Year: 2016

Dimension: E-616

Reality: Abnormal//Query?Normal?... Status Unknown

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You rested your head on the window of the yellow school bus. The glass pane shivering against you temple as you watch the city scape scenery rush by in a blur of colours. The seat next to you is only occupied by your backpack which sags with every speed bump and pot hole. You caressed your sore hand which was starting to turn a shade of greeny purple, a bright splash of colouring against the bleakness of the bus. The other teenagers voices were loud and boastful, filled with excitement of some kind. It was practically a day off school, what student would not want to do that. The passer-by's, the sketchy alley ways, the bumper to bumper traffic. It all screamed New York, it's like it was entrapping its residents and livelihood, except no one wanted to escape...not really...not you at least. New York was your home, where you had grown up, where you had lost but you couldn't imagine being anywhere else in the world. All the opportunity it had to offer in its warm and hectic heart.

Your gaze shifts to the black seat opposite you, where two young boys laugh at what you presumed to be an inside joke. Peter and Harry, the inseparable duo. You sighed, looking away from them and reaching down into your bag pulling a notebook and pen from its depths. Tearing your resting head away from the window you skim over the pages as you flip to the newest page. You fold the empty page behind the book and rest it on your knees. Starring at the equation that you had written down for fun yesterday evening, you find yourself distracted by the kicking of your seat. You glare back at your classmates, but they take no notice of your ever-growing annoyance. Exasperated, you move your back away from the seat and lean forward and focus your attention back on the chemistry equation. You think for a minute, the end of the pen pushing into your cheek in thought before moving it across the paper to form letters and numbers. You smile small with triumph and move onto the next one but before you know it, you had arrived at Oscorp. You gawk up at the tall building which stood amongst other skyscrapers much like itself. You had never been this up close and personal with it, but the thought of what scientific knowledge it held thrilled you.

The teacher strolled down the isle of the bus holding her clipboard, calling out and ticking off the names of fellow students.

"Gwen?" She looked up from her paper and smiled down at the teen before moving to the next. Mrs. Jones had to be your favourite teacher out of them all. Most of the teachers you had were so mediocre or boring, but Mrs. Jones had a spark which made science classes more fun that you ever thought they could be. She never held you down, never restricted your knowledge. Your curious nature often got the better of you and if you wanted to know something she would always happily answer. She was the one to encourage you to participate in class activities and would even set you extra homework. You had always been good at the sciences, but it was Mrs. Jones that had truly inspired you, she saw potential in you and she saw it as her duty to make sure you as her student pursued it.

"Good morning (Y/N)." She greeted you as her tender hand lay on the top of the seat in front of you.

"Morning Mrs. Jones."

"I see you set yourself some homework?" She looked down at your notepad which now was scrawled with black pen marks somehow forming sensical answers.

"Nerd!" A familiar voice retorted with a snorty laugh. Flash Thompson's friends laughing along with him.

"Quiet Flash!" Mrs. Jones warned sternly. Flash and the others quickly shut up, but their murmurs still continued through the noise of the bus and passing traffic. She shook her head and continued down the aisle. "Peter?" She lowered her head. "Check. Harry? Check..."

Once everyone had been marked off you crammed your notebook in your bag and slung it over one shoulder. Your bag grazed against the seats as you stood impatiently in line to get off. But once you had departed, the bus' engine sputtered and hissed as it pulled away from the curb where it would return to hours later to pick you up. You stood before the tall concrete and glass building where the letters of the name hung down its side, way up in the sky. Their purple neon colour reflecting off of the neighbouring buildings. 'Oscorp'. You looked down as a tour guide met your school group at the front door where sat large and magnificent glass doors that shone in the daylight.

You followed blindly along with the others as you entered the structure, the gentle breeze from outside now gone along with the whirring of the daily traffic.

"Woah..." You uttered in amazement at the fancy reception. Silver modern chandeliers hung from the high ceiling illuminating the interior. Dark wooden seats mixed with metal and plastic ones all bound with rich black leather cushions. Green and vibrant hanging vines dangled over the inbuilt waterfall that produced a pleasant and relaxing splashing hum. The shining white marble top of the reception desk came closer into view as the group approached it. Without notice, Peter strolled up to your side. "People at Oscorp have it good, don't they?" You turned expecting to be talking to yourself but rather seeing Peter Parker standing right next to you.

"It it's pretty nice here isn't it." Peter agreed with you.

"I umm...I wasn't talking to myself." You whispered under your breath.

"What was that?"

"Huh? Nothing. So, what do you think we'll see today?" You asked hurriedly trying to change the subject to low level small talk. Peter shrugged adjusting his glasses, combing a hand though his brown hair, his eyes glowing in the harsh light from above.

"Not too sure." You lifted an eyebrow and looked past him phasing out of the current conversation.

"Where's Harry?"

"Oh, he's going to visit his dad while we're here. He's usually pretty busy so Harry doesn't get to spend much time with him."

