"Spider-Girl?"
———
Jason stared at the photo for an uncomfortably long time. His expression was rather blank as he eyed the person in the red suit. Who wasn't him. He was the visage of a person who's dreams had been crushed—somehow more pathetic than usual.
'There goes my popular phase...'
After he stomached the idea that he wasn't the focus of the rumors and hadn't been recognized whatsoever, he began focusing on the more pressing matter. Spider-Man was back. He had been gone for ten years, but now he was back. But why? Why now of all times? Did he hear the cries of the people and finally come out of hiding? Was he too disgusted with the city and decided something had to be done about it? Jason could only wonder. However the return of New York's greatest hero made one thing painfully clear for the boy.
'I guess I can stop wearing the suit.'
His career as a would-be hero was over before it even began. However the boy wasn't too sullen about that. What he was doing wasn't really anything important. He was just dressing up and stopping petty criminals—nothing the city needed him to do. Perhaps this was all because he wanted to have fun with his new powers—y'know, making the most out of an odd situation—just something childish. It was probably a good thing that the Spider-Man was back. Jason was way over his head and bound to get himself killed. It was like his uncle said—if he saw something dangerous he should run the other way. That's how he's always been and how he'll always be.
'Kind of a bummer though. Guess it's for the best.'
This affirmation didn't really make him feel better about this situation, it was just a means of placation. Though for once in his life, the universe decided to send the boy a pick-me-up when he was down.
"Yoohoo~"
An all too familiar voice brought the boy back to reality and out of his own head. He looked up from his phone and saw May directly in front of him, looking at him with a raised eyebrow and her usual smile. She looked as radiant as usual, and strangely enough Jason momentarily forgot what he was down about when he saw her.
"Oh...um, hi!"
May chuckled—one side of him wished she would stop doing that and the other didn't. Jason watched as she took a strand of hair behind her air, before she addressed him.
"What's up? You just standing in the hallway for fun?"
Her question made him realized just how odd he was being, and he had to resist the urge to cringe hard.
'Great look Jay. Good job.'
"Uh, no. I was just looking at something on my phone."
May took a peek at his screen, and when she saw the picture of Spider-Man, she beamed.
"It's so cool isn't it? A Spider-Woman is the coolest thing to happen to this city in a long time."
Jason was a bit taken aback by her attitude. May was normally a cheery and bright person—it was a staple of her popularity—however today she was far more radiant than usual. She seemed to be in an amazing mood, like a kid who got an early Christmas present. He was absorbed in her radiance—his thoughts trailing along how pretty she was and that sort of drivel—but her final statement broke the illusion.
"Wait, did you say woman?"
They both stared at each other, confused and silent, until May's eyes finally widened in surprise and she chuckled nervously. The headline was "Spider-Man" afterall.
"Sorry, sorry. I meant Spider-Man. Still though, it's pretty cool."
Jason for once flashed a casual smile at her words. It was nice—Spider-Man being back that is.
"Yeah...it's pretty cool."
May however gasped softly, catching Jason's attention. Did he say something wrong? The panic and nervousness immediately returned.
"No, its nothing just...I feel like this is the first time I've seen you smile so naturally."
He couldn't help the blush forming on his cheeks, and quickly turned his head slightly in embarrassment. May just chuckled at his mannerisms again and then gave him another smile.
"You should smile like that more often. You have a nice smile."
That was the last straw. Jason devolved into a stuttering mess trying to return a compliment to the redhead. Thanfully she had a class so she began to walk off.
"See ya' Jason."
As the girl walked off he gave her a small wave, still a bit flustered from moments before.
"Oh yeah...see you later."
Though before she fully vanished into the crowd May turned around and told him one more thing.
"Also Jason..."
He gave her his attention.
"That picture is pretty bad right? Who knows? It might be a woman."
With that she took off and left Jason wondering about their conversation. While he could have focused on the more poignant details, his mind only contained May's compliment.
'Hehehe, she said I have a nice smile. Me. May said that...about ME. What was it even thinking about before?'
He paused.
"Just...just stop talking."
Begrudgingly, Jason trudged along to his next class. The happiness he garnered from his conversation with May immediately spoiled by his odd roomate.
———
———
The final bell screeched throughout the school and Jason quickly ran out of the door among many other students. While his classes are never exactly strenuous, he is always happy to be going home. Walking through the streets of New York he pushed his way through annoying crowds, hoping to reach the Skyrail station to catch the three o' clock train. Thankfully—after stepping on way too many toes and being honked at by way too many impatient drivers at crossings—he reached the station in time for the train. In fact he had a few minutes to spare.
