Chapter 2: Interactions
Hey everybody, I'm back with a new chapter! I want to thank Cloud4012 and kival737101 for letting me use their OCs. Also, make sure to follow them as well. I don't own anything except my two OCs. Anyway, sit back, relax, review, and enjoy!
We find ourselves late at night in New York City, during a high-speed chase. Two figures were swinging through the city—well, one was swinging with ease, while the other was still trying to keep up. One of them was Spider-Man, and the other was Jake, still getting used to his powers.
Jake was wearing a blue jacket, black pants, and black shoes, with his hood up. Over his face, he wore one of Spider-Man's old masks. As he struggled to keep up with Spider-Man, his friend and mentor, he pushed himself to go faster.
As Jake swung awkwardly behind Spider-Man, he shouted, "How do you make this look so easy?"
Spider-Man glanced back, flipping effortlessly through the air before landing on a nearby building. "Practice, kid! Lots and lots of practice. Don't worry—you'll get the hang of it!"
Jake grunted as he swung clumsily toward him, nearly missing the building before slamming into the wall. "Easy for you to say! I think I'm about two seconds away from crashing into something... again."
Spider-Man chuckled. "You're doing fine, Jake. At least you're not falling off the buildings like when we started."
Jake pulled himself up onto the rooftop and took off the mask for a second to catch his breath. "Barely! I feel like my arms are gonna fall off. How did you do this on your first night?"
"I didn't," Spider-Man said with a smirk, crouching down and looking over the city below. "I crashed. A lot. But every time I fell, I got back up. And trust me, it took a while before it didn't feel like I was about to rip my shoulders out."
Jake rubbed his sore arms. "So, what now? We just keep swinging until I figure this out?"
Spider-Man shot a web and swung up into the air again. "Nope! Now, we catch that car!" He pointed down to a speeding car weaving through traffic, with police sirens blaring in the distance.
Jake's eyes widened. "You want me to... swing and chase a speeding car?"
"Yup!" Spider-Man called back, already gaining momentum. "Time to see what you're made of, Jake!"
Jake groaned, pulling his hood back up. "No pressure, right?" He shot a web, gripping tightly, and launched himself into the air. He followed Spider-Man as best as he could, heart racing, determined not to let him down.
"Just keep up, and don't look down!" Spider-Man shouted with a laugh as they swung through the city together, the chase fully on.
Jake gritted his teeth as the wind rushed past his face. He could hear the police sirens getting louder as he and Spider-Man swung toward the speeding car below. Spider-Man had made this look effortless, but Jake felt like his arms were barely holding on as he swung between the buildings.
The stolen car swerved recklessly through the streets, nearly hitting a lamppost as it barreled through red lights. Spider-Man flipped mid-air and landed gracefully on top of the car. "You know, if you're gonna steal a car," he said through the open window, "maybe you should learn how to drive first!"
The driver, a greasy-looking man in a leather jacket, slammed his hand on the horn in frustration. "Get off my car, freak!"
Spider-Man smirked. "Not a fan of carpooling? Too bad." He shot a web at the windshield, blinding the driver. "Jake, now's your chance! Cut him off!"
Jake swung in behind Spider-Man, wobbling as he tried to match his mentor's agility. "Cut him off? How do I—" Before he could finish, his web snagged a traffic light, jerking him back mid-swing. "Okay, not like that!"
Spider-Man winced, watching Jake tumble awkwardly to the ground and roll into a trash can. "Points for trying, though!"
The robber floored the gas, and the car lurched forward. "I'm getting out of here!" he yelled, swerving again to shake Spider-Man off.
Spider-Man stuck to the roof, unfazed. "Wow, you're just full of bad ideas tonight, aren't you?" He shot another web, this time pulling the steering wheel to the side, causing the car to spin out of control. The vehicle skidded into an alley and slammed into a pile of trash bags.
Jake, now disentangling himself from the trash can, stood up just in time to see Spider-Man leap off the car. "You could've warned me about that spin-out!"
Spider-Man laughed, landing next to Jake. "Where's the fun in that?"
The driver kicked the door open, stumbling out of the car and pointing a gun at them. "Back off, or I'll—"
Before he could finish, Spider-Man had already yanked the gun away with his web and tossed it aside. "You were saying?"
The driver clenched his fists. "Fine, let's do this the hard way!"
As the guy lunged forward, swinging wildly, Jake froze. He wasn't sure what to do. He wasn't trained for this kind of thing. Spider-Man ducked the punch effortlessly, grinning. "Jake, a little help here?"
Jake hesitated for a moment, then shot a web at the robber's feet, trapping him in place. "Uh, like that?"
Spider-Man gave him a thumbs-up. "Exactly like that! Now, let's wrap this up before he tries to—"
Before Spider-Man could finish, the robber pulled a knife from his jacket, slicing through the webs on his feet. "Nice try, webhead!" He lunged at Jake this time.
Jake's instincts kicked in, and he jumped backward, stumbling as he shot a messy web that hit the robber's arm, sticking it to the alley wall. The guy struggled to free himself, cursing under his breath. "Stupid kid!"
Spider-Man swung around, effortlessly tying the guy up with more webs. "What can I say? We're quick learners." He turned to Jake. "Not bad for your first high-speed chase!"
Jake wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I feel like I barely did anything."
"Hey, you webbed him up and didn't fall off the building. That's a win in my book." Spider-Man gave Jake a playful nudge. "Besides, the first one's always the hardest."
