Chapter 8: The spider meets a daring devil
As I was traveling towards Hell's Kitchen. I decided to have a bit of fun, so I used my spiders to travel above the streets. This had quickly let me to realize one thing. People rarely ever look up. No seriously I passed above something like 100 people, and none of them saw me.
Admittedly not many people would expect a spider monster to swing around above them… at least not before Spider-Man's rogue gallery starts making their entrance. Oh well the less vigilant people are the easier it will be for me to travel.
I did however have another goal in traveling around the rooftops. I was hoping to find a pigeon, or any kind of bird for that matter…That's right I would like my flying spider please. But in my eagerness I had overlooked a small problem. Most birds tend to hide during the night. So yeah, I didn't exactly have a lot of success.
When I got to Hell's Kitchen I made my spiders spread out to look for a gang. They did a little salute before spreading out in all directions.
A couple of minutes after my spiders returned. That was faster than I thought they would be.
"Report my lovely minions" I stated with a raised eyebrow
They did a little bow and then they started spinning tapestries of different places. I had expected one or two places at most. But as I was looking at the bundle of tapestries, I couldn't help but think one thing. This city has a serious crime problem…
"Are all these places criminal hideouts?" I asked in a half disbelieving tone.
My spiders bobbed up and down in enthusiasm to show that, yes these places were indeed full of criminal scum. They were also practically radiating a want to be acknowledged.
Oh well, better praise the spiders, before they start sending me puppy dog eyes.
"An excellent job my minions our victory shall be great" I said in a theatrical tone.
At my praise, the spiders started jumping up and down in cheers.
"Haha" I grinned a bit at my spiders antics.
Then I went back to studying the tapestries to find the best target. After studying the tapestries a bit longer, and feeling like a historian, I finally found my target. It was a warehouse located close towards the docks. According to my spiders it was owned by the Russian mafia. It contained a lot of weapons, and it is likely linked to some kind of illegal smuggling operation. And most importantly it was owned by the Russian mafia so, I wasn't going to feel bad for raiding it.
With my target found I had my spiders combine into a giant spider. For those who would say this was a bad idea, they are absolutely right. However, have you ever ridden on a giant spider? No, that's what I thought. Then you obviously have no idea how much fun it can be. Feeling the wind blowing through your hair, while practically flying over the rooftops on a nice soft and stable seat. Besides considering all the mental stress I had been under recently I needed to let go a little. I was also not the only one, who enjoyed the ride, if the feeling of joy and amusement I got from my spider was any indication.
As I neared the warehouse I had my spider split back into small spiders again. I positioned myself on a house that was slightly higher than the warehouse.
I looked down at the warehouse, it was a fairly normal warehouse. Except for the fact that it had two suspicious looking people standing in front of it. I was nearly 100% sure that they were both armed. I could also see some armed guards periodically moving by the sides of the warehouse.
As I looked at the sides of the warehouse, I got an idea. Why don't I make the scavengers burrow tunnels into the warehouse? Then I can make them produce noise inside to lure the guards in, and have my spiders ambush them from above.
I first send in a group of spiders to determine where we should create our entrance point. Then I had another group of spiders create silk bags, to transport the items.
When the first group returned with the desired information. I sent them back again, to ready the ambush. I also had a small group stay with me. This group would hold onto the strings of the ambushing group, so that I could easily take the strings, when the target had been ambushed.
As I signaled for the scavengers to dig the tunnels, they immediately started digging, and it didn't take long before they were inside.
Then I asked the group of spiders with the silk bags, to ready themselves in front of the tunnels.
I made the scavengers destroy any lamps within the warehouse. This was to make it harder for the guards to discover the ambushing spiders.
As noises were coming from the warehouse, the guards looked at each other. They seemed somewhat nervous, and gestured for each other to enter first.
Finally one guy had enough and decided to enter. As he opened the door, only the pitch black of the warehouse revealed itself to him. He pulled out a gun and entered while looking around, like he was expecting to be jumped at any corner. He moved along the sides of the warehouse, presumably trying to find a light switch.
"Aaaaaa" suddenly he let out a loud scream, as my spiders landed on him, and attached their strings.
The corresponding spider gave me the strings. I twirled my hand with the now attached strings, causing him to spread out his limbs and fall to the floor with a pained scream.
This subsequently made the rest of the guards rush into the warehouse, with their guns drawn.
They quickly found their fallen comrade, and looked down at him. While they were looking down, the rest of my spiders landed on them. They quickly attached the strings and scattered.
As my spiders gave me the strings, I decided to do something a little more fun this time. I was going to make them dance, but…
"AAAAAAAA" they let out tortured screams, as their bodies were forced into positions, they were not trained to do. As one might expect this had damaged their ligaments.
"oops…" I said in a wincing tone.
I could see my spiders giving me a deadpan stare.
"Hey, it seemed like a good idea in my head…" I said in an effort to defend my stupidity.
My spiders just kept staring at me, like they were saying 'really' in a flat tone.
"Oh well worth a try" I said.
My spiders just shook their bodies, like they were conveying 'what am I going to do with you' in that special way that only parents, teachers and older siblings can.
After feeling a bit like a child being scolded, I made the gangsters drop their guns.
Then I sent in the spiders with the silk bags to clean out the house. They took everything including some stuff that had been bolted down. They even looted the gangsters for money.
As all my spiders came back to me with the loot, I had them secured it onto the scavengers.
After they were done I looked down at my spiders, and smiled with an evil grin.
"Great job my cute little minions, now we have all we need for our dastardly evil plans!" I said in a theatrical tone.
"Smack" something hit me on the back of my head.
"I'm gonna have to put a stop to those dastardly plans of yours" I heard a somewhat amused sounding man's voice speak from somewhere behind me.
