Chapter 4: The World of Heroes
Curt Conners Home…
New York City…
Saturday, May 7, 11:15 am…
Jay walked down the stairs after getting ready for the day. The previous day had been his first back to school on the odd Friday school day. During the entire day, everyone in school was talking about him or, more specifically, Spider-Man.
People all over were talking about the new hero of New York even on the news. That part Jay wasn't all that stoked about as some questioned his motives. More specifically, Godfrey who was starting to spearhead the idea that he was secretly a villain.
"How can we trust if this Spider-Man is a hero? Doesn't it look suspicious that Spider-Man shares several similarities to known assassin Black Spider?!" Godfrey kept saying.
"I really don't like him." Jay thought as he entered the kitchen, where Curt was looking over some notes.
It made Jay smile as the scientist had been working on something in the basement for hours on end. Ever since he beat Hobgoblin, he hadn't really seen him until now, so it was good that Curt was taking a break from whatever he was doing.
"Whatcha doing, Uncle Curt?" Jay asked as he opened the fridge and took out a carton of milk.
"Oh uh…nothing just brushing up on some old work," Curt answered.
"I thought doing this would keep my mind off of…other things. If I want to keep working with Star Labs once they rebuild, I need to keep up." Curt added as he grabbed towards his missing arm.
"Well, I'm glad your doing well but don't push yourself. I haven't seen you in two days." Jay insisted as he grabbed a box of cereal.
"Yes, it's hard work. Though I have been keeping up with current events." Curt stated.
"So, would you care to talk about this Spider-Man who took down Hobgoblin?" Curt inquired as Jay froze.
"What about him?" Jay asked, trying to act dumb.
"Don't play dumb, Jay. It's obvious that you're Spider-Man." Curt stated.
"But Spider-Man can shoot webs. I can't do that." Jay pointed out.
"Plus, you've seen that Black Spider guy he can do relatively the same stuff. It wouldn't surprise me if someone was able to figure out how he did it." Jay added, trying to deny it.
"While that may be true, he's wearing one of your hoodies," Curt replied as Jay sighed, knowing that he was caught.
"I guess I can't deny that," Jay murmured.
"So. Care to explain?" Curt asked as Jay sat at the table Curt sat on.
"I went after Hobgoblin because I had to. He killed my Dad and all those people in Star Labs. And he even is the cause for you losing your arm." Jay began.
"No one else could do it or were going to do it. So I did." Jay continued as Curt looked at him intently.
"But overall, it was because it was all my fault. Hobgoblin was hired to kill me by Oscorp to cover up their tracks. That's why he attacked Star Labs." Jay finished.
"I know it seemed wrong, but I had to do it," Jay added as he didn't meet Curt in the eyes.
Curt just stared at the boy before looking down at the papers he was reading, which were about his cross-species experiment. He looked back at Jay, who looked a little defeated before placing the papers face down and getting up.
"While I can't say I entirely approve, I can see you only did what you thought was right," Curt began as he placed his hand on Jay's shoulder.
"Plus, with the circumstances as they were, you didn't have much of a choice." Curt continued as Jay smiled.
"So I understand your reasons. Sometimes we have to do things others think are wrong." Curt finished as he looked back at his papers.
"Just promise me you won't do anything dangerous like that again." Curt requested as Jay sweatdropped.
"Yeah, sure," Jay replied, cursing himself inwardly as he was planning on continuing on being Spider-Man.
"So when were you able to shoot webs like that?" Curt asked.
"Oh uh, I found out about it while practicing." Jay lied, not wanting to sell out Jett.
"I see. I'm glad to hear you're getting a handle on your powers. And that you are safe." Curt replied as he picked up his papers.
"I'm going to the basement to continue on this, so if you don't mind, I'm going to need some privacy," Curt stated.
"Sure thing," Jay replied as Curt walked down the stairs.
Once Jay was finished eating, he placed his dishes in the dishwasher before heading to his room and taking out blank paper. It was time for Jay to design his suit that he would wear as Spider-Man. Jett had explained in dramatic detail how important it is and how it needed to be iconic.
Jay attempted several times but couldn't get one to stick as he couldn't figure out what he wanted. One thing he did want, though, was a mask similar to the one Jett had made him. For hours Jay went over possible designs that ranged from several arms attached to different capes.
None were satisfying for him as he crossed them out. He decided to try designing some sort of logo. Jay drew several different spiders ranging from small to big until he found one he liked, a large white spider. From that, he began to design the suit around it placing two of the symbols, one on the front and back.
Then after placing the mask, he decided to add a webbing that would spread down to several different areas of the suit that had red. He decided to add a hood to the suit and have the inside filled with red and webs while the outside was pitch black save a large red stripe that goes down the back.
The suit was mainly black save his red gloves and boots with a stripe that ran down each leg on the side and connected to the belt and boots. His chest would have a long red stripe down the front and back behind a large white spider that was connected together and a red belt.
When he finished, Jay placed it up and took a few steps back, and looked at his work. Though the drawing was crude, it was perfect. This was what he wanted, and this was what people would see when they think of Spider-Man.
(Quick AN: Sorry if it's hard to imagine I'm not good at describing this stuff but imagine the front and back looking like the cover image for this fic but right side up)
"It's perfect," Jay smirked as he took the drawing and began to head over to Jett's house.
Conners Home Basement…
Curt slowly poured liquid into a tube via a funnel so that he couldn't spill it. It traversed down the tube and extracted what Curt had wanted. Once it filled a vial, Curt picked it up and placed it in an injector.
After sleepless nights he finished the work he had started so long ago. When he first started research on cross-species genetics, he had gotten far before the ban was placed. But with what he had done, it was simple to finish.
The only hard part was actually making the serum, as with his missing arm and shaking hand, it was difficult for him to make fine movements. This caused him to spend more time on making sure he got it exactly right or risk disaster.
Looking down at the serum and contemplated what to do next. He knew it was irrational to begin human testing on himself straight away, but he would be unable to find any test animals. Which meant he would have to use it on himself.
But he wasn't going to do that just yet. To make absolutely sure that the serum he had made was correct, he would need to analyze it. Curt took some and placed it under a microscope, where Curt inspected it slowly, seeing it was exactly as he had wanted.
"That means it just needs testing," Curt murmured as he held the injector in his hand.
"Start small." Curt thought as he prepared a small dosage for him to take.
While he prided himself in safety, Curt himself didn't know what would happen if the serum was taken in large doses. So, for now, he had to keep it small. Slowly Curt removed his shirt and placed the injector over his stub before hitting the trigger, injecting himself with a small dose.
When the serum inside of him, Curt didn't feel any different. He could only assume that this would take some time to take effect. In which case, he would have to stay in his makeshift lab in the basement in order to see the effects it has on him.
If his math was right, then he should see the beginnings of his arm growing back. It was going to be hard to explain how he got his arm back, but once he proved that his serum was safe and full proof, then he should be in the clear.
Belle Reve Prison…
"God, what the hell happened to him?" A Guard questioned as he and another looked into a dirty padded cell.
"Don't know. It's like his body's shutting down. It's almost like he's going through some kind of super withdrawal." The Second Guard responded as they looked at Hobgoblin.
The orange menace cackled uncontrollably as he vomited black vomit. Ever since his arrival at the prison, the man had been inconsolable as his mental state plummeted. Hobgoblin talked to no one and ate nothing as he seemed to be decaying.
"Should we call a doctor?" The First Guard inquired.
"We tried, but he attacked the doctor we sent in." The Second Guard answered.
"So we're just going to let him die?" The First Guard asked.
"Who cares? Monsters like this guy should just die." The Second stated as they walked away.
As they walked, the cameras flickered as Robin jumped down from above, followed by Thirteen, Arrowette, and Miss Martian. Once the coast was clear, they approached the cell that contained Hobgoblin.
"Gross, what was he eating?!" Thirteen questioned as she gagged at the sight.
"Probably not much of anything," Robin stated as he looked at Miss Martian.
"Should we leave from what they said he hasn't been talking?" Robin inquired.
"Maybe. But I want to see the state of his mind first." Miss Martian responded as her eyes glowed green.
The second she entered Hobgoblin's mind, did she back out as his mind was shattered. Whatever had happened to him, or he had done to himself left him broken. There was nothing she could do or get from him.
"It's a bust." Miss Martian revealed.
