Back at Fred's place, Peni was using her SP//DR on board computer to look through all of the information that Peter managed to grab. She managed to get past the firewalls the system was protected with and got into the system.
"Alright, let's see what we are working with," Peni said, blowing a bubble. "Wow, she has been at this for a while."
"How long?" GoGo wonders.
"If I had to guess... three years," Peni said.
"Three years?" Peter asks. "Why? What is she gaining by turning people into monsters?"
"Or creating monsters?" Teresa said, reminding them of Mega-Globby.
"Wait, I got some sort of video diary," Peni said, pulling up some video on a projection.
"Immortality Project," Liv said on the video. "Day 147. I've genetically engineered these organisms to guard against disease, exponentially increasing life expectancy." She showed what looked to be miniature slugs that swam around.
"She created a bio-cure?" Peter was surprised to hear. "Anything about this go public?"
"Uh, I got something, but not a lot," Peni said, pulling up another screen, showing the project was shut down: at least on record. "She didn't get any funding for the idea.
"No one believed in her project. So Liv tested the parasynths on herself." Peter took a guess.
"How could you assume that?" Honey wonders.
"It's what all mad scientists do," Peter proclaimed in annoyance. "You forget how much experience I have with mad scientists over the years?"
"He's right." Teresa had to agree.
"Day 159," Liv said in the video. "I am preparing to enter cryo-state. My last, only hope is radical. There's only one person I trust to find the cure." She showed a canister with what looked to be a creature almost identical to herself in the process of being created. "Myself."
"Wait, if Liv is in cryo-state... who is the Liv we've all met?" Hiro asks.
"Project 41," Peni said, showing the footage of another project. "Project: Diane."
"Diane?" Peter asked in shock.
"A clone!" Fred cried. "We've got more clones!"
"It's impossible," Peter whispered. "Jackal and all of his research... it was destroyed when we-"
"But where else did he do his research?" Peni asked, showing that Liv and Jackal actually have a history. "He helped Liv get Sycorax off the ground with his genetic research before he..."
"Became a giant Jackal and turned us all into spiders?" Wasabi asked, shuddering at the reminder. "That was a dark day."
"So, Di has taken Liv's place in her absence to find a cure for these creatures." GoGo was starting to follow. "But why the monsters?"
"Orso Knox," Peter groaned. "Dr. Connors. She isn't just turning anyone into monsters."
"It's turning people who would be helpful to her research," Teresa was following her brother's thought.
"People who either already figured out a way to heal wounds or other things like that," Peter stated as he looked at the footage of Liv. "That's why she was creating the spiders like the one that bit Karmi. A way to fight poison from the inside. Like when Scorpia poisoned me..."
"Good news is, I think that I can make us some dampeners to turn some of them back to normal," Peni told them, showing them the blueprints for the devices that they used. "Whatever these are, they are what are controlling them. We just have to find a way to break through."
"Speaking of which, has anyone seen Karmi?" Teresa wonders.
"I'm sure she is just clearing her head," Peter shrugged. "Look, this is a lot for her as it is for us. I know that we didn't exactly want her, but like it or not, she might be a member of this team."
"A new member to help us in our fight to serve justice!" Mini-Max seemed enthusiastic about the idea.
"Look, guys, when she-" Peter sensed her approaching. "Masks!"
Everyone put their masks back on as Karmi rushed into the room, grabbing Peter's hand and pulling him to face her. She had her mask on over her hair as she rushed in, seemingly freaked out by something.
"Mu uncle!" Karmi freaked out.
"Hey, where have you been?" Peter asks.
"My Uncle Rick, he's..." Karmi tried to get it all out. "My Uncle Rick..."
"Hey, slow down and breath..." Peter tried to calm her down.
"My Uncle Rick is the Prowler!" Karmi cried. "He works for Liv! He tried to kill me!"
Everyone was shocked to hear this news.
"This is a pretty hardcore origin story," Fred said.
That earned him a smack from GoGo.
"It's okay," Peter tried to calm her. "We'll figure this out."