Jake couldn't help but smile, still catching his breath. "So, what now?"
Spider-Man crouched down, inspecting the now-webbed-up robber. "Now? We wait for the cops to take over and grab some celebratory pizza. What do you think?"
Jake nodded, leaning against the wall, exhausted but exhilarated. "Yeah, pizza sounds good."
Just then, the robber groaned. "Can't believe I got taken down by a kid in a hoodie and some wannabe Spider-Man."
Spider-Man grinned, leaning over him. "Wannabe? Buddy, there's two of us now. You're dealing with the *Spectacular Spider-Men*."
Jake chuckled, finally feeling a little more at ease. "Yeah, two of us. Get used to it."
As the sirens grew closer, Spider-Man turned to Jake. "Ready to swing outta here before the cops show up?"
Jake shot a web at the nearest building and nodded. "Let's go." He swung after Spider-Man, this time with a little more confidence.
"See?" Spider-Man called back as they soared through the city. "You're getting the hang of it!"
"Yeah," Jake shouted, the rush of wind in his face. "I think I might be!"
And with that, the two Spider-Men disappeared into the night, ready for whatever came next.
We found ourselves in the lab, Kurt was examining some samples with a microscope and when he saw the cells in the sample regenerate he became interested.
Nearby Max was trying to pull out a panel but it was being stubborn. Putting his drill atop the machine he pulls with all his might causing his drill to wiggle and fall onto the panel causing sparks to fly.
When Max reached to grab it sparks of electricity zapped him causing him to scream before the panel flew out and made him crash into the electric eel tank causing large amounts of electricity to shoot out around him.
"Eddy call 911! We gotta get Max to the hospital stat!" Kurt orders.
Nodding Eddy runs off as fast as he could to the phone.
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 day at Midtown High, Jaden was running down the street as if his life depended on it.
"I gotta get an alarm clock one of these days," Jaden panted, sprinting into school.
Making his way into Biology class, he sat down next to Gwen and Harry.
"Whoa, dude, you look out of breath," Harry said as Jaden gulped down some water.
"Woke up late… had to run," Jaden panted before coughing from drinking water too fast.
"Easy, Jaden. No one's making you run anymore," Gwen said as Jaden caught his breath just before the bell rang. Jake rushed into the classroom, barely making it in time.
"Damn it, damn it! I'm late. This is what I get for spending all night with Jaden, trying to learn how to swing," Jake muttered to himself as he spotted Mia sitting in a seat.
Walking over, he sat down next to her.
"You're late. What happened to you? You look like a mess," Mia said, looking him up and down.
"Yeah, I overslept. I was, uh, learning how to… swing— I mean swim, yeah, I was learning how to swim last night at the pool," Jake stammered, making Mia raise an eyebrow.
"Learning how to swim? Okay, Jake, if you're gonna lie, at least make it believable. Just say you overslept," Mia said, causing Jake to sit in his seat quietly, feeling embarrassed.
"Alright, class, I'm sure you're all eager to get yesterday's tests back," Mr. Warren said as he handed out the papers.
Making his way to Flash and the cheerleaders, Flash grinned.
"C-minus, sweet! Flash completes another pass!" Flash grinned, pleased with himself, while the cheerleader next to him, Liz Allen, who had tan skin and long black hair, received a D-minus.
"Excellent work as always, Mr. Cooper," Mr. Warren said, handing Jaden his test.
Looking over, Gwen and Harry saw that Jaden had earned another A.
"Sweet," Jaden smiled.
Glaring at Jaden, Flash grabbed his football, intending to throw it at him. Just as Flash cocked his arm, Jaden's spider-sense went off, warning him.
"Whoops!" Jaden intentionally dropped his test, bending down to pick it up just as Flash threw the ball. It sailed past Jaden and hit Mr. Warren instead.
"Mr. Thompson!" Mr. Warren growled, causing Flash to nervously hide behind a newspaper.
"Evans, B," Mr. Warren said, handing Jake his test.
"Awesome!" Jake said, happy with his grade.
"Miss Jones, A," Mr. Warren announced, handing Mia her test.
"Perfect score, as always," Mia said with a smirk.
Meanwhile, at Manhattan Hospital, Eddy was in the waiting room when the door opens revealing Kurt and the doctor.
"Dr. Bromwell, how's Max?" Eddy asks getting up.
"Alive, that's a miracle believe me. His condition is stabilized but…"
"Maybe Eddy should just see for himself." Kurt suggests.
Leading him in they see Max wearing a green suit covering his entire body.
"Hey Eddy." Max said.
"Max is constantly streaming a constant stream of bio-electricity. The insulation suit he's wearing will contain it, protect him and everyone." Kurt explains before looking to Max. "Max I promise you this is only temporary. We'll begin work on a cure immediately."
"Least you can do." Max glares.
"Try to rest." Kurt said leading everyone out.
Back at Midtown High, class was just getting out, and everyone was eager to leave.
"Ms. Allen, a word, please," Mr. Warren called, causing Liz to slowly walk over to him. "Liz, if you want to raise that grade, you're going to need a tutor. I'm recommending Jaden for the job," he said, gesturing towards Jaden.
"Me?" Jaden asked, surprised.
"Ugh, a nerd is so *not* the hot accessory this year," Sally muttered.
"Yeah, quality time with Ja-dumb? I'd rather fail," Flash scoffed.
"Study with Jadey? I don't think so," Liz agreed, rolling her eyes. "Hey, can Flash tutor me instead?" Liz asked hopefully.
