Issue #12: Annie (Web of Fate) - Part IV

A humble abode sits in the middle of Harlem, the fiery glow inside its walls emphasizing a warmness against the cold winter night. Beside the fireplace, Mary Jane noticed frosticles began outside one of the windows. "Some light snowfall, and already there's ice forming."

Her host's bandaged-up hand hands M.J. a cup of hot cocoa. "Here. This may warm you up."

"Thanks, Jess," M.J. said, smiling at the famed superpowered Private Investigator Jessica Jones-Cage. Taking the cup, the sweet aroma reminds her that Luke's hot chocolate recipe is out of this world, like something from a Christmas movie. Making conversation, M.J. asked, "Another work-related injury, Jess?"

Jessica looks at her bandaged hand. "This?"

"Yeah. You got it during a pursuit.

"Ha! Naw, it's dumber than that. My latest case was a tricky one, and I got so pissed that I lashed out by bashing through the hood of a car. You know, like a dumbass."

"You're too hard on yourself, baby," uttered her husband's deep, warm voice, the invulnerable Mayor Luke Jones-Cage. He patted the empty couch seat beside him, the prospect of which his wife gladly accepted as she flopped down, utterly exhausted.

"I know," Jessica mumbled, "glad I'm taking a break this month. Helped clear my head a lot."

CRACK!

"Mostly cleared..." Jessica sighed. The three heard the noise from upstairs, so they went to Luke and Jessica's daughter's room. "Dani, what was that?"

12-year-old Danielle Cage and April Parker sat on the wooden floor, casually playing one of the latest fighting games. April shrugged and asked, "What was what?"

"April," M.J. said, insisting on an honest answer.

"It was me!" Danielle admitted and quickly shuffled back to reveal a fresh crack on the floor. "I kept losing matches, got mad, and forgot my super strength ."

"Still bad at keeping secrets, I see," April sighed.

"Well, that won't do," Luke said, stepping inside. He stands over his daughter before sitting down and taking the controller. "Apply what we learn from the gym to any fight, Dani. Where do you think you're lacking."

"Uh-oh," April gasped.

"April's combos are too good, Daddy. I can't get the EX meter to fill fast enough to counter."

"Mmm, you're not utilizing your character's strengths. And from this replay, you're treating your zoner like a rushdown character, " Luke advised, much to his wife's and M.J.'s amusement.

"Thanks again for having us over," Mary Jane said. Heading back home after dinner would've been pretty lonely." Mary Jane didn't say it, but there was another reason for her visit. April has been quieter since she and Peter shared their history with the Osborns. She'd have a shorter temper than usual whenever she wasn't staring off; her mind wasn't miles away. Whether it be with them or Mayday, April was quick to snap back. Thankfully, there were ways to calm her down, such as Danielle having a tight bond with each of the girls to help them have fun and take their minds away from what's troubling them. What was more challenging to address was the nightmares. April's always had them, but they've since begun to occur every night for the past two weeks. Mary Jane tried having her see a doctor, but April was resistant, trying to act like she wasn't bothered despite the dried tears on her cheeks.

'She won't tell me what she sees in these dreams,' Mary Jane thought, watching April innocently distracted by the game. 'If it's what I think it is, she might...no, she will find out sooner than we wanted. We must find the right time to tell her because if we don't...'

"Hey," Jessica said, snapping M.J. out of her thoughts. Jessica saw how troubled she was when she said, "If you need help, you got friends willing to lend a hand."

"Of course," M.J. sighed at the small but comforting reminder.

"I hope Peter and the girls are having fun. Those types of parties sound boring as hell," Jessica continued.

"I'm sure they're—" M.J. said before her phone rang. She answered and heard a familiar voice informing her of critical news.

Part 3: Surprise Guests!

[About an hour before...]

Annie felt something. It was an itch at first, then a tingle. Suddenly, it grew too strong to grasp before overwhelming her senses. "HOT!" she cried, spitting out the spicy shrimp that she had carelessly taken a big bite of.

"Small bites, Annie," her father said, handing her a big cup of refreshing water. As Annie chugged the cold water, her family stood by one of several snack bars scattered across the main party floor. Tall, thick glass windows adorned the walls, showcasing a fantastic view of Manhattan. The walls resembled traditional high-class architecture, yet a blue glow revealed the Alchemax tech buried beneath them. Joyvilous holiday music rings in the air with live performers playing classical renditions of these classic jingles & jangles. Once the shrimp's spiciness faded, Peter asked, "Well, Annie, how's it feel to be in a big, fancy party?"

"Like a fish out of water," Annie said.

Mayday shrugged, "like people are always watching us. At least my senses aren't going off."

"The Feeling's mutual, kids," Peter said. Their family never found this type of life appealing. Thankfully, this would only be for one night, and the sisters could invite the party hosts to somewhere more their style of fun. Peter munched on one of the sweet cakes, as did Mayday, and both reveled in its delectable taste. "Mmph! Foods incredible, though."

"Dad, please tell me we're taking extras home."

"I like where your head is, Mayday. Quick, grab the small bags!"

As her family snatched some of the best sweets they could find, Annie stood by, thankful she still had her taste buds. Suddenly, a familiar tingle coursed from her tongue to her head. She wondered if the spice was still until her forehead suddenly grew hot. It was as if a fever had struck her. However, she didn't feel nauseous. Instead, her vision became dizzy as she stepped away in a daze. Suddenly, vague voices echoed in her ears, and with every blink, some strange light flashed around her. It all happened so fast that Annie could barely utter a word before she clutched the side of her head.

"-from a father."

"Rude little-!"

"You got a gift."

"Anna..."

"Wha-?" Annie mumbled. She's turned around by Mayday, who grabbed her by the shoulders.

"I said, where are you going?" Mayday clarified.

Annie rubbed her eyes, the flashing of colors gone. "Going? I was going somewhere?"

Peter approached her, placing the back of his hand on her forehead. "Did you have a fever just now?" he asked out of concern. "It's gone now, but Annie, if you're feeling sick, we should take you home."

"No, I'm fine. It was nothing..."

"There. You. ARE!" The Parkers turn around to find Liz Allen-Osborn, champagne glass in hand, approaching them in a jolly mood. Annie found Liz's dress to look like something one of those Disney princesses she loves to watch would wear. There wasn't even a wrinkle on the white, precious fabric. Altogether, the dress seemed worth more than their family car. Annie then noticed Liz staring at her dad. "Oh my," Liz gasped, "even after all these years, you still fill a suit well, Petey."

Peter coughs awkwardly at the comment, "Uh, yeah, my wife thinks so too."

"Mayday, what'd she say it like that?" Annie asked.

"Uhh, ask Mom."

Their discussion drew Liz's attention. "Oh my gosh! They must've inherited M.J.'s fashion sense, Petey, because your kids look adorable!"

"I'm not adorable. I'm snazzy," Mayday clarified, proudly brushing her suit.

'Wow, first time wearing one, and Mayday's really into it,' Annie noted

"I'm glad the three of you are enjoying yourselves so far."

"Well, we know a good party when we see one, even if it is quite different from our usual parties," Peter said.

"And what kind of parties are those?"

"Well," Annie said with a big grin, "the kind that includes top-of-the-line music by famed musician Bouncy E Bunny and his awesome band."

"Ahh...Peter, whoisthat?"

Peter leaned over and whispered, "The mechanized mascot of Annie's favorite party site: Bouncy E Bunny's Arcade & Eatery."

"Oh," Liz said, a shiver down her spine at the mere thought of the germs and childish ruckus that littered such a place. "Ahm, well, I'm already jealous over the level of talent you've acquired. If anything, this very party is learning more on the cheap side. Something I'm quite embarrassed about, but that's what happens when a schedule like mine is very tight. Most of these guests, for example, are my top employees with their families. Some, however..."

"Mrs. Osborn?"

Annie and her family peeked over to see a group of men and women, each wearing a pin on their clothes that bore the emblems of several companies. In front of them was a woman dressed professionally in a wrinkled suit and donning cleanly cut short black hair. Annie noticed that the woman's blue eyes had a subtle glow.

"Yes, Ms. Janurary?"

"Several representatives have been very insistent on speaking to you," January said in an almost robotic tone.

"Indeed, President Osborn. If you don't mind to share a few words with Roxxon and-"

"Don't listen to his old-school pitch," a man interrupted, "how about a word with the Assembly of A.I.M.? Dr. Rappaccini has recently-"

"Thanks, but no thanks," Liz abruptly said. "If the music and entertainment didn't make it obvious, this is a holiday party, not a pitch meeting."

Annie could hear the tiredness behind Liz's voice, yet Liz still had an authoritative tone behind her words, so much so that it seemed like it would disperse this crowd. The next moment, Annie witnessed the tallest man of the bunch step forward. He donned some dark shades and spoke in a deep, commanding tone. "You heard our host," his voice boomed, "if you wish to pitch your latest schemes, make an appointment first." Despite the finality of his words, he spoke elegantly, almost evoking the imagery of a gentle giant. Annie also gawked at his stature. Standing nearly seven feet tall, gazing up at this person was like looking at a mountain. Upon shooshing the crowd away, the giant bowed to Liz, saying, "Lovely party so far, Elizabeth. Tell me, whose chef did you hire to make such a killer calamari?"

"P-presidet Roman," Liz gasped.

'They know each other?' Annie and her family similarly thought.

"Chef Bernard from Lyon, France," January answered.

"Aha! Of course," Roman said, "Only a lemon freshly plucked from his native Corsica could produce such a sweet aftertaste with every bite."

January continued, "I also believe my creator is curious as to why you greet us with your presence, Mr. Roman?"

'Creator?!' Annie thought. 'I knew it! I knew her eyes looked funny! She's a heckin' robot!'

"Enjoying the holidays, of course!" He chuckled before spotting Annie's father. "Mr. Parker? Of course, I've nearly forgotten your small business down at Queens. How's that going?"

"It's a non-profit foundation," Peter corrected, "and things are going smoothly."

"Very good to hear, Mr. Parker," Roman said as he shook Peter's hand. Annie and Mayday could see how tight Roman's grip was. "Say, if you're ever looking for help, we're always open to a partnership," Roman offered, whipping out an Empire Unlimited business card. "Who knows? Perhaps Empire City will have your organization's name plastered across its main square."

However, Peter firmly replied, "I don't do that kind of work."

"Oh...," Roman said, eyebrow raised until he glanced at Annie. "Wonderful kids you have. She reminds me of my little one."

"How so?" Peter inquires.

"I know a genius when I see one." Annie looked away as he said that, gazing out the window to avoid eye contact. Outside, she could see this 'Empire City' in the distance. Located off the shores of New York, it was a massive project with the express purpose of building the city of the future. Beyond Corp., Alchemax, and Empire Unlimited were the city's lead architects, and the trio dubbed it as 'humanity's answer to Krakoa.' At least, that is what Annie heard the adults say, which the news keeps proclaiming it as. Feeling Roman's gaze turn away, Annie overheard him say, "From one father to another, I respect your decision. Have you got to do what's best for them, right? Have a pleasant evening, Mr. Parker."

Upon Roman's leaving, Annie noticed Liz took another swig of her champagne and sighed. "January, can you take care of things from here?"

"Of course, Mrs. Osborn," January said with a slight bow. "Mr. Parker, perhaps your children will have more fun with kids their age. Mind if I escort them?"

"Sounds good, Ms. Roboto. You two agree?"

Mayday nodded, but Annie took a second to do the same. 'I heard it,' she thought, 'I heard him say those words before, but I never met him until now.' The sisters are escorted through the crowds of adults and are led to a door leading to a stone balcony. "Mr. Osborn is outside. Please wait here. I'll locate his brother," she informed before leaving the sisters.

After Janurary left, Annie suddenly felt butterflies in her stomach. "Uhhh, hold on," she insisted, shaking her hands as she tried to breathe.

"Deep breaths, Annie," Mayday steadily said. She grabbed her sister's hand and helped synchronize their breaths, keeping Annie from becoming lightheaded.

"Okay, I'm good," Annie sighed calmly. "Urgh, why is talking to anybody so hard?"

Opening the door, Annie and Mayday peeked out to find the 12-year-old brother gazing out the misty winter night. "Normie?" Annie blared out.

"Wha-?! Oh, right. You're Stan's science buddy." He points at Mayday with an unnerved look, "And you...look familiar."

Mayday giggled at his nervousness. "You expected my twin?" she asked, pumping her fist in the air, "face it, Normie Osborn, you hit the real jackpot."

Normie's nervousness vanishes and is replaced by a scoff, not quite clicking with Mayday's comment and display. "Have I? Guess we'll see by the end of tonight. Just know I'm not looking for new friends; I only agreed to meet because of my brother's and mother's insistence."

Mayday optimistic asked, "aaaand now that we're here, why not make the best of it?"

"I suppose," Normie groaned, "I'm aware of Anna-May's name, but who's this 'jackpot' I'm speaking to?"

She extended her hand with a smile and said, "May, May Parker. My sisters have interesting opinions about you and your bro."

"Normie," he replied, shaking May's hand but less as a kid and more like a businessman. "And do they now? Hopefully, they aren't more annoying than other people's opinions about us. Quite the firm handshake, by the way."

"Really? Haha, that's a first," Annie said, trying to downplay Mayday's superhuman grip. "How could you tell?"

"In this family, we've been taught how to read any potential competitor, down to their handshake. Such is the life for the heir of Oscorp."

"That's...intense. At our home, my dad taught me sewing," Mayday shared.

"I don't see how helpful that'd be, but that sound...quaint?"

There's an awkward silence after Normie's response before Annie asks, "So, what are you doing out here alone?"

This is immediately answered when someone kicks open the balcony door. They sharply face this person, a girl around May's age, sporting the biggest smile upon locking eyes with Normie. "Pumpkin!" Normie shielded his face from the flurry of smooches from the blonde, blue-eyed girl who was now tightly hugging him. Annie and Mayday gagged at such a sight; they had never seen a girl act so clingy till now. "Oh, Normie, my Pumpkin! I've been looking everywhere for you! You weren't ditching me, were you? And after far sooo much time being separated."

"N-no, Elan, of course not," Normie muttered. He puts on the fakest smile the sister's seen, yet Elan is oblivious.

Annie whispered, "Sis, what am I looking at?"

"Whatever it is, it's gross."

Eventually, Normie wiggles himself out of Elan's embrace. "Normie? Hehe, don't make me chase you again!" Elan playfully says until he suddenly hides behind the sisters. She looks squints at Mayday, eyeing her suit and complexion. "Oooh, you must be kids to tonight's servants! I mean, you do look just like them."

'WHAT?!' both Annie and Mayday thought, shocked at Elan's ignorance.

"Pardon me, sweet Elan," Normie nervously said, "but I was spending quality time with my best friend, May, and her sister, Anna-May."

"Best Friend?"

"Just go with it, May," Normie whispered.

"Oh," Elan said, a sudden twitch in her eye. "But Normie, pumpkin, wouldn't your time be better spent with a girl who is fairer?" She flips her long hair to emphasize her expensive make-up.

"Fairer, eh? That must've cost a fortune," Mayday said.

"May, is it? What I'm wearing's worth more than you'll ever earn in your entire life," Elan said sweetly, but her eyes slyly glared at Mayday.

Annie caught a whiff of Elan's perfume and winced at its intensity. "Blah! Why do you smell weird?"

"It's not weird! You rude little girl!" Elan shouts. Once again, Annie is quietly surprised at the choice of words she's hearing. First Roman and now Elan. Annie swore she had heard their words before, but how and why? The sisters blocked any attempt Elan made to hug Normie. "Come on, Pumpkin. Let's leave these meanies. Who wanna chat brats like them anyway?"

Suddenly, another surprise guest appeared. "Normie! And friends," said Stanley Osborn, "I've been looking for you. Care to join me?"

"Gladly," all three said in unison.

"No," Elan defied, "Not gladly! Stan!"

"Sorry, Elan, but Normie and I promised to spend the night with the Parkers. And an Osborn always keeps his word." Before Elan could respond, the brothers pulled the sisters back inside, through the crowd, and into one of the elevators. "Phew! Another successful escape, bro!"

"Thanks, brother," Normie sighed. "And January?"

"I told her Mom requires assistance. She should leave us alone for a while.

"Hey, so who's Ms. Trust Fund?" Annie asked.

"Annie, don't quote April," Mayday reminded, "But seriously, who's the racist?"

"Elan DeJunae. I knew her since the 1st grade," Normie shares. "Her family is politically powerful in Europe, making them perfect friends to our family. I also remember her skipping classes that teach the importance of tolerance."

"I'm sure that's a coincidence," Mayday said sarcastically. "Has anybody also told her she puts Pepé Le Pew to shame with how clingy she is?"

"Understatement of the year, sis," Annie said. At first, it was a snicker, but eventually, both sisters and Stanley shared a hearty laugh while Normie smirked. The elevator took them away from the party's ground and into the more quiet and modernist lounge used by executives. "Seems pretty boring," Annie comments.

"On the surface." Stanley pulls out a remote to open a secret door. Entering, the sisters gasp at the sight of a fully decked-out arcade room. Stanley strolls over to a blank wall and presses a hidden button, activating a mechanism, revealing a refrigerator stacked with fresh drinks inside the wall. "Normie and I have little hideouts like these," he shared, popping a fresh can, "It's a quick and easy way to escape board meetings and not go insane with boredom."

"Indeed. Though having girls here is a new and odd situation," Normie said.

Annie and Mayday cross their arms over Normie's comment. "Suddenly, you're sounding like a good fit for Elan," Annie said.

"Yeah, chill out, bro. Let's at least show them around," Stanley insisted

"One time wouldn't hurt," Normie muttered. "So, which game should we play first?" Now that they had a chance to get to know these brothers, the sisters also figured it wouldn't hurt to use this opportunity to have fun.

Mayday helped herself to the refreshments, asking, "How about something up your alley? I've heard you're quite the sporty kid, Normie."

"Yes, and?"

"Come on, Richie Rich, let's play something sporty! Don't tell me you don't have those arcade sports games."

Normie suddenly showed a flash of confidence. "I can show ya one better," he said slightly smugly. Lead through the main hub of the hangout, Mayday is led to a door near a balcony, and on the other side, it was certainly a surprise. Mayday expected several things when imagining what a rich kid did to have fun, like perhaps a gold-plated game system or a big, fancy bar filled with every type of soda. However, she didn't expect Normie Osborn to own a whole indoor basketball court.

