AlienWarlord
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C399 Spider-Man
🕑 Added 2023-07-07 04:00:34 +0000 UTCTom could barely catch his breath as he lay sprawled out in the center of the rooftop, drenched in sweat. Every muscle in his body ached, and he could feel the soreness settling in already. He gasped for air, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
Suddenly, the door to the roof opened and Aunt May appeared, rushing over to her nephew's side as soon as she saw him, concern etched on her face. "What happened? Are you okay?"
Tom managed a weak smile, his voice strained. "I'm... fine, May. Just... training with Peter."
May's eyes darted to Peter, her expression a mix of worry and accusation. "What have you been doing to him? He looks exhausted!"
Peter stood up, stashing away his phone. He ran a hand through his hair and approached May with a reassuring smile. "He wanted to get stronger, so I offered to help him. Sorry, but I don’t tend to go easy on my students."
May's gaze softened slightly, but worry still lingered in her eyes. "But does the training have to be so intense? He looks like he ran a hundred marathons in a single day."
Peter's shook his head. "You forget that we could easily run a hundred marathons. Our powers make it hard to gain strength through exercise. We can't just take a trip to the local gym four times a week. Tom needs extremely harsh training to see any real results."
May's worry transformed into understanding, and she sighed, nodding reluctantly. "I suppose you have a point. Just promise me you'll be careful with him..."
Peter nodded his head. "I promise. I won't push him farther than he can handle."
As if on cue, Lily, Peter's cute little A.I. daughter, rushed up to the rooftop, her face bright with excitement. "Dad, breakfast is ready! We made pancakes!"
Peter's attention shifted to Lily, a warm smile forming on his face. "Thanks, sweetie. We'll be right down." He then turned his attention back to Tom. "Come on, buddy. You've earned a well-deserved breakfast."
“Breakfast?!” Tom's eyes widened at the mention of food, and he mustered the energy to sit up. "I could eat a horse right now."
Peter chuckled and reached out a hand to help Tom to his feet. "Well, we'll have to settle for pancakes. But first, let me clean you up."
With a quick flick of his fingers, Peter cast a spell, and instantly Tom's entire body, including his sweat-soaked clothes, was clean and dry. Smelling like fresh lavender, he looked down at himself in surprise before giving Peter a grateful nod.
Together, they made their way back to the apartment, where Tobey and Andrew were waiting at the dining table, a spread of delicious breakfast foods laid out before them. The aroma filled the air, making Tom's stomach growl in anticipation.
Aunt May followed close behind, her gaze shifting to Tom. "Dig in. You’ll need the food to recover."
Tom didn’t need to be told twice, and rushed to his seat, filling his plate with anything that caught his eye. “Shanks fo da foot (Thanks for the food)” He said as he stuffed an entire breakfast sausage into his mouth.
Peter clapped Tom on the shoulder and took a seat beside Lily. "Yup, eat and relax as much as you can, because after breakfast we’ll return to your torture... Ahem... I mean, training."
Ignoring the looks everyone gave him, Peter ate the food that Lily excitedly stacked on his plate. She seemed eager to show him the dishes she made with May’s supervision.
Of course, she didn’t need any oversight, but her grandmothers counterpart was very nervous with her in the kitchen, especially when Lily started chopping up vegetables with a large chefs knife, and working over a fire filled stove.
With everyone seated, they began to enjoy the meal, savoring the taste of fluffy pancakes, crispy bacon, and freshly squeezed orange juice. Tom, in particular, attacked his plate with a voracious appetite, his hunger amplified by the intense training.
As they ate, suddenly, an emergency news broadcast played on the TV in the background, catching their attention. The screen showed footage of a giant sand monster flipping cars in a chaotic parking lot, while frightened pedestrians scattered in every direction.
The monster's booming voice echoed through the speakers. "Spider-Man! Get over here now! I know this is your fault! I need to get back home! I have a daughter to take care of!" He shouted his complaints.
Tobey’s eyes flashed with recognition. “That’s Flint Marko, a crook who gained the ability to control and morph into sand after falling into a supercollider. He should be from my universe...” He explained.