"But first things first. Were you followed?" Teresa asks.
Karmi shrugged. "Uh, no... I don't think so."
That was when Peter, Peni, and Karmi's spider senses alerted them to danger. Everyone looked over to the wall and quickly geared up, ready to fight whatever it was that came for them.
The wall exploded, revealing it to be Man-Wolf, J. Johan Jameson Jr., and Olivia Octavius. The Man-Wolf broke the wall open and growled as he looked around, as if picking his prey.
"So, this is your secret base?" Olivia asked with a scoff. "It looks like a child's bedroom."
"Oh, great, it's you again." Teresa sighed.
"I... guess I was followed," Karmi whispered.
"SP. You got those cures?" GoGo asked.
"I'm sorry, am I not learning how to hack into a multinational company's mainframe to figure out how to reverse engineer state of the art, universally created to turn people into monsters to synthesize a cure fast enough for you?" Peni asked sarcastically as she was working on it even when the villains were here.
"Forget I asked," GoGo sighed.
"Kid, get out of here," Peter told Karmi.
Karmi rushed for the doorway but was stopped by Morbius, Momokase, High Voltage, and Scorpia.
"You messed up big time, kid," Momokase mocked as she strolled into the room, showing off her long bladed nails. "Very sloppy."
Scorpia showed off her giant tail and growled when she saw all of them. "Look at all of the heroes, all lined up in a row."
"Oh, great, all of our big bads are teaming up," Peter sighed. "What, couldn't add White Rabbit to the party? She is literally named after an animal."
Scorpia groaned when she heard that. "You think I'd let that freak of a woman escape after dealing with her for so long in that cell!? She was more torturous than the actual prison!"
"Wow," Teresa chuckled. "Too much for you?"
"Always!" Scorpia cried.
Olivia noticed the flash drive connected to the SP//DR and quickly drew her tendrils. "I think I will be taking that!"
Olivia thrust a tendrill at Peni, but Peter tackled the tendrill, which was followed up by another. Peter was slammed into the wall, trying to get himself free of the tendrill, but one of the others intercepted Peni's thinking progress, stealing the drive and causing her to get back into the action. Karmi ducked as Morbius flew above her head after Wasabi tried to attack him.
GoGo threw one of her disks to strike at Momokase, who swipped it and knocked it away. Karmi grabbed onto the couch, trying to keep her head down throughout the chaos of everything. That was when Scorpia's tail came down and almost hit her. She sensed it approaching and dodged it, rolling off the couch.
"Come on, stand up and give me a worthy fight!" Scorpia dared Karmi.
Karmi raised her fists, preparing to fight, when she saw that her fear caused her powers to activate and her fingers to stick to the cushions. "Ah, man, stupid pillows."
The fight continued, with Morbius trying to sink his teeth into Fred's suit, causing his teeth to break. "Ha!" Fred cheered. "This isn't my real skin!"
Teresa was slammed into the ground, struggling to fight off Man-Wolf. That was when she let out a whistle, causing a drone to fly off of her pack, revealing to be the same drone she had at the open house. The drone shot off a taser, causing Man-Wolf to crawl away, and Teresa saw the drive. She leaped at it, trying to pry it from Otto's tendrils.
Yanking it free, Teresa tossed it into the air. "Honey!"
Honey Lemon made a chem ball that she clapped and used as a string to yank the drive towards her. But that didn't end as well as she hoped, as High Voltage came and tried to get the drive, causing Honey Lemon to shield herself inside what looked to be a gummy bunny. High Voltage's power couldn't penetrate it, but it kept her busy.
The drive went flying, and when Olivia tried to reach for it. Karmi managed to leap up and grabbed it. Then she felt her senses go off, getting her to look around in concern and fear. While everyone else was fighting, Prowler came rushing in, trying to tackle Karmi as she ducked and dodged the attack. Her powers began to go haywire as she was phasing in and out through visible and invisible. Prowler was preparing to strike when Peter leaped in, snatching the drive as that's apparently where their focus was at the moment.
