Manhattan.
"You don't know what you're dealing with, hero!" the woman's muffled voice spat out as she floated high atop her purple glider. She wore the overused Green Goblin suit, with a few additions. Her womanly features were present, and the suit was a bit more attractive. A long streak of blonde hair came out of the back. One might think this She-Goblin was speaking to Spider-Man.. One is wrong.
"Every time I face some new villain," the man smiled, slipping an arrow into his bow, "They always say the same thing!" He glared, firing it at her.
The Goblin shifted to the right, avoiding the arrow, "HA!"
"Don't laugh yet," Hawkeye grinned, as the arrow turned around, striking her in the back. Luckily for the obviously untrained Goblin, the arrow expanded into a rope instead of piercing her skin, and made her fall right into the former Avenger's arms.
"What?!" the Goblin barked.
"Okay, now you can laugh. Actually.. I think I will. Hah."
Spider-Man, the Marksman close behind, peered over a building atop of the Avenger and the villain he'd taken down. "Looks like your role-model beat us to the chase," he chuckled to the Marksman.
"It's.. him.."
"You've never met him?"
"No.."
The astonishing hero grabbed her wrist, grinning as he leapt from the building. They both landed on their feet after a few weblines, "Hawkeye," He grinned, "Long time no see."
Hawkeye smiled, "Spidey. Say, isn't this one of YOUR villains?"
A crowd was beginning to gather, but that didn't matter much to them, they were used to it. "The Green Goblin is.. Er, was.. I don't know who that is."
The Marksman coughed, clearly to get Hawkeye's attention, "Hi.. Hawkeye," She blushed.
"Wow!" Hawkeye grinned. "I have a fan club! It's like looking into a mirror.. except I for the fact that I'm a man."
Hawkeye looked at the Marksman, "I'm Hawkeye, as you know.."
"The Marksman," she smiled, holding out her hand.
"I'd shake your hand," Hawkeye began, "except, well, I'm holding a villain and all."
The Goblin struggled, rope surrounding her mouth as well. The Marksman or Spider-Man hadn't noticed that. They didn't even ponder why she was being so quiet!
The three heroes turned at the sound of sirens, "Looks like they're here to take the bad guy.. girl.. away," Spider-Man stated the obvious. "It's your catch, Robin Hood, So I'll let you do your Avenger thing."
"I'm no Avenger, pal," Hawkeye said flatly. "Stereotypes never die, do they?"
"Heh," the Marksman smiled, "I guess not."
"I.. have to go," Spider-Man said patting Hawkeye on the back. "Good work."
Hawkeye nodded his goodbye and thank you, then turned to the Marksman, "Ever been on TV?"
"Nope."
"You're about to be," he said nodding in the direction of the approaching TV reporter.
"Mind if I share your spotlight?" the Marksman asked bluntly.
"Of course not," he smiled walking forward.
"Bye, Spidey," Marksman waved as he swung off.
"Hawkeye!" a reporter shrieked, running up.
The Daily Bugle Building.
J. Jonah Jameson looked down at the most recent edition of his newspaper, the Daily Bugle. "THIS IS GARBAGE!" He crumpled it up the best he could, throwing it to the ground.
His door was open, and the people working outside nearly jumped. Robbie Robertson sighed as he heard his longtime coworker. Something was different about Jonah, this he knew, but he couldn't tell what. It'd been like this for weeks, and he refused to tell Robertson anything. Heaven forbid Jameson let someone help him through his problems.
A younger member of the Daily Bugle team stood up, and looked to Robbie Robertson with a steady and calm face, "I'm going to talk to him."
"I wouldn't suggest that," Robbie sighed, "You're still new here.. You'll get used to it."
"Something's bothering him.. I want to help," Rob charged off valiantly.
Entering Jonah's office, Rob shivered at the sight of the man before him. His eyes were cold, and they were focused on him.. Him! What was he doing in here? He'd gone mad!
"WHAT?"
"Sir, if you don't mind me saying so.."
"I DO! You're FIRED!"
"What?!"
"Get out of my office!"
After Robbie heard that, he charged in, "Jonah! You can't fire that boy! He was trying to help you! Good god, man.."
"You want to join him?" He glared.
Robertson gulped, but held his own, "I'm not some new kid, Jonah, You can't push me around."
