben, and Jess haven't once had dream powers or whatever."

"True, but with superpowers..." Mayday picks up a rock and launches it into the air with her reverse wall-crawling powers. "...you never know."

"Fair point."

The trio shifts the conversation when Mayday's birthday gift, her first phone, notifies her with a new message. "Uhh, well, since we're opening up about stuff, I got something to share."

"This should be good," April said.

Mayday turns to Annie with a nervous look in her eyes. She says, "I won't be attending the science contest." Annie froze, and it wasn't because of the cold. A ripple of confusion and hurt swirled in her hard as Mayday explained. "Something big came up. Last week, I visited Courtney after her physical therapy, where she told me the doctors were releasing her today. I was so happy for her that I blurted out that I'd be there to celebrate with her for the day. It was only after leaving that I finally remembered your contest."

April immediately gave her the side-eye. "Convenient you 'forget' that little detail."

"Don't twist my words. It was a dumb mistake, yeah, but...I was so happy for my friend."

Before April could continue, Annie spoke dejectedly, "And you decided now was a good time to tell us? To tell me?"

"I couldn't just turn around and say 'nevermind' to her face," Mayday sighed. She kneels beside her little sis, holding her hand as she says, "And it was only until yesterday that Uncle Ben agreed he would drive me there. I just felt like, after everything, I owe Courtney this celebration. You understand that, right?"

"Sure," Annie muttered, her gaze away from Mayday.

Suddenly, the cold disappeared as Mayday wrapped her arms around Annie, embracing her. Annie can't deny that her eldest sister gave the best hugs. "I'll be back home as soon as possible," Mayday said optimistically, "and then you can tell me how you earned 1st place. We can even go over the footage Dad will be filming. Aaaand, I promise to bring home your favorite sweet."

Annie gasped, "An authentic Latverian chocolate sundae?!"

"Oh yeah."

Annie daydreams of the delectable sweetness; its taste is more divine than every other flavor. Her imagination ceased when thier parents messaged that it was nearly time to leave. Mayday leads her sister back while April and Annie follow behind. On the way, April bumped her and whispered, "You're seriously gonna forget her leaving last minute over some ice cream?"

"No, but she's doing this for a friend, right?"

"Well, if this Courtney were a real friend, she wouldn't mind Mayday attending your event. If I were you, I would be pissed at her keeping this from you. Be wary of people keeping secrets; that's what I say."

"Doesn't that include mom?"

"W-well, she's different."

Annie sighed, "I am gonna miss her today..."

"Sure. By the way, a cape, seriously?"

"It was a cute cape!"

"And what the hell kind of name is AMP?"

"It's an acronym of my name: Anna-May Parker. Clever, ain't it?"

"Hell no!"

[Later...]

Ever since she was little, she had a knack for facing problems. There was something within her that was naturally curious, be it a magnificent machine on display or the smallest critter in thier back yawn. She just needed to learn all about it. Some people have called it hyper-fixating, a distraction, or being nosy. To Annie, it was simply her eagerness to discover. This energy has been helping her survive navigating this large crowd of people attending today's science fair. By her side was her family, April, her mother, and father, along with thier Aunt Janine and cousin Richard, all of her to show support. Annie held her invention in her package, nervously clinging to it.

"This is crazy. It wasn't this packed last year," Janine commented.

"I remember," M.J. said, "you don't think these crowds will block the camera, Tiger?"

"Not to worry, honey. Nothing stops me from recording our baby's victory."

"Daaaad, not so out loud," Annie said, "people are gonna stare."

Richard spoke, "You know the whole building will stare at you when you present, right?"

Annie tenses up, about to throw up at the thought. Upon seeing this, April slaps Richard's shoulder, shouting, "Don't remind her!"

Upon finally reaching the front line for contestants, Annie submitted her invention and was told to join the other kids and hand over her gadget as the contest was the fair's big opening event. Her mother asked, "Do you want Richard and April to join you?"

"N-no, it's fine. I wanna double-check my gadget by myself. I know it the best."

"If that's what you want, just remember the stress exercises we went over. If it can help me nail in roles, it can get you up on that stage."

