Monday, October 31st.
Halloween.
Peter walked downstairs for breakfast, only to be stopped dead in his tracks by the sight before him.
Uncle Ben was wearing a pair of novelty glasses complete with a fake oversized nose and a ridiculous mustache, while Aunt May sported a giant pair of Mickey Mouse ears.
“So, our family is going full immersive roleplay this year?” Peter pulled out a chair and sat down.
“Peter, why aren’t you wearing a costume?” Aunt May asked with a laugh.
“It’s Halloween!” “Aunt May, haven’t I outgrown dressing up in silly costumes?” “A person should never surrender their inner child just because they get older,” Uncle Ben said, putting on a profound look.
Peter raised an eyebrow.
“Is that Gandalf speaking through you?” “No, I’m just being silly,” Uncle Ben grinned.
Aunt May kept nudging him, talking about how much Peter used to love Halloween as a child.
Peter threw his hands up, explaining that he hadn’t prepared a costume at all.
Uncle Ben patted his shoulder, telling him to use his imagination.
Peter shrugged.
Fine, he would use a little ready-made imagination.
When he stepped into the school building, the eyes in the hallway locked onto him instantly.
Stepping forward with a casual stride, a grin tugged at his lips beneath his mask.
He really was wearing a costume today—his very own signature suit.
“Spider-Man?!” Flash gasped from nearby.
The guy was actually wearing a cheap, poorly made knockoff Spider-Man suit of his own.
“Not quite,” Peter gave a light laugh.
He pulled off his mask in one motion, revealing the face that brought instant disappointment to Flash’s expression.
“Like it?
Hand-stitched it myself.” “You don’t deserve to wear that suit!” Flash ground his teeth in anger.
“I don’t really care what you think.” Peter rolled his eyes and walked right past him.
“Spider-Man is a hero!
He’s brave, he’s incredible, and you’ll never measure up to him!” Flash roared behind him.
Peter stopped in his tracks, turning back around.
“Come on, Flash.
Since when did you become a fan of Spider-Man?” “I’ve always been one!” Flash’s face flushed bright red as a crowd of students began to gather.
“He saved one of my friends, and he cleared out a whole gang in our neighborhood.
He’s a real hero, and you’re just a loser!” Peter was genuinely surprised.
Flash lived in a neighborhood with security that bad?
He shrugged.
“Though speaking of which, for someone who worships an anti-bullying hero, you sure do a great job bullying your classmates.
Do you really think Spider-Man would like having a stooge like you around?” Flash choked up instantly, his face reddening all the way down his neck.
He stammered out a curse before turning away.
Peter didn’t bother giving him another glance, turning around to head into his classroom.
First period was history class.
Liz was dressed up as an angel, Mary Jane was a sexy little devil, and Harry had gone with an eighties biker look.
Peter walked in, pulling off his mask to greet them.
Liz rolled her eyes, while Mary Jane flushed red and complimented his costume.
Peter took the opportunity to tease her back, calling her a “hot little devil,” which made Mary Jane’s face turn as red as her hair.
Felicia stepped inside just as the bell rang.
Spotting Peter, she walked straight over and sat right next to him.
“No costume?” Peter asked.
“I’m long past playing dress-up.” Felicia smirked.
“My costume is ‘Muscle Boy Peter.’ Nice physique, by the way.
Did you really make that suit yourself?” “100% real deal.” Harry chimed in from behind, “Felicia, you’d actually make a fantastic Black Cat!” Flash chimed in right after with a crude remark about Black Cat’s tight, revealing outfit, only to get smacked hard on the back of his head by Liz.
Felicia didn’t even bother acknowledging him, turning her attention back to Peter.
“Take off the jacket.
It’s pretty warm in here.” Peter complied, unzipping his jacket and pulling it off.
The classroom went dead silent.
Underneath, he was wearing a tight compression shirt.
The physique forged by his spider powers wasn’t overly bulky, but every line of muscle was sculpted like steel, radiating pure explosive power.
“I am definitely calling you muscle boy from now on,” Felicia said, her eyes locked onto him as she took in his form without embarrassment.
“Hiding a body like that under loose clothes is a crime against humanity.” A few guys nearby couldn’t help but let out a whistle.
Peter glared at Felicia awkwardly—this woman was undeniably teasing him on purpose.
For the rest of the day, Peter was subjected to a constant barrage of stares.
Mary Jane stayed relatively calm since she had already seen him shirtless, but Liz’s worldview had clearly suffered a major shockwave.
After school, the trio headed to the coffee shop as usual to study.
Peter put his jacket back on, prompting Felicia to sigh in disappointment over him wasting his physique.
Mary Jane chimed in, agreeing that Peter had a great body and ought to show it off more.
Peter counterattacked by bringing up the time Mary Jane had caught him changing.
Instead of getting embarrassed, Mary Jane tossed him a flirtatious wink.
