"This is the worst!" MJ groaned next to me as we stood in the elevator waiting to meet up with the rest of our group to go to the four-hour opera. Well, they were going to the opera, I was ditching to fight a giant lava monster.
We were forced to wear our emergency formal outfits for the event which made MJ more grumpy than usual. Her hair was still in its usual ponytail but instead of her casual shirt and ripped jeans she wore a rather pretty floral dress with her clunky ankle boots.
Even after the charity banquet, I so stubbornly refused to buy a formal dress and opted for one of my work outfits. I wore my hair in two buns and decided on packing and wearing a pair of black pants, my favorite pair of black heels, and a cream-colored button-up with a dark blue jacket that perfectly hid the corrupted vein-like lines beginning to grow up my neck.
I've been getting sicker and sicker. In the back of my mind, I know this is stupid to go fight in a battle that I'm not prepared for or strong enough to do. But you only live once right?
Well, twice in my case.
"Honestly. This is going to be mind-numbing," I agreed, sighing dramatically. Finally, the elevator doors slid open revealing our class huddled together looking dead inside on the other side of the room.
My eyes scanned the group of teenagers and realized no other girl wore pants. Cue illogical anxiety and self-consciousness.
That was until I saw Peter and all my thoughts instantly turned to mush.
He wore a basic suit, a white button-up, black slacks, and a jacket that was buttoned at the middle. His hair was slicked back but not in the stupid way he did it back in freshman year with an obscene amount of grease but in a way where he actually knew what he was doing with the hair gel.
Warning: Systems overheating. Please cool down.
I sucked in a breath as we locked eyes with each other and his ears instantly turned pink.
"You look...beautiful," Peter breathed out, staring at me before blinking out of his daze making me laugh quietly.
"You look beautiful too," I replied, smiling and eyed his slightly wrinkled suit. "Shame we don't get to stay. I could get really used to you in a suit, especially one that doesn't hide your face," I whispered quietly and winked as I adjusted his jacket before following our class out the door being lead by Mr. Harrison through the bustling street.
"Are you sure you can do this?" Peter whispered as we followed our teacher through the crowds and looked down at me with concern. "You've been getting...sicker," he finished making me touch my chest where my corrupted system is, the thing that was slowly killing me.
"I'll be fine. And if it all goes to shit I have you to protect me," I reassured, giving him a confident smile and his face softened at the gesture.
"I bet now you're all happy I had you pack a nice outfit," Mr. Harrison pointed out proudly as we all slumped through the bustling streets to our hell- I mean Opera house.
"Yeah, because we'd much rather go to a four-hour opera instead of the biggest party in the world," Flash complained bitterly.
"Again, don't look at me," Mr. Dell repeated in defense.
"Parker, Stark, do you copy? Comm check, one, two," Hills voice rang through the comm installed in my ear.
"Got it," I muttered in confirmation and Peter did the same, trying not to be heard by our classmates.
"Ok, here we are. Beat the rush," Mr. Harrison announced as we finally entered the large auditorium that was nearly empty except for a handful of elderly couples slowly making it towards their seats. The place would be quite impressive if there were only more people filled in the seats and more lively like it was intended.
"Yeah, the rush out," Mr. Dell quipped, looking around at the rather sad setting.
"Lucky for us, we got the best seats in the house. Let's go," Mr. Harrison lead most of the class to their assigned seats.
"Hey, I'll save you a seat," Brad smiled at me and I gave him a polite, strained smile.
"I'm going sit by Peter and MJ but thanks anyway," I answered stiffly causing his confident smile to fall.
"Oh...okay," he trailed off awkwardly before walking dejectedly to the rest of the group.
"Watching him try used to be hilarious but now it's just too sad even for me," MJ mused next to me as she watched Brad sit down in the front row.
"Dude," I scorned, giving her a look at her lack of empathy and her non-helpfulness.
"What? It was my only entertainment this entire trip! Peter understands," she argued gesturing to an offended-looking Peter.
"Dude," Peter repeated with disappointment, raising his hands out in indignity.
"Oh come on, you have to admit it's a little funny he tries so hard and his desperation for a girlfriend," MJ snickered as I shook my head at her in annoyance.