As he waited for the train's arrival, he could overhear the conversations of others present, and they all were the same thing. Whether they were young, or old, male or female, in uniform or casual wear, everyone was talking about Spider-Man. Just a single picture and a news report was enough to incite this much excitement among the people. It was a bit heartwarming, though Jason still felt a bit off.
'Who am I kidding?'
His eyes drifted along the tracks of the Skyrail which went beyond the station and stretched into the sky—weaving between, and above buildings. He caught sight of the city's usual skyscrapers, but for some reason today his eyes were drawn to the smaller buildings. They weren't that advanced or sightly however. Many of them appeared old—a couple decades or so—made out of stone or wood instead of modernized steel and glass. Most were houses, cluttered on the outskirts of the city—the further you went out from the brilliant skyscrapers, the more you would see. Jason didn't know exactly why, but that view made him feel off as well.
'I think I did well. Y'know, for playing a hero.'
His thoughts were interrupted when a large gust of wind hit his fast, blowing his braids all over the place and ruining his desired neatness. The train had arrived. It was a large bullet train made with glittering white steel and adorning the familiar LIFE Industries logo on its side.
["Feel free to board now."]
A monotone, automated voice came over the intercom of the station, and everyone waiting began to file into the train. Jason moved aswell, though with less vigor than before—perhaps his thoughts were weighing him down. When he reached the door he swiped his train card—a small badge in the shape of a hexagon with illegible engraving—the door briefly flashed green and he was allowed to enter. Stepping into the train Jason slightly shivered at the cold breeze of the AC. Unfortunately all of the seats in his section were taken, so he grabbed a nearby pole and stood.
Immediately he took out his phone and returned to checking social media. Now there was a video of the "Spider-Man" swinging from building to building. Jason recognized that it was the video the photo which was trending was taken from, and it affirmed his belief that the person was the real deal. Spider-Man was truly back, and Jason was out. So, the boy put his ear buds in his ears, and began playing some music, passing the time until the train reached his stop.
A bit deeper in the train someone was raving about how the Spider-Man in the photos and videos was a fake, and actually someone placed by the government so they could control the morale of the masses. However absolutely no one on the train was paying the guy any attention. Jason simply immersed himself into the song, and decided to forget about everything going on.
———
———
Jason stepped off the train with his hands in his pockets. His apartment was only a short walk away, so he wasn't in any rush. The boy began a leisurely walk from the station while humming the song he was listening to.
"Know that ya, know me, don't act stupid~ You seem different, tired of these groupies~"
It took roughly four minutes to reach the apartment like he expected. A quick walk up some stairs and he was at his door. He began patting down his pocket looking for his key, but there was an unsettling vacancy which sparked a realization. He had forgotten it when he left the house in the morning. In defeat, Jason titled his head up to the ceiling and groaned loudly at the inconvenience.
"Fuuuuuuuck."
He really wasn't in the mood for this sort of thing. Quickly, he tried thinking of a solution when he had a thought.
'I could crawl in through the window.'
That would have worked, however he had the routine practice of locking his window whenever he left the house. Y'know, for safety. Another groan ensued—he realized what he had to do now.
"Guess I gotta make it over to uncle Max's shop for his spare."
Again, Jason really just wanted to relax in his bed, so this development was really aggravating. He wasn't looking forward to another train ride and walk—even though the trip would only be a few minutes.
'It's gonna take about fifteen minutes to get over to the shop. Buuuuuut...'
With the suit, he could probably swing over and be back in less than five minutes. While he initially wasn't in the mood for any more vigilante activity or the suit after earlier, the prospect of swinging around again was just too enticing.
'What's the harm?'
Quickly, Jason made his way over to the fire escape, exiting the building—on a side away from street view—and suited up. Again he stood as the white-eyed, black silhouette, though this time he wasn't wearing a hoodie or shorts on top. That made him appear smaller than his previous times, though something about it made him look much creepier. Something like a slender alien from a horror movie.
'I wonder if I'll ever hit a growthspurt.'
With his bag on his back, Jason quickly hopped off the railing and dove down towards the street. He attached a tentacle to a nearby building and began swinging, although very clumsily and recklessly. Still, he made great time, and after about two minutes he landed on top of his uncle's repair shop.
'Hm, faster than I thought. I might be getting better at this.'
Jason hopped down from the roof—the moment he landed on the ground the suit vanished. He pushed open the door of the store and entered, though what he saw genuinely shocked him. His uncle had a customer.
"Evenin'.."