"I got this, kid," Peter promises, focusing on Prowler. "Leave the kid alone!"
But the chaos of the scene was taking its toll on everyone from both sides. Karmi was stuck in the middle of the chaos when suddenly she saw the drive fall from Peter's hands and roll over to Karmi.
Prowler saw the drive wnd up in Karmi's hands and prepared to chase her down. He used his rocket boots to send Peter through the wall.
Peter was flung outside and rushed back in, but that was when Scorpia came out and started to strike the hero, who began to dodge the attacks. "You know, Elaine, I am starting to feel like you're mad at me."
The ceiling was broken open as Honey Lemon leaped up, dodging Momokase, who chased Honey Lemon across the rooftops.
Back with Karmi, she took the drive and was met with Prowler coming back for round two. Karmi ducked to dodge her uncle, who wasn't aware of who she was. She needed to keep the drive safe if they wanted any hope in stopping Liv. She dodged him attempting to strike her with his boot, then got up, allowing Prowler to smash the wall and try to get at her.
"Give me that thing!" Prowler demanded her.
Karmi didn't give in as she knew how important the drive was. She leaped over the couch and dodged another strike as Prowler went to grab the drive.
"Don't be stupid, kid, hand it over!" Prowler demands.
Karmi used the table and shoved Prowler against the wall, giving her a chance to run and get to the roof. But Prowler came crashing through the roof, using his rocket boots to reach Karmi, grabbing her shirt and dangling her over the ledge. Karmi was beginning to panic, wondering what she was supposed to do in this situation.
"Nowhere left to run," Prowler said, ready to pry the drive from her hands.
Karmi went for the only thing she had and raised her mask up, revealing who she was to her uncle. Prowler froze in surprise when he saw his own niece was the Spider-Girl he was chasing.
"Karmi?" Prowler asked in shock.
"Uncle Rick..." Karmi whispered in fear.
"Prowler?" Liv Amara said in Prowler's earpiece. "What are you waiting for? Finish the job. She knows too much, and I don't need her alive."
Prowler looked down to the limo where Liv was waiting for the fight to be over. He knew there were bound to be consequences if he didn't finish the job, but this was his niece. He couldn't harm her even if he wanted to. He reached up, spooking Karmi as she didn't know what he was doing. But then he lowered her mask to cover her face and took a few steps back, showing Karmi he wasn't going to harm her.
Then, a BANG filled the air. Karmi watched in shock as Rick started to fall over, a hole in his suit where she saw blood coming from. Karmi grabbed Rick before he could hit the roof. Liv was there, holding a gun in her hands. She killed him. Karmi made eye contact with Liv, who then aimed her gun at Karmi, but Peter swung in and knocked Liv down.
Peter looked over to see Karmi standing over her injured uncle. "Get out of here! "
Karmi scoops up Rick and swings away. A police car arrives at the scene only to see two people swinging across the street. It stopped its pursuit towards the home and started to follow them.
Karmi pulled her uncle away from the chaos, her heart pounding as she navigated through the shadows of a dimly lit alley, finally coming to a halt beside Rick. The harsh gleam of the streetlights cast a flickering light over his injury, and panic seized her as she realized just how dire the situation was. Every moment felt like an eternity as she grappled with the grim prospect of reaching a hospital. The weight of impending explanations loomed heavily over her, swirling in her mind like a storm that refused to settle. Thoughts raced erratically, relentlessly, and overwhelmingly, each one slipping through her fingers as she desperately tried to grasp them.
"...Karmi..."
She stifled a sob, covering her mouth with trembling fingers. The words escaped her in a choked whisper. "Uncle Rick. This is all my fault."
Rick, with a shaky hand, reached for hers, a warm yet fragile connection. Shaking his head slowly, he murmured, "No, Karmi. I'm sorry. I wanted you to look up to me. I let you down. I let you down. You're the best of us, Karmi. You're on your way. Just... keep going..."
His words were laced with an urgency she struggled to comprehend. "What?" Confusion clouded her thoughts; desperation colored each syllable.
