บท 38: Strange's School of Sorcery & Spidery
I ran. I just bolted out the moment he let me out of that kaleidoscopic hell hole. I ran out the front door and I jumped out to the city swinging away like a bat out of hell.
Oddly enough, he didn't stop me.
I swung into the city, desperate for space, though no matter how much I tried I couldn't. I needed a place to think, to let myself relax. Queens was too far away, but the Baxter Building was just two blocks away.
I swung over and landed on the room, sighing in relief as I sat down on the edge of the building and took off my helmet, painting as I tried to calm myself.
I was still processing what he told me. Why he was training me in the first place.
It just didn't seem to stick in my head.
Magic so powerful it bound the multiverse together, and I was the only one who could access it.
And worst of all, he knew who I was. Who I really was. Not Peter Parker, someone else. That thought alone kept me up, I sat on top of the building I was familiar with and tried to think, but I found myself unable to make a single coherent thought.
"Spider-man?" I looked up and was surprised to see Franklin flying before me.
I blinked, "Franki? What are you doing up so late?"
"It's six in the morning," he said with a raised eyebrow, I was shocked, I looked over his shoulder and sure enough, the sun was coming over the horizon. I have been here all night.
I sighed, rubbing my eyes, "sorry, it's just I...I didn't know what else to do. I'm dealing with a lot right now and I needed somewhere familiar to think."
"I understand," the boy smiled as he dropped down, sitting next to me, "want to talk about it?"
"No I-" I stopped, looking at the boy I was reminded of his mother, the hair and the eyes, so much like Sue's. I sighed, "yeah...maybe. I...I just found out I have a destiny or something and now I'm panicking. I have no idea what to do and I'm super fucking lost."
Franklin chuckled, "so you're having an identity crisis?"
I snorted, "yeah, kind off."
"Well...what are you afraid of?" Franky asked.
"I'm...I'm afraid that...of failing," I remembered the words, if I died in Thanos' hands, so did the rest of the world, "and I'm afraid I wont' be strong enough for when the time comes."
Franklin nodded, "I see...but...why not?"
I looked at him, "huh?"
"I mean, your blood has the ability to give you the powers of others right?" he motioned to me, "just take the powers of people who know would say yes and get stronger."
"Franklin, it's not that simple. I know what happens to people obsessed with power, you've seen what happened….what happened to me when I got that Cosmic Rod."
Franklin sighed, "yeah...I do."
I closed my eyes, "I don't want to even think of becoming that kind of monster again Franky...someone who cares more for power than the people who love him. Someone who...a monster..."
"I...I get it," Franklin reached out and touched the band of golf around his head, "this thing, it keeps my powers in control. I can't...I can't control them. I doubt I ever can. But I use it to help people, and slowly but surely I'm becoming stronger and stronger. I am aware of the danger I am...which is exactly why this power is safest with me, and no one else...well...other than you I guess."
I blinked, "what are you walking about?"
"Spider-man, you're a hero unlike anyone else. My mom used to tell how amazing you were, how selfless, how brave. If anyone deserves power, it's you."
"Franklin, I'm not the same person you know. I'm not you're version of Spider-man," I argued.
Franklin smiled, "from what I've seen so far...that's a lie. You're exactly the same as my Spider-man...which is why...hold on a second," he said before suddenly flying into the air and going down, back into the building.
I waited curiously for him as he came back three minutes later, in his hand a vial of something blackish. He grinned as he tossed it to me, "don't' worry about breaking it, dad made the vial indestructible."
I looked it over, the sun's rays turned the nearly black liquid red, "what is it?...Blood?"
Franklin nodded, "yup. My blood."
My eyes widened, "Franky! Why did you do this?!"
"Because...you're my hero," he smiled, "and if you can save the world and yourself using my blood then go for it."
"Franklin you are the strongest mutant in recorded history, beyond Omega level! I have no idea what this could do to me!"
Franklin shrugged, "true...but maybe it can help you save the world," he gave me a salute, "good luck Spidey!"
And without a word he took off, flying back inside. I blinked, did that seriously just happen? I looked at the vial of blood in my hands, blood that could potentially make me a beyond-omega level mutant.
And it shook. It couldn't...I can't use this. It was a drug of sorts, forcing me to become addicted to it, relying on power gifted freely is a slippery slope and so far I have been careful. But now? Now I needed more power and it just dropped in my lap.
Ten months, that's how long the Reed Richards of this Earth told me I would need before I could boost again, before...I could become stronger.