"Robin, I would like you to get a blood sample. With that, we can find out who he was." Miss Martian insisted.
"Yes," Robin replied as Miss Martian opened the door.
Robin quickly ran in as Hobgoblin swung at him, being aggressive to anything that wasn't himself. This didn't faze Robin as he jumped over Hobgoblin and swept his legs, causing the menace to fall on the ground as Robin took some blood and left.
"Excellent. Let's go." Miss Martian ordered as everyone left, returning the cameras to normal.
Jett's Home…
"Huh, not a bad design. At least it's not plain like the name." Jett commented as he looked at Jay's costume design.
"You really that annoyed about the name?" Jay inquired.
"I'm just saying, man, do you know how many people just rely on that kind of name style for a name?" Jett questioned.
"There's Batman, Superman, Aquaman, Hawkman, just to name a few. It couldn't have hurt to put some flavor in it." Jett expressed.
"Whatever you say, Human Spider," Jay replied, making fun of the bad suggestion.
"Okay, maybe that wasn't my best name, but still." Jett sighed.
"Getting back on topic, how is the suit going to be made?" Jay asked.
"Well, I'm not good at sewing, but Sara made this device that makes cloth mesh like the heavy-duty stuff for severe cold." Jett began.
"With a few adjustments, it could put together the suit no problem," Jett explained.
"Wow, how long will that take?" Jay inquired.
"No idea, and there's no guarantee it will work, but we'll just have to see," Jett answered.
"Wait, won't Sara be pissed if you used her machine without her permission?" Jay questioned.
"It's fine. She won't find out." Jett responded.
"I'm just going to use leftover materials and a little spandex. You always got to have spandex." Jett smirked.
"Have you been researching superhero stuff in your free time?" Jay inquired.
"Maybe. Shut up!" Jett muttered.
"By the way, Uncle Curt managed to put two and two together and figured out that I was Spider-Man," Jay revealed as Jett went wide-eyed.
"Shit! Doesn't that mean we're busted? There's no way you can go out and be Spider-Man with him knowing!?" Jett questioned.
"I'll figure it out, don't worry. Oh, and I didn't let him know you helped, so don't worry about getting in trouble." Jay stated.
"Alright, but are you sure you can fool him?" Jett inquired.
"I'm hoping I can convince him to let me continue. We'll just have to see." Jay responded.
"Well, I just have to trust you then." Jett sighed as he took out some notes.
"Also, I've been working on a new version of the web-shooters that shall be small enough to fit under the costume. This way, you don't have them exposed as the old ones." Jett explained.
"I've already started working on them and should be done soon," Jett stated.
"Awesome can't wait to see them. While swinging initially was nerve-racking, it's getting a little bit fun." Jay replied.
"Anyway, before I get started, the new episode of Space Trek 3016 is about to air. Want to watch?" Jett asked.
"Sweet! Let's do this!" Jay smirked as the two ran to the living room.
As Jett tuned into the show, Jay thought about the lead of the show Garfield Logan a known meta. He was surprised to see him as an actor, but it was inspiring to see him be openly meta. The fact there wasn't any attempt to kidnap him was surprising, but then again, he's probably hard to get to.
When the show went on commercial, it advertized Goode Goggles, a new VR game system by Gretchen Goode, the woman who funds the show and owns a multimillion-dollar company. Unlike companies like Oscorp and Lexcorp, Gretchen Goode focus's on humanitarian business.
Though the VR system looked interesting, Jay didn't know if he was going to get one as, for one, money was going to be tight in the future. Secondly, since he was going to become Spider-Man, he wouldn't have much time to play.
Downtown Stock Exchange…
At the New York Stock Exchange, several brokers ran around buying and selling stocks just as normal for the exchange. As everyone went about their business, a man in a trenchcoat and fedora entered through the entrance. Though he couldn't go too far without authorization.
"Uh, sir, I'm going to need to see some ID." A Security Guard insisted.
"Sure. I've got my ID right here." The Man stated as he raised his right fist, which was fit into a gauntlet that began to glow.
Suddenly the entire entrance and security checkpoint was blown apart as a giant shockwave rocked through the building. The Man slowly walked over the collapsed bodies of several employees as he took off his coat and hat, revealing a yellow padded suit with brown highlights.
"The Shocker has come to gather your life's work!" Shocker cackled as he fired another shockwave.
Shocker knocked over several pillars and screens, causing many people to flee in terror as Shocker grabbed onto a computer. He chuckled as he began directly manipulating certain stocks just slightly before breaking the computer.
Once he was done, he fired another shockwave at a group of guards that ran towards him. After that, he began to head outside, where sirens began to approach from the distance. When he exited, the building Shocker was surrounded by the police.
"Freeze!" The Police demanded.
"Not a chance!" Shocker replied as he fired.
Jett's House…
"We interrupt this broadcast of Space Trek 3016 for breaking news!" J. Jonah Jamason interrupted as the show stopped.
"Oh, come on, it was just getting good!" Jett wined.
"Currently, someone going by the name Shocker has broken into the Stock Exchange! Police have arrived at the scene and have begun a shootout!" Jonah announced.
"Shocker?" Jett questioned as Jay stood up.
"Looks like they're going to need some help," Jay stated as he grabbed his mask and the prototype web-shooters out of his bag.
"Be careful. We don't know what this Shocker guy can do." Jett warned as Jay nodded.
Jay ran out of the front door and into a nearby alley where he put on his mask and a hoodie before swinging off towards the Stock Exchange. He swung as fast as he could, but as he hadn't figured out the best way for swinging fast, he couldn't go as fast as he wanted.
Eventually, he made it to the exchange, where chaos was ensuing. Shocker knocked several cars over as the police were slammed into buildings. One of the cars was beaten up pretty badly as it caught fire with its driver barely conscious within.
Jumping down, Jay landed on the car and ripped the door off before grabbing onto the driver and getting him to safety. Jay then got other officers out of the way as Shocker fired at them. When all were out of the way, confused about Jay's presence, the boy hopped on a lamppost.
"You know there's no money to steal here, right? What do you hope to accomplish?" Jay questioned as Shocker looked up at him.
"Who the hell do you think you are? This ain't a LARP session, kid!" Shocker shouted.
"I'm Spider-Man!" Jay replied as Shocker just stared at him.
"Oh, you mean the guy who caught Hobgoblin? Well, you don't look like much wearing that!" Shocker goaded as he fired a shockwave at Jay.
"It's a work in progress!" Jay shouted as he jumped out of the way and fired a web swinging towards Shocker.
But before he could get close, Shocker punched at him, creating a shockwave that sent Jay through the wall of a building. When he picked himself up and apologized to the people whose office he had been thrown into, Jay jumped out.
He saw Shocker enter a box truck that had barreled through the blockade to get to him. As it drove off, Jay took chase as he stuck a web to the back of the truck and shot one onto a nearby building. This halted the truck as Jay used his strength to prevent it from moving.
"What's going on?" Shocker questioned the driver.
"I don't know the trucks floored!" The Driver answered.
"I am not getting caught on my first mission! Kingpin will have both our heads!" Shocker shouted as he looked at the mirror to see a web.
"Stop accelerating. I'll be right back." Shocker ordered as he left the truck, and the police approached Jay.
"Freeze! Drop the web!" They demanded.
"Wha..? I'm the good guy here!" Jay shouted as the cops were blown away by a shockwave.
"You're strong, kid. I'll give you that." Shocker stated as he walked towards Jay, who connected his two webs together and dropped to the ground.
"Well, I'm not going to let you get away," Jay replied as he shot a web towards Shocker.
Shocker raised his right arm, blocking the web with his gauntlet before grabbing onto the web and pulling it to no effect. Jay stuck in place as not only was he stronger, he could stick to the ground.
In response, Shocker raised his left hand and fired a shockwave at Jay, whose spider-sense warned him fast enough for him to jump out of the way. Shocker followed up on his attack with another one sent towards the falling Jay, who shot a web to get him out of the way.
This time Shocker fired the next attack faster, hitting Jay and sending him into a knocked-over police car. As Jay recovered, Shocker broke the web and got back into the truck that began to drive away.
Once Jay was back onto his feet, he fired another web into the back of the truck, but before he could focus on sticking or shooting another web, he was dragged away. Jay hit the pavement as the truck drove away, dragging him along tearing apart his clothes.
