Chapter 5: Competition
Hey everyone, I'm back with a new chapter! This one was really fun to make, especially with some of the fight scenes. I also want to thank Cloud4012 and kival737101 for letting me use their OC characters. I don't own anything except my own OC. Anyway, sit back, relax, review, and enjoy!
"We find ourselves at the Feast Center, where Jake was introducing Jaden to Martin Lee, hoping he could help Jaden get a job there."
Jake smiled as he led Jaden through the bustling halls of the Feast Center, the sound of chatter and the clatter of kitchenware filling the air. They approached Martin Lee, who was busy talking to a volunteer.
"Hey, Mr. Lee," Jake greeted, waving to get his attention.
Martin turned with a warm smile. "Jake, good to see you!" He glanced at Jaden, his smile widening. "And who's this?"
"This is Jaden," Jake said, patting Jaden on the back. "I was hoping you could meet him. He's looking for a job, and I thought this place might be perfect for him."
Jaden gave a nervous smile and held out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Lee."
Martin shook his hand firmly. "Nice to meet you too, Jaden. Any friend of Jake's is a friend of mine."
Jaden relaxed a little. "Thanks. I'm just trying to find something where I can help out and earn some money. Jake said this place might be a good fit."
"Absolutely," Martin said, nodding thoughtfully. "We could always use an extra set of hands around here, and it's great that you're eager to help the community. What kind of work are you interested in?"
Jaden scratched the back of his neck. "I'm open to anything, really. Helping with the food, organizing supplies—whatever you need."
Martin smiled approvingly. "That's a great attitude. How about we start you off with some volunteer shifts? See what you like, and if everything works out, we'll talk about a paid position."
Jaden's face lit up. "That sounds perfect. Thank you so much!"
"No problem," Martin replied. "Just come by next week , and we'll get you set up. Jake can show you the ropes."
Jake grinned. "Told you it'd work out."
Jaden laughed. "Yeah, thanks for looking out, man. I owe you."
Martin chuckled. "It's all about helping each other out here. Welcome to the team, Jaden."
As they walked away, Jaden turned to Jake, shaking his head. "You really pulled through for me, Jake. Thanks."
Jake shrugged with a smile. "That's what friends are for."
Shortly after landing the job with Martin Lee, Spider-Man was swinging through the air, feeling like a million bucks. Right alongside him was Shadow Spider, keeping pace with ease.
"Man, you look like you just won the lottery," Shadow Spider called out, glancing over at his partner.
Spider-Man grinned under his mask. "Well, you did get me a job. Feels like I hit the jackpot!"
"Jay, it was no problem. Just make sure you help me with the 'Spider-Man stuff' when I need you," Shadow Spider joked, flipping effortlessly through the air.
As the two heroes swung by a building, a loud explosion rang out from below. Smoke billowed out of the vents as an explosion ripped through the inside of a store.
"Looks like we've got company," Shadow Spider said, immediately alert, his eyes scanning the scene.
Inside, Alex and Flint, , were running out of the store with sacks of stolen goods, their faces lit up with excitement.
"First time I've ever blown myself out of a store," Flint said with a grin.
"Yeah, Marko, biggest score we ever made. I'm loving it!" Alex smiled back.
"And I'm loving that there's no Spider-Man down here to cramp our style," Flint added confidently.
"You can't lose what you never had!" Spider-Man quipped, dropping in upside down right in front of them.
"Hey fellas," Shadow Spider followed, landing smoothly on the ground beside his partner. "Just in time to ruin your party. Again."
Before Alex or Flint could react, Spider-Man fired his webs, tying them up swiftly.
Shadow Spider crossed his arms, shaking his head in mock disapproval. "You guys should really consider a new line of work. Crime clearly isn't working out for you."
"Seriously, are you even keeping track of how many times we've caught you?" Spider-Man added, laughing.
Soon enough, Alex and Flint were back behind bars.
"Two bags full of cash, and we lost it! I can't believe it!" Flint groaned, staring at the ceiling of the cell.
"I can't believe we let those annoying punks get us again," Alex muttered just as the cell door creaked open.
"Bail's been paid. Guess punks can have friends," a cop said, his confusion evident as he opened the door for them.
As they made their way outside, the two crooks spotted a sleek car waiting for them.
"Get in, boys," a voice called from inside the car. The two looked up to see none other than Mr. Hammerhead sitting across from them.
"And welcome to the big time," Hammerhead said with a dangerous smile.
Intro Music: Spectacular Spider-Men* Theme Song
Living on the edge
Fighting crime, spinning webs
Swinging from the highest ledge
He can leap above our heads*
Spider-Man swings gracefully through the cityscape at sunset, dodging obstacles and performing daring flips.*
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah*
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah*
Villains on the rise
And the city's victimized
Looking up with no surprise
Arriving in the speed of time*
Shadow Spider (Jake) swings in from the shadows, landing next to Spider-Man. They exchange a quick nod before jumping into action against a group of armed thugs.*
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah*
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah*
Spectacular, Spectacular Spider-Men*
Spectacular, Spectacular Spider-Men*
Spectacular, Spectacular Spider-Men*
Spectacular*
The two Spider-Men work in perfect harmony: Spider-Man uses his web-shooters to immobilize criminals while Shadow Spider performs high-speed acrobatics, taking down enemies with precision.*
Crawling through the night
Facing evil in his might
He's a hero in our eyes
See the headlights every time*
Spider-Man and Shadow Spider patrol the city at night, moving stealthily across rooftops. They spot a car chase below and spring into action, webbing up the fleeing criminals.