"No. I suppose I can't," Jameson sighed falsely, "So If I can't push you *around*, I'll push you *out*. You're fired, too!"
The Parker home.
Peter Parker slipped in, slamming the door shut, "Honey, I'm home," he said weakly. He couldn't believe Mary Jane was gone..
He laid his keys down on his usual spot, finding a picture of Mary Jane and Aunt May. He nearly wanted to cry at that exact moment, but fought back the tears. With the death of his beloved Aunt only recently (at least it seemed to him), and now with Mary Jane.. he wasn't sure he could take much more.
Walking into the kitchen, Peter nearly jumped ten feet at the sight before him. The Black Cat was leaning seductively on a cabinet, eating a fresh apple from his refrigerator, he noticed every curve in her body. "Hello Peter," She smiled, standing up straight and walking forward to him.
"F-Felicia? What.. What are you doing here?" He sighed heavily.
"Enough talk," She moved forward, throwing the apple into the trash can, and wrapping her arms around him, until he was in her face. Before Peter could even blink, her lips were against his. She pulled back after a moment, smiling at him.
Peter blinked then, finding the Black Cat leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the room.. He was imagining that.. Was he.. wanting that?
"Peter? Don't zone out on me, Spider."
Parker shook his head, "Sorry, Felicia. I'm.. I'm just not here, lately."
"I noticed," She admitted, looking worried, "You know I'd never come here unless.."
"..You needed me for something?"
"There's something big going on around here," She turned, "There's some new villain.."
"There always is, Cat. I don't care what anyone says anymore.. or even what I think.."
"What?" She interrupted.
"..I'm through with Spider-Man. No more."
"You can't," She said, doubting him. He'd done this too many times.. The boy calling wolf.
"It couldn't save my wife, Cat.. It couldn't save MJ.." He fell to the floor, tears sliding down his face.
"Peter," She moved forward, crouching down beside him.. Comforting him.
"Then bring out the hero that I love.. the one I trust with my life.. One of the few I find it comfortable to work with," she began, "For one last time, if it has to be. The villain.. He's called Time Warp."
"Let me guess what he does," he wiped his wet face.
The Black Cat smiled a little, "I can't do this alone, Peter. I don't know if we can do it alone. What am I saying? You're not up to it," She stood.
"Is that a fact?" He stood beside her. "Take me to him."
A lot of convincing words, a costume, and Two hours later..
"The last I heard," Cat whispered to Spider-Man, "This is where he's staying."
Spider-Man looked around him, they were on some sort of building that overlooked a harbor of sorts. There were many boats, and one other large building, with several security guards surrounding it. "Kind've obvious. Why are we after this guy?"
"You'll see," She said grimly.
"STAY WHERE YOU ARE!" A Voice boomed behind them, as two security guards moved close to them, guns aimed at the duo.
"Normally, I would, but.." Spider-Man grinned under his mask, flipping over the building.
The Black Cat followed his lead, doing the same, "Ciao!"
They both landed with precision and agility, and began running for the building, "This is a little direct, don't you think?!" Spider-Man told his partner.
"You won't be saying that when we're inside, Spider!"
Gunfire began hitting the ground all around them, yet neither of them ceased their best efforts to reach the large building ahead of them. As they got closer, guards from the building began to arm themselves, preparing for the two heroes. Spider-Man flipped forward, kicking one into unconsciousness, while the Black Cat charmed the other, until slamming her fist into his face, causing him to join his comrade in silence.
"We still make a heck've a team!" Cat grinned as she began prying open the door with Spider-Man's assistance.
"This is too easy," Spider-Man warned.
"Maybe he wants it this way?" The Black cat asked.
"If he does," Spidey began, "He's as sick and twisted as you said he was!"
The door finally gave way at their combined strengths, and collapsed to the ground, allowing them access. As they entered, the Black Cat found herself surrounded with some sort of transparent substance, close to a force field.
"Cat?!"
"Ahh, Spider-Man.." A voice boomed throughout the room, "So glad you could join us."
The Black Cat's eyes grew large as she slammed into a nearby wall, forming a two dimensional version of herself!
"What did you do to her?!"
"The same thing I did to all of these people."
"What?!"
The once dark place lit up completely, allowing Spider-Man to see exactly what the man had been talking about.. The walls were lined with two dimensional figures..