"I don't think you understand. We want your grade to *go up*" Mr. Warren said, clearly emphasizing his point.
Jaden tried to offer Liz a small, friendly smile, but she brushed him off without a second glance.
Nearby, Jake and Mia watched the entire interaction unfold.
"Yikes, tough crowd," Jake muttered, glancing at Liz as she walked away. He turned to Jaden, who was still standing there, a little stunned. "You okay, dude?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Jaden sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Just wish people didn't think hanging out with me was like signing up for a punishment."
Mia smirked, nudging Jake with her elbow. "See? This is why I always tell you not to care about what people think. It's high school—half of them don't even know what they want for lunch, let alone who's worth their time."
Jake nodded. "Mia's right. Besides, Flash and his crew? They'll be the ones asking you for help when they're failing science."
Jaden chuckled, feeling a bit better. "Yeah, maybe." He shrugged. "It's just... Liz. I thought she was better than that."
"Well, she clearly doesn't know what she's missing," Mia said confidently. "Besides, you've got us. Who needs Liz Allen when you have the *actual* cool kids on your side?" she joked, giving him a playful grin.
Jaden smiled. "Thanks, guys. I guess tutoring Liz might be... interesting."
"Just don't let her get to you, man," Jake added, throwing an arm around Jaden's shoulders. "And hey, if she gives you any more attitude, let me know. I can web her locker shut or something."
Jaden laughed. "I'll keep that in mind."
The three of them walked out of the classroom together, heading towards the exit as the school day came to an end.
At the hospital, Eddy was with Max who was trying to watch TV but his condition was ruining the signal.
"Dammit!" Max yells throwing his remote at it. "I can't even watch the game!" Getting out his bed, Max walks to the window.
"Yeah but you can still yell at the screen. So hey what's changed?" Eddy jokes.
"Is that supposed to be funny?!" Max snaps. "I had plans before all this. Go back to college, meet someone, have a life."
"Dude chill, you have to give yourself time to adjust." Eddy said.
"Adjust to what?! This?" Holding out his hands large amounts of electricity shot out frying most of the medical equipment. "Ugh! I'm outta here!"
Shoving past Eddy, Max ran out.
"Max wait!" Eddy yells.
That night, Jaden and Liz were at a café while Jaden was trying to tutor her, but Liz was more interested in texting.
"Okay you see this chapter is basically about how Biological systems interact." Jaden said.
"Ugh anything in there about how Biological systems are boring?" Liz asks.
"Look I get it, this chapter isn't very interesting, but if you don't read this you won't be able to understand the interesting stuff. I mean I get it no one wants to waste their time reading a textbook." Jaden sighs.
"What a coincidence, Flash just texted the exact same words about you, Jadey." Liz said.
"Look Liz if you could just stop texting Flash for a minute." Jaden suggests.
"Good idea. I'll call him instead." Liz said dialing him.
Passing by them, Max was wearing a big coat and a hat to cover him up as he walked into the café.
Standing in line, a little girl looks at him.
"Daddy, what's he wearing?" She asks.
Looking at him her father gasps leading her away.
"What are you staring at?" Max glares at the barista.
"Uh just waiting for your order." She said holding a cup of coffee.
"Coffee." Max takes the cup from her and slams down some money.
Turning around he tries opening the hatch in his mask but the excess electricity comes out zapping the cup out of his hands.
"Oh man I can't even drink a lousy cup of coffee!" Max snaps causing all the lights and tech to fry startling everyone. "Sorry."
As everyone screamed in fear, Jaden noticed Max running out.
"I think someone else needs help," Jaden thought, turning to Liz.
"If I listen to him any longer, I might become fluent in geek," Liz said as Jaden stood up.
"Look, this tutoring thing is something you need. When you're ready to learn, talk to me," Jaden said, grabbing his bag and walking away, leaving Liz surprised.
Running down an alley, Jaden quickly put on his Spider-Man suit.
As Max was running down the sidewalk, Spider-Man swung in.
'Aw man, I can't even use this guy to get a decent picture for the Bugle, bad luck,' Spider-Man thought before leaping in and landing in front of Max. "Hey buddy, what's going on?"
"Get away from me!" Max shouted.
"Hey, I'm just trying to help. What's going on?" Spider-Man asked, his tone calm.
"What's going on is that I'm going crazy!" Max snapped.
"Look, I'm not gonna hurt you, so how about you and I just sit down and—" Spider-Man reached out to touch Max's shoulder.
"Don't touch me!" Max shouted, grabbing Spider-Man's arm and zapping him with electricity, causing Spider-Man to scream in pain.
Spider-Man shook him off and stumbled backward.
"Whoa, what's with you, Electro?" Spider-Man asked, recovering.
"Just stay away from me!" Electro yelled, holding out his hands as electricity shot out, forcing Spider-Man to dodge.
"Hey! Hey! Look! Hands up! I'm not gonna do anything!" Spider-Man raised his hands in the air, signaling he wasn't a threat.
Everyone watched as Spider-Man cautiously approached Electro with his hands still raised.
"I warned you," Electro said, his voice trembling with anger.
"Look, I don't wanna hurt you. I wanna help," Spider-Man said, his voice steady.
"Oh really? Then how do you plan on helping with this?!" Electro ripped off his helmet, revealing sparks of electricity shooting from his face, shocking everyone, including Spider-Man.
"Oh no," Spider-Man gasped as Electro unleashed the excess electricity, zapping Spider-Man and sending him crashing into a nearby alley.
