Chapter 70
Not much reviews/likes last chapter, hopefully this one will do better. Anyway, Defenders has dropped 
I got this out quick before I started my binge and the new Spider-Man cartoon premieres tomorrow. Hopefully it doesn't affect my update rate too much.
Anyway, before we start I have a question: We talked about the 'I wanna be special' trope and how it's often perceived in a negative way, especially in Spider-Gwen where 65-Peter and Vulture have this as their main motivation and it ends up making them look like assholes. What about the opposite, however? When a hero desires to be normal? Normally it's portrayed as heroic or relatable, but what do you guys think?
The 'I wanna be normal' trope feels weird to me since it seems nonsensical half the time. Now in some cases it makes sense - Bruce Banner for example desperately wants to not be Hulk and considering how much it's ruined his life I can agree. But other times heroes say they don't want to have their powers because of responsibility, ignoring the perfectly reasonable alternative that having powers doesn't mean they have to be heroes.
I dunno, doesn't it just feel whiny half the time? That's like someone saying 'I wish I wasn't born naturally good looking and intelligent, I just wanna be normal!'; wouldn't this make you come across as being really pretentious and big-headed? Again in some cases like Hulk it makes sense, but a lot of other times it really doesn't. Having powers does not equal having to be a hero/villain, right?
I ask because I'm thinking about exploring this theme outside of 65-Peter with the two protagonists. In the canon Spider-Gwen comic Murdock's comments, the narration and (most damningly) Gwen's fear gas hallucination indicates that Gwen has low-key 'I wanna be special' trope and that she's addicted to her new powers and being Spider-Woman. It's pretty telling that she decided to make herself a celeb with her powers before prom night.
By contrast Noir begin showing signs of the opposite, just to add to the irony given who he may be. While he views his powers neutrally at the start of the story the mounting problems they cause - Murdock's interest, the lizard serum, being hounded by SHIELD and SILK, his growing insanity - eventually cause him to start wishing that he never got bit and that he's normal.
I'm just curious if you guys consider either trope inherently positive/negative and your views on it.
Also, might wanna listen to this song whenever we see from Gwen's POV this chapter. I feel it perfectly encapsulates the cringe.
Chapter 70: Partners
That was...unexpected.
Gwen looked up at the starry sky, bare chest rising and falling with every breath she took. The moon was still high up in the sky with no sign of the morning sun, though that did little to tell her what time it actually was. All she knew was that she didn't feel any of the expected exhaustion or fatigue: quite the opposite, actually. She felt like she could stay awake for the next 2 days non-stop.
Her head tilted to the side so she could look at Peter. He was lying on his back as well, left arm covering the upper half of his face while the right lay at his side. Fingers inched towards it before she stopped, her hand pulling back on the dirt. It felt silly being so shy (was that the right word?) considering what they just did, but she couldn't help the spark of hesitation she suddenly felt.
She definitely hadn't expected this all to happen, and she got the sinking feeling that Peter shared the same feeling. Gwen tried to focus on the feeling of the water lapping at her toes and ignored the bubbling rise of anxiety at her stomach. It wasn't the first time for either of them, but this...it wasn't like they could just dismiss it as meaningless sex, right? They weren't drunk, weren't on drugs or god only knew what else.
"So...was it good for you, too?"
It was meant as a joke - a cliche question only the biggest dork or the cockiest douche would ask - but a part of her couldn't help but feel insecure, stupid as it was. He'd been quiet during the entire thing, his breaths so soft that it was almost drowned out by the sound of splashing water and creaking wood. Last she checked what wasn't exactly a good sign, even if it did rank above constantly chattering during the entire thing like some other one night stands she'd been with.
There was nothing quite like losing track because some guy constantly asked if 'she liked that' like someone out of an old porno even after she made it very clear that yes she most definitely did and would he kindly shut the fuck up please?
The arm shifted and she caught the peek of his right eye opening slightly to look at her, "...No, it was terrible."
She blinked and prepared a snarky reply before she saw the ghost of a smile playing at his mouth. She sat up slightly and adjusted her position. Peter raised an eyebrow when she put an arm at each side and straddled him, their lips almost touching. She was almost tempted to say something, but they both knew she couldn't seduce her way out of a paper bag, though in fairness neither could he.
The next kiss was more fleeting compared to the last, and it wasn't long before she received a tap on her shoulder, "...Not a good idea." He gave her the same hesitant smile from before and made to sit up as well. Gwen watched him put on the discarded pants, her eyes lingering shamelessly on his 'posterior' - she could be polite about her ogling, at least.
"Here." He grabbed his sweatshirt and tossed it at her, the other spider hero catching it blankly, "Don't think you wanna try putting on yours." He gestured to the lump of soggy cloth floating on the riverbank. Technically that was his fault, though given that she tossed her shorts there too she couldn't really complain. In fairness to them both they kinda forgot they were doing it right out at the riverside.
She put on her underwear and breathed a sigh of relief at the slight feeling of warmth that covered her. Now that the rush wore off there was a definite part of her mind that wondered what the fuck she was thinking letting herself get caught up in the moment like that. Her dad would've gotten a heart attack if he ever found out she was outside in her birthday suit with someone he didn't exactly approve off.
Hah...a superhero scared about being (metaphorically) grounded. What a world.
The walk back to the cabin was spent in silence, though it wasn't an uncomfortable one. Gwen let her eyes close and listened to the soft blowing of the wind through the trees and the feeling of her bare feet on the soil. Ever since she'd been bitten things like rocks or stubbing her toe on a chair were reduced to annoying pinpricks, but after the bond with Webster she almost couldn't feel them at all. It was a somewhat bittersweet feeling looking back on it. While she couldn't deny it was helpful considering the the fights she got into, it made her feel detached sometimes.
And she hadn't even bonded onto Webster fully. How much different would she be by the end of it?
Gwen shook off the heavy thoughts and trudged up the steps to the cabin. She doubted she'd be getting any sleep all things considered, but she could at least pretend she did and act like everything was normal. This was supposed to be a vacation, after all: an out from all the insanity New York threw her way.
Any thoughts of normalcy went out the window as soon as she saw MJ and Glory sitting on the living room. The former sipped a mug of what she assumed to be hot chocolate like she didn't have a single fuck to give while Glory was in the patented mom posture: crossed arms, pursed lips, right leg over her left and her eyes narrowed in that special way that made you feel like you fucked up somehow.
"Uh...hey, girls, you're up early." She looked at the clock and saw hands stopped at exactly 5 am. What were the odds? "Uh, well..." She looked at Peter who only gave her a shrug in response. It didn't take a genius to guess something was up considering how they looked, "So...whatcha guys doing?"
"Discussing some changes in the band. I think maybe we need to change our places around." MJ said, her voice casual as could be. Somehow it didn't stop the feeling of dread at the pit of her stomach, "I'm thinking maybe you should be the singer on our next gig."
"O-Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. I mean I thought I had a nice pair of lungs, but you got me beat. Heard you all the way from here. Real screamer."
It took only a second for the words to sink in, and as soon as it did she felt a heat rush up her face that she was sure left her looking like a goddamn tomato, "Wh-What?" she choked out, her voice coming out way weaker than she would've liked. At her side Peter pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, though the redness on his cheeks cut through any hint of not giving a crap that he tried to give.
"Hmm? Oh, I mean you should know, right? Granted your lyrics could use some work. Not sure if 'Peter, harder!' is a good opener-"
"God, fuck, just stop talking!" Gwen cried desperately, looking to Glory for help. Sadly she just got another look of parental disapproval and a shake of the head, which didn't help in the fucking least, "Y-You- how much did you guys..."
"I woke up at about the time you were asking him to keep doing something with his webs. Not sure about Glory." MJ replied, finally putting the mug down onto the table, "You know, Gwencent, if I wanted to be woken up before the sun's even up I'd appreciate it if it wasn't because you two were making some kind of superhero sex tape. Really not on my bucket list."
"Just stop. Please..." She covered her face with hands and groaned. This was what they were gonna put on her grave - 'Here lies Spider-Woman. Died of embarrassment cause she couldn't keep her fucking mouth shut.'
"'Thankfully' the others didn't hear," Glory said, speaking up for the first time, "Falcon and Betty are in the soundproof guest room and Randy probably couldn't hear anything through Flash's snoring; at least that's why I assume they haven't called to ask who left A Dance of Fire and Ice on."
"Okay, I admit it, we had sex! Could everyone stop talking about it?!" Gwen said, embarrassment mixing with no small amount of irritation. She really didn't need this right now.
"Well, someone's cranky. Doesn't bode well for you, Tiger." MJ gave Peter a joking smile that he didn't return, "...Actually, cutting back on the jokes for a bit, are you okay? You don't look so hot."
Gwen's attention shifted back to Peter. At first glance he seemed fine, but looking closer she saw his breaths were a tad uneven and his posture was more than a little stiff. For a second she worried that he might pass out again, but he spoke up before she could ask.
"Yeah, I'm fine." He let out a tired breath, "It's just...could we have this conversation alone, Gwen?"
"Huh? Oh, sure..." She led him to the kitchen and did her best to ignore Glory's eyes burning into her back. She was sure she'd get a lecture later on about how Peter was dangerous and that she should be careful about who she got into bed (or elsewhere in this case...) with, but she really wasn't in the mood for it. She loved Glory, but she really needed to back off sometimes.
The kitchen was thankfully devoid of life apart from Webster and Pugface sleeping in a bundle on one corner while Murderface glared at the odd pair from the top of the fridge. Webster shifted slightly when she pulled the chair back, the part of the goop that was supposed to be its head raising to meet her gaze, "Not yet." All it took was one shake of the head before it covered Pugface like a blanket again and went back to 'sleep'.