"…just keep going…" Rick implored, his voice a faint echo of strength.
With Karmi by his side, he closed his eyes, surrendering to an eternal silence. The world around her blurred, reality fracturing as the weight of his absence crashed down upon her like a tidal wave. A suffocating sense of guilt engulfed her. She couldn't shake the belief that it was her presence that led him to this fate. If she hadn't decided to return home, if she hadn't drawn him into her chaotic world, he would still be there, vibrant and full of life, sharing this moment with her.
As Karmi leaned over her beloved uncle, she missed the fact that a police car was approaching. She didn't even hear the officer approaching. "Hands up!" Karmi froze as she recognized that voice. Her father. "Put your arms up, now!"
Karmi started to do what he said. Then she watched her body begin to disappear, and she quickly used this as a chance to escape.
"Hey! Hey!" He cried, frantically looking around for the kid. But as he advances, he sees who the dead man is. Rick? Rick. No... No." He touches his brother's face and recoils.
Karmi climbed up the side of a building and saw the grief hit her father. Jeff's face hardens. He turns on his shoulder radio. "All units. I want an APB on a new Spider-Man."
Karmi was devastated by what she did. She caused this. She turned away and ran as far as she could to anywhere she could think of. She ended up running all the way back to the dorm room that she sometimes stayed at on campus when her uncle was away. She kept a lot of personal projects there, and didn't want to go home right now.
Karmi erupted into her room, a tempest of teenage turmoil, her emotions raging like a storm. In her fury, she flung her homework and textbooks across her cluttered desk, sending them cascading to the floor with a noisy thud. Among the chaos, her cherished sketchbook tumbled open, revealing the vibrant projects that her uncle had nurtured and inspired her to create. With a surge of frustration, she snatched it up and hurled it out of the window, a symbolic act of rebellion against her pain.
To her astonishment, a heartbeat later, the sketchbook zipped back through the air like a boomerang, landing squarely in her hands. Karmi stared in disbelief, her heart pounding as she caught it.
Suddenly, Peter's head appeared at the window, his familiar face transitioning from shock to determination as he clambered through, followed closely by the rest of the heroes. The room buzzed with their presence as they stepped into her emotional whirlwind. Peter approached, his hand gently settling on her shoulder as a sign of comfort.
"Hey, kid. You okay?" he asked softly, his voice laced with concern.
Karmi inhaled deeply, desperately holding back the swell of tears that threatened to spill over.
Peter knelt, leveling himself with her, his expression sincere. "Yeah, I get it, kid. I know—"
"Don't say you know what I'm going through," Karmi snapped, her voice trembling, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "It's my fault. My uncle died because of me. There's no way you could ever understand that."
Irony pierced the air, heavy and palpable, as Peter felt her words resonate painfully within him, reflecting his own memories of loss. Taking a shaky breath, he made a bold decision, slowly lifting a hand to clutch his mask. His friends looked on in astonishment, realizing the weight of what he was about to do.
"Spider-Man, what are you doing?" Teresa blurted out, her voice a mix of disbelief and concern.
"Spider-Man?" Hiro echoed, wide-eyed.
But it was too late. With a resolute motion, Peter pulled off his mask, revealing the truth beneath—a truth he had guarded fiercely. "I know exactly how it feels, kid."
Karmi's world shifted in an instant. The hero she idolized, the protector of San Fransokyo, stood before her unmasked, the boy from school she never expected to be so intertwined with her reality. "Peter... Peter Parker? You're... Spider-Man?" Shock flooded her senses as she began to connect the dots, her heart racing. One by one, her gaze flickered to the rest of the team, and she realized their secrets too. "But that means…"
Teresa sighed, reaching up to peel away her eye mask, revealing herself as Karmi's neighbor, her expression both serious and warm. "Teresa Parker," she said gently.
Next, Peni opened the cockpit of her SP//DR suit, stepping out to confirm Karmi's growing realization. "Peni," she confirmed, her tone calming.