"Oh, ok." Silence fell between the two of you as your footsteps echoed throughout the reception, you advanced to the desk where Mrs. Jones started handing out visitor lanyards. You slipped it over your head and let it rest around your neck, the tag facing the wrong way only to be fixed by you flipping it, so it faced to whom it may possibly grab the attention of.

As the day progressed you kept marvelling with wide eyes at the new unseen technologies that you could only dream of getting your hands on. Tired yawns and drowsy eyes drooped of the other teenagers...all except you and Peter. Your hands pressed to the glass, your faces close enough that condensation formed on the glass cases of the technological exhibits. Oscorp Industries – altering the future, from the cell to the superstructure...They surely did live up to their motto. The home to experimental science, military research and cross-species genetics. Oscorp had had its share of publicity though, reporters questioning their experiments and what they stood for  threatening the integrity and legitimacy of the company. Allegations always to be shot down quickly by Norman Osborn. But that's not what you cared about, you didn't think much for the politics behind it. What really intrigued you was the wonderous inventions that came from it.

"Peter look!" You exclaimed to him as you pointed at what sat behind the glass.

"Woah it's some kind of neural link..." Peter bent down and starred at the technology with a curious glimmer in his eye.

"Looks like it uses Electroencephalography. Takes electrical signals from the brain and converts them into electrical signals that can be understood by our technology to date. Maybe used on some sort of heads up display." You looked away from the glass, your reflection shimmering in the crystal. Peter too tore his gaze and stared at you with a goofy smile. "What?" You chuckled ginning to yourself.

"You're really smart..." He murmured.

"Shut up." You expressed your amusement, although your cheeks dusting a light shade of red-ish pink. You stretched your arms above your head and watched him closely. "Anyways, it wasn't me. Said it on the exhibit." You truthfully told him, though only partially. Truth was, you hadn't even read the sign, but you didn't want him to feel bad. You didn't want to seem to be this all-knowing knowledgeable force that intimidated his innocent intelligence. Yes, you were smart. But were you ever going to straight up admit it? Probably not.

The two of you began to wander away from the display and catch up with your class who had all grouped up around what appeared to be a tesla coil. Not new technology, certainly not theirs, but interesting enough to capture your attention. You stood on your tippy toes trying to get a better look, your neck straining and your balance wavering.

Unknown to you and out of sight, a string of silk was being weaved from above. The black body contrasting to the white numbers on its abdomen, its legs dancing in elegant motions as it came closer and closer to the group of teenagers below. Its spinning body swaying gently in the air-conditioned hall. Eyes seemingly glowing as if it was choosing its target. The escaped experimental irradiated spider dropped from its string of fine web onto the shoulder of an unsuspecting teenage boy. Its legs moving in fluid motions until it reached his pale skin. It raised itself and dug its fangs into him, the venom spreading throughout his blood stream, bonding with his DNA. Forever changing Peter Parker. Soon to be known Spider-Man.

"Ouch!" Peter yelled as he slapped a hand to the back of his neck instantly killing the spider. Your head turned to look at him, a wave of concern overcoming you.

"Everything alright Peter?" He looked down at his hand only to see nothing, he closed it tightly into a fist.

"Yeah...yeah." He shook his head, rubbing the back of his now tender and stinging neck. He winced as he grazed his hand over it. You fell from your extended toes and back on your feet.

"You sure?" You narrowed your eyes, your eyebrows furrowing down with them.

"Mmhm." He nodded slowly not wanting to make a scene. You sighed tenderly, looking away from him but not yet fully convinced about his condition. But Peter wasn't the only one who would be bringing home some element of experimental science from the field trip. The spider that bit Peter and infected him with its venom wasn't alone. The two of you stood at the real back of the group, away from the heart of the commotion. Though soon the group would move onto the next attraction. As they began to stroll away Peter looked back to see the dead spider curled up in a ball, his eyes widening as thoughts rushed through his mind. But there was something else that he did not spot.

Its legs crawled with speed across the shiny marble floor, chasing after the echoing footsteps. It scuttled past its dead friend and pursued the teenagers. Two glass containment tanks had been accidentally smashed deep within the beating heart of Oscorp's experimental laboratories. The spiders unearthing and exploring the ventilation system of the building only to find two unsuspecting adolescents to become their victims. A blessing in disguise or an undesirable start to the war that would invite new villains of all shapes and sizes that would terrorise New York.

The larger than the usual black spider gripped onto your leg. You reached down without looking to scratch at the new tickling sensation, you followed it up the back of your leg until it suddenly disappeared. You shrugged off the feeling and continued following the others, chatting quietly to Peter beside you. The spider nestled itself in-between your blazer and school shirt, not to be found till later. A worry for another day.

The one thing that would send any plan for your future out of the window. Would throw you sideways, give you bruises, bumps and broken bones. New quarrels with things that you never knew could ever exist. Something that would change your timeline...forever.