"I will, Mom..."

Everyone gave her good luck, and her father gave her a proud hug. "You got this, Annie!"

"Thanks, Dad." Upon joining the rest of the contestants in a large room, she kept her head down and moved to her spot while everyone else chatted, shared ideas, and enjoyed complimentary snacks. "It feels weird being surrounded by big kids," she mumbled. Trying to ignore them, she double-checked her gadget's inner mechanisms and power supply. She always enjoyed how much of a groove she got in when she did. To her, it's like the numbers of equations spoke to her, and the cogs of any machine were a puzzle waiting to be solved. Indeed, Annie felt this energy was part of her charm. However, not everyone thinks so.

"Hey, what's with the baby?" asked one kid from a neighboring booth.

'Ignore them,' Annie thought, giving this group the stink-eye.

"Is that even gonna work?" another whispered. "Be pretty embarrassing if it doesn't. She'd be crying all over the stage."

"Hey, wait, I know her," one kid from this group mentioned. "Yeah, I got to school with her older sister, May. She wouldn't shut up about her."

Annie's eyes widen, 'she would?'

"May makes her sound cool, but she and her twin are way cooler. I have yet to spot May here. Looks like she was extracting all that to make her feel special."

"Shut up!" Annie's outburst shocked the group and drew the attention of some other kids. Annie blushed in embarrassment and stormed off to the nearby rear entrance door. "Why do people always say that about me?"

Sitting at the bottom of a snow-covered staircase, Annie tried to cool off by distracting herself. The first thing on her mind was her strange dream. Unfortunately, like many dreams, she's unable to remember most of it except for the anxious feeling it left her with. Whatever was forgotten still made her feel sick. There was also one keen detail she did recall. Just before she woke, she saw a figure flying towards her on some machinery. She recalls only a glance at the rider, but the last thing she saw was a pair of piercing yellow eyes looking back at her. Annie shivered, whether from the dream or the snow; she couldn't tell. 'It's just a dream,' she thought, 'has to be. Your nerves are getting to you, Parker.' Though freaked out, Annie looked at the bright side.

This moment at least distracted her from the group of rowdy kids. "Those dummies," she spoke out.

"What a rude thing to say."

Annie spun to see a boy standing atop the staircase. 'Wha-? Who's he?' Annie thought, 'He looks older than Mayday. He's got some fancy-looking dark hair and even fancier clothes. And those eyes...I've seen those yellow eyes. No, it can't be a coincidence, right?'

The boy continued his comment, "Especially since I'm gonna win."

Upon hearing such a bold claim, Annie leaped up to her feet. "No way! I'm taking it. Besides, don't you look a little old to enter?"

"If I recall, the contest's age bracket is between ten and thirteen. By those metrics, I'm within my rights to partake, and you're the outlier."

"Well, I don't obey those metrics."

The boy chuckled. "How rebellious and ambitious. I glanced over when you shouted suddenly. You're quite prideful."

He sits beside an annoyed Annie, but she keeps her distance. 'Don't lock eyes with the enemy,' she thought. ' I don't know why, but something's different about him. Maybe it's how he talks so fancy-like. Heck, everything about him screams Richie Rich.'

He proceeds to ask, "What's your name?"

"Annie."

"Just Annie? Mysterious. Okay, I'll play along. My name's Stanley, but Stan's fine too. What brings you here, Annie?"

"The fair."

"Right, dumb question. Well, why did you join?"

"My Mom and Dad encouraged me to sign up."

"You look no older than ten, and the judges accepted your application? You must have some gift."

"Maaaaaybe," she said with a proud smirk.

"Ooooh, secrets. I like secrets."

Annie scoffed at the boy as his gaze turned to the snowy skyline. "My mother tells me I have a gift, too. She thinks me and my little bro are different because of our dad's smarts. I think of our parents; she was the true brains, personally. It ain't easy maintaining two mega-companies, you know?"

"Erm, no."

"Right, another dumb question," he chuckled, momentarily forgetting his social status. "With how smart Mother is, maybe that's all the more reason to believe she has a point."

