Chapter 9: The Final Cure
Inside the dimly lit warehouse, Peter dodged the relentless swipes of Martha's claws. Her roars echoed off the metal walls as she lunged at him again and again.
With a swift move, Peter shot webs at both her arms, legs and even her tail, pinning them to the ground. He vaulted over her and landed atop her chest, using the moment to rain down punches with full force.
Peter knew how much strength he possessed. Like Superman, Spiderman of other realities often held back in fights, afraid of causing harm. But this time he wouldn't make that mistake.
Each punch landed with bone-rattling impact, causing Martha to stumble backward. Finally, Peter clasped his hands together and delivered a crushing blow to her head, knocking her unconscious.
He exhaled sharply, relief washing over him—until his spider-sense screamed a warning. Peter flipped backward just in time to dodge the lashing tail of Dr. Connors, who had broken free from his restraints.
"You'll regret this, Parker!" Connors roared, his voice dripping with rage and primal fury.
Before Peter could respond, Gwen burst through a shattered window, her landing was precise, she came with a powerful kick that to Connors' back, she sent him sprawling several feet across the warehouse.
"Miss me, doc?" she quipped, tossing one of the cure samples to Peter.
Catching it midair, Peter activated his predator ability and absorbed the serum, analyzing its structure and composition. Peter grinned as he felt the analysis is done. Now, he could reproduce the cure as much as needed.
"It's bedtime, Dr. Lizard," Peter said with a mischievous glint in his eye.
He swung toward Connors, blinding him with webbing before slamming him onto his back. Tentacles sprouted from Peter's body, anchoring Connors in place.
Meanwhile, Gwen hurried over to Martha's unconscious lizard form. Carefully, she injected the cure into Martha's arm. "Don't worry, Mrs. Connors. Everything's going to be fine," she whispered.
Across the room, Peter forced Connors' jaws open, holding them apart with his bare hands as the tentacles kept the rest of his body restrained. With precision, he formed a vial of the cure within his symbiote and injected it into the lizard's throat.
Both monsters began to writhe and shudder, their grotesque forms gradually shrinking and reshaping into human bodies.
Peter and Gwen stood side by side, watching as the transformation completed. They exchanged a relieved glance, their masks hiding their exhaustion.
Peter then remembered something and broke the silence first. "Hey, Gwen... we need to delete all the data on the serum. This can't happen again."
She smirked. "Already done. I wiped the files and destroyed everything related to the lizard serum before I came here."
Peter's grin widened. "That's why you're the best."
In a swift motion, he shot a web to Gwen's waist and pulled her close. Before she could react, he removed both their masks and kissed her.
Gwen was startled for only a moment but soon she wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. The world faded around them—until a groggy voice broke through the moment.
"Please... get a room you two," Dr. Connors rasped.
They pulled apart abruptly, turning to see Connors leaning against a wall as his eyes drifting to his unconscious wife.
Peter and Gwen rushed over. "Are you okay, Doc?" Gwen asked.
Connors nodded weakly. "Physically, I'm fine... and human again, thanks to you two. But it seems I've done... lasting damage."
His gaze lingered on Martha, guilt clouding his features.
Peter placed a hand on Connors' shoulder. "We all make mistakes, Doc. But the important thing is to learn from them and make sure we don't repeat them again."
Gwen nodded. "What matters is that you're both safe now."
Dr. Connors leaned against the wall as he stood, exhausted but recovering as he took in the sight of Peter and Gwen.
His eyes drifted to Gwen. "I still can't believe you're Ghost Spider... and Peter... well, you've got those tentacle powers now."
Peter blinked, clearly offended. "Excuse me? Tentacle powers? Really? I've got powers just as cool as hers!"
Gwen smirked and crossed her arms as she tilted her head. "Oh no, he's totally right. You're Mr. Tentacles now."
Peter glared at her, his voice dropping with mock seriousness. "Don't. You. Dare."