She and Peter sat across one another, the latter wincing slightly as he adjusted his position on the chair. Alright, now she was definitely worried. How didn't she notice it before? "Peter, are you-"
"I'm fine.." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "It's just...adrenaline's worn off, so I'm feeling the backlash." His mouth quirked up in a dry smile, "You don't feel anything odd, Gwen?"
"Me? Uh, no, same old same old. Why?"
"Well..." He sighed and rubbed the back of his head, "Ah...well, you didn't exactly control your strength." She blinked at the short silence that followed. That was annoyingly vague, "I mean that when we were together your actions were... a bit painful. You know when you hold back your punches?"
"Yeah...?"
"Well, you weren't holding back earlier."
"Wait, what?" She waited for any sign that he was just pulling her leg, but the look of discomfort on his face was all too real, "W-Wait, that's impossible! I hold back my strength to make sure I don't snap people's wrists every time I give them a high five and I-" She shook her head, "Look, I've done this before, and I sure didn't break anyone's hips last I checked."
"You're stronger than before, remember?" He scoffed, "Ever since the symbiote got bolted onto you. You probably haven't adjusted properly."
"Wait, that doesn't make sense, I did it with Kate before we went to visit Janet and she was alright." No, she was not going to mention the tentacles. Her sex life had enough jokes as it was, thanks. The last thing she needed was Merry Mary getting wind of that. She was one Japanese schoolgirl away from the redhead making a hentai joke.
"Let me guess: the suit was on you when it happened?" She opened her mouth to reply before eventually settling on a muted nod, "That's probably it. I'm guessing the symbiote helps you regulate everything and makes sure you don't do anything stupid like trying to webswing while you're drunk." He laughed softly, "Price of privacy, I guess."
"So...that's why you said it was a bad idea earlier?"
"That's not the only reason..." He looked down at the table, lips pursed, "I...look, I'm sorry for what I did."
"You mean the thing with the webs? Don't worry, I asked and the water got it out-"
"Be serious, Gwen." Despite his words she caught the faint hint of a smile, "This doesn't change anything. I still plan to go back home and I'm guessing that's gonna be a one-way trip."
"Figures." She sighed. It was honestly what she was expecting, but that didn't stop her from feeling disappointed. Still, she wasn't going to beg or plead. She knew when an argument was lost before it began, "Just explain to me one thing: why did you do that? I mean, I asked you to tell if there was nothing there and then you go and do that. How am I supposed to take that?"
"...Sorry."
"I don't want an apology, Peter. I just..." She took a deep breath, "I wanna know where we stand."
"You think I know?" The words were bitter, though not hateful. An odd mix, "Like I said before I won't deny I feel something for you. I mean I wanna strangle you sometimes, but I-"
"I think I get it. I mean, there are times I wanna punch you in the face too, but I can't deny there's..." Gwen bit her lower lip. She had no idea what to do here. Back in high school she never thought about love confessions and dating; it was something she always considered something she'd be an observer to rather than a participant.
After Peter died she only went out with Randy for a sense of stability, to feel like she could have someone to lean on, but she knew it was a vain hope. Randy didn't know she was Spider-Woman and she had no plans to tell him so there was nothing there for her. When they broke up she'd kept to herself save the occasional night with someone when she thought she could get away with it. She only stopped when her dad found out and she finally had someone she could talk to about the insanity her life had become.
"You did punch me. Remember?" The wry smile returned, "Look, whatever this is, it isn't gonna go anywhere. You know it and I know it."
"So what're you suggesting?"
"Same as before: I help you out while I'm here. Partners."
"Partners. Right." She snorted, "Pretty sure most partners don't make out, fuck or do even half the things we've gone through already." It was hard to believe it'd only been 5 months since she met him. It felt as long as the years she spent being accused as a murderer. And hell, New York's definitely gotten its claws on him already. Not a day went by that she didn't see some reference to him on some blog, newspaper or fanclub (yes, he had those).
"You haven't met my world's Daredevil then. Blind bastard fell in love with a serial killer just cause she had nice perfume." He rolled his eyes, "So...partners?"
"I guess." This wasn't how she wanted this to go, but again she kept her complaints at bay. Their lives were messed up enough; imploring for a change of heart like some kind of fairytale princess wouldn't do it any favors, "Sure I can't convince you to stay?" she asked, doing her best to make voice sound casual.
"Ha..uh, no. Sorry. I'm homeward bound."
Maybe she was just imagining it, but she could've sworn she heard some hesitation there.
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June 4, 2016. New York City(?).
Spider-Man woke up with a muted groan. His back felt sore and the raindrops from the slight drizzle were more than little annoying, but he was still breathing. He'd take what he could get, 'Gotta keep moving...' He grabbed the interlocking metals and pulled himself up into shaky stand. He'd wanted to keep running earlier, but whatever it was those crumbs did to him he wasn't at 100 percent.
He put on the trenchcoat (which he'd been using as a blanket) and looked down the edge of the billboard with a grimace. Sleeping between the gap of a billboard wouldn't have been his first choice, but beggars couldn't be choosers. Up here no one else was around and no one would spot him unless they knew where to look. Perfect place to avoid whoever was hunting him down.
He jumped off the sign onto a nearby building and then down into the alley. His limbs felt stiff and his body heavy. At that moment he wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep, though self-preservation kept him walking down the length of the alleyway. If that crazy broad could find him then who the hell else could? He didn't like his chances if this kept up.
His feet stopped on their own once he reached the relatively abandoned street and he craned his neck back up at the billboard. Stop the Spider-Woman was plastered on top with a number: 1-555-FOR-PETER. Spider-Man found himself smiling sardonically. The thing had been vandalized, mostly with giant pink paint of the dame herself along with asking 'who's responsible?'. There were other smaller tags, but the face stuck out like a sore thumb.
This place's Peter Parker had some connection to the Spider-Dame, but what it was he didn't know or care to find out. He'd lost enough time under that Slant's 'care'.
The afternoon sun dipped over the horizon to quickly make way for night. Spider-Man wandered around aimlessly, going from one place to the next and never lingering for more than a few minutes at a time. He had no idea what to do. Octavius was back with that Slant's cabal and he'd lost his only lead with Drew. And how long could he keep running from that bounty hunter? It was only a day and he already felt exhausted.
The coming rush of nighttime brought no small amount of relief for him, silly as it may have been. Just because the sun was out didn't mean things changed in any way, but he always felt more at home when the switch was flipped. Crime and depravities happened ever hour of the day, but when the lights were off the criminals suddenly felt a lot braver. It was familiar, if not exactly pleasant.
He kept to the small streets and avoided the crowds. Hide in plain sight might have sounded good on paper, but if push came to shove he would've preferred not having to worry about the person next to him trying to stab a knife in his neck or trying to push through a sea of bodies. He had no idea how much clout the people hunting him had, after all.
His eyes scanned the scattered packets of people on the street. Most of them were content to mind their own business, though he caught a few stragglers in heavy coats and jackets playing with the barely hidden guns in their pockets. Muggers, purse snatchers and desperate crooks of all kind; at least something was consistent from this place and back home.
It didn't take long for them to find their first victim.
A younger guy dressed in fancy duds cut through an alley. He didn't know if the stupid bastard didn't realize where he was going or he thought it was a shortcut, and in the end it didn't matter. Poor half portion barely took a few steps into the place before two guys with hoods over their heads grabbed him and shoved him to a wall, throwing out a threat about giving everything he had while pressing a gun to his jaw.
Spider-Man's gaze lingered on the scene longer than he wanted to admit. Most people passed the scene by without notice and the few that did see it turned away and fast-walked on outta there. His fists shook slightly before he turned away and let out a frustrated breath. No sense in getting involved and drawing attention to himself.
Not that it mattered in the end. He only managed two steps to the opposite direction before he heard something - someone - swing overhead, "Come on, guys? Really?" A dame dressed in black and white swung through the air with webs attached to her fingertips. Before the muggers could process the absurdity of it they were snatched up in the air and stuck to the wall with a large blanket of white netting.
Well...that was new.
"You guys heard that crime doesn't pay, right?" The broad quipped. Her expression was hard to make out considering the red scarf that covered half her face, but she definitely sounded cheery at least. The stupid crumb who was getting mugged thanked her profusely, though Spider-Man just blocked him out. Now that it was over people actually stopped to look, many of them pointing the small rectangles at the dame in the dumb costume.
Spider-Man shook his head and trudged down the street. This place had freaks too, because of course it did. Back home it was him, Daredevil, Punisher, Charlie Xavier's sociopaths, Osborn's freakshows and God only knew who else. The only difference now was that he wasn't the biggest freak in town...well, that and everyone around here dressed like it was mardi gras.
He waited till the donnybrook was far behind him before he opened the wallet and counted the bills. He couldn't tell what counted as being a lot of money in a place like this, but considering there were a few Benjamins stuck in there he had to guess he was set for at least a while. Still, the problem persisted. He had no clue where he was and walking around blind and dumb wasn't going to solve his problem.
Spider-Man sighed and made his way to a corner store. He needed to get something to eat and get his mind off this insanity.
"Three of a kind. I win."
Betty gave each of them a shit-eating grin and smacked her cards on the table, exposing the three 7's lined up mockingly. A few of them threw her dirty glances, though she paid them no mind. The rules of the game were simple: you lose a hand and you lose a chunk of your clothes. You couldn't even pretend you didn't understand it.
Yes, they were playing strip poker. She had no idea how everyone agreed, but this was where they were. Gwen sighed and tossed her shirt in the pile. She was done being embarrassed and she was sure most of them were getting desensitized to it by now, too. Besides it wasn't like she was the first one to end up in just her bra - that dubious honor went to Glory, much to her very open annoyance.