"About what?"

"To not sign up for this fair."

"No way. What kinda of mom would say no like that?"

"The kind who says I'm above these things, these people."

"Sounds like a stuck-up mom."

"I like to think of it as a unique way of showing love."

Annie's previous tense posture eased as she asked, "Well, do you have doubts?"

"I guess? I've never been around this many kids before."

"I know, right?!."

"Totally. I'm lucky my brother is here. His encouragements have been helpful."

Annie looked down at the snow and mumbled, "That's nice."

"Yeah. His talk with my mom is why I'm even here. He's very headstrong compared to me. You have a sibling?"

"Two, my older sisters. One of them's named April; she's the bored-looking kid inside, in case you're wondering."

"Not fond of the sciences?"

"She is, but she's also more of a sports and arts kinda girl. My other sister, well..."

The entrance doors are kicked open, surprising Annie and Stanley, especially the former. "There you are," April said, "Whatcha' doing out here? The contest is about to-" She stopped upon noticing the boy beside Annie. "Who dis'? Aren't boys icky to you?"

"Yes, but I had no one else to talk to."

"Ooof, I'm hurt," Stanley said dramatically. "I assume this is your sister, April?"

"Yeah, she—" Annie spoke until she noticed April appear...unnerved? Her sister was squinting at Stanley, and Annie assumed the two had met before until seeing Stanley seemingly unfamiliar with April.

April quickly grabbed her sister's hand before snapping at Stanley. "Like that's any of your business. We're going, Annie."

"Good luck. It was nice chatting with you," Stanley said.

"Yeah," Annie replied before the door shut behind her.

"I don't like him, "April muttered.

"Why?"

"Bad vibes, okay? Anyway, did you seriously tell him my name?"

"Just our first names."

"Why the hell did you do that?!"

"What? He's just some kid."

"Still, it-urgh, never mind," April grumbled to herself.

Though not said, Annie and her sister did agree on one thing: how odd the aura surrounding Stanley was. 'Weird,' Annie thought, 'wait! Is this a hint to spider-sense?!' Before she could continue that thought, April dragged Annie straight to the presentation stage at the main auditorium, where the contestants were waiting. Annie fanned her face to calm down and awkwardly marched up. 'No eye contact!' The contest went as planned, with each kid showing off and explaining thier entry invention to the judges and audience. While anxiously waiting, Annie found it odd that Stanley wasn't there. 'Must've chickened out.'

With each passing contestant, the crowd applauded, while April didn't. "Booo! A potato battery is better than that junk!"

"April, be respectful," her mom and dad said.

"Yeah, just boo a little bit. Small jabs can sting just as bad as big jabs," Janine whispered, earning a chuckle from April.

After an eternity, the judge announced, "Everyone, put your hands up for Anna-May Watson-Parker!"

'Why'd they say my full name? Annie's fine,' she panically thought. 'Forget it! Remember mom's advice and do it.' She nervously walked up, her latest invention waiting for her on the stand. Annie stared blankly at the large crowd, and for a moment, her vision blurred from the swarm of faces. She snaps out of it upon spotting the smiles of her family, all of them applauding loudly. Her dad, of course, was excitedly recording the whole thing. Her Aunt Janine and her cousin Richard cheered her name. Her mom smiled brightly and proudly, believing she would do spectacularly. Her sister April gave her a thumbs up and confident smile.

The head judge asks, "Ready?"

The stage was quiet, the crowd waiting, and her family whispering that she's got this. "Yeah," Annie said. She snatched her gadget, put it on, and announced, "Umm! P-p-presenting to you, the Force Field Glove!" With a press of a button, the clunky metal glove flickered on. It emitted a quiet pulse that charged up its energy core. From the audience's perspective, this child seemingly vibrated like an earthquake was happening when Annie hadn't moved an inch. Finally, the glove's built-up energy dispersed and formed a perfect sphere around Annie. The crowd gasped at such a feat while the judges quietly nodded. "Through soundwaves," Annie said, "this glove can emit a condensed but powerful vibration around me, energizing it into a solid sphere. Throw anything at me, rocks or acid; it doesn't matter because it won't go through. I built this in a month because I couldn't get the design out of my head and thought a glove-form generator would be awesome. Yeah, uhhh, thank you."

