MAB86: Yeah, I believe that family dynamics are one of the most important aspects of any hero since, oftentimes, the most important people in your life are the ones who will help guide you on your path. And I believe that with the Pryde-Parker family it's the same.
Wildcard Sparda: Yeah, I've learned to go a little easier on the references and keep things more general for everyone to understand.
If you're interested in more stories about Spider-Man and Kitty Pryde, check out the stories by MAB86 and Shadowspider17.
They're big fans of the couple like me and deserve recognition.
If you're interested, check out the Discord server created by Shadowspider17 dedicated to the Peter Parker x Kitty Pryde couple. In addition to talking about them, we also have dedicated channels for Spidey, X-Men and other general topics and to interact with both shadowspider 17 and MAB86.
discord .gg / pMQFtaCPm3
And check out the link on my profile to access the Omni-Spider Discord server.
discord .gg / 9WYyeKqx
(Add the "https" and everything and Remove spaces from links as you type.)
Secret Origins #4
Ben and Casey were now with Kitty and Peter in the living room, with the credits of the movie Rocky on the TV.
Ben: Okay, I admit it was a great movie. - He said, before yawning slightly.
Casey: I just think Rocky deserved to win.
Ben: Really? I like Apollo more.
Peter: It's not all about winning or losing, boys. Sometimes it's about going out there and fighting until the end and, when it's all over, that you finish with your head held high. - He said, with his heroic and selfless tone.
Kitty: And people still say that movies don't teach you anything. - She smiled slightly. As the Pryde-Parker family got off the couch, Kitty remembered something.
Kitty: Oh, wait, I have something to give you before we go to sleep. - She went to the basement and the three Parker boys followed her.
Ben: What do you think Mom went to get? - He asked Casey.
Casey: I don't know. Honestly, I thought we all decided to stop going to the basement.
Ben: Why? Do you think it's haunted there? - He asked, in a sarcastic tone.
Casey: No. Because it's disgusting down there. - He said.
Peter: Yeah, when you have to take care of two houses, it's common to forget to take care of certain details in one or the other. - He rubbed the back of his neck, a little embarrassed.
It was common for Peter and Kitty to sometimes forget some necessary maintenance in the house since the Xavier School almost always needed some renovation because of some inappropriate use of power by the students.
And the maintenance in the Pryde-Parker house was usually necessary due to some failed experiment by Ben and Casey that ended in an explosion.
It was even a miracle that their house was still in one piece.
They reached the basement and went to where Kitty was.
Casey kept trying to get the dirt and cobwebs out of the way.
Ben: Looks like our little friends threw us a welcome party.- He joked as he looked at the old cobwebs in the basement.
Casey: Man, it's because of things like this that spiders get a bad reputation.
Peter: Well, I've never gotten any complaints for dirtying someone's basement with webs.- He joked.
Kitty: What about that time when you and I helped Yana exorcise a demon that was in the abandoned basement of the FEAST Center?- She reminded Peter.
Peter: Okay, there was that time. Funny how my life got weirder when I met you.- He said this with a smile as Kitty approached them holding a box.
Kitty: I hope that's not a complaint.- She said, with a sarcastic smile.
Peter: Never.- He said, with a charismatic smile and they kissed quickly while Kitty put the box on the floor.
Casey: You know, there are couples who prefer to only show their love when there is no one around.- He said, bothered by the absurdly frequent displays of affection from his parents.
Ben: Yeah, no offense, of all the things I see, this is still the most disgusting.- He said.
Casey: Seriously? Because I thought you were inspired by them when you were talking to Alexa two days ago.- He irritated his brother by mentioning the conversation Ben had with Alexa.
Ben: Just for the record, that wasn't flirting! Or was it?- He didn't even know what to say anymore. Honestly, the first and, so far, only girl he liked was Alexa, so he didn't even know what flirting was exactly. And it doesn't help that Ben has only been a teenager for 2 days.
Casey: By the brain cells I have left after years of dealing with you, I hope not. - He didn't get along with Alexa and the idea of seeing her more often because she was with Ben irritated him even more.
Peter: Okay, you two, enough. You're too young to think about that. Right, Kitty? - He asked Kitty's opinion but she made a facial expression as if she was a little embarrassed.
Kitty: Well...suuure. - She was a little embarrassed and Peter remembered the reason. When Kitty was only 13 years old, she flirted with Colossus, who was 18 at the time.
She got over that relationship after a long time, since they broke up long before Kitty went to college.
Needless to say, Peter was worried about the possibility of having daughters who were like Kitty and the possibility of having to threaten any suitors they had.
Luckily, they had two sons.
This meant that Ben and Casey would probably inherit Kitty's talents and Parker Charm. With that in mind, Peter decided to be realistic.
Peter: Okay, umm, how about I talk about it with you guys sometime? You know, tips from your dad on how to deal with girls. - He said to the twins.
Ben: Yes, please. - He accepted without even thinking twice. Despite their friendship, a part of Ben feared that some mutant more talented, beautiful and powerful than him would come along at some point and take away any chance he had with Alexa.
Casey: Nah, thanks but no. The only girls I've met so far are either too impulsive or loud.
Kitty: But, Casey, the only girls you talk to often are my friends' daughters.
Casey: Exactly, Mom.- Despite being friends with the sons and daughters of the X-Men, Casey never had a crush on any of the girls. For a rebel, he had a great aversion to such intense girls.- I don't need to talk about potential psychopaths.
Ben lightly punched him on the shoulder.
Casey: Ouch!- He rubbed his shoulder.- Start containing that spider strength of yours, man.
Ben: I'll do it if you stop insulting Alex.- He said but Kitty decided to stop this discussion.
Kitty: Okay, you two, enough. This is serious.- She looked at them and both boys stared back at Kitty.- Boys, I spent a long time wondering if you were ready…- She was talking but Ben interrupted her, thinking she would say something like "you're not ready".
Ben: If it's about what I said just now, I totally take it back. - He quickly apologized.
