Chapter 4
Is he a villain? He definitely looks like one. He's voice, tone, behavior--everything that Miles originally thought was cool now becomes the sign of danger.
Miles' alerted eyes crossed the other side, all the points that had puzzled him before now found an explanation, his spider sense cracked at this moment and no movement. So Miles tried to start backing up as motionlessly as possible, looking for an escape route while keeping his eyes on the prowler to attract the other's attention: "You're the Prowler."
"I am." Prowler Hobie seemed unconcerned by Miles' tense movements, and he walked leisurely to the table to pick up the metal glove, deliberately slowing down his movements in Miles only to further increase the sense of oppression. Slowly and deliberately, he inserted his fingers into the claws, and a click came from his wrist as he put it on; the prowler moved his joints, and the metal made a clattering sound.
"And what are you, if I may ask?" The Prowler asked. 'What', as if Miles was some kind of private property instead of a person.
"I'm...Spider-Man." Miles answered with alertness. He's brain is thinking fast, about possible way to escape, just in case. The Prowler was standing in the entrance, but he can shoot a web and get out the same way he got in, by swinging through the hole right above the Prowler.
"I know that. Heard you talking about it several times. I'm more interested in what you can do...for example, I know you shoot webs, the watch on your wrist can communicate with some kind of headquarter, and I know that I look exactly like someone you need to find....someone you have a thing for."
Miles' eyes, searching for an escape route, withdrew at the words and fell on Hobie: "What are you--that's not true!"
"Don't try to deny it so fast Bambi. like I said, you need to be honest when you're with me." the calmer Hobie's voice was, the stronger the sense of oppression it contained: "Otherwise you wouldn't lemme kiss you before-or are you in love with me, at first sight?"
This question contains a strong baiting that Miles did not know how to answer, so he chose to ignore.
"You are the Prowler." Miles repeated,"Why didn't you say so a-at the first place when I found you and..."
"That's easy. "The Prowler interrupted him:"You never asked, I never admit. Plus this way's more fun, don't you think?"
NOOOOOO!!! Of course he doesn't!
"If I were you, Bambi, I wouldn't bother finding a way out. Coz there is none. "
Hobie predicted all of his actions, simply by watching Miles' movements and eyes; he began to approach Miles a little, and Miles noticed that there were tiny nozzles at his wrists, so maybe he would spray some kind of potion from there; Hobie's face was hidden behind a mask as he approached, and the similar purple uniform kept Miles from getting nervous at such a crisis point.
The Prowler Hobie reminded him of his uncle, and maybe another Miles Morales from Earth-42, but mostly, his uncle Aaron. Every second after that incident Miles missed his Uncle Aaron, and now when Hobie stood in front of him, Miles' eyes began to heat up, and he even felt an urge to go up and hug him. The impulse to hug each other.
This is not gonna end well.
He could REALLY use some help, like someone let him come back to himself --
Then Miles felt something. They both did. A portal opened right above their head. And through the portal, a man stepped out.
"Took me a while to find you. "
It's Hobie, Hobie Brown from Earth-138, the Spider-Punk.
Though Miles might not admit, he's never been more happy to see Hobie, his Honie here.
....Yeah, HIS, Hobie.
"Why didn't you answer my calls?"Hobie looked at him calmly, ignoring the fact that Miles was almost being kidnapped by the other guy, and he got plenty of hickeys on his neck. He had also ignored the other Hobie which looked exactly like him.
Miles replied subconsciously:"My watch broke--wait you called me?"
"Only 'bout a thousand times." Hobie shrugged at him, the three of them now standing in a triangle, with the Prowler's eyes with interest, moving back and forth between Miles and Spider-Hobie.
"Aww, such a sweet couple." finally the Prowler looked at Hobie nonchalantly, "So you're his boyfriend, the guy Bambi's looking for huh? I guess we do look alike, except for our Bambi here believes that I'm the cooler one. Bet you didn't even hit the second base."
Hobie did not show excessive emotional turmoil over the prowler's provocation:"Not his boyfriend. I don't believe in consistency and I don't do teams. But he's mine.So are you going to give him back, or do I have to fight for it?"
"You seem to subjectively consider the boy as yours. That's capitalism don't you think?" said the Prowler, who apparently would not just let them go; before they could react the Prowler threw a dart at Miles suddenly, with a rope tied to it; he wanted to trap Miles, but Miles' spider sense helped him dodge.
Spider-punk grabbed his guitar from his back: that means he's ready for a fight:"Hmm, lemme think. No. I'm taking him back from you, which means I'm saving him from being harmed by capitalism."
Spider-Man Hobie's guitar emits a huge wave of sound as it fluctuates, a companion along with a shock of electricity and energy; Miles has scaled the wall to take cover while fumbling for the exit switch.
Sadly, the Prowler merely raised his cape to ward off Hobie's attack; he shed his mask and taunted Hobie:"Your boyfriend was a lousy kisser. Good thing is I taught him a few tricks."
"Oh really? Is he a better kisser than me, Peter Pan?" Spider Hobie turned to Miles for confirmation, he shot another energy wave at the Prowler.
"Well I--can we talking about it after all this?? It's really not a good time don't you think??" Miles didn't know how to answer, so he just avoided eye contact with Hobie--the Spider-Man and the Prowler.
"How did you find us, if I may ask? You just happened to, pass by my house?"the Prowler continued, asking about the vital information. His house did not designed to be found easily.
"You didn't put some sort of, monitor on your partner here, did you?"
The prowler reached out the moment Miles intended to run from him; sharp claws of metal material pinched Miles' wrist and Hobie made sure to leave a mark; something hooked his claws and Miles twisted nimbly and pressed his wrist, dislodging a ring-shaped object from his body. Hobie crushed the object.
Spider-Hobie looked at the other Hobie with hostility, besides their appearance, it is clear that they also share a highly consistent mindset. Though Hobie doesn't believe in consistency.
Miles was also looking at him with curiosity, but he didn't seem to care, so spider Hobie explained softly to him :"It's the design on your watch--prototype, I added that just for safety reasons."
"Safety reasons. So you had him under your surveillance. You over-possessive control freak, you gonna scare him." The Prowler deliberately feigned a tone of surprise to irritate them, while three miniature bombs slipped through the track and into his fingers. He sees the right moment to throw them in Spider-Man's direction; but he doesn't intend to hurt his Bambi; he just wants to test some of his theories, some of his guesses-
"Scare him more than you already did? Hardly can do that."Hobie the Spider-Man turned to Miles during the fight:"Seriously, Peter Pan? This guy? And you think he's cooler and you can't tell us apart. Huh. You really broke my heart if I'd have one."
"Aww, are you jealous?"
"Of you? Hardly."
Spider Hobie decided not to tangle with the Prowler; he grabbed Miles' arm, and just when the bombs were ducked by them and hit the wall, causing series explosions, Hobie opened the portal. They don't have time with the Prowler. It's no good for them, and the more they interact, the more dangerous it would be.
…………………………………………………
The prowler watched as the two uniformed figures disappeared into the portal; he had the option of following them or interrupting their departure by blowing up the portal. But Hobart Brown had a better idea.
"That's alright." The Prowler clutched the crushed web shooter in his mechanical claws, and in his other hand he held a page ripped from a sketchbook that had quite a bit of information on it besides Miles' name; Hobie and Gwen's names, sketches，and a few numbers, 1610, 42, 138- -
He'll work it out. All the myths, where his Bambi came from, how did he come here, and how to find him. And when he does, he's gonna find his prey and claim him his.
"I'm sure we'll see each other again, Bambi. And by then, I will not let you go so easily."
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