If it wasn't for his new hardened skin, it too would have been broken apart as the truck turned a corner. When it turned the corner, Jay was flung into a café shattering through the window before exiting from another.
This forced Jay to fire another web on the truck, this time managing to stay on his feet. But he could stick to anything as he was slammed into the side of a car, tearing off a door. He used that as a buffer while the truck continued to drag him along.
In order to put an end to the dragging, Jay fired another web and pulled himself in until he landed on the back of the truck with a thud. This alerted Shocker as he looked in the side view mirror to see Jay crawling towards them.
"This bug is harder to kill than a cockroach." Shocker muttered as he broke open the window and climbed out.
"You're out of your league, kid!" Shocker stated as he climbed onto the roof.
"Yeah, well, that's yet to be seen!" Jay replied as he stuck to the side of the truck.
"You're going to want to shake off that concussion because you're delirious." Shocker laughed as he fired a shockwave at Jay. Though he managed to jump out of the way to the back of the truck.
Shocker fired another shockwave tearing large chunks of the truck off as Jay avoided them. As the shockwaves hit the ground, it pushed around the truck as the driver struggled to keep the truck steady and going forward as he barreled through several intersections and cars.
"For the love of…are you trying to flip the truck?!" The Driver questioned as Jay jumped on the roof behind Shocker.
"Honestly, are you even thinking when you fire those things? Where the hell did you get them anyway?" Jay questioned as Shocker turned around.
"Why the hell should I tell you?" Shocker asked as he ran towards Jay.
As Shocker attacked Jay with many shockwaves, Jay managed to avoid each one but noticed that several civilians were getting in the crossfire. Seeing this, Jay knew he had to stop Shocker from recklessly firing his shockwaves and stop the truck.
So acting fast, Jay jumped up as Shocker charged a shockwave. Jay kicked Shocker's hand into the truck's roof, causing the shockwave to shoot through it. This caused the truck to jump into the air, launching both Jay and Shocker as the truck flipped forward.
Thinking quickly, Jay fired several web nets to catch the truck as it fell. As Jay landed on the street, the truck hit his web safely away from the people. Shocker, however, fell from above and fired a shockwave into Jay to soften his fall.
The shockwave sent Jay into the ground and further into the sewers as Shocker landed on his feet. Looking back at the unconscious driver, Shocker turned and fired a small shockwave at an oncoming car stopping it in its tracks.
"I'm commandeering this vehicle." Shocker stated as he tossed the owner out and began to drive off.
Meanwhile, Jay slowly got out of the sewer covered in the filthy water that was down there. Jay coughed as he gasped for the fresh air after gagging from the smell of the sewer. After seeing that Shocker had escaped, Jay made his way to the driver who had just awoken in the truck.
"Who do you work for?" Jay questioned as he ripped the door off and dragged the driver out.
"I'll never tell you, kid." The Driver spat.
"You do realize Shocker's not coming back, right? I think it should be in your best interest to tell me what I want." Jay pointed out.
"He'd kill me if I talk." The Driver stated.
"Shocker would?" Jay asked.
"No, the boss is someone with more control. Shocker will only be the beginning." The Driver responded.
"So you're saying there's going to be more people with gauntlets like Shocker?" Jay asked as the driver went wide-eyed, realizing he was saying too much.
"I'm not talking anymore!" The Driver shouted.
"Suit yourself." Jay sighed as he tossed him onto the web and swung off.
"Well, that didn't go too well." Jay sighed as he landed on a building and inspected his torn clothes.
"I need to change," Jay said before smelling himself.
"Ugh, and a shower." Jay gaged.
Elsewhere…
After ditching his stolen car, Shocker made his way to an old warehouse in Brooklyn. He quickly entered the building seeing that it was more intact than the inside would show. In fact, it was technologically more advanced than most buildings around the city.
"Oi boss you here?" Shocker questioned as he walked through several machines.
"The boss doesn't live here, moron." A Voice stated as Shocker turned around to see a woman wearing black clothing with an exoskeleton and a mask covering her lower face.
"Tinkerer?!" Shocker gasped.
"Where's the boss?" Shocker questioned.
"Not here, idiot he's at his office." Tinkerer answered as she pushed past him.
"Did you complete your task?" Tinkerer inquired as she pulled up schematics on her computer.
"Yeah, I tanked the stocks of the boss's competitors." Shocker answered.
"Good." Tinkerer replied as she started to call Kingpin.
"Though my driver got caught by some kid calling himself Spider-Man." Shocker stated as Tinkerer stopped the call.
"Who?" Tinkerer questioned. She had heard the name when she spoke with Kingpin but didn't pay it any mind.
"Some kid in some homemade costume made of a hoodie and mask tried to stop me, but I managed to get out of there when I sent him into the ground." Shocker explained.
"These gauntlets you made work wonders." Shocker smirked as Tinkerer turned around.
"I've been busy and held up here for a while. Tell me everything you know about this Spider-Man." Tinkerer insisted.
"What's with the interest? Besides, if the boss isn't here, I'm just going to go to him." Shocker replied.
"You can't just walk into the boss's building. Why do you think he told you to come here?" Tinkerer pointed out.
"Right." Shocker sighed as he leaned on a railing.
"So tell me about Spider-Man," Tinkerer ordered.
"Who cares he's not any threat?" Shocker questioned as Tinkerer grabbed onto his throat and lifted him up as her exoskeleton glowed red and extended two spikes towards Shocker's throat.
"Answer the damn question, Shocker." Tinkerer demanded.
"He's just some nobody. He's super strong and stuck to surfaces. Also, he shot webs out of some bracelets on his arms." Shocker said as Tinkerer dropped him.
"That wasn't hard, was it?" Tinkerer spat as she let go of Shocker and turned around.
"I'll call the boss for you. He'll give you your next orders." Tinkerer stated as she called Kingpin and left.
She pulled out her phone and tuned in to the news report on Shocker's actions, and watched the fight with him and Spider-Man. Or at least what was caught on camera. She had been so busy with making weapons for Kingpin she had not seen much news, so this was surprising.
"There's no doubt. This has to be Jay, and those bracelets must have been made by Jett." Tinkerer thought.
"What are those idiots doing?" Tinkerer questioned. At the moment, she couldn't do anything, but when she would get home, she would confront the two boys about this.
"Hey, Tinkerer! The boss wants a word." Shocker announced as Tinkerer made her way to her computer.
"Is there something you need, boss?" Tinkerer inquired.
"I'd like you to finish the shockwave suit for Shocker." Kingpin answered.
"Are you sure I haven't finished designing yet?!" Tinkerer questioned.
"He's going to need it when he sieges a Lexcorp facility." Kingpin revealed.
"There's no way it'll work!" Tinkerer argued.
"I'm trusting you to make it work. I brought you here to strengthen my empire, so don't disappoint me, Tinkerer." Kingpin stated.
"There's also the matter of drawing out Spider-Man." Kingpin added.
"What do you want with Spider-Man?" Tinkerer inquired, concerned for Jay.
"He cost me Hobgoblin and attempted to capture Shocker. It is best to kill him before he becomes a threat." Kingpin began.
"Since Hobgoblin is unable to hold a conversation, we cannot find out his identity. Sadly due to his withdrawal, he will also die very soon." Kingpin continued.
"For that, Spider-Man must die. So Shocker will attack a Lexcorp facility, dealing as much damage as he can, then he will kill the little arachnid." Kingpin finished.
"I don't know if I can help, boss." Tinkerer declined.
"Oh, don't tell me you're getting cold feet, girl. Don't forget who you belong to!" Kingpin replied.
"I understand, sir. It's just that if the suit isn't just right, it may kill Shocker." Tinkerer lied, causing Shocker to become nervous.
"I don't want to die here, boss." Shocker expressed.
"It'll be fine." Kingpin stated.
"Get it done as soon as you can, Tinkerer. I don't accept failure." Kingpin declared as the call cut off.
"So about this suit…." Shocker began.
"It'll be done whether or not it's fully safe. So if you don't want to get on the boss's bad side, get ready." Tinkerer interrupted.
"And get out this ain't a hotel!" Tinkerer demanded as Shocker left.
"What am I going to do?" Tinkerer questioned. She couldn't contact Jett or Jay without Kingpin finding out, which would put them in further danger.