The middle aged man looked up at the boy, causing the customer to do so as well. It was a man—a bit tall—with brown hair and a beard. He wore a white dress shirt and tie, a pair of black pants, a brown trench coat and glasses. However the man's most defining feature was the NYPD badge attached to his belt.
"Hope I'm not interrupting."
Upon a closer inspection, Jason noticed that the man was no customer. There wasn't any device in his or Max's possession, and his uncle seemed a bit too serious for it to be a regular conversation. Thankfully, the middle aged man in question soon spoke up and put Jason's suspicions to rest.
"Hey Jay. This is a detective from the NYPD. He just stopped by to ask a few questions."
Jason walked over to the two, and the detective put out his hand for a handshake.
"Detective Parker. Nice to meet you."
The man's voice was smooth and rather calming. Strangely enough Jason didn't feel the same air of unfriendlyness he felt with the last group of visitors to the shop. With a small smile, the boy accepted the gesture and introduced himself as well.
"Jason Reeves, nice to meet you too."
The detective smiled and retracted his hand. Max soon spoke up.
"Mr. Parker here was just asking me if I've seen anything unusual over the past few days."
Jason rose an eyebrow.
"Unusual? As in...?"
Detective Parker took the chance to reply.
"Unusual as in any strange individuals. There have been muggings and a robbery in this area over the last few nights, and victim reports all mention one thing. Apparently some guy dressed in all black and a hoodie is running around beating up the would-be criminals."
The boy tensed up at the mention of the all black vigilante. He wasn't quite keen on receiving this sort of fame. Though in the moment, he had to act oblivious.
"Really?"
Parker chuckled.
"Sounds odd right? Well I'm just going door to door questioning people about the guy. The victim reports were quite far-fetched."
Jason nodded at that. It would be hard for the police to believe that some kid in a black suit stopped a bunch of armed men. Also the tentacles.
"Well, thanks for your time. I still have a few more persons to question before I call it quits. Have a good evening you two."
"Same to you."
After Max's reply, the man exited the shop with a wave. Jason's eyes lingered on the door for a moment.
'Parker huh...Wait, is he related to May?'
"So Jay..."
His uncle snapped him out of his thoughts and back to reality.
"You needed something? Or did you just feel like coming by?"
It took the boy a moment to collect himself and remember what he originally came for. The information from the earlier conversation was a lot to process.
"Huh...Oh! I need a key. I forgot mine when I left this morning."
Max chuckled at his nephew, and after a moment of searching in his pocket he handed the boy his key.
"I always thought you'd grow out of that forgetfulness when you got older. Guess you're just like your dad."
Jason scoffed.
"Hey, I have a lot on my plate. Sometimes I just forget a few things."
Max chuckled, as Jason began heading towards the door.
"Mhm. Sure thing."
"See ya'!"
With that, Jason pushed open the door and exited the store, the conversation with the detective was still fresh on his mind. Perhaps he had been garnering too much attention. Another sign to stop.
'This is so much more stress than I was expecting...'
However his actions betrayed his thoughts. He was quickly back to swinging and jumping across the rooftops, the black suit clinging tightly to his body. There was something about it—something addictive. The chill of the wind hitting his face, the sense of freedom that came with weightlessness, or perhaps the godly strength was the cause of it. All Jason knew was that he loved wearing the suit.
'I'm just having a little fun with it...right?'
Then there was an interesting development. While he was zipping through the air, Jason saw something on a lower building. With his keen sight, he saw a man clearing picking a lock and trying to break into someone's apartment.
'Maybe I should leave this one alone.'
He thought, but was already swinging down towards the scene. The boy fell onto the building with a thud—one of his better landings—and the man turned to him in shock. He displayed the usual reaction to seeing Jason.
"What the hell?! Who are you?!"
The boy almost found it funny how every criminal managed to react in the same way. He quickly stood up straight and tried to look as menacing as possible.
"Hey, why don't we just go home so no one gets hurt."
His threat lost all credibility when the man heard his pubescent voice, but luckily his visage still scared him a great deal. Though Jason's inexperience was showed itself, as he made the same mistake he had made twice before. He wasn't being observant. On different ends of the rooftop, two men were stationed as lookouts and backup. Though they missed Jason's initial arrival, they were more than ready to defend their partner against the lone vigilante. One—as silently as possible—inched towards the boy with a steel bat in hand, ready to strike. Jason as usual was completely oblivious, but luckily the suit spoke up.
He had already thoroughly learnt this lesson, and for once, Jason followed the voice's instruction without question. He dropped down to the ground on all fours, as the metal bat whizzed through the air right where his head was. The attacker was surprised, but Jason didn't stop there. Quickly, he pushed up and slammed his foot into the man's stomach—a devastating kick with way more power than intended. The force sent the man flying off the edge of the building, much to Jason's horror.