Casey: Yeah, me too. I regret insulting Alexa. - He was lying. Despite his doubts about becoming a "Spider/X-Man" he still wanted to maintain the image that he could already be a responsible teenager.
Kitty: Okay, okay. At least you guys are still good at apologizing. - She smiled slightly.
Peter: I just hope you guys keep it up for the rest of your teenage years for your own good. - He said and the boys knew what he meant.
From now on, if the twins are going to do something stupid, they better be prepared to apologize.
Kitty decided to go back to the main reason why she called them to the basement.
Kitty: So, lately, you two have shown me a great evolution of skills. Even though your father and I still have our doubts about you two getting into this hero life, I believe that you two do too... - She said, looking at the boys and then Peter. Ben and Casey stared at each other for a second before paying attention to Kitty's words again.
Kitty: Anyway, it's always good for you two to be prepared. And I believe that we can be ready to slowly begin the next phase of basic training. - She took two wooden training swords that were inside the box.
One was a medieval sword, the other was a katana, both were made of wood.
Ben: Cool. Wait, has this been down here for so many years? - He asked.
Peter: When Logan found out that Kitty was pregnant, he knew that at some point you two would end up touching a sword. And, for the sake of all of us, he thought it was best to start with swords without sharp blades.
Kitty: That was a wise decision. - She was right. Considering the past 13 years, it was a good decision that Ben and Casey didn't use sharp blades.
Kitty understood the swords for Ben and Casey.
Ben: The katana is mine. It's the weapon that the shinobi and samurai of Japan used. Therefore, it's more appropriate for the newest and most awesome Spider-Man. - He said as he picked up the katana and started practicing with it.
Casey: It's ironic how the term Weeb applies so well to you - He said as he looked at Ben.
(Author Note: For those who didn't understand, Weeb is a term used to refer to anime and manga fans, obsessed with Japanese culture.)
Ben: Shut up! - He said.
Casey: Well, I'll stick with the medieval sword. Unlike Ben, for me the only thing that matters is how good the weapon is. - He said as he picked up the sword.
Ben: You wouldn't say that if it was a Power Ranger's sword.
Casey: Wait, do you have a Power Ranger sword there? - He asked and that made Ben give a slight facepalm. It seems that there really were times when the positions were reversed.
Kitty: Nope. Sorry, honey. And don't you dare try to use technology to turn that sword into a Tokusatsu sword. - She scolded him, already knowing what Casey was planning.
Casey: Okay... Dammit. - He said, with an unmotivated and low tone but unfortunately, Kitty heard.
Kitty: What? - Casey was startled.
Casey: Nothing, thanks for the sword. - He spoke quickly, trying to pretend to be innocent and smiling.
Ben: Coward. - Ben said to his twin brother.
Casey: Shut up. - He said.
Peter: I think we've all had enough excitement for today. It's time to go to sleep. - He said but Ben still wanted to ask something.
Ben: Oh, wait a minute. When are we going to get our, you know, twhip? - He made the web-shooting sign with his hands and Peter knew what that meant.
Peter: The Web-Shooters? Well, I still think they're too advanced for you two. - He said.
Casey: But what about all our training today? - He asked.
Peter: I agree it was good but training with the Web-Shooters requires a level of skill that you'll still take a while to have. Don't worry, the time will come. - He said and Ben and Casey just looked at each other and nodded.
Ben/Casey: Okay.
Peter: Great, now go get ready for bed. - He said.
Ben: Can I at least see the Black Suit?
Casey: Of all the cool stuff in this basement, you want to see the Spider-Emo suit? No offense. - He said.
Peter: Okay. You're not the first one to mention that. That's one of the main reasons I never wore that suit again. But I'm sorry, I threw it away right before you were born.
Ben: Oh, fine. - He sighed. - Good night, I love you.
Casey: I love you, good night mom and dad. - They said and then went upstairs.
Peter took a box and hid it in the corner of the basement.
Peter: I know it's wrong but I don't think I'm the first father to hide something from his children for their protection. - He hid the box among other boxes. The box had several of Peter's Spidey stuff like Web-Shooters, old suits and a notebook with projects and possible upgrades.
Kitty: I totally understand. But don't you think it's unnecessary to hide it so well?
Peter: Maybe, but I know that to test the Web-Shooters, Ben and Casey would have to jump off a building and I prefer to avoid accidents at all costs. - He explained.
Kitty: You're right... do you think they've already made their decision?
Peter: I don't know. But we can't rush them. Now, all we can do is keep helping them understand their powers and accept the changes. - He said and Kitty just nodded in agreement.
Kitty: At least they learn quickly.
Peter: True. No offense, but I'm even impressed that you gave them those swords.
Kitty: Well, the way they are, it's better than waiting until they get a real sword in some dangerous place. - She said in a slightly playful tone and Peter smiled slightly.
Now, Ben was in his room, getting ready for bed but, before, he was looking at his wooden katana.
Ben: (I've been waiting for this moment my whole life but, now, I don't know what to do...) - He thought as he tried to make his decision about becoming a superhero or just staying as Ben Pryde-Parker, a regular scientist/geek.
Ben: (What if I mess up? What if I don't save everyone? What if a stupid thing I do ends up making everyone hate mutants?) - Negative thoughts took over his head.
Luckily, Casey came into Ben's room to pull him out of those thoughts.
Casey: Dude, are you okay? - He asked, leaning on the door frame.
Ben was pulled out of his thoughts and directed his attention to his twin brother.
Ben: Oh, sure. I was just thinking about how cool it is to finally have a sword for a change. You know, after years of watching Mom, Uncle Logan, Aunt Yama and other swordsmen among the X-Men. - Since childhood, Ben has been interested in mastering the art of sword combat. It was already guaranteed that he would be a swordsman.
With Casey, this came more because he wanted to learn how to fight like a Super-Sentai.
It is possible to say that both Pryde-Parker twins are driven as much by their interest in combat as by pop culture.
Casey: You are right. There is nothing better than carrying a big blade around and fighting everyone with it. - He said sarcastically.
Ben: Amazing how you can make weapons with so much history and glory seem so simple. - He sighed lightly.