Her phone started playing 'Heart Shaped Box' by the time Randy (who was down to his pants and a pair of socks) dealt the deck again. Gwen took a sip of the (very much non-alcoholic) drink and let her gaze wander. All of them sans a single person were in varying states of undress; the worst being Flash who was down to his boxers and his left sock. Poor guy had shit hands ever since they started.
At least she could enjoy the show. Flash definitely worked out and Glory had good taste in underwear despite how uptight she usually was. And hey, she didn't even have to feel guilty. They were all grown-ups here who knew what they got into.
Her eyes shifted from the rest of her friends to Peter. After god only knew how many rounds in the only thing he'd taken off was a single glove, and that was from Betty winning the last call. Every other time he won or managed to tie with someone, which was more than a little eyebrow-raising. She was almost tempted to accuse him of cheating if she didn't know he would've considered cheating in poker a waste of time.
"Full house." Peter set the cards down on the table and ignored Glory's wide-eyed look of shock, "Looks like Thompson's near out of the game."
"Well, unless he wants to take off this boxers, that is," Betty teased, getting a worried (and jealous) look from Falcon. For a psychotic clone soldier he was oddly insecure.
"Yeah, yeah..." Flash rolled his eyes good-naturedly and tossed his last remaining sock into the pile behind him.
"Okay, how the fuck do you do that?" Glory asked, throwing a suspicious glare Peter's way, "It's poker, a game of chance. Are rigging the deck? How the fuck do you never lose?"
"Wow, I didn't know you wanted to see Tiger naked that much, Glory." The redhead grinned and held up her hands in mock surrender when her roommate threw a glare her way. All things considered MJ held up pretty well; she still had her undershirt on, at least.
"Really? I didn't realize, Grant," Peter said, his voice dripping with obvious sarcasm, "I mean your feeling are flattering, but-"
"Fuck you, you deranged midget. I'm not losing to you." Glory grabbed the card and dealt it in a rush, a look of pure annoyance on her face. Gwen snickered into her cup when Peter glared at everyone else. Peter was never the tallest kid in class and 3 years did little to change that; something he evidently didn't like being reminded of. It was kind of glaring when he was shorter than MJ and Glory, even if it was only an inch.
Sadly whatever determination Glory had to win (and hopefully not to see him naked) was dashed as soon as Peter set his cards on the deck, "Straight flush." For a second Gwen swore that he smirked, though that could have just been her imagination. Either way Flash called it quits while Glory called him a dwarf. Yeesh, some people could be sore losers...
Peter won the game, which wasn't surprising. Gwen and the rest put their clothes back on - some moreso than others - and sat back down on the table. Tonight was game night, or at least that's what Betty suddenly claimed an hour ago. Tomorrow would be scary stories then the day after that would be embarassing childhood tales. Betts really read through the cliche handbook for the trip.
"Next up is King's Game!" The lead guitarist announced, getting wary looks from everyone else on the table, "I picked this up on a TV show. Alright, rules are simple: there's eight of us here and there are eight cards." She gestured to the thin deck she'd arranged, "Seven of them are numbered correctly, but the eighth one is the King card. Whoever gets the king card can get any number to do what they want."
"So it's basically truth or dare?" Randy asked.
"Kinda-sorta; you're not supposed to tell anyone else what your number is so if I told number 7 to, I dunno, do a handstand on number 5's back both of them have to do it no matter who it is."
"Something tells me I'm gonna regret this..." Peter took a sip of the whiskey he brought and sighed.
"Who knows, Ben, maybe you'll get lucky again." Flash took the bottle Peter set down and took a whiff, "Oh, damn!" His face scrunched up and he coughed, "Damn, dude, how are you still awake? The room's spinning and I didn't even drink it!"
"Maybe you just have a weak stomach, Thompson." He grabbed the bottle back and took another long swig before setting it back down on the table, "Come on, lets get this over with before I change my mind."
'I could have told you what everyone's cards were earlier, Gwen.'
'That would be cheating, Webster.'
'You cheat when fighting bad guys. This was a competition, right?'
'Not everything's the same.'
'I understand that, but it's still confusing on what's okay or not sometimes. I read your old history books. The Americans stole this land from the natives who lived here. Why didn't anyone stop them? Wasn't it wrong? Stealing is wrong. We stop thieves, right?'
'That's...complicated. Look, it was before our time. We can't exactly go back to the 1700's and slap them upside the head, you know?'
'I know, Gwen, it's just odd. How can someone say they stand for equality and justice when they stole something to get it? You said it happened a long time ago. Does that mean it's okay to steal if you don't get caught right away? Does it stop being bad when the criminal dies but they still didn't give it back?'
'Rain check, okay? This is something that we really shouldn't be talking about right now...' She loved Webster, she really did, but it was like a sponge sometimes. She dreaded the day she'd have to explain the birds and the bees and why boys had different parts compared to girls.
She picked up a card and grimaced at the 2 of hearts that greeted her. That wasn't a good start. She looked to the rest and sighed when Flash...well, flashed the king card with a wide smile on his face. She didn't know whether to be relieved or worried, especially since Flash 'dem shorty shorts' Thompson (Betty's nickname, not hers) had a few drinks already.
"Alright, uh...number 5 kiss the person to your right."
The words were barely out of his mouth before MJ suddenly grabbed Glory's shoulder and kissed her right on the lips. The contact last for only a second or two before they separated with a pop and MJ tossed her card back into the pile, "...What?" She laughed at the incredulous looks Flash, Glory and Randy gave her, "I did the dare, right? Why're you all staring?"
"Uh...yeah, MJ's right." Glory shook her head and subtly wiped her mouth, "Let's just keep going."
Betty was the next King, and they never got the chance to dread their luck before she suddenly said, "Number 3 and Number 6, do a striptease."
The silence that followed was deafening. Each of them looked at one another, all of them (literally) keeping their cards close to their chest. Most of them already showed off worse in the last game, but the thought of dancing in front of everyone was definitely above and beyond. Gwen took a deep breath and set her number 1 card down, "Uh, Betts...maybe you wanna-"
"Nope." She interrupted immediately, a smug smile on her face, "King's word is law. Chop chop whoever it is!"
Whatever she was about to say was drowned out when both Peter and Falcon suddenly stood up, throwing a 6 and a 3 respectively down on the table with a mutual grimace. If the thought of her boyfriend doing a dance in front of everyone bothered her Betty definitely didn't show it, and apparently MJ and Flash found it funny too considering the snickers they barely managed to hide behind their hands.
"Laugh it up you two..." Peter muttered, throwing the pair a half-hearted glare.
"Alright, first we need music." Betty tapped her phone. 'I'm too sexy' immediately played out, easily drowning out the weak song Gwen's own phone was playing. Something told her Betty had planned for this, "Dance for our amusement, 3 and 6! The King commands it so!"
The next few minutes were burned into her mind. She tried to look away and spare their dignity, she really did, but she couldn't help herself: Spider-Man and Falcon were doing a striptease, how the fuck could she just ignore that? Gwen clamped her hands over her mouth and held back her guffaws with all her willpower.
Falcon was so robotic it almost made her sorry and Peter wasn't much better. Granted he seemed to know the routine a bit more - spider agility really helped - but that didn't mean he knew how to dance. His face being a red as a tomato definitely didn't help, though she found it was a nice change of pace from his usual scowls and frowns.
"Do the lift! Carry Sam like an angel!" MJ called out in-between her laughter.
She didn't expect them to do it, but once again she was proven wrong. Peter and Falcon shared a grimace before they both nodded and Falcon jumped, Peter catching him mid-fall and holding him steady. This time Gwen did laugh, and she didn't care if Peter glared at her. It was worth it.
Mercifully (for them) the song ended and they both put their clothes on in a rush. Falcon's scowl only lasted till Betty kissed him in the cheek as a congratulations, which was about what she expected really, "Cheer up, Pete. I thought you looked pretty good up there," Gwen said, bumping her left shoulder to his right, "It's all fun, right?"
"Fun...right." He scoffed.
"Come on, I bet you were smiling on the inside."
"You're delusional, Stacy." He scoffed again and looked down at his card. Gwen just hummed and grinned when she pulled the King card. The rest of the night was gonna be fun.
June 4, 2016. New York City(?).
Two hours later and he was on a roof looking down at the near abandoned streets below. Spider-Man bit into the cheap sandwich and ignored the taste of dry bread in his mouth. It was nearly a day since that fracas at the diner and he hadn't caught either hide or hair of that crazy bounty hunter or any of the other jumpsuits from that mad science lab.
His mind wandered back to everything that happened so far. He still remembered everything the slant did to him: every cut, stab and poison she injected into his system. Time lost all meaning inside that hellhole. The only way he even realized how much of it passed was because that Slant 'commemorated' the months and years that passed.
"You've lasted longer than everyone else, 5! That's a real accomplishment!"
Spider-Man growled and shut his eyes tightly. Specimen 5, one of the earliest 'test subjects' she had after he and Octavius were dragged through that lightshow machine underneath the asylum. She was obsessed with trying to figure out how his powers worked. Not because she couldn't do it herself - she bragged about creating Spider-Dame constantly - but because it bothered her that there was something she couldn't manipulate.
If he ever got his hands on her he'd make sure she died slow.
He saw his reflection in a mirror earlier. The Slant made sure he was halfway 'presentable' whenever she did her tests on him, but her experiments left their mark. His face was gaunt and his skin had an unhealthy pallor, which was only emphasized by the messy dark hair and rough stubble he was sporting. He almost didn't recognize himself when he caught that first glimpse.