Karmi's eyes darted around the room like a bird trapped in a cage as she looked at the remaining members of Big Hero 9. "Wasabi. Honey Lemon. GoGo. Fred..." Her voice faltered as she turned to the last two. "No…"
Hiro removed his mask, his eyes meeting hers with a mixture of empathy and vulnerability. "Yeah... Hi, Karmi."
Baymax then waved. "Hello."
The pieces fell into place for Karmi, her disbelief morphing into awe. The heroes she had admired from afar—their identities intertwined with her own life—were the very students she shared a lab with, just down the hall from her. "What?" she whispered, her mind racing.
"Yeah, I know," Peter replied softly, his gaze steady. "We've all stood where you are, Karmi. For us, it was our Uncle Ben." He paused, the weight of the past clear between them, as he spoke for himself and his sisters.
"For me, it was Tadashi," Hiro confessed, his voice thick with emotion. "My brother."
"For us, Tadashi was our best friend," GoGo added, her tone a mixture of sorrow and solidarity.
"We all lost someone," Honey Lemon said.
"Karmi," Peter continued, his voice soothing yet somber, "the hardest part about this job is... sometimes, you can't always save everyone." The words hung heavy in the air, a truth they all understood too well. "We are the only ones who might truly grasp what you're going through."
Karmi sighed when they heard the door rattling. Everyone freaked out and panicked when the door opened, and Karmi's roommate (one of the reasons she doesn't stay on campus) started to make her way into her room, wearing headphones. Her music was playing loud as she walked in, missing the heroes hiding out on the ceiling.
"That way! That way!" Peter said, them crawling around to hide. Peter using his powers to stick while Honey Lemon used her chem balls to stick and they helped hold everyone else up. "Other way!"
They tried to hide, but the roommate spun around, holding a book up, and then noticed them on the ceiling. "Hey," Karmi said.
"Should we talk to her or something?" Fred wonders.
The girl then fainted as she fell over on her chair.
Karmi tucked her roommate into her bed to make it look like she just happened to pass out. She looked over and noticed everyone leaving out the window and back in their super suits.
"What is going on?" Karmi wonders.
Peter sighed, gesturing for everyone to leave them be. "Karmi, you have to stay here."
"What do you mean?" Karmi asks. "You need me to get you guys into Sycorax undetected."
"Peni already found us a way in," Peter told her. "We'll sneak in after the devices are finished to override those chips of hers to stop the monsters." He then reached his hand out. "I need the drive, kid."
"That's not fair. You gotta tell them I can do this," Karmi told him.
"This wasn't their decision to make." Peter was sorry to say he didn't believe in her yet. But she was too young. She just got her powers. She isn't ready to go against something like this. "Don't make me take the drive from you."
"I gotta make Liv pay for what she did!" Karmi stated. "You have to let me make her pay!"
"Karmi, I've been down this road, you wont like where it leads," Peter tells her. "You're not ready."
"But I am!" Karmi promised. "I prom-"
Peter quickly spun his legs, tripping Karmi before he leaped on the ceiling, where he grabbed Karmi by the shirt. "Then Venom-Strike me, right now. Or turn invisible so you can get past me. Or even use those weird fangs of yours and knock me out."
Karmi tried to fight her way out of his grasp, but she wasn't able to fight back even remotely. Peter sighed as he saw how hard she was fighting and couldn't win. She finally gave up, and Peter dropped down.
"I know how badly you want this, but you're not ready," Peter said, webbing the chair, dragging it over to trip Karmi into it and then wrapping her up in webbing so she didn't get any ideas about following. He then took the drive and his web shooter back so he could be at full strength. "I'm sorry."
"When will I know I am ready?" Karmi wonders.
Peter shot a web to latch onto her mouth to make sure she didn't try screaming for help. "You won't. It's a leap of faith, Karmi. That's all it is. A leap."
And with that, Peter swung off and made his way to the labs with the rest of Big Hero 9 behind him. They made their way over to the labs to start the cure while Karmi was struggling to get herself free of the webbing. A few hours passed, and the webbing over her mouth did deteriorate, but she couldn't even shout for help if she wanted. She struggled to escape when there was a knock at the door, shocking her.