"Not when it's you in that situation, it's only funny when it's other people who have to deal with it," I grumbled irritably, crossing my arms as I pouted.
"Oh come on, it's not a little funny?" She continued to tease us.
"Are you in position?" I heard Nicholas ask at the same time through my comm.
"No," I hissed sharply, directed at Nicholas's question but MJ assumed it was towards her.
"Oh, uh, sorry I didn't mean to make you mad," MJ apologized, taken aback at my harsh reply.
"Why the hell not, Stark?" Fury demanded in my ear making me even more annoyed.
"No, sorry that wasn't...supposed to come out like that," I backtracked, widening my eyes at her sudden timidness as my mind raced for a plan. "Sorry, I'm not feeling too well. I feel like I'm going to throw up," I lied, putting on a pained voice and gripping my side making her widen her eyes.
"Oh god, are you okay?"
"No, I think Peter," I paused, giving him a look and he finally got the message. He wrapped an arm around my waist in support as I leaned over weakly, acting as I could barely stand. "Should probably help me to the restroom but we'll be right back. Save us a seat and tell Harrison we'll be back, okay?" I instructed and she nodded before walking to the rest of the group, shooting us a worried look every few seconds.
"Stark?" Nicholas called out loudly through the comm right into my ear.
"We're coming," Peter spoke up as we started to rush out of that dreaded place as fast as we could after making sure no one was watching us but was stopped but Ned.
"Hey, we got to go," Peter rushed out quietly so Betty wouldn't hear us.
"Ok. Be careful. And whatever you do, please steer the monster away from the opera house," Ned directed, saying the obvious.
"Oh, we were actually going to direct the thing towards the opera house for fun-sies," I snarked back with a straight face.
"Please don't," Ned begged, not catching the sarcasm in my voice.
"Yeah, Ned, we know," Peter reassured.
"Ok."
"Ok?"
"Yeah."
"Gotta go," Peter scurried away as I followed him, rolling my eyes at the precious seconds we wasted with that nerdy conversation.
"Parker! Stark! You better be on your way!"
"We're coming! Gods, stop yelling!" I whispered-yelled into my mic as we ran to the exit.
"Alright. I'm in position," I heard Spidey assure through the comm and looked up to see a small black figure on top of the tower.
"So am I," I reasserted on top of the old chapel, looking down on the busy streets below. I felt almost sick seeing the number of civilians in the area, not knowing they were on a future battleground.
"As soon as I see something, Beck, I'll, I'll let you know," Spidey promised.
"Roger that," Beck responded through the comm.
"How's the suit?" Oh no, Peter please don't answer that like you usually do-
"The suit's great. It's awesome. It's a little tight around the ol' web-shooter-" I choked on air and held back my laughter, feeling my face heat up at his idiocy.
"Parker!"
"Ok, I'll shut up," Peter muttered making me shake my head at him.
"Please do," I said as I watched out for any seismic activity or fire. I scanned the ground for a moment before I spotted smoke emitting from the pavement.
"I got eyes on smoke coming straight from the ground," I warned, drawing a force field from mid-air in preparation.
"Energy spiking," Nicholas told us from the comms.
"We have seismic activity," Hill added just as lava began spilling from the ground and slowly started forming. I hopped out from my spying spot and flew towards the crowd of people, shoving them away with my shield from the hot magma bursting from the cement. Screams filled the air as the Elemental busted out from a statue, giving off a loud screech.
"It's here. Beck, you ready? You know what to do," Peter informed quickly but I couldn't wait for this slow old man. The elemental started to punch the cobblestone streets furiously like the ground offended it. It sprayed lava and rubble each time it hit the ground and I shielded the terrorized people from the loose rock and fire.
"Go, you slow morons!" I ordered the terrified people who strayed the crowd who finally shook themselves out of their thoughts and ran as fast as they could. I grunted, pushing the energy field out and shoving the creature away from everyone else. It slammed into a building, creating more destruction in the process but saving lives in the end.