"Woah," Mayday awed. It wasn't much bigger than a playground's basketball, but the fact there was one inside this building was very cool to her. "Wait, when did this get installed?"

"Oh, part of this used to be part of the employee lounge, this court included. However, one day, Mother handed this area to us. Stanley and I added the rest of the space, and I've been getting extra practice here since."

"Kinda sucky she took away something from her workers," Mayday commented.

"It's her building, and she has the right to do what she wants." Normie's answer hardly appealed to Mayday, but she remained silent. "I'm guessing you like the sport, too?"

"I'm attracted to the court like a moth to a lamplight," Mayday boasted.

"Well, I'm sure that sounds cool in the schoolyard," Normie said nonchalantly, grabbing a fresh basketball, "but will that passionate sentiment hold up against a professional?"

He tossed the ball at her; Mayday caught it and smirked at the challenge. "You're not the only professional in this room." In no time flat, the two were in the middle of the court, and Mayday made the first move, her eyes locked on the opponent's basket. "First to ten points wins!" she declared as the game began. Amid this back and forth, Mayday sees that her research on the brothers is paying off. She already let known her knowledge of Normie's interviews, sharing his keen interests, but she's also read up on his sports record on his private school's team. From her own experience, Normie was a surprisingly good team player, but none of his past games painted him as a good solo player. Mayday herself always tries to balance her approach and be the lead for her fellow players, but she holds her own against overwhelming odds when the opponents have her cornered.

Normie was still a trained player and got a few good overhead shots, but the boy's nerves were showing in his sluggish attempt at defense. Point after point, Mayday brushed aside his vain attempts. She had seen this mistake on Normie's part before; he was wasting too much stamina on trying to dunk the ball. Even while holding back, Mayday was running laps around him, reading his movements and guessing his next move like she had done several times before. The polyester basket wobbles after being struck by a basketball, frustrating Normie. This missed shot led to the perfect opening for his opponent, Mayday, to dunk the ball into the net easily. Thus, circumstances created the perfect opportunity for her to show off the last of her athletic skills, and Normie wasn't about to throw in the towel. One of the previous things Mayday noticed from Normie is that, while quite skilled, he gets too irritated if a game plan doesn't play out the way he wants to.

Normie tried to swipe the ball away from Mayday, but her grip was too strong, and she threw the ball into the basket. The buzzard goes off, cementing Mayday as the winner with ten points to Normie's three points. She barely broke a sweat while Normie lay collapsed on the court. "And that's why my coach promoted me to small forward," Mayday said proudly, spinning the ball with the tip of her finger.

"Unbelievable," Normie gasped, breathless, "such versatility! The power behind your throws is nigh-perfect."

"I'm not one for praise, but feel free to keep going," Mayday chuckled.

"Tell me, Parker, how did you learn to play like that?"

Mayday gave a nonchalant answer. "Pfft! Basketball's practically second nature to me."

"Don't insult me with fake modesty," Normie said, sitting up. "You're just some kid from Nowhere, Queens. The level of skills you showed requires a bunch of training. You MUST have some talented instructor or something, but how?"

"Or perhaps you gotta re-evaluate your preconceptions, buddy boy." She tossed the ball back at him. It didn't take long for Normie to suddenly turn his back on her and walk to a balcony outside. "For all his posturing, he's acting like a sore loser." She didn't care much for such irritable behavior, especially from someone who acts so sophisticated. Still, Mayday has dealt with more annoying boys. She grabs drinks for the both of them and joins him outside. She pressed the cold drink to his face to get his attention, "Here ya go." He stayed silent, so Mayday mimicked his voice, saying, "Thank you, May Parker."

"I don't sound like that," he mumbled, finally taking the drink.

"Are you...sulking?"

Normie stood there, silently pondering while drinking his can, until he finally answered. "Hardly professional of me to stay silent, especially to a girl. I'm sulking, if you must know; it's simply that I've never been beaten before," Normie admits. "Mother encouraged me to sign up when I was barely six, and as with everything else in my life, I was given all that one needs to be a great player. I've been playing and winning ever since...until you showed up. I've never expected you to be so amazing, May Parker. I'm suddenly struck with a new fear that my skills are inadequate, knowing that a girl in a suit outclasses me."

"Wow," Mayday scoffed, "have you never heard of the word 'humble' before? Normie, this was all simply a casual game. You got humbled by one defeat, and now you're treating it as a championship game. It was all just for fun."

"An Osborn has little time for fun, and we don't get humbled either, " Normie retorts. "We do things right the first time, every time. We can't afford long setbacks."

Mayday resisted rolling her eyes. "With all this money, your family can survive setbacks better than everyone else."

"Not after it nearly cost Dad his entire livelihood." Normie noticed Mayday flinched at his little outburst, regretfully turning his head away. "Sorry, ignore that. Nothing but old family troubles."

Mayday could practically feel the next words she wanted to say in her throat, eager to be let out. "Did...your mom share how our dads were best friends in the past?"

"She did. It should have been obvious, especially after she showed us pictures of a familiar man beside my dad." Normie faces Mayday, asking, "You sure your family isn't from old money?"

"No way, Jose," Mayday chuckled. "My dad's side immigrated from Poland forever ago with nothing but the clothes on their backs. My mom's Mama came from Mexico. Married a writer after moving here, but I don't know if they had much money."

"You don't?"

"My mom doesn't share as much as my Dad."

"And yet, despite that, your father proved exceptionally great in earning my Dad's friendship. Is your dad that smart and assertive?"

"He's pretty smart, yeah. He's assertive when something dangerous happens." A smile spread across her face as she finished, "He's also the kindest, funniest, and best dad in the world."

"Humor isn't a quality I expected my dad to find charming," Normie said dismissively. However, Mayday sees the facade fall when Normie mutters, "Still...it must be nice to share a laugh with your father."

"Normie, I'm sure your dad is happy you're doing well," Mayday said earnestly. "You may be stubbornly headstrong and long-winded with your speeches, but you got passion."

"But would this have been enough? Would he be proud if he was around?" Normie questions. "Even if I never met him, he left many lessons for us, lessons I want to understand and answer for. Like how he dealt with life's problems. It, I don't know, helps make me feel like he's still with me."

"My friend Olivia said something similar," Mayday shared. "Surely your Dad's already proud."

"Not until I reach the heights he reached," Normie reaffirmed, his commitment to this idea clear as day.

"But why?"

"For justice," he answered, "I don't mean to do justice only for all he's done for this city; I want justice for what was done to him. I want Justice against the man who took him away from my family. One day, I'll find that Spider-Man."

Mayday silently held her breath, a chill down her neck from mentioning her father's hero mantle, out of the mouth of an Osborn no less. Her mind races with imagery of their family's past battles and fears those days still have a grip on this boy. "Uhh, you might want to be specific?" she said nervously.

"Who else do you think I'm referring to? The one that terrorized this city when both our dads were young."

"But he's gone, Normie. Everyone knows that."

"But what if-" Normie said, stopping himself from sounding absurd. "I know. It's just so frustrating to see people and heroes alike praise him when he's a murderer. Heck, he disappeared after my dad was killed. Wouldn't you feel angry at someone if you knew they took away someone important to you?"

Normie's tone and choice of words were definitely what one would expect from a kid born from such affluence. At this point, Mayday finds it tiring to deal with, but part of her wants to know about Normie. She wants to know how much of the Goblin is in him. She knows it is rude to make assumptions and was taught to see the best in people. She believed all that, but this is also the son of a man who battled her dad to death and the grandson of the man who took April from her. Annie may be here with a peace offering and compassion; Mayday wishes for that and is trying; it's why she's here. Secretly, however, Mayday joined in case traces of this family's darker legacy lingered inside these boys or, even worse, those villainous impulses decided to lash out.

Every fiber in her body hoped she was just delusional and she would be inclined to agree. And yet, seeing April, her very twin, act so distressed was fair enough grounds to validate her concerns. Mayday answered, "I don't know, but I don't want to be angry forever."

[Meanwhile...]

For Annie, it takes no time for something interesting to catch her eye. Stanley showed off a much more laid-back way of speaking while they hopped from game to game. Be it ping-pong or the dancing machine, his demeanor was like that of an older brother. Eventually, Annie's exploration led her to a set of doors with glowing lights peeking through. "Ooooh, what's in here?" Upon stepping on a glowing tile inside, the rest of the panels in this room lit up white, all connected to form a screen that opened up a holographic menu.

"Oh yeah, this room," Stanley said excitedly, "it's only a prototype, but this is my personal VR simulation game room. I finished it last year and have been updating it since."

"You built your very own sim room?!" Annie then watched as Stanely input commands into the settings. Through holograms and sections of the room re-shaping itself, the room transformed into a life-like ruins of a city block. It's the kind of wreckage in line with the aftermath of a superhuman battle. Annie couldn't believe how real it already felt. It's like she was kicking real rubble and smelling real smoke. Her gaze turned upward to see some of New York's most notorious supervillains were out of the debris. "That's Doctor Octopus," she gasped, the four-armed mechanical genius looking straight from the old newspaper photos. Two more suddenly appear beside him. "He's teamed up with that creepy alien guy and that lizard monster!"