Casey: Hey, Uncle Logan does this all the time. - He explained.
Ben: Yeah, I can't even disagree. - He said and Casey decided to ask again about what Ben was thinking a few moments ago.
Casey: What's going on with you? Still thinking about what to do? - He asked.
Ben: Kinda. I'm just thinking about the stupid things I can't do if I decide to join Xavier School. If I mess up, I could ruin everything the X-Men have fought so hard for.
Casey: Oh, relax, little bro. Listen, it's not like you won't mess up sometime. After all, how many things have we accidentally blown up, destroyed or burned because of our experiments?
Ben: Honestly, I stopped counting after the 7th time. - He answered, laughing a little. And yes, they caused major damage because of the experiments more than 10 times.
Casey: Exactly, but that didn't stop us from trying. And also, it's not like one mistake will make you the next Magneto. - That got Ben's attention. Casey had a complete bitterness towards Magneto.
Casey considered him a sociopath who used mutants as an excuse for a revenge war against humans. Every time that old man with the metal helmet did something cruel in the name of the "mutants", Casey's mother and her friends had to suffer for it.
Ben never had an opinion about Magneto. He simply considered him a villain who had to be stopped, regardless of his ideology. For Ben, any ideology that is justified with genocide is automatically a bunch of bullshit.
Ben: Thanks, I guess… - He said, laughing weakly.
Casey: I'm just telling you that, we'll probably do something stupid at some point, but not if we could let it stop us from continuing.
Ben: So, you think you're going to do something stupid?
Casey: Are you kidding me? The way I'm going to use Xavier School's technology, I'll probably go to detention 20 times in my first month there. - He said, laughing and Ben laughed too. It was already possible to imagine the incidents in the school's laboratory.
After they both finished laughing, the silence lasted a few seconds in Ben's room, and Casey decided to break the ice.
Casey: So, do you want to fight me on the roof? It looks like it's going to rain. - He said, pointing upwards with his thumb.
Strangely, it was common for the Pryde-Parker twins to try to fight in unusual places like abandoned houses and buildings.
Sometimes, they did it because they were angry with each other, other times to try to act out scenes from fighting movies and RPGs, and other times, they were just really bored.
Needless to say, Kitty's warrior gene really passed on to these two...
Ben: As much as I enjoy a dramatic fight in the rain, I think it's better not to push our luck, it's already a lot that Mom gave us these swords. - He said and, really, Kitty giving us weapons, even if they were made of wood, demonstrated a new level of acceptance.
Casey: I hate it when you're right. - He said and then left the room and, he didn't see, but he knew that Ben was smiling when he heard that he was right. - And stop smiling!
He left Ben's room, who was still deep in thought.
Ben got up from his bed and went to his computer and looked at several old newspaper headlines about his father as Spider-Man and his mother as Shadowcat, both with the X-Men and with Peter.
Ben: (What should I do?)- He went to sleep, still thinking about it.
The next day:
On Sunday mornings, the twins usually slept in late, and Peter and Kitty hoped that would remain the case today.
Peter and Kitty were now in the kitchen, with Peter baking Wheatcakes while Kitty was doing paperwork for Xavier School.
Peter: So, what are you doing?- He asked as he sat down and poured himself a glass of orange juice.
Kitty: More boring office work. Of all the things I've learned, office work is the only one I actually use these days.
Peter: The hard truths of life. But hey, you can't say that ninja training or ballerina training weren't equally useful.- He joked, making Kitty laugh.
Kitty: Yeah, I guess they came in handy once or twice.- She laughed sarcastically and then went back to work.
Peter saw Kitty struggling to read one of the papers she was holding, and after so many years together, he knew what she needed.
Peter went to one of the drawers in the kitchen cabinet and took out a small box. From the box, he took Kitty's glasses and handed them to her.
Peter: After all this time, I'm surprised you still don't want to wear glasses. - He offered her the glasses and she grumbled slightly before taking them.
Kitty: Damn myopia. I wish my X-Gene had taken away the need for glasses like your spider powers did for you. - She said as she put on the glasses.
Peter: And they still say it's better to have an X-Gene than to be bitten by a radioactive spider. - He laughed lightly.
Kitty: What do you think?
Peter: Honestly, I still think it's better to have an X-Gene. Spider bites hurt a lot. - He remembered the pain he felt when the spider bit his hand.
Kitty: I kind of like it. - She said, remembering the times when Peter had "bitten" certain sensitive areas of Kitty.
Peter: Yeah, I guess all powers have their advantages. - He said.
Kitty: Except that I can make a plane intangible and enter any fortress on the planet but I still need glasses to read permission slips for a school trip. - She said. Kitty hated wearing those glasses.
Peter: Nah, I like seeing you with them. You look hot. - He said and Kitty looked at him flirtatiously.
Kitty: Oh, good to know. And what do you prefer most to improve my look? A lab coat, a silk blouse, a skirt, pantyhose and high heels? - She asked sarcastically.
Peter: Yeah, definitely do that. It may sound desperate but I want that as a birthday present. Pretty please. - He laughed lightly as he said it but Kitty had known him long enough to know that Peter was serious.
Kitty: Okay, fine. For a superhero, you're pretty perv. - She said, laughing.
Peter: And you're a hypocrite. - If Peter was perv for liking to see Kitty "dressed up", she was no different.
Kitty: Maybe. - She agreed, laughing lightly. - But let's try to restrain ourselves next time. The last time we got too excited, I ended up getting pregnant.
Peter: Kitty, if too much excitement was what caused your pregnancy, we'd already have enough children to double the percentage of mutants on the planet. - He laughed as he said that and Kitty did the same.
Kitty: That's true. Wow, I wonder if Emma and Scott would be offended to hear that. - She thought.
Peter: I'd rather not even think about what those two do when they're alone.
Kitty: It's in cases like this that the phrase "Ignorance is bliss." applies well. Hey, speaking of mutant kids, have you seen Ben and Casey? - She asked.
Peter: They must still be sleeping. - He went to take a sip of orange juice but the couple heard a scream.