"On your lead, Spider-Man," Beck said through the comms. I saw a figure fly over the streets with an irritating, familiar green fog trailing them. He landed dramatically, drawing up green spell-like energy fields over his hands.
"'Bout time!" I snapped at 'Mysterio' and mimicked him, drawing up my own force fields. Again, pure electricity blasts don't really work on lava monsters.
"You're up, kid," Mysterio said, presumably at Peter and basically ignoring me. I wasn't one to be a brat about being the center of attention but when I get constantly ignored it makes me feel like I'm six again and still living with father which wasn't a very fun feeling.
Spidey swung over the monster and hit him over the head with a build board, distracting it before landing on a nearby building using his sticky powers. It looks cool when you watch him but then you remember he has sticky abilities and you have to choke back your laughter.
Mysterio distracted the Elemental by blasting his mysterious (and unexplained/weird) green power as Peter webbed the top of a fire hydrant near the fight. He broke the hydrant clean off from the ground, making water fly uncontrollably from the ground to the sky. I swiftly drew a curved force field on top of the blasting water mid-air and forced it to shoot directly into the monster's body, weakening it.
And also weakening me.
And also making the monster angrier, which I didn't think was possible.
The Elemental roared in fury, smashing its fist into Spidey but he dodged it skillfully, destroying the side of the building instead. Ruble and boulders littered the streets as fire lit up most of the area but somehow the carousel next to the Ferris Wheel remained intact, the only thing left alive. That was until Spidey landed on it after dodging the giant figure and it tried to punch him again but failed, destroying the carousel instantly and sending him flying.
"Webs!" I exclaimed in horror as his body slammed against the Ferris wheel before turning to glare at the lava creature, feeling my energy be fueled by my emotions and course through my body.
"Oh, you are so dead," I scoffed and slammed another energy field against the Elementals body, shoving it down to the ground. I grunted as he pushed against it before he forced it away from him, roaring furiously. It had absorbed the carousel, making it way stronger and bigger, making my energy fields basically useless. Again, doesn't make any sense since it's lava, not fire but okay, sure.
The Elemental threw me to the side like a tiny rag doll and I flew through the air, hitting the pavement hard. I groaned as my head throbbed even harder than usual and my body cried out for this to just end already. Unfortunately, my body never gets what it wants.
"You okay?" Webs asked with concern, reaching his hand out for me to grab onto making me look at him and realize I had landed right next to him
"Just dandy, you?" I grunted as I pulled my sad self off of the ground with Spideys help and looked at the monster, now double his original size.
"Peachy," he sighed, looking up at the boss-level lava monster.
"Night Monkey! Electrica! Night Monkey, help! Save us!" We heard over the Elementals heavy footsteps as it paced through the street, hitting and destroying random buildings.
"What?" Spidey asked as we both whipped our heads over to the eerily familiar voices to find Ned and Betty yelling from the top of the Ferris Wheel, stick in one of the top carts.
"You've got to be kidding!" I hissed at another problem that appeared on top of the already lengthy list of issues.
"Electrica, we're stuck! Help us! Help, Night Monkey!" Betty continued to scream as Ned awkwardly yelled with her.
Electrica? Real creative, Ned.
I heard the thumps of the Elemental walking come closer to us making me turn my head back to the threat at hand. It stalked over to us with raised hands, ready to bash our bodies into the ground with its fists. I tried to summon enough energy to make a force field but failed, blue electricity sparking and glitching came flying my hand but nothing stable enough to fight the damn thing.
A groan of pain escaped my lips, out of breath and out of power making me just want to pass out and sleep on the ground for a week. My body cried out in pain to stop, begging, pleading at me to stop but I refused to listen. Like always.
Spidey tried his hand on stopping the thing from hitting us, shooting webs from both his shooters on his wrists but caught on fire the moment they touched the lava monster.
The Elemental finally reached us, raising its fists above its head, and was about to smash us to oblivion but Beck ran in front of us and shielded us in a green force field just in the knick of time. The giants' fists crashed down onto the force field making Beck grunt but not waver, saving us from splattering onto the pavement.
"On to Plan B?" Beck asked, turning to us. No, I'm too busy dying to do plan B.