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah*
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah*
Making villains fall
Webbing rivals to a halt
Racing up and down the walls
Bringing justice to us all*
Spider-Man and Shadow Spider face off against a formidable villain on top of a skyscraper. They use their combined skills to defeat the villain and restore peace.*
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah*
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah*
Spectacular, Spectacular Spider-Men*
Spectacular, Spectacular Spider-Men*
Spectacular, Spectacular Spider-Men*
Spectacular*
Spectacular, Spectacular Spider-Men*
Spectacular, Spectacular Spider-Men*
Spider-Man and Shadow Spider stand side by side on a rooftop, overlooking the city as the sun sets. They watch as the city lights flicker to life.*
The next morning, a black sedan sped down the streets, fleeing the scene after a group of thugs had just robbed a store. The tires screeched as the car weaved through traffic, their getaway in full swing.
"Help! Police! Somebody stop them!" the store owner shouted from the sidewalk, waving his arms in desperation.
Inside the speeding car, one of the thugs grinned as he counted the cash stuffed into a duffel bag. "Must be at least two grand in here! Easy money," he smirked.
The driver glanced in the rearview mirror, chuckling. "Spidey's too busy chasing down the big guys to worry about us small-time crooks!"
Just as they started to relax, the car jolted to an abrupt stop. The sudden force nearly threw them from their seats.
"Hey! Why aren't we moving?" the driver growled, slamming the gas pedal again. But nothing happened.
The thugs stared wide-eyed out the windows. The car wasn't on the ground anymore.
"What the—?!" one of them gasped. The entire car was suspended several feet in the air, held up by shimmering webs.
"Guess Spidey's too busy, but I'm not," a voice called from above.
They craned their necks and looked up Shadow Spider crouched on a lamppost, casually spinning a web between his fingers.
"Who... who the heck are you?!" one of the thugs shouted, his voice trembling with fear.
Shadow Spider jumped down from the lamppost, landing lightly on the hood of the floating car. "Me? Oh, just your friendly neighborhood backup hero," he quipped. "But you can call me Shadow Spider. Or, if you prefer, the guy who's about to ruin your day."
Before they could react, Shadow Spider launched into action. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a webline flying, yanking the driver through the open window. "Mind if I borrow your buddy?" he joked as the thug slammed into a nearby dumpster.
"Come on, man, let's get out of here!" another thug shouted, scrambling to climb out of the car. But before he could get far, Shadow Spider shot a burst of blue electricity from his fingertips—a venom blast —that crackled through the air and struck the thug. He fell back into the car with a yelp.
"Y'know, I've been working on that move. What do you think? A little too much zap?" Shadow Spider grinned as he flipped acrobatically out of the way of a thug swinging a crowbar at him. He ducked just in time, letting the weapon sail over his head.
"You're gonna regret this, kid!" the thug shouted, charging at Shadow Spider.
"Oh, I regret a lot of things. Like skipping breakfast today," Shadow Spider quipped. With another quick dodge, he fired off a second venom blast, hitting the thug square in the chest. The thug dropped to the ground, twitching. "That'll teach you to mess with a guy who hasn't had his coffee."
Suddenly, Mia's voice crackled through his earpiece. "Jake , the cops are on their way. You might want to wrap this up before it gets messy."
"Already on it," Shadow Spider replied, shooting several webs and quickly wrapping the thugs up like presents. "Don't worry, they're all gift-wrapped. Should I leave a note?"
The sound of sirens grew louder as the police closed in. Shadow Spider grabbed the duffel bag of stolen cash and attached it to the hood of the floating car with another web, gently lowering the vehicle into a nearby dumpster for added effect.
By the time the police arrived, the scene was almost too perfect. The thugs were webbed up and unconscious, and the stolen money was secure.
One officer scratched his head, staring at the unusual scene. "This doesn't look like Spider-Man's usual work," he muttered.
Another cop nodded. "Nope, definitely not. But whoever it was did us a favor."
On a nearby rooftop, Shadow Spider watched with a smirk behind his mask. "Man, I love this job."
"Don't get cocky," Mia reminded him in his ear. "You've still got school in an hour."
Shadow Spider shot a webline and swung into the morning light, grinning. "Yeah, yeah. I'll make it. Maybe I'll just web the school bus and catch a ride."
With a final flip, he disappeared over the rooftops, leaving the webbed-up thugs groaning as the police cars rolled in.
Meanwhile, Jaden was in his room typing on his laptop.
On the screen, he saw a news article about Shadow Spider stopping a runaway car.
"Looks like you're getting the hang of this Spider-Man stuff, Jake," Jaden said to himself.
Suddenly, he heard a knock at the door.
"Jaden?" Maya called out.
"Come on in, Mom. The door's open," Jaden said as she walked in.
Seeing the article he was reading, she smiled.
"It's nice to know the world is a little safer with heroes like him looking out for us," Maya said.
"I guess so. What's up?" Jaden asked.
"Well, in light of your new job and how well you've been doing, I've decided to give you back your old curfew," Maya said.
"Really? Thanks, Mom!" Jaden said, surprised.
"Jaden, I am so proud of you. I'm happy that Martin Lee gave you a chance Next week after school," Maya said.
"I know, Mom. It's pretty cool," Jaden replied with a smile.
"Your father would be so proud of you," Maya said, hugging him from behind. "Just like I am."
"Thanks, Mom," Jaden said as Maya noticed a flyer for the dance on his desk.
"What's this?" she asked, picking it up.
"Oh, it's just the Fall Formal. I was thinking of not going. Besides, I don't even have a date," Jaden said.
"You need to start living, Jaden. Hey, why don't you ask Mary Jane to the dance?" Maya suggested.
"Mom, I just met her. It's a little too early for me to ask her out," Jaden said, standing up.
"All I'm saying is you should try to make the most of life. You never know when something crazy might happen," Maya said.
"Alright, Mom. I've got to get to school. I love you," Jaden said, giving her a kiss on the cheek and grabbing his backpack.
As he walked out, he saw MJ coming out of the house next door to take out the garbage.
"Hey, tiger," MJ called out, getting his attention.
"Oh, hey, MJ," Jaden said, walking over.
"Good to see you," MJ said.
"Yeah," Jaden shrugged.
"So, what's new?" MJ asked.
"Brace yourself, I think my mom is playing matchmaker again," Jaden said.
"Uh-oh. Should I dress up nice or is it casual?" MJ teased.
"Just don't let her talk you into doing something you don't want to do," Jaden said.
"Noted. See you around, Jaden," MJ smiled.
"See ya," Jaden said as he headed to school.
Meanwhile, in a dark part of town, Hammerhead's car enters a body shop under the train tracks but when they enter a secret door opens bring them down.
Opening the door, Flint and Hammerhead step out.
"What about O'Hirn?" Flint asks.
"This is a solo job." Hammerhead said as the car drove away. "The big man has had his eye on you Marko."
"The big man?" Flint said interested. "Do I get to meet him?"
"No one meets the big man." Hammerhead said in a serious tone scaring Flint a little bit.
At Midtown High, we find ourselves in the outdoor eating area where Jake, Mia, and Jaden are sitting together at a table.
"Looks like you survived another day, Jaden," Jake said with a grin, taking a sip of his drink.
"Yeah, but barely," Jaden replied, glancing at his phone. "Feels like everything's just piling up lately."
"Tell me about it. Between school and everything else, there's no time to breathe," Jake sighed, looking over at Mia.
"You're telling me," Mia agreed. "At least today's not as chaotic as yesterday."
Jaden chuckled. "Yeah, thank goodness for small favors."
He stood up and slung his backpack over his shoulder. "I'm gonna go check in with Harry and Gwen. Catch you guys later?"
"Yeah, see you later," Jake said, giving him a small wave. Mia nodded, adding, "Try not to get into too much trouble!"
Jaden laughed before walking over to Harry and Gwen, who were sitting alone.
"Hey, guys," Jaden called out, grabbing their attention.
"Jaden!" Harry exclaimed with a grin as Jaden sat down.
"What's up," Jaden said with a tired smile.
"Feels like school just keeps getting crazier," Gwen said.
"No, what's crazy is them still making us come to school like everything's normal," Harry grumbled.
"Anyway, Jaden, you said there was something big you wanted to tell us?"
Before Jaden could respond, the PA system crackled to life.
"Good morning, students, Coach Smith here with a quick announcement. After the injury of our starting Tight End and the academic suspension of our backup, the Midtown Mustangs will be holding three days of tryouts starting this afternoon," Coach announced, much to Harry's excitement.
"Perfect. I'm so there!" Harry grinned widely.
"Uh, Harry, you know I'm all about being supportive, but the words 'catastrophic bone breakage' do come to mind," Gwen said, raising an eyebrow.
"Harry, are you forgetting that Flash is on the team? And those guys are huge. Like, really huge," Jaden warned.
Harry waved it off. "If you're so worried, how about some moral support? Why don't you try out with me?"
Jaden hesitated, glancing between his friends. "Uh, let me think about it and get back to you."
As Jaden stood to leave, he overheard Flash talking to his teammate, Kenneth Kong, nearby.
"Hey Kong, you hear? Osborn's trying out," Flash said with a smirk.
"Cool," Kenny grinned, confusing Flash.
"Cool?" Flash repeated, his smile fading.
"Yeah, I need a new tackling dummy. Broke my last one," Kenny replied, both of them laughing.
Jaden shook his head, closing his locker as Harry walked up.
"You know what, Harry? I've got your back, buddy," Jaden said, making Harry beam.
Afterward, Jaden returned to the outdoor eating area where Jake and Mia were still sitting.
"So, how'd it go?" Jake asked, standing up and slinging his backpack over his shoulder.
"Harry's got me roped into trying out for football," Jaden sighed. "And Flash and his goons are already plotting."
"Sounds like a blast," Mia teased. "You sure you wanna go through with it?"
"Not really, but I told Harry I'd back him up," Jaden shrugged.
"Well, good luck. Just try not to end up as Kong's new tackling dummy," Jake joked, patting him on the shoulder.
"Yeah, thanks for the encouragement," Jaden replied with a playful eye roll as the three of them walked off together.
Meanwhile, at an unknown lab, Flint Marko was strapped to a chair, hooked up to various machines. Doctor Octavius, standing nearby, had four strange mechanical arms attached to his back, each one moving with eerie precision.
"Hey Doc, what's with the arms?" Flint asked, eyeing the metal limbs warily.
"They allow me to multi-task, manipulate difficult objects, and... uh... maintain a safe distance," Otto muttered the last part under his breath, clearly uncomfortable admitting it.
"You need a safe distance? What about me?" Flint replied, now even more on edge.
"Well, there are... concerns," Otto admitted, his tone cautious.
Hearing that, Flint immediately tried to break free, tugging at the restraints, but to no avail.
"Marko, relax," Hammerhead said as he entered the room, hands in his pockets, his voice calm yet commanding. "The procedure is simple, painless, and totally worth it. Doc, show him."
Otto walked over to a large screen, his mechanical arms moving with a mind of their own as he typed furiously on the keyboard.
"The, uh, subject," Otto began, "will be infused with millions of microscopic silicone granules, creating a silicone-based armor. In theory, you'll be able to pass through metal detectors undetected and become nearly impervious to harm."
"Is that a good thing?" Flint asked, raising an eyebrow.
"It's a very good thing," Hammerhead interjected, stepping closer. "It means no one—nothing—can hurt you. Not even Spider-Man or Shadow Spider."
At the mention of Spider-Man and Shadow Spider, Flint's face lit up with a menacing grin. "You mean those two punks that keep getting in our way? They won't be able to stop me?"
"That's right," Hammerhead replied with confidence. "With this procedure, you'll be stronger, more resilient. Spider-Man and Shadow Spider will be nothing but pests to you."
Flint chuckled darkly at the thought. "I like the sound of that. When do we start?"
"Right now," Otto said, pressing a few more buttons. The machines surrounding Flint hummed to life, filling the room with an ominous mechanical noise.
"You might feel a slight pinch," Otto added.
"Yeah, yeah, just do it," Flint muttered, bracing himself as the machinery around him began to inject the silicone granules into his system. His body tensed as the transformation process started, his skin visibly hardening, taking on a grainy, sand-like texture.
As the procedure continued, Flint's mind drifted to Spider-Man and Shadow Spider, imagining their shocked faces when they tried—and failed—to stop him. He could practically hear their voices, see the fear in their eyes.
"When this is over, those two won't stand a chance," Flint growled through gritted teeth, feeling his body grow stronger with each passing second.
Later that day, at the football tryouts, Jaden, Harry, and Jake were lined up in their football uniforms and helmets, ready to show what they had. Gwen, Liz, Mia, and a few others sat on the bleachers, watching from the stands. Mia sat between Gwen and Liz, her eyes glued to the field.
"Alright, boys, I've only got room for two of you on the team," Coach barked, pacing in front of the students. "One starter and one backup. Let's see what you've got!"
Flash, standing at the front of the line, grinned and nudged Hobbie Brown. "Don't worry, Brown. You're in. We'll make sure of it," he whispered smugly.
The coach blew his whistle. "Helmets on! Let's play some football!"
The tryouts began, and Flash's plan was running smoothly. First up were the passing drills. Flash's throws were powerful, knocking most of the players to the ground, unable to catch the ball—except for Brown, who managed to snag one mid-air.
Jaden took a deep breath as his turn came. He sprinted out as Flash threw the ball toward him. Reaching for it, Jaden fumbled, narrowly missing the catch. He cursed under his breath but quickly shook it off.
Next was Harry's turn. Flash, with a smirk, launched the ball straight at Harry's chest. To everyone's surprise, Harry held onto it, despite the force of the throw.
"Nice one, Harry!" Jake called out from the sidelines, encouraging his friends.
The next test was the running drill. Harry, using his agility, bobbed and weaved around the other players, much to Flash's irritation. The crowd, including Gwen, Liz, and Mia, cheered for him.
"Go, Harry! You've got this!" Gwen shouted excitedly.
Kenny Kong, standing by, was not amused. As Harry ran past him, Kenny stuck out his foot, hoping to trip him up, but Harry leaped over it effortlessly. However, Kenny's stunt didn't go unnoticed. From the bleachers, Gloria, his girlfriend, narrowed her eyes at the dirty play.
When it was Jake's turn for the running drill, he stepped up with quiet determination. As he started running, Kenny charged at him, intending to knock him over. Just as Kenny closed in, Jake's Spider-sense flared. His reflexes kicked in, and he made a sharp turn, effortlessly avoiding Kenny's tackle and sprinting toward the end zone. Without breaking a sweat, Jake scored a touchdown.
From the stands, Gwen, Liz, and Mia erupted into cheers.
"Jake's killing it!" Liz exclaimed, clapping excitedly.
Mia grinned, leaning over to Gwen. "He makes it look so easy. It's like he's got a sixth sense or something."
Gwen nodded, impressed. "Yeah, he's definitely not like the others."
Jaden, watching from the field, couldn't help but smirk. He knew exactly what was going on with Jake—his spider powers were giving him an edge, but no one else had picked up on it. He jogged over to Jake after his run.
"Nice moves out there, man. You really saved me from looking bad," Jaden said, playfully nudging Jake.
Jake chuckled. "Just helping out, bro. But you did pretty good yourself."
As the day wrapped up, Coach Smith walked off the field with Flash, discussing his picks for the team.
"Some real talent out there today," Coach said, glancing over his notes. "Hobbie Brown looks good, but those two skinny juniors—Jaden and Jake—they've got something special. They gave Kong a run for his money."
Flash, annoyed, pointed to the stands where Gloria was giving Kenny a piece of her mind. "They're not the only ones giving him trouble."
Gloria, arms crossed, glared at Kenny. "Grow up, Kenny. Why would I date someone who's too immature to play fair?"
Kenny tried to defend himself, but Gloria cut him off. "I'm serious! Cut it out, or we're done."
With that, she stormed off, leaving Kenny standing there, speechless.
As the players started to pack up, Jaden, Jake, and Harry gathered together, catching their breath.
"Well, that was something," Harry said, wiping sweat from his forehead.
Jake laughed, slinging an arm around Harry's shoulder. "We survived, didn't we?"
"Yeah, but I think you might've impressed the coach more than us with those moves," Jaden added, glancing at Jake knowingly.
Jake shrugged, playing it cool. "Just lucky, I guess."
"Right," Jaden smirked. "Lucky."
As they made their way off the field, Mia, Gwen, and Liz walked down from the stands to meet them.
"You guys did amazing out there!" Mia said, beaming at Jake.
"Yeah, you're like a regular superhero," Liz teased, giving Jake a playful nudge.
Jake grinned. "I don't know about that, but thanks."
Jaden exchanged a knowing look with Mia, both aware of the secret behind Jake's incredible performance.
Back at the secret lab, Norman Osborn had joined Hammerhead and Otto as they neared the final preparations.
"Please, Mr. Osborn. This lab it was assembled so rapidly and the equipment it's substandard. At the very least I need more time. The experiment hasn't even been tested." Otto begs.
"This IS the test." Norman declares putting on protective glasses. "Press the button doctor."
Activating the machine, tons of sand and high-tech lab equipment started up and all that energy was radiation was dumped right onto Marko.
Screaming the sand began to surround Flint and the machine began to overload.
"Sir! We must abort!" Otto begs.
"Not yet." Norman said.
In the end, it was all too much as Flint's body began to change to the color of sand before exploding into pig piles of it all over the lab.
"What have we done? What do we do?" Otto asks horrified.
"We sweep up and we try again." Norman said taking off the glasses.
"Wait. What's going on in there?" Hammerhead asks.
Looking inside they see all the sand gather together reforming into Flint.
"What have you done to me?! Answer me!" In his confusion and rage, Flint turns his hand into a hammer and bangs against the glass.
"Hey Mister Sandman." Hammerhead said getting his attention. "Chill."
Flint Marko and Hammerhead sped down the street in their getaway car, with Flint still getting used to his new form. He glanced at his hands, now made entirely of sand, shifting and reforming.
"There you go. You got your sand legs, sand clothes, and now you're back in color," Hammerhead said, grinning as Flint looked more like his old self again. "See? It's not so bad."
"Not so bad?!" Flint snapped, clearly frustrated.
"Stuff happens. End result's the same. You got powers nobody else has—not even Spider-Man or shadow spider . Now you can get revenge for all those times the Webhead's put you behind bars," Hammerhead pointed out.
"Yeah, I could..." Flint paused, then shook his head. "No, wait. Revenge is for chumps. I don't care about Spider-Man or shadow spider . All I ever wanted was the big score, and now I've got the power to get it."
"Now listen, you little nobody—" Hammerhead began, but Flint cut him off.
"Hey! Flint Marko was a nobody, but from now on, everyone will know the name Sandman!" he declared, slamming the car door open and breaking it as he made his escape.
As the car's divider came down, Norman Osborn looked in from the front seat.
"Well, you're taking this better than I thought," Norman mused. "I thought he wanted someone to fight Spider-Man and shadow spider ."
"The Big Man wanted a distraction, and that's what he's getting," Hammerhead grinned.
Meanwhile, up on the rooftops, Spider-Man was resting after a long night of patrol, perched on the edge of a building.
"Okay, I didn't rely too much on my powers during tryouts," he muttered to himself. "Just enough to avoid any cheap shots from Kenny and Flash. Two more days and Harry gets on the team, then I never have to play another school sport as long as I live."
Suddenly, the sound of a distant alarm cut through the night air. Spider-Man's head snapped up, instantly alert. "Guess it's time to get back to work."
Swinging toward the source of the noise, Spider-Man arrived just in time to see Sandman burst through the bank doors, holding a massive sack of cash.
"Ugh, really, Marko? Haven't you gotten tired of the same old thing?" Spider-Man quipped as he dropped down in front of him. "Where's your buddy Hammerhead?"
"I don't need him anymore," Sandman growled, transforming his arm into a giant sand fist and lunging at Spider-Man.
Spider-Man flipped out of the way, narrowly avoiding the attack. "Whoa, what happened to you?"
"I happened! Sandman happened!" Flint bellowed, launching a barrage of sand attacks.
"Oh great, and I thought getting sand in my shoes was bad. You really take it to the next level!" Spider-Man said, dodging the attacks and firing a webline to swing around a nearby light post. With a well-timed swing, he aimed a kick at Sandman's chest, but to his shock, his foot went straight through Flint's sandy body.
"What the—?" Spider-Man gasped.
"Gotcha!" Sandman sneered, using the opening to slam a sand-coated fist into Spider-Man's face, sending him flying into a parked truck with a painful thud.
Groaning, Spider-Man climbed onto the hood of the truck. "Geez, when did you go from a punching bag to a sandbag?"
"Nice, huh? The Big Man gave me this to take you down," Sandman said, his voice dripping with confidence.
"The Big Man? Who's that?" Spider-Man asked, intrigued.
"That's on a need-to-know basis, and you don't need to know," Sandman shot back. "Look, beating you up's been fun, but I've got banks to rob."
Just as Sandman prepared to make his escape, a dark figure landed silently on the rooftop above them. Shadow Spider watched the scene unfold, his eyes narrowing as he saw Sandman preparing to flee.
"Not so fast, Sandy!" Shadow Spider called out, dropping down next to Spider-Man.
"Nice timing, Shadow," Spider-Man muttered, still shaking off the hit. "He's got a new trick, so watch out."
"Noted," Shadow Spider replied, his stance shifting as he prepared for a fight. "Let's see how he handles two spiders."
Sandman scowled. "Two of you now? Doesn't matter. I can take both of you."
"Yeah, but can you outrun us?" Shadow Spider taunted, his eyes darting toward the storm drain nearby as Sandman began to dissolve into sand.
Realizing what Shadow Spider was hinting at, Spider-Man fired a web at Sandman, trying to anchor him, but Sandman slipped through the webbing and dove down the storm drain.
"Aw, man!" Sandman's voice echoed in frustration. "My money!"
Shadow Spider turned to Spider-Man, crossing his arms. "Well, that was anticlimactic."
Spider-Man sighed, watching as the police arrived to secure the scene. "Yeah, but at least we stopped him from taking the cash. Sort of."
"You're welcome, by the way," Shadow Spider said with a smirk. "What would you do without me?"
"I was totally fine before you showed up," Spider-Man replied, though his grin betrayed his teasing tone. "But thanks."
As the police started collecting the bags of money Sandman had left behind, Spider-Man and Shadow Spider prepared to make their exit. Spider-Man tried to fire a web, but nothing came out.
"Oh come on, now?" he groaned, shaking his wrist.
Shadow Spider smirked and leaped up onto a nearby building with ease. "Looks like you're taking the scenic route, Webhead."
Spider-Man grumbled, jumping up onto the fire escape of a nearby building and climbing the old-fashioned way. "I swear, the day I get a break will be the day pigs fly."
Shadow Spider chuckled from above. "Guess we'll see about that."
With a final glance at the scene below, the two heroes swung—well, climbed in Spider-Man's case—away into the night.
The next day in Chemistry class, Jaden was sitting at the back of the room, working quietly. Jake sat beside him, doodling absentmindedly, occasionally glancing at Jaden's web formula experiment.
"I can't believe I used up all my webs. I gotta refill my supply ASAP or Sandman's gonna be knocking me all over the city," Jaden muttered as he carefully poured a chemical into a beaker.
"Yeah, that guy's a walking sandbox. You should keep a stash for emergencies, just in case," Jake said, leaning over to watch.
"I know, I know," Jaden sighed, spinning the beaker to mix the chemicals into fresh web fluid.
"By the way, any chance you can show me how to make that stuff?" Jake asked, tapping his pencil on his notebook.
"Maybe one day, when you're not so busy running off on One of your missions," Jaden teased with a smile. Jake grinned.
"Fair point."
As Jaden filled up his web-shooters, they both got up to leave the lab. Just as they stepped into the hallway, they saw Liz nearby.
"Oh, uh, Liz! What are you doing here?" Jaden asked, awkwardly scratching the back of his head.
"Getting in some extra study time?" Liz replied, assuming.
"Uh, yeah, you know me. Study, study." Jaden chuckled nervously. Jake raised an eyebrow, suppressing a laugh.
"Nice moves yesterday, by the way," Liz continued, turning to Jaden. "Where'd you learn to run like that?"
Jaden shrugged. "Oh, you know... been running from Flash for years. Guess I just have a lot of practice."
Liz giggled. "Well, I heard it's down to you, Harry, and Hobie Brown for the team."
"Yeah, something like that," Jaden muttered.
Liz leaned in closer to Jaden. "Good luck," she whispered in his ear before walking away. Jake gave him a playful nudge as they watched her leave.
Jaden sighed, leaning against the wall. "This is for Harry. I have a job now; he needs this more than I do," he muttered under his breath.
"You good?" Jake asked, watching his friend slap his own face to snap out of his thoughts.
"Yeah, being a humble hero is not easy, man," Jaden replied, shaking his head.
The second day of football tryouts had arrived. Jake and Jaden walked onto the field together, with Jake watching from the sidelines as Jaden mentally prepared himself.
"Remember what I said. Just breathe. You'll be fine," Jake encouraged.
"Easy for you to say. You don't have to deal with Flash or Kenny out here," Jaden muttered, scanning the field.
"True. I just have the occasional crazy villain," Jake joked, grinning.
As the tryouts started, Harry and Hobie were doing great, skillfully dodging Kenny and Flash's moves. When it was Jaden's turn, the ball came flying toward him, but Kenny was charging from the opposite direction.
Jaden hesitated, knowing he had to act fast. 'You can do this, Jaden. It's for Harry,' he thought. Using his spider agility, Jaden swiftly dodged Kenny, leaping into the air. But Kenny still managed to ram into him, sending Jaden flying into the end zone.
Jake winced. "That's gonna hurt later," he muttered.
Jaden groaned from the ground, raising the ball. "Does this still count as a point, Coach?" he asked, barely lifting his head.
"Yes, it does," the coach replied, shaking his head.
"Oh, great..." Jaden groaned as he struggled to his feet, limping slightly.
After helping Jaden up, the group gathered around as the tryouts ended.
"That was a good day," the coach said. "I haven't made a final decision yet, but I'm leaning toward Osborn as the starter, with Cooper as our second string. Anyone who wants to change my mind has one more day."
"Unbelievable. The geeks are inheriting the earth," Flash grumbled from a distance.
As they walked out of school, Jaden was holding his head, clearly in pain from the tackle, when Harry handed him a water bottle.
"Thirsty?" Harry asked.
"Thanks," Jaden replied, taking it gratefully.
"Can you believe it, man? I might get a shot at the team, and you might get on it too," Harry said excitedly.
"I don't know how much more of this I can take," Jaden admitted, gulping down the water.
"Look, Jaden, I know you didn't want to do this, but I'm really glad you stuck by me for this," Harry smiled.
"It's what friends do, Harry," Jaden smiled back.
Jake, standing nearby, patted Jaden on the back. "You survived another day. I'm proud of you, man."
"Hey, we're heading to the Silver Spoon. Wanna come?" Harry asked, pointing toward the football team.
"Sure, my treat," Harry added.
"Nah, I'm not hungry," Jaden said, waving them off. "Besides, I've got an errand to run." Jake glanced over at him, noticing the shift in Jaden's tone.
As they continued walking, Gwen passed by, giving Jaden a teasing look.
"Hey, if it isn't Jaden Cooper, football star. Why aren't you with your new friends?" Gwen teased.
"Because I like the friends I have now," Jaden said, smiling at her. "Besides, I don't think I'm cut out for football."
Jake, walking beside them, snickered. "Yeah, it's hard when you're secretly pulling off superhero moves."
Gwen raised an eyebrow, confused, but shrugged it off. "So, what's up?"
"Well, I was gonna tell you and Harry together but... I got a job, Gwen," Jaden revealed with a proud smile.
"Wait, seriously?" Gwen's eyes lit up. "Jaden, that's amazing!"