“I wouldn’t mind seeing it again, Tiger.” “Tiger?” Felicia blew a soft whistle.
“Nice nickname.
I like it too, Tiger.” Peter raised an eyebrow.
“You both want a look?
Unless you’re buying me dinner, no deal.” “So all it takes is buying you a meal?” Felicia smiled playfully.
Mary Jane snapped her book shut on the spot.
“Let me buy.
Date night.
Right now.” Peter opened his mouth like a fish out of water, ultimately accepting his fate and grabbing his bag.
Being sandwiched between two gorgeous girls gave him mixed feelings, but he couldn’t deny the perks of the situation.
At the restaurant, Peter winced internally at the menu prices.
His first paycheck from the Fantastic Four hadn’t come in yet, so he had to watch his spending.
Still, for a date with two beauties, the expense was justifiable.
After ordering their food, Peter leaned back against his chair and asked Mary Jane why she had suddenly wanted to go on a date.
Mary Jane stated matter-of-factly that since he had said no meal meant no show, she had simply put it into action.
Felicia poked fun from the side, remarking how Mary Jane didn’t act cold or distant at all once she was away from her squad of popular friends.
Peter voiced his complete agreement, taking the chance to roast Liz as a drama queen, Flash as a hypocrite, and Harry as a giant baby.
Mary Jane sighed helplessly while Felicia thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment, occasionally casting discreet glances at Mary Jane’s figure.
The date was going smoothly when Peter checked his watch, using the excuse of an upcoming self-defense class to make his escape.
He had barely stepped out of the restaurant when the piercing screech of police sirens tore through the street noise.
Peter turned to look.
A sixteen-wheeler heavy truck was barreling onto Interstate 278, four police cruisers pursuing it at high speed.
A sharp surge of danger struck him instantly.
His hero instincts were kicking in again.
Peter cursed his luck in his mind, then turned back to the two girls with a sigh.
“Sorry, I really have to run to class.
My self-defense instructor is super strict.” “You’re just going to ditch two beauties like this?” Felicia raised an eyebrow.
“I promise I’ll make it up to you next time!” Peter threw out the line and sprinted into an alleyway.
After confirming nobody was following him, he pulled his mask down, webbed his backpack up high against the wall, and leaped onto the rooftop, swinging at full speed toward the highway.
He quickly locked onto the heavy truck.
The semi was charging straight toward a tunnel.
Peter swung to the opposite lane to wait.
As the truck thundered past beneath him, he dropped down cleanly onto the trailer roof, digging his fingers in to hold fast against the deafening roar of the wind and engine.
He wondered what kind of crazy load was inside this thing.
Without warning, the truck swerved violently, clipping a passing car and sending it crashing off the road.
Peter’s pupils contracted—there was no way the driver of that car survived.
He had to stop this rig immediately.
He climbed down to the cab door.
Through the window, he saw the truck driver clutching a bleeding wound on his side.
Peter knocked on the glass.
The driver panicked, throwing a wild fist at the window.
Peter smashed through the glass with a quick strike, catching the driver cleanly across the jaw to knock him cold.
Grabbing the steering wheel with one hand to keep the truck straight, Peter stomped down on the brake pedal with his foot, bringing the massive vehicle to a steady stop right in the middle of the highway.
He snapped the ignition key right off, tossed the driver over his shoulder, and leaped down out of the cab.
The pursuing police cars slammed on their brakes, officers spilling out with guns raised and aimed.
“Relax, I’m one of the good guys!” Peter yelled.
“The driver is hurt, he needs medical attention!” A blonde police officer in a gray jacket stepped forward, gesturing for his men to lower their weapons.
“I’m Captain Stacy.
You’re Spider-Man?” Peter blinked beneath his mask.
Captain Stacy?
Gwen’s dad?
The Marvel universe really was small.
“You remind me of an old friend,” Peter said, handing the driver over to the officers.
“Where was this truck stolen from?” “That’s police business.
None of your concern,” Captain Stacy said coldly.
Peter shrugged, turning to leave.
Right at that moment, the heavy trailer of the truck began to vibrate violently.
BANG!
The steel doors of the container bulged outward with a massive dent from the inside.
Peter’s eyes went cold.
He fired off several webs instantly, stringing up a dense defensive net between the lampposts on either side of the highway.
BANG!
The container doors blew clean off their hinges, and a massive gray shape leaped out, slamming down hard onto the asphalt.
It was a humanoid mech encased in tank-grade armor, carrying missile launchers on its back, dual machine guns mounted on its arms, and a massive horn protruding from its head.
Stenciled boldly across the side were the words: Hammer Industries.
Peter recognized the thing instantly—the Rhino, one of the classic villains from his memories.
The mech’s cockpit hatch hissed open, revealing a flat-topped brute inside who laughed like a lunatic.
“I am the Rhino!
Get out of my way or die!”