After a moment of pause, the crowd applauded at the astounding tech, especially her family. Annie rushed to her seat, her cheeks red as roses. 'Oy vey, you rushed it, Annie. No, it doesn't matter. Your invention blows everyone else's out of the water-'

Suddenly, something flies through the main auditorium doors. The lights focus on it, revealing a masked boy in an advanced glider circling the audience. After many gasps and cheers, the masked boy landed on the stage and revealed himself as Stanley. "Sorry, everyone. Last-second technical difficulties."

The head judge announced, "Erm, everyone, put your hands together for Stan Hollister."

"Thank you, sir. Now, let me present you a commercial-designed air glider."

Annie's jaw dropped. She knew something was different about that boy, but she never would've guessed he had built something so advanced. It looks factory-made, while hers looks like it's strung together by duck tape and parts found in a backyard shed.

"With a top speed of a hundred and twenty miles per hour," Stanley continued, "this glider is eco-friendly thanks to its internal stabilized mini-reactor. It's easy to fly, too; one must plan a simple flight path, and the glider's A.I. will do the rest. It'll even automatically pull the rider away from incoming objects."

The crowd was on its feet applauding such an advanced gadget, and Annie slumped over in shock, feeling an intense sense of deja vu. 'It can't be...I've seen this before. Those yellow eyes were Stanley's! But how?!' It didn't take long for the judges to pick Stanley as the winner, while Annie ended up in second place. Annie looked off to her family and noticed the look of concern in her parent's eyes.

Once the contest was over and the crowd dispersed to check out the rest of the fair, the Parker family walked out to the front lawn, away from the crowds. "That's our Annie! Smartest girl on this side of New York! Your gadget went off without a hitch," Peter said in jubilation as he tossed her daughter up and down, her silver trophy in hand.

"And you were such a natural up there," M.J. cheered.

"Seriously, kid, you killed it up there," Janine said.

Annie giggled from all the praise, though deep down, she wondered if her parents were trying to distract her. 'Do they know something about that boy?'

As Peter sets her down, M.J. kisses Annie's forehead before hugging her. Annie always found her mom's hugs so warm and comforting, able to warm the heart even in the cold. Somehow, even her words were warmer. "We're all so proud of you, Annie," M.J. said.

"Thanks, Mom," Annie said as she pulled back. "I..."

"Yeah?"

"I wish I won. I wish Mayday saw it."

M.J. and Peter consoled her. "We know," Peter said, "but her responsibilities called her elsewhere."

"She's making her friend's day the best it could be," M.J. shared, "and when Uncle Ben drives her back, she'll shower you with praise over your hard work."

"Second place?"

"It was a spectacular second place, a position few still achieve. Isn't that right, Peter?"

Annie looked up to see her father suddenly lost in thought. "Dad?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, of course."

"You good, Pete?" Janine asked.

"Sorry. It's hard to take my mind off that glider. Brings back bad memories."

"I'm sure it was just a coincidence, Tiger, but I get it. I heard the name Hollister before, but where? Urgh, it's been so long..."

As the adults discussed this, Annie looked off at the Civic Center entrance as April and Richard spoke behind her.

"I think that kid cheated," April whispered. "Ain't no way he built that all by himself."

"He sounds rich, according to Annie, so he probably did build it," Richard said. "You can especially tell by how much of a show-off he was. They're all like that."

"Exactly! Don't you think so, too, Annie?"

As April asked, Annie stared off at the entrance doors and was the first to notice someone walking out. At the top of the staircase were Stanley and his entire family, including his eponymous mother. The whole Parker family turned and noticed the family, a mixed reaction of confusion and surprise among them. The family saw that behind Stanely were two people, his brother, and mother, dressed in fancy winter clothes. Once again, Annie couldn't help but feel something familiar about Stanley's brother. As for Stan's mother, Annie wasn't familiar with her, but her mother and father certainly were judging by how shocked they were.