The Black Cat was the first.. Others included Aunt May, Uncle Ben, Gwen Stacy, Harry Osborn, Flash Thompson, Mary Jane, May Parker, and even.. Spider-Man's parents. Peter noticed small name tags on the 2-D figures.. Sickening..
"I know everything about you, Spider-Man," Timewarp crowed, seemingly from nowhere, until he stepped out. His costume was simple.. completely white, with several black swirls on it. His face was unseen, due to a plain white mask, "Do you like my collection, Peter?"
"You.. MADMAN!" Spider-Man rushed forward, but slammed into a force field just between him and Timewarp. He fell to the ground hard.
Time Warp sighed, "You disappoint me. You didn't let me get all of my speech out. Now, as I was saying, I have the ability to travel through time.. It's overrated, really. Anyhow, These are various people from different stages in your life.. Different points in time, too. I know what you must be thinking. What a--"
"--I'll kill you." Parker gritted his teeth.
"One might ask, 'If various people from various points in time are here now, doesn't that mean that the future from that time on, wouldn't be the same?' But to them, I say, 'You ask too many questions.' It's fun, really," Time Warp shifted, looking down at Spider-Man, "I'm from the future. It's almost amazing.. the technology we have. I had to get back at you somehow, I knew that much. For what you did to my family." He ripped his mask off.. The face was.. so similar.
"H-Harry?"
"Hardly," The man laughed, "You have the right blood line, though. The name, is Norman Osborn. I believe, in this time, you'd know me as.. Normie Osborn?" The man shuddered, "What. A. Name. Normie? Yak!"
Spider-Man stumbled up, "You're sick.."
"Oh, stop repeating yourself."
"I'm giving you an option, Spider-Man. Because I know it has to be painful."
"What?"
"I'm giving you a choice.. You can return two of these people to their natural state. Two. No more, No less."
Parker was dumbfounded. How could he pick two of these people? He knew most of them.. He wasn't sure about this "May Parker," though. It couldn't be done..
"You have to the count of five, or they all stay the same."
"I can't," his voice was pathetic.
"One."
"Please.."
"Two."
"I.."
"Three."
"Don't do this.."
"Four!"
"NO!"
"FIVE."
Spider-Man felt a shock run through his body, and he flew against the wall, knocking the two-dimensional Black Cat to the floor. Time Warp walked to him, pulling him up by the hair after he tore Peter's mask off. "I don't know why you're so.. pathetic, Spider-Man, Really. Oh, that's right.. I went back in time.. made sure you didn't get bit by that damn radioactive spider. Am I cleaver, or WHAT?"
"I'll take the or what part," Spider-Man moaned.
"You're lucky I didn't affect the entire world. You've saved quite a few people, you know. I've allowed everything up until this day to take place. You have to wonder how I can do that, don't you?" He smacked him to the ground as he began to stand on his own.
Peter leapt up, slamming into Time Warp until they were both on the ground, "You don't have your strength anymore, Parker! So give it a rest!" 'Warp flipped him over, slamming him hard on the floor as he stood.
Time Warp walked back, and retrieved a long, metal pole. It swirled with a brilliant energy, signaling trouble. Spider-Man leapt up as quick as he could, stumbling a bit from all of the strain. "You have a lot of questions, I'm sure." Time Warp grinned as he extended the Metal rod outwards, until part of it disconnected itself. He had two, and tossed one to Spider-Man. "I'm going to destroy you, Parker!" He rushed forward, slamming the energy swirling weapon into Spider-Man's. With a loud clash, almost like thunder, and a bright light, they fell to the ground.
Awhile after the confusing plot...
The Black Cat's eyes fluttered open, and she gasped at the sight before her. She was in the same place, only it was empty.. Save for a body lying not too far from her, "Nn.. What.. happened?" She held her head. Everything was a complete blur.
She crawled forward, "Peter?!" She gasped as she saw her long time friend laying still.
What had happened here? That was only one of the Black Cat's questions to herself. She remembered entering, and that was it. She was hungry, disoriented, and worst of all.. before her lay Peter Parker, The Astonishing Spider-Man. Dead.
What could have happened? No, she refused to believe he was dead. This had to be a trick. A mind game. Something.. But he looked so real. It was him. She knew it deep down inside. But was she ready to admit it? No. She felt his neck for the sixth time, checking for a pulse. Nothing.