Gwen took a step closer as her grin began widening. "What are you going to do, huh, bite me," she teased, her eyes daring him to retaliate.
Connors, who had been silent, suddenly burst into laughter, his voice echoing in the warehouse.
Gwen and Peter exchanged a glance before they too started laughing, the tension of the night melting away in the shared moment.
When the laughter finally subsided, Peter stretched his arms behind his head. "Alright, Doc. Let's get you and Mrs. Connors out of here. You've had a long night."
Connors nodded, gratitude shining in his tired eyes. "Thank you... both of you. I don't deserve this, but I'm glad you were there."
Gwen placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
With that, Peter webbed a makeshift stretcher for the unconscious Martha while Gwen helped Connors steady himself.
Together, they left the warehouse, stepping out into the crisp New York night.
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The morning sun brought with it a storm of media coverage. Every channel seemed to be abuzz with the same headlines: "Lizard Monster Stopped," "New Heroes in Town: Spider-Man and Ghost Spider," and "Masked Saviors or Menaces?"
Yet, amidst the praise and debates, one voice rang out loudly against the new heroes. On The Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson's unmistakable yelling filled the airwaves.
"These so-called heroes are nothing more than masked criminals! Spider-Man and Ghost Spider are dangerous vigilantes who must be brought to justice!"
Meanwhile, inside the NYPD, Captain George Stacy sat at his desk, flipping through reports. But his focus wavered, his mind drifting back to the events of the previous night.
He replayed the chaos—the lizard monster's rampage, the destruction at the school, and the sudden appearance of the two spider-themed heroes.
Ghost Spider. He is beginning to see her in new light. After hearing Peter's words he began to think from other point of view and made some contact with the people saved by her.
He honestly can't believe the how many number of people she saved. Now, he can't deny she is helping people in her own way.
And then there was the new masked man, Spider-Man. Despite his initial skepticism, George couldn't deny the truth: if it weren't for him, the school would've been a disaster. Lives were saved, including Gwen's.
His conflicted thoughts were interrupted by a knock at his office door. Shaking himself free from his musings, he called out, "Come in."
The door opened to reveal a striking woman with sharp features and a confident demeanor. She stepped in with a purposeful stride.
"Captain Stacy?" she asked while saluting. "I'm Yuriko Watanabe, the newly appointed Deputy Captain."
George stood up as a smile breaking his usual stern expression. "Deputy Watanabe," he said warmly, taking her hand in a firm shake. "Welcome to the precinct."
Yuriko's surprise was evident. She had braced herself for a more rigid reception, given George Stacy's reputation for being tough and by-the-book.
"I'm looking forward to working with you," she replied, regaining her composure.
"Likewise," George said, gesturing for her to take a seat. "Let's do our best to keep this city safe."
As they began discussing precinct matters, George's mind settled, for now, on the task at hand.
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In the quiet shadow of a New York City alley, reality itself shimmered and twisted. A star-shaped portal materialized, its edges glowing with radiant energy. From within the swirling light stepped a woman of Asian descent, her sharp eyes scanning the dim surroundings with practiced precision.
The portal closed behind her as quickly as it had appeared, leaving no trace of its existence. The woman adjusted her jacket, taking a moment to observe her new environment.
"Well," she muttered to herself, a sly grin forming on her lips, "let's see which universe I've landed in this time."
She stepped out of the alley and onto the bustling street. Cars honked, people rushed by, and the towering skyline of New York greeted her.
As she walked, her eyes caught glimpses of news screens displayed on storefronts. Headlines flashed: "Spider-Man and Ghost Spider: Heroes or Menaces?" and "Lizard Monster Neutralized by Masked Vigilantes."
"Spider-Man?" she said under her breath, "weird name... But who am I to judge." She shrugged and began to walk, blending into the crowd.
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(A/N: Any idea who she is?
Add some suggestions for harem guys.)