"Liz?" M.J. and Peter gasped.

Elizabeth "Liz" Allan took off her shades, a rush of nostalgia setting in at the sight of a pair of friends she had known since high school. "Petey...Mary Jane. It is you two! Wow! It should've been obvious when Stanley told me who took second place. Only a Parker could create an amazing gadget from 2x4s and a wad of gum. My, does fate work in mysterious ways, doesn't it?"

"I guess it does," Peter said with caution. When Liz and her kids step forward, Peter has Janine subtly pull Annie and April behind him.

Annie could see how unnerved her father was as she peeked over at her mother. She calmed as she said, "It should've been obvious for us, too. Then again, it has been twelve years since we've seen Stanley. Especially little Normie, how you doing?"

In confusion, Normie scratched his brown hair, asking, "Uhh, Mom, have I met them?"

"When you were a baby, sweetie," Liz clarified with some pain in her voice. "They were your father's best friends, Peter and Mary Jane Parker."

While Normie and Stanley were stunned at this news, Annie whispered, "Mommy, who are they?"

"That's what I want to clarify," M.J. said as she proceeded to ask, "Excuse me for asking, but I don't understand why the judge said Stanley's last name was Hollister?"

"Oh, that was my birth mother's maiden name," Stanley answered.

"I told him to submit a false last name to avoid attracting media attention," Liz explained. "I mean, THE Stanley Osborn and his brother Normie Osborn at some science fair? Paparazzi would already be swarming this place."

Annie gasped in astonishment at this revelation. 'These are the famed Osborns?' Even at her young age, anyone interested in science has at least heard of the Osborn family. 'Not only that but Mom and Dad know about them?!'

From the corner of her eye, Annie noticed April did not share her amazed reaction. She looked downright disgusted at them. "I don't like these people," she whispered, her hands clenched into fists.

"Oh my god, are these your kids?!" Liz beamed excitedly over the sisters while she tried to get a closer look. "Aww, they're adorable! Wow, Annie practically has your hair, Mary Jane."

"T-thanks," Annie mumbled.

"Oh Gosh, I see you let one of them dye thier hair. Would never be me," Liz said, pointing at April.

M.J. pats April's hair, saying defensively, "April likes it that way. Who am I to say no?"

"Is that her name? How cute and interesting," Liz chuckled, brushing her short blonde hair. "From what Stanley told me, your daughter Annie is quite the egghead. Congrats on winning second place, by the way. Not every day someone so young could challenge Stanley's skills." Suddenly, Liz stops as if she has a brilliant idea, but the Parkers aren't so eager to hear. "Guys, here's an idea: are your schedules open this week? How great would it be to get together for my company's second annual Christmas party!"

"Peter and the girls are Jewish," M.J. reminded.

"Did I say Chrismas? I mean the Holiday party! Did I not just say Holiday, boys?"

"Totally," Normie said, hiding a chuckle.

"Thanks for the offer, Liz," Peter said, pulling out the car keys. "However, we have something planned already. M.J. and I also want the girls to have a laid-back winter break; a party sounds too fancy."

"Please, I insist. We're holding it over at the new Alchemax building here in Manhattan. There are lots of normal families and friends there. Not too many snooty people. Look, I'll even send a cab and pay for dresses for your girls; casual is fine."

"That's kind of you, but-"

"Petey," Liz whispered, ensuring only he and M.J. could hear. "I know our families didn't leave on happy terms, but that was long ago. And...house life has been pretty lonely, especially for them. So, can we give it another shot and see if it works between us?" She pulls out her Alchemax card, which carries her phone number, and hands it to the couple. "Here, I leave the choice up to you."

Annie stared at the Osborns as they walked away to their family limo. Annie waved as Normie and Stanley entered the limo before it drove off. She looked up to find her parents no longer hiding thier uncomfortably.

"Hey," Janine said, "she didn't notice Richard or me! How rude."

Part 2: The Parkers & the Osborns

[That evening...]

"And, there!" Mayday placed Annie's latest trophy next to the surrounding past academic achievements, all of them second place. "You know what I think? I think the silver is gonna make the gold pop. Dontcha agree, speedy?" Mayday asked, looking at Annie's baby turtle.