Nearby, Jake was walking down the street when he noticed a guy crackling with electricity and Spider-Man in an alleyway.
"That's not good," Jake muttered to himself. Quickly ducking behind a trash can, he pulled off his shirt, revealing a Spider-Man t-shirt underneath. He slipped on the mask that Spider-Man had given him, then swung over to the scene.
"First Liz, and now this?" Spider-Man groaned as he got up.
"Hey, Spidey, need a hand?" a voice called out, catching Spider-Man's attention.
"Oh, hey, Hoodie," Spider-Man said, seeing Jake stuck to a wall.
"I'm still working on the name," Jake replied, jumping off the wall and walking toward him.
"So, let me guess—you saw that?" Spider-Man asked.
"Oh no, I didn't see you getting tossed into an alley like garbage," Jake said with a smug look under his mask.
"Hey, watch it," Spider-Man replied, shooting a web. "Anyway, I've gotta head home. See you around."
"Yeah, see you around... at school," Jake said, shooting a web of his own and swinging back to his apartment.
Jake swung through the city, landing quietly on the fire escape outside his apartment. The evening breeze rustled his hair as he cautiously peeked into his room. Seeing no one, he slid open the window and crawled inside, sticking to the ceiling just for safety.
He dropped down to the floor and yanked off his mask, tossing it onto his bed. Just as he was about to relax, he heard a loud *clank*.
Jake spun around, his heart skipping a beat.
Mia stood frozen in the doorway, her wide eyes glued to him, soda can slipping out of her hand and rolling on the floor.
"Jake?" she whispered, her voice trembling in disbelief.
"Mia!" Jake's voice cracked, panic setting in. "I—I can explain!"
Mia's eyes flicked between Jake's suit, the open window, and the mask on the bed. Her jaw dropped. "You're Spider-Man?!"
Jake fumbled with his shirt, trying to act casual. "No! Yes—well, sort of, but not *the* Spider-Man. I'm... like, another version."
"Another version?! You just crawled on the ceiling, Jake! And you literally swung into your room!" Mia pointed dramatically at the mask. "You're a superhero!"
Jake sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Okay, yes. But, you can't tell anyone! Please!"
Mia's eyes widened even more, if that was possible. "This is insane! How long have you been doing this?!" She rushed into the room, looking both stunned and excited.
Jake groaned. "A couple of months. I was gonna tell you... eventually."
Mia stared at him, her mind racing. "Jake… You're a freakin' superhero! You're like Spider-Man, but... with your own suit!" She paused, then added with a grin, "Do you even have a name for yourself?"
Jake blinked. "Uh... still working on that." He grinned sheepishly.
Mia started pacing, her excitement bubbling over. "This is insane. We have to come up with a cool name for you! What about... Spider-Kid? No, wait, something better..."
Jake just stood there, half-smiling, knowing he had a lot more explaining to do.
The next day at school, Jaden was looking at his camera. "Man, how am I supposed to get pictures of Spider-Man if I can't even take good photos?" he muttered, staring at his failed self-portraits.
"Jaden!" Gwen called out as she approached him.
Turning off his camera, Jaden glanced over. "What's up, Gwen?"
"I just talked to Eddy. There was an accident at the lab," Gwen said.
When she told him Max had turned into Electro, Jaden felt even worse. Despite trying to help, he hadn't even recognized Max.
'I couldn't even help him. What kind of hero am I?' Jaden thought as he walked past Liz's locker.
"Oh, Jadey," Liz said, noticing him.
"Oh, uh, hey Liz. Listen, I'm sorry I snapped at you yesterday. If you still need a tutor, I'll be at the ESU Lab after school," Jaden said, walking away.
Liz paused, watching him as she considered it.
Nearby, Mia and Jake were walking down the hallway, with Mia excitedly asking a barrage of questions about Jake's powers.
"So, the webs—do they come out of your wrists? Or, like, somewhere else?" Mia asked, raising an eyebrow mischievously.
Jake blinked, slightly flustered. "Uh, nope. Just my wrists. Totally normal webs—no weirdness."
Mia grinned but kept pressing. "Are you sure? I mean, it's just fascinating. Like, where does all that web fluid come from? And how do you even shoot it—"
Jake quickly cut in, desperate to change the subject. "So, uh, what are you working on lately? Any new projects?"
Mia paused, a thoughtful look crossing her face. "Actually, I've been thinking about making a new suit design. You know, something... sleek."
Jake raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Wait, you design clothes?"
Mia smirked, flicking a lock of her hair. "Yeah, haven't you noticed? I've been designing my own outfits for years."
Jake looked a bit stunned, thinking back to her unique style. "Huh, now that you mention it, your outfits are pretty cool. So, could you, maybe, help me with something?"
Mia's curiosity piqued. "What, like a new suit?"
Jake nodded, getting a bit more excited. "Yeah, I was thinking of something like Spider-Man's but, you know, my own. Maybe black and blue... or blue and black. With a hood, and—oh!—a cape too!"
Mia laughed and quickly shut him down. "A cape? Really? That's, like, rule number one of what not to do. Capes are a no-go, Jake."
Jake chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, okay, maybe the cape is a bad idea. But the hood could be cool, right?"
Mia smiled. "The hood? Now that, I can work with."
Jake grinned. "Alright, deal. Let's make it happen!"
Mia nodded, a playful glint in her eye. "You just leave it to me, hero. I'll have you looking better than Spider-Man in no time."