"Yeah, sure," I wheezed, looking up at the not-so-happy lava guy.
"Yeah! We got to hit him with something he can't absorb!"
"Was that not what we have been trying to do?" I demanded in exasperation with a raised eyebrow, still taking in deep breaths to try to breathe through the pain. It didn't do shit but I, the desperate dying girl, lacked basic common sense and kept trying.
"I go left, you go right, and you go up, try to keep it down," Beck advised, gesturing to me at the end making me grumble under my breath even more. "Now!" He signaled, dropping his force field and I immediately flew up before the Elemental could even fully look at me. It looked around, trying to find its next victim and its eyes landed on Peter.
It held out his hands, blasting fire at him as he ran after Spidey who swung up to avoid the slightly burnt carousel roof and swiftly ran up the brick building using his web as a static rope, narrowly avoiding the heat and jumped over the Elementals head to avoid the climbing flames. I forced a large force field out of my hands and pushed the monster and its fire down, feeling the chokehold of artificial death beginning to grip me once again as I pushed myself to the brink.
Spidey grabbed hold of a huge bolder with his webs and chucked it at it with full force, narrowly avoiding the monster's outrage.
"Ok, shoot him!" Spidey called out to Beck as he swung away from the monster's fiery grasp.
The giant roared in fury at me, pushing against my field as Beck blasted it with his weird green energy. It bellowed out, enraged and maybe even in pain as its body took damage from the hits, giving us a little bit of hope in the process that maybe we could actually beat the damn thing.
"That hurt him. Keep it coming," Beck pointed out the obvious as he flew up to blast the thing again. Peter grabbed another boulder and hurled it at the monster's chest again as I held down it down for them, trying my hardest not to just give up and let my peaceful and agonizing death overtake me.
"Spider-Man, keep your distance," Beck warned as Peter narrowly escaped the beast for the seventh time in the last three minutes.
"I'm trying!" He shouted through the roars of the elemental, hastily swinging away from it for the tenth time.
"Try harder!" I snapped, having my tenth artificial heart attack as I watched him try his best not to die a fiery death. And trust me when I say my heart literally couldn't take any more.
"We can't let him get near the Ferris wheel!"
"Ok, I'm on it!" The moment Spidey said that he was flicked by the Elemental and crashed into a food truck parked near the attractions, denting the metal. Yeah, he was not on it.
The Elemental raised its fists and hit the ground creating a large ground fissure to form all the way to the Ferris wheel making it tilt and screams of terror to erupt from Ned and Betty. Fire exploded from the end of the crack and lava could be seen from only a few feet inside of it making Ned and Betty scream even more. The monster took notice of them, raising its head, and started to walk over to them but I managed a force field out and blocked the things hand from grabbing them. It growled and looked over at me but as he was distracted Beck blasted it with his power making it back up from the Ferris wheel.
I could see Peter running towards the fight in my peripheral vision and shot a web at the Ferris wheel to fly closer to fight but got caught on something in the sky. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion as the mysterious object hurled towards me but I easily avoided it making it go flying to an alleyway instead. What the hell?
"What?" I heard Spidey say through the comms, letting me know that I wasn't crazy and he saw it too.
I was soon pulled out of my confused state by the roar of the Elemental, still trying to get the Ferris wheel. I slammed my field right on top of its head, pushing it down to the ground where it belonged as Spidey webbed up and fixed the Ferris wheel to keep it from falling and splattering Ned and Betty on the ground. Beck continued to hit the monster with his weird power, both of us working together to stop the Elemental from winning. I still didn't like the guy, something in my head telling me not to trust him but thanks to the constant static and pain in my artificial brain I couldn't hear those thoughts.
Beck summoned more power from the air and shot the Elemental with a more powerful ray of pure...well power, making the monster fall back and press against a building behind it, trying to get away from the beam. My eyes widened, feeling an inkling of hope start in me that maybe we were actually going to win this and I could go back to my vacation in peace.
"That's it! Nice! Nice! You got him!" Spidey cheered from the Ferris wheel and I had to smile a little under my mask as I continued to help push the monster back. That was until it crashed into the building and fell underneath the tall structure of metal beams. Oh...shit.