Downtown…
"Wow, talk about a wreck!" Kid Flash chuckled as he looked at the truck that was now on its back due to the dissolved webs.
"Yeah, the guy driving wasn't driving with the mind of being safe." Blue Beetle said as the scarab scanned the remnants of the webs.
"How did just the two of us get stuck with this?" Blue Beetle sighed as Kid Flash ran to his side.
"The others are busy keeping an eye on meta stashes, so if anything, we're lucky to be doing something different, bro!" Kid Flash exclaimed.
"I guess, but we got here too late. There's no sign of where Spider-Man could have gone." Blue Beetle replied.
"Yeah, but one thing that's confusing is who this Shocker guy was." Kid Flash pointed out.
"Good point. His tech was definitely new. I haven't seen anything like it." Blue Beetle agreed as the two left the scene.
"So got a plan?" Kid Flash asked.
"The beginning of one." Blue Beetle began.
"We just need to wait for this Shocker guy to pop up again." Blue Beetle explained.
"Yeah, but we won't know where." Kid Flash said as Blue Beetle looked at the Stock Exchange.
"Maybe we can." Blue Beetle replied as he flew towards the exchange with Kid Flash running after.
Jett's House…
"Damn, dude, you stink!" Jett gagged as Jay stood in Jett's backyard.
"No shit. Can I come in and shower?" Jay requested.
"Yeah, come in, dude. I'll get some clothes for ya." Jett replied as Jay entered and went to the bathroom.
While Jay showered, Jett got some of his clothes to give to his friend before heading into the basement. Jett went over and took off a thick yellow cloth of the device his sister made and began to make the adjustments to make Jay's suit.
When he did, he noticed that the cloth was too thick for a coat and felt insulated to the point that would prevent damage from excessive force. Deciding to ignore it, for now, Jett got to work adjusting the machine before taking the material he needed.
Jett placed the material that would be made into the suit, including spandex and sleek rubber plastic alloy. This would help defend Jay against lots of damage and make the suit much more durable.
He activated the machine after inputting the design, and it began to construct the suit like a 3D printer. When he returned upstairs, Jay had come out of the shower and got downstairs, meeting up with his friend.
"How are you feeling?" Jett inquired.
"Better, but that Shocker guy packs a punch. Whoever made those gauntlets for him knows their stuff." Jay responded.
"Yeah, I never thought about making a weapon that utilizes shockwaves. It's amazing but scary." Jett agreed.
"That being said, it doesn't seem to have any flaws. If I take one straight on, it could even break a bone." Jay sighed.
"Are you…good man? I mean, I know you want to do this, but it's okay to back out. This is going to get dangerous." Jett inquired.
"Yeah, I'm good. This is what I signed up for. But if you want out, that's fine." Jay answered.
"Oh please, if you're still sticking with this, then so am I," Jett replied.
"You're suit is being made downstairs, and I should have your new web-shooters done soon. So you should go home and get some rest." Jett said.
"Oh wait, then Mr. Conners might confront you about today, wouldn't he?" Jett wondered.
"Right, he probably would," Jay replied.
"You can stay here for the night if you'd like. The suit won't be done for a day or so anyway." Jett offered.
"Thanks. I think I may do that, but I'll send him a message so that he doesn't get worried." Jay replied as he sent Curt a text.
Curt Conners Basement…
Curt Conners laid on the table in his basement, passed out after hours of nothing occurring. Slowly he began to stir and picked himself up but not before noticing an odd feeling from his right side. Moving his jacket aside, he saw that his stub began to sprout a new arm.
It was small, and he could barely feel it, but it was working. His arm was growing back! But it seemed to stop at its current size, meaning he would need more of the serum to continue. While he was hesitant at first, Curt quickly injected himself with more.
Perhaps it was because it was the second dose or that it was still working through his system, but the second injection hit him instantly. Curt collapsed to the floor, and his body convulsed, the effects immediately taking effect as he saw his new arms slowly growing.
But the pain was too much as Curt passed out into unconsciousness as his body slowly continued its change. Because of this, he did not see Jay's text, nor did he even notice most of the events of the day.
Hell's Kitchen…
In the dark alleys of Hell's Kitchen, several suspicious figures met up exchanging what could only be assumed to be drugs. This seemed to be a normal occurrence for the ones involved as they were only cautious of being caught. But it wasn't the police they should be scared of.
"Hehehehehehehehe…." A Voice cackled, echoing through the alley.
"Who's there?" One of the dealers questioned as they took out a gun.
"Show yourself, and you may just survive!" Another demanded.
"Hahahahahahahahaha…." The Voice laughed as a large green man appeared at the end of the alley.
The green man in question was fairly tall, just about six feet and his eyes were beet red with a hit of yellow at the iris. It looked like two horns were growing out of his head as his body resembled that of a moderately built boxer.
His hands seemed to glow as he clutched torn cloth he used to cover his body. The dealers looked at one another as they watched the green man slowly approach them laughing all the while.
"Stay back if you don't want to die!" One of the dealers threatened.
"Kil….illl…..kill…." The Green Man murmured as his grin was wide.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The Green Man cackled as he jumped at them, hurling balls of flame that exploded upon impact.
The explosion sent the dealers on their asses as the green man pounced on them, beginning to slaughter each and every one. Soon everyone in the alley but the green man was dead, as he revealed in his work.
"…No…I can't…." A Voice denied within the green man's head.
"Quiet…Norman. Must…secure…success…." The Green Man muttered as his eyes became more yellow and his body slowly looked more humanoid.
That did not apply to his head, as instead, it continued to look more like a goblin. It was as if whatever had turned Norman Osborn into this thing was still occurring and was not finished just yet. This was only the beginning as the green man entered the sewers.
The Next Day…
Jay slowly woke up in the guest room of Jett's home, having stayed overnight. He picked up his phone and was surprised to see that he had no response from Curt. It concerned him, so he decided that he would drop by later to check up on him.
Jumping downstairs, Jay met with Jett, who was in his kitchen eating some cereal. Jay joined him as the two sat in silence, both tired from the day prior. One was tired from the fight with Shocker, and the other was tired from pulling an all-nighter working on the web-shooters.
"I wonder what the news is saying about your heroic work yesterday?" Jett wondered, breaking the silence as he turned on the tv.
"Please go to the Daily Bugle. I'd rather not hear that dick Godfrey talk." Jay requested as Jett changed the channel.
"This is Eddie Brock with the Daily Bugle on sight reporting about the attack on the New York Stock Exchange that occurred just yesterday." Eddie began.
"Just yesterday, a man going by the name the Shocker broke into the stock exchange using a mysterious weapon utilizing shockwaves." Eddie continued.
"Massive amounted of property damage was caused during his initial attack and his escape when the Spider-Man appeared!" Eddie stated.
"Unfortunately, the unkempt hero was unable to capture Shocker but was able to stop the truck he was using to escape allowing the police to capture and interrogate the driver." Eddie went on.
"As of now, nothing has been learned from the driver. So we can only hope this isn't the beginning of another Hobgoblin." Eddie finished.
It was that last sentence that caught Jay's attention, though. Shocker turning into another Hobgoblin it got him thinking. Hobgoblin was hired by Oscorp or, more specifically, Norman Osborn to kill him. This means Norman made Oz Formula and could be the source of Hobgoblin's strength.
But Hobgoblin also said that Norman had made his glider, meaning Oscorp was funding him even if he didn't fully work for them. Which meant Oscorp could be working for the real boss of Hobgoblin and maybe even Shocker. It could be that it was Oscorp who made Shocker's weapons.
"Which means Oscorp may have the answer of Shocker and Hobgoblin's boss." Jay theorized.
"You good man?" Jett asked.
"Oh uh yeah, just thinking about certain things. I feel like something much bigger is going on in New York." Jay responded as he explained his theory to Jett.
"Well, while there are some holes in the theory, I can't say it isn't improbable. Hell, it could be that they're all connected somehow." Jett murmured.
"Do we still have that field trip to Oscorp?" Jay inquired.
"No, they canceled it because of Norman Osborn's disappearance," Jett answered.
"That's right, he did disappear," Jay replied as he remembered the newscast with the footage of a large green man.
"Now we have a trip to a fair before the last day of school," Jett stated.
"Right. This means to get definitive answers, I'm going to either get them from Shocker, which I doubt he'll comply or…break into Oscorp." Jay said.
"Why is it that you keep coming up with ludicrous plans?" Jett sighed.
"I'm just getting it out there, is all," Jay replied as he grabbed his neck and turned it back and forth as it was sore.
Shocker had done a lot to him yesterday, and if it wasn't because of his faster healing ability, he would probably have a bad concussion. That got Jay thinking of how he would catch Shocker the next time they meet.
While he had managed to fight Shocker well enough the first time but that was most likely due to the fact Shocker was trying to escape and not kill him. Jay was confident that he was acrobatic enough to avoid most of Shocker's blasts, but close range unless he pushed Shocker away, he couldn't.
He was still relatively new to the whole hero thing, but that being said, it seemed that Shocker wasn't practiced with his weapons either. When they fought, Shocker wasn't fully utilizing his weapons as he kept firing erratically.
It could be that Shocker was just as new to this as he was. Though his gauntlets had more destructive power and range than Jay's web-shooters. Which means that their subsequent encounter could possibly be far more troublesome.
Watchtower…
"So, can you see who's benefiting most from this?" Blue Beetle asked as he Kid Flash stood next to Robin, who was working on a computer.
"Yes, this Shocker definitely was manipulating certain stocks. He tried to hide it with some random businesses, but he wasn't good at it." Robin responded.
"Currently, there are two companies that benefit, the first being Oscorp and the second being Fisk Industries," Robin explained.
"However, it does seem that Oscorp is benefitting more from this," Robin added.
"So Oscorp is behind this?" Kid Flash inquired.
"No, I don't think so," Robin answered.
"What do you mean?" Blue Beetle asked.
"It's too obvious to be Oscorp. It's almost as if they want us to think it is. Especially since the CEO Norman Osborn has disappeared." Robin explained.
"I believe that it's Fisk Industries behind all of this. They're making their business more profitable as well as Oscorps, and now the Norman Osborn isn't around…." Robin began.
"Then they can buy up the company!" Kid Flash interrupted.
"Precisely, and no one would be the wiser unless they looked hard enough," Robin replied.
"Then again, it would be impossible to prove it without getting evidence," Robin stated.
"But there's one thing that stands out here," Robin added.
"Lexcorp is their greatest competitor, so the fact that they weren't touched is odd," Robin explained.
"So could they also be part of this? Maybe this is all part of The Lights plan." Blue Beetle suggested.
"No, I doubt it. The Light wouldn't do something so dramatic for something so small." Robin denied.
"Besides, I doubt only slightly affecting the stocks of Lexcorp would do any good," Robin added.
"So they could be planning something bigger to lower the stocks of Lexcorp." Kid Flash murmured.
"That would be difficult as Lexcorp is highly defended." Blue Beetle pointed out.
"True, but any attack that causes damage would be enough if people are hurt or die. And with the destructive power Shocker produced, it could happen." Robin explained.
"So Shocker's going to attack Lexcorp then?" Blue Beetle inquired.
"Most likely," Robin answered.
"Then Spider-Man may just show up as well." Blue Beetle smirked.
"Guess we have a stakeout!" Kid Flash exclaimed.
Curt Conners Basement…
Curt woke up once more from unconsciousness as daylight seeped through the small windows of the basement. The effects of the second dose of his serum were fast-acting as he picked himself up by grabbing onto the table.
But as he did, he noticed something. He had not grabbed onto the table with his left arm. Slowly looking over, he noticed that his right arm had fully grown back, though was a little skinny, lacking some nutrients.
After getting up, he stared at the regrown limb as he touched it with his left and touched things around him with it. He broke down in tears as he held his arm close as he walked upstairs to eat something as he had not eaten in a while.
Without any care, he ate everything and anything, even raw meat from the fridge, which slowly became a cause for concern. But before he could question it, his new arm became unstable as his skin peeled off.
Curt ran downstairs as his arm slowly broke down and disappeared. In a desperate attempt to stop it, Curt took the rest of the serum and injected himself. With everything that was happening, Curt was not thinking properly as he began to twitch and convulse.
His new arm had stopped degrading and began to regrow, but while that happened, more changes began. Green scales began to grow around his body as his nails grew into claws. Curt attempted to grab onto an antiserum he had made in the case of rapid mutation.
But due to his rapidly changing body, his claws tore his research papers and destroyed the vial of antiserum. Collapsing back to the ground, the scales grew more and more as Curt's face distorted and his eyes turned lizard-like.
With a loud wail, Curt got up and charged into the nearby wall before hitting the ground below him. He clawed mercilessly at the ground until it began to break, and a hole began to form. Eventually, Curt dug into the sewers as his body continued to drastically change.
Jett's House…
Jay, along with Jett, were hard at work as Jett worked on finishing the new and improved web-shooters while Jay focused on making web fluid. Thankfully the chemicals to make the fluid weren't too hard to come by at the moment as he still had extra, and Jett's sister had some lying around.
Eventually, though, Jay would need to find his own, which would complicate things, but for now, he needed to focus on getting the fluid right. Though he was slightly concerned as Uncle Curt had yet to return his texts and calls.
He could only hope that Curt wasn't mad at him for going after Shocker the previous day but then again, staying quiet like this was abnormal for him. Jay decided that as soon as he captured Shocker, he would go straight home to check on him.
"Alright, I'm done!" Jett exclaimed as he presented Jay with two black wristbands.
"Wow, those are the web-shooters?!" Jay gasped.
"Yep, I managed to figure out how to make them stronger and made a few more web styles. My favorite is a parachute." Jett smirked.
"I can make a parachute with a web?" Jay questioned.
"Yeah, spiders in the wild do something similar all the time," Jett responded.
"Cool. I finished making the fluid compacting them in the vials you gave me." Jay replied.
"Great, now you can put them in this belt for future use. You don't want to run out mid-swing." Jett smirked.
"Good point." Jay agreed.
"The suit should be done by tonight, but I have something for it you should see." Jett smiled as he took out two white lenses.
"Aren't those just what allows me to see through the mask?" Jay asked.
"Yes, but there's more look," Jett smirked as he put them in front of his eyes. Jay raised a brow when he saw the lenses open and close in response to Jett's eye movements.
"Oh, and it acts double as a camera so that I can see through your eyes and help you when need it," Jett explained.
"Nice! Damn, between you and Sara, I don't know who is better at making stuff." Jay replied.
"As much as my ego doesn't want to admit it, Sara is definitely better than I am. She can make things far more advanced than I can." Jett sighed.
"It's no surprise her startup is doing so well," Jett smirked.
"I'm just hoping she doesn't work herself to death." Jett sighed.
Tinkerer's Workshop…
Tinkerer worked tirelessly on the suit Kingpin had requested be made. It was far more powerful than the gauntlets she had made. With this, Shocker could deal more damage and move far easier with shockwaves.
The suit would also provide him with stronger defenses as it was mostly bulletproof. But Tinkerer was nervous because of what Kingpin wanted Shocker to use this for. He wanted Shocker to lure out Spider-Man to kill him at Lexcorp.
If she was right that Spider-Man was Jay, she would be an accessory in his death. She didn't want that as Jay had become like another little brother to her. Jay and Jett were inseparable, and it killed her a little to even help with someone looking to kill him.
After thinking long and hard, she knew what she had to do as she opened up the shockwave generator and took out a small piece. She replaced it with a similar piece, though just slightly off from the proper one.
"Jay, if you know what's good for you, then you'll stay out of all this and live a normal life." Tinkerer thought as she closed up the generator.
Night Time…
Lexcorp New York Division…
"Are you two in position?" Robin inquired as he stood at the edge of a skyscraper adjacent to Lexcorp.
"Yeah, and so far nothing." Blue Beetle replied as he flew over Lexcorp.
"Since we don't know when the attack is going to happen, I guess we'll be here for a while." Kid Flash sighed as he opened a bag of chips as he sat next to Robin.
"I'm surprised you came with Tim. Weren't you and Cassie supposed to go on a mission together?" Kid Flash asked.
"We were, but she had something come up, so I decided to join you two here," Robin explained.
"Well, the more, the merrier." Kid Flash smirked.
"With all of us here, we can take out Shocker no problem and get to talking with this Spider-Man guy." Kid Flash added.
"That is if he isn't a lackey for The Light." Robin reminded.
"We don't know that for sure." Kid Flash pointed out.
Suddenly a large explosion caught the three's attention, but it wasn't at Lexcorp. It was several miles away towards Brooklyn. The three were caught off guard as another explosion rocked far bigger than the previous one.
"Beetle, what's over there?" Robin questioned.
"It's a factory. A Lexcorp factory!" Blue Beetle answered.
"Damn, of course, they would attack something other than the headquarters." Robin cursed at his short-sightedness.
"What does the factory make?" Robin inquired.
"I don't know. We'll have to find out when we get there!" Blue Beetle responded as he flew off to the attack, and Kid Flash followed.
"What could this factory have of value?" Robin wondered as he swung from his grappling hook.
Lexcorp Medical Supply Facility…
"HAHAHA! This suit is amazing!" Shocker cackled as he fired shockwaves throughout the facility.
His old suit had been replaced with one mostly made of metal for protection with the same colorization. But he didn't just have shockwave gauntlets. He had two generators on his legs and back, allowing him to jump and move far distances.
This allowed him to avoid the guards and take them out with ease as he tore down the factory. Unknown to most who believed that this was just a standard factory for making medical supplies, it was actually making several drugs to increase the metagene in normal people.
Kingpin had not only knew about this but knew that losing this would affect not only Lexcorp stock but whatever Lexcorp was doing behind the scenes. As long as Kingpin was in New York City, then no one would move in on his territory.
Shocker was doing just that as several parts of the building collapsed down on itself. He was basically unstoppable as he had too much fun. Unknown to him, though as he used the shockwaves nonstop, a small piece of his generator was shacking lose.
"Even if the bug doesn't show up, this is going to be a good night!" Shocker laughed as he blew up a large container.
Jett's Home…
Jay and Jett turned on the news after they heard the explosion and saw that Shocker was back sooner than they had anticipated. Sadly no one was at the scene, but with all the destruction, it wouldn't be hard to find.
"I've got to get over there!" Jay muttered as he went for the door.
"Jay, wait, you're forgetting something!" Jett reminded.
"The suit should be done now," Jett smirked as the two walked downstairs and looked at the finished suit.
"Wow. It looks so much better than my bad drawing." Jay commented.
"Oh yeah, but if you haven't noticed, I added a few things. Such as the belt and where the two white spiders meet at the shoulders and the waist." Jett boasted.
"It's perfect," Jay replied as they took it off the machine.
"It's time for Shocker to meet the true Spider-Man," Jay smirked.
Lexcorp Medical Supply Facility…
Kid Flash ran into the collapsing building, quickly grabbing and getting everyone he could to safety. As he did, Blue Beetle arrived and blew away debris from hitting people and off of those who were trapped beneath.
"Hm, what's this?" Shocker questioned as he watched Blue Beetle save some of the workers.
"Oh, I remember him. It's not the bug I wanted, but killing him will also be good." Shocker smirked as he raised his arm and aimed at Blue Beetle.
But Blue Beetle was warned of the attack by the scarab as he turned quickly and countered with his sonic blaster canceling out the shockwave. However, Shocker followed up by launching himself into the air and hitting Beetle point blank with a shockwave.
The shockwave sent Blue Beetle through a wall as Kid Flash ran in and assaulted Shocker with high-speed hit and runs. But that didn't last for long as Shocker used the shockwave generators on his legs and back to knock Kid Flash off his feet.
Before Shocker could attack Kid Flash, Robin hit him with an explosive birdarang. It didn't faze Shocker as his suit took the brunt of it, leaving him unharmed. He turned around and fired at Robin, who was on the roof.
Robin avoided the attack by jumping down simultaneously, throwing three birdarangs exploding at Shocker's feet. It made Shocker off balance as he shot up, but he managed to land on his feet, able to fire a shockwave at Robin.
To avoid the attack, Robin shot his grapple at the roof, pulling him up, but the roof was unstable, breaking down causing him to fall. As Shocker readied to fire another shockwave at the falling Robin, he was knocked away by Blue Beetle, who fired a sonic blast.
"This guy has some serious tech!" Blue Beetle stated as he created a second blaster and fired upon Shocker.
"You three are not who I wanted to show up!" Shocker shouted as he fired back at Beetle.
As the two colliding forces clashed, the building became more unstable, with several walls and the ceiling falling down. Kid Flash resumed getting the people out of the building as Robin threw several birdarangs at Shocker.
They never reached Shocker, who used his other generators to blow them away, exploding under a large support beam. This caused a large portion of the roof to fall down towards Robin forcing Blue Beetle to stop attacking Shocker and destroy the rubble with a beam.
Due to that, it allowed Shocker's attack to connect, sending him flying away before crashing into a small store blocks away. Shocker quickly turned his attention to Kid Flash and Robin, who came at him fast.
Wasting no time, Shocker fired a large shockwave at the two forcing Kid Flash to pick up Robin and move them both out of the way. But Shocker activated an area shockwave from all five of his generators, creating a shockwave that sent the two through the wall and into another building.
Shocker walked up to the hole he created, looking at the unconscious forms of Robin and Kid Flash. He was about to finish them off when Blue Beetle returned and rammed into him from behind. Beetle pushed Shocker into the sky, flying off before Shocker freed himself.
Blue Beetle followed after the free-falling Shocker, who softened his landing with a shockwave. As he did, Beetle brought his hands together, creating a large cannon firing a beam at Shocker. This pushed Shocker down as his suit struggled to compensate for the attack.
To stop any severe damage, Shocker launched himself into the air getting above Blue Beetle as he point blank fired a shockwave knocking him to the ground. Still rearing from the blast, Beetle was unprepared for Shocker's follow-up as he dropped from the sky.
Shocker slammed into Beetle's stomach, creating a shockwave to cushion himself and damage Beetle, sending him into the sewers. The attack knocked Blue Beetle out as the sewer's current slowly pushed him away.
After making sure that Beetle was out for the count, Shocker returned to the factory to finish its demolition. He had destroyed much more than he was expected too and Shocker wanted to please the Kingpin and earn his favor.
When he landed there, he was taken by surprise when Kid Flash ran up and circled him. Shocker was confused until he realized that Kid Flash was surrounding him with wire tying him up. It didn't hold as Shocker blew it away with a shockwave knocking down Kid Flash.
He ran over to slam a shockwave right into Kid Flash but was stopped by Robin, who threw a grapple around Shocker's leg and pulled him down. When Shocker hit the ground, the shockwave he had been charging went off, breaking the ground beneath him.
This caused the floor to collapse and the three to fall into an unknown basement. The basement was filled with machinery that made the metagene enhancements. Upon seeing the untouched spot, Shocker began destroying it all.
But he was interrupted by Kid Flash, who ran in and hit him with fast punches. Though due to the suit, it barely fazed Shocker as he fired a shockwave knocking Kid Flash away. Shocker returned to demolishing his surroundings as Robin contemplated his next move.
He knew that he and Kid Flash would be unable to take out Shocker as their powerhouse Blue Beetle was nowhere to be found. Without him, they couldn't stand a chance which means the best course of action was a strategic retreat.
Robin ran over and picked up Kid Flash before grappling up to the surface. Seeing the two run away made Shocker smirk as he finished off the basement and jumped at them. The Caped Crusader tossed an explosive birdarang blinding Shocker allowing him to run away.
When Shocker's vision cleared, Robin and Kid Flash were gone having retreated for safety. Looking around, neither were in sight in the destruction he had wrecked. After dealing with the three heroes and no sign of Spider-Man, Shocker felt dizzy, but he wanted to have some fun.
"With this much power, I can take down the Lexcorp building!" Shocker exclaimed as he regained his balance then launched himself out of the factory.
But he didn't get far as a web hit him in the back, stopping his momentum. Before Shocker could question it, he was pulled back and thrown into the ground. Shocker quickly freed himself by breaking the ground apart, allowing him to pull himself out.
"Who the hell…?" Shocker questioned until he saw who was above him on the side of a building.
"Good to see you again, Shocker, but this time, you aren't getting away," Spider-Man stated, showing off his brand new suit.
"What the…? Did you actually get a suit!?" Shocker questioned, surprised to see Spider-Man in his official suit with his hood up.
"Come on, did you think I was just going to wear my clothes?" Spider-Man laughed.