But I didn't want too, I never wanted to become a power hungry lunatic, that's always been my greatest fear. To be so powerful that I loose what makes me human.
So now, I had a problem, Thanos was coming, and I had two solutions. Use Franklin's power...or fight them with my own.
I took off, swinging back to the Village. I landed at Strange's door and walked in, it wasn't even locked,
I remembered the directions to the kitchen and moved. Inside I found him sitting on a small table sipping tea as the whole kitchen around him was alive. I saw everything moving on it's own, preparing breakfast as if made by a pair of invisible hands. God I love magic.
Strange looked up from a large tome he was reading, "ah, so you're back. I had a feeling you would."
"I'm sure," I looked to him nervously, gulping away, "I...I'm sorry I ran."
"It's alright. It's only natural...after what I told you," Strange sighed, "please, sit."
"Thanks," I sat down as a cup of coffee floated into my arms, sugar flying out from the counter on the table, mixing itself into my drink. I raised an eyebrow, "huh, cool."
Strange nodded, "you'll learn how to do it soon."
I sipped my drink as I slowly looked at him, "so...what now?" So many thoughts running through my head, but before Strange, I had only one.
"You're afraid of what I'll say about you taking over Peter Parker's body."
"Yes," he was blunt, but I didn't care. The faster this was over the faster my heart will stop tap dancing inside my ribs.
"I must admit, when I first scanned you and found this...alteration, I was skeptical," I groaned, "I didn't know the kind of man you were. So when you left my home yesterday, I followed."
"You spied on me?" I asked in surprise.
He nodded, "yes. I wanted to see what kind of man you were. You spent the entire day saving people who weren't even yours to save. You helped people from a world not even yours, and then I realised, you may not be Peter Parker, but you are a damn fine Spider-man."
I was silent, his words rolling around in my head. "You offered me the magic teaching job before knowing what kind of person I was?"
Strange nodded, "yes. I did. If you had accepted immediately I would know that you desired power above all else, I would have wiped your mind and tried to bring back Peter Parker."
"Could you?" I asked immediately in fright, "c-could you do that?"
Strange sighed, "unfortunately, such an action would be pointless. I saw a little further into your head yesterday-"
"-Hey! Not cool!"
Strange smiled and continued, "I found that if I did bring back Peter Parker, it would be one that had never gotten a spider bite and never learnt to be Spider-man. I would be reversing all the good you have done, all you have become. Plus it would very, very painful for both you and Peter. So no, I decided against it."
"But you could do it, if I ever become too much of a problem," I narrowed my eyes, the threat clear.
"Yes, if I wanted too, I could," Strange nodded, "but as I told you, you are a huge part of the Web of Life, a big part of it. As such, I can't do it unless risking the Web collapsing in on itself. As such, you are very much safe from me Pe...I'm sorry, all this time and I never bothered to ask, what is your name?"
I blinked, "it's $#%#$."
Strange blinked, "I'm sorry?"
I sighed, "it's not your fault. Whatever being put me into Peter's head also prevented me from sharing any information I know about my old world and the knowledge from it. I can't even freaking say my own name. I had my world's Charles' Xavier look into it, he had no clue what to do either."
Strange nodded, "I see, interesting."
"How did you know I was from a world where all of this came in comic books?" I asked him, "as I said, my mind is protected, so how?"
"I used this," Strange pointed to an eye shaped golden amulet around his neck, "the Eye of Agamotto, powerful and very good at what it does. No secret can hide from me."
I blinked, "so can you use it to read my mind and find out details about my world?"
Strange shrugged, "I don't know, I haven't tried, nor am I going too."
"Why not?" I asked curiously.
"Whoever put you into Peter Parker's body is powerful, very powerful. And dangerous. If I do this, it might see me as a threat and try and destroy me. I would rather not risk it, besides, I have been sorcerer supreme for a long time, I have learnt during that period some knowledge is better left unlearnt."
I looked at him before slowly nodding, accepting his answer. It made sense, I suppose. He wasn't lying to me, I think, so he just wants everything to be in one pices, which if pretty much what I want as well.
I finished my tea and got up, walking out the door. "Where are you going?" Strange asked.
"I have to tell Peter and MJ about where I'll be staying. And then I have about a hundred books to read, Master Strange," I called back, "I'll see you later."
Strange chuckled, "very well Apperatec Parker. But don't forget to eat something, you'll find your mind much more willing to bend on a full stomach than an empty one."