"Seems like the day needs saving," Stanely announced. With a snap of his fingers, the room formed a simulated glider beneath his feet, and a holographic projection changed his suit into some purple armor. "How about it, sidekick?" Annie looks down to see the room change her appearance into a generic superhero look. "What powers do you feel like playing with? There's astral projection, precognition, psionic powers..."

"Urgh, anything but those lame powers!" If this were any other game, she'd eagerly program the game to give her spider powers and go nuts. Unfortunately, Stanley Osborn was right there. "Oooh, shoot. I can't decide. How about letting the game pick?" At random, the game added bright colors to her suit, and Annie suddenly began to levitate in the air. "Whoa! I can fly!"

"Try to keep up, sidekick," Stanley said as he flew towards the supervillains.

"Sidekick?" Annie clenched her hands into fists and flew after the villains like a speeding bullet. "Haha! We'll see about that!" Though Stanley tried to fire rockets at the opponents, not only did they tend to miss, but Annie's incredible powers meant she frequently struck the villains first. Annie grew more confident in every attack she dished out. This was yet another impressive display of Annie's ingenuity in Stanley's eyes. However, to Annie, this was her living out her hopes of becoming a hero like her father before her. While she's not as vocal about it as April, she quietly yearns to be an equal to her sisters, especially Mayday. Sure, the rush of the NYC airbrushing her hair is super fun, but even at her age, she believed such power was the personal boost she's been looking for, to grow and do something great with that power, just like Mayday would, just like how her dad would.

"Last one!" she shouts, flying fast and ramming herself into the back of the old Doc Ock, sending him flying toward the streets below. "Yes!" In her brief moment of celebration, she lost track of one of the opponents and was nearly ambushed by the digital Venom. She noticed in the last second, screaming in fear at such a terrifying sight until a high-pitched sonic grenade was thrown by Stanley and glued onto Venom. With the last enemy defeated by its weakness, the simulation congratulates the winners before returning to the menu.

"That was SO fun!" Annie cheered. "How'd you able to program the AI like that? They felt so lifelike and scary!"

"This may be a bit hard to believe, but from my father's old collection," Stanley shared, brushing his hand on the digital glider.

"Oh...umm, that's a surprising place to find references from."

"I know, right?!"

'He seems surprised. Does he know who his dad is?' Annie wondered, asking, "How'd you even find them?"

"Well, what began as a simple clean up over at our mansion became me finding out my Dad had stashed away all this hi-def footage and dusty old files of these villains. They were all labeled under 'studies.' And, get this: each of them had Spider-Man in them. I was so confused at first until it hit me...my dad was a Spidey fan!"

"Phew," Annie sighed, "oh! Really?!"

Stanley chuckled, "Could there be any other explanation?" He pulls out his phone, showing Annie photos of her father dressed as Spider-Man and swinging across the city. Where Stanely sees fan photos, Annie sees a hunter tracking his prey. "Went on a bit of a rabbit hole, to be honest. He was practically his number one fan, probably even inspiring his work that reshaped the family business, up until he...well, until he was gone from our lives."

"Wait, so your dad's...gone? Like, gone gone?"

Stanley waves his hand, saying, "Yeah. I was barely a year old when he died. Can't feel sad over something I can't even remember."

"I'm sorry," Annie said, pretending to be surprised, an endeavor that proved harder than she thought.

"Well, in my eyes, all that matters is the family I do have," Stanley said, smiling at the home screen of his phone, which consisted of a family photo of him, Normie, and their mother. "I respect that path she's forging for us, and I wanna take the next big step in my life someday when I'm older."

"Is that why you keep building these gadgets?"

"Yep, but I say it's more than just building the impossible, especially if there's no purpose behind it," Stanley proclaimed. "I think everyone has something to prove. For special kids like us, we gotta prove we can be better leaders than what came before."

Annie scoffs, "I wouldn't call myself 'special.'"

"Don't be so modest," Stanley encouraged. "No other kid I met came as close to one-upping my tech as you. You got a gift; cultivate it! What's stopping us from using these gifts as we see fit?"

Annie paused because she had heard these words for the third time that night. Except this time, she has an answer passed down from her parents. "Responsibility," she said.

Stanley responded casually, "Oh, well, yeah. That's a given."

"Not always for certain people; at least, that's how my dad thinks."

"And what do you think?" Stanley asked, to which Annie had no clear answer. "Hey, wanna go to another match?"

"How about we go play something else? This super stuff is more intense than I-"

A sharp gasp suddenly, Annie. That pesky headache has returned. She initially shuts her eyes, thinking it was motion sickness from the simulation, but the ache persists in the darkness. She hears Stanley's voice utter, "If you say so. Computer, end simulation." Opening her eyes, she follows him out of the room, the game's mechanisms seemingly shutting down. However, one step before exiting the door, Annie's face collides with a wall. She falls backward, the open door before her gone in the blink of an eye, and the pain in her nose is very real.

"What's was..." she murmured, the ache in her head becoming worse, this time faster than before. All around her, the room re-ignited despite Stanley's command. The whole space glitched out, strobing flashing lights right in Annie's face, freaking her out and causing her head to spin. "Mayday! Stanley! Turn it off!" Despite her cries, she saw nor heard either of them and sat stuck in this room that was beginning to scare her. The pain in her head then became truly excruciating, like her very skull was being split open. As if compelled by some force, Annie's eyes shot open, the flashing lights gone. All around her, there was nothing but webs.

It was like she was inside a long tunnel made of spider webs, the outside of which was a bright blue space. The pain of the headache ever so slightly rescinds, leading Annie to take a breath and touch the web. The vibration lit the web up, sparkling with red and orange energy, and I heard the echoes of this travel down this endless web. Squinting her eyes, she sees countless other webs like the one she was sitting in—all interconnected, lit up by dazzling colors, and creating new threads themselves. "It's...like a great, big web." Annie didn't know why she said that or even made such a comparison; it all felt right. Brushing her fingers against the web, it felt almost alive.

Pressing her thumb further on a web strand, her vision is suddenly struck with a vision. Her environment changed as the simulation did, and the world became entirely alien. She was on top of a tall building, with a perfect view of New York City covered in black goo. Ear-piercing screams echo below. Otherworldly creatures crawl up buildings, unified like ants. Amid all this, far ahead, she sees a shadowy figure chased by a small army and swinging in the air. Before getting a better look, she's returned to the great web. "How horrible," she sighed. Gripping the web as her hand shook with fear, she incidentally activates another vision. She's atop Brooklyn Bridge this time, and a fear-inducing shriek is heard above. Lasting only a few moments, Annie saw someone circling the bridge with a glider never seen before. Beneath this rider's purple hood were a pair of yellow eyes. Right before Annie returns to the web, she sees a figure cladded in blue and black swing up and strike him against the face, a figure with her exact hair color.

Annie gasped, "Was that me?"

"That's enough!" Annie spins around, the tunnel of the web behind her, entangled by metal webs, forming a shield and blocking that direction. The source of this was a great machine, unlike anything she'd seen before. It looked crude yet inhumanly advanced, with an aura of strange energy fueling it. It was morphed into the shape of a large chair, with its occupant staring right back at her behind a pair of bright red sunglasses. "One mustn't delve too deep into the future, lest you guarantee doom for thy world to a destiny you just witnessed," said the Elder, who appeared as a pale, old woman donning a one-piece black and blue gown that shrouded her whole body. A long white symbol shaped like a large spider wrapped around the mystical gown.

All her fears and anxiety poured out of her as she demandedly asked, "Who are you? What are you doing to me!?"

"I've not raised even a finger, child," she answered in a raspy voice. Annie felt a hint of tiredness in her tone, making her wonder how old this woman was and how long she'd been here. "Though I understand why you ask such a question with fearful trepidation. It's difficult for any spider person to grasp their powers. Yours, child, goes far deeper. You could see IT."

"See what?"

"Everything." With a wave of the elder's hand, Annie witnessed all the webs light up like a firework show, sparkling with myriad lights. It was as if the heavenly stars against the night sky had begun to swirl around the earth. "Whether by chaotic, multiversal coincidence or the doings of a being above us, you have a gift, Anna-May Parker. Though, other variants I've met tend to prefer Annie."

"O-other variants?!" Taking a deep breath not to freak out, Annie asked, "Y-you mean, THESE are my powers? I don't understand. Dad never told me anything about this!"

"Some things are burdens we must carry alone, Annie," the elder shared solemnly, "what matters now is what you plan to do with such great power."

'With great responsibility...' Annie remembered. She shakes her head and stands before the Elder. "Take me back, please! I don't know if I can deal with this. Plus, I don't have time for whatever this even is! If Stanley finds out I have powers, it could-"

"You mustn't worry about your identity," the elder assured. "However, your concern over time is true, Annie. Time and experience are the key ingredients to nurturing your gift, ingredients you are currently lacking. If you wish to one day learn to harness your connection to the great web and your many other abilities, then you must accept the responsibilities that come with them. Only then will your power reach its next stage. Only then will we meet again. Until then, Annie, I'll be waiting right here."

"But why? Why does this matter?"

"It matters for the sake of all you love and cherish." The Elder reaches out her hand and taps Annie's forehead with her index finger. Annie's eyes glow brightly as she receives one more vision. "My parting gift to you. Do what you feel is right. Don't lose track of yourself in your quest for greatness. And never let your compassion and curiosity waver."