"Karmi?" Professor Granville appeared in the doorway, her presence both unexpected and commanding. "I heard about something that I think we should discuss."
"Wait, don't come—" Karmi started to protest, but the professor brushed past her and stepped inside. She wasn't even slightly fazed to see Karmi clad in her tight-fitting Spider-Man suit, the fabric clinging to her like a second skin. "Come in," Karmi relented, knowing her secret was already out.
"Karmi, I am already aware that you gained Spider abilities," Granville stated, her tone measured and calm.
"Wait, seriously?" Karmi gasped, eyes wide in disbelief. "How?"
"You weren't exactly subtle about it," Granville replied, her gaze piercing yet understanding. "I noticed almost instantly."
"Seriously?" Karmi echoed, a mix of awe and unease washing over her. "Wow, keeping this a secret is harder to keep than I thought."
Granville walked around her, her fingers lightly brushing against the chair draped in glistening strands of webbing. "May I ask... why are you tied up?"
Karmi let out a long sigh, the weight of her situation pressing down on her. "Big Hero 9 left me."
"I see. Mr. Parker believes you are not ready," Granville pieced together, her brow furrowing slightly in contemplation.
"Wait, you know that—"
"I know everything," Granville stated simply, a hint of authority underlying her words.
Karmi leaned back in the chair, exhaustion evident on her face. "They're right. I was just an accident. That stupid spider should have chosen someone worthy of this power."
"And yet, it chose you," Granville reminded her, her voice firm yet encouraging.
"It didn't choose me; it was a fluke," Karmi insisted, shaking her head as if to dismiss the weight of her newfound abilities. "I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"And how much has that one incident helped?" Granville mused, raising an eyebrow inquisitively.
Karmi shrugged, a mixture of defensiveness and pride bubbling within her. "Well, I got Spider-Man into Sycorax and uncovered Liv's sinister plans... learned that my uncle was the villain terrorizing the city for years... and helped them find a way to stop Liv."
Granville's lips curved into a small smile, a flicker of pride sparking in her eyes. "Sounds to me like that spider chose the right person."
"But all I've done is mess things up," Karmi lamented, her frustration evident.
"Do you remember why I wanted you to come here?" Granville asked, her voice steady and filled with purpose. "Come to SFIT?"
"You said you saw a spark in me," Karmi recalled, her mind racing back to that moment. "Something that was worthy of nurturing."
"It wasn't just the spark that I saw," Granville corrected gently. "It was you, Karmi. You have great power. Whether or not that spider had bitten you, you were destined to make mistakes, and adversity will inevitably follow. But that's when you must strive to be greater than you were."
As Granville began to turn away, Karmi's heart sank. "Wait, aren't you going to help me?"
Granville paused, her gaze softening with empathy. "You have all the help you need." With her cryptic words hanging in the air, she stepped out of the room, closing the door with a soft click behind her.
Left alone, Karmi was engulfed in a whirlwind of confusion and reflection. She pondered Granville's powerful message, seeking clarity. Drawing in a deep breath, she concentrated, steeling her resolve. She could feel a familiar surge of electricity flickering to life, a vibrant energy cascading through her body and crackling around her hands. Reaching out, she touched the webbing, and with a burst of power, it broke away like fragile glass, freeing her.
Standing tall, Karmi looked down, her disbelief transforming into pride as she reveled in the realization that her abilities were finally bending to her will.
Suddenly, her roommate stirred, the bed creaking softly, causing Karmi to freeze. In a heartbeat, she turned invisible, cloaked in the shadows of her newfound ability. Her roommate glanced around, eyes darting with confusion before flopping back onto her bed. Karmi couldn't help but smile, exhilarated by her control over her powers. With newfound confidence, she moved toward the window, ready to uncover what awaited her beyond the glass.