I nodded, "right," as I walked the weight of the vial of blood Franklin had given me was heavy in my pocket. I had made my choice, I chose to earn power rather than take it. It was nobel, but foolish. And if I wasn't ready for when Thanos came, I know I won't hesitate to use Franklin's blood.
Sometimes...sometimes, you need a monster to kill a monster.
A week later:
I stood in the middle of a training field, my legs apart and my arms tucked into my sides. I moved robotically, my movements following the pattern that I memorised. The kata coming out smooth, like a river.
I tried to feel it, the power that Strange said I held, I moved, placing both palms before me before spreading them out in a circular movement, pushing whatever energy I'm supposed to have out, willing it to come out. But nothing came.
"I can't do this!" I cried out throwing my hands into the air, "it's impossible!"
Strange smiled, "there's no such thing. Try again Peter, I promise, you will eventually understand the process."
"Dude! It's just me waving my hands around like a moron! How's this supposed to help me learn magic?!" I was on a very, very short fuse.
But Strange was patient, he replied smoothly, "did you read 'The Power of Chakra Movement'?"
"Y-yes."
"And what does it say?"
I sighed, "that the movement of my body and the clarity of mind will unlock the body's spiritual energy, combining it with our physical abilities."
"Correct. You have mastered the body, but tell me, how you mastered your mind?" he narrowed his eyes, "or have you gotten distracted."
"I'm not distracted!" I hissed, "I….I just can't focus!"
Strange smiled, "that's what distracted means Peter."
"No...I mean I understand what I have to do, and I'm focusing on it but...nothing happens!"
Strange hummed, "I see...well, then maybe it's time you take a break. It's nearly time for school, maybe a short break will freshen your mind."
"I'm training to be a sorcerer Master Strange, do I really have to go to school?!" I grumbled.
"Yes, you do," Strange smiled as he walked away, "besides, you need the break."
A few hours later:
I grumbled as I walked out of the class of the day. Even though I was being trained to be a soccer, both Peter and Strange demanded I go to school. I don't know why they're so insistent on it, but I can't say no, especially not to Strange. For every day of school I skip he puts me through three hours of mind numbing training.
So here I was, five hours wasted learning something pointless or something I already knew. I was just about to head off to Strange's place when I heard someone call out for me.
"Bruce! Hold up!" I turned to see May and Felicity run up to me, looking excited.
I blinked, "hey girls, what's new?"
"Hey, you free right now?" Felicity asked sounding extremely giddy, "there's a girl's basketball game after school and we need people to cheer us on!"
I blinked, "there's a game today?"
May nodded, "yeah, and it's a pain in the ass to get people to come and support us."
"Could you come Bruce? Please? It could really help!" Felicity said in a begging tone.
"Yeah, come one Bruce, it should be fun," May smiled, "besides, you look like you could use a change of pace."
I sighed as I rubbed my eyes, "yeah...you're right. Lead the way ladies."
Felicity grinned, "yes! Come with me! Oh and quick question, do you mind holding up a poster and cheering out"
I shrugged, "hey, you girls win and I'll treat you to dinner."
"Really? You mean it?" Felicity asked with a flirty smile.
Immediately I was on guard, May blinked in shock too, guess she realised what was happening. Shit! Shit! This was bad! Defuse the tension! "Y-yeah, sure thing kiddo," I patted her on the head like a father would their child.
"Great! Make sure you keep your promise Brucie!" Felicity winked, "alright May! I'm going ahead!"
"What? Why?" May asked bewildered.
"I'm going to squeeze in some extra training!" Felicity blew me a kiss, "you're so going to take me out to dinner mister!"
"I-I didn't mean it like that!" I cried out.
"I don't' care!" she sang as she quickly left, heading off to the gym.
"That….was awkward," May whistled.
I groaned, "yeah...now I know how you felt Johnny hit on you. So weird!"
"Well, doesn't she kind of look like you're Felicia?" May asked.
I turned to her, "would you date my version of Johnny if he looked like Franklin?"
May blushed, "what?! No!"
"Exactly. Plus, no one can substitute for my Kitten, no one, ever."
That night:
"Go Midtown Tigers!" the announcer cheered soon followed by the sizeable crowd that had gathered in the gymnasium to cheer on the girl's basketball team. The Home team was leading by twelve points, while the visitors were quickly catching up.
I sat in the fifth with a giant poster held over my head with the words, 'Get them Tigers!', held over my head. The match was kind of slow for my taste, but heck, what can you do.