Peter's eyes narrowed as he stood up abruptly. "Looks like we've got some trouble to deal with. And since It's just one guy, we'll handle it. Tom, this is also a part of your training, so no complaining."
Tom groaned, half-heartedly stuffing another piece of pancake into his mouth. "Seriously? Can't I at least finish breakfast first?"
Peter chuckled, grabbing Tom by the back of his shirt and dragging him away from the table. "No time for that now. We'll eat later. Duty calls."
Tom shot a longing look at the remaining food on his plate as Peter dragged him out of the door. "Save me some bacon!" He shouted as everyone, including May and Lily, stole strips of bacon from his plate, leaving not a single crumb behind.
As they rushed out of the apartment, Tobey watched them with a mix of concern and worry in his eyes. He wanted to be the one to stop Sandman since he knew the guy best, but he also didn’t want to get in the way of Tom’s training.
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As Peter and Tom arrived at the chaotic parking lot, they could see the police surrounding the area from a distance, their weapons at the ready. The monstrous sandy figure roared in frustration, his massive arms thrashing around, toppling the surrounding cars.
Peter patted Tom on the shoulder, giving him a reassuring look. "Alright, this is your chance to practice your negotiation and de-escalation skills. Try to calm him down and find a peaceful resolution. Remember, the pinnacle of talk-no-jutsu is turning a life long enemy into a life long friend. It’s time to awaken in your inner Naruto, Dattebayo!"
“Seriously?” Tom stares at Peter in disbelief. “You know that’s just an anime, right?”
Peter ignored his words and pushes him forward. “Good luck!”
Tom took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. Negotiation wasn't exactly his strong suit, but he was determined to make Peter proud. He leaped forward, making his way past the police, who hesitated, their weapons lowered in respect to Spider-Man's presence.
Peter found a flipped car nearby and perched himself on top of it, observing the unfolding situation with keen interest. He would let his new student handle this on his own, but he was ready to intervene if things took a turn for the worse.
Thankfully, he knew that out all of the villains to appear here, Sandman was the least hostile. He had no ulterior motives or evil intentions, his only goal was to return back to his daughter as swiftly as possible.
As Tom approached Sandman, the towering figure turned his attention towards the young Spider-Man. His voice boomed with anger and desperation. "You! Spider-Man! You brought me to this world! I know it!"
Tom raised his hands in a calming gesture, trying to project a sense of peace. "I understand your frustration, but we can't let you cause more harm to innocent people. Let's talk this out. There has to be a way to find a solution..."
Sandman's form shifted, his sandy body crackling with power. "Talk? You think talking will solve anything? I need to find my daughter! She needs me!"
Tom took a step closer, maintaining a calm and empathetic demeanor. "I get it. You're scared and worried about your daughter. But none of this will solve anything."
Sandman growled, his sandy fists clenching. "Yeah, but it’ll certainly feel good, won’t it?"
Tom shook his head, his voice filled with empathy. "I understand how much you miss her, but hurting people won't solve anything. We’re already working on a solution. Just calm down and come with me, okay?"
Before Sandman could respond, his frustration got the better of him. He swung a massive sandy hand at Tom, swatting him across the parking lot with incredible force. Tom crashed into several parked cars, his body tumbling and rolling.
Peter craned his head and shot out a few webs, cushioning Tom's fall. "Remember! Embrace your inner Uzumaki, Dartebayo!" he shouted in mock encouragement.
Tom groaned, rubbing his aching ribs. "Y-Yeah, I get that..." He winced, trying to push through the pain. "I guess my talk-no-jutsu needs some work."
Peter nodded sagely, offering verbal support. "Well, even Naruto needed some fighting scenes to get his point across. Now go, my young Genin. Show everyone why you’ll become the hokage one day..."
Tom rolled his eyes, a small smile creeping its way onto his face. “Sure thing, Sensei.”
They turned their attention back to Sandman, who was now seething with anger. The police hesitated, unsure of how to proceed, as they watched Spider-Man get pimp slapped like that, wondering whether they should open fire or not.
Tom nodded to himself, his determination reigniting. He stepped up, catching his breath and preparing for the next round. This time, he was ready to not only negotiate but also kick some sandy a*s.
A/N: 1611 words :)
