Episode 51: Surprise Hamder!

After Felicia exchanged phone numbers with Peter and the others before leaving, MJ went to see when the train would be heading out. Unfortunately, the damage caused by Crossbones was so severe that the train had to be repaired which according to the engineers would take a few days to a week. So MJ, Peter, and Thor spent the rest of the day figuring out alternative options for getting to Sokovia City. They first checked the Transport Ships Xandar City was famous for, as they were capable of supersonic speed and flight through space, but they were too expensive for even a one-way trip. Meanwhile, Xandar City's self-driving cars only operated within the city and none of them could drive the rental cars.

"I can't believe this!" MJ complained after she and the others checked into a cheap hotel on the outskirts of Xandar City for the night. "First we deal with gangsters in La Vie City, then HYDRA agents on a train, and now we're stuck in Xandar City until the train gets repaired."

"Well, it beats getting enslaved in Sakaar," Peter pointed out. "That was probably the worst experience of my life, apart from my uncle's death."

"But who knows what Quill, Gwen, and Miss Potts are dealing with inside the Anomaly," MJ said. "For all we know, they could be suffering just as much as we did in Sakaar."

"There's nothing we can do, though," Thor said. "So I say we take a rest for tonight and continue to explore our options tomorrow."

Reluctantly, MJ agreed with Thor and decided to order room service. While the food was being delivered, everyone released the Marémon from their PDBs. Spidermin was still irritated at Peter for putting him in a PDB once again, but he quickly got over it once Peter scratched his head. Cassie the Shadusk and Hornetech were busy chasing each other around with Noirspi and Valrie joining them, but Korg decided to sleep and Thunderthor practiced swinging his hammer. Rikoshay, on the other hand, folded his lizard-like arms and pouted in a corner of the hotel room.

"It looks like Rikoshay hasn't adjusted to being part of your group," MJ said to Peter. "Maybe you should try communicating with him."

"Yeah, you're right," Peter said and walked over to Rikoshay with Spidermin trailing behind. "So, Rikoshay, how are you doing?"

Making a snorting sound, Rikoshay turned its head away.

"Are you hungry? Nervous?" Peter said. "Because if you're nervous, that's totally normal. My Marémon will like you, though. Right, Spidermin?"

Peter's Spidermin responded with a series of happy chirps. Yet Rikoshay didn't seem convinced, and kept his head turned away.

"Do you miss your previous owner Delilah?" Peter asked.

Hearing Delilah's name, Rikoshay seemed to perk up but became instantly disheartened.

"Look, I'm not trying to replace her," Peter assured. "I'm sure she took good care of you, when she wasn't using you to murder people. But let's not forget that you saved Spidermin from Tarantu. Doesn't that mean anything?"

Just then, the room service trolley had arrived with a blond-haired waiter pushing it. But after the waiter left politely and MJ lifted the lid on the trolley, everyone was greeted by a strange sight. There was a small bipedal pig with the same markings as a Spidermin gorging on the human and Marémon food.

"What is there a Hamder on this trolley?" MJ demanded, barely containing her anger.

"Hamder?" Peter checked the MarGuide and pulled up an entry.

"Known as the Porker Marémon, Hamder shares pig and spider DNA making it a definitive Mutant-Type," EDITH said from Peter's MarGuide. "While it does share many similar traits to that of the Spidermin, it is one of the few Marémon to have two abilities instead of just one."

"That doesn't answer my question," MJ growled, taking an empty PDB from her belt. "Let's hope it's weak enough to catch."

Seeing the PDB, the Hamder squealed and jumped off the trolley. In a panic, he ran for the door and tried to Web Shot the handle. But before the web stuck to the handle, MJ's PDB shot a beam of light at Hamder which caused him to disintegrate and get absorbed into the PDB. The upside-down triangle on the front of the PDB glowed for a minute before dimming.

"Congratulations," Thor clapped. "You caught a Hamder."

"I only did it to keep him from eating more of our food, so don't congratulate me," MJ said, pocketing the PDB.

"What are you going to do with him?" Peter wondered.

Sighing, MJ responded, "First, I'm going to complain to the waiter who delivered our food. Then I'll figure out what to do."

Once the same blond-haired waiter was called back, MJ explained what happened.

"Honestly, I'm not sure where that Hamder came from," the waiter admitted. "But I apologize on behalf of the hotel. I can take the Hamder off your hands and get another tray of food brought free of charge."

MJ hesitated to give the PDB to the waiter. "What's going to happen to the Hamder?"

"My boss will give it to the Marémon Pest Control division of the Nova Corps," the waiter said.

"Nova Corps? Don't they normally deal with Extraterrestrial-related matters?"

"Yes, but they've started dealing with other kinds of threats to compete with organizations like SHIELD and SWORD."

"I see." MJ then gave the PDB with Hamder to the waiter. "Thanks, Mister—"

"Brock. Eddie Brock," said the waiter, and he left quickly.

After a proper meal and shower, Peter was about to go to sleep on one of the beds in the hotel room when his phone suddenly rang. Looking at the caller ID, he realized it was his Aunt May.

"Hello?" Peter answered.

"Peter!" Aunt May said angrily on the other end. "Why haven't you called me? It's been almost two weeks!"

"I'm sorry, May," Peter apologized. "A lot of stuff has been happening."

"Like what?"

To be continued…