Kiran was walking out of school, the afternoon sun casting a warm glow over the courtyard when he spotted Gwen standing at the entrance, her arms crossed and a playful frown on her face. "Gwen, you stayed waiting for me?" he asked, a mix of surprise and gratitude in his voice. "Yeah. So what's the damage?" she replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Not that bad, actually. They just gave me extra homework for missing two classes," Kiran said, sliding the folder of assignments into his bag with a sigh. "Good. Now it's my turn to scold you," Gwen said, placing her hands on her hips, mock-seriousness etched across her face. "Please go easy on me," Kiran pleaded, a nervous sweat drop forming on his forehead.
Minutes passed as Gwen launched into her light-hearted reprimand. Kiran tried to focus, but his mind kept wandering. The way the sun caught Gwen's hair, making it shimmer like gold, made it hard for him to concentrate. Finally, she paused, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Now that that's done, remember when I said my dad wants to meet you? Can you come tonight?" "Yeah, of course," Kiran replied, his heart fluttering at the thought. "Please try to make it," Gwen said, her expression shifting to one of concern, and Kiran noticed a hint of vulnerability in her eyes. Staring at her, Kiran felt a rush of affection.
"I swear I'll make it," he declared, taking her shoulders in his hands and leaning in for a kiss. But just as he moved closer, Gwen playfully blocked him with her hand on his mouth. "What are you doing?" she asked, her eyes wide with mock outrage. "Just trying to kiss my girlfriend," Kiran mumbled, his voice muffled.
"Well, I'm still mad that you missed two classes, even if it was for spider business," Gwen teased, sticking her tongue out playfully. Kiran pouted and, in a burst of mischief, licked her hand as she pulled away. "Ewww! You're so gross!" Gwen laughed, wiping her hand on her jeans as she turned to walk away, Kiran chuckling and following closely behind. That evening, Kiran arrived home, his mind still lingering on the afternoon's events.
"Kiran, is that you?" his aunt called from the kitchen, the aroma of something delicious wafting through the air. "Yeah! Hey, Aunt, I gotta ask you something," Kiran said, entering the kitchen to find her cooking with a smile. "Shoot," she replied, stirring a pot. "Gwen's dad wants to meet me tonight. Can I go?" Kiran asked, excitement bubbling in his chest. "Yeah, but first, when am I gonna meet Gwen too?" his aunt inquired, a playful glint in her eye.
"When you get rid of that baby book with all my baby pictures," Kiran shot back with a laugh. "But I love that book! It reminds me when you were a cute little angel," she said, feigning innocence. "Okay, but please don't show Gwen. I really like her, and I don't want her to see me naked!" Kiran exclaimed, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "What makes you think I would show her?" his aunt questioned, raising an eyebrow.
Kiran stared at her with a blank face, and after a moment of silence, she relented. "Okay, I won't show her. What time are you leaving?" "6:00," he replied, his excitement building. "Okay, no staying over, finish your homework, and keep me updated. Be back before 9," she instructed. "Yes! Thank you, Aunt! I love you!" Kiran shouted, enveloping her in a tight hug before dashing up to his room.
The humid air hung thick around the warehouse district, the only sound the distant hum of the city and the rhythmic click-clack of Tombstone's polished shoes against the concrete floor. He sat, a gargoyle carved from granite, his pale eyes fixed on the suited man placing a briefcase on the table. Another briefcase, identical to the first, sat already opened, revealing stacks of crisp, neatly bound hundred-dollar bills.
"Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Tombstone," the man said, offering a curt nod before disappearing into the shadows. Tombstone hadn't even registered the man's departure when a hulking henchman burst into the room, panting. "Boss! We gotta do somethin' about this Spider-Man! He's puttin' our boys in prison and stoppin' our business!" Tombstone's gaze hardened, a cold glint flickering in his eyes.
"Then you deal with it. I got some business to do." He grabbed his phone, his massive hand dwarfing the device, and strode out, leaving the henchman to stew in his frustration. --- Across town, in a far more cheerful atmosphere, Kiran was undergoing the most arduous challenge a teenage superhero could face: choosing the perfect outfit.
He emerged from his room, striking a pose for Aunt May. "How about this one?" May shook her head, a gentle smile on her face. "Too...loud." After the seventh attempt, involving an increasingly ridiculous parade of mismatched shirts and pants, May finally nodded. "That's it. Perfect." A surge of relief washed over Kiran. Freedom! Next moment he was soaring through the Queens skyline.