Karmi made her way to Fred's house, her footsteps echoing softly against the polished floor as the front doors creaked open. The once chaotic scene was now transformed, the remnants of turmoil meticulously swept away. In the center of the front hall, Heathcliff, the family's steadfast butler, sat in a chair, the warm aroma of freshly brewed tea wafting around him. His poised demeanor suggested he had been anticipating her arrival all along.
"I was beginning to fear you wouldn't show, madam," Heathcliff remarked, his voice rich and welcoming, as if inviting her into a world of unspoken secrets.
Without wasting a moment, Karmi dove into her mission. Outside, dark clouds gathered ominously over the city, cloaking the skyline in a shroud of gray. At the very pinnacle of the tallest building, a flash of lightning sliced through the gloom, illuminating a camouflaged Karmi. She wore a hoodie borrowed from Fred, carefully draping it to obscure her outfit beneath—a clever disguise. Each crack of thunder served as a cinematic cue, sending Karmi on her visual journey to the skyscraper's summit.
FLASH! She emerged from the subway, her gaze drawn upward, the hood casting shadows on her determined face.
FLASH! The scene shifted as Karmi approached Fred's display case, captivated by the Spider-Man suit within. The iconic design, a direct link to Peter's legacy, pulsed with potential, calling out to her.
FLASH! With Heathcliff's swift assistance, Karmi began to spray-paint the suit with vibrant blue hues, each stroke an expression of her creativity. "Why blue?" she mused, captivated by the color's calming yet bold energy.
"It wasn't just a spark I saw. It was you, Karmi," Granville's voice reverberated in her mind, igniting her resolve.
FLASH! In the dim light of Fred's home, Karmi stood, scissors clasped tightly in her hands. With a swift, determined motion, she lifted her ponytail and snipped it free, her hair cascading down like a waterfall, transforming into a stylish shag cut. The act was liberating—symbolic of her shedding old constraints.
"You're the best of all of us. You're on your way. Just keep going," echoed the encouraging words of her Uncle Rick, lifting her spirits.
FLASH! Karmi found herself scaling the building's stairway, her heart racing with the thrill of the climb, darkness surrounding her like a shroud. She recalled her query, the uncertainty clear in her mind: "When do I know I'm ready?"
Back with Karmi, now teetering closer to the edge, she felt the weight of Peter's reply: "You won't. That's all it is, Karmi... a leap of faith."
With determination surging through her, Karmi reached up, her fingers gliding over the edge as she prepared for the leap. She took a deep, grounding breath, pulling her newly fashioned mask over her face—now a vibrant blue adorned with striking black webbing and a bold spider emblem at its core. She was not just wearing it; she was embracing her destiny.
The wind whipped around her, a fierce reminder of the freedom she sought, and with a fearless leap, she soared from the building, shards of glass scattering around her. When the city below witnessed her fall, she felt not fear but exhilaration, her spirit soaring as she flipped gracefully through the air, defying the laws of gravity.
FLASH! Reverting to Fred's house, Karmi found Heathcliff approaching, a tray held delicately in his hands, cradling a set of web shooters. "These should assist you in navigating your new world, ma'am. Mr. Parker tends to leave extras behind," he offered with a knowing smile.
Karmi secured the web shooters around her wrists, gratitude flooding her heart. "Thank you," she replied, the words rich with appreciation.
Back in the heart of the city, Karmi shot out twin strands of webbing, her excitement propelling her forward as she swung through the urban landscape. Each movement grew more fluid as she embraced her newfound abilities, weaving low to the ground one moment, then launching herself into the air the next. The thrill of running along walls and spinning around flagpoles sent waves of joy coursing through her veins. "WHOOO!" she cheered, relishing each exhilarating second as she danced across rooftops, her laughter ringing out like music.
Finally, Karmi slowed her pace, spotting the formidable figure of Sycorax in the distance. She removed her mask for a moment, taking in the accomplishments of her journey, a broad smile illuminating her face. She was ready—ready for the challenge ahead. With a determined nod, she pulled her mask back into place and set her sights on Sycorax, soaring forward to save the day.
Look out, world. Here comes... Spider-Girl.