Annie is briefly pulled back into darkness, the pain of the headache finally fading away. "Anna! Anna!" a voice calls out to her. Her senses return as she opens her eyelids, her blurry vision clearing up to reveal Stanley Osborn standing over her, his face full of concern. "Hey! You're waking up! Quick, how many fingers am I holding?"

"Urgh, three, duh," Annie groaned, pulling herself back up. "What happened?"

"I'm...not sure," Stanley answered. "You were right behind me as we were leaving. I turned back, and you looked woozy before collapsing suddenly. You were out for a few minutes, and another second longer, I'd be going to get your sister."

'Mayday...oh no!'

The vision gifted by the Elder struck her mind like a speeding train. There they were, Mayday and Normie, talking on the balcony when her sister's spider senses alerted her of danger. Mayday pulled Normie away, but the blast's power beneath the balcony decimated all in its blast radius. The smoke and debris dissipated in the cold winter air, revealing no survivors from the ruins of the collapsed balcony.

'My vision's going to happen! They're both going to die!' Already back on her feet, Annie's sprinted out the door. "Uhh, I'm fine! Speaking of my sis, how about we check up on her and Normie?!"

Flabbergasted, Stanley blurted out, "Now?!"

"Yeah, come on!" Annie ran like she was hopped up on adrenaline, the imagery of the vision playing repeatedly until she reached the balcony, Mayday and Normie standing right before her. Rapidly, she said, "Mayday! Let's go back with Dad. Like right, the second."

Grabbing her arm, Annie pulls her sister towards the door. A surprised Mayday lets her but insistingly asks, "Woah, what's going on, Annie? You look out of breath."

As Stanley caught up, Annie answered, "Uhh, I-I don't feel good. Stanley agrees. Now, let's go-!"

A sudden tingle started to ring in Mayday's head and, surprisingly, in Annie's head. Annie jerked back in shock at the flashing, warped colors coating her vision. Being struck by her first spider-sense was like being hit by one of those flashbangs, nearly overwhelming her. Mayday grounded her by holding her hand, and when Annie saw her sister's expression, it was filled with surprise and fear.

A confused Normie steps forward, asking, "Alright, what's gotten into-"

"GET DOWN!" Mayday screamed, shielding Annie as an explosion erupted beneath the balcony.

Annie's ears rang, and dust and smoke clouded her face and dress. Coughing those out helped keep her awake, her dazed vision catching a blurry silhouette of her sister. "May...day," she coughed, the dust settling down to reveal her sister was beside her, with a noticeable bruise on her head from debris meant for Annie. The shockwave and head hit to the head cause her to become unconscious. "H-hey, wake up," Annie worriedly said.

Her ears subtly picked up, coughing behind her. It was Stanley, dazed from the blast but seemingly fine behind the heavy doors. "Anna? Normie?!"

"H-help!" Annie gasped to hear Normie's voice but saw nothing but half the balcony broken off. She and Stanley rushed over, with Stan peeking over to see his brother clinging onto a piece of rebar. Normie's tux was tattered, half his face covered with blood. Yet, despite how hurt he looked, he clung onto the hunk of metal with dear life. "S-stan! Please, help!"

"I got you!" Stanley cried. He pulled Annie away from the unstable balcony and leaned down as much as possible for his brother's hand. It was but two inches away, but the tip of Stan's fingers was just out of reach of Normie's.

Annie could only stare on in shock. "They...they're alive," she muttered. "But, where-?"

A sudden "No!" from Stanley startles Annie. "Normie, hang on! I can almost..."

Annie rushed over, seeing Normie's hand slipping. Barely a second later, Annie's heart sinks as Normie Osborn falls. For a long, agonizing second, Annie and Stan saw him plummet seemingly to his death. The next thing they knew, Normie was snatched mid-air by something. Something green and with a long, mechanical tail. "No..." Annie quietly gasped. Climbing up the side of the building, Annie and Stanley froze in fear at the sight of The Scorpion, his deadly tail holding the captured Normie by his leg.

"Brilliant move, Kingsley! Ya nearly blew the targets to smithereens," Mac complained. "charred corpses don't make for good hostages."

A familiar engine turbine echoes in the air. Annie turns to her left to see, rising from the dark winter sky, a menacing figure cloaked in dark orange with piercing red eyes and a terrifying grin. "Ooh, Gargan, don't you see? The kiddies always love a good firework show!" He then lets out a wicked laughter that stunned all who heard it with quaking fear. Hobgoblin's engines burn hotter, and he flies straight for Stanley, grabbing the kid by his collar. "How kind of your father to have two of you. That way, if one of you falls, we still have another," Hobgoblin said, gripping Stanley's chin. "Ya get the hint, brat? Best to fasten your seatbelts and shut up if you want what's best for you."

Annie was paralyzed, staring at these fiends. Part of it came from being so close to the blast, but something about the fear the Hobgoblin inflicted by his mere presence terrified Annie. Even if she didn't risk exposing her and her family's secret identities and could fight back, her instincts told her that fighting the Hobgoblin seemed almost impossible. "May," she whimpered, loud enough for Hobgoblin's ears to perk and acknowledge her presence.

"You didn't say they have two more brats with them," Hobgoblin told Scorpion.

"So my intel ain't up to date, sue me," Mac groaned. "Now come on, we got 30 seconds until security arrives."

Despite the time limit, Hobgoblin squinted his piercing red eyes at Annie, then glanced at Mayday, and a lightbulb lit up in his mind. "Aha! Don't tell me, but are you and your sister aware of the Parker Industries business?" Annie remained silent, trying to avoid his staring. "I bet the owner of such a renowned business would do anything to have his little girls back." Annie's spider sense went haywire. She sprints towards Mayday, but Hobgoblin's superhuman reflexes allow him to grab her arm. Annie's heart raced in anxiety as the glider levitated her higher into the air.

Scorpion, with Normie in his grasp, leaped onto a neighboring building. He shouts, "Kingsley! No unnecessary loads! She'll weigh us down!"

"Consider the ransom money for the boys all yours," Hobgoblin declares. The upgrades and weaponry I can get Parker to build for me are worth more than petty cash."

Before he could attempt to kidnap Mayday, a ruckus was heard from inside the building. As expected, the two supervillains saw that Alchemax security had arrived; the parents were leading the charge. Annie could faintly hear her father cry out, "Annie!? Mayday!" The only comfort Annie could take now was the view of Mayday waking up, safe in their father's arms. Liz's cries for her sons draw Peter and Mayday's attention to Annie, dangling under the Hobgoblin's mercy.

"Mom!" Stanley shouted, utterly terrified. Glancing at Normie, he saw that he was now barely conscious.

"Normie! Stanley!" Liz shrieked upon noticing the blood dripping down Normie's face. "You monsters! Let my babies go!"

"Daddy!" Annie cried, unable to hold back tears at the sight of her family so far away. "Dad! Mayday! Please, help!"

"Scorpion! Hobgoblin!" Peter screams, "Don't you dare hurt her! For god sake, these are kids you're threatening!"

"Exactly, four eyes. They make for the perfect means of escape. Any shot you fire at us means these kids get an express ticket to the pavement below," Scorpion said. He pointed at Liz, a resentful glare hidden by his mechanical helmet. "Elizabeth Allen-Osborn," he proclaimed, "if you want to keep your kids and company alive, you will agree to our demands within the next twenty-four hours! Refuse, and I'll destroy your legacy and burn the whole company to the ground with one little secret between us. Your choice!" Liz froze in shock over his threat.

Feeling the glider ready to take off, Annie pleaded at the top of her lungs, "Mayday! Daddy!"

"Just hang on, Annie!" Peter shouted, "Help's coming! I promise!"

Annie could barely hear the last of her father's words as the glider shot off into the cold winter night.

Part 4: Ties of the Web

The following hour has a total blur for Mayday. Liz had ordered all her private security personnel to locate the supervillains in Manhattan by the time she and Peter were out the door and heading straight home. Not by car, that was too slow. Instead, Mayday got out of her suit and unveiled the official prototype version of her spider-girl suit underneath. After her father webbed up a makeshift mask, she swung beside him as they hurried to catch up to the speeding supervillains possibly. Mayday's eyes scanned for any sign of them while Peter informed Mary Jane of what happened over the phone; she could only imagine what her mother felt as such frightening news. Over the phone, Mayor Luke Cage called the authorities of a kidnapping while Jessica helped fly MJ and April to a rendevous point. Mayday was so distracted looking for the kidnappers that her father had to grab her to inform her that M.J. already had her aunt and uncle on the phone.

Several agonizing minutes passed before both of them realized the trail ran cold. Forced to rethink their plan, Mayday and Peter eventually headed to the rendevous point. Upon arriving, Mayday saw Aunt Jessica and Uncle Ben in their spider suits, as well as her mother and sister. "Mayday!" April yelled, the twins running into a tight, frightened embrace.

"Annie is..." Mayday sobbed, "She tried to warn me, but I wasn't fast enough!"

"At least you were there," April muttered. She pulls back, staring at her hands in disappointment. In a rare sign of distress, April somberly asked, "What are we gonna do?"

"We'll find them, that's what! None of us will rest until Annie's safe and sound," Ben assured.