"Oh...shit," I muttered as I watched the Elemental start to get even bigger, growing stronger until it doubled in size again. And it looked pissed.
"No, no, no..." Beck groaned from the comms and blasted desperate hits at the giant angry monster but they didn't seem to do anything. The Ferris wheel tilted as Spidey tried to concentrate on that and the Elemental let out a deafening roar, already knowing that it was going to be the victor in this battle.
"It's too late," I heard Hill say through the comms and looked down to see Nicholas and her on the ground next to a S.H.I.E.L.D car, finally getting here in time to watch the world die. My eyes widened as my cheats heaved with every ragged breath I took, the sinking feeling of defeat set in as my body began to give up.
"Whatever happens..." Beck trailed off, his helmet sliding off his head on its own as he turned towards Spidey quite theatrically. "I'm glad we met," he finished before he turned back to the monster, again quite dramatically.
"Beck, what are you doing?" Spidey demanded and I would have to if not for my body not having enough energy to speak properly. What was he doing?
"What I should have done last time," Beck answered vaguely as his helmet slid back on, again, all of this was very dramatic. Suddenly, Beck started to seemingly absorb green energy from around him, like the air fed him his powers making him cry out in pain. What the actual fu-
"Beck, don't do it!" Webs pleaded, realizing what he was planning on doing. He was going to sacrifice himself. How and why I didn't know.
When he finally absorbed all the power around him, he got into a fighting position and punched, yes punch, through the chest of the monster creating a gaping hole in the middle of its body. The hole seemed to affect the creature like a virus because soon its body was being swallowed by the green energy around the hole. The Elemental hollered out in pain as its body was being enveloped in energy, falling down as it reached out for help before becoming completely green and imploding into dust. And yes, it was just as crazy and unbelievable as I say it was.
I looked around the remnants of the street, my eyes landing on the body of Mysterio laying limp in the middle of the cobblestone ground. I felt my body subconsciously put me down from the air as I was frozen in shock, or physical pain, unlike Spidey who ran to Beck's side.
"Mr. Beck?" Webs called out as he finally got to his side, crouching down and moving his body to face upwards hesitantly, not knowing if he was dead or alive. As if on cue, Beck painfully looked up at him, gasping for air but still alive
"Oh, thank god," Spidey sighed in relief. Beck lifted a hand and he pulled him up with a grunt. I limped over to them, breathing deeply to push through the pain and blurring vision, feeling my body break down even more.
"Hailey?" Peter turned to me, noticing my disheveled appearance, and let go of Beck's hand, walking hesitantly over to me. "Hailey?" He called again a little louder but I could barely hear him even a few feet away.
"Peter?" I breathed out quietly before my legs completely gave out under me and started to fall but he caught me just in time.
"No, no...Hailey! Sweetheart, please stay with me, stay awake for me, okay?" Peter begged, immediately knowing what was happening, cupping my cheek with one hand and the other holding me up as I laid partially on the ground. I wheezed in response, taking deep, desperate breaths. "Damnit, I shouldn't have let you come, I'm so sorry. You just need to fight it for a few more minutes and you'll be fine," he encouraged frantically.
"That's....easier said than do-done," I laughed weakly and winced at the sharp pain in my stomach, feeling my body weaken and my eyelids felt like they weighed a million pounds.
"What's happening? What's wrong with her?" Beck interrogated in confusion, looking between us for answers.
"She's sick," Peter answered simply, not taking his eyes off me for even a second. "You can do it, just-just keep your eyes open for me. I'll get you back to the hotel and you can just rest and w-we'll figure it out from there," Peter planned quietly, his voice cracking slightly as I heard the footsteps of Nicholas and Hill get closer to us.
"I...backup...plan," I mustered out, trying to tell him I had my backup plan in my bag that was still in the hotel room but my body wouldn't let me.
"I know, I know and I'll get it for you, I promise," he swore, not even knowing what it looked like but only knew I had a backup plan for this scenario and I just didn't want to use it until I absolutely had to. Now that time was here and I had to use it.
No matter if I wanted to or not.
4385 words bitches! I told you it would be extra long!