Chapter 24: A Promise to the Moon
Mary Jane's face fell with disappointment.
Having obtained the Spider-Man gene, Talon saw no reason to linger. He gave a casual wave. "Peter, Mary Jane. My business here is done. We'll meet again."
As he turned to leave, Mary Jane suddenly remembered his earlier promise. "Talon, wait! You promised you'd take me to space!"
Talon stopped and looked back at her, a wry smile on his face. "You mean right now?"
He had always thought Mary Jane and Peter were deeply in love, but her eagerness to go on an excursion with another man right in front of her boyfriend suggested otherwise.
Mary Jane clapped her hands excitedly. "That would be wonderful!"
Peter's expression was bitter. The thought of Mary Jane wanting to go off with another man, right in front of him, was a painful sting.
"Optimus Prime, to my location," Talon commanded.
"Acknowledged, my Lord. ETA five minutes."
An awkward silence filled the room for five minutes until a gust of wind announced the Transformer's arrival outside the window.
"I am here, my Lord."
"Assume aerial mode."
With a series of mechanical clanks, the robot shifted into a sleek aircraft.
Talon glanced at the couple. "Both of you, come on."
He couldn't very well invite only the girlfriend and not the hero himself.
Mary Jane didn't hesitate, scrambling out the window and into the co-pilot's seat with practiced ease.
Peter looked at the cockpit—only two seats. "Your plane only has a pilot and co-pilot. I... I think I'll stay."
"You can hold Mary Jane," Talon suggested flatly.
Peter looked at Mary Jane, who was already eagerly examining the controls, a joy he rarely saw in her when they were together. A wave of dejection washed over him.
"Forget it. You two go," he muttered, his spirits low.
"Suit yourself," Talon said. With Spider-Man's genes secured, he felt no further need to cater to the young hero's feelings. He leaped gracefully through the window, sailing over Mary Jane's head to land perfectly in the pilot's seat—a feat of agility granted by his new spider-like abilities.
The canopy sealed shut.
"Optimus Prime, standard cruising speed. Destination: outer space." He had to consider Mary Jane's tolerance for G-forces.
"Acknowledged."
The aircraft shot into the sky, accelerating rapidly until it pierced the atmosphere and broke through into the weightless void of space.
Free of atmospheric interference, the view was breathtaking. The stark blackness of space was punctuated by the brilliant, unblinking light of distant stars and planets.
"Wow, it's so beautiful out here," Mary Jane breathed, her face pressed to the canopy.
Even Talon was momentarily captivated by the stark majesty of the cosmos. "It is," he agreed.
Mary Jane turned to him, her smile genuine. "Thank you. I never would have seen this without you." The moment felt incredibly romantic, and she found herself wondering what it would be like if this were a real date.
"The Moon is the closest celestial body. We'll go there," Talon stated, his tone practical.
"Okay," she replied softly.
"Optimus Prime, report system status."
"All systems are nominal, my Lord. You have my full assurance."
"Good. Proceed to the Moon."
The journey of 380,000 kilometers, which would take a conventional rocket days via a transfer orbit, was covered in a matter of hours by the Transformer's direct, high-speed flight.
The craft settled gently on the lunar surface.
"Mary Jane," Talon said, turning to her. "Would you like to take control? You can explore the Moon."
Her eyes widened. "I... I can really do that?"
"Optimus Prime, if I were to exit the craft in my Titan form, how long could I survive on the lunar surface?"
"Your Titan physiology is robust, my Lord. You could survive the environment, though the duration is limited by your breath-holding capacity."
A helmet descended from the cockpit ceiling. Talon handed it to her. "Put this on. It will let you control the Transformer with your thoughts."
"Oh, thank you!" she exclaimed, and in a burst of impulsive gratitude, she leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"You're welcome," Talon replied, unmoved. He attributed it to cultural openness, nothing more.
"Optimus Prime, partition the cockpit and open my hatch."
The section containing Talon's seat separated from the rest of the craft. With a hiss, the canopy opened.
With a low growl, Talon triggered his transformation. His body expanded into the three-meter-tall bronze Titan. He leaped from the craft, landing on the powdery lunar regolith.
In the Moon's low gravity, a slight push sent him soaring meters into the air.
Inside the cockpit, Mary Jane stared, her hand over her mouth. "Oh my God... he can turn into a giant."
"My Lord," Optimus Prime's voice echoed in the silent void. "The Moon is exceedingly quiet. Human nature typically finds such silence unsettling. Shall I play some music?"
Talon gave a single, slow nod.
The opening notes of Céline Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" began to play, the romantic ballad shattering the profound silence of the Moon.
Hearing the iconic theme from Titanic, Talon could only sigh inwardly. A DJ mix would have been preferable, he thought. This implies a romance that simply isn't here.
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IN PATREON WE ARE AT CHAPTER 45: A NIGHT WITH MJ