Strange Shapes
Hobie knew his priorities in life. It wasn’t the easiest for sure, but he wasn’t about to go and mope around because of it. His world taught him well, that won’t change a thing. But becoming too rough was a problem too. He wanted to bring people joy too. It wouldn’t be easy, but he found a way that was comfortable enough for him. To be honest, that bite just helped him with a theme of his mask, powers or not, he would be doing the same thing. It was just a tool for him and he was happy to use. No more, no less.
For 2 years he went through his fights. The fascist government, maniacs, that were straight up bought to kill him or people of the resistance, the rot of propaganda getting through to masses was one of the hardest ones, and that fight still wasn’t over, some “wannabe-heroes”. Those pissed him off the most, even though he didn’t show it much. There is no place in this world for a heroes, he knew he wasn’t one for sure. But something needs to be done for things to get better. Be it some music, hard-ass jokes, few crushed faces or supporting fitting people to take the lead.
He was patrolling this night, nothing new on the streets untill he met some…thing he couldn’t understand. It was bringing chaos, and Hobie would join in, but it was about to hurt simple people, and that’s a no-no. So he was up and running. A few webs here and there, so no one will get hurt and now he could focus on his opponent. The thing didn’t look like anything he’d seen before, it was tall solid dark creature, had clear edges, which was weird enough, but then it turned semi-liquid? As far as it’s… solidness allowed. And moved around, screaming for some “Peter”, while its voice was doubled? He could hear inhumanly low bass there, as well as voice of a normal man. He was stunned to see it, so wasn’t even aware enough to make a joke, but his hand got it the reflexes, taking out the guitar and smashing that metal chord he liked to do to announce his entrance, just to mess with people
And to his further surprise – it did something more. Semi-liquid vibrated screeching in pain, so he went through with a song on a way to it. If it disrupts it, he would be glad to make some concert out of this fight. And as he moved closely, he saw how liquid was stunned, going all around from the centre of it, and in there he could make out the man he was hearing. With no hesitation he swung in and yanked stranger out of there, while the black goo disassembled without a host.
“Hey man, you good?” He asked the victim, now having the opportunity to look closer and froze. He looked just as weird as the goo, but Hobie can make out the face of the man he lost on his hands. “Eddie?”
The stunned man was barely conscious, just murmured “Where the hell am I?” And a second later his consciousness slipped from him, and he went limp. Hobie for a second forgot everything in a world, his friend that he knew from being a stupid kid, the one that always was so smart and naïve, got himself in the police to “Change the system better from the inside”, just to get beaten to death by his colleges, who didn’t approve. And right now he was under his left arm, looking so different, yet so familiar and still alive. Looking for a safest and closest roof he swung to land and check who was this man and try to understand what was going on.
But as soon as he did, he saw orange hexagon, and a second later motorbike with a black woman riding it, with a costume similar to his, but face uncovered, only yellow glasses gave some kind of anonymity, just flew out of there. She was more normal than Eddie, more… “drawn” if you will, but still more edged than everything he grew up around. Hobie was ready for another fight, but it never came.
“Hello, little man. Looks like you handled the fighting part, but I’m afraid I’mma have to take this man with me.” Her tone wasn’t threatening, but it was clear that she wasn’t negotiating. But Hobie is Hobie. He doesn’t take orders.
“And why do you think I would allow that? Who are ya’ lady?”
“Jessica Drew. Because getting rid of this anomaly would save your universe from collapsing.”
“Da hell?” All Hobie could do is blink.
“We are cleaning some mess that universe 199999 and 1610 had done to the multiverse. Our radar located Earth-96283 vibrations in your universe. That clearly don’t belong here, hence, the anomaly. If it will mess with your place for too long, it can disturb it, with a result of a possible collapse of your world. Sound like a reason to let him go with me?”
“While I can believe the stuff about you guys not being from around here, why should I trust you with the other stuff? And who is “we”?”
“Spider Society.” A new voice appeared behind him, and Hobie was quick to position himself so that he could see both targets. His spider-sense helped with danger, but he doesn’t trust it fully. Like right now, it didn’t warned him about this man. Even taller figure was fundamentally different from Drew. His blue suit with red accents looked hostile, the man himself didn’t try to emit any danger, but he just… did. That much Hobie could sense himself. In his left hand he was holding a bottle out of red energy, with the black goo from before. He was calm and seemingly friendly, but Spider-Punk looked closely for every move. “And you don’t have to trust us right away. You can see it for yourself.” He typed something in his watch and a new, as Hobie now assumes, portal. “Name’s Miguel O’Hara. I’ll be ahead. Jump in if you wish to see it.”
Miguel used his red webs and disappeared in colorful hexagons, Jessica behind him turned on the bike and drove right past him, picking up Eddie on the way.
For some reason he decided to trust them for this one minute. He jumped after them. “Let’s see what’s this “Spider Society” thing.”
*Cut out part, as soon as they got to the Base:*
“Here, put this on.” Drew gave Hobie a bracelet, but he didn’t even think to obey.
“I’m good thanks.”
“Suite yourself.”
One glitch later bracelet was on his right hand.
“Why this didn’t happened to Eddie?” The answer came from Miguel.
“Because your jump was technological, his was magical. It’s a mess up from Doctor Strange. He unintentionally protected invaders in other dimensions from disintegrating.”
“Sounds like a kind fella to me.” The answer was just a grunt from the big man.