"Well, it doesn't matter. Your fancy little costume won't be any good as you'll die tonight!" Shocker declared as he jumped at Spider-Man.
"That's new!" Spider-Man gasped as he jumped out of the way of Shocker.
Shocker shattered the wall of the building Spider-Man had been clinging to before hopping back at the arachnid. As Shocker approached, Spider-Man avoided him by shooting a web at a nearby building, pulling him away from Shocker's attack.
A shockwave shot above Spidey as he turned and shot a web at Shocker's leg. Spider-Man pulled him down, bringing him into a punch to the head. But even with his strength, he was unable to damage Shocker's helmet.
If he hoped to break it open, he would have to use more of his strength. But he had never used his full strength before, so he had no idea if it would work. Which means he would need to hit him with something hard.
His spider-sense then went off, alerting him to Shocker's next attack and allowing him to move out of the way. As the shockwave charged through underneath him, Spider-Man zipped over to a lamppost flipping off above to avoid Shocker's follow-up.
Acting quickly, Spider-Man fired a web on a chunk of debris from the factory. When he landed on a roof, he pulled it up and swung it at Shocker. It didn't do too much as Shocker destroyed it, but Spider-Man had used it as a distraction to land another hit on Shocker.
"Little shit!" Shocker cursed as he stumbled back.
"Somebody's mad." Spider-Man snipped as he jumped up.
Before Shocker could recover, Spider-Man webbed up another chunk and hurled it at him. Shocker just managed to destroy it, but Spider-Man used it to kick him in the head once more. While he wasn't breaking the suit, he knew it couldn't always protect him.
If he hit him hard enough, Shocker can still end up unconscious. But this time, Shocker was ready to fire a shockwave knocking Spider-Man into a building. Quickly shaking off the dizziness, Spider-Man shot two webs and launched himself out of the hole.
Shocker fired another shockwave at Spidey, but Spider-Man managed to move out of the way by zipping to the side. But Shocker followed up with another shockwave knocking Spider-Man down the road destroying the pavement.
"Ow. Seriously how does he not get a concussion every time he fires that." Spider-Man questioned as he slowly picked himself up.
"His suit must protect him from the backlash," Jett stated as he watched via the cameras in the lens and communicated via a private comms.
"If you break it open even just a little, it should hurt him," Jett suggested.
"That's easier said than done," Spider-Man replied as he jumped out of the way of another shockwave.
He fired a web to the ground behind Shocker, zipping himself towards the man. However, it didn't work too well for him as Shocker sent him flying with another shockwave. This sent him through the top of a building sending him sprawling on the roof.
Shocker jumped up and landed next to him, punching him in the chest, creating a shockwave sending him through the building. Thankfully the building was a closed shop that was not currently occupied, and most civilians were fleeing the scene as police guided them.
Spider-Man picked himself up out of the debris as Shocker fired another shockwave which Spider-Man narrowly avoided by crashing through a window. Shocker jumped off the roof towards Spider-Man, readying his gauntlets.
As he fired, Spider-Man shot a web at the building and pulled himself out of the way. When Shocker landed, he fired a web into his back and, with his superior strength, pulled him in. But before Spidey could land a blow, Shocker released a grand shockwave knocking him back.
He was sent flying back through the building and out the back, causing the building to collapse. Shocker fired another shockwave to disperse the dust. When the dust cleared, Spider-Man had already made a sling and shot himself towards a surprised Shocker.
Spidey slammed into Shocker, knocking him into the adjacent building. Getting up quickly, Spider-Man knocked Shocker onto his stomach and grabbed onto his shockwave generator. Using his strength, he attempted to rip it off but was stopped when a shockwave was released.
This sent him flying through the roof of the building as Shocker got up to his feet. Shocker launched himself up through the hole and hit Spider-Man once more. This knocked him out of his senses as Spider-Man struggled to regain his senses.
Once he did, he found himself a free fall above Shocker, who was cushioning his fall. His eyes widened as the ground quickly approached. So thinking fast, he used one of his web-shooters newest functions and made a parachute.
This stopped his momentum and allowed him to safely land on a building. Annoyed at Spider-Man's refusal to die, Shocker fired several more shockwaves at Spidey, who ran across rooftops. He then jumped off and zipped to the ground.
As the fight continued, several news trucks arrived, most notably Gorden Godfrey and Eddie Brock, who began to broadcast the fight. Spider-Man was still left on the defensive as he dodged more and more of Shocker's attacks.
"Just stay still, dammit!" Shocker demanded.
"Why the hell would I do that?!" Spider-Man questioned as he kept moving and looked at the debris around Shocker, giving him an idea.
"Maybe you should do the same!" Spider-Man shouted as he landed and crossed his arms, firing two webs past Shocker.
"You missed you dumb bug!" Shocker goaded as he charged a shockwave.
"Spider's are arachnids idiot!" Spider-Man replied as he pulled his arms back, pulling in the two chunks of rubble he had webbed.
The chunks hit Shocker in the back, causing his charged shockwave to go off below him, sending him into the air. Spider-Man followed up on this by shooting a web at Shocker and throwing him into the ground.
"Why you…" Shocker hissed as he slowly picked himself up from the ground shakingly.
"You can't beat me, kid! I'm the damn Shocker!" Shocker shouted as he released several bursts of shockwaves.
This only stopped when Shocker launched into the air and came down towards Spider-Man, who jumped out of the way. The resulting shockwave that came from Shocker's landing shattered the ground, pushing Spider-Man away.
Spidey held his place with his webs and stickiness to resist the shockwaves. That is until Shocker fired at him, forcing him to move out of the way. Spider-Man attempted to blind Shocker with his webs, but his accuracy still needed work.
"Nice try!" Shocker laughed as he fired two shockwaves at Spider-Man, who used his webs to launch himself into the air.
"Damn, I can't get close to him!" Spider-Man cursed, seeing Shocker fire erratically. Unknown to him Shocker was finally being affected by all the hits he had suffered from his fights.
"Jay, try hiding from him and taking from surprise. From what I'm seeing, there's no way you can take him head-on." Jett suggested.
"I can't do that! If I do, then he'll just reck the block and endanger the citizens. Honestly, I'm pushing it enough as it is." Spider-Man declined as he looked at Shocker and his gauntlets.
"I think I have an idea," Spider-Man stated as he dodged another shockwave.
"What's your plan?" Jett inquired as Spider-Man kept zipping from spot to spot to avoid Shocker's attacks.
"Those gauntlets are his main weapons. If I web them up, it could cause it to overload." Spider-Man explained as he swung out of the way.
"Well, if I can hit them, that is," Spider-Man added.
"It could work, but something that advanced may have a failsafe," Jett replied.
"I would say go for the power source, which seems to be on his back, but you're not getting any opportunities," Jett added.
"Then webbing up the gauntlets it is," Spider-Man sighed as he launched himself into the air.
When he dove down towards Shocker, who prepared to attack, he fired several web bullets at Shocker, managing to hit his gauntlets. He had to fire a good amount as he missed often but got enough to web up Shocker's hands.
"You little…" Shocker muttered as Spider-Man landed nearby.
"I'm going to obliterate you!" Shocker shouted as he charged up his gauntlets and fired at Spider-Man.
However, the webbing blocked the shockwaves, which put pressure on the generator until a small piece that had already been lose fell out. This caused the gauntlets to overload and explode, sending Shocker backward and burning his hands.
"I did it!" Spider-Man smirked.
"Yeah, you did. Though how did something so advanced have a simple weak point?" Jett wondered as he was suspicious.
"Well, it doesn't look like you're going to get an answer." Spider-Man pointed out as he walked over to an unconscious Shocker.
"The gauntlets are busted, and to be safe, I should break the rest. Unless you want a souvenir?" Spider-Man asked as he managed to tear off Shocker's mask.
"No, as much as I want to look at them, it is best that they are destroyed," Jett responded.
"Sounds good to me!" Spider-Man exclaimed as he grabbed onto the generator on Shocker's back and tore it off after some work, following with the other two.
Once done he webbed up Shocker leaving a note he had prepared and left him for the police, who were unable to approach Shocker until then. As Spider-Man swung off, he was watched by Robin, who was with Kid Flash recovering Blue Beetle.
"Guess we missed our shot." Kid Flash sighed.
