Disclaimer: I don't own Spider-Man.
"I can't believe I'm doing this…"
Behind his iconic red mask, Spider-Man was scowling as he swung from his webs over the busy streets of New York City. The superhero wasn't feeling cheerful at all. He wasn't in the mood for what he was about to do. He had been called out by a certain enemy of his to meet face-to-face that night.
"What does that freak want this time?" Spidey asked himself. "I have enough to deal with as it is. The last person I wanna see is that evil menace."
Spotting where he was supposed to go, Spidey ceased shooting his webs, coming down on top of a derelict building below. He landed on his hands and feet, wobbling as the roof shook and freaked under his weight.
"Looks like you need to lose weight, little spider. Cut down on the pizza or you'll be too heavy to do anymore swinging."
Spider-Man glared, feeling his spidey-sense tingling. He recognised that sinister mocking voice all too well. The young superhero stood up to face the enemy of his who'd asked to meet him there.
Sure enough, hovering in the air on his glider in all his evil nature - was the Green Goblin.
"What d'you want this time?" Spidey demanded hotly.
"Cutting to the chase as always, just like a real hero! Can't we just be civil and engage in a little small talk…" The Goblin laughed and pointed a razor bat towards his sworn nemesis. "Before we get to the point?"
"Our with it, Gobby!" Spidey roared, taking a fighting stance in case he was about to engage in brutal combat. "What d'you want?"
"What do I want?" The Goblin lowered his weapon as his tone softened. "I want to help you…"
Spidey blinked. His ears perked upon hearing what his arch foe was offering. It was something the young keeper of justice would never expected to hear from one of his evil enemies.
"Help me?" Spidey exclaimed. "You?"
"Of course." The Goblin grinned. "I've noticed you've been having a lot on your webs of late, little spider. I can help lift it from those small shoulders of yours so you can concentrate on being the irritable little bug you are by being a hero."
Under his mask, Spidey raised an eyebrow. Although the Goblin sounded as mad as ever, there appeared to be some sincerity in his creepy tone.
"Why should I trust you?" he asked suspiciously. "You're my enemy."
"Indeed I am, but I'm the only one who can get rid of this problem you have to deal with." The Goblin offered his hand. "Do you accept my help or not?"
Spidey stared at the Goblin's hand. He was unsure whether to let his guard down and accept it. Last time the Goblin had offered a truce between them, it was because he wanted the young superhero to join him in committing crimes and terrorising the city. The masked menace had not taken his refusal every well and had sworn to destroy him ever since.
However, this problem which Spidey had to deal with was even bigger than the Goblin. It was unlike anything he'd ever had to deal with. He gazed up at the insane figure in green who was offering his hand.
Could the Green Goblin really be the only one Spider-Man had to turn to to eliminate this intense issue of his?
If he wanted it gone for good, he would have to put his faith in his wicked nemesis.
"Fine!" Spidey huffed as he reluctantly took the Goblin's hand. "But I'm warning you, Gobby, if you stab me in the back…"
"Don't worry, little spider…" The Goblin sneered as he squeezed Spidey's hand in his own. "Leave your troubles to be crushed by me…"
"Well, class, I have to say I'm very disappointed…" Dr Curtis Connors announced. "Every single one of you failed the science homework I gave out to you!"
The class muttered and grumbled under their breaths. They didn't see how their professor could expect them to pass the brutally tough assignment he'd given them all to do in their own time.
"All except for Peter Parker!" Connors smiled and put his arm around the student who was stood by his side. "He's the only one who managed to pass - and with full marks too!"
Peter beamed broadly. It felt so good to be the envy of all his classmates. He was realising how jealous every student before him was. While he was always hiding the fact he was Spider-Man, he was making effort to hide from everyone how proud of himself he was feeling.
"Congratulations, Parker!" Connors shook Peter's hand. "You're top of the class!"
"Thank you, sir," Peter replied happily.
"NEEEEERRRRRD!" A student shouted at the top of their lungs.
Later that day, Peter was cockily making his way out of campus and down the streets. He was doing his goofy strutting and dancing in all his arrogance, which had come from being praised by Connors rather than being corrupted by the dark symbiote. Everyone he passed shot him baffled looks. Just like before, such moves and attitude did not make the youth appear cool, but certainly made him look very goofy.
Blissfully oblivious to how ridiculous he was making himself look in public, Peter turned a corner to enter a dark alleyway - and ceased his silly dancing as he came to an abrupt stop, fixing his gaze onto who he was before him.
It was the Green Goblin again.
Except he wasn't wearing his sinister outfit this time.
Peter grinned as he found himself looking upon the man behind the mask of his enemy.
"I did it! I managed to pass and be top of the class!" he cried cheerily. "Thanks for helping me with that science homework, Mr Osbourne."
"No problem, Peter. Always happy to help someone when it comes to science." Norman Osbourne smiled. "After all, I'm something of a scientist myself."
Peter's grin widened. That science homework he'd been struggling with for days would still be on his shoulders if it weren't for Osbourne. The alter ego of his arch foe had taken the time to help him find the answers to the questions he never would've solved on his own. It was hard to believe that this cool guy who'd been willing to guide and assist him was the true identity of the Green Goblin.
At that moment, a gust of wind blew a newspaper into the alleyway. It stuck to the wall, revealing it was a copy of the latest issue of the Daily Bugle. Peter turned towards it - and frowned when he saw what was on the front page.
It was a picture of Spider-Man and the Green Goblin on the night they'd called a true. Somebody had snapped a photograph of the pair of them the moment they had shook hands. They must've sold it to the Bugle, knowing that such a picture would get them some cash from Mr Jameson, who was obviously responsible for the headline written above the image.
SPIDER-MAN AND THE GREEN GOBLIN - BADDIE BEST BUDDIES
"Whoever's responsible for taking that picture," Peter mumbled bitterly, "I'm gonna put some dirt in your eye…"
"Hey, Peter…"
Hearing Osbourne address him, Peter turned to the man who's help him with his troubles - to see he was pulling his Green Goblin mask onto his head.
"What d'ya say we prove this misleading headline wrong," he suggested, "and go back to doing what the two of us do best?"
"Sounds good to me," Peter agreed as he pulled open his shirt to reveal the iconic red suit he was wearing underneath, the spider in its usual spot on the centre of his chest.
The moment Spider-Man put on his own mask, the truce between himself and the Green Goblin was over at last - as the pair of them proceeded to go back to fighting.
THE END