"Woohoo! Who needs a cab when you got spider travel!" he yelled, his hair whipping in the wind. Later, perched precariously on the side of a skyscraper, Kiran scrolled through his messages. "She said it's 1050," he muttered, double-checking the apartment number. Gwen. Meanwhile, inside apartment 1050, Gwen Stacy was sprawled on her bed, laptop resting on her lap.
Kiran, clinging to the building like a gecko, cautiously peeked through a window. He almost lost his grip, recoiling in horror. Through one window, he caught a glimpse of a naked man, quickly averting his eyes with a muttered, "Whoa!" Finally, he located Gwen's window. He watched her for a moment, a soft smile playing on his lips, before pulling out his phone. *Click!* He snapped a picture of her, then sent it. Gwen's head snapped up, a smile spreading across her face as she saw the picture.
She stood up and pushed open the window. "What took you so long? Why did you ask which apartment? You've been here already, remember?" "Last time, I was on the verge of death and I could barely remember what I had for lunch," Kiran said with a grin, climbing in. "Then can you explain why you didn't use the front door?" Gwen questioned, raising an eyebrow. Kiran shrugged, flashing his winning smile.
"Spider travel?" Gwen laughed. "Well, it's good that you're here." She playfully straightened his hair, then met his gaze, her eyes sparkling. Kiran found himself mesmerized, lost in the depths of her blue eyes. "Uhh... I got you this," Kiran stammered, breaking the gaze. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a single, badly crumpled rose. Gwen smirked. "I guess you didn't think about what would happen, huh?"
"I guess spider travel isn't flower friendly," Kiran admitted, looking ruefully at the mangled rose. "It's still beautiful, thank you, Bug Boy," Gwen said, taking the rose and bringing it to her nose. She inhaled deeply. Suddenly, the door swung open. "Gwen, have you seen my good tie...?" A towering figure, a 6'5" muscular man, stood in the doorway, stopping mid-sentence as he saw Kiran.
"Dad, this is Kiran," Gwen said, a hint of apprehension in her voice. Kiran swallowed hard and stepped forward, extending his hand. "Nice to meet you, Mister Stacy." Captain Stacy shook his hand, his grip surprisingly firm. "I hope you're hungry, Kiran." "Always," Kiran responded, trying to keep his voice steady.
In harlem a black truck screeched to a halt outside "Rosie's Diner," its chrome glinting menacingly. Before the dust could settle, a dozen more vehicles roared up, boxing the restaurant in. Thugs poured out, their faces grim, their intent clear. "This now belongs to us, and everything Hammerhead owned!" their leader bellowed, punctuating the statement with a swift injection into his arm.
A grotesque transformation seized him. His skin hardened, turning a stony gray. His eyes flared crimson, radiating an unnatural heat. With a grunt, he ripped a nearby lamppost from the ground, hefting it like a toy. "Consider this a warning!" He hurled the metal post at the diner, shattering windows and sending patrons scrambling. "Freeze!" a lone patrolman yelled, drawing his sidearm. The transformed man sneered.
"I'll deal with him." He charged, a terrifying mass of muscle and rage. The officer fired, but the bullets pinged harmlessly off the man's hardened skin. With horrifying speed, the brute seized the officer's head, his fingers digging into bone. A sickening crunch echoed in the street as he crushed the officer's skull, leaving a horrifying mess.
"We're taking this city," the man declared, wiping the blood and brain matter off his hand with a dismissive flick. The remaining thugs cheered, their intentions now brutally clear. Meanwhile the Stacy's Kiran sat across from Gwen and her father, a forced smile plastered on his face.
"So, Kiran," Gwen's dad began, "what are your plans after high school?" Kiran fidgeted. "Well... I want to move to the city and get into Empire State University." "Oh, that's great! What major are you thinking of applying for?" "Bioengineering... It's the convergence of biology and applied engineering—it allows us to not just understand the human body, but to improve it. I want to develop systems that enhance healing, increase survivability in extreme conditions, and potentially revolutionize how we treat trauma… Uhh, sorry, I guess I went overboard." Kiran coughed, self-conscious.
"It's alright. So Gwen, you thinking about going to college?" Gwen's face darkened. "Dad, we've talked about this. With Mom in the hospital, that isn't really on my mind." She stormed off, leaving a strained silence in her wake. "Sorry about that, Kiran," Gwen's father said, his voice laced with regret. "No problem… I'm gonna go see if she's okay."