"I'll make Mac regret this for the rest of his life," Aunt Jessica swore furiously. "Let's first search their old hideouts. Between us, we should be able to cover them quickly."

Without hesitation, Peter said, "I'm coming with you. Ben, you have a spare suit, don't you?"

"Of course."

"Then let's get going! Whether you or I find Annie first, these guys won't tell the difference since we have the same voice."

"Sounds like a plan." Ben hands Peter a small, special box from his belt, and with a button press, the box springs out a full copy of Ben's suit. As Peter quickly dressed, Ben told M.J., "Take the girls to a safe place. We don't know what Kingsley could do next, and the last thing we need is him or his people going after you three while we're gone."

Like her father, Mayday responded without hesitation: "I'm going too!" The whole family was not surprised. Even before her powers, Mayday had always had unwavering courage within her. "Please, dad! At least let me help with scouting!"

"Sorry, May, but this is not a discussion," Peter said, putting on his mask.

"Yeah, because I AM going with you. I WILL help save Annie. My sister. My responsibility!"

"You're not the only one with a responsibility, Mayday." Peter gave the go-ahead for Spider-Woman and Spider-Man to begin their search. Peter looked back at his daughter. "I swore on my life I wouldn't let anything bad happen to any of you three," he said. "That promise was broken tonight, and I won't ever let that happen again." Saying the final word in this discussion, Peter swings away, vanishing into the skyline ahead.

Mayday stands there, her mask wrinkled by her fist's intense, frustrated grip. Her mother calls to her, "Mayday, you heard your father." She says, "I can see that cut on your cheek. These people already hurt, and I won't let them hurt you again."

"Best to listen to your Mom, kid," Jessica Jones advised. When Mayday continued to stand there, pondering something, Jessica stepped forward to grab her. "Hey, they'll find her-"

THWIP!

Jessica nearly tripped over. Looking down, she saw her feet webbed up. Spider-girl reflexes had taken her by surprise.

"Sorry!" Mayday shouts as she hurriedly swings away. She can hear her mother's and sister's cries for her not to go. She truly understands where they're all coming from. Mayday's heart was filled with anxiety, and she had barely a few month's worth of training against two veteran supervillains. However, she would never forgive herself if she stood back and did nothing if she had the power to save Annie. "I'm soooo grounded. It'll all be worth it if it means a chance at finding Annie. Hang on, sis. I'm coming!"

[Meanwhile...]

Only three hours had passed since her kidnappers brought her to their temporary hideout, but it felt like an eternity for Annie as she huddled in the corner of her dangling box prison. Hung by some chains, it was made out of reinforced alloy steel with a plexiglass front and holes for air. Annie calculated their cells to be 2.5 cubic meters wide, 2 cubic meters tall, and 2.5 meters long. Even when she's huddled up, it feels suffocating and cramped. She couldn't stand or barely could move her arms without banging on something. She perhaps could slam her fists against the walls. Still, the rational part of her mind knew that even making a dent meant the immediate discovery of her spider powers, especially since her kidnappers had been hanging out several feet below since she'd been locked up. Though the ceiling was high, their prison boxes were essentially always in constant view to the supervillains, the two acting like they hadn't just kidnapped three children.

'Monsters,' Annie resented. She turns up to see her fellow hostages. Stanley was a few feet across her, dangling in his prison box, while Normie lay in his prison right beside his brother.

"Normie," Stanley whispered, "please, wake up! You're scaring me."

"Shut up. Brat," Scorpion warned before sitting back and munching on some late-night food. "Mmm, man. Prison needs a better menu if a damn sandwich taste like bliss. Ain't that right, Kingsley?" The Hobgoblin remained silent while he peered through a boarded-up window, twirling a pumpkin bomb in his hand.

"Hey!" Stanley yelled, "Whatever money you want, you can get it. I can pay you now if you let us go, please!"

"Idiot..." Stanley and Annie gasp upon hearing a disoriented Normie speak up. He clutches the wound on his head while he continues, "At the first sign of danger, you forget that an Osbron never negotiates with imbeciles. Besides, this is more about money. This is personal."

"Heyyyy looks like he's the true brains between the two of ya," Scorpion chuckled, "that right, kiddo, it is personal. Just between us, your ma and her business have done something very bad recently. It'd be a shame if the whole world knew what it was."

Stanley speaks up defensively, "Liar! Mom would never-"

"So what if she did?" Normie interrupted. Annie noticed a distinct coldness in his tone as he continued, "Roxxon has been responsible for three oil spills this year alone. Empire Unlimited has been accused of IP theft and violating several labor laws. Do you think your measly little secret is the one in a million that'll tear Mother down? Alchemax, and all which Oscorp owns, is untouchable."

Scorpion responded to Normie's demeaning tone by slashing Normie's cell with his tail. Like a goldfish shaken inside a waterbag, Normie tumbled around his cell by the attack until the cell eventually swung to a stop. "Hmph! Then I guess I won the lottery for my one-in-a-million secret," Scorpion boasted.

Annie saw Stanley quietly insist on his wounded brother not to agitate their kidnappers. Annie remained silent throughout all this. She had leaped into trouble before, full of gusto and assurance. Surely, the kid of Spider-Man himself could easily face any danger her father faced. 'This whole time, I wanted to be a hero, like Dad, like Mayday,' she pondered. 'Now? I can barely lift a finger without trembling! Why? Is it because I'm truly on my own? Dad promised help, but will it come in time? These guys, that hobgoblin...I don't know what they'll do to us if I so much as speak!' Then again, with her fast breathing, she might pass out from a lack of air before she gets a chance to speak. She attempted to steady her breath, but her breath slowed when she remembered Mayday's technique.

'In...and out,' she repeated. Hands held out as if Mayday held them. Annie relied on memories of her sister's compassion to ease her mind. 'Even when she's so far away, she's there for me.' While going through these memories, her mind flashes to the horrible vision that started all this and the terrible fate it showed for Mayday and Normie. 'She's alive because of me...guess I'm good for something after all.' A tear streams down Annie's cheek, her hands clenched into fists. 'Now, I probably won't ever see my family again. If I do something, I'll probably screw up and expose our identities. If I do nothing, then they'll keep getting hurt us, all because I'm too scared!' She wipes her face, hiding her weeping face. 'They were right. I'm nothing...nothing without my sisters...'

Her tears fell like rainwater. A feeling of utter helplessness threatened to consume Annie. Then, a stray memory flashed before her eyes.

"Focus on yourself. See what helps make you unique."

"We aren't competing over anything. We're sisters, and sisters always help carry each other!"

Annie wipes her face and collects her thoughts. 'Focus on me,' she thought, soon repeating as a mantra, steadying herself. 'I'm the daughter of Spider-Man and destined for great things. I have the power to make a change. All I need to do is focus and solve this like every other problem because no problem is without a solution.' Concentrating her mind, she attempts to tap into her newfound power, hoping to gain at least the advantage of what will happen shortly and planning to gain the upper hand. 'Focus, Annie! Focus!' She shut her eyes tightly, away from anyone's attention. From the darkness, a spark formed, and a series of brief flashes struck her.

An intense battle is occurring between Scorpion and what looks to be her Aunt and Uncle. It's nighttime, but Annie can't feel how far into the future this is. Peering closer, Annie can faintly make out the Hobgoblin in the distance, on his glider flying over a burning building.

Unfortunately, trying to force a vision is extremely difficult, and Annie is exhausted when it becomes too much. 'Drat! I barely saw anything!' she thought. 'What I saw could be days from now. Still, it showed the Hobgoblin wouldn't hesitate to leave us to our deaths if we were in that fire. Still, what should I do with this to help us?' With few options, Annie tried again and concentrated as hard as possible. 'I can do this. I can do this! Mayday...Mayday would believe in me as much as I believe in her! I...can...!'

'Think, Parker! Think!'

Annie flinched back, shocked at the sudden voice in her head. She glanced to see no one else notice her brief fright.

'Drat! She could be anywhere! No, I can't stop now...' Annie faintly hears an echo in her head.

'Mayday?!'

The voice shouts, 'Whoa!' and is briefly silent, yet Annie can still feel a connection. 'Annie?!'

'Y-yeah! Yeah, it's me! I can hear you in my head. Is it you?!'

'What? I don't-yeah, it's me.'

Annie held back her sign of immense relief and concentrated on Mayday's voice. 'Mayday! Oh, you have no clue how good it is to hear you!'

'Good to hear you too, sis! But how is this possible?'

'Maybe it's my powers? They are the reason you and Normie are still alive.'

'You got your superpowers?!' Mayday exclaimed excitedly. 'How you'd-no, wait, got to save you first. What's your situation? Where are you?'

Annie glanced back, answering, 'Uhh, Stanley, Normie, and I are trapped in cramped metal boxes hanging from a high ceiling. These jerks are right below us and have been keeping an eye on us the whole time. I don't know what street we're on, but it looks like an old apartment. Maybe six or eight floors tall?'

'Hang on.' After a few moments of silence, Mayday continued, 'Annie, I...this is insane.'

'What?'

'When I swung in a certain direction, my spider sense felt you fading away! Yet, when I swung in the opposite direction, I felt this same connection getting stronger.'