May and Felicity were killing it on the court, like two perfectly in sync partners that spent years working together. Seeing the way May passed the ball to Felicity reminded me of me and Kitten, how we had each other's back while in costume. Hm, these two would make a great team now that I think about it.
Flash was there as well, or as the rest of these kids call him, coach Flash. I didn't have the pleasure of taking his class yet, thank god, but I seeing him now, heh, I'm glad I got the chance.
Flash had aged, badly. He didn't just look forty, he looked like Ben did in my time, well into his fifties with a big belly, wrinkle covered face and a fat nose. While my future self looked fit and sexy for his age, despite the beard.
I knew this wasn't my Flash, and sure, maybe he does mature eventually, but fuck it. It felt good knowing this was what awaited him. Wahahaha!
I grinned seeing the bald spot on his head, hehe, sucker.
"You know, if you keep staring at him so much, the bald spot might just grow bigger."
"You'll slipping up in your old age Kitten," I smiled turning around to see the older Felicia Hardy staring down at me, "I heard you sneak behind me three minutes ago."
"It's the cast," she pointed at her leg. She was discharged from the hospital only a few days ago, Felicity was all excited about it. Felicia still had an eyepatch and a cast over her left shin, but otherwise she was fine. She wore a pair of jeans and a leather jacket, an odd combination for a woman of her age, but she managed to pull it off.
"Sure it is," I smiled as I sat down next to her, putting the banner aside. We both turned to the match, Felicity had just scored three points, "that's some girl you raised Kitten."
"Yeah," Felicia smiled, "she's something else."
"Is she close with her dad?" I asked looking at Flash cheering her own from the side, "she hardly ever talks about him."
"Just between you and me? She's a full on daddy's girl," Felicia chuckled, "she and I actually began to fight a lot after I divorced him. She lives with me, but he was always her favorite."
"So weird," I grumbled, "Flash Thompson, parental figure."
"You really need to get that chip off your shoulder Peter," Felicia smiled, "girl's don't find jealousy sexy."
"I beg your pardon, but I know one girl who definitely does," I grinned, "don't even pretend for one second you don't like it when people fight over you. I know you Felicia Hardy, even if you aren't the one I grew to love."
"Maybe," Felicia shrugged, "so, any luck finding a way to leave this place and back to your own world?"
I sighed, "no...it's more of a wait and see kind of deal. Why? Are you eager to see me gone?"
"You remind me of a world where I had the man of my dreams Peter, of course it's difficult to talk to you."
"Then why did you?"
"Because...I would kick myself in the ass if I didn't at least try," Felicia's smile turned sad as she looked at her ex-husband, "did you know I only began dating Flash to spite my Peter?"
"You did?"
"Yes. I was so angry he chose MJ over me I decided to try and seduce his best friend."
"I'm going to stop you right there missy," I held up a finger, "Flash was my best friend?"
"Yup."
"God this world is fucked up. Please, continue," I sighed.
"Right. Anyway, at first it was just for pure manipulation, I didn't care for you. But then...I found myself slowly falling for the guy. Until...well, you can see the result yourself," Felicity and May cheered as they called for a break to discuss team strategy for the last ten minutes of the game.
"So why did you split up?" I asked her.
"Because we wanted different things," Felicia sighed as she scratched her eyepatch, "he wanted a docile wife and I wanted my space. I wanted to travel, he wanted to...well be a damn coach in this small little place. I refused to be tied down...is your Felicia the same?"
I nodded, "yes, she is. But so am I. I may have a scene of duty to this city, but I wouldn't mind spending a month or two in Rome or Paris, just being with her wouldn't be so bad."
"Right...well, anyway," Felicia huffed, "things just escalated from there. We had kids, though we kept fighting. Eventually we separated, Flash got our son and I got our daughter. And...that's just the way things have been."
We sat in silence as we watched the end of the game. She and I watched our children work together to gain victory, though I was only genetically May's father. I turned to her and spoke, "tell me Kitten...do you wish you could go back and change it all?"
"No," she didn't hesitate as she smiled right at me, "this is my life...I refuse to leave my daughter for such a selfish reason."
"Heh, if only your father was the same," I snorted.
"I know he isn't the best father in the world, but he is still your Felicia's father, remember that Pete."
"I know...doesn't change the fact that if I get my hands on him I'm breaking his fingers for selshifly endangering his family like he did," I growled.
"I won't like that," she said.
"Then? What should I do?"
"Well...if you do find her-"
"-If she wants to be found."
"Right, if you do...hug her and kiss her and don't let go until she pushes you back. And then….well, everything else can wait until after that," Felicia smiled, once again scratching her eyepatch.