Ben: You shall die! - Ben screamed and Peter knew the boys were fighting.
Peter and Kitty ran to the backyard and saw Ben and Casey practicing sword fighting.
Casey: Did you seriously scream, "you shall die"? - He complained about Ben's catchphrase.
Ben: What? It's a cool catchphrase! - He explained himself.
Casey: That would be a cool catchphrase if it was an overlord from another dimension or whatever. And even in this context, it's still dumb. - He said.
Ben: Okay then, what's your idea of a perfect catchphrase? - He said.
Casey: Catchphrases are unnecessary. I think the most impactful thing is to scream your name, strike a pose and, baam, giant explosion and then the fight begins. - He struck a Power Ranger pose and Ben just groaned.
Ben: Wait, where would the fireball come from? Would you just, like, pour gasoline behind you and then drop a match? - He asked.
Casey: Well, no. I'm still figuring out how to do that. - He said.
Peter and Kitty saw this and just smiled as they stared at each other and then looked at their kids.
Peter: Hey, you two, that's it. Come have breakfast.
Kitty: Yeah, you guys are going to take a break from training today. Tomorrow we'll train with the swords. - She said and both Ben and Casey sheathed their wooden swords and went inside the house.
A few hours later:
The Pryde-Parker family was having a normal Sunday. Usually, Peter and Kitty would take care of some work issues in the morning and leave the rest of the day to rest and binge-watch the series they didn't watch due to lack of time.
Peter was sitting on the couch, browsing through Netflix's catalog of movies and series while Kitty was next to him.
Peter: It's a shame that cable TV is slowly dying. Now everything is just streaming.
Kitty: I think it's better this way. When it comes to cable TV, you have to set up everything, from the device to the antenna. With streaming, you just have to create an account and that's it.
It was common for them to have discussions about any type of technology. It could be something extremely complex like "what's happening in the field of nanotechnology?" to something as simple as "which computer should I buy?".
For Peter, one of the things he loved most about Kitty was that they could be nerds together.
Peter: Oh, I don't know, sometimes I feel like simplicity makes people less capable.
Kitty: You have a point. At least the lack of ads between episodes doesn't affect anyone's development.
Peter: That's true. It's good to have money to pay for it. Back in college, I barely had enough money to buy a TV.
Kitty: Oh, so you're saying you married me because of the money I make? - She asked, with a sarcastic smile.
Peter: Nah, I married you because you're strong, smart, badass and, honestly, insanely beautiful. - He was sincere and Kitty just laughed and kissed him.
Ben and Casey came down the stairs.
Ben: Really? - He asked them, which startled their parents with the sudden fright.
Kitty: Oh, hey boys, what happened? - She stopped kissing Peter and directed her attention to Ben and Casey.
Casey: We were thinking about going out today. You know, just so we don't have to stay inside all day. - He explained.
Peter: I don't think that's a good idea. Scorpion is still out there and we can't let you two go around New York without supervision.
Ben: But we've had training specifically for that. - He explained.
Kitty: You've only had your powers for 3 days. And your training was basically a beginner's course.
Casey: Hey, all this lack of faith in us hurts. - He didn't mean it, but it would be nice if they trusted them to take care of themselves.
Peter: Boys, Scorpion is one of my worst enemies, and this new Scorpion might be even worse.
Ben: We know that but we're not going after him, we promise.
Casey: Yeah, we just want to clear our heads a little. And maybe, I don't know, think about what to do about Xavier School. - He explained and was sincere.
Peter and Kitty just stared at each other and understood what their children wanted to do.
Kitty: Okay, you can go. But there are some conditions. You can't get into any fights with bad guys or fights with a supervillain.
Peter: And if a supervillain shows up, you have to run and hide and call us as soon as possible. We trained you to be ready in case trouble comes to you, not to run towards trouble.- He said. Peter knew his children were idealists and that, if a supervillain attacked, they would try to stop him but... he had to make sure they wouldn't do that.
Peter wouldn't allow his children to get hurt or worse happen in a fight against supervillains.
Ben/Casey: Okay, we get it.- They said at the same time.
Kitty: Good. Oh, and don't even think about taking weapons to fight each other in some dangerous place. - She said as she extended her hand and Ben and Casey just sighed in surrender and handed their swords to her.
Casey: Can we go now? - He asked.
Kitty: There's just one thing left. - She pointed to her own cheek and the boys, slightly uncomfortable, went to Kitty and gave her a kiss on the cheek. - You'll never be old enough to kiss your mommy.
Ben: Ah, see ya, love you guys. - He said as he walked out the door.
Casey: love you, bye. - They walked out the door.
Ben and Casey were now outside the house, walking towards the subway station.
Ben: What now? What are we going to do? - He asked.
Casey: What we said we would do. Think about what to do from now on. - Casey spoke in a serious tone and Ben was a little surprised.
Ben: Look at you, being mature. - He laughed sarcastically.
Casey: I'm always mature. So, do you want to, I don't know, climb a tall building until we run out of breath? - He asked.
Ben: Are you sure about that? You've already passed out while trying to climb the stairs in gym classes. - He laughed and Casey just grumbled slightly in anger.
A few hours later:
Ben and Casey went to some common places in their daily lives. Comic book store, some stores that sold old technology and stuff like that.
Even so, the twins' mood still seemed a little dull because of the big decision they had to make.
Casey noticed this and decided to speak up.
Casey: Okay, this is getting stupid . Our moods are so low today that we look like that emotionless girl from Twilight.- He said.
Ben: Hey! At least I could demonstrate more than 3 facial expressions for an entire franchise. That reminds me why the hell we watch those movies?
Casey: Because I got mad when they cast Robert Pattinson as Batman and I had to find reasons to complain about him on Twitter.
Ben: But you loved The Batman.- He said.
Casey: I did, but that's not the focus right now. Since last night you've been thinking about something and my spider-sense tells me that you're conflicted about the decision we have to make.
Ben: Wait, does your spider-sense allow you to read my thoughts? - He said, a little scared and bothered.