"Try the roof," he suggested. Kiran found Gwen leaning against the rooftop's edge, gazing at the bustling city below. "If you're planning to jump," Kiran said, attempting a lighthearted tone, "I have to warn you, I'm just gonna catch you." Gwen gave him a flat look. "Sorry." "No, it's not your fault. I don't know why he brought that up, knowing what's going on with Mom." Gwen sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder.
"Must be nice to swing around. I would go anywhere." "You can't, unless you have the money to get the materials to make the web fluid. I'm having a hard time making it at school and home." Kiran said, a hint of frustration in his voice. Suddenly, a tingling sensation shot up Kiran's spine – his spider-sense. He looked down to see a flurry of police cars speeding down the streets below, sirens wailing. Gwen's phone buzzed. It was a text from her father: "Head back inside, now." "Kiran…" Gwen said, looking up. But Kiran was already gone.
The super-powered Tombstone crew, tore through a small corner store. Shelves collapsed, glass shattered, and terrified customers scattered. Amidst the chaos, a small figure stood his ground. "Hey!" a young boy, no older than ten, yelled, hurling a rock at one of the super-powered thugs.
"Leave them alone!" "Miles!" A woman's voice shrieked, desperate and laced with fear. Miles' mother, struggling to push through the panicked crowd, fought to reach her son. The brute turned his attention to the boy, a cruel smile twisting his face. "Nice going, kid. Now I get to show you what being a hero gets you." With a grunt of effort, he lifted a sleek, brand-new BMW i7, 2022 model, and hurled it towards Miles.
Miles instinctively covered his eyes, bracing for the impact. His mother's scream pierced the air. "Hey, kid, you okay?" A voice, calm and reassuring, cut through the noise. A figure in red and blue, fully dressed in a familiar costume, stood between Miles and the speeding vehicle, effortlessly holding the car above his head.
"Spiderman!" Miles exclaimed, his fear instantly replaced with awe and excitement. Kiran, gently lowered the car, letting it flip harmlessly onto its roof. "Good job, kid. I got this. Go take care of your mom." Miles nodded eagerly, relief flooding his face, and darted towards his mother.
"Finally, you show yourself," a deep, menacing voice boomed. The leader of the Tombstone crew emerged from the wreckage, injecting himself with a glowing serum. His skin paled to a ghastly white, and his eyes blazed with an unnatural red light. "This time, I'm going to squash you, bug."
"I can see the party clown has arrived. Let me guess, did the circus kicked you out for being too crazy?" Kiran quipped, firing a web that plastered itself across the villain's face. With a snarl, the leader ripped off the web, grabbed the strand still attached to Spiderman, and spun him through the air, smashing him through the window of a nearby store.
"Why can't I fight someone who doesn't have super strength..." Kiran muttered to himself, shaking off the debris and leaping back into the fray. He shot webs at the leader, but the brute swatted them away like flies. Thinking quickly, Kiran webbed a nearby garbage can, spinning it rapidly before launching it at the leader.
Then, swinging through the air, he kicked the villain into the side of a parked car. Landing atop him, he unleashed a flurry of punches. Suddenly, his spider-sense tingled. He backflipped off a nearby wall, narrowly dodging a hail of bullets fired by the remaining members of the Tombstone crew.
"Have I said that guns are dangerous in the wrong hands?" Kiran quipped, using his webs to yank the weapons away from them. But before he could react, the crew charged. Kiran braced himself, ready to defend, but abruptly they stopped. Their skin and eyes reverted to normal, the unnatural glow fading, and they collapsed to the ground in exhaustion.
"Interesting..." Kiran murmured, studying them with a thoughtful expression. Suddenly, he was seized from behind. "You should never take your eyes off your opponent, kid," the leader growled, tightening his grip. "Not... really comforting... with this hold," Kiran gasped, struggling to break free.
Using his agility, he swung his feet down, using the momentum to flip the leader and break free. He quickly webbed the villain, the serum's effects wearing off, leaving him groggy and disoriented. The remaining crew members, seeing their leader incapacitated, turned tail and fled. Kiran swiftly pulled out a web grenade.
"He shoots..." he announced, tossing it after them. The grenade exploded, encasing the fleeing thugs in a thick cocoon of webbing. "He scores!" A beeping sound drew his attention. It was coming from the leader's phone. "You probably don't need this where you're going," Kiran said, snatching the device and answering the incoming call.
