Am I (Not) a Hero?

[Peter' Parker's POV]

The time slowed down as I shot a web at the building ahead, catching it and pulling myself higher and farther.

At first, it was pretty awkward to control, and aiming took significant effort. However, I was practically used to it when I got to my destination.

It turned out to be pretty fun, and it was an incredible sensation of free-falling and being saved at the last moment. 

It was the first time I'd felt something like that since I'd never even been on a zipline!

Watching from the rooftop as my classmates gathered at the entrance, I waited until they went inside.

After waiting for the right moment, I climbed down and changed into an alley again. 

Then, I snuck into the rented boxing club, blending in with the crowd of viewers. 

I felt like an assassin on a mission, even imagining a hidden blade extending from my hand.

Not getting noticed by my classmates, I sat down on the opposite side of the hall. 

My spider-sense wasn't tingling, so I was convinced no one had spotted me. 

Meanwhile, the announcer introduced Crusher Hogan.

Crusher Hogan had already twisted a couple of candidates into pretzels, and no one else volunteered.

"Is there really no one brave and strong enough to take on this challenge? Does no one want to give us a real show? Will these five thousand dollars go unclaimed, and will Crusher Hogan remain our undefeated champion?!"

The announcer yelled.'

I headed to the restroom, quickly shoved my cover clothes into my bag, and pulled on the blue hoodie with the spider, sneakers, and gloves.

'My debut performance,'

I thought with a smile as I put on the mask.

As the announcer finally stopped yelling and began to sweat nervously, I kicked open the door, ran, and flipped into the air, falling on one of the corners of the ring. 

Normally, this was more than a regular person could do.

"Audience, are you ready to see a real show?!" 

I shouted from the ring.

The crowd roared in approval and began clapping.

"We have a new contestant? Would you be so kind as to show us your ID?" 

The announcer asked, more as a formality.

"What interests you more? A satisfied crowd or my ID?" 

I did another somersault on the corner and landed back in the ring.

"Well then, our new contestant wishes to remain anonymous, and therefore, we are obliged to warn him that we bear no responsibility for any damage to his health." 

The announcer grinned mischievously. 

"Contestant, do you accept these conditions?"

"I'll still get the prize if I win, even without the ID, right?" 

I asked him in return.

"Of course, we wouldn't want to offend our Champion, would we?" 

The man with the microphone responded with a polite smile.

"Then I accept the terms."

I turned to the calmly waiting wrestler.

"Hey, big guy, move those butts! The crowd wants a show." 

I made a beckoning gesture with my hand.

"I'm going to crush you, you cocky little runt." 

Hogan growled and tried to grab me, but I slipped out of his hold, giving him a kick in the back.

"Little runt? That's the best you've got?" 

I had been practicing stupid jokes to carry on his tradition in this world.

Since this was a staged wrestling fight and not a real battle, I joked, dodged, and jumped around him, sometimes kicking him.

I entertained the crowd with various tricks for almost five minutes, occasionally knocking the big guy down with some well-placed kicks.

"Stop messing with me and fight properly!"

 Crusher grumbled, and his eyes spun from my acrobatics.

"It hasn't been five minutes yet. Just wait." 

I dodged. 

"Or are you that eager to spend an unforgettable night in the ER? IV drips and hospital food really get you turned on, huh? You pervert!" 

I pointed accusingly at the offended wrestler.

"Then again, you seem to enjoy wrestling half-naked men in front of a crowd..." 

I continued as the audience chuckled.

When the announcer loudly declared that I had earned my first half prize, I knew it was time. 

Grabbing him with my sticky hands, I lifted him over my head and slammed that mountain of muscle down onto the ring.

I tried not to hurt him, so basically, I just dropped him with a little extra force. 

He groaned and tried to get up, but I stepped on his back, pressing him down onto the ring. 

He struggled, trying to move my foot, but what chance did he have against the strength of Spider-Man?

"Give up, and I'll let you go." 

I said, applying a bit more pressure with my foot.

"I give up!" 

He tapped the floor.

The crowd erupted in cheers, and the announcer shouted into the microphone over the noise.

"This is the victory of our new guest!" 

The announcer climbed through the ring ropes and grabbed my hand. 

"What does our anonymous winner call himself?"

"Spider-Man." 

I replied with a strange sense of anticipation.

"Are you sure?" 

The announcer asked, lowering the microphone from his face.

"Absolutely."

"This is our winner! The AMAZING! The SPECTACULAR! SPIDER-MAN!" 

He raised my fist in the air. 

"Unfortunately, the show is coming to an end. BUT WHAT A SHOW IT WAS! ARE YOU SATISFIED?!"

"YES!!! WOO!!!"

The crowd screamed, clapping. 

I looked at the excited crowd and started to understand why Johnny Storm loves attention so much. 

However, it's one thing to do it in a mask!