"We did. If it wasn't for the surprise of Shocker's weapons, we could have beat him. We can always try finding Spider-Man again," Robin replied as they lifted up Beetle.
"Yeah, Shocker was really well equipped. I wonder how he beat him." Kid Flash wondered as the two carried Beetle to the nearest Zeta Tube.
"Who knows. Either he got lucky. Or he had some kind of help." Robin theorized as elsewhere, Tinkerer sneezed.
Meanwhile, the police got Shocker down from the web as reporters talked about the event nearby. As Shocker was loaded into an armored truck, the note Spider-Man left behind was recovered. It read: A shocking villain captured by your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
Jett's Home…
Spider-Man landed in Jett's backyard, making sure he wasn't seen before taking off his mask and lowering his hood before entering the home. When he did, Jett ran to join his friend as the two high-fived and celebrated his victory over Shocker.
"Yes, that was amazing, man!" Jett exclaimed.
"Thanks, that was cutting it pretty close, though," Jay replied as he sat down on one of the chairs in the kitchen.
"Let's hope the next supervillain that appears doesn't shoot instant concussions from a range." Jay chuckled.
"Hey, it could have been worse," Jett replied.
"Yeah, he could have fired something ridiculous like a black hole," Jay smirked.
"So, how'd the suit do?" Jett inquired.
"It was great and honestly really comfy," Jay answered as he placed his hand on his chest.
"From today onwards, people will see this as Spider-Man." Jay smiled.
"Nice," Jett replied as the two fist-bumped.
"Well, I should head out. Uncle Curt hasn't been responding to my calls. I need to make sure he isn't pissed at me." Jay stated as he stood up.
"Alright, good luck, man." Jett wished as Jay grabbed his bag and left.
Jay swung from Jett's home and made his way to his own home, landing on the roof and crawling down to the backyard. When he did, he took off his costume and changed into some spare clothes before he entered through the sliding door.
"Uncle Curt, I'm home," Jay called to no response.
"Hello?" Jay continued as he turned on the lights to see the mess that was in the kitchen.
"What the hell happened?" Jay questioned as he looked at the scraps of food everywhere and the open fridge.
It had all been left out to rot and stink up the place. Before he did anything, Jay quickly cleaned up the worst of it and tossed it in the can outside before returning to continue his search. He continued calling for his uncle only to get no response.
"Is he asleep?" Jay wondered as he ran upstairs and opened Curt's room.
But the room was empty and seemed untouched. Jay remembered that before he left for Jett's, Uncle Curt had been in the basement stating he was doing work. He never questioned what it was, but he thought that he could still be in there.
"Uncle Curt, are you down here?" Jay asked as he opened the door to the basement.
It was then that he noticed the mess down there and the large hole in the ground. He ran down and looked around for any sign of Curt but found nothing. Looking down the hole, Jay jumped down and saw that it led to the sewer that was empty.
"UNCLE CURT!" Jay shouted as his voice echoed down the tunnels.
He jumped back up and looked at the table to see what Curt was working on, but most of the notes were damaged as they were torn by something. Jay shifted through the documents before he found one intact and was shocked to see the contents.
"Lizard regenerative gene integration?! He wouldn't?" Jay denied as he looked at the other documents.
It was then that he realized that in his desperation of losing his lost limb, Curt had restarted his research on cross-species genetics. But the science was too dangerous and forbidden, which can only mean one thing.
"He got desperate. When he didn't get results, he wanted he just gave himself more, which means." Jay began as he looked at the hole.
"Oh shit." Jay cursed, having realized that Curt had to have turned himself into a large lizard.
"What have you done?" Jay questioned.
Author's Note:
Wow, this came out way longer than I hoped. Honestly, I wasn't planning on making most chapters over 10k words. They just end up like that, but I feel like it just works. I wanted, though, to keep it around 10k, but this ended up being over 12k (Not counting Author's Note) to fit in the final fight with Shocker.
While I might have been able to split this into two chapters, I didn't see a natural stopping point for it, so I just kept going. To those who may be concerned about the chapters getting too long, I promise I will never make a chapter go beyond 15k words.
I would say lower, but knowing me, I want to be safe and keep it around there because who knows, right. Anyways a lot happened in this chapter so let's go over most of it. First off, about Jay's costume again, sorry, but I am not great with describing stuff like that.
I hope I did good enough, and again the front of his costume basically looks like the cover image, so you can use that for reference. I may commission an artist to draw the design, but I'd have to find the right one. Onto the fights with Shocker, they were really fun to write, especially when he got his upgrades.
The reason why he got upgrades so soon was because, without them, he would not have stood a single chance. If anyone is wondering what it would look like, I based the idea off of the Shocker boss fight in the Spider-Man PS4 game.
So yeah, I gave it to him so that he wouldn't lose to Blue Beetle, Kid Flash, and Robin though if more of The Team were there, he would have lost. Plus, let's be honest, it made for a more interesting fight.
And the reason Jay was able to win was definitely because of his spider-sense giving him an edge as he knows when Shocker is going to attack. That and Shocker was still woozy from his previous fight, so Jay had a definite advantage.
Tinkerer this chapter (Who again is Sara, aka Jett's older sister, for those that forgot), immediately put two and two together and realized Jay was Spider-Man. Upon realizing this, she tampered with Shocker's suit to give Jay the edge, which helped.
She couldn't outwardly refuse because Kingpin has her in the palm of his hand, meaning she can't just disobey him like that. Also, her weaponry will not be the same as Phin's from the Spider-Man Miles Morales game.
Speaking of quick tangent, who else saw the trailer for the new game because that was freaking sweet! I want it so badly, especially since it will have both Kraven the Hunter and Venom, who haven't seen much in Spider-Man games as of late. I'm going to be as impatient for this game as for No Way Home.
Before I go and nerd on about that, I'm going to get back to the story. As you may have realized during this chapter, when everyone was in their alternate personas, I used those names (Ex: Called Sara Tinkerer while she was in costume).
This was for a good reason as until Jay finally got his suit which was made with the same machine Sara used to make Shocker's original, if anyone didn't pick that up, I didn't use the name Spider-Man for him.
That was just a little thing to show that he has fully become this universe's Spider-Man. As for Curt Conners, he has officially become The Lizard in this chapter. I know it might seem fast, but I kinda needed him to become it fast.
I won't explain why so as to not spoil the story, but the reason he ignored his own safety rules to keep to a low dose was that he wasn't thinking straight. He was panicking due to having finally got back his lost limb and seeing it disintegrate before him.
Plus, the serum affected his line of thinking, which is also why he ate like an animal before giving himself the last injection. But needless to say, we'll be tackling all of that in the next chapter!
Also, I know I said that The Team would only make small appearances; I should have said most of the team. Some will still show up often as they will play a large role. Oh, and before I forget, the reason Hobgoblin is deteriorating is because of over exposer to Type Two Oz formula and his dependence on it.
Now that he missed his refill, his body is basically eating away at itself, so yeah, he isn't going to be alive for much longer. But as one goblin dies, another is taking his place as Norman continues his transformation into the Green Goblin!
But enough of that, I don't want to spoil anything, so let's get to the reviews:
Kevin06x – Wow, thanks a lot. I'm really happy to hear how much you enjoyed the chapter. I took my time making sure that it was just right and that everything just made sense, at least to me.
Honestly, I'm surprised you liked the choreography because I feel like I don't always do well with painting the picture. Especially since I've never read a spidey fic before, lol. Anyway, the training bit was fun to make as, yeah, we don't see most Spider-Men or Women train. They just start.
So I felt it appropriate to change that. I'm glad to hear you liked Jay's arc, as that was the thing I put the most effort in to make it clean and not just come out of nowhere. I wanted it to feel natural and something someone in his situation would come to.
Yeah, I wanted to give him an original suit to keep his character original and not just give him the same suit as Peter Parker. I felt it would be like how Miles wore the Halloween costume before he got his own, and people in his universe said it was in bad taste.
While Peter Parker doesn't exist in this universe, I still felt it appropriate to give Jay his own to set him apart. I don't really plan on giving Jay more powers as there isn't much that I can think of that wouldn't just be ridiculous, but who knows.
Kival737101 – I'll try to make the relationship Jay ends up in feel natural and hopefully well. It's all I can really promise as saying any more would spoil the story going forward.
That's all I have for today. See you guys next time!