'Like a radio.' Annie's mind remembers a lesson on electromagnetic radiation, how they're a part of the electromagnetic field. She recalls how these waves are often emitted by charged atomic particles, like electrons, accelerated by electric fields. Annie knows the brain's billions of neurons are electrically charged but could hardly emit what is necessary to transmit EMR...unless it's affected by radioactive spider DNA. Though it sounds like a stretch, she hypothesizes that being naturally born with spider DNA has radioactively charged the particles in their minds to complete this process and produce EMR. EMR is powerful enough to turn their very thoughts into waves and for those waves to be picked up between each other.

Annie shuts her eyes and asks, 'Go in the latter direction.' A tingle in her head grew stronger when she concentrated on this tingle. Then, Annie was shocked to see a hazy image of Mayday appear in her head. She's wearing her spider-girl suit, peering out atop a building. 'No way! I can almost see you now! It's BOTH our spider senses, Mayday.'

'That's crazy! How's this possible?'

'I don't know, but my gut tells me it has to do with us being sisters, Mayday. Us being born with these powers probably has affected our spider-sense's psyche, causing them to be interconnected!'

"Annie." She turns her head to Stanley, who is calling her name. "I know your quietly freaking out, but everything's going to be okay. I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," Hobgoblin said condensendenly. "Didn't your father teach you that? Oh, right, he's dead. Haha!"

Spooked by his presence, Annie hung back and retreated to her thoughts. 'Quick! Tell Dad and Aunt Jess we're here. While they're beating up these jerks, you can help us get out of here. Just make sure nothing catches fire.'

'How'd you know Aunt Jess's here? Never mind—I'm notifying them now. Hang tight, Annie! I'll get you out in a minute.'

Having figured it would take a few minutes for the main event to begin, Annie shifted to getting out of her box and making up a believable ruse as to why. She felt the walls, but all were reinforced. It was too tough for the Osborns to believe anything, but powers tore through them. She then checked the plexiglass, and it was easily the most promising. She noticed how it slightly stuck out, and there there were screws on each corner. Annie could get a good grip with her newfound strength and turn them until they're loose. It's flimsy, but her most believable option in case Mayday is seen or caught up in the action.

Speaking of, the Hobgoblin suddenly leaped from his lookout spot, hearing a familiar noise outside. "Quick," he hissed, "even for them." He whips out a laser gun and blasts the chain holding Stanley's cell, letting it fall to the floor. "Where'd you hide it?!"

"Ow! H-hide what?"

"What's the matter with ya?" Scorpion yawned.

"This brat must've had some special tracker in him."

"We scanned them, didn't we?"

"YOU did, and not good enough because those web-heads are here!"

"WHAT?!"

Annie saw Hobgoblin grab and tear off Normie's chain, tossing it cell to Scorpion. A chill ran down her neck when he glared at her, and a sinister smile spread across his grey, scaly face. "Oops," he says, lighting up a match and tossing it into a pile of trash. The debris grows into a big fire in seconds, soon spreading onto a rotten wooden support beam.

"What are you doing?!" Scorpion demands.

"An unfortunate change of plans," Hobgoblin said. "From the sounds of it, I heard two of those spiders heading this way, and I can't defeat them with you and these brats. Buuut, leaving the third to cook to death may be the distraction we'd need to escape once more. Especially if the both of us split up!"

"What?!" Stanley yelled, "No! Anna!"

"Tsktsktsk! See, young man? This is what happens when you fail to keep your promises," Hobgoblin said mockingly.

Annie could already smell the smoke while Scorpion and Hobgoblin prepared to leave. Outside, they all heard the voices of Spider-Woman and Spider-Man, "Nowhere to run, Hobgoblin!"

"Set those kids free, and we'll maybe won't kick your asses!"

"Time to go," Hobgoblin said, carrying Normie's cell while Scorpion held onto Stanley's. "well, little girl, you ever wonder what the inside of an oven is like?"

"I'm nine and one-twelfth years old, creep. So, no."

"Bleh, what a dull answer to die with," Hobgoblin mumbled before exiting with Scorpion and the brothers, leaving her alone.

"Ok, new plan: punching!" Annie smashed her fits against her prison, even if her hands began to sting with pain. "Owowow! Come on!" She quickly made a dent, but the cramped nature of her cell made it difficult to build momentum for her punches, and the fire was spreading fast. Seeing it engulfing the whole floor, Annie shifted her body, planted her feet against the dented wall, and kicked it. Cracks and creaks filled the room as the old support structure began to shatter. Any fresh air inside her cell was filled with smoke. Despite her throat burning and the cells beginning to heat up, Annie didn't give up.

"I'm getting out of here!"

BANG!

"I'm seeing my family again!"

BANG!

"And I'm going to be a hero, like my father before me!"

One final kick caused the crumpled metal to fly out. An unfortunate side effect of Annie's strength was its effect on the rustic chain holding her up. Each kick cracked this further until it was barely holding the cell. Annie had her breath as the chain dangled her over the roaring fire, gripping the sides of the cell like her life depended on it, and leaped onto the chain. The cell broke off as she did and tumbled into the tall flames. Its weight creates a loud cracking sound right before the whole floor breaks apart and falls to the level below, now setting the room on fire, too. "Ackack! Smooth, Annie. Exactly how dad would've done it," Annie coughed out. She climbs higher but sees a thick layer of smoke coating the ceiling, and to make matters worse, each wall is lit up like a box of matches. "Even if I could wallcrawl, they'd be so hot I'd burn my hands and fall anyway. Crud! There's gotta be an exit!"

Annie felt the whole building suddenly shake, but this wasn't the fire's doing as she heard several loud explosions and the crash of heavy objects. 'Dad, Auntie Jess, everyone, please be okay.'

'Annie?!'

'Mayday!' Annie gasped, hearing her sister's voice again. 'How bad is the fire? Can you get in?'

'I'm inside. It's already on the floor above and below you. Just hang on. I'll sense you out!'

"Please hurry," Annie whispered, seeing the screws holding the chain in the ceiling begin to fall apart. Annie tried to cover her mouth, but the smoke was so thick that it did little to help. Right as another screw above falls, part of the ceiling suddenly breaks, except this time, it wasn't the fire's doing. "Mayday!" Annie smiled, watching her sister suited up and lowering down with the help of her trusty webs.

Mayday grabbed Annie with a web the second she saw her, saying, "Hang tight." She lifted both of them out mere moments after the whole section of the building collapsed from the fire. Annie was carried by her sister through the smoke and spreading flames until they were finally on top of the roof.

"Brrr! Oh, snow, how I missed you!" Just as Annie coughed out the last smoke, Mayday embraced her tightly. Though her mask was one, Annie could feel the tear stains pressed on her cheek.

"I was so scared," Mayday sobbed.

"So was I, but we both pulled through together." A distant explosion snaps the two out of their sisterly hug. To their far left was the echoes of the Hobgoblin's crackling, while to their far right was the distant splatter of venom fired from Scorpin's tail. "Who's fighting who?"

"Aunt Jess is dealing with Scorpion, and Dad's fighting the Hobgoblin." Mayday takes her hand and reloads her web-shooter, saying, "I know those two are still in trouble, but Dad and Auntie Jess can handle it. Right now, my responsibility is to get away from these creeps."

"But-" Annie said before her head suddenly felt like it was pounding.

Annie witnesses a blurry image of a pumpkin bomb aimed at her dad, who is about to explode mid-air. Though Spider-Man avoided it, it was close to a building, causing a wide burst of concrete shrapnel. A moment of carelessness by Hobgoblin caused him to fly too close, leading to shrapnel striking him and his hostage, Stanley Osborn. The boy plummets below, and though Spider-Man catches him, it is too late for the shrapnel and fall to shred his heart. The final visual she saw was Normie's sobbing over his brother's corpses, his eyes flashing yellow as she swore vengeance against Spider-Man.

Snapping out of her vision, Annie pulls away her hand. "No! We gotta at least help Dad stop Hobgoblin. If we don't, he'll die, and Normie could become the goblin!"

Utterly baffled, Mayday asks, "Annie, how do you know that? What's going on with your powers?"

"It's like some hyper-spider sense or something. It warns me something awful will happen unless I do something to change it."

"You mean the future? You can see the future!?"

"Yes, it's how I saved your life at Alchemax. It's how we can save both brothers' futures if we fight together!" Even now, despite how much their lives have become embroiled with superpowers, Annie worried that such a thing would be hard to believe. However, seeing Mayday's expression shift to determination was when Annie knew better than to doubt her sister's trust. Both knew that if they were going to do this, Annie could not go with her face exposed. Avoiding the fire in the building, Annie and Mayday waste little time searching for any wearable disguise. To their luck, Annie found and dusted off an old helmet, goggles, and sports gear. All combined, her face, hair, and clothes are all shrouded. She clung to her sister as she swung them over to the tense air battle.

Mayday asked, "What's the plan?"

"Uhhh, sneak attack! You and Dad corner him to the building where I'll hang back."

"And do what?"

"I'm working on that part."

"Annie, I only have one spare web-shooter. Are you even sure you can swing onto his glider?"

"It's simple physics and aerodynamics, Mayday. Just create an opening for me; I'll grab Stanley, and Dad will kick the creep's butt."