I groaned, damn Richard Fisk, that bastard. I wish I tracked him down and gutted him. Last I heard he managed to gain immunity in exchange for rating out all his partners and employees. That's going to make him a lot of enemies, I personally hope he dies in the gutter.
I noticed the bruising around Felicia's eye was slowly darkening, it must mean the blood vessels was flooding her damaged capillary tubes. I could...theoretically, I could use my body's energy to heal the tubes, feed them energy to speed up the process. But...I never could before, hell, I couldn't even summon a magical circle before.
"What's the matter?" Felicia asked with a smile, "you've been staring at me for sometime now."
I smiled, "I just realised how lucky I would be if I could grow old with my Felicia. If she ends up looking like you I would never grow bored of having sex."
"Ha-ha," Felicia rolled her one visible eye, "I know I'm old Peter, you don't have to rub it in."
"I'm serious Kitten," I smirked.
"I'm sur you-" she winced again, rubbing her iching wound. Immediately my mind was made up.
"Here, let me," I said as I reached for her eyepatch.
"What are you doing?" she asked as my fingertips touched her face, feeling the warmth of blood flowing underneath her skin.
I focused, gathering up whatever energy I could, remember how I felt when I channeled m electric powers, and pushed them forward, imagining the way I wanted the energy to move.
I felt it slowly move, I opened my eyes and there it was, a wisp of golden energy coming out of my fingertip and into Felicia's skin. Immediately I saw the size of the bruising reduce. Felicia gasped as it happened, I dropped my hands, exhausted from the simple act.
"H-how did you do that?" Felicia asked.
I smirked as I wiped the sweat from my brow, "I'm learning a few tricks from Dr. Strange."
"Okay...you're so not the Peter Parker I'm used to."
"And the Tigers win!" the announcer cried out, ending the match in Midtown's victory. We turned to see Felicity and May cheering with the rest of their friends, all together, all happy.
"Thank you," Felicia said drawing my attention to her just in time to feel the touch of her lips on my forehead as she laid a gentle kiss on me, "that helped."
"N-no problem," I replied.
"Don't worry Peter," she got up, managing to hold herself up despite the cast, she looked down at me and smiled, "I'm sure she's just waiting to come back to you. Just don't give up on her."
I nodded, "I won't...now, do you need help climbing down?"
Felicia chuckled, "yes, kind off!"
That night I spent it with Felicity and the rest of the women's basketball team in a dinner. I did promise to pay for dinner and a promise is a promise. May offered to chip in, but I refused, it was my treat, they earned it.
The Next Day:
Stange watched from one corner as I went through the kata's he taught me. At this point I knew it was pointless, but I did it anyway, and now I wasn't even focusing on what I was doing, no, I was too busy remembering my Kitten.
Last night stirred something in me, I kept her buried away, refusing to recall her to mind, but now I did.
I remembered her smile, her laugh and the kissed she planted on my lips. I remembered it all, like a clear picture reflected off off a still lake. Memories, reflections of my life.
My body moved on muscles memory alone, moving through the various gentle movements Strange drilled into my head, but my mind was elsewhere, all the other things bleed out. All this time I was stuck here, all this time, I never once thought about her, I thought it would hurt, but….it didn't. It was like seeing a picture of the sun after a long time.
My arms began to slowly glow, I could hear the sanskrit chant inside my head playing like a hymn in the background as memories of our first date came up. Strange got off his chair and on his feet, watching me with interest.
I brought both hands up, I remembered her laugh. I put one palm up and one down, I remembered her chuckling at my stupid jokes. As my arms moved in a perfect circle, a fiery red circle appeared in its path.
I felt the power seep out of my body and into the structure before me. Felicia's smile melted away, the slogan took over my head as I opened my eyes and stared at the perfect magical circle I had made.
I moved forward into the second kata. My arms moved like a viper, the lines shooting out of my fingertips like silk from a spider. Two rectangle adjacent to each other were formed inside the circle, rotating clockwise.
I moved to the third kata, move both hands back, performing a complex movement that cracked my knuckles and nearly popped my shoulder. I thrusted my arm forward, creating a single dot in the middle of the circle.
WHOM!
The magical circle before me began to hum, I watched as it began to spin around, transforming before my eyes.
It became a circle with a web design inside it. Thousands upon thousands of strands that were all connected to the center. I found sanskrit words written around the borders of the circle, this was it. My magical focus, the thing I would use from now on to perform any type of magic.
"Very impressive," Strange called out.
The fiery red circle slowly vanished as I let my attention drop. I sighed as I felt the strange pressure of magic break away from me. I looked at him and nodded, "did I do okay?"
"You did well for a first timer," Strange nodded, "may I ask what happened that caused this?"
I looked at my arms, "I….I was thinking too much. Before I kept thinking about what would happen if I fail, or how I was never meant to be a sorcerer. I didn't realise...I didn't realise I was supposed to feel out the magic, I kept trying to think it out."
"And what made you forget all that?"
"The girl I loved," I sighed. Strange raised an eyebrow, "Felicia Hardy."
Strange's eyes went wide as he winced, "I don't envy you my Apprentice."
I rolled my eyes, "she's not that bad Master."
"She is, and you know it," Strange chuckled, "now, practise this once more. Next time, try and make do with without a focus. I understand it's useful, but right now you need to make this second nature to you, after all it is the bases of all magic you are now going to learn."
I nodded, I cracked my knuckles and got to work.
A day later:
"You did well with the exercises," Strange smiled at me, "as such, I believe you have earned these," he presented me with robes that looked like they were japanese in origin. Dull red with a black belt tying them together.
I looked at them, "ah...thanks?"
"They are Apprenticeship robes," Strange explained, "the represent that you have finally earned the right to be called my apprentice."
I blinked, "so all this while-"
"-No," Strange shook his head, "your discovery and mastery of a magical focus is the first step."
I blinked, "huh…..so do I have to wear these?"
"Yes, the organic material help channel energy better. Plus they look cool," he smiled.
"Right..." I blinked, Strange narrowed his eyes, challenging me to say something, "I love it!" Note to self, when leaving back to home dimension, 'accidentally' forget to pack these robes.
Strange smiled, "good. Here, you have also earned this," he passed me a cloth bag with my name embroidered on the front. It was the size of a normal duffle bag, but it could be rolled up to the size of my hand if need be.
"What it this?" I asked him.
"A storage pouch," he explained, "a soccer's greatest tool. And your first one. It can store any number of items for you, and will be weightless as well. And when not in use simply channel magic into it and it will react to your will to change shape."
I groaned as I did as Strange said, channeling what I once used to power my bio-electrical energy into the pouch, causing it to shrink down in size. I smirked, "this is so cool!"
Strange smiled, "I'm glad you like it, now go change. We will begin your first real lesson soon."
I did so quickly, putting on the red gi that ended around my arms in tight wrappings and my leg in comfortable cloth like slip ons.
"Now that you have finally mastered the basics, we can move onto your first branch of magic," Strange said as he walked around me in a circle, "as you now might understand, the power of the human mind can't be underestimated. It can do many amazing things. As such, one of them, is telekinesis," he snapped his fingers and suddenly every piece of furniture in the room began to float.
I looked around, "holy shit."
"Your mind can interact with the physical realm by channeling power into your brain waves, like you have learnt to do through your meditation and katas," Strange explained, "using this, you shall be able to move any object with just your mind."
I blinked, "wait, so is telekinesis magic? Does that make Jean Grey and other mutants magical?"
Strange smiled, "you caught onto that very quick Apprentice Parker. The answer to your question in half and half. You see mutant are just that, mutations to a normal person. As such they have access to certain things, such as energy fields and power, that we soccer's have to strive for through training and learning. Years of it."
"So...mutants use cheat codes while we have to do it the hard way around," I summarised.
Strange nodded, "yes, I suppose that's an accurate statement. So you see, mutants and humans aren't very different at all."
I nodded, "but what about mutants like Beast or Logan? Their physical mutations?"
"Something any lab can now replicate," Strange shrugged, "it would honestly not be that hard to do."
"Alright...who's a better psychic? You or Jean Grey."
"As you said Apprentice Parker, we do things the hard way, they have cheat codes," Strange smiled, "now, begin."
I took me a fucking week to move a pencil box. A fuckign week. I had my mind cleared, I had magic pouring through my veins, but it took my brain a week to realise it could do more than just think.
It was honestly the strangest experience of my life….fuck, I made a pun didn't I? Fuck me. Either way, I spent that week training, so now finally I had another skill down pat.
The next day:
"Don't fuck with the Yakuza bug boy!" the japanese gangster cried out as he open fired on me. Lighting up the entire docks with the sound of his machine gun.
"Spiders are arachnids! Not bugs you idiot!" I replied back, leaping behind a crate. I looked behind me, the crate of smuggled asian slaves were huddled together inside the frater cargo hold they were smuggled in.