I hadn't performed in front of a crowd since the graduation dance.

The show had indeed come to an end, and the announcer, who turned out to be the organizer as well, and I headed to his office.

"I'm getting my money, right? There's no issue?" 

I asked the guy as he counted the bills.

"Here's five hundred dollars, and for God's sake, if you even believe in him, just get the hell out of here." 

He said angrily.

"Hey, that's not what we agreed on. What's your problem, man?" 

I asked.

"I just forgot to put in the advertisement that fucking mutants aren't allowed in the competition!" 

He hissed, handing me five hundred-dollar bills. 

"Take it and just leave."

The office door burst open with a kick, and a guy in a striped shirt screamed, pointing a gun at us.

"Hands up!" 

Flint Marko shouted.

"Is this a new kind of 'show and tell'? Because I was hoping for something a little less... intense."

I nervously joked as this was the first time I'd ever had a gun pointed at me.

However, there was no room for excuses or hesitation. 

Uncle Ben is a good man, I saw it, and he has to survive. Whether I'm scared or not doesn't matter.

"Hands up, damn it!" 

He fired a shot near my feet, and my spider sense reacted, but the bullet missed.

 "I'm not joking." 

He pointed the gun at the organizer. 

"You! Start stuffing the cash into the ba..."

At the same time, I shot a web into the barrel of the gun and another into his mouth. 

Swinging the weapon, I smashed it right into his face, knocking him out.

I had to spray the unconscious body with webbing until I formed a decent-sized cocoon glued to the floor. 

Marko's nostrils were free from the web, and he was still breathing. 

I'm not a killer yet. 

It would be easier without Sandman as an enemy, but starting a career with murders... 

Well, no, especially since such a specimen for study will be lost.

"Too bad that a damn mutant saved your money or maybe even your life, right?" 

I asked the frightened organizer.

 "Alright, cheapskate, give me my five hundred bucks and just live with it."

I said, holding out my hand.

He wiped his sweaty, trembling hands on himself before counting out a little more money for me.

"This competition wasn't supposed to have any winner. Just take it and leave, I'm calling the police!" 

He shrieked at the end.

I took the money and ran toward the bag hidden in a bathroom stall.

I managed to leave without any sudden interruptions and climbed onto the roof. However, I was startled by applause coming from behind.

I quickly turned around, ready to attack, but it was just Cindy. 

She was dressed in casual, closed clothing, with a web mask covering the entire lower half of her face, right up to her eyes. 

"The show was pretty impressive. The Incredible and Amazing Spider-Man, right?" 

She said.

"Yeah, if I want to travel with a freak show circus, they'll tear me apart." 

I couldn't help but stay in character as the funny jokester. 

"And what's wrong with my superhero name? It's perfectly fine."

"Uh-huh, very original. Naming yourself after the creature that gave you your powers." 

She rolled her eyes.

"Oh, let's see what you come up with for yourself."

"Let's see. Although, I'm not really eager to dive into all this superhero stuff…" 

She cautiously approached me but eventually relaxed. 

"I think I heard gunshots in the building. Apparently, they didn't want to give you your winnings." 

She suggested.

"Yeah, but I think saving a life made him a bit more generous." 

I said, counting the bills. 

Well, half of the promised winnings are still good.

"Hmm, too bad they quickly shut down the operation. I wouldn't mind earning a bit too." 

She hinted. 

After counting out three bills, I extended my hand to help her.

"Where would I be without the help of a sister in mutations?"

Well, in a way, we're all creations of the same spider.

"Sister? If this is an attempt to bribe me for some weird incest role-play, I'd probably agree anyway." 

Cindy smirked as she took the money. 

"Weren't you in a hurry to get to the party?"

"Yeah, they're just waiting for me there." 

I replied with maximum sarcasm. 

"Especially Flash, Kong, and Ed, my best damn friends."

"Good luck; maybe something will come up with MJ and Liz. Maybe even with both." 

Cindy waved her hand, and from the squint of her eyes and the strange curve of her mask, I realized she was smiling.

"Yeah, sure, this alpha male will come and impress all the ladies with his perfect report card and Olympic certificate." 

I nodded. 

"Alright, see you tomorrow." 

I turned roughly toward the crowd of teens heading home to Kong. I'd find them if I jumped across the rooftops; they shouldn't have gone far.

"See you tomorrow, brother." 

She said sweetly, making me stumble as I jumped from the roof.

Luckily, I managed to grab onto the nearest building with my web.

"She's definitely a real jokester." 

I thought, almost catching a panic attack from my clumsy jump.

After changing on the roof, I caught up with the party-goers and waited for about ten minutes. 

It was so boring that I just tilted my head up to the sky and waited.

"Ha, in New York, the sky is black, and you can't see any stars. The buildings aren't any better… unless you're in the countryside… I never thought I'd miss my old life, but a lot has happened to me. And it's only been a week…"

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