I turned around and glared behind me. I saw a man wearing a red leather costume. He held a billy club, and had small horns on his masked head. I was sure, I had seen him somewhere before, but what was his name again? Devil something, devil boy? no, that can't be right. Red devil? no it was something with a D… ah now I remember. It was Daredevil, that was what he was called.
"Well look who has landed in my web, if it isn't Daredevil himself" I said in a slightly annoyed tone. I spread out my arms and mentally compelled my spiders to surround the rooftop. At the same time I sent a contingent of spiders down to grab some of the gangsters. I also compelled the scavengers to return home with the loot.
"Oh I didn't know I was popular on the web" he quipped.
I simply waved my hand and made my spiders jump at him. However he was somehow able to dodge and deflect them, without even looking at them.
Then he quickly charged at me, so I swung my arm in an attempt to knock him back. But he dodged under my strike, and used my momentum to fling me over his shoulder. I attempted to strike him again, but he simply twisted my arm, and smacked me in the stomach with his club. I made a spider like limb shoot up from my back in an attempt to strike him. But he quickly jumped back and avoided my attack.
While his strikes didn't actually hurt all that much, it annoyed me to no end, that I seemingly couldn't hit him. I could feel how my spiders were directing feelings of anger towards him, making me angrier as well. I was sure if this fight kept going for much longer, I wouldn't be able to restrain myself.
It was at that moment I felt my contingent of spiders return with the screaming gangsters. I quickly got back on my feet and jumped backwards over to them, avoiding a swing of the billy club in the process.
They quickly handed me over the strings to my unwilling puppets. As the strings attached them self to my fingers, I did a quick gesture and had my puppets stand.
"AAAAAA" they let out a scream, as I forced them to move at speeds, no human should be able to.
Daredevil looked shocked at the cruelty, I was displaying, and I am almost certain I heard him curse under his breath.
But in my anger, I didn't care about the gangsters well-being at all. So I had them perform fast and wild attacks, which the human body was in no way built to handle.
While Daredevil was undoubtably the better fighter, my puppets reckless attacks were still able to score a few hits. As my puppets were engaging him in fisticuffs, my spiders were attempting to put strings on Daredevil. This caused him to be on the back foot, and gave him no opportunity to engage me in battle directly.
I noticed how he was able to defend himself from attacks directed at his blind spots. So that begs the question, how did he predict these attacks?
However as Daredevil was slowly getting overwhelmed, he managed to get an opening to send his club at me.
Not wanting to get hit yet again, I swung my arm wildly to deflect it. This sadly had the unintended effect of sending one of my puppets, careening straight into the other one. As they slammed into each other, their strings got entangled.
Daredevil didn't miss this chance and came charging at me.
That was when I remembered an interesting fact, Daredevil had super senses. This gave me an evil idea.
I quickly discarded my entangled puppet strings.
As he got near me, I slammed my hands together with all the strength and speed, I could muster.
"BOOOOM" My hands broke the sound barrier, and slammed together, right next to his ears. It created a powerful shockwave that broke every single window in the vicinity. At the same time I swung my spider leg, and sent Daredevil flying across the rooftop. He slammed into the railing on the other side of the roof, and opened his mouth.
I assumed he was screaming, but all I could hear was this really loud ringing.
"This was a terrible plan" I screamed, as I felt blood trickling down my ears. I could feel agreement tinged with concern for my injuries, coming from my spiders.
I wanted to reassure them, but as I tried to move, I stumbled to the ground. My balance was clearly affected by my little stunt from earlier.
I had to sprout spider legs to support myself in order to stand. And even then my head was spinning, and my ears were ringing.
Slowly the ringing let up and my balance returned. I could feel how my spiders climbed on to me, in an effort to give me comfort.
"Don't worry I'm fine now" I said.
But as I looked over the devastation, I had caused, I felt terrible. I looked at the twitching bodies of the gangsters, and the unconscious form of Daredevil.
Why the hell did I have to go that far?! I screamed internally.
"I am such an idiot" I muttered to myself.
That was when I got a whiff of something that smelled absolutely divine. It made my mouth salivate. I could feel how I was slowly losing control of myself. I wanted to eat whatever gave off this smell, consequences be damned.
At the same time I felt something in the back of my mind screaming at me.
My body stretched its arm towards the delicious piece of 'meat'. At the same time the screaming intensified.
"Growl" my stomach responded to the heavenly smell with waves of hunger.
But the screaming didn't stop. Why? I want to eat it. So why is my head so against it?
Then I realized what gave off the smell, and instantly felt dread.
It wasn't a question of what, but rather who. Yep, I was salivating over the beaten and blooded bodies of the gangsters.
Maybe I could just take a little bite? No one would mind right? I moved closer to the bodies.
"Crash" I slammed my head into the roof in an attempt to regain some sort of self control. Long spiderweb like cracks formed around my head, that I had embedded into the roof.
"Raggggggggg" I screamed in frustration. This gave me a moment of clarity, but I was under no illusion, that I would be able to control myself for long. So I quickly jumped back and started bolting towards my home.
"This isn't fair! Why me?! Whhhhyyyy?" I screamed with tears dripping down my cheeks, as I jumped across rooftops.
When I got to my home I quickly entered and collapsed to the floor. I curled up into a ball and cried.
As I was laying there on the floor, crying like a mess. I could feel all my spiders, including the scavengers crawl around me. They created a sort of spherical formation around me, to shield me and bring me comfort.
Then I felt them gently stroking my back. But I wasn't ready to get up yet, so I just kept laying there with the spiders gently comforting me.
"Sniff, sniff, thank you all" I said in a shaky voice.
I'm not sure how long I was laying on the floor. But when I finally got up, my spiders followed me, like a living safety blanket. I might be in a shitty situation, in an unfamiliar world. But at least I have friends.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone