Spider-Man: Web of Magic

by MetalJrock

Issue #28: The Alien Costume Saga, Part I

Peter ducked Twilight undercover as his Spider-Sense blared. Right on cue, a giant wheel rolled down the streets in a rampage. ‘Crap… Come on, Pete, you can’t just bail now.’ Peter muttered in his head, tempted to dive out and fight the criminal. He peeked out the window of the corner store and saw the Solar Eclipse fly after him, earning a sigh of relief from the boy.

“…Aren’t you going to get pictures or something?” Twilight asked, well expecting Peter to disappear.

Peter shrugged, trying to hide his apprehension and desire to help, “Eh, no, I made a promise to be here. It wouldn’t be right of me to leave you alone.”

Twilight smiled, “Oh good, because you have a habit of vanishing during times like these and was wondering if you’d do it again. N-Not that I paid attention or anything!” she defended, still a nervous wreck about what was supposed to be a study session together.

“No no, it’s fine, I promise. I earned that reputation.” Peter assured her, “In hindsight we probably shouldn’t have done this in the city.” he quipped, earning a chuckle.

“Y-Yeah, maybe we could head somewhere else? Sugarcube Corner seems to be bad luck lately…” Twilight mumbled. A phone went off, Peter reached into his pocket and he answered. It was Sunset.

“Don’t leave. I got this.”

“But-“

“Pete, I have this covered. Don’t feel guilty, you owe yourself just one night. Especially after the Mysterio mess.”

“…Okay fine. This once.” he hung up.

Twilight tilted her head, “Is everything okay?”

“Huh. Yeah, just some… Stark related stuff, don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.” Peter assured her.

Peter took one more glance at the window, eyeing the destruction. He desperately wanted to help, but he owed it to himself to see tonight through. He reached for his collar… then stopped, remembering Twilight was next to him still. With an inaudible sigh, Peter relented on his decision to leave and chose to let Sunset fight this criminal.

“Yeah we can go somewhere else. Not sure where though…” Peter admitted to himself, trying to find a good spot. “Wait, I know a place but… I’m gonna need to double check so it might have to hold off for another day. That okay with you?” he asked his date.

Twilight nodded, “S-Sure. Just let me know.”

---

The Next Day

“Yeah sure you can use the lab, the Connors like you, remember?” Ned reminded Peter as they sat for lunch.

Trixie grinned, “Honestly Parker, you bailed for that reason?”

Peter raised his hands defensively, “I didn’t bail! I actually did leave Solar Eclipse to fight… Big Wheel, I think his name was called? No, I just needed to be sure I wasn’t intruding, especially now that the lab needed repairs.”

Ned smiled, “I can let them know.”

“Awesome thanks, bro.” Peter thanked his best friend.

“Is this seat over here taken?” asked a skinny kid, pointing to the chair next to Peter. The boy immediately recognized him as someone he saved a day or two again.

‘Ollie?’

Trixie blinked, “…And who are you?”

“O-Ollie. Osnick. Ollie Osnick, yeah that’s it!” Ollie introduced himself to Peter’s friend group.

“O-Oh, Ollie! Yeah, uh, Spidey did mention you to me. I owe him one.” Peter lied, having to cover his tracks. He just remembered that he promised to keep his classmate company and he decided to follow his word, remembering how he was once isolated.

“Chair’s all yours dude, not like anyone else is taking it.” Ned quipped, gesturing to the empty chair.

“Thanks!” Ollie said, sitting down next to Peter.

Trixie leaned an arm on her chair, “So… Ollie? Why join up with these nerds?”

Peter huffed, “Hey!”

Ollie adjusted his glasses and muttered, “W-Well I met Spider-Man, um… and he said I should… try making friends. A-And mentioned Peter.”

“Did he now?” Trixie asked, glaring at Peter. The boy simply smiled innocently. Ollie didn’t notice this behavior.

The small teen nodded, “Yeah! It was awesome how he beat those guys up! And he talked to me! I’ll never forget that!”

“Another Spider-Man fan! Awesome!” Ned cheered.

“Heck yeah I’m a fan! Forget what Jameson says, Spider-Man and the Solar Eclipse are heroes!” Ollie agreed.

Peter chuckled, “That makes the few of us. And Flash.”

Trixie smirked, “Eh, they’re alright.”

“You know… I, um… wish I could help Spider-Man like the Solar Eclipse.” Ollie admitted, “I-I- Never mind, it’s dumb.”

“You can tell us,” Ned eased the new participant.

“Trust me, it can’t be as dumb as half the things these two say.” Trixie joked.

“Like you haven’t…” Peter mumbled back under his breath.

Trixie shrugged, “Believe what you wish, Parker.”

Ollie pulled out a journal and opened it. He pointed to a page with a very crude sketch. It appeared to be armor, modeled after Spider-Man, but hastily scribbled blue with a silver spider emblem, and thin spider arms of the same color protruding from the back. “Whoa…” muttered Peter, ‘Spider-Armor? I… somehow never thought of that.’ he mused, wondering if he could find the resources for it.

“Awesome.” Ned gasped.

“Y-You really think so?” Ollie asked nervously.

“Yeah!” Ned told him, “We have to find a way to make this, it’ll look cool!”

“Thanks!”

Trixie smiled and rolled her eyes, “Of course you want to get right to working on that.”

Peter said, “Hey, it’s a good idea.”

“Hmph. Perhaps it could be in the right hands.” Trixie admitted to the boys.

“C-Cool.” Ollie said in shock, grateful his classmates seem to appreciate this bit of work.

---

Canterlot University, That Night

A sharp claw reached to a window, circling around it and creating a hole large enough for a slim, female figure to slip through. The figure in question wore a leather suit, a small domino mask and let her white hair remain flowing behind her. She grinned as she snuck in, pulling out a spray and using it on the ground, revealing the lab’s laser grid.

The Black Cat chuckled, pulling out her grappling hook and aiming it at the ceiling above the plastic capsule containing the alien goo known as the V-252.

It was gonna take a bit, but she knew she could accomplish this.

---

Spider-Man landed on the side of the lab, now clad in his new Stark-given suit but quickly stitched together. ‘Man you can still see the tears, it’s barely holding itself together. But until I can contact Mr. Stark, I have to make do with what I have I guess.’ he mused, putting his hands on the crude exposed stitch marks left on the suit, feeling a small hole forming in the spandex. “Yeesh I should really pace myself next time.”

“No Eclipse, no supervillains… might as well check back on the lab. Make sure no deadly robots or creatures are here for my date.” Peter told himself, then he paused, ‘Date. Still feels weird to say and think, but it’s happening. I just need to make sure Big Wheel 2 or whoever doesn’t show up again, I’m getting tired of the interruption streak happening.’

Spider-Man crawled around the building, observing the construction being done. Progress was being made for sure, and he could tell that it will be finished pretty soon. He smiled under his mask, glad that everything was working out. He felt that familiar tingling in his head and suddenly felt himself getting whisked away by his shoulders, ‘What the hell-?!’ he wondered in his head, noticing that he was in the sky now, “Vulture?!” he blurted out in surprise.

“Not quite.” said a voice, clearly feminine. Peter looked up, this person was wearing a green suit like Toomes did, except hers was sleeker, less bulky. The wings were better constructed and her helmet shown the features of a beak, “But you’re pretty close.” she reared her jet upwards and swung her arms, tossing Spider-Man like it was nothing. Peter got his bearings and swung, using his momentum to land perfectly on his feet.

“Well you’re green, have wings, can fly and have a bone to pick with me so… You are pretty close to the real deal.” Peter quipped, leaping over a dive made by this new Vulture. He flipped and shot two web-lines directly at her wings, halting her flight. “But unlike him, you sure are sloppy!” he mocked her, yanking her down so that she landed on the roof back first.

“Ow!” Vulture groaned as she rolled onto her stomach to stand up. She flapped her wings, blowing Spider-Man back a few inches and giving herself enough time to get back to flying, “You’ll regret that! Just like you’ll regret this!” she threw some wing blades down at Spidey, forcing him to dodge. One blade grazed his costume, reopening one of the holes.

“Not cool! I just spent hours on that!” Peter yelled, noticing the blades magnetize to the Vulture’s wings. Spider-Man slid underneath another dive and webbed up her legs, dragging her alongside his movement and tugging her down. He walked towards her, talking, “Okay Vultress, what’s the deal here? Why come after me?”

The Vulture snarled, “I’m not here for you bug! I’m here for that black goop before someone else takes it! I need to get my Grandfather out of jail, the Big Man said he’d do it if I could get the V-252!”

“The Big Man…? Look I dunno who you are, but associating with Tombstone is an awful idea. Also- wait, Grandfather?!” Spider-Man shouted in complete shock, realizing he was fighting Toomes’ relative, ‘Oh my God, Toomes reproduced. The poor kid.’ he joked in his head.

Vulture got up and started hovering once more, “Yeah! You put him in jail, Spider! And I intend to get him out, even if I have to beat you myself!”

Spider-Man waved his hands, “Look kid, I don’t know who you are. But you are way in over your head. Again, Tombstone? You ever stop to think why Toomes is still in jail? Like maybe the fact that he means nothing to the Big Man now that his weapons operation is done?”

“I don’t care! I just want him back! He was the only one there for me!” Vulture snapped back at Peter, who felt his Spider-Sense go off again. Peter instinctively backflipped and dodged the wing-blades aimed right at him.

Peter got to his feet and rubbed his chin, “I gotta admit, you sure know how to use that exo-suit. Not bad for a first-time crook.” he quipped as he kicked one of the blades away from him. He recalled his experience fighting the original Vulture, hoping she was as inexperienced as he was during that time in his career.

Vulture reared her arms and grunted, “He trained me, in the event I needed to continue what he started. This suit is his greatest creation, and someone needed to show the world.”

“I appreciate the supervillain origin story here, it's pretty cool.” Spider-Man joked, unable to react as she dashed towards him and hit him with an elbow shove. Peter fell and stumbled, rolling and stopping on his stomach, “Okay I deserve that one…”

Raising an arm, Vulture revealed an arm blade, using her wings to pin down Peter as he attempted to get up. Spider-Man’s lenses widened as he saw the Vulture above him, “Game over, Spider-Man.” she boasted, ready to finish the job.

Peter shouted, “It doesn’t have to be like this!” he hastily webbed up her mask, the wing blades going back to her. In the blink of an eye, Spider-Man got up and punched her, the mask breaking and exposing its own wiring.

“You… You!” Vulture shouted, feeling that right hook.

Spider-Man rubbed his sore hand, “Ouch. Okay that one hurt. Look, I don’t know what I did to your home life by arresting Adrian, but I didn’t mean to make anything worse. How about we stop here and kick Tombstone’s butt before you make a choice you’ll regret. Deal?” he offered a second chance, sensing this new Vulture was purely misguided.

Silence passed between the two, then Vulture shook her head. She tackled Spider-Man and shouted, “You don’t get to preach to me! You ruined my life!” she growled at the hero. Peter clenched his fist and hit her again, causing her to stagger backwards.

“Well I offered you a chance.” Spidey quipped, “Why you didn’t take it, I have no idea.”

“I just want Grandpa Adrian back! Stop getting in my way!” Vulture warned Peter, who didn’t care about said warning.

Spider-Man webbed up her wings, saying, “No can do. You’re trying to hand a crime lord literal alien slime. A crime lord that’s been making some weird stuff to kill me, I should mention. The same crime lord that thankfully left your grandfather hanging and rotting in jail because he failed.” he emphasized to the new Vulture, “I can’t just let you go, not when a lot’s on the line this time with the V-252.”

Peter continued to attack the Vulture. A right hook. Left hook. His Spider-Sense blared and he ducked under a punch, glad her armor is able to tank his hits. He was already forced to hold back for this fight, and even if he was acting in confusion, he’d rather not escalate anymore than self defense. This counterattack only seemed to anger the Vulture more however.

“Why you-“

Alarms started to blare, surprising the Spider and Vulture. “Crap! I can’t get caught!” Vulture yelled, giving up and flying away. Peter tried webbing her up again but missed. He looked down.

‘Someone must’ve gotten the V-252. This new Vulture can wait…’ Spider-Man decided, catching a figure run off with a capsule.

“This will net me a good check…” Black Cat chuckled, using her grappling hook to reach a building rooftop as she eyed the symbiote contained within her capsule.

Spider-Man swiftly followed her, running up the same building and shooting two web strands to slingshot himself upwards. He landed on the roof and said, “Okay, who the heck are you? It’s been a long night.” Spidey joked, kinda taken aback by this thief’s alluring appearance.

“Call me the Black Cat, but if you wanna know more… you’re gonna have to catch me, Spider~” the Cat teased, making a haste with the symbiote.

Peter started to sprint, taking notice of Black Cat’s speed, agility… and figure. He shook his head, ‘Stupid brain. Is now really the time? Ugh…’ he scolded himself. Black Cat leaped a building and kept her pace, which Spider-Man mirrored with ease.

Black Cat smirked, “Not bad, Spider, I can see why you give so many people trouble,” she complimented him in a flirty tone.

Stumbling on his words, Peter said, “Uh… right.”

“Cat got your tongue~?”

Narrowing his lenses, Spider-Man replied, “O-Okay, I’m taking you down for that one.”

“Hehe, like I said, you have to catch me.” Black Cat reminded him, tripping the Spider up by shooting her grappling hook at him. Spider-Man was forced to move and slow down to avoid the claw.

“Tricky…” Peter mumbled.

The two made another jump, as they landed, Peter came up with a strategy. He shot two web-lines aimed right at her legs and yanked, causing her to trip and stumble. “No, I didn't just totally forget to do that until now.” Spider-Man lied to her and himself to hopefully avoid embarrassment.

“Hmph. Should’ve figured you’d do that.” Black Cat said, rolling to lie on her back as Peter approached her.

Spider-Man asked, “So… why go for the alien?”

Black Cat’s teasing grin never faltered, “It was just to make a quick buck, Spider, I’m sure you understand.”

“More than you realize… but still, that’s a dangerous weapon in your hands. Tombstone or Kingpin getting it could spell bad news for everyone.” Peter warned her.

Black Cat shrugged, “I was gonna steal it back after they pay me. I could do it-“ she grabbed the capsule, noticing it was shattered and that the V-252 was gone. “…Shit.”

Spider-Man tried to remain composed and said, “Oh well, so much for that.”

Coming up with a plan of her own, Black Cat stood up and… stroked the Spider’s chin, “H-Huh?”

“You’re stuck here with me. I like you, Spider. You know how to make a chase interesting~.” Black Cat praised him.

Faltering at his words upon her intimate touch, Peter stuttered, “R-Really?”

Black Cat chuckled, “Yes, however…” she knelt down and scratched his leg, causing him to stumble and writhe in pain, “I needed that good pay and you ruined it, so I’m not in a friendly mood.” she glared at him, making an escape before he could stand up and catch her.

“My leg… my very confused feelings…” Peter groaned, holding his sore leg.

After a moment, Peter stood up and tried to continue the chase. But alas, the Black Cat vanished. With a heavy sigh, Spider-Man aimed for a building and decided to continue his patrol in hopes of finding her.

‘Great. A new Vulture and now a new cat thief. The second one knowing how to get right under my skin… Ugh, just my luck. And now the V-252’s missing so I have no idea what the heck I’m gonna do about that. This sucks…’ Spider-Man moaned in his head.

Unknown to Spider-Man however, a mysterious black substance began to cover him as he swung. It covered his entire being as his upset mind droned on about his current problems.

‘Everywhere I go it’s something new, all I want to do is go on a date. Is that so hard? Well apparently it is, judging by how my two best spots seem to be the best target to get wrecked.’ he angrily continued yelling in his head as the goo finished surrounding his being.

Spider-Man flipped and landed on a gargoyle, his suit now black with white webbing, a white spider, the suit’s black bands also being white, and veins popping out of the now slimy textured suit. The V-252 had found the webslinger. Taking a look at his hands, Peter observed his suit, noticing its changes and he gulped.

“Oh crap…”

Author's Note:

Just to elaborate, this new Vulture is Gilda since I couldn’t find a better way to reveal that and I have no intentions of having a mystery arc. It’s time I introduced more MLP rogues into the mix besides the Dazzlings.

Next Time: Spider-Man gets a new suit and reluctantly teams up with the Black Cat when the Sirens appear. All this before Peter’s date.

Comments

[Norwegian boy]

VENOM.

[Titan Commander Sebaste]

IT LIVES!

[DavisSentoV5]

Can't believe I'm nearly a year late to read this, but 2 debuts and Spidey gets the famous black suit.... This should be good & see ya in a few months or years.

[spiders123]

Interesting