I needed to move the guns away, one random bullet enters that crate and ten people die. I looked up before ducking back down, avoiding the barrel of four machine guns. The bullets keep coming, soon the single gangster is joined by three others, all focusing fire on me.
I looked around, immediately spotting a crane hanging over us. I got an idea, "Sexy, think you can hack into that crane's systems?"
"Can do Spider. What do you want me to do?" the AI asked.
"Lower the claw before the crate," I motioned to the open frater doors.
"I'm on it," Sexy replied.
I waited, the crate I was hiding behind was slowly being ripped away into nothing by the bullets. I suddenly felt one right across my shoulder tearing through my costume. I winced and held my arm, it was already healing but my spandex costume was torn.
'Peter is so going to be pissed,' I grumbled before I heard the whirring of machinery. I looked up to see the crane room around the harbour, it's actions drawing the yakuza's attention, making them pause.
The crane went over their heads before stopping before the frater with the smuggled people inside and dropping down like a lead ball.
Boom!
It crashed into the ground with such force the crater jumped a few inches off the ground, startling the people inside, throwing them off their balance. But now the claw served as a barrier against the bullets, meaning I could finally move.
"Thanks Sexy, you're a lifesaver," I grinned as I leaped over my now destroyed cover and charged at the yakuza, "yo! Fuckers!" I yelled in japanese, "kiss my ass!"
"Kill him!" the leader cried out, the four opening fire at me. I ducked under their line of fire, the bullets sailing over me and hitting the crane claw covering the frater, I'm so glad that worked.
I leaped into the air and launched two web lines at the nozzle of the guns on my left and right, covering it with webbing before I pulled with enough strength for the guns to come flying out of their hands.
I then leaped forward and kicked the leader in the gut with enough force to send him flying back into the crate behind him before spin around and clocking the remaining armed yakuza in the face, knocking him out instantly.
"Shit shit shit!" the man to my left cursed and ran away, his face covered in fear and panic.
"You coward!" the man on my right drew out a handgun and leveled it at my face, "die you bastard!"
Bang!
Skit!
Two claws popped out of my right hand, deflecting the bullet before it could hit my face. The man looked scared, he tried firing again, but I was faster.
I charged, swiped at his gun, cutting it into three pieces, three very tiny pieces. I then grabbed him by the collar with my left hand and threw him into the air, launching a web grenade to stick him against a stack of crates.
I then turned and saw the last yakuza enter a maze of crates. I leaped into the air and followed him from atop the stack of crates, his heart beat so loud I doubted I needed my advanced hearing to hear it from here.
I followed him, he had almost made it out of the harbour when I shot a web line out and grabbed him but the coat, pulling him up to me.
He came flying at me, I grabbed him by the neck and held him over the edge of two stacked crates, each around fifteen feet in height, his legs dangling limply.
"Who do you work for?" I asked in perfect japanese. Those lessons with Natasha really came in handy.
"I-I am a Yakuza! If you kill me they will hunt you!" he spattered.
"You aren't yakuza," I ripped his tie off and then tore open his shirt revealing a bare chest, "you don't have the tattoos. Plus, Yakuza don't trade in human trafficking. The Chinese do. Now," I squeezed, hard, "who, do, you, work for?"
"Fisk!" he gasped, "Richard Fisk!" He dropped the japanese, out of fear? Or was it never his native language in the first place?
"He's coming back?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Yes! Yes! He said he'll be coming back soon!"
I chuckled, "really? Damn, he's stupider than I thought. Where is he?"
"I don't know!"
I heard his heart skip a beat. "I know you're lying. Tell me the truth, or I'll drop you."
The man chuckled, "you wouldn't dare. I know you hero types, you're all the same. You hurt, but you don't kill!"
I looked down, "we're standing on two standard sized frater crates...around fifteen feet each. That's thirty feet….hm, the highest point a human can fall from and not die is forty feet….yeah, let's risk it," I let go.
"ARGH!" he cried out.
I shot out a web line and caught his ankle as soon as he passed the second crate. He looked up at me, revealed. And then I let him go once again.
"ARGH!" he cried out in pain as he landed on his legs, nothing broke, he was just in pain. I landed next to him, grabbed his curled up figure by the neck once more before pinning him to the metal crate, "where. Is. Fisk?"
"H-he's in a warehouse up in the Bronx! We were supposed to bring him the people in one hour!"
"Where?" I asked.