"It's not much, really. I'm just a Helper . You know, getting people, food... whatever they need," Jaden admitted, trying to stay humble.
"Don't sell yourself short. I knew you'd find a job sooner or later," Gwen said.
"Yep. Which reminds me, I owe you a double scoop ice cream," Jaden realized with a grin.
"Hey, Jaden, you know the dance is only a few days away," Gwen reminded him, changing the subject.
"Yeah, but I still don't have anyone to go with. My mom is trying to play matchmaker for me," Jaden laughed.
"She is?" Gwen asked, intrigued.
"Yeah. What am I, in *Fiddler on the Roof*?" Jaden joked.
"Do you often wish you had more money?" Gwen teased, joining in.
Jaden couldn't resist. "Then I wouldn't have to work hard. Ya ba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dum," he sang, mimicking Tevye, making Gwen burst out laughing.
"Jaden, stop, you're killing me!" Gwen laughed, holding her sides.
Jake smiled, watching the two. "Looks like you've got this covered, man. No webs required."
Jaden shrugged. "It's a gift."
Just then, a truck roared down the street, slamming into parked cars as police sirens wailed in the distance.
Jake's eyes narrowed. "We gotta go," he whispered to Jaden.
"I just remembered, Gwen, I've got to run an errand for my mom. Gotta get to the store before it gets dark. I'm really sorry—do you mind?" Jaden said quickly, glancing back at Jake, who was already stepping into action mode.
"Not at all. You be careful. And congrats on the job—I want to hear all about it later," Gwen said, waving him off.
"You're the best, Gwen," Jaden smiled, before nodding to Jake as they ran off together.
"Ugh, I was so close," Gwen muttered, watching Jaden leave, wishing she had another minute with him.
At the Silver Spoon, we see Harry having a drink with the football team and Cheerleaders as he told them a story.
"Then he gets into a second accident at the toll booth. I mean worst chauffer we ever had I thought my dad was gonna pop a vessel." Harry jokes.
"Maybe the chauffeur wasn't the problem." Flash mutters.
"Wow who knew being super-rich was super tough." Glory jokes.
"Yeah I-I-I mean no. I mean." Harry stutters.
"It's okay I'm just teasing you." Glory smiles much to Kenny's annoyance.
"Better get used to it. The way you play today you and Cooper both might be spending a lot more time with this crowd." Randy points out.
"Yeah but not tonight. Come on Glory let's hit it." As Kenny swings his arms as if to stretch his spills his drink all over Harry's shirt making him yelp. "Oops sorry."
While Liz looked at him worried, Flash and Obie just seemed to enjoy it.
"Kenny what are you 6? I wanted to be your girlfriend not your babysitter." Glory said.
"Glory it was a joke. You're not gonna break up with me again are you?" Kenny asks.
"What do you think?" Glory asks turning to Harry. "Come on Harry, take me home."
Smiling Harry got out of his seat and walked out with Glory.
On the bustling streets of New York, a speeding truck rumbled through traffic, packed with all the money Sandman had stolen. The villain himself sat smugly atop the cash pile, grinning as he watched chaos unfold.
Swinging in simultaneously, Spider-Man and Shadow Spider landed on the roof of the moving truck, their momentum perfectly in sync.
"Isn't this the part where you pull over and surrender?" Spider-Man quipped, tapping the roof with a mock salute. "I mean, come on, Flint, you've already robbed enough banks to buy your own sandcastle."
Shadow Spider flipped next to him, arms crossed. "Plus, you're seriously driving like a madman. Think about the fines. Speeding, reckless driving... Being made of sand doesn't give you a pass."
Sandman sneered, transforming his hand into a massive sand spear and thrusting it upward through the roof. "You two don't know when to quit!"
Both Spider-Men jumped back, narrowly avoiding the spear as it ripped through the metal.
"Whoa, somebody's cranky today!" Spider-Man said, flipping in the air.
"Maybe he missed his nap," Shadow Spider added with a smirk, launching a web that yanked Sandman's spear back.
Leaping down through the truck's shattered window, *Spider-Man* delivered a swift kick, sending Sandman crashing against the side of the truck.
"Who's driving this thing?" Spider-Man asked sarcastically, glancing toward the front seat.
Sandman smirked, reforming his body like a wave of sand. "I dunno, Webhead, but I'll bet you don't have your license either."
Spider-Man groaned. "Why does everyone in this city assume I don't know how to drive?"
"Because you don't," Shadow Spider chimed in, landing beside him with a sly grin.
Spider-Man sighed. "Yeah, fair point."
Before they could react, the truck suddenly swerved, barreling into a construction site. Both heroes rolled out of the truck as it crashed into a stack of metal beams.
Sandman* quickly reformed, rising from the sand like a tidal wave. "You two are getting on my nerves. I'm done playing games."
"You think we like doing this? It's exhausting having to stop you every other week," Shadow Spider shot back. "I've got better things to do with my time—like literally anything else."
Sandman growled, launching a barrage of sand fists at the duo. Both *Spider-Men* dodged in perfect coordination, leaping and flipping across the construction beams.
"Seriously, Flint, what's with the sand fists?" Spider-Man joked, evading another strike. "Ever heard of variety? Maybe spice it up a bit—sand nunchucks, sand swords... something creative!"
"Yeah, we get it, you're sand. But you're also kind of a one-trick pony," Shadow Spider quipped, firing webs at Sandman's arms to slow him down. "Maybe you should workshop your villain act a little."
"How's this for creative?" Sandman snarled, turning both of his arms into giant hammers and swinging them down.
"Really? Hammers again?" Spider-Man dodged, landing on a stack of concrete blocks. "We just talked about this!"
