The Ramblings of a Radioactive Spider

Peter sighed heavily and took in his surroundings. The place was gigantic sure, in any other case that would have seemed appealing but right now he was to busy pouting about his poor life choices. After all, how was it a brilliant idea to you know, NOT take common transportation like the rest of the world but instead decide to web-sling across New York? "I mean way to go Parker, First day at the Academy and you're already late. So much for good first impressions, right?" He flopped down on the polished floor uncaring of the quiet uncomfortable fall and resulting position. "You'd think NOT being jammed up by traffic, stops and red lights would save me some time and actually be early for once. But then again wearing the red and blue suit kind of insinuates I'm out on patrol and just willing to help anyone for just about every inane thing they can think up. Did that lady really need me to fix her stove? Not that I'm against being a good Samaritan, but a guy's got his limits!" Peter then resumed to sigh for the umpteenth time in under the period of an hour. He closed his eyes and let himself take in those few precious moments of rest, after all he had tried to contact Fury to no avail, Phil was nowhere to be seen, Maria either which concluded that even the staff wasn't on schedule and therefore school hadn't really begun it's course so it could cut him some slack. He would eventually get up, grab his bags and head into his room, explore the vicinity, call aunt May and tell her not to worry and then proceed to crash all over again. So for now sleep sounded good, very good.

'This place is gigantic...' was the only thing that came into Reed's mind as he went exploring this new school. He had figured knowing exactly what was situated at exactly what distance from other places would be interesting, and that was why he was now going around the school, holding his home-made tablet (which held, by the way, fifty times the processing power of an iPad3). That tablet held a program he had designed himself to help create a virtual version of a room. It was able to take exact mesures (with a half centimeter error margin... The program was only in its testing stage after all) as well as extrapolate the location of air vents and the electric wireing of a room, the most technological the room, the more precise the extrapolations were.

He was nearly done with the first floor of the scool, missing only the gym. After all, why start with the biggest room that held nothing (except for annoying jocks... But hey! Hero school! There probably wouldn't be jocks here!). So, coming into the room, he quickly extended his arm to the middle of the room and started running the program (after all, extending his arm took much less time than walking). Once he was two feet away, his tablet beeped, telling him it had hit a glitch. Frowning, he brought the tablet close enough to read what the problem had been....

Organic life form present. Virtualizing impossible

Frowning, Reed started looking around.

"Hello? Is anyone here?"

---

(I'm assuming it's late in the evening and the lights aren't on...)

"Dammit not again this is the fifth time I've had to fix it in a week! Can't you bad guys get off for once or at least have the decency NOT to rip up the suit! This thing doesn't sow itself you know?" He dodged the next blow and quickly used his web to block the next attack coming his way. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that using knives is just plain cheating? What happened to the good old fist fights? People these days...' He sighed dramatically and kept on picking at the tear in his costume while his enemy was furiously trying to tear himself from the web of restraints. Peter simply watched amused by the spectacle and figured that for once he could enjoy seeing his enemy squirm, that is until his enemy actually got out of his bidding and charged head first toward him "Oh C-MOn-

With a startled gasp and a tingling sensations sending small tremors through his body, Peter woke up extremely alert and cautious of his surroundings. Something was here that he was sure of it or else his spider-sense wouldn't have woken him up from his quasi nightmare if something wasn't going in. He got down low taking up a defensive stance and gradually heading in the direction from where his spider-sense seemed to be blaring. A mechanical voice resounded in the room and he was ready to pounce on the thing and knock it down until he heard another human voice following it. He relaxed his stance and shook his head, ridding himself of thoughts of invading robots and lasers, though he couldn't see the other man in the darkness he followed the sound of his voice and while he walked he decided to introduced himself, still slightly cautious and on edge in case this man turned out to be untrustworthy. "Never know the kind of person you'll meet in a school for trained warriors."

"Yup someone's here alright, the name's Peter, Peter Parker."

The fact that someone answered startled him a little, having thought maybe a cat or a mouse had gotten into the school and was interfering with his data-collecting. However, guessing from the tone of the answering voice, it was truly not a mouse. It sounded like a teenage boy, which was not at all strange considering the environment he was in.

Looking around, trying to pin-point the origin of the voice prooved fruitless, his eyes not yet used to the darkness because of his tablet.

"I apologize if I disturbed you, I was simply trying to map the school, and my program does not seem to appreciate organic presences during the process. Would you mind if I turned on the lights? I don't know about you, but I would much rather talk to you than to the darkness. A little bit less scary, wouldn't you agree?" said Reed, smiling a little. "I think the light switch was beside the door...."

Not even waiting for an answer, he stretched his hand towards the entrance he had used, running his fingers along the wall, hoping he would find the switch. That was one of worst aspects of being in a large dark room : you can not see the switch.

'Ah ha! There it is!' he thought, happy to come out of the darkness, as he turned on the lights. He looked around, somewhat disoriented by the new brightness, trying to find the teenager he had disturbed.

Well this man sure seemed interesting what with all the talk about programs and organic presences Peter was already hooked. He had been excited at the prospect of joining this school because he knew that he would find others just like him, whether their interests would be shared by the burden of their fates or by common hobbies he was bound to meet a friend. “Not to sound desperate or thing but I really do need a friend. Midtown high wasn’t exactly a rose-coloured environment. Man people just can’t come to term with differences can’t they?”

At the suggestion of the lights being turned on Peter merely shrugged and then realized the other COULDN’T see him. In truth he wasn’t really scared of the darkness, never had been really but ever since his spider powers he felt an extra-sense of security. Darkness was no longer a threat civilians, cops, burglars and murders were. “Crazy how being bitten by a spider can change your life, eh?” Peter shook his head to clear himself of his thoughts and opened his mouth to speak when suddenly light flooded the room and blinded but for a single moment. What he saw next came as an utter shock to him a young man was standing before him, all smiles and his hand was out-stretched to enormous proportions!

Peter did a double take and blinked several times to make sure his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him, he even took off his glasses rubbed them clean and proceeded to put them back on for good measure but the result stayed the same. Well this new development was…interesting to say the least. It was something unexpected and yet not unwelcomed.

“Whoa! That’s a hell of a reach you got there!”

Blinking a few times to let his eyes get used to the light, Reed turned to look at the other person in the room. He looked rather young, and other than his eyes filled with intelligence, he could have been any boy, walking down a street, in any city in America (heck, even Canada). He was of average height, with a rather lean physique, and classic brown hair. His eyes however were awake, shining with intelligence. Reed couldn’t wait to see if his assumptions were correct.

He brought his arm back to normal length, smiling to the other boy who was looking at him incredulously. A long reach? That wasn’t all…

“Well, my arms are not the only part of my body that I can stretch. As Johnny, one of my team-mates, once said, ‘Reed, you should be called Mr Elastic, not Mr Fantastic’.” the scientist said, smiling a little before letting out a small gasp. “Oh, I apologize, where are my manners!” exclaimed Reed. “I’m Dr Reed Richards, PhD in theoretical physics and mechanical engineering, Mr Fantastic, leader of the Fantastic Four. Happy to meet you Peter” said the scientist, holding out his hand to shake Peter’s, only just realizing that listing his titles might be considered bragging.

Peter flushed in excitement this revelation left him stunned, speechless and giddy. “I’m meeting the leader of the Fantastic Four! How did I NOT realize it was him!? I’ve looked up to these guys ever since I became a hero myself! It was their courage and perseverance that pushed me in the right direction in my darkest times. I’m way to slow on the uptake today.”

With a shaky hand he reached out to shake the renowned scientist’s hand. His thoughts running rampant and a grin on his lips.

“It’s an honour to meet you Dr Reed! I’ve heard so much about you and your studies are simply fascinating! I’ve actually passed by the Fantastic Four building quite a few times as I also live in New York. I’ve always wanted to meet you face to face and when I do, I don’t even recognize you, sorry about that I guess my head is just a big jumble of scattered thoughts right now.”

( Sorry for the small post)

Reed felt himself blush a little. So, the boy had heard of him… And was probably a fan. However, he was not simply a fan of the Fantastic Four and their heroic actions. No, he had read some of Reed’s thesis, and found them fascinating! There were few people who understood even just a quarter of his written work, and this “Peter Parker” appeared to have not only understood it, but even appreciated it! And now, he was all flustered because he hadn’t recognized Reed?

“Don’t worry about not recognizing me! I’m actually happy about that. I somewhat miss blending in the crowds. So please, call me Reed. If you were also invited here, that means you are also a superhero, and we are equals.” And, Reed added mentally, I want friends, not fans.

“Oh, and if you’re from New York, you probably know some interesting places that most tourists or new residents have no idea exist. So how about a trade : you help me get to know New York better, both the visually pleasing places and the criminal hubs, and I give you a tour of the Baxter Building. Does this seem like a fair trade?”

Reed looked at the younger boy. He looked absolutely inconspicuous, like one who liked it when people did not know he was a superhero. Truly different from Johnny, who revelled in all the attention, and Reed himself, who did not mind the attention, but did not go chasing it.

Peter gazed at the man as he blushed, feeling a pin prick of embarrassment rise within him as well. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of, I mean the guy’s practically a superstar it’s alright to admire him!” He felt as if the other man radiated warmth and sympathy as if he was simply oozing with care. It made Peter feel at ease and much less nervous about the whole ordeal. He felt himself smile as the man addressed him with polite enthusiasm and welcoming attitude. “Even if he says we’re equals I don’t think I could measure up to him. I’m not much of “hero” after all, if you count good quips as hero material then I’m your man, but someone who can’t save those dearest to him can hardly be considered worthy of being a “hero”.”

Even through his troubled inner ramblings the American Teenager smiled back at his companion upon the offer of visiting THE Baxter building. He felt a quiver of enthusiasm run through him and as soon as it was there it had left and now he was left standing there grinning like an idiot but despite how foolish he might look he endeavoured to answer Reed.

“Thank you Uh Reed, I’d be more then glad to be your tour guide of the wonderfully busy streets of New York!”

(sorry It took so long to answer : /)