Casey: No, that's just a expression, dumbass. - He explained, while giving himself a facepalm.
Ben: Oh, then say something like "instinct" or something like that. An expression like that doesn't work when we actually have a spider-sense.
Casey: Okay, whatever, but you have to tell me what's going on. If I wanted to spend my day with someone without any apparent emotion, I would have stayed home staring at a wall.
Ben: Fine. I don't know what to decide. Even if I choose to be a superhero, how do I know I'll make the right choices? - Casey just stared at him with half-closed eyes and sighed.
Casey: Man, you're scared. Okay, I get it. I'm scared too. We live in a world where many fear what is different and where many people want our species dead. Do I want to be part of that? Nope. Do I want to fight a bunch of mutant sociopaths? Hell no. But a part of me says that the regret I'll have for not trying to stop something bad from happening will be worse than standing around doing nothing.
Ben: So, what do you do?
Casey: I don't know either. I think we need an opinion from one more person.
Ben: Who? Uncle Logan? Uncle Scott? Someone from the Fantastic Four? - He asked.
Casey: No. From someone who doesn't know this world that deeply. Let's talk to Grandma.
Ben: Wait, I love Grandma but how can she help us?
Casey: There's no one better than her to give us advice in times of crisis.
Ben: I wanted to disagree but you're right. - He said and they both went towards their grandmother's apartment.
A few minutes later:
Ben and Casey were at their great-aunt May Parker's apartment. But she was practically Peter's mother, so they just called her grandma.
May opened the door and smiled when she saw her great-nephews.
May: Oh, they're my favorite grandchildren.- She was happy to see them.
Ben/Casey: Hi grandma.- They said and May felt a certain tension in their voices.
May: What happened? Are you okay?
Ben: We're fine but we need some advice.
Casey: It's about school and, maybe, about life as a whole.- He explained and May knew what that meant.
May: Well, come in and eat some cookies. That usually goes well while listening to advice.- She said and the twins went into her apartment.
Ben saw the newspaper on a table that was near the door.
Ben: Do you still read print media, grandma?
Casey: But what about that tablet we gave you last Chrismukkah? Did you forget how to use it? - He asked.
May: Boys, I'm old, not stupid. - She said jokingly, and Ben and Casey regretted what they said.
Ben/Casey: Sorry.
May: No, no. It's okay. I just prefer print media anyway. It's more satisfying to read when you can see the pages with your own eyes and touch the page.
Casey: And also getting your fingers dirty with newspaper ink. - He said, laughing and May agreed.
May: Yeah, that's true. - The three Parkers laughed as they sat at the dining table and May poured them orange juice. - I guess you still don't like tea.
Ben: Sorry, grandma. It's just kind of hard to like leaf juice. - He said.
May: Okay. I don't get bubble teas either.
Casey: Neither do we. Hipster tendencies are hard to understand.
May: Well, I guess you two didn't come here just to talk about it.
Ben: Yeah, we need some help making our decision. I'm afraid of becoming an X-Man, messing up, not saving enough people, and doing everything wrong.
Casey: And I don't know how to feel about protecting a world that fears and hates us. - He was simple and direct. It wasn't to many people that he revealed his vulnerabilities. The only people Casey revealed his most intimate secrets to were usually his parents, May, and in some cases, Ben.
May: I get it. You're on the fence. But why did you come to me? I think your parents and their friends could give you better advice.
Casey: I thought that too, no offense. But you're one of the few people we know who can give us an outside perspective.
Ben: Casey's right. We think a lot about how to get tips from other heroes, but I think we need another perspective. That of a person who is not part of this world and…
May: A helpless old lady with no powers? - She joked and looked at the two with a sarcastic look and the boys just felt embarrassed.
Ben: Well, we wouldn't use those words but…
May: Okay, I'm just messing with you two. But, yes, I understand your doubts about this. Listen, boys. I'm going to be completely honest with you. You're young, you have your whole lives ahead of you. Ever since the day I saw you trying to build a particle accelerator or whatever with the Lego I gave you for your 4th birthday, I knew you would do wonders.
Ben: It's a shame we didn't have the technology to make that particle accelerator work back then.
Casey: Yeah...- May just laughed lightly at that.
May: A part of me has always been grateful that you'll probably never develop powers. No grandmother wants to see her grandchildren taking risks. But, let's be honest, you've already put yourselves in risky situations even before you had powers.- She remembered all the accidents that occurred during the twins' experiments.
May: When I found out that your father was Spider-Man, it was complicated. I found out when your father was badly injured, covered in bruises and he was too tired to even realize that I knew the truth. We had a talk. And after that, I realized something. Even if I had found out early, I would never have been able to stop him from continuing to be a hero. He was a hero in body and soul. And I think it's obvious that you inherited that stubbornness from him. - She looked lovingly at her grandchildren who just smiled.
May: When I met Kitty, she was, let's say, shaken. She had been through a very difficult time and needed someone to help her. Your father was that someone. Thanks to him, Kitty started to smile again, laugh and be who we all felt she was. She was a hero. The only one I saw who was as amazing as your father, but in her own way. She was astonishing. I've followed them both closely since that time. Kitty became like a daughter to me. Many times, I saw her in crisis because of some horrible thing that men and mutants did to her and her friends. But she never wavered. She never gave up. She never stopped believing in the good in people. - She looked at her grandchildren.
May: No matter what happened, your parents never gave up fighting, having hope and believing that we can make the world a better place. Some call it stubbornness, others call it madness. But you know what I think? That those who never give up, who keep going even when the odds are against them are the true heroes. That's why I believe that inside all of us, especially in you, there is a hero who strengthens us, ennobles us, who allows us to continue believing in good. And in the end, who allows us to die proud of who we were and what we did. Do you understand what I'm saying? - She asked her grandchildren, who smiled slightly as they heard their grandmother's speech.
Ben/Casey: Yeah, grandma. - They said.
May: You're still young, yes. But I'm sure that, with time, you'll conquer the most unimaginable wonders in the history of superheroes. Of that, I'm sure. - She said and then stood up and both twins hugged her.