Shadow Spider grinned as he cartwheeled past Sandman's attacks. "Alright, Flint, time for a science lesson. Let's see how you handle this!"
With a quick move, Shadow Spider extended his hand and unleashed a venom blast , electricity crackling through the air. The bolts hit Sandman dead-on, and his body twitched as the sand began to heat up and solidify.
"What the—?!" Sandman's form started to stiffen, patches of glass forming on his body where the electricity struck. "Hey! What are you doing to me?!"
"Ever heard of turning sand into glass?" Shadow Spider said, grinning. "You might want to update your Wikipedia page after this."
Spider-Man laughed. "Oh, that's good. Glassman has a nice ring to it!"
Sandman roared in frustration, trying to move, but his body was partially solidified. "You little punks! You think this'll stop me?!"
"Well, it's slowing you down, which is good enough for me," Shadow Spider quipped as he prepared another venom blast. "Here comes round two!"
Before he could strike again, Sandman roared and sent a shockwave of sand flying in all directions, breaking the glass and reforming into his regular sandy form.
"Looks like he doesn't want to be a walking art project," Spider-Man joked, flipping out of the way as the wave hit.
"Guess not," Shadow Spider replied, regaining his footing. "But it was fun while it lasted."
Sandman, now furious, towered over them like a moving wall of sand. "I've had enough of your stupid jokes! Time to end this."
"You'd think he'd appreciate a good joke," Spider-Man said, launching himself into the air and firing webs at Sandman's face to blind him. "But nope, always so grumpy."
"You know, maybe sand just doesn't have a sense of humor," Shadow Spider added, flipping over Sandman and firing webs at his legs to trip him up.
Sandman swung wildly, but the two heroes were too quick, darting around him in a blur of acrobatics and webbing.
"Alright, time to bring this home!" Spider-Man called out as he webbed a nearby cement truck. He yanked the lever, causing the mixer to pour out cement directly onto Sandman.
"No!" Sandman screamed as the cement coated him, mixing with his sandy form and hardening almost instantly.
Spider-Man landed beside Shadow Spider, crossing his arms as they watched Sandman slowly turn into a cement statue. "Looks like Sandman's officially grounded."
"Nice one," Shadow Spider said with a nod. "But I'd say he's more of a... solid guy now."
Both heroes chuckled as they took a moment to catch their breath.
"Well, that was fun," Shadow Spider said, shaking off the last bit of sand from his suit. "Thanks for the team-up, Spidey."
"Anytime, partner," Spider-Man replied, giving him a fist bump. "Now let's get this sandy statue to the cops before he finds a way to wriggle out of it."
At Harry's place, he walks in to see his parents having dinner.
"Hey mom, dad." Harry smiles.
"Harry, what happened to you? And what's with the helmet? Going to a costume party?" Norman asks.
"Trying out for the team." Harry said proudly.
"Football? Not really your strong suit is it?" Norman asks.
Looking at his parents, Harry saw his mom didn't even respond.
"Guess we'll find out tomorrow." Harry said ready to prove him wrong.
The next day at tryouts, Harry was giving it everything he had, more determined than ever to make the team. The sun blazed down, but Harry didn't let up, his focus sharper than ever.
As the ball flew toward Jaden , he managed to catch it, but at the last second, it slipped from his grip, and he fumbled it. Frustration flickered across his face for a moment, but when he glanced over at Harry, he saw his friend give him a thumbs-up.
"Nice try, Jaden! You almost had it!" Harry called out, encouragement in his voice.
Jaden chuckled and shrugged. "Yeah, 'almost' being the key word there."
As the tryouts came to an end, the coach blew the whistle and gathered the players around. "Alright, listen up! Here's the lineup: Osborn, you're first string. Brown, second. Cooper..." The coach paused, eyeing Jaden with a half-smile. "Maybe next year."
Before Jaden could respond, Flash Thompson chimed in, laughing as he slapped Jaden on the back. "Yeah, if we're desperate! You made a great tackling dummy out there, Cooper. Let's do this again sometime."
Jaden rolled his eyes as Flash and the rest of the team walked away, still chuckling. Liz leaned over to Glory watching Flash strut off.
"Guess Jaden didn't have as much potential as Coach thought," Liz remarked with a smirk.
Glory gave her a glance before walking past Kenny and up to Harry , who was wiping sweat off his brow. She smiled, clearly impressed.
Jaden stood off to the side, watching the scene unfold. But instead of feeling down about not making the team, he felt a genuine sense of pride for his friend. 'Well, at least Harry got what he wanted out of this,' Jaden thought, a smile tugging at his lips.
Suddenly, a familiar voice called out from behind. "Jaden!" Jake jogged over, slightly out of breath but grinning. "Hey, man, tough break out there. But you know, football's overrated anyway. You've got way better things going for you."
Jaden raised an eyebrow, amused. "Oh yeah? Like what?"
Jake smirked, gesturing towards the bleachers. Gwen stood there, holding two ice cream cones, her eyes already searching the field for Jaden.
Jaden couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, fair point."
"See?" Jake said with a playful nudge. "Ice cream with Gwen beats getting tackled any day. Besides, I don't think I'm ready to lose my best sparring partner to football practice."
"Right, because chasing you around as Shadow Spider is *so* much easier," Jaden teased, rolling his eyes.
Jake grinned. "Hey, someone's gotta keep me on my toes."
With that, Jaden waved at Harry one last time before turning to join Gwen by the bleachers. "Later, Jake. Try not to get into too much trouble, alright?"
"No promises!" Jake called after him, already jogging away.
Jaden smiled to himself as he made his way toward Gwen. 'And I'm fine with what I got,' he thought, happily accepting the ice cream from her.