The Black Cat stared at the lifeless body for God knows how long, until she finally noticed another body laying further away. She stumbled up, running to it. She gasped as she found the man, not quite sure who he was. It only took a few moments for her to place the body that had the Time Warp costume on it, to her mental image of the villain in whole, with mask.
Exactly what had happened? Two dead men, one a villain, and one a hero, laying on the ground. No, it was too simple. . Her beloved Spider wasn't dead, he was alive. Wasn't he? He had to be. Her heart wouldn't let her lose faith.
Peter Parker stood, watching the Black Cat, "What have you done?!" He demanded an answer. He looked at himself in shock, to find that he was transparent. Norman (Normie) Osborn, grinned. "I'm going to take you away from this plane of reality, Spider-Man. Into my world.. my time."
Parker tried to talk to her, but got nothing.
"Neither Peter Parker, or Spider-Man, exist any longer."
"What are you talking about? I'm right here!" Spider-Man growled.
"But you're also out there.. With her."
Spider-Man was speechless, Osborn was right.
"We're moving on. I'd rather have you dead, honestly. But this is much worse.. it has to be."
Time Warp was twisted. Neither the Black Cat, or Spider-Man knew what was going on. They were so close to each other.. So very close. Yet, so far away. Even though Peter stood next to her, she couldn't see or hear him. He noticed Time Warp's body not too far away from his, and questions flooded into his mind, "Who.. are those people? Why can't the Black Cat hear me?!"
"Those two.. would be us. She can't hear you, because we're in the process of time travel. I never said it was fast. The effect kills you. Technically, we're dead."
"..."
"Until we arrive in our new bodies in the future, that is," He grinned. "I told you, Spider-Man, I was going to destroy you. I'm doing what my father, nor my grandfather, could do. You've already died physically on this time, Spider-Man, you're going to do so mentally if I have my way. Once we arrive, you're sure to go insane.. Stuck in a world you don't know.. unable to go back to the one you're from. Here we are.."
Spider-Man felt sick for a moment, and grabbed his stomach, "Felic--" He began, but stopped short as, before he could even finish, he found himself somewhere else..
..The city. He looked around himself.. this was Manhattan.. But it was different.. Too different.
"Welcome to the future," A man smiled at him. It was obviously Time Warp.
"Get me back!" Parker demanded, finding himself in a body not his own, "What--?!"
"Quiet, You're making a scene," Time Warp grinned, "That's your son."
"My son--?"
"You're in your son's body. It's funny, really, You end up being your own son.. Hah!"
"Peter's" hair was blonde, and it reminded himself of Ben Reilly.
"Soon, You'll lose all memory of ever being Peter Parker.. And he'll never exist again. Go ahead, admit it, I destroyed you.. I'm your devil.. This is your hell.. We'll do lunch sometime," He laughed, running off into the crowd.
"NOOO!"
The Past, or the Present, to us..
The man turns at the sound of someone on his balcony. The curtain is pulled over to where he can't see the person, however. It had sounded like someone just.. dropped down, landing there. Ben Reilly stood, always being able to hold his own. Fear wasn't an emotion that ran through his head as he slid the balcony door open, preparing for anything. His eyes grew wide as he saw what lay before him.
Her long white hair, blowing in the wind.. Her Caucasian skin with the small, black lining of a mask that held her identity a secret.. her black costume. The Black Cat was on his balcony. "What are you doing here, Cat?" He was surprised. He hadn't told many people he was.. here.
"Spider-Man is dead," she said, tears strolling down her face, "And I have a present for you."
"What?!"
She moved her arms outward, revealing a small package. She tossed it to him, and he caught it with ease.. A Spider-Man costume.
"He.. He can't be.."
The Black Cat stepped forward, sorrow in her voice. "The world needs a Spider-Man, Ben."
Reilly hung his head. How could Peter be dead? He was like a brother to him.. No, he WAS a brother to him.. He couldn't let Peter's dream die.. He wouldn't.
Next: For more on Ben Reilly and Black Cat, check out Ben Reilly: Spider-Man #1! But for those of you who really, really hate clones, you can jump straight to Astonishing Spider-Man #7 where Spider-Man's trapped in the future!