Safe Travels
Peter Benjamin Parker.
Star Wars fan.
Man of mystery.
Physics nerd.
Orphan squared.
Spider-Man.
Each of Peter’s identities seemed to resonate with a different part of his personality. Peter didn’t necessarily think this was a bad thing. In a way, it could be useful.
When he was Spider-Man, he could show off his abilities; he could be everything that Peter couldn’t.
However, when Peter was just Peter, he could talk about Star Wars with Ned, help May with a jigsaw puzzle, break something in Tony’s lab.
Now he was neither.
Now he didn’t even know where he was.
Well… he knew he was in an alleyway with damp grey walls and shadows that seemed to unblinkingly glare at him. He knew that his hoodie was smothered with dirt and grime from the puddle staring back at his face. He knew that one moment, he was fighting your everyday crazy kinda scientist, the next, he was in a puddle.
Peter doesn’t like puddles very much. Who does? They’re patronising in the worst way possible. They seem to taunt him everywhere he goes.
There was:
The mailman incident, The F.E.A.S.T incident, The rabbit hutch incident (don’t ask)
Puddles don’t like him and he doesn’t like puddles. It’s a mutual relationship.
BEHIND YOU
There was someone standing on the roof of the apartment block behind him.
Most people in New York assumed Peter’s spider sense was like an instinct. In a way, they were right. But it was also much more than that.
Ok. Peter needed to assess the situation and he needed to do it quickly.
From this distance, he could tell his stalker was a 5’10” male, mid twenties, quieter than the average person, not a threat to his current safety, but there was still something there. Not something frightening. But something that made Peter want to run away anyway.
Peter stood, groggily wiping his hands on the dry patches of his jeans.
His jeans.
Peter had just been fighting a scientist. Peter was in his suit before he woke up.
SHIFT
He could think about his suit later. Right now, he needs to confront this weirdo.
“Hey there man!” Peter called towards the monument of brick at his side.
Nothing.
“Listen, I dunno who you are but I don’t mean any trouble.”
Still nothing.
The man was just crouching there, as if he didn’t know how to react. (fair)
Okay this was getting awkward. Peter doesn’t do awkward. In fact, that’s half of his personality.
Y’know the quips, the conversations during fights that Mr. Wilson hate.
“So I’m just gonna…”
“Sorry kid but you’re not going anywhere just yet” the man finally spoke.
He didn’t exactly have a rough voice, but it was an authoritative one. His appearance was still concealed in shadow, an obviously intentional choice.
“Am I on your turf or something?” Peter said in his ‘I’m just a teenager please don’t hurt me’ voice. “I-I can go-”
“Wha- kid I’m not like a gang leader or anything.”
Okay that caught Peter off guard. It wasn’t that he expected him to specifically be a gang leader, but the tone he was using almost suggested that he had expected Peter to immediately trust him.
Was this guy famous or something?
Was he a vigilante like him?
No. He would have heard of another vigilante in New York through Deadpool or Daredevil, and this new guy didn’t exactly look inexperienced.
“So who are you then? You don’t exactly look like any vigilantes I know.” Peter pushed. Any information would be better than none.
“And you know a lot of vigilantes?” the man asked, shifting slightly towards the edge of the roof, probably to get a better look at Peter.
He had to admit, this concerned him slightly. This man clearly had authority in this area, a wide network of communication throughout the city, and acted as though Peter was somehow his priority.
He could literally hear sirens down the street. Why was this man still talking to him?
The man seemed to notice Peter’s query.
“The others can deal with that. Right now, I want to know how you ended up with your face in a puddle on the outskirts of Crime Alley.”
Peter Froze. During the next second, three thoughts invaded Peter’s mind.
1. This man was genuinely concerned. If his tone of voice didn’t tell him this, then the lack of panic at the back of his mind definitely did. The usual buzzing of caution that followed him around the streets had almost dissipated, transforming into a quiet hum of safety. In a way, that was unnerving.
2. Crime Alley. What on Tony Stark’s magnificent earth was Crime Alley? He knew it wasn’t in New York; he knew those streets like his own mind. So where was he? New Jersey? This doesn’t feel right.
3. WHO ARE THE OTHERS?! Was there some underground vigilante gang that he didn’t know about?! If so, WHY NOT?! He bets it doesn’t even have a cool name, like… like ‘The Kitchen Utensils’ or something. (When Peter first met Daredevil in Hell’s Kitchen, he had some interesting initial ideas for duo names).
Yes, he thought all of this within a second. Don’t question it.
“Maybe I like puddles” Peter lies. (He definitely doesn’t like puddles).