"It's on Hunts point! He's waiting for us there with a couple of hundred guys!"
Immediately Sexy pulled up a display on my HUD marking the spot, "I see. Thanks," I let him go, walking away, Hunts point...again? Hm, same spot, different crimes in different worlds. What a coincidence.
"Sexy, call the police and notify them about the human trafficking ring we discovered."
"Right away Spider. Shall I inform them about Fisk as well?"
"No, not yet. First I want to have a little chat with him," I saw the man I just interrogated get up and try to make his escape. I turned around and fired a web ball at him, pinning him to the crate, "yeah, I'm not letting you go that easily."
An hour later:
BOOM!
Richard Fisk flinched, "what the hell was that?!"
Boom!
The door to his office flew off its hinges as one of his men came flying through body first, crashing into Richard's desk, knocked unconscious.
Immediately Fisk's heart rate began to increase, he couldn't believe what was going on, no one was supposed to know he was back, no one! He drew a handgun for protection, aiming it at the long open corridor that lead to his office door.
"You know, when I decided to let you go that time, it was only because Mrs. Hardy asked me too," I spoke as I webbed his gun and pulled it out of his hand.
Fisk turned around, his eyes widening in fear. I climbed through the window and into his office, "you were told never to return Fisk...why risk that?"
"This city is my birthright," he gulped as he slowly backed away, "I am-"
Thwip!
I webbed his mouth, "not interested."
Skit!
I grabbed him by the collar and smashed him into the wall of his office, the stingers on my right hand pressed against his neck, "now then, let's have some fun."
"ARGH!" he cried out. I didn't kill him, no, I didn't even cut him with my claws. But I did break a few fingers, which felt nice.
Around six in the morning I swung my way over to Strange's place, it was early in the morning and the sun was barely up. The city that never sleeps, that is true. But from up here, the city looked very very peaceful. Not a thing was wrong. It was perfect. Which wasn't true at all.
I knew this city...it was sick, May and Felicity will have their hands full. But, I did them a solid in getting rid of Richard Fisk, so at least they don't have a complete shit hole to protect.
Eventually I made my way to the Sanctum Sanctorum. I climbed inside through the attic and went into the kitchen finding him sitting on the dining table reading the paper. "Long night?" he asked.
"I stopped a human trafficking ring and caught Wilson Fisk's son from reforming the Kingpin empire in New York," I shrugged as I sipped my coffee, "oh and I destroyed the costume Peter lent me," I pointed at the bullet holes I had gained, "damn cheap shit."
"You can wear these robes then," he said throwing a set of red robes at me.
"Hey! My robes! I thought I lost them," I grumbled glaring at the offending piece of cloth.
Strange smiled, "yes, apparently they grew legs and leaped up onto my chandelier and tucked themselves in tight. Now," put the paper down, "how are you coming along with your weapons conjuration?"
I clicked my fingers, forming my magical focus to create an ethereal rod made out of golden red glowing energy. I grabbed it and spun it around, "it's not bad but….still too slow to form."
"Well...it's decent enough. Come, we'll move onto the next stage," Strange replied as he got up left the dining hall. I sighed as I followed him to his study and watched as he moved the furniture to the back.
Strange held up his hands and placed them facing each other. Suddenly a magic circle was formed between his hands, Strange slowly pulled them back, creating a line of magic that looked like it was being weaved by Strange's will.
He caught the strand with his right hand and flipped it around, making it curve around in the air like it was alive. "This is the whips of Vastha, very deadly and very powerful, if you know what you're doing," he had the whip turn into a lasso which he then used to grab a lamp and throw it across the room.
Strange then shoot the whip over his head causing it to fly up and strike the ceiling. He pulled himself up showing how powerful the whip truly was. "It can be manipulated to do several things, including creating an adhesive property quite similar to your webs. This is the next weapon I want you to master."
I was definitely interested, "I can use this in cases of emergencies," I murmured, "no more worry about running out of web fluid for me."
Strange nodded, "yes. Of course, it doesn't have a solid staying field, so you can't use it to tie up criminals or other things, but I'm sure you'll fdn it's limitations very soon," he picked up a book and tossed it to me, walking out of the room, "learn it quickly, I have much more to teach you."
I sighed, guess I'm not going to get any sleep today, "for the record, you're one hell of a slave driver."
"I'm aware," came the man's almost dull reply, "I expect you to be able to do it by tomorrow night. Sleep well Apprentice Parker."
I sighed, well at least he isn't completely heartless. I think.
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