With little time to argue, Mayday swings them to the corner of the building. Their dad and Hobgoblin perform a deadly dance a few yards away as fire and webs swirl around them. Amid this duel and unconscious, Stanley's neck is wrapped around Hobgoblin's arm. Annie puts on the spare web-shooter and sneakily hides while Spider-Girl swings into action. Annie sees firsthand how much of a natural her sister is, for despite the deadly weapons, she avoids them and synchs up with her dad as if they had done so several times before. She's certainly their dad disapproved of her surprise interference, but this battle required all his attention, and one wrong move would mean a quick death.

Meanwhile, Annie practiced patience and did what she did best: analyze. 'Focus on his patterns,' she thought, squinting at Hobgoblin's speed and sharp turns. Despite his mania, the villain was a truly skilled flyer. Annie knew she didn't have to outmaneuver his flying; she only had to use it to her advantage to grab Stanley. Suddenly, Annie noticed one particular move. Hobgoblin was beginning to feel the pressure the two were giving, forcing him to fall by flying straight upwards and making a 90-degree turn to stabilize. With such speed and a sharp turn, Annie calculates that it'll give her the momentum to attach herself to the bottom of the glider. 'Here goes nothing. Mayday, get Hobgoblin to the lower half of the building and force him to perform that rising maneuver.'

'We'll try our best. Get ready!'

The speeds of these battles are truly startling, for in no time's flat, her father and sister have pressured Hobgoblin to the building she's at, and he's already about to perform his maneuver. If Annie had to guess, he's going to fly over the building to separate himself from foes and make an attempt to escape. 'Here goes nothing!' Annie leaps as far as she can right as Hobgoblin rises, feeling the snowflakes and wind trying to cloud her target, but her sharper eyes, thanks to her powers, prove to be a game changer. She locks her eyes on his glider, adjusts for the wind velocity, and fires her shot. 'I did it!' she cheered, her web attached and tugging her along the Hobgoblin's trajectory. She hangs on tightly as she rises high into the sky, her newfound powers giving her the strength to hang on. She saw Stanley and the pumpkin bomb in hand, refusing to let that future come to pass.

Just as she calculated, Hobgoblin's 90-degree turn propels her towards underneath his glider. She reached out her hand and barely latched on, resisting the intense speeds brought on by the fast machine. Though she caught him by surprise, soon Hobgoblin notices something off. "Huh?! What's this extra weight? Did that brat somehow latch on!?" Annie works fast, tearing off a piece of the shielding and shredding the power cables connected to the engine. A fuse blows out, causing the left engine to begin smoking. "Gah! No! Impossible!"

As the glider began to spin out of control, the section of the suit Hobgoblin grabbed Stanley tore off. As if in slow motion, Annie saw Stanley free-fall past her, causing her reflexes to kick in. Fueled by pure desperation, she leaped after him, hands reaching out as far as she could. 'Move, Parker! Save him!' As they plummeted, Annie struggled to keep her from drifting, to keep herself awake, to keep herself believing the future could be changed. "I got you!" she shouted jubilously upon gripping his hand. Spotting a small building below, Annie clung to him tightly and used her web arm to swing to its roof. Her landing was very clumsy as they tumbled across the snow-covered floor. Annie scrambled to Stanley's side, checking his pulse, 'He's...alive!'

"Nooo!" Hobgoblin screamed furiously as his glider crashed him into a building. Annie watched him fall before her father caught him and webbed him up. Mayday joined her side and was greeted shortly after by their irritated father.

"Uhhh, everything worked out," Annie nervously reminded.

Peter tapped the side of his mask. "Kingsley's subdued, and the kids are safe. Need backup, Spider-Woman?"

"Nah, I got him," Spider-Woman confirmed. "The boy's hurt, but he's breathing. Meet up at the hospital on 12th Street?"

"Right, meet you there," Peter said before ending the call. He walks up to Annie and sighs deeply before scooping her up and embracing her. "I'm...so sorry for letting this happen to your two. I should've been faster. I should've thought something would happen, especially with our blasted family luck."

"It's okay, Dad," Annie whispered, the whole event catching up to her as tears welled in her eyes. "What matters is you did your best, and you kicked butt up there!"

"Heh, a bit rusty, but I still got it," Peter chuckled. After a kiss on the forehead, Peter set Annie down for Mayday and her to hold hands. Both share a look of pride at what they accomplished during this desperate hour. "Uhh, weird thing to say, but Stan's out cold, yeah?"

They all look back and see him drooling. "He sure is," Annie said.

"Okay. Firstly, Mayday, you're grounded tomorrow. Also, you're swinging's improving but could still use some work."

"That's fair," Mayday said with a shrug.

"Secondly, Annie, you'll have to explain these powers so we plan what to do next."

"Oh, I can see the future now," Annie casually dropped. Her father is at a loss for words, especially as she finished with, "Also, Mayday and I can speak to each other with our minds."

"..."

Mayday glanced at Annie, 'Wow, already made him speechless.'

Annie smiled gleefully, 'Ohoho! This spider thing is going to be sooo cool!'

Epilogue:

April shuts the door to her room, the darkness of the midnight air coating it with only the moon providing any light. She looks down at her hands. Fragile. Small. Worthless. She huffed and stomped across her room, left alone while everyone else was at the hospital with her sisters. "Should've been there…I should've been there!" Her scream was as loud as her lungs allowed her, so loud was it that it nearly masked her sobs. "Maybe my stupid powers would've come out, and I stop Annie from getting hurt! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"

She pounds her fists at the side of her head, tugging her long hair in utter frustration at…everything. "If it weren't for that dumb party, if it weren't for those cursed Osborns, none of this would've happened! Yeah, that's it. That's why the attack happened in the first place. It's got to be it; it's their stupid scheme's fault! Graaah, I knew those Osborns were nothing a bunch of good-for-nothings! Takes one to know one, right?!"

Amid her tantrum, she remembers Mayday's face and her swinging into action with no hint of fear. "It's not fair." Her vision is clouded with such fury and jealousy that she can barely hold it back. Only when she sees her reflection in the small mirror on her work desk the final emotion bursts out: hatred. "Mayday, the hero," April growled as she grabbed the mirror, holding it closer to her face. "Mayday the attention hog. Mayday the pristine. Mayday the stealer!"

Holding the mirror high above her, April slams it down while picturing the face they share as it instantly shatters into tiny pieces. With glass shards all around her, April pants from the intense rush, anger failing to fuel her until she's left with a broken reflection. Staring at herself, April's sobs grow louder, "Am I…just nothing? Maybe that's why I was all alone. Everybody got along just fine without me. I thought maybe with powers, I would show them I'm worth something. That I'm needed."

April cowers forward, hands to her face as she tried wiping the never-ending flow of tears. "Nothing's working out. Why does nothing work out like how I wanted." With one last burst of anger left in her, April slams her fist down. "Ouch!" she cried, reeling back her hand to see a small shard of glass pierced it. "Stupid thing!"

Tearing it out, she stares at the stream of blood dripping off her hand. She scours her desk for a band-aid but grows more frustrated until she yells at her wound. "Urgh! Why are you so stupid!?"

Suddenly, a small but strange sensation crept from her wounded hand. April looked to see something squirming, like a black tendril. She couldn't believe what she was seeing as a black ooze began to pour out of her wound, standing up like flakes of hair and sewing the wound. The pain was gone in a second, and the wound was perfectly healed.

What started as small breaths turned into fits of laughter. April grabbed a pin needle, stabbing her thumb until it bled, and watched the same process happening again. "Heh! Hehehe! See? I have powers, too. I can be good, too." She sits back, relieved and already feeling stronger. Strong enough to crush anyone who hurts her family. "Yeah, once I figure this out, no one will get in my way…get in father's way."

April snapped out of her thoughts, feeling something suddenly wrong. "Why'd I just say that? Where'd that even come from?" A gross, tingling feeling begins to ripple inside her once-wounded hand. The creeping feeling courses up her arm until that black and blue goo suddenly begins to ooze out of her arm. "What's happening to me?! Mommy!"

She tried rushing to her phone, but the feeling began to slow her down, making her numb as the ooze began to coat her torse. She clutched her head, feeling as if a need was poking into her brain. 'Can barely think!' She hunched over, feeling it consume her body until wrapped its tendrils all over her head. "This is my powers? This is what I am?!"

She feels it coursing through her, transforming her voice from a cry into a guttural roar before anguishedly screaming, "NOOOO!"

A deafening silence fills the air, and any rational thought before being gone as a new, primal instinct that's always been there kicks in. The normal human facade has vanished, and a new creature forms for the first time in that lonely room. A being not of this earth yet is utterly alien to its species. She turns with large white lenses for eyes, a long flock of dark goo as hair, and rows upon rows of sharp teeth. She leaps out the window, reaches the roof, and viciously roars to the heavens its ancestors originated from. The echoes of its roar could be heard for miles as she felt an unquenchable hunger consume her.

Now was the time to hunt. Now was the time to wreak some Mayhem.


A/N: Well, that was fucking ominous! It looks like April's arc is starting on a happy note :D

Anyway, sorry for taking so long! This chapter was a doozy and had rough patches that needed editing and re-writing. It didn't help that my vacation was delayed by two weeks, but I did have a lot of fun during those two weeks. Again, thank you for your patience. The next two issues will be the last of the sister's origins. Afterward, we'll return to the present and see what new adventures await the Marvelous Spider-Girls! As always, please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!