There was also a gap in his memory. The last thing he remembered was the Slant latching some dark blob onto him for another test and then he just woke up in that slab with another kook who had a scalpel in his hand. Drew was there too, so he had to guess that wherever he was it wasn't under that cabal's 'care'.
Granted it didn't seem to do him any good, but it was something.
His deliberation didn't last long before he heard the soft patter of footsteps behind him. Half a dozen at least and each of them moved at the exact same tempo, 'Can't even let me finish my food...' He threw the half-eaten sandwich down the alley and turned around.
He had to admit, despite all the craziness he'd been witness to ever since he woke up the sight of half a dozen ninjas dressed head to toe in red was still enough to surprise him. Spider-Man raised an eyebrow and stood up properly, "This is new..." He subtly reached for his revolver an gripped the handle firmly. He got the feeling that whatever they wanted it wasn't good for him.
"Spider-Man," The closest one said, his voice low and deep. He was almost jealous of him, "Our leader has sent us to summon you. You've been decreed worthy of an audience."
"An audience? Huh, didn't know New York turned to a monarchy." The ninja's eyes narrowed, though for anyone else it would've been impossible to see, "So...who's this leader of yours?"
"It is not my place to answer, outsider. If you wish your questions answered then you will have to meet our leader yourself."
"Right, like that's the first time I've heard that rub before." He sneered. His spider-sense was blaring like a damn siren, and considering the last time it did something like that was just before Moon stabbed him in the eye it didn't spell good things, "You're not really convincing me here, pal. I'll think about it-"
He barely managed to turn around before - and he couldn't believe he was saying this - a damned shuriken rushed past his leg and embedded itself on the wall covering the edge of the rooftop, "We've been sent here to take you to our leader. Failure is not an option." The ninja drew a katana and held it firm with both hands, "Come peacefully. This is your last warning."
Spider-Man responded by shooting a bullet through his gut. The ninjas didn't even wait for the head honcho's body to hit the ground before they were on him, blades drawn stance ready. He dodged the first few slashes and webbed two of down, smashing their heads against the roof before they could try and fight back. He was still sluggish, but it was enough for these bozos.
Two more charged at him, screaming something in Japanese that he didn't understand, 'I ain't getting fitted for a wooden kimono.' He threw one off the roof and punched the other one in the throat, the poor bastard crumpling to the ground and holding his neck with both hands.
'One left.'
He picked up a katana and stabbed it through the leg of the last ninja, "Not too late to back off." His advice was met with an attempt to slash through his right hand. Spider-Man jumped away and grimaced when the ninja pulled the sword out of his leg, letting the bloodstained blade clatter to the roof with a dull thud. Well, they were definitely devoted.
Devoted didn't mean they were bulletproof, though.
One bullet between the eyes and he was on his back, a pool of blood forming from the back of his head. Spider-Man knelt by the still-warm corpse and frowned. Something told him that this wasn't the end of it.
He was proven all too right when his spider-sense flared and more footsteps rushed from all sides, "God damn it..." He looked around and tightened his grip on the gun. Ninjas on the surrounding rooftops; he counted at least two dozen, though he was sure there were more of them around somewhere.
He managed to take out over a dozen of the red clowns before they managed to grab his arms and legs and pin him down, "Let me go, you bastards!" His struggling was painfully brief. Before he could get a foothold three ninjas stood in front of him and aimed their swords down, the tips of the blades almost cutting through the flesh of his neck.
"Our orders were to take you alive. Cease your struggles," A ninja said, glaring down at him through the mask, "If you prove wholly uncooperative, however, then we were also told to eliminate you. Make your choice, Spider-Man."
He spat at him. He wasn't going to be anyone's prisoner again.
Spider-Man grit his teeth and braced himself for the blades, but nothing came. Before any of the bastards could say anything he heard the sound of tearing cloth and skin and his face was covered in a sudden torrent of blood, "What the-"
"You just gonna keep lying there, bub?" A petite hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him up. He got up into a shaky stand and glared at Shadowcat's bloodstained, smirking face, "You don't look happy to see me."
"The hell are you doing here?"
"Saving your hide, looks like." She gestured to the ninjas on the other rooftops rushing towards them, "You wanna take your chances with them? Cause if not pick your gun up and get ready. Ninjas aren't very good but they're damn tenacious."
She rushed to the closest cluster with her claws drawn and tore through them like a hot knife through butter. Spider-Man picked up the gun and, for a tantalizing second, considered shooting her in the back of the head or even just running away entirely. She definitely wasn't a friend and he didn't have a guarantee that her paymasters were any worse than the ninjas.
Still, she was the only person his spider-sense hadn't screamed about just yet tonight, so he took his chances.
Shadowcat (bizarre name) did most of the heavy lifting, though he plugged more than a few before he finally ran out of bullets. He lost count of how many ninjas they killed or knocked out before the seemingly unending wave finally stopped, leaving just the two of them standing.
Spider-Man panted and leaned on the closest wall. The air stank of blood and he'd taken a few cuts from their blades, but all things considered it could've been worse. This was definitely something he wouldn't forget for a while.
"Tired already?" Shadowcat called, a cocky smile on her face. She was covered head to toe in patches of blood, none of them hers, and he couldn't see a single scratch on her otherwise. He guessed being able to turn into a damn ghost was really useful, "S.H.I.E.L.D's really worried about you, ya know? Considered armed and extremely dangerous."
"What do you want?" he bit out.
"Same thing as before: you to come with me." She made the claws disappear and stuffed her hands into her pockets, "Willingly, this time. Little bit less threats, more handholding feelgood stuff."
"Yeah, why's that? Doubt you had a change of heart."
"I just follow orders. Apparently they got new info and they wanna make a deal." She laughed at the look of utter disbelief he gave her, "Hey, I'm just saying what they told me to. I got no clue why they changed their minds, but if it gets me paid then I'm all ears."
"A deal on what? Not to cut me up like I'm an animal?"
"Well, that and information on some guy called Otto Octavius. Ring any bells?"
"Octavius..." It could've been a lie, she might've said anything just to try and lure him back to her employers, but his spider-sense was completely silent. She could've been lying without realizing it - just parroting what her paymasters told her - but wasn't the risk worth it? He couldn't fight in his condition and both of them knew it. Agree or refuse he didn't like his odds either way.
"I'll take that shocked mumble as a yes, then." She smirked, "They gave me a neutral location for a rendezvous, but something tells me the Hand and whoever else is interested in you is gonna be gunning for us. If you agree to meet with S.H.I.E.L.D then we're gonna have to work together to make sure neither of us end with our heads mounted on a wall."
"Work together? With you?" He gave her a sardonic smile, "A night ago you threatened to chop my pecker off."
"And now I'm offering you an out from being captured by ninjas and terrorists. Life works in mysterious ways, bub," she replied coolly, "Trust me, I've worked with worse before."
"I can see definitely see that..." Trapped between a rock, a hard place and a bottomless pit with his only out being a psychotic teenager who had claws in her hands. He knew the spider bite changed things, but this was insane even for him, "...Fine, I don't have much choice." He pushed himself off the wall and stood up properly, "Let's get out of here."
"Hm, alright. Until I can dump you off on S.H.I.E.L.D we're partners. This is gonna be interesting."
Yeah, I know; nothing much happened this chapter :/ Sorry, but I can't write lighthearted slice of life to save my life and I already feel like I rushed Spider-Man's segments given that he agrees to work with Shadowcat at the end of the chapter remarkably fast considering she hunted him down in the last chapter. It was between that and Spider-Man running away for about 2 more chapters and accomplishing nothing, so I picked the lesser evil.
Anyway, Spider-Man's now partnered up with Shadowcat. The two are gonna be working together for the entirety of his time in Earth-65, continuing the theme of dysfunctional partnerships established by Noir and Spider-Gwen. Ironically enough they struggle less despite their rocky start, mostly cause they don't really disagree on how to handle a lot of situations. That and I'm damn sure no one's gonna pair these two together given that they aren't Peter and Gwen, so it'll be easier to write
Also gotta respect Spider-Man upping Noir's ante of not giving a single fuck on how weird Earth-65 is. Dimensional counterpart tied to Spider-Woman? Meh. Ninjas? Weird, but eh. Sudden appearance by Silk? At least he's not the biggest freak in town anymore. In his case it's at least more justified compared to Noir given he remembers the 5 year interim.
Question: It's not gonna be the next chapter, but which arc do you guys wanna focus on after we finish the awkward lakeside getaway? I have 2 choices, so pick your poison.
1. Carnage and Shriek arc with Noir and Gwen - Spider-Man's escape was only possible because the Carnage symbiote got loose, attacked the base and cut the power. Now the symbiote's out and, after bonding with Kasady by chance, ready for a slaughter. This arc will focus on stopping two deranged psychopaths more dangerous than everyone else they've fought so far.
Taking a cue from Venom vs Carnage comic, there'll also be focus on Venom's POV and its character. While Gwen won't be absent a part of the story will have Venom on the driver's seat, the same way the Carnage suit will be.
2. Crime Master arc with Spider-Man and Shadowcat - Remember when Jack took the Lizard serum? Remember how Noir stopped caring about it ever since Jameson yelled at him for being a menace? Well, SHIELD hasn't forgotten and they're all to willing to use their two newest assets for damage control. This arc focuses on trying to stop CM and Jack before they weaponize the serum into a WMD.
And before anyone says anything: yes, there'll be a reason why SHIELD sends two mercs over their own men. It might be cliche, but there is a justification. Not sure I can say the same for the first arc since there's little in-universe sense why Noir and Gwen go after Carnage as a pair rather than asking everyone - She-Hulk comes to mind - for backup and mobbing the depraved bastard. Just roll with it, I guess. Rule of drama and all that.