“You… like puddles?” If Peter could see the man’s face, he would definitely be raising an eyebrow right now.
“They’re actually super interesting. Did you know that butterflies and other insects, especially males, seek out puddles for nutrients like salts and amino acids? This behaviour, known as puddling, is essential for their survival.”
He’s thinking on his feet, okay?
“And are you an insect that needs salts and amino acids?” The man asked, clearly clutching at straws here.
Well. He’s kinda an insect. (Not that he’s about to admit that to a stranger that he caught stalking him).
“Not that I know of. Why would I be?” Peter shoots back, testing the man’s patience.
If Peter could get a decent impression of this man, he might be willing to ask him for help.
“...Because you said you like puddles?”
“Ew, who likes puddles?” Peter cringed. “Do you like puddles? ‘cause that’s kinda weird man.”
The unidentified stalker man was now looking at him like he was psychotic. Honestly, Peter couldn’t blame him.
“Look, kid-”
“Not a kid”
The man continued. “Okay, I don’t know how you got here but you need to get home. It’s late already.”
How should he react? Should he lie and leave? Should he ask for help? Mention Tony?
“Hey, do you know if Tony Stark is in the area?” Tony himself was usually surrounded by press, if he was out of New York, in the same area as Peter, everyone within a 30 mile radius would know.
“I’m sorry kid, I don’t know who that is. I can help find him though?”
Okay now he’s confused.
He woke up in a city he doesn’t recognise,
He is found by a vigilante he has never heard of,
Said vigilante doesn’t know who Tony Stark is…
Well shit.
Without another word, Peter ran. He didn’t know where he was going or what he was hoping to achieve, but he needed to organise himself. To prepare himself for the conclusion he was about to face.
_________________________
Okay. He’ll admit. Running away wasn’t the best idea.
The second he had run, the puddle man had followed.
It isn’t his fault he got lost!
Does nobody know about stranger danger nowadays or something?
He should probably find a place to hide. It isn’t that he doesn’t trust this guy… buuuuut…… he doesn’t trust this guy.
Also, Peter needs somewhere he can figure out what’s going on, why he is here, and who he can trust.
Unfortunately for him, he had a feeling there would be a pair of eyes on his back for a while.
He shouldn’t reveal his cards too early.
JUMP
A car was hurtling around a corner towards him.
Without giving himself time to think, he jumped over the hood of the car. Of course, this isn’t difficult for him at all, but not everybody in the area knows that.
Scuttling around the corner, he continued, praying to every God he could think of that puddle guy didn’t see that. The driver hadn’t even apologised!
***
“HE JUMPED OVER A CAR”
“Ok ok slow down, who’s he?”
“I found a kid on the floor just outside of Crime Alley”
“Ouch”
“Tell me about it”
“And this kid… he jumped over a car? A moving one?”
“Well I was speaking to him, offered to find someone, when he just… ran. I tried to catch up with him but by the time I had processed what was happening, he was in the middle of the road.”
“IS HE OKAY?”
“Besides having been laying in a puddle for god knows how long, he seems to be fine.”
“Y’know, one day these kids will be the death of us all, what with the last two we found on the street with strange abilities”
“Ha ha. But seriously, just tell the others to keep an eye out for this kid”
“Do you think he could be a threat?”
“Not a threat. But he’s definitely hiding something. And if it’s dangerous, I don’t think I’ll like how this ends.”
***
Peter hadn’t been walking for long when he realised that he no longer had someone tailing him. He was grateful for this.
As much as he appreciated the concern expressed by this unknown vigilante (puddle guy), Peter needed somewhere he could collect his thoughts.
Thoughts…
Thoughts…
This isn’t working.
Where could he go, in a city that he doesn’t know, to find information that he doesn’t know exists?
The library. Libraries are full of information, and their soft oak shelves are often stocked with all kinds of pop-culture references he could use later on (definitely the priority here).
On a more important note, libraries have computers. Access to a computer would be life changing to Peter. Computers mean the internet. The internet means information. Information means clarity.
Soo….
Where in this creepy as city, was he supposed to find a library?
Sure, there were bus stops and convenience stores littering the streets, but a library?? Let’s just say it didn’t really fit the aesthetic.
Speaking of the aesthetic, wow this place was rough. Single pane windows from the apartment buildings looming to his left side were analysing his every step. The sidewalk was chipped and cracked at every corner as various coloured posters lined the streets, clearly advertising some kind of warning.
PA WARNING
TWO-FACE ACTIVE IN THE OLD GOTHAM AREA
Issued by GPD