"Don't rope him in your pity fest," Annie whined.

"Hey, dad showed me everything. So what if some kid has a fancy glider? You still rocked."

"Maybe, but today is another day proving why you're better," Annie said, sitting back as she finished her ice cream from May.

"I heard, and those kids don't know what they're talking about," Mayday reaffirmed. "we aren't competing over anything. We're sisters."

"So why do I feel like everybody outside our family ignores me?"

"Not everyone's gonna like you," Mayday said as she sat beside her. "Why they felt that way, we may not know. Still, don't get lost trying to get thier attention. Focus on yourself. See what helps makes you unique."

"I guess, still, those boys were unique."

"Normie and Stanley Osborn," Mayday whispered, "feels weird to say thier names."

"I know, right?! Looking back, it wasn't the glider that struck me but thier mannerisms. Never talked to a kid like him, to one so distant."

A knock on the door drew the sister's attention. "Hey," said April, "sounds like things are getting tense. Come on." And so, Mayday and Annie did. Though thier parents told them this was adult talk only, thier curiosity got the better of them. The three huddled together at the top of the staircase, staying hidden in the dark as thier parents talked in the living room.

"I know you two didn't take much, and Liz wasn't always the kindest," Peter said to his wife standing by the front windows, "but I think she means what she said."

With a deep sigh, Mary Jane responded, "If this were any other family, Tiger, I would agree. Heck, I'd be pushing this family to go if it meant the girls meet more kids their ages. Not thier family, however, not with that surname."

"It's been twelve years since that nightmare, and the only people who walked away that night were us, not him."

'Him?' Annie shared a confused expression with her sisters.

"And yet that family continues to thrive off his empire. Have you read about their business ventures in the past few years? It'd make Ayn Rand blush," M.J. firmly retorted. "Liz has even used that fortune to build a new subsidiary, Alchemax.

"I know, they have contracts with S.H.I.E.L.D. Yet Jess relayed that nothing's shady going on."

"Creating a glider scarily similar to his says otherwise.

"You said it was just a coincidence."

"That was before I learned it belonged to an Osborn!"

"Mary Jane," Peter said, his concern evident in his tone as his wife sat down with a tired sigh.

Annie was willing to go down in worry, but Mayday stopped her. Hanging back, Annie noticed April appear sad for thier mom. In thier ways, the trio was stunned at how unnerved thier mother was, especially over a seemingly simple party invitation. 'Who the heck are these Osborns?'

"Sorry..."

"Don't be," Peter assured.

"I just...I can't imagine myself bearing the anxiety knowing our babies are in that dreaded house."

Momentarily, Peter is silent, both to ponder their own decision and be considerate of his wife's distress. When approached, Peter said, "If it makes you that uncomfortable, then we won't go. Not much point if we don't all go."

With those words, Mayday and April assume that would end it. Neither felt disappointed at that decision; Mayday wasn't there, and April didn't trust them. Annie, however, refused to accept this without an answer. Perhaps this was the bad side of her curiosity, and she was probably being nosy, but Annie refused to accept such a plain answer and needed to know. Thus, even as Mayday grabbed her, Annie shouted, "Why not?"

M.J. gasped, "Annie?!"

'Busted!' her sisters thought.

"Should've figured," Peter sighed.

"I spoke with one of those boys, "Annie said. "He was a bit weird, sure, but who isn't a little weird? I don't think judging him just because of who he's related to is fair." Peter and M.J. stood astonished at their daughter's opinion and said they had shared a meaningful conversation. More especially, they were impressed at how outspoken she was. Annie sincerely asks, "So, who's this guy you keep talking about, and why does he scare you, Mom?"

Revealing themselves, the sisters sat on the couch adjacent to thier parents. "We kinda wanna know, too. If that's okay," Mayday said.

"We," M.J. said, struggling to find the words, "it's just, this is a heavy topic, girls."

"Are you sure you wanna know?" Peter asked. "I'm warning you now, this story ain't for the faint of heart."