Jake blushed slightly, still amazed at her talent. "Thanks, Mia. You're awesome, you know that?"
Mia's smile softened, and she looked away, trying to hide a faint blush of her own. "Yeah, well... someone's gotta keep you out of trouble."
They both walked on, the idea of a new suit lingering between them as they shared a comfortable silence.
After school, it was pouring rain, and everyone was scrambling to find a cure for Max.
"Could we put him in a tank like the eels? Use a bio-electric filter?" Gwen suggested.
"Won't work. Eels have evolved to exist in an aquatic environment, Max hasn't," Kurt replied.
"And with the voltage he's generating, boom. You don't want him anywhere near water," Eddy added, causing Jaden to cringe.
"Is there a way we could transfer all his electrical energy into something else?" Jaden suggested.
"Good idea, but the problem is we don't have anything that could hold all that energy," Eddy said.
"Jadey?" a voice called from the door. Turning, they saw Liz close her umbrella as she walked in.
"Jadey?" Eddy asked, glancing at Jaden with a raised brow.
Meanwhile, in a nearby neighborhood, Electro was making his way home when Dr. Bromwell and a few police officers pulled up in front of him.
"Max, we need to get you back to the hospital," Dr. Bromwell urged.
"I'm done with hospitals. I just wanna go home," Max said, frustration in his voice.
"I'm not sure you're ready," Dr. Bromwell warned. A police officer stepped forward, his face stern.
"Listen, pal. After last night's fiasco, it's either the hospital or a prison cell. Your call," the officer said.
"My call? None of this has been my call!" Electro shouted angrily, blasting off his coat to reveal his suit, sending a shockwave that knocked everyone back.
"Max, we just want to help you," Dr. Bromwell pleaded.
"You can't help me," Electro said, his voice filled with resolve. "But I know someone who can." With that, he turned and ran off, leaving chaos in his wake.
That night, as rain poured outside Jake's apartment, Mia was sitting at a desk, helping Jake design his own Spider-suit. The room was lit dimly, and the sound of rain tapping against the windows added a sense of anticipation to the air. As Jake sat next to Mia, sketching ideas, the energy between them was electric. They both knew something amazing was about to happen.
"Okay, so you want it black and blue, right?" Mia asked, glancing over at Jake as she worked on her tablet.
"Yeah, but with a hood," Jake replied, his excitement evident. "And I want the symbol to stand out more, kinda like how Spider-Man's pops, but make it my own."
Mia smiled. "The hood is cool. But no cape, Jake," she added firmly, rolling her eyes. "We've been over this. Capes are a bad idea—totally impractical."
"Come on! Just a small cape? It could work!" Jake pleaded, grinning.
"Do you wanna get stuck in a door while swinging around the city? I don't think so," Mia laughed, shaking her head. "No capes."
With that, they got back to work, the scene shifting into a montage set to the sound of "I'm Ready" playing in the background. As the music blasted, Jake and Mia bounced ideas off each other while adjusting designs, colors, and materials.
Montage Begins:
- Swingin' through the kingdom in the night, I only see you in the city light
Jake slips on the gloves, testing out the web-shooters, while Mia calibrates them on her laptop.
Web shooters activated.*
- I'm fresher than fresh, I step out the steps
Jake practices some wall-crawling techniques, climbing up his apartment wall to test his suit's grip. Mia watches him from below, smiling.
- We're all runnin' for the flex, jay told me I was next
Mia adjusts the mask design, adding the final touch with sleek blue lenses, giving it that unique flair.
-On top of buildings where I eat breakfast, then I shine like a new necklace
Jake pulls the mask down over his head, feeling the weight of it and looking in the mirror, finally seeing himself in the suit. The blue and black combination looked sleek, with the spider symbol perfectly outlined in bold blue.
By the time the song's chorus hits, they finish the suit, and Jake stands fully suited up, the blue glowing faintly under the dim light.
"I'm ready," Jake says, flexing his fingers as the web-shooters click into place.
"Well," Mia says with a proud grin, "you look awesome. You're like Spider-Man, but... you." She steps back, admiring their creation. "What are you gonna call yourself, though? I mean, you can't just be 'Hooded Spider.'"
Jake chuckles. "Still working on that part. But for now, it feels perfect." He glances out the window as the rain begins to slow. "I think I'm ready to take on the world."
Mia smirks, "Well, just don't get stuck in a door. Hood or no hood."
Jake playfully bumps her shoulder. "Thanks, Mia. Couldn't have done this without you."
"Yeah, yeah," she replies. "Now get out there and make that suit shine."
With one last look at his reflection, Jake opens the window, leaps onto the wall, and swings out into the night, his silhouette disappearing into the rain-soaked city.
As Mia watches him go, she smiles and shakes her head. "He's gonna need a better name than Hooded Spider..."
Back at the lab, Liz was talking with Eddy and Gwen while Jaden was with Kurt.
"I'm sorry about this. Maybe this isn't a good time," Jaden said.
"It's alright. I need to check some results in my office," Kurt said, walking away and closing the blinds.
"So, Eddy, you quarterbacking for ESU?" Liz asked.
"Nah, I'm done with football. I'm all nerd now," Eddy smiled.
"We're all nerds here. You can be, too," Jaden offered, walking over.
"Wonderful," Liz rolled her eyes.
"Look, Liz, you're smarter than you think. You can get it; you just have to look at it from a different angle," Jaden said, grabbing a tool and leading her over to the eel tank.