"Shit!"
Quickly, the boy got back on his feet and sprinted over to the edge. He shot a tentacle down to the screaming man, who thankfully hadn't fallen out of range yet. It wrapped around him tightly, as Jason sighed in relief. The other two criminals were left bewildered at the scene, though not understanding the severity one pointed a gun at Jason's head.
Jason turned his head, and his large white eyes widened in shock. He was about to be shot, and unlike before he was too far away for the tentacles to stop the assailant. He began to panic.
'Shit! What do I do?! I should drop him! Gotta move! Jump off the building! I'm gonna die! Do something! Jump off!'
About a million thoughts flowed through his head in that instant.
The voice berated him aswell, but Jason was much too slow to make a decision. However, before a shot was fired, a new savior made an appearance. A web attached to the gun and pulled it out of the man's hand before he could fire, a cocky voice came soon after.
"I know school just let out, but we should play nice boys!"
Someone swooped in and landed on the edge of the roof. Red suit, detailed with thin black webbing, and a large black spider symbol on their chest.
'Spider-Man?'
Jason immediately rescinded that thought as he got a better look at the hero. Small stature, a feminine figure, and a voice that matched. This was a woman. It wasn't the Spider-Man.
'What the hell is happening?'
The two remaining men were stunned for a moment, but quickly turned their attention to the new arrival. Without his gun, the first decided to run at the girl, and the second followed after.
"A head-on charge? Nice, I respect the confidence."
The first man threw a punch at her head, but the girl effortlessly ducked under the blow. With a quick spin—displaying almost inhuman flexibility—she pivoted her body and slammed a hard kick into his side. The force knocked the man to the ground, and with a weird hand gesture she shot a large glob of web to hold him in place. Jason took note of how the web was released from some odd silver arm bands she was wearing.
"Please, somebody help me!"
He heard screaming coming from below him, and remembered the criminal man was still dangling in his grasp.
"Oh."
Quickly, he pulled the man back up, but soon returned to watching the brawl. With the first attacker disposed off, the girl was free to have her fun with the second. Chuckling softly, she weaved and dodged every attack the man sent at her, even slipping past him and tripping him over his own foot. It was quite the embarrassing scene.
"Stay. Fucking. Still!"
The girl hopped a good few feet away to the other end of the roof, and her mask shifted into a look of confusion.
"That just seems counter-productive."
With an enraged snarl the man sprinted towards her yet again, though before he could get too close she leisurely shot a glob of web at his face. This stopped the man in his tracks and he began pulling at the web in a panic. The girl used his moment of distraction to launch herself over to him, and slam his head into the concrete with yet another devastating kick.
"Spectacular finish if I do say so myself."
She made the mock gesture of dusting off her hands before she turned towards Jason and the final criminal. The last guy was of no threat—he was in the fetal position shivering like a leaf. Perhaps dangling off the edge of a building was too much for his nerves. However her focus was on Jason. The boy watched as yet again her expression shifted into one of confusion, trying to gauge what exactly she was looking at. The two stared at each other in silence for a moment, before the girl sighed loudly.
"I just got started and I already have fans running around. Fame really can get tiring."
Jason perked up at that, thinly veiled irritation in his voice.
"Excuse me?"
The girl started walking towards him, and with leisure she shot a large glob of web to cover the traumatized criminal.
"I know this whole thing seems cool and all, but it's really dangerous. You should probably go back home kid, y'know, before you get hurt."
Jason's eyes twitched in annoyance.
'Is...is she fucking lecturing me right now?'
Not only was this fake lecturing him, but she had the audacity to be a hypocrite as well. The boy truly couldn't believe his ears. However he didn't say anything, a bit too stunned by the conversation to properly address the Spider-Girl.
"Well I'm off, more people to save more bad guys to beat..."
The girl turned around, preparing to leave, but paused and looked back towards Jason.
"Also, just a tip. If you're gonna do cosplay, try to go for accuracy."
She gestured to herself, pointing out the color of the suit, and finally ran hand under under her chest, directing his attention to the spider symbol.
"Anyways, get home safe kid. Don'tdo anything dangerous like this again."
She shot a web to a nearby building and quickly swung off, using the webs to efficiently swing and weave through buildings as she vanished into the city. Jason stared in her direction for a good minute, silent as he thought over the interaction. This silence lasted a few minutes, before the boy finally voiced what was on his mind.
"WHAT THE FUCK?!"