I got this out quick before I started my binge and the new Spider-Man cartoon premieres tomorrow. Hopefully it doesn't affect my update rate too much.Anyway, before we start I have a question: We talked about the 'I wanna be special' trope and how it's often perceived in a negative way, especially in Spider-Gwen where 65-Peter and Vulture have this as their main motivation and it ends up making them look like assholes. What about the opposite, however? When a hero desires to be normal? Normally it's portrayed as heroic or relatable, but what do you guys think?
The 'I wanna be normal' trope feels weird to me since it seems nonsensical half the time. Now in some cases it makes sense - Bruce Banner for example desperately wants to not be Hulk and considering how much it's ruined his life I can agree. But other times heroes say they don't want to have their powers because of responsibility, ignoring the perfectly reasonable alternative that having powers doesn't mean they have to be heroes.
I dunno, doesn't it just feel whiny half the time? That's like someone saying 'I wish I wasn't born naturally good looking and intelligent, I just wanna be normal!'; wouldn't this make you come across as being really pretentious and big-headed? Again in some cases like Hulk it makes sense, but a lot of other times it really doesn't. Having powers does not equal having to be a hero/villain, right?
I ask because I'm thinking about exploring this theme outside of 65-Peter with the two protagonists. In the canon Spider-Gwen comic Murdock's comments, the narration and (most damningly) Gwen's fear gas hallucination indicates that Gwen has low-key 'I wanna be special' trope and that she's addicted to her new powers and being Spider-Woman. It's pretty telling that she decided to make herself a celeb with her powers before prom night.
By contrast Noir begin showing signs of the opposite, just to add to the irony given who he may be. While he views his powers neutrally at the start of the story the mounting problems they cause - Murdock's interest, the lizard serum, being hounded by SHIELD and SILK, his growing insanity - eventually cause him to start wishing that he never got bit and that he's normal.
I'm just curious if you guys consider either trope inherently positive/negative and your views on it.
Also, might wanna listen to this song whenever we see from Gwen's POV this chapter. I feel it perfectly encapsulates the cringe.
Chapter 70: Partners
That was...unexpected.
Gwen looked up at the starry sky, bare chest rising and falling with every breath she took. The moon was still high up in the sky with no sign of the morning sun, though that did little to tell her what time it actually was. All she knew was that she didn't feel any of the expected exhaustion or fatigue: quite the opposite, actually. She felt like she could stay awake for the next 2 days non-stop.
Her head tilted to the side so she could look at Peter. He was lying on his back as well, left arm covering the upper half of his face while the right lay at his side. Fingers inched towards it before she stopped, her hand pulling back on the dirt. It felt silly being so shy (was that the right word?) considering what they just did, but she couldn't help the spark of hesitation she suddenly felt.
She definitely hadn't expected this all to happen, and she got the sinking feeling that Peter shared the same feeling. Gwen tried to focus on the feeling of the water lapping at her toes and ignored the bubbling rise of anxiety at her stomach. It wasn't the first time for either of them, but this...it wasn't like they could just dismiss it as meaningless sex, right? They weren't drunk, weren't on drugs or god only knew what else.
"So...was it good for you, too?"
It was meant as a joke - a cliche question only the biggest dork or the cockiest douche would ask - but a part of her couldn't help but feel insecure, stupid as it was. He'd been quiet during the entire thing, his breaths so soft that it was almost drowned out by the sound of splashing water and creaking wood. Last she checked what wasn't exactly a good sign, even if it did rank above constantly chattering during the entire thing like some other one night stands she'd been with.
There was nothing quite like losing track because some guy constantly asked if 'she liked that' like someone out of an old porno even after she made it very clear that yes she most definitely did and would he kindly shut the fuck up please?
The arm shifted and she caught the peek of his right eye opening slightly to look at her, "...No, it was terrible."
She blinked and prepared a snarky reply before she saw the ghost of a smile playing at his mouth. She sat up slightly and adjusted her position. Peter raised an eyebrow when she put an arm at each side and straddled him, their lips almost touching. She was almost tempted to say something, but they both knew she couldn't seduce her way out of a paper bag, though in fairness neither could he.
The next kiss was more fleeting compared to the last, and it wasn't long before she received a tap on her shoulder, "...Not a good idea." He gave her the same hesitant smile from before and made to sit up as well. Gwen watched him put on the discarded pants, her eyes lingering shamelessly on his 'posterior' - she could be polite about her ogling, at least.
"Here." He grabbed his sweatshirt and tossed it at her, the other spider hero catching it blankly, "Don't think you wanna try putting on yours." He gestured to the lump of soggy cloth floating on the riverbank. Technically that was his fault, though given that she tossed her shorts there too she couldn't really complain. In fairness to them both they kinda forgot they were doing it right out at the riverside.
She put on her underwear and breathed a sigh of relief at the slight feeling of warmth that covered her. Now that the rush wore off there was a definite part of her mind that wondered what the fuck she was thinking letting herself get caught up in the moment like that. Her dad would've gotten a heart attack if he ever found out she was outside in her birthday suit with someone he didn't exactly approve off.
Hah...a superhero scared about being (metaphorically) grounded. What a world.
The walk back to the cabin was spent in silence, though it wasn't an uncomfortable one. Gwen let her eyes close and listened to the soft blowing of the wind through the trees and the feeling of her bare feet on the soil. Ever since she'd been bitten things like rocks or stubbing her toe on a chair were reduced to annoying pinpricks, but after the bond with Webster she almost couldn't feel them at all. It was a somewhat bittersweet feeling looking back on it. While she couldn't deny it was helpful considering the the fights she got into, it made her feel detached sometimes.
And she hadn't even bonded onto Webster fully. How much different would she be by the end of it?
Gwen shook off the heavy thoughts and trudged up the steps to the cabin. She doubted she'd be getting any sleep all things considered, but she could at least pretend she did and act like everything was normal. This was supposed to be a vacation, after all: an out from all the insanity New York threw her way.
Any thoughts of normalcy went out the window as soon as she saw MJ and Glory sitting on the living room. The former sipped a mug of what she assumed to be hot chocolate like she didn't have a single fuck to give while Glory was in the patented mom posture: crossed arms, pursed lips, right leg over her left and her eyes narrowed in that special way that made you feel like you fucked up somehow.
"Uh...hey, girls, you're up early." She looked at the clock and saw hands stopped at exactly 5 am. What were the odds? "Uh, well..." She looked at Peter who only gave her a shrug in response. It didn't take a genius to guess something was up considering how they looked, "So...whatcha guys doing?"
"Discussing some changes in the band. I think maybe we need to change our places around." MJ said, her voice casual as could be. Somehow it didn't stop the feeling of dread at the pit of her stomach, "I'm thinking maybe you should be the singer on our next gig."
"O-Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. I mean I thought I had a nice pair of lungs, but you got me beat. Heard you all the way from here. Real screamer."
It took only a second for the words to sink in, and as soon as it did she felt a heat rush up her face that she was sure left her looking like a goddamn tomato, "Wh-What?" she choked out, her voice coming out way weaker than she would've liked. At her side Peter pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, though the redness on his cheeks cut through any hint of not giving a crap that he tried to give.
"Hmm? Oh, I mean you should know, right? Granted your lyrics could use some work. Not sure if 'Peter, harder!' is a good opener-"
"God, fuck, just stop talking!" Gwen cried desperately, looking to Glory for help. Sadly she just got another look of parental disapproval and a shake of the head, which didn't help in the fucking least, "Y-You- how much did you guys..."
"I woke up at about the time you were asking him to keep doing something with his webs. Not sure about Glory." MJ replied, finally putting the mug down onto the table, "You know, Gwencent, if I wanted to be woken up before the sun's even up I'd appreciate it if it wasn't because you two were making some kind of superhero sex tape. Really not on my bucket list."
"Just stop. Please..." She covered her face with hands and groaned. This was what they were gonna put on her grave - 'Here lies Spider-Woman. Died of embarrassment cause she couldn't keep her fucking mouth shut.'
"'Thankfully' the others didn't hear," Glory said, speaking up for the first time, "Falcon and Betty are in the soundproof guest room and Randy probably couldn't hear anything through Flash's snoring; at least that's why I assume they haven't called to ask who left A Dance of Fire and Ice on."
"Okay, I admit it, we had sex! Could everyone stop talking about it?!" Gwen said, embarrassment mixing with no small amount of irritation. She really didn't need this right now.
"Well, someone's cranky. Doesn't bode well for you, Tiger." MJ gave Peter a joking smile that he didn't return, "...Actually, cutting back on the jokes for a bit, are you okay? You don't look so hot."
Gwen's attention shifted back to Peter. At first glance he seemed fine, but looking closer she saw his breaths were a tad uneven and his posture was more than a little stiff. For a second she worried that he might pass out again, but he spoke up before she could ask.
"Yeah, I'm fine." He let out a tired breath, "It's just...could we have this conversation alone, Gwen?"
"Huh? Oh, sure..." She led him to the kitchen and did her best to ignore Glory's eyes burning into her back. She was sure she'd get a lecture later on about how Peter was dangerous and that she should be careful about who she got into bed (or elsewhere in this case...) with, but she really wasn't in the mood for it. She loved Glory, but she really needed to back off sometimes.
The kitchen was thankfully devoid of life apart from Webster and Pugface sleeping in a bundle on one corner while Murderface glared at the odd pair from the top of the fridge. Webster shifted slightly when she pulled the chair back, the part of the goop that was supposed to be its head raising to meet her gaze, "Not yet." All it took was one shake of the head before it covered Pugface like a blanket again and went back to 'sleep'.