Bending down, Jaden reached in, causing Liz to gasp.
"Jadey!" Liz exclaimed as Jaden pulled out an eel with ease.
"In nature, everything is connected. As scientists, we expand and explore those connections. Maybe, as people, we should do the same," Jaden said.
"I guess science can be interesting," Liz smirked.
"You're lucky to have Jaden. Dude's got a future in science—maybe even a Nobel Prize," Eddy said as Jaden grinned.
"One can dream," Jaden chuckled.
In Dr. Connors' lab, Kurt had hooked up the sample he took before the incident to a vaccination gun when the door opened, revealing Martha.
"Kurt, I have the results for—Kurt, what are you doing?!" she gasped as he stood up and closed the door.
"I can explain," Kurt said, turning toward her.
"What is all this?" Martha asked.
"An experimental bio-formula—genetically altered lizard DNA," Kurt explained.
"What?" Martha said, surprised. The power flickered just as the door was blasted open.
"Connors!" Electro roared, storming in and scaring everyone. Turning to the four of them, he glared. "Where's Connors?!"
Frozen in fear, no one answered, causing Electro to snap and throw everything off the table.
"You really don't wanna keep me waiting," Electro growled. "Where is Connors?"
"I'm right here, Max," Kurt said, placing his device on the counter and walking over. "Try to stay calm."
"Calm?! We left calm behind a lifetime ago, Doc! I can't take it anymore! You caused this—now cure it!" Electro shouted, pointing at him.
"We're working on it, Max, but we need time," Kurt said.
"I don't have time! Cure me now!" Electro snapped, firing a blast of electricity that caused an explosion. "I know you can do it, Doc. All you need is the proper motivation."
'I can't go hero like this—my identity will be out the window,' Jaden cringed internally.
"I'll distract him. You get the girls out the back," Eddy whispered.
"Wait, what?" Jaden said as Eddy charged in. "Eddy!"
Rushing forward, Eddy tried to tackle Electro, but Electro zapped him, knocking him to the ground.
Grabbing Gwen and Liz, Jaden led them out the back.
"Come on, go! Go!" Jaden urged, opening the door. "Over there!" he pointed toward the main building.
As they ran out, Gwen pulled out her phone. "Hello, police?"
"Gwen, wait. Where's Jadey?" Liz asked, looking around. Both girls realized Jaden was gone.
Inside the lab, Electro made his way over to Kurt.
"Max, please don't hurt him. Just give me time," Kurt pleaded.
"You're lying!" Electro smashed the desk, knocking the vial to the ground.
"Whoa, forget the cure—you need a chill pill," Spider-Man said, jumping in.
"You?" Electro said.
"Yeah, it's me. Remember, I tried to help you earlier? Look, I know you're mad, and this sucks beyond anything else in the world, but I want to help you. Give me—and everyone here—a chance," Spider-Man said, walking up to him.
"You really don't get it," Electro said before blasting Spider-Man, knocking him down. "Without that cure, I'm no longer Max. I'm... what did you call me?"
"Uh, Electro?" Spider-Man groaned.
"Yeah. I'm Electro!" he declared, letting electricity go wild.
As electricity flew everywhere, one bolt struck Kurt's vaccine, causing sparks to enter the sample.
Seeing Kurt and Martha trying to get Eddy out, Jaden knew he had to buy time.
"Alright, buddy, you wanna be the villain now? Heads up!" Firing a web, Spider-Man threw a piece of the desk at Electro, who blasted it out of the way.
Firing webs, Spider-Man swung out of the way, dodging Electro's attacks and throwing various objects at him.
Landing on the ceiling, Spider-Man was about to fire a web when Electro zapped him, causing him to fall to the ground.
Turning around, Electro saw the three of them trying to escape.
"You're not going anywhere," Electro said when a computer was thrown at him.
Leaping in, Spider-Man fired multiple webs, stopping Electro from following him.
"Gone! My only chance at a cure, and you let him escape!" Electro snapped, attacking Spider-Man.
However, when he leaped, a web shot at Electro, making him stop in his tracks.
"What the—?" Electro then noticed a shadow above him. Looking up, his eyes widened in shock as a figure leaped in and kicked him in the face.
"No way." Spider-Man looked to see Shadow Spider standing in front of him, a smirk hidden underneath his mask.
"Hey, Spidey, what's up? You need a hand?" Shadow Spider said.
"Jake, where did you get that suit?" Spider-Man whispered.
"Nope. Name's Shadow Spider. Also, by the way, here you go," he said, handing Spider-Man a pair of rubber gloves.
"Rubber gloves?" Spider-Man asked.
"How else are we gonna stop him?" Shadow Spider replied, putting his gloves on.
"Oh great, now I've got two pests to squash," Electro growled, emerging from the smoke.
"Don't suppose you've got a plan?" Spider-Man asked.
"Follow my lead," Shadow Spider said.
From outside the lab, an explosion went off as Spider-Man and Shadow Spider leaped into the rain, with Electro right behind them.
"Get back here!" Electro shouted, firing a blast of electricity. But Shadow Spider's Spider-Sense went off, and he dodged before shooting another web at Electro's face.
As Electro covered his eyes, Shadow Spider leaped in and punched him in the face before Spider-Man swung in and knocked him into the wall.
"Oh yeah, you can dish it out, but you can't take it," Spider-Man taunted when Electro blasted him, sending him crashing into the radio tower.
Groaning, Spider-Man looked to see Electro charging in when Shadow Spider swung in and pulled Spider-Man up the tower.
"Whoa, good timing! You're getting so much better at this! How are we going to stop him with just rubber gloves?" Spider-Man asked as a blast was fired at them.
"Just give me a minute," Shadow Spider said before he and Spider-Man leaped off the tower and swung upward to the top.
As Shadow Spider stood ready, the crackling in his ear became clearer. It took a moment to register, but then he realized he was wearing an earpiece under his mask.
"Mia? Is that you?" he whispered, hoping for a response.
"Jake, finally! I've been trying to reach you!" Mia's voice crackled through. "What's the situation?"
"It's bad. Electro's gone full villain, and we're trying to buy time for Kurt and Martha. Got any useful tips?" Shadow Spider said as he ducked under a blast of electricity. Nearby, Spider-Man was flipping through the air, dodging a relentless barrage of lightning bolts.
"I did some digging on Electro. He's got a weakness—you can short him out if you disrupt his electrical output. Got any ideas on how to use that against him?" Mia asked, her voice steady despite the urgency of the situation.
Shadow Spider's gaze shifted, and his eyes landed on a nearby pool of water. "I've got an idea. There's a pool not too far from here. We might be able to neutralize him if we push him in."
Mia paused for a moment, thinking it over. "That could work, but he's not going to make it easy. You'll need a strong enough distraction."
"Leave it to us," Shadow Spider replied, determination in his voice. "Keep the line open, and track his energy levels. If he powers up too much, let me know."
"You got it. Be careful, Jake. You're not in this alone," Mia reminded him.
"Thanks, Mia. I'll make sure Spider-Man and I keep him occupied."
With a renewed sense of purpose, Shadow Spider turned to his partner. "We need to get Electro over to the pool. It's our best shot at taking him down."
Spider-Man swung over, narrowly dodging another electric bolt. "Sounds good, but I'm guessing he's not gonna take a swim willingly."
Shadow Spider smirked. "I was thinking we force him. I've got gloves," he said, pulling out a pair of rubber gloves from his belt.
"Rubber gloves? Really?" Spider-Man quipped, even as he grabbed a pair. "I love that you came prepared, but we're gonna need more than that to handle this guy."
"Trust me. We just need to keep him distracted long enough," Shadow Spider said, pulling the gloves on.
Electro, his body pulsing with electricity, stood in the center of the room, bolts sparking off him, scorching the floor. His glowing eyes locked onto the two heroes.
"I've had enough of your games!" Electro growled, lightning crackling in his palms. "You two think you can stop me?"
Spider-Man flipped into the air, webbing a piece of debris and hurling it toward Electro. "Hey, Sparky! Why don't you cool down?"
Electro blasted the debris into dust with a quick zap. "You're just delaying the inevitable!" he shouted, unleashing a wave of electricity toward Spider-Man.
Spider-Man dodged to the side, and as Electro followed up with another blast, Shadow Spider leapt in, firing webs to entangle his arms. "Over here, Electro!" he taunted, pulling with all his might.
"Big mistake, kid!" Electro roared, the webs sizzling as he surged with power. A shockwave of energy rippled out, sending Shadow Spider skidding across the floor. "I'll fry you both!"
"Jake!" Spider-Man called out, landing next to him. "You okay?"
"Yeah, but he's getting stronger," Shadow Spider replied, grimacing as he stood back up. "We need to push him toward the pool before he overloads."
Electro strode forward, sparks flying from his body, his anger intensifying with every step. "You think you can trap me in some water? I am electricity! I can control it!"
Shadow Spider shot another web, swinging toward him and delivering a powerful kick to Electro's side, sending him stumbling. "Let's see how well you swim then!" he taunted.
Enraged, Electro's body surged with power, bolts of electricity exploding outward. One of them hit Shadow Spider square in the chest, knocking him back into the wall. Pain surged through him, but something felt… strange. His body didn't go numb like it should have. Instead, the electricity seemed to flow through him.
Shadow Spider looked down at his hands in shock. The blue energy from Electro's blast hadn't dissipated—it was now swirling in his palms. He could feel it humming inside him, charging his body with power.
"What the…?" Shadow Spider muttered, staring at the blue electricity crackling around him.
"Jake!" Spider-Man swung in and landed beside him, concern in his voice. "What's going on? You just took a full blast!"
Shadow Spider looked at him, still processing. "I… I absorbed it. I think I can control it."
"What?!" Spider-Man said, wide-eyed. "You're telling me you've got electricity powers now?"
Electro saw the exchange and sneered. "You think you can play with my power, kid? You'll never control it like I can!"
But Shadow Spider felt something different. This wasn't just electricity coursing through him—this was a new ability, something more than just absorbing energy. "Let's find out," he said, his voice steady as the blue energy glowed brighter.
Shadow Spider thrust his hand forward, and to his amazement, a streak of blue electricity shot out of his palm, slamming into Electro with force. The villain recoiled in shock, his body convulsing as the unfamiliar energy crackled through him.
"WHAT?!" Electro screamed, stumbling backward, eyes wide in disbelief. "That's… impossible!"
Spider-Man couldn't help but grin under his mask. "Looks like you've got some competition, Sparky."
Shadow Spider, now fully realizing the extent of his new powers, grinned. "Not so invincible now, are you?" he said, charging forward.
Electro, furious and desperate, unleashed a barrage of lightning toward the two heroes. But this time, Shadow Spider didn't flinch. The blue energy surged through him again, and he absorbed the bolts, his body glowing brighter with each hit.
"Shadow Spider, hit him with everything you've got!" Spider-Man shouted, diving out of the way of the attack. "I'll get him into position!"
As Electro stumbled, still dazed from the shock of Shadow Spider's counterattack, Spider-Man webbed a nearby steel beam and swung it hard, knocking Electro off balance toward the pool.
"You're going down, Electro!" Spider-Man shouted as the villain staggered backward, now only steps away from the edge of the pool.
"No! I won't let you!" Electro roared, charging up one final massive attack, lightning arcing wildly from his body.
Shadow Spider could feel the energy building, the sheer destructive force Electro was preparing to unleash. But he had one last move.
With a powerful leap, Shadow Spider swung into the air, blue energy crackling in his fists. "Time to short you out!" he yelled, releasing a massive surge of electricity straight at Electro.
The bolt struck Electro square in the chest, and combined with Spider-Man's webbing pulling him back, it was enough. Electro's body went rigid as he flew back, crashing into the pool with a thunderous splash.
Water erupted as the electricity surged through the pool, sparks flying everywhere. Electro thrashed, screaming in agony as his powers shorted out, the water neutralizing his energy.
Shadow Spider landed beside Spider-Man, both watching as Electro's movements slowed, the last bits of electricity fizzling out.
"We… we did it," Shadow Spider said, breathing heavily. His body still tingled with the residual energy, but he felt a sense of control now. "I have powers. Electrical powers."
Spider-Man slapped him on the back with a grin. "Yeah, you do! And they're awesome! That was some impressive stuff back there, Sparky Junior."
"Thanks," Shadow Spider replied, still marveling at his hands. "I didn't know I could do that."
"Well, now you do," Spider-Man said, looking back at the now-defeated Electro, slumped unconscious in the pool. "And it came just in time."
The next day, Jaden was walking through the halls when Liz spotted him.
"Jadey, what were you doing? What happened?" Liz asked.
"I, uh, tried to be a hero and help him," Jaden replied.
"And were you?" Liz asked.
"No… no, I wasn't," Jaden sighed.
"I'm sorry," Liz said softly.
Jaden looked at her, but before he could respond, Flash and his group came over.
"Hey, what's Jaydumb doing here?" Flash sneered.
"Leaving, I hope," Liz said, walking over to Flash as Jaden turned and walked away. As he did, Liz felt a pang of guilt.
"Ah, Jaden Cooper—the newest victim of the wild and dangerous cheerleader," Harry narrated with a smirk.
"It's her loss, Jaden," Gwen added.
"And if you were supposed to teach her something, at least you taught her how to give in to peer pressure," Harry said.
"I tried to reach out to her, and she knocked my hand away. It happens," Jaden sighed.
"Come on, let's go," Gwen said as they walked away together.
Nearby, Jake and Mia were walking down the hall, Mia practically bouncing with excitement.
"I can't believe it!" she said, her eyes wide with enthusiasm. "I saw the whole fight! The camera I placed in your suit caught everything. And... Jake, you've got new powers—electric powers!"
Jake scratched the back of his head, a mix of embarrassment and disbelief. "Yeah, I'm not sure where they came from. Maybe the spider bite? It's weird though…" He trailed off as he rolled up his sleeve, revealing a small number six branded on his wrist. He stared at it, confused. "What do you think this means?"
Mia glanced at the number, then back at Jake. "I don't know… but whatever it is, it didn't stop you from being completely awesome out there!" she said, beaming. "Seriously, you were amazing! Spectacular, even!" Her smile widened as she looked at him with genuine admiration.
Jake couldn't help but blush a little at her praise. "I mean... the suit was a big part of that. You did an incredible job. It worked perfectly, Mia."
Mia's face lit up, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks now. "Well, I couldn't have done it without you, y'know... testing it out. But still, those moves? You were all over Electro!" She laughed softly, her voice filled with excitement. "I guess we make a good team."
Jake chuckled, looking at her with a soft smile. "Yeah... we do. But honestly, you're the real genius. I couldn't have done any of that without you. You're amazing."
Mia's cheeks turned a deeper shade of pink at his words, and for a brief moment, there was an awkward but sweet silence between them. They exchanged glances, both feeling something, though neither could quite put their finger on it.
Suddenly, Mia broke the silence, her voice softer now. "You really were something out there, Jakey..." she said, the nickname slipping out before she could stop herself.
Both of them froze. Mia's eyes widened as she realized what she'd just called him, and she quickly tried to recover. "Uh, I mean... Jake! Sorry, I didn't mean—"
Jake stood there, his face turning even redder. He wasn't used to hearing that nickname, especially from her. "N-No, it's fine," he stammered, trying to hide his embarrassment but secretly enjoying the moment.
Mia smiled awkwardly, backing away toward her classroom. "I-I'll see you in class!" she called over her shoulder, still flustered.
Jake remained standing there in the hallway, watching her go, feeling his heart race a little. He rubbed the back of his neck, still blushing as the moment played over in his mind. "Jakey, huh?" he muttered to himself with a small, sheepish smile.
Back at ESU, Kurt's lab was a mess as he was trying to work on a cure when Martha came in.
"We won't stop trying Kurt but we can't do anymore today. Let's go home." Martha suggests.
"Alright." Kurt sighs.
As Martha walks to the door, Kurt notices his sample on the ground, bending down he puts it in his pocket before walking out with her.