Annie looked at her sisters and saw thier silent support. "Yeah, we do."

M.J. sighed, her head on her forehead. "Where do we even start?"

"Well," Annie shrugged, "who's this Liz lady? She talked to you like you were friends."

"We were," Peter answered, "way back in High School. We didn't talk much until she started dating my first-ever best friend."

"Who?"

Digging into old, painful memories, he answered. "Harry. His name was Harry Osborn. He's the father of those boys, Normie and Stanley. Harry was a man who was like a brother to me."

Mayday leaned forward, asking, "Was? You mean he's...gone?"

Peter could only nod. He proceeded to drink some water to cool off. While Mayday respectfully stayed silent, Annie gently asked, "Is that why you don't want to go? Because you miss your best friend?"

"Partly," M.J. said, "I'd be lying if I said I didn't see Harry in those boys' eyes today." Her eyes suddenly turned angry, creating a fierce scowl that shook the sisters. "No...the real reason I refuse is because the stink of that monster still lingers in the Osborn household. The monster who nearly took you away from us." That last sentence, Annie noticed, was uttered as M.J. looked directly into her sister's eyes.

Mayday asked, "Who's this monster?"

"Harry's father, Norman Osborn."

CRACK!

Annie and her sisters jumped at the sudden shatter of glass that was once thier dad's cup. The mere mention of that name made him crush it into sand. Glancing over, Annie picked up how April gripped her head as if she were experiencing a headache. "Sorry," Peter said, brushing away the glass, "been a while since I heard that name. Let me explain, but know I'll be sparing you the grizzly details until your three are old enough, okay?"

"O-okay," Mayday said.

Annie asked, "Who's nor-I mean, that man?"

Peter looked at the blood in his hand, cleaning it with a towel as he began. "He was once the Green Goblin. He was a power-hungry maniacal industrialist who made Oscorp the megacorporation it is today. Through his ruthless, manipulative tactics and grand ambitions, he tried to play god by creating an all-new super formula. What he theorized would showcase a human's true potential instead unleashed a monster that's always been there, that was him."

Annie cowered, imagining what this man looked like, her mind imagining a hulking, scaly monster.

"He was evil personified, not caring about how he used his power. It was only a matter of time before he became my greatest foe," Peter continued, "He...took away good people, people your mother and I loved and valued." Annie could practically feel the great pain in her dad's voice as M.J. tightened her grip on his ring hand. "His rampage eventually destroyed him. At least, we thought it did until that legacy compelled Harry to follow in his father's footsteps. I tried to save him from it, but instead, he saved me. He did, but in return, the goblin killed him through the formula toxins." Peter wiped the last of the blood away and turned his Mayday. "He saved his infant son, Stanley, and had another he'll never meet. That's how we thought this sad story had ended until Norman returned to make his last stand. On the day of your births...he kidnapped you and your sister."

Annie could feel her sister's shiver as Mayday tried to keep a steady face. The day April returned to them, thier dad told'em of a man who tried to harm them, but after that, nothing much else was spoken of it since. Nonetheless, Annie remembered the moments April struggled with her memories. Though many things came naturally to her, seeing someone older than her have never played games, listened to music, or remembered basic math was surreal. Though they all helped her along the way, Annie couldn't imagine how much it hurt just not remembering half of your current life. 'And all because of this, Norman.'

Mayday took a shaky breath, as did April, who felt the most uncomfortable of the three. She mustered the courage to ask, "Is he why I can't remember?"

M.J. sighed, "We...don't know, but it's possible, baby."

Though unsatisfied with the answer, April was no less disturbed by the thought. Annie saw as Mayday squeezed April's hand to comfort her.

"After what felt like an eternity," M.J. continued, "your Uncle Kaine rescued you, and eventually, we found you too, April."

Annie asked, "But what happened to erm, you-know-who?"

"He died," Peter revealed, "by own his actions." As much as he hid it, there was a bit of reassurance in his tone.

"Good riddance," April spat out with a quiet but venomous resentment.

