Chapter 9: Spiderman
After school, Peter and Ned invited Ben to their usual hangout—a local comic book shop tucked into a corner of Queens. Ben, being a huge anime fan, was thrilled to discover they had a small section dedicated to manga. He picked up a worn copy of Detective Conan, much to Ned's delight.
"That's classic," Ned said, flipping through the pages. "But just wait till you see Peter's comic collection. It's insane."
Peter shrugged modestly but grinned. "We can swing by my place sometime this week."
After dinner, Ben sat in the living room with his family, recounting his first week at Midtown High. His parents listened intently as he spoke about Peter and Ned, describing their shared interests in comics, science, and movies. His little sister, always eager for gossip, asked, "Do you think you'll have more friends now?"
Ben chuckled. "Maybe. But I think Peter and Ned are all I need for now."
Just as he finished speaking, the TV blared with the unmistakable voice of J. Jonah Jameson. The newsroom background displayed bold letters: "SPIDER-MENACE STRIKES AGAIN!"
"Spider-Man was seen swinging through the streets of Queens today, putting innocent lives at risk while supposedly stopping a common thief. Is he a hero, or just another vigilante playing dress-up? You decide!" Jameson ranted, pointing dramatically at the camera.
Ben leaned back, rolling his eyes. "Does this guy ever shut up about Spider-Man?"
His father, flipping through the channels, grumbled, "You know, he's got a point. The city doesn't need some kid in tights causing more chaos."
Ben smirked but didn't argue. His mind wandered to Peter. Seeing Spider-Man earlier in the week made him wonder: How did Peter get his powers in this universe?
In Ben's home universe, the origins of Spider-Man's powers had always been shrouded in mystery. The movies he'd seen never showed the moment Peter was bitten by the radioactive spider. Oscorp didn't exist in his world, so there was no definitive answer.
But here, in this universe, Oscorp was real. A towering corporation with secrets buried in its labs and research facilities. ( he saw spiderman homecoming only of marvel when he was 14 and knows little bit about sony spiderman)
Could Oscorp be connected to Peter's powers here? Ben wondered.
He glanced at the screen again, where Jameson was still ranting about Spider-Man. A part of him wanted to press Peter about his abilities, but he quickly brushed the thought aside. It's Peter's secret, as even i have my secret.
"Ben," his mother interrupted his thoughts, "are you listening?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah, sorry. What did you say?"
"I said, it's late. Go get some rest. You've had a busy week," she said with a warm smile.
"Alright, alright," Ben said, standing up and stretching. He said goodnight to his family and headed to his room.
It was a sunny afternoon, the kind where even school felt a little more bearable. The three of us—Peter, Ned, and I—were hanging out near the lockers, talking about our day. Peter was flipping through a notebook filled with scribbled diagrams and formulas, looking as focused as ever.
That's when Dr. Connors walked up. With his kind demeanor and a slight limp, he greeted Peter with an approving nod.
"Peter," Dr. Connors began, holding the notebook Peter had submitted earlier for his science thesis, "this is exceptional work. Your theories on tissue regeneration are fascinating. I'd like to discuss them further in the lab after school."
Peter's face lit up, his surprise quickly turning into excitement. "Really? Of course, Dr. Connors! I'll be there."
As Dr. Connors walked away, Peter turned to us with an unmistakable grin. "Guys, he actually liked my thesis. Can you believe it?"
"Congrats, Peter," I said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Just don't forget about us little people when you're a world-famous scientist."
Ned smirked, adding, "Yeah, Parker. Don't go inventing the next big thing and leave us behind."
Peter tilted his head, looking genuinely confused. "Why would I forget you guys?"
Ned and I exchanged a glance, our grins widening. "He doesn't get the sarcasm," we said in unison, bursting into laughter.
Peter chuckled awkwardly. "Okay, okay. Laugh it up. But seriously, this could be a big deal for me. Dr. Connors is amazing, and if he's impressed, maybe I'm on the right track."
We nodded in agreement. "You are, Peter," I said. "You've always been on the right track. Just don't let the science go to your head."
When the final bell rang, signaling the end of the day, the three of us walked out together. The sun was low, casting long shadows across the school courtyard. Peter turned to face us at the gate.
"Alright, guys," he said, holding out his hand for our signature handshake—a mix of fist bumps and a quick finger snap at the end. We'd come up with it weeks ago, and it had quickly become our thing.
"Good luck with the meeting," Ned said as he finished the handshake.
"Don't let Dr. Connors talk you into working overtime," I added, smirking.
Peter grinned. "Thanks, guys. I'll see you tomorrow!"
We watched as he jogged off toward the lab building, his backpack bouncing on his shoulder.
Ned turned to me, grinning. "Think he'll get to work on any cool experiments?"
"Probably," I said, pulling my own bag onto my shoulder. "Knowing Peter, he'll be knee-deep in science before dinner."