Ben: Thanks for the advice, grandma.
Casey: I knew you could help us. - The three of them ended the hug.
May: So, I think you're ready to make your decision? - She asked.
Ben: Kinda.
Casey: I guess so. - They said and then May just smiled.
May: So, I guess I'm still good at advising my boys.
Ben: You're right. We better go home before Mom and Dad get mad.
May: Do you want some company on the way to the subway station? - She asked.
Casey: Nah, with these powers, it's more dangerous for criminals to fight us. - He said as the twins left her apartment.
May: Okay, be careful and stick together, my boys. - She said. She didn't just mean for them to be careful and stick together on the way home.
Aunt May was telling them to stay alert and united throughout their lives.
The twins were now going down the elevator of Aunt May's building and decided to talk.
Ben: You know what I realized? Aunt May is right. I can't be in doubt anymore. It's time for me to become who I was born to be. An X-Man and a Spider-Man.
Casey: You know you're not a man, right?- He said, with a sarcastic smile.
Ben: Shut up. What I mean is that now I understand. Even if things get bad, I'll still have you all. And that I'll never know what I'm capable of unless I accept the path I've been preparing myself for my entire life.
Casey: Finally! It was getting boring seeing you sad and conflicted about the decision.
Ben: Fine. But what about you? You've already made up your mind.
Casey: I think so. Even if the world fears and hates us, that will only continue to remain the same if I sit around and do nothing. Not to mention that now, with these powers and our intelligence, maybe we can do even more than we ever dreamed of doing.
Ben: So…?- He smiled, wanting to know his brother's answer.
Casey: Oh, come on, Mother Teresa, let's save the world. - He said as they both got out of the elevator and walked towards the exit of the building.
Ben: Wait, we're Jewish... - he was saying but their Spider-sense alerted them to duck on the sidewalk.
Ben/Casey: Get down! - They yelled at each other and threw themselves on the ground to avoid being hit by a car.
Ben: Where did that come from? - He asked and Casey pointed to the man/animal who threw that car.
Scorpion was on the street, destroying everything.
Casey: He's back. And it looks like he didn't come to surrender.
Ben: Dude, what's that smell? - He smelled something strange and Casey pointed to the sewer where Scorpion had come out of.
Casey: Why do supervillains like to hide in the sewer? - He asked.
Ben: Probably because it's the only place no one wants to look for criminals. - They both saw Aunt May leaving the building.
May: What's going on here? - She saw Scorpion in the middle of the street, causing chaos.
Ben: In short, he's a crazy villain and we have to stop him before anyone else gets hurt.
May: But you two are still kids.
Casey: Yeah, but we're the only ones here who can at least distract him until help arrives.
Ben and Casey looked at May with determination and she understood that they would try to stop Scorpion no matter what.
May: Okay, be careful, I'm going to call your parents.- She tried to use the doorman's phone in her building while Ben and Casey stared at Scorpion.
Ben: Okay, ready?
Casey: Probably not, but let's go. I just wish we had something to give us an advantage.
Ben: Wait, this might help.- He lifted the sleeves of his coat and revealed Peter's old Web-Shooters.
Casey: Dad's original Web-Shooters?!- He was surprised.
Ben: I thought they would be useful in case something bad happened! And he doesn't even use those anymore anyway. It's the old model.
Casey: I'm not judging you. You disobeyed our parents and I'm proud of you, little brother. You wouldn't happen to have another pair of web-shooters with you, would you?
Ben: No. I just found a pair of old web-shooters but... this should even things out a bit.- He kept a web-shooter on his right wrist and handed another web-shooter to Casey, who put it on his left wrist.
Ben: Hoods up!- He lifted the hood of his coat and Casey looked at him with a facial expression that said "really?".- C'mon!
Casey: Fine.- He put the hood up and they ran towards Scorpion.
As Scorpion was about to kill a man who was walking away from him, begging for his life, he was surprised.
Ben fell on Scorpion's back and punched him in the back of the head.
Ben: Man, we need to stop meeting like this.- He said as the defenseless man ran away.
Scorpion: You! I knew it was only a matter of time before you and your blue brother showed up again. - He tried to use his tail to pierce Ben, but he jumped and fell to the ground.
Casey landed next to Ben.
Casey: Just for the record, you could have just sent us a message. You didn't have to destroy everything and... wait. He can talk now?! - He was surprised by that.
Scorpion: I understand your surprise. Let's just say I've received some upgrades since the last time we met.
Casey: It's like he evolved... - He whispered to Ben.
Ben: As long as he can still get his face kicked, I don't care. - He said before going to Scorpion and shooting two lines of web on the ground and then propelling both his feet towards his face, kicking him hard.
Ben was now on a wall and Casey took advantage of the gap in his blow to uppercut Scorpion and then grab his shoulders and go after him, leaning on his neck while punching him hard in the head.
Scorpion: Get off of there, you damn insect! - He shouted, using his hands to try to hold Casey, who jumped and went to the wall where Ben was.
Casey: We have to rip off his helmet! It's the only vulnerable point with an opening for his face. - He shouted as they both ran along the wall and tried to dodge the debris that Scorpion threw at them.
Ben: The only problem is that tail. Even if we take turns attacking, he would still be able to stop us. We need to incapacitate him and... I just thought of a way. Follow me. - He said and then went towards Scorpion and threw a ball of web at him.
Scorpion: For two insects, you're very hard to kill. - He spoke in an angry tone.
Ben: We're arachnids! C'mon, not even you, who dresses like a giant scorpion, know that! - He said and Scorpion just tried to pierce Ben with his tail.
Scorpion: Be quiet so I can kill you!
Ben: No, thanks. I have a lot of things to do. Dreams to fulfill, a beautiful Russian blonde to conquer and a lot of people, starting with you, to throw in jail. - He said while frequently dodging Scorpion's blows and pop his tail.
Ben did acrobatics, backflips and several side dodges, in an attempt to make Scorpion go where he needed to.
Scorpion: Now, I'm going to start by killing you and then that brother of yours.
Scorpion seemed to have cornered Ben and then Casey used a web line to spin a subway cover and throw it towards Scorpion.
Scorpion didn't feel anything and just looked at Casey.
Scorpion: Don't think I forgot about you. - He made a sinister smile and Casey just sighed.
Casey: You know, I liked you better when you didn't talk... now! - he shouted and Ben took advantage of the fact that Scorpion had his back to him and grabbed his tail and pushed it against an electrical panel on the floor.
Ben: Are you shocked, Scorps? - He asked, while Scorpion writhed because of the electric shock.
When the electricity tired Scorpion, Ben and Casey took advantage of this moment to attack.
Casey shot a line of web at Scorpion's face to pull his face towards Casey, who punched him hard.
Ben ran behind Scorpion's back and jumped, while in the air, he shot a line of web at the ground and propelled himself down, giving Scorpion a strong punch on the way down.
The twins continued punching and kicking Scorpion with their strength for a few moments.
Scorpion quickly regained consciousness and spun with a tail attack, trying to hit Ben and Casey.
The twins dodged with a backflip and Ben even gave Scorpion a vertical kick upwards before dodging backwards.
Scorpion aimed at Ben and tried to pierce him with his tail, but Casey saw this and grabbed Scorpion's tail.
However, Scorpion's strength prevailed and he threw Casey against a wall and when he went towards him.
Scorpion: I hope this time, at least one of you feels the misery of seeing your brother die. You know, to make it more fun. - He laughed macabrely but... he was surprised by a kick.
This kick was given by a man who was holding on to a web. Spider-Man.
And with him, was a woman who went towards Scorpion and punched him so hard that he was thrown away. Shadowcat.
(Author's Note: Peter is wearing his Last Stand suit and Kitty is using her Shadowkat suit from Fall of X).
Now, they were together. The Pryde-Parker family was now fighting side by side.
Spider-Man: This guy is more persistent than I thought.
Shadowcat: Didn't I tell you to call us if that happened? - She asked angrily as she walked over to the boys and the four Pryde-Parkers gathered around.
Ben: We can't let this guy go around hurting more people!
Casey: Yeah, especially when Grandma lives here. Listen, I know you're angry, but can we forget about that for a minute and stop this guy?
Ben: And we also have to do it fast. Because that little green guy over there is persistent. - As soon as Ben said that, the Pryde-Parker family noticed that Scorpion was squirming all over.
The armor was extending and changing. His legs, which were two normal but armored legs, now became four legs that really looked like cybernetic scorpion legs.
Scorpion's left arm became armored and larger, growing two claws that looked like scorpion claws.
Not to mention his tail got bigger and stronger.
All of his new armor forms were now bronze in color and the only part of his standard costume that was still there was the green helmet covering his face.
(Author's Note: Scorpion now looks just like his Into The Spider-verse version. But he still has his green helmet.)
Casey: You had to say something, didn't you? - He asked Ben.
Ben: He did that before?! It seems like every time we fight, he evolves. - He said.
Spider-Man: No. And that's definitely not Gargan. He's still trapped. I checked.
Shadowcat: It doesn't matter. He hurt our children and innocent people. That's enough to make me angry. I bet he and Gargan will make good cellmates after we give his little friend a bad day. - She said, angry and ready to make Scorpion feel pain.
Ben: We're in! - He said, but Peter and Kitty just stared at Ben and Casey.
Casey: Oh, c'mon, really? We can fight him!
Ben: Isn't that why we have all these powers? To save people? To stop villains? You know, with great power comes great responsibility? We're not going to stand by while you guys are here.
Casey: He's right. You two said you taught us what to do in situations like this. So, let's get started. - They both said in a determined tone and Peter and Kitty just stared at each other.
Shadowcat: Okay, I'll scold you two later. Listen, your opponent is strong and remember, you are small and hard to hit.
Spider-Man: I'm going to attack first and open an opening for you. Get ready.- He jumped and went towards Scorpion, who defended himself using his tail.
Scorpion: Haha! Finally! I attacked that museum hoping to find you! And the only thing I got were those two half-breeds!- He said, insulting Ben and Casey, which irritated Peter.
He had to remember to ask more about Scorpion's motives later.
Spider-Man then moved away a little, waiting for Scorpion to open his guard and then went towards him, throwing a punch and then another punch. Spidey then gave Scorpion a spinning kick.
Spider-Man waited until Scorpion regained his posture before performing a strong uppercut, throwing him into the air.
Spider-Man jumped to where Scorpion was and gave him a barrage of punches while they were both in the air.
Peter shot two web lines on the ground and positioned his feet on Scorpion's belly, then he pulled the webs, propelling himself down and kicking Scorpion's belly hard with the impact.
Spider-Man backed away a little while Scorpion stood up, angry.
Scorpion: Is that all you have? - He smiled, arrogantly.
Spider-Man: No. I have more than anyone could want. - He smiled under his mask while Shadowcat arrived from where she was positioned and kicked Scorpion with an axe-kick downwards, falling.
Shadowcat took out the katana that was on her back and Scorpion just laughed as he put an arm in front of his body to protect himself.
Scorpion: Do you really think that little knife of yours is enough? - He said but, as soon as Shadowcat was on the ground, Scorpion's arm had been cut.
Scorpion: How? - He said, with fear and despair.
Shadowcat: Find out for yourself, buddy.- She smiled under her mask and Scorpion tried to punch her with his other hand but Shadowcat just turned intangible and let Scorpion's punch go through her.
Now, Kitty drew her sword and, with incredible speed, ran in the area where Scorpion was positioned and cut his mechanical legs several times, using her intangibility to go through his body several times and ignore the density of the armor on his legs.
Shadowcat just stood in front of Scorpion while slowly sheathing her katana. When Shadowcat's katana made a sound as it was sheathed, Scorpion's legs gave way.
Shadowcat: Now, I think it's time for you and my babies to solve your problem.- She said and then Scorpion felt a pull coming from his tail.
Ben/Casey: Mario 64!- They shouted as they spun Scorpion around and threw him towards Spider-Man and Kitty Pryde.
Spider-Man shot several webs from his fist to increase his strength and Shadowcat entered her "Hyper-dense" state, increasing her body density and strength.
They both punched Scorpion, throwing him hard towards Ben and Casey.
Ben/Casey: Right foot back, put your thumb below your fist. Take your arm back a little, punch and distribute the weight!- They spoke out loud Ben and Kitty's instructions on how to throw a punch and then punched Scorpion, throwing him into the middle of the street.
Ben: That was awesome!- He shouted, excited that his first Team-up was with their parents.
Shadowcat: Yeah, I have to admit it was.- It was a surprisingly good feeling, being able to finally fight alongside her children.
Peter: I guess I understand why the X-Men do that to their children all the time.- He laughed lightly.
Casey: Too bad there's no one to record it. That was insane. Mom and Dad beat him up like two anime characters.
Ben: Dad looked like Bruce Lee and Mom cut off Scorpion's legs like Zoro from One Piece!
Shadowcat: I think I looked more like Trunks from Dragon Ball. Except I can't shoot blasts from my hand.
Spider-Man: I still thought it was pretty cool.- He smiled and complimented Kitty.- Great job, guys. Now, let's see who this guy is.
They went to Scorpion and Peter went to him and knelt down to rip off Scorpion's mask but then his Spider-sense alerted him to something...
He went to his family and Kitty, using her reflex, made the four intangible to protect themselves from the gas released by Scorpion.
Kitty covered Ben and Casey's eyes while Peter and Kitty watched Scorpion's body self-poison, as if his body was rotting from the inside out.
Scorpion's body turned to ash and the only thing left was his helmet.
Ben: Did we do this?- He asked.
Shadowcat: No. Someone else did.
Casey: Did Scorpion "self-destruct"?- He asked, trying to understand the situation.
Spider-Man: I don't think so. Whoever this guy is, I think there's someone else behind this...- He said, getting thoughtful.
Shadowcat: The police will be here soon. We better go. - She said and Peter listened. The Pryde-Parker family left and decided to talk later.
A few minutes later:
The Pryde-Parker family was on top of a building, waiting for Kitty and Peter to finish a call with May.
Kitty: Are you okay? That's good, May. - She said, with relief in her voice.
May: I have to thank the boys. If they hadn't faced Scorpion, I can't even imagine the tragedy that would have happened. And I admit that I was proud to see the four of you fighting together.
Peter: Well, I think that will be a rare occurrence.
May: I don't think so. When I saw the four of you together, a hope that I had the moment the boys were born came true. The four of you, together. At first, teaching Ben and Casey to be heroes and then, they would take your teachings and go further than I imagined. They are your children. Being a hero runs in the family at this point. And it's better to accept and guide that than to fight against it.
Peter: You're right, Aunt May.- He admitted and Kitty smiled slightly.
Kitty: As always. We'll talk later. See you later.- She hung up her phone and they then looked at the twins.
Casey: Is grandma okay?- He asked.
Peter: Yeah. She just needs to rest a little. But she's fine.- He said and both twins sighed in relief.
Ben: That's good.
Kitty: Now, let's talk about how you did today. You two stole your dad's web-shooter.
Casey: Actually, it was Ben who came up with that idea.
Ben: Dude!- He shouted, feeling betrayed.
Peter: You disobeyed our rules and risked yourselves fighting a villain who could hurt you. However, you used our lessons. You fought bravely against a strong opponent.
Kitty: And even if it means we're bad parents, we're so proud of you for doing it. You two were heroes today. Just like we expected you to be.
Peter: You fought to protect people today and showed that you're ready to learn the "family business". But now, it's all up to you.- He looked at Ben and Casey.
The twins stared at each other.
Ben: I've spent my whole life wishing for this. For a moment, I thought everything would be simple. But I guess things are more complicated than I imagined. Mutants and humans. It's all hard to understand. But I can't let that stop me. No more doubts, no more fear. I'm ready to become who I was born to be. I'm going to be a superhero. I'm going to save everyone and I'm going to win peace for us.- He said with a confident voice.
Casey: And so am I. People with powers like us can't afford to sit around and wait for the world's problems to solve themselves. These powers are the chance we all have to create the good world we each wish to see. I spent a long time wanting to be normal, but I think only those who are willing to do things differently are the ones who truly change the world. I'm going to make that happen. I'm going to be a superhero just like you guys were.
Ben: And no one is going to stop us. We're going to be the Super Spider-Bros. - Ben said and Casey just sighed.
Casey: We decided to be superheroes and that's the name you thought of? Really? - He said but Peter and Kitty just walked up to the boys and hugged them.
Peter: We're so proud of you.
Kitty: Just know that no matter how much time passes, you'll still be my babies.
Ben: So... we won't get punished for breaking the rules and taking dad's web-shooters?
Peter: No. You're going to be without Crunchyroll for a month.
Ben/Casey: Damn.- They said but still smiled and continued hugging their parents.
The Pryde-Parker family hugged each other affectionately, enjoying the end of the night.
In fact, this was just the beginning of everything.
Back at the crime scene:
The cops were checking out the crime scene and the wreckage from the fight with Scorpion and Captain Murphy was there.
Captain Murphy: Oh, I can't believe this. Spider-Man and Shadowcat showed up for the first time in years and I missed it. Well, at least we have their kids now.
One of the forensic scientists went to the captain and handed him something.
Forensic scientist: Captain, I found something. It was inside Scorpion's helmet, among the ashes of his head.
He handed Murphy a Red Diamond.
Captain Murphy: A single jewel among all that armored gear?
Forensic scientist: If I had to guess, I'd say it was on his forehead. I'm not supervillain savvy but maybe it was a power amplifier or something. Maybe we should talk to Mac Gargan about it.
Captain Murphy: I already did that... he doesn't know anything. Whoever this copycat is, he's not alone. And as someone who lived in New York for years, I have a feeling he wasn't the only one...
He thought...where did this Red Diamond come from?
Wow, this chapter was probably the longest one so far. Well, leave your reviews and know that I'm always open to new ideas.