"All that remains of him is his tattered mask. I checked for days after, looking for any clue he lived, but found nothing. As Spider-Man, I don't want to say that I'm glad and that death is ever the solution. As your father, well...I've slept well, knowing the evil of the goblin will never harm my children or family again."

Annie has heard her fair share of harrowing stories from family and school, but nothing hit home like this. A part of him feels the weight of every word shared by thier parents and is glad they aren't shy about the past, yet she couldn't help but feel the odd one out in this discussion. This happened years before she was born, and that time displacement created a disconnect from what her sisters were experiencing. The thought of being held in the arms of such a cruel man made her stomach sick to no end. At the very least, this made her even more appreciative that they were here, at home, and a part of her life.

"Now you see why we wished to wait to share some things," M.J. said, "The truth is often hard to swallow."

"After hearing that, though I believe there's no harm going, I'd understand if none of you wish to go," Peter stated, waiting for a response.

In her rational mind, Annie came to one answer, though it didn't take a genius to know it would be unpopular. "But they're not him," she announced. "Your spider-sense didn't go off with them around, Dad. I bet if Mayday were there, she'd also sense nothing. Normie and Stanley are kids, just like us. This monster has nothing to do with them, and you said thier dad saved you. If Harry was a good person, why aren't they?"

"Because they're Osborns," April bitterly said, "once an Osborn, always an Osborn." Without uttering another word, she got up and returned to her room.

Though dejected, Annie doesn't blame her. She wasn't there, but they were. Still, Mayday grabbed her hand and said, "I think Annie's right. If this is a chance to rebuild something between our families, we should take it. The worst that could happen is that it's a boring party, right?"

Peter and M.J. look into each other's eyes, holding hands as if silently communicating through thier gestures. Mary Jane stood up and declared a compromise. "You and Annie will go with your father. April and I will stay and go out that evening. Been wanting to spend together with just her anyway." With that, thier mother heads upstairs to check on April.

Annie felt bad that barely half of the family would go, but these old wounds were still fresh, and the Osborns didn't live the most relatable lifestyle. Still, this may be the start of something new, something great. Thier father kneeled to thier level and told them, "Okay, but if we're gonna do this, we first must be ready."

Annie asked, "How?"

"We..." Peter said, whipping a fresh set of coupons, "are shopping for dresses."

"Oh Yeah!" Annie cheered.

"Whyyyyyy..." Mayday whined.

[A week later...]

A car pulls up to the pristine and futuristic Alchemax HQ building. The Parker family steps out when a woman in a black suit greets them. "Hello, Mr. Parker. I'm Ms. Janurary, Osborn's executive and personal assistant. I hope you and your kids are doing well this evening."

Feeling as cute as a button in her pink and red dress, Annie cheered, " It is!"

After denying an assortment of dresses, a satisfied Mayday arrived with a fresh suit and responded, "I hope so."

"Thanks again for the ride," Peter said, donning his best suit. "So, which way to the elevator?"

"That won't be necessary. I'm here to escort you to the Party. The Osborns can't wait to see you."

"Feeling's mutual," Peter said with slight trepidation.

Though new to this, the Parkers decided to follow January inside. As they did, Annie wondered, 'Nearly a week without another weird dream. It has to happen eventually. That couldn't have been a coincidence. Either way, Aunt Jess may have a point. Maybe there is something more to me than just powers, and maybe talking to these people could help me see what that is.'

To Be Continued...


A/N: I hope you've enjoyed this issue! Writing this chapter has been hectic mainly because I'm trying not to make it feel like it's doing too much and steering focus away from Annie. After several drafts, I have the second half of this planned out, along with the final portion covering April. Some first appearances of big names, including Trans Icon Jessica Parker and this universe's version of the Osborn Family. I blended several elements and decided to give Normie his brother from 616 to parallel the sisters and give him someone to bounce off of.

So, please share any opinions you have on this chapter. I'm more than happy to hear any of them.

Finally, an important update: I'm going on a family trip overseas beginning the last week of May, which will last around two weeks. I'll put some work in, but for the most part, expect me to be on break until I return the first week of June and get back to work. I'll release the second half before I go on my trip and finish April in June.