She and Peter sat across one another, the latter wincing slightly as he adjusted his position on the chair. Alright, now she was definitely worried. How didn't she notice it before? "Peter, are you-"
"I'm fine.." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "It's just...adrenaline's worn off, so I'm feeling the backlash." His mouth quirked up in a dry smile, "You don't feel anything odd, Gwen?"
"Me? Uh, no, same old same old. Why?"
"Well..." He sighed and rubbed the back of his head, "Ah...well, you didn't exactly control your strength." She blinked at the short silence that followed. That was annoyingly vague, "I mean that when we were together your actions were... a bit painful. You know when you hold back your punches?"
"Yeah...?"
"Well, you weren't holding back earlier."
"Wait, what?" She waited for any sign that he was just pulling her leg, but the look of discomfort on his face was all too real, "W-Wait, that's impossible! I hold back my strength to make sure I don't snap people's wrists every time I give them a high five and I-" She shook her head, "Look, I've done this before, and I sure didn't break anyone's hips last I checked."
"You're stronger than before, remember?" He scoffed, "Ever since the symbiote got bolted onto you. You probably haven't adjusted properly."
"Wait, that doesn't make sense, I did it with Kate before we went to visit Janet and she was alright." No, she was not going to mention the tentacles. Her sex life had enough jokes as it was, thanks. The last thing she needed was Merry Mary getting wind of that. She was one Japanese schoolgirl away from the redhead making a hentai joke.
"Let me guess: the suit was on you when it happened?" She opened her mouth to reply before eventually settling on a muted nod, "That's probably it. I'm guessing the symbiote helps you regulate everything and makes sure you don't do anything stupid like trying to webswing while you're drunk." He laughed softly, "Price of privacy, I guess."
"So...that's why you said it was a bad idea earlier?"
"That's not the only reason..." He looked down at the table, lips pursed, "I...look, I'm sorry for what I did."
"You mean the thing with the webs? Don't worry, I asked and the water got it out-"
"Be serious, Gwen." Despite his words she caught the faint hint of a smile, "This doesn't change anything. I still plan to go back home and I'm guessing that's gonna be a one-way trip."
"Figures." She sighed. It was honestly what she was expecting, but that didn't stop her from feeling disappointed. Still, she wasn't going to beg or plead. She knew when an argument was lost before it began, "Just explain to me one thing: why did you do that? I mean, I asked you to tell if there was nothing there and then you go and do that. How am I supposed to take that?"
"...Sorry."
"I don't want an apology, Peter. I just..." She took a deep breath, "I wanna know where we stand."
"You think I know?" The words were bitter, though not hateful. An odd mix, "Like I said before I won't deny I feel something for you. I mean I wanna strangle you sometimes, but I-"
"I think I get it. I mean, there are times I wanna punch you in the face too, but I can't deny there's..." Gwen bit her lower lip. She had no idea what to do here. Back in high school she never thought about love confessions and dating; it was something she always considered something she'd be an observer to rather than a participant.
After Peter died she only went out with Randy for a sense of stability, to feel like she could have someone to lean on, but she knew it was a vain hope. Randy didn't know she was Spider-Woman and she had no plans to tell him so there was nothing there for her. When they broke up she'd kept to herself save the occasional night with someone when she thought she could get away with it. She only stopped when her dad found out and she finally had someone she could talk to about the insanity her life had become.
"You did punch me. Remember?" The wry smile returned, "Look, whatever this is, it isn't gonna go anywhere. You know it and I know it."
"So what're you suggesting?"
"Same as before: I help you out while I'm here. Partners."
"Partners. Right." She snorted, "Pretty sure most partners don't make out, fuck or do even half the things we've gone through already." It was hard to believe it'd only been 5 months since she met him. It felt as long as the years she spent being accused as a murderer. And hell, New York's definitely gotten its claws on him already. Not a day went by that she didn't see some reference to him on some blog, newspaper or fanclub (yes, he had those).
"You haven't met my world's Daredevil then. Blind bastard fell in love with a serial killer just cause she had nice perfume." He rolled his eyes, "So...partners?"
"I guess." This wasn't how she wanted this to go, but again she kept her complaints at bay. Their lives were messed up enough; imploring for a change of heart like some kind of fairytale princess wouldn't do it any favors, "Sure I can't convince you to stay?" she asked, doing her best to make voice sound casual.
"Ha..uh, no. Sorry. I'm homeward bound."
Maybe she was just imagining it, but she could've sworn she heard some hesitation there.
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June 4, 2016. New York City(?).
Spider-Man woke up with a muted groan. His back felt sore and the raindrops from the slight drizzle were more than little annoying, but he was still breathing. He'd take what he could get, 'Gotta keep moving...' He grabbed the interlocking metals and pulled himself up into shaky stand. He'd wanted to keep running earlier, but whatever it was those crumbs did to him he wasn't at 100 percent.
He put on the trenchcoat (which he'd been using as a blanket) and looked down the edge of the billboard with a grimace. Sleeping between the gap of a billboard wouldn't have been his first choice, but beggars couldn't be choosers. Up here no one else was around and no one would spot him unless they knew where to look. Perfect place to avoid whoever was hunting him down.
He jumped off the sign onto a nearby building and then down into the alley. His limbs felt stiff and his body heavy. At that moment he wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep, though self-preservation kept him walking down the length of the alleyway. If that crazy broad could find him then who the hell else could? He didn't like his chances if this kept up.
His feet stopped on their own once he reached the relatively abandoned street and he craned his neck back up at the billboard. Stop the Spider-Woman was plastered on top with a number: 1-555-FOR-PETER. Spider-Man found himself smiling sardonically. The thing had been vandalized, mostly with giant pink paint of the dame herself along with asking 'who's responsible?'. There were other smaller tags, but the face stuck out like a sore thumb.
This place's Peter Parker had some connection to the Spider-Dame, but what it was he didn't know or care to find out. He'd lost enough time under that Slant's 'care'.
The afternoon sun dipped over the horizon to quickly make way for night. Spider-Man wandered around aimlessly, going from one place to the next and never lingering for more than a few minutes at a time. He had no idea what to do. Octavius was back with that Slant's cabal and he'd lost his only lead with Drew. And how long could he keep running from that bounty hunter? It was only a day and he already felt exhausted.
The coming rush of nighttime brought no small amount of relief for him, silly as it may have been. Just because the sun was out didn't mean things changed in any way, but he always felt more at home when the switch was flipped. Crime and depravities happened ever hour of the day, but when the lights were off the criminals suddenly felt a lot braver. It was familiar, if not exactly pleasant.
He kept to the small streets and avoided the crowds. Hide in plain sight might have sounded good on paper, but if push came to shove he would've preferred not having to worry about the person next to him trying to stab a knife in his neck or trying to push through a sea of bodies. He had no idea how much clout the people hunting him had, after all.
His eyes scanned the scattered packets of people on the street. Most of them were content to mind their own business, though he caught a few stragglers in heavy coats and jackets playing with the barely hidden guns in their pockets. Muggers, purse snatchers and desperate crooks of all kind; at least something was consistent from this place and back home.
It didn't take long for them to find their first victim.
A younger guy dressed in fancy duds cut through an alley. He didn't know if the stupid bastard didn't realize where he was going or he thought it was a shortcut, and in the end it didn't matter. Poor half portion barely took a few steps into the place before two guys with hoods over their heads grabbed him and shoved him to a wall, throwing out a threat about giving everything he had while pressing a gun to his jaw.
Spider-Man's gaze lingered on the scene longer than he wanted to admit. Most people passed the scene by without notice and the few that did see it turned away and fast-walked on outta there. His fists shook slightly before he turned away and let out a frustrated breath. No sense in getting involved and drawing attention to himself.
Not that it mattered in the end. He only managed two steps to the opposite direction before he heard something - someone - swing overhead, "Come on, guys? Really?" A dame dressed in black and white swung through the air with webs attached to her fingertips. Before the muggers could process the absurdity of it they were snatched up in the air and stuck to the wall with a large blanket of white netting.
Well...that was new.
"You guys heard that crime doesn't pay, right?" The broad quipped. Her expression was hard to make out considering the red scarf that covered half her face, but she definitely sounded cheery at least. The stupid crumb who was getting mugged thanked her profusely, though Spider-Man just blocked him out. Now that it was over people actually stopped to look, many of them pointing the small rectangles at the dame in the dumb costume.
Spider-Man shook his head and trudged down the street. This place had freaks too, because of course it did. Back home it was him, Daredevil, Punisher, Charlie Xavier's sociopaths, Osborn's freakshows and God only knew who else. The only difference now was that he wasn't the biggest freak in town...well, that and everyone around here dressed like it was mardi gras.
He waited till the donnybrook was far behind him before he opened the wallet and counted the bills. He couldn't tell what counted as being a lot of money in a place like this, but considering there were a few Benjamins stuck in there he had to guess he was set for at least a while. Still, the problem persisted. He had no clue where he was and walking around blind and dumb wasn't going to solve his problem.
Spider-Man sighed and made his way to a corner store. He needed to get something to eat and get his mind off this insanity.
"Three of a kind. I win."
Betty gave each of them a shit-eating grin and smacked her cards on the table, exposing the three 7's lined up mockingly. A few of them threw her dirty glances, though she paid them no mind. The rules of the game were simple: you lose a hand and you lose a chunk of your clothes. You couldn't even pretend you didn't understand it.
Yes, they were playing strip poker. She had no idea how everyone agreed, but this was where they were. Gwen sighed and tossed her shirt in the pile. She was done being embarrassed and she was sure most of them were getting desensitized to it by now, too. Besides it wasn't like she was the first one to end up in just her bra - that dubious honor went to Glory, much to her very open annoyance.
Her phone started playing 'Heart Shaped Box' by the time Randy (who was down to his pants and a pair of socks) dealt the deck again. Gwen took a sip of the (very much non-alcoholic) drink and let her gaze wander. All of them sans a single person were in varying states of undress; the worst being Flash who was down to his boxers and his left sock. Poor guy had shit hands ever since they started.
At least she could enjoy the show. Flash definitely worked out and Glory had good taste in underwear despite how uptight she usually was. And hey, she didn't even have to feel guilty. They were all grown-ups here who knew what they got into.
Her eyes shifted from the rest of her friends to Peter. After god only knew how many rounds in the only thing he'd taken off was a single glove, and that was from Betty winning the last call. Every other time he won or managed to tie with someone, which was more than a little eyebrow-raising. She was almost tempted to accuse him of cheating if she didn't know he would've considered cheating in poker a waste of time.
"Full house." Peter set the cards down on the table and ignored Glory's wide-eyed look of shock, "Looks like Thompson's near out of the game."
"Well, unless he wants to take off this boxers, that is," Betty teased, getting a worried (and jealous) look from Falcon. For a psychotic clone soldier he was oddly insecure.
"Yeah, yeah..." Flash rolled his eyes good-naturedly and tossed his last remaining sock into the pile behind him.
"Okay, how the fuck do you do that?" Glory asked, throwing a suspicious glare Peter's way, "It's poker, a game of chance. Are rigging the deck? How the fuck do you never lose?"
"Wow, I didn't know you wanted to see Tiger naked that much, Glory." The redhead grinned and held up her hands in mock surrender when her roommate threw a glare her way. All things considered MJ held up pretty well; she still had her undershirt on, at least.
"Really? I didn't realize, Grant," Peter said, his voice dripping with obvious sarcasm, "I mean your feeling are flattering, but-"
"Fuck you, you deranged midget. I'm not losing to you." Glory grabbed the card and dealt it in a rush, a look of pure annoyance on her face. Gwen snickered into her cup when Peter glared at everyone else. Peter was never the tallest kid in class and 3 years did little to change that; something he evidently didn't like being reminded of. It was kind of glaring when he was shorter than MJ and Glory, even if it was only an inch.
Sadly whatever determination Glory had to win (and hopefully not to see him naked) was dashed as soon as Peter set his cards on the deck, "Straight flush." For a second Gwen swore that he smirked, though that could have just been her imagination. Either way Flash called it quits while Glory called him a dwarf. Yeesh, some people could be sore losers...
Peter won the game, which wasn't surprising. Gwen and the rest put their clothes back on - some moreso than others - and sat back down on the table. Tonight was game night, or at least that's what Betty suddenly claimed an hour ago. Tomorrow would be scary stories then the day after that would be embarassing childhood tales. Betts really read through the cliche handbook for the trip.
"Next up is King's Game!" The lead guitarist announced, getting wary looks from everyone else on the table, "I picked this up on a TV show. Alright, rules are simple: there's eight of us here and there are eight cards." She gestured to the thin deck she'd arranged, "Seven of them are numbered correctly, but the eighth one is the King card. Whoever gets the king card can get any number to do what they want."
"So it's basically truth or dare?" Randy asked.
"Kinda-sorta; you're not supposed to tell anyone else what your number is so if I told number 7 to, I dunno, do a handstand on number 5's back both of them have to do it no matter who it is."
"Something tells me I'm gonna regret this..." Peter took a sip of the whiskey he brought and sighed.
"Who knows, Ben, maybe you'll get lucky again." Flash took the bottle Peter set down and took a whiff, "Oh, damn!" His face scrunched up and he coughed, "Damn, dude, how are you still awake? The room's spinning and I didn't even drink it!"
"Maybe you just have a weak stomach, Thompson." He grabbed the bottle back and took another long swig before setting it back down on the table, "Come on, lets get this over with before I change my mind."
'I could have told you what everyone's cards were earlier, Gwen.'
'That would be cheating, Webster.'
'You cheat when fighting bad guys. This was a competition, right?'
'Not everything's the same.'
'I understand that, but it's still confusing on what's okay or not sometimes. I read your old history books. The Americans stole this land from the natives who lived here. Why didn't anyone stop them? Wasn't it wrong? Stealing is wrong. We stop thieves, right?'
'That's...complicated. Look, it was before our time. We can't exactly go back to the 1700's and slap them upside the head, you know?'
'I know, Gwen, it's just odd. How can someone say they stand for equality and justice when they stole something to get it? You said it happened a long time ago. Does that mean it's okay to steal if you don't get caught right away? Does it stop being bad when the criminal dies but they still didn't give it back?'
'Rain check, okay? This is something that we really shouldn't be talking about right now...' She loved Webster, she really did, but it was like a sponge sometimes. She dreaded the day she'd have to explain the birds and the bees and why boys had different parts compared to girls.
She picked up a card and grimaced at the 2 of hearts that greeted her. That wasn't a good start. She looked to the rest and sighed when Flash...well, flashed the king card with a wide smile on his face. She didn't know whether to be relieved or worried, especially since Flash 'dem shorty shorts' Thompson (Betty's nickname, not hers) had a few drinks already.
"Alright, uh...number 5 kiss the person to your right."
The words were barely out of his mouth before MJ suddenly grabbed Glory's shoulder and kissed her right on the lips. The contact last for only a second or two before they separated with a pop and MJ tossed her card back into the pile, "...What?" She laughed at the incredulous looks Flash, Glory and Randy gave her, "I did the dare, right? Why're you all staring?"
"Uh...yeah, MJ's right." Glory shook her head and subtly wiped her mouth, "Let's just keep going."
Betty was the next King, and they never got the chance to dread their luck before she suddenly said, "Number 3 and Number 6, do a striptease."
The silence that followed was deafening. Each of them looked at one another, all of them (literally) keeping their cards close to their chest. Most of them already showed off worse in the last game, but the thought of dancing in front of everyone was definitely above and beyond. Gwen took a deep breath and set her number 1 card down, "Uh, Betts...maybe you wanna-"
"Nope." She interrupted immediately, a smug smile on her face, "King's word is law. Chop chop whoever it is!"
Whatever she was about to say was drowned out when both Peter and Falcon suddenly stood up, throwing a 6 and a 3 respectively down on the table with a mutual grimace. If the thought of her boyfriend doing a dance in front of everyone bothered her Betty definitely didn't show it, and apparently MJ and Flash found it funny too considering the snickers they barely managed to hide behind their hands.
"Laugh it up you two..." Peter muttered, throwing the pair a half-hearted glare.
"Alright, first we need music." Betty tapped her phone. 'I'm too sexy' immediately played out, easily drowning out the weak song Gwen's own phone was playing. Something told her Betty had planned for this, "Dance for our amusement, 3 and 6! The King commands it so!"
The next few minutes were burned into her mind. She tried to look away and spare their dignity, she really did, but she couldn't help herself: Spider-Man and Falcon were doing a striptease, how the fuck could she just ignore that? Gwen clamped her hands over her mouth and held back her guffaws with all her willpower.
Falcon was so robotic it almost made her sorry and Peter wasn't much better. Granted he seemed to know the routine a bit more - spider agility really helped - but that didn't mean he knew how to dance. His face being a red as a tomato definitely didn't help, though she found it was a nice change of pace from his usual scowls and frowns.
"Do the lift! Carry Sam like an angel!" MJ called out in-between her laughter.
She didn't expect them to do it, but once again she was proven wrong. Peter and Falcon shared a grimace before they both nodded and Falcon jumped, Peter catching him mid-fall and holding him steady. This time Gwen did laugh, and she didn't care if Peter glared at her. It was worth it.
Mercifully (for them) the song ended and they both put their clothes on in a rush. Falcon's scowl only lasted till Betty kissed him in the cheek as a congratulations, which was about what she expected really, "Cheer up, Pete. I thought you looked pretty good up there," Gwen said, bumping her left shoulder to his right, "It's all fun, right?"
"Fun...right." He scoffed.
"Come on, I bet you were smiling on the inside."
"You're delusional, Stacy." He scoffed again and looked down at his card. Gwen just hummed and grinned when she pulled the King card. The rest of the night was gonna be fun.
June 4, 2016. New York City(?).
Two hours later and he was on a roof looking down at the near abandoned streets below. Spider-Man bit into the cheap sandwich and ignored the taste of dry bread in his mouth. It was nearly a day since that fracas at the diner and he hadn't caught either hide or hair of that crazy bounty hunter or any of the other jumpsuits from that mad science lab.
His mind wandered back to everything that happened so far. He still remembered everything the slant did to him: every cut, stab and poison she injected into his system. Time lost all meaning inside that hellhole. The only way he even realized how much of it passed was because that Slant 'commemorated' the months and years that passed.
"You've lasted longer than everyone else, 5! That's a real accomplishment!"
Spider-Man growled and shut his eyes tightly. Specimen 5, one of the earliest 'test subjects' she had after he and Octavius were dragged through that lightshow machine underneath the asylum. She was obsessed with trying to figure out how his powers worked. Not because she couldn't do it herself - she bragged about creating Spider-Dame constantly - but because it bothered her that there was something she couldn't manipulate.
If he ever got his hands on her he'd make sure she died slow.
He saw his reflection in a mirror earlier. The Slant made sure he was halfway 'presentable' whenever she did her tests on him, but her experiments left their mark. His face was gaunt and his skin had an unhealthy pallor, which was only emphasized by the messy dark hair and rough stubble he was sporting. He almost didn't recognize himself when he caught that first glimpse.
There was also a gap in his memory. The last thing he remembered was the Slant latching some dark blob onto him for another test and then he just woke up in that slab with another kook who had a scalpel in his hand. Drew was there too, so he had to guess that wherever he was it wasn't under that cabal's 'care'.
Granted it didn't seem to do him any good, but it was something.
His deliberation didn't last long before he heard the soft patter of footsteps behind him. Half a dozen at least and each of them moved at the exact same tempo, 'Can't even let me finish my food...' He threw the half-eaten sandwich down the alley and turned around.
He had to admit, despite all the craziness he'd been witness to ever since he woke up the sight of half a dozen ninjas dressed head to toe in red was still enough to surprise him. Spider-Man raised an eyebrow and stood up properly, "This is new..." He subtly reached for his revolver an gripped the handle firmly. He got the feeling that whatever they wanted it wasn't good for him.
"Spider-Man," The closest one said, his voice low and deep. He was almost jealous of him, "Our leader has sent us to summon you. You've been decreed worthy of an audience."
"An audience? Huh, didn't know New York turned to a monarchy." The ninja's eyes narrowed, though for anyone else it would've been impossible to see, "So...who's this leader of yours?"
"It is not my place to answer, outsider. If you wish your questions answered then you will have to meet our leader yourself."
"Right, like that's the first time I've heard that rub before." He sneered. His spider-sense was blaring like a damn siren, and considering the last time it did something like that was just before Moon stabbed him in the eye it didn't spell good things, "You're not really convincing me here, pal. I'll think about it-"
He barely managed to turn around before - and he couldn't believe he was saying this - a damned shuriken rushed past his leg and embedded itself on the wall covering the edge of the rooftop, "We've been sent here to take you to our leader. Failure is not an option." The ninja drew a katana and held it firm with both hands, "Come peacefully. This is your last warning."
Spider-Man responded by shooting a bullet through his gut. The ninjas didn't even wait for the head honcho's body to hit the ground before they were on him, blades drawn stance ready. He dodged the first few slashes and webbed two of down, smashing their heads against the roof before they could try and fight back. He was still sluggish, but it was enough for these bozos.
Two more charged at him, screaming something in Japanese that he didn't understand, 'I ain't getting fitted for a wooden kimono.' He threw one off the roof and punched the other one in the throat, the poor bastard crumpling to the ground and holding his neck with both hands.
'One left.'
He picked up a katana and stabbed it through the leg of the last ninja, "Not too late to back off." His advice was met with an attempt to slash through his right hand. Spider-Man jumped away and grimaced when the ninja pulled the sword out of his leg, letting the bloodstained blade clatter to the roof with a dull thud. Well, they were definitely devoted.
Devoted didn't mean they were bulletproof, though.
One bullet between the eyes and he was on his back, a pool of blood forming from the back of his head. Spider-Man knelt by the still-warm corpse and frowned. Something told him that this wasn't the end of it.
He was proven all too right when his spider-sense flared and more footsteps rushed from all sides, "God damn it..." He looked around and tightened his grip on the gun. Ninjas on the surrounding rooftops; he counted at least two dozen, though he was sure there were more of them around somewhere.
He managed to take out over a dozen of the red clowns before they managed to grab his arms and legs and pin him down, "Let me go, you bastards!" His struggling was painfully brief. Before he could get a foothold three ninjas stood in front of him and aimed their swords down, the tips of the blades almost cutting through the flesh of his neck.
"Our orders were to take you alive. Cease your struggles," A ninja said, glaring down at him through the mask, "If you prove wholly uncooperative, however, then we were also told to eliminate you. Make your choice, Spider-Man."
He spat at him. He wasn't going to be anyone's prisoner again.
Spider-Man grit his teeth and braced himself for the blades, but nothing came. Before any of the bastards could say anything he heard the sound of tearing cloth and skin and his face was covered in a sudden torrent of blood, "What the-"
"You just gonna keep lying there, bub?" A petite hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him up. He got up into a shaky stand and glared at Shadowcat's bloodstained, smirking face, "You don't look happy to see me."
"The hell are you doing here?"
"Saving your hide, looks like." She gestured to the ninjas on the other rooftops rushing towards them, "You wanna take your chances with them? Cause if not pick your gun up and get ready. Ninjas aren't very good but they're damn tenacious."
She rushed to the closest cluster with her claws drawn and tore through them like a hot knife through butter. Spider-Man picked up the gun and, for a tantalizing second, considered shooting her in the back of the head or even just running away entirely. She definitely wasn't a friend and he didn't have a guarantee that her paymasters were any worse than the ninjas.
Still, she was the only person his spider-sense hadn't screamed about just yet tonight, so he took his chances.
Shadowcat (bizarre name) did most of the heavy lifting, though he plugged more than a few before he finally ran out of bullets. He lost count of how many ninjas they killed or knocked out before the seemingly unending wave finally stopped, leaving just the two of them standing.
Spider-Man panted and leaned on the closest wall. The air stank of blood and he'd taken a few cuts from their blades, but all things considered it could've been worse. This was definitely something he wouldn't forget for a while.
"Tired already?" Shadowcat called, a cocky smile on her face. She was covered head to toe in patches of blood, none of them hers, and he couldn't see a single scratch on her otherwise. He guessed being able to turn into a damn ghost was really useful, "S.H.I.E.L.D's really worried about you, ya know? Considered armed and extremely dangerous."
"What do you want?" he bit out.
"Same thing as before: you to come with me." She made the claws disappear and stuffed her hands into her pockets, "Willingly, this time. Little bit less threats, more handholding feelgood stuff."
"Yeah, why's that? Doubt you had a change of heart."
"I just follow orders. Apparently they got new info and they wanna make a deal." She laughed at the look of utter disbelief he gave her, "Hey, I'm just saying what they told me to. I got no clue why they changed their minds, but if it gets me paid then I'm all ears."
"A deal on what? Not to cut me up like I'm an animal?"
"Well, that and information on some guy called Otto Octavius. Ring any bells?"
"Octavius..." It could've been a lie, she might've said anything just to try and lure him back to her employers, but his spider-sense was completely silent. She could've been lying without realizing it - just parroting what her paymasters told her - but wasn't the risk worth it? He couldn't fight in his condition and both of them knew it. Agree or refuse he didn't like his odds either way.
"I'll take that shocked mumble as a yes, then." She smirked, "They gave me a neutral location for a rendezvous, but something tells me the Hand and whoever else is interested in you is gonna be gunning for us. If you agree to meet with S.H.I.E.L.D then we're gonna have to work together to make sure neither of us end with our heads mounted on a wall."
"Work together? With you?" He gave her a sardonic smile, "A night ago you threatened to chop my pecker off."
"And now I'm offering you an out from being captured by ninjas and terrorists. Life works in mysterious ways, bub," she replied coolly, "Trust me, I've worked with worse before."
"I can see definitely see that..." Trapped between a rock, a hard place and a bottomless pit with his only out being a psychotic teenager who had claws in her hands. He knew the spider bite changed things, but this was insane even for him, "...Fine, I don't have much choice." He pushed himself off the wall and stood up properly, "Let's get out of here."
"Hm, alright. Until I can dump you off on S.H.I.E.L.D we're partners. This is gonna be interesting."
Yeah, I know; nothing much happened this chapter :/ Sorry, but I can't write lighthearted slice of life to save my life and I already feel like I rushed Spider-Man's segments given that he agrees to work with Shadowcat at the end of the chapter remarkably fast considering she hunted him down in the last chapter. It was between that and Spider-Man running away for about 2 more chapters and accomplishing nothing, so I picked the lesser evil.
Anyway, Spider-Man's now partnered up with Shadowcat. The two are gonna be working together for the entirety of his time in Earth-65, continuing the theme of dysfunctional partnerships established by Noir and Spider-Gwen. Ironically enough they struggle less despite their rocky start, mostly cause they don't really disagree on how to handle a lot of situations. That and I'm damn sure no one's gonna pair these two together given that they aren't Peter and Gwen, so it'll be easier to write
Also gotta respect Spider-Man upping Noir's ante of not giving a single fuck on how weird Earth-65 is. Dimensional counterpart tied to Spider-Woman? Meh. Ninjas? Weird, but eh. Sudden appearance by Silk? At least he's not the biggest freak in town anymore. In his case it's at least more justified compared to Noir given he remembers the 5 year interim.
Question: It's not gonna be the next chapter, but which arc do you guys wanna focus on after we finish the awkward lakeside getaway? I have 2 choices, so pick your poison.
1. Carnage and Shriek arc with Noir and Gwen - Spider-Man's escape was only possible because the Carnage symbiote got loose, attacked the base and cut the power. Now the symbiote's out and, after bonding with Kasady by chance, ready for a slaughter. This arc will focus on stopping two deranged psychopaths more dangerous than everyone else they've fought so far.
Taking a cue from Venom vs Carnage comic, there'll also be focus on Venom's POV and its character. While Gwen won't be absent a part of the story will have Venom on the driver's seat, the same way the Carnage suit will be.
2. Crime Master arc with Spider-Man and Shadowcat - Remember when Jack took the Lizard serum? Remember how Noir stopped caring about it ever since Jameson yelled at him for being a menace? Well, SHIELD hasn't forgotten and they're all to willing to use their two newest assets for damage control. This arc focuses on trying to stop CM and Jack before they weaponize the serum into a WMD.
And before anyone says anything: yes, there'll be a reason why SHIELD sends two mercs over their own men. It might be cliche, but there is a justification. Not sure I can say the same for the first arc since there's little in-universe sense why Noir and Gwen go after Carnage as a pair rather than asking everyone - She-Hulk comes to mind - for backup and mobbing the depraved bastard. Just roll with it, I guess. Rule of drama and all that.