"So, you're the boss of this parade?" A gruff voice crackled through the speaker. "So you're the Spider-Man." "Why don't we end this by you giving me your location? Or are you scared?" Kiran taunted. Tombstone hung up, but a text message popped up with an address. "Hahaha... the boss is gonna kill you," the leader muttered, his voice laced with a mixture of fear and satisfaction. "I think you should be worried about yourself," Kiran retorted, before swinging away as police sirens wailed in the distance.
The bell above the door of the Tombstone Biker Shop chimed, barely audible over the clanging of wrenches and the roar of an engine. Tombstone, a hulking figure with hands the size of dinner plates, barely glanced up. He was putting the final touches on a custom chopper, his brow furrowed in concentration. "You're late," Tombstone rumbled, his voice a gravelly echo in the cluttered shop.
"Yeah, I get that a lot. It's kinda my thing at this point," a voice chirped back. Tombstone finally looked up, his eyes narrowing as he saw the figure clinging to the wall. Spider-Man. With a practiced agility, Kiran dropped to the floor. "Put your hands up and come peacefully," Kiran said, adopting a mock-serious tone.
Before he could even finish the sentence, a motorcycle roared past, inches from his face. Kiran dodged, leaping aside just as Tombstone charged, a blur of muscle and anger. Tombstone's hand clamped around Kiran's throat, slamming him against a shelf filled with spare parts. Metal crashed and clattered around them.
Before Kiran could react, he was thrown against the brick wall, the impact knocking the wind from his lungs. Thinking fast, Kiran shot a glob of webbing at Tombstone's face, buying himself a precious second. He leaped forward, throwing a right hook. It connected, but Tombstone barely flinched. This guy was a brick wall.
Tombstone swung back, a haymaker that would have decapitated a normal man. Kiran dodged, scrambling onto the ceiling. "That all you got?" Kiran quipped, trying to regain his footing. He launched two web lines, propelling himself towards Tombstone in a flying kick that connected with surprising force, momentarily stunning the biker. Seizing the opportunity, Kiran used his webs to yank motorcycles off their stands, hurling them at Tombstone like projectiles.
"I'm disappointed! I thought the head of the Party Freaks would be tougher," Kiran taunted, his voice laced with sarcasm. He moved in, webbing Tombstone's arms and legs. "You talk too much, kid," Tombstone growled. "Yeah, yeah, tell it to the judge," Kiran mocked, sauntering closer, a smug grin on his face.
That was his mistake. With shocking speed, Tombstone ripped free of the webbing, his right arm a weapon of mass destruction. He backhanded Kiran across the face, sending him reeling into the wall. He grabbed Kiran by the throat, his grip like a vise. Kiran struggled, frantically trying to pry the fingers loose.
Desperate, he was about to shoot a web, but Tombstone anticipated the move, his hand crushing down on Kiran's wrist, snapping the device and bone with a sickening crack. "Ahhhhhh!" Kiran screamed, agony searing through his arm. Tombstone dragged him off the wall, unleashing a brutal series of punches. Each blow cracked against Kiran's face, each impact shaking the very foundations of the shop.
The brick wall behind Kiran began to crumble. With a final, devastating punch, Tombstone sent Kiran flying through the shattered remains, landing him hard in the alleyway outside. "You had a nice run, kid," Tombstone said, stepping over Kiran's prone form. "I should thank you for getting rid of Hammerhead, though." He kicked Kiran in the face, a final insult.
Then, straddling him, he began raining down punches, each blow a hammer blow against Kiran's skull. Kiran's mask ripped, revealing a rapidly swelling black eye and blood streaming from his nose and lip. With each impact, Kiran's body twitched, his vision blurring. His life flashed before his eyes - his parents, his uncle, the accident that gave him his powers.
Then, Tombstone stood, raising his foot. "See ya, kid," Tombstone sneered, his foot descending. In his last moment of clarity, Kiran's hand fumbled for the small, almost forgotten web grenade. With a surge of adrenaline-fueled desperation, he pressed the button, weakly tossing the grenade into the air. It exploded, coating Tombstone in a thick, blinding spray of webbing.
Cursing, Tombstone clawed at his face, trying to clear his vision. When he finally managed to peel the webs away, Kiran was gone. Kiran dragged himself through his window, his one good arm screaming in protest. He collapsed onto the floor, a broken mess of pain and exhaustion. He limped, struggling to pull off his shredded costume, kicking the ruined fabric and broken web shooter under his bed. "Kiran! Is that you... What happened?!" His aunt May's voice was filled with alarm as she rushed towards him. Kiran, unable to hold on any longer, succumbed to the darkness, collapsing into unconsciousness at her feet.