Ultimate Spider-Woman: Change With the Light

Chapter 1: Web of Fate

It was the same tingling pain she had been feeling every day for the last two weeks when she first woke up in the morning, a sensation that began like clockwork when she first woke up and then went away after a few minutes, only to return the next morning. Tossing her duvet aside, and shaking her long, waist-length hair as she got out of bed, Gwen Stacy was briefly struck by the sight of her mane being a long, jet-black color.

Long, sure...but black?

Shaking her head, Gwen stepped up to the mirror, finding to her relief that her hair was the same blonde color it had always been. Deciding that she must have just been imagining things, Gwen proceeded to get washed and dressed for the day's classes.

Looking at the young woman and her surroundings, it was not difficult to see why she was so popular among many of the guys at Empire State University: a gorgeous nineteen year-old blonde with a model's figure, living in a comfortably furnished apartment in one of New York's better neighborhoods, Gwen was the daughter and only child of George Stacy, one of New York's sharpest lawyers and investors, close friend of Norman Osborn, one of the city's most famous industrialists and business tycoons. Her attire, even on this cold morning in early December 2006, was impeccably tasteful and well-fitting.

As she took the elevator to the ground floor on her way to school, Gwen twitched as she felt the same uncomfortable tingling begin again, just for a moment. An annoyed scowl crossed her face before she forced herself to remain calm. Fortunately, the feeling soon passed and she banished all the thoughts from her mind, keeping herself focused on her lines for her upcoming solo performance.

That was one thing Gwen had always found fascinating-the actor's ability to change roles and costumes, masks and personae, to keep some things hidden while bringing others into the open.

SPIDER-WOMAN #1

"WEB OF FATE"

"Hey, sweetie!" Gwen heard a voice behind her as she turned into the main campus quad. Turning around, she greeted her friend Liz Allan with a thin smile as the latter came running up. The twenty-year old Nursing student gave Gwen a hug, embracing her briefly before joining her on her walk to class.

"You have fun last night, Liz?" Gwen asked.

"Oh, you know Harry," Liz rolled her eyes. "Dinner at a high-end restaurant, movie screening at his dad's private theater, clubbing until midnight. It's like clockwork with that guy-just like his dad. Too bad you couldn't make it-Harry was asking about you. Why are you so crazy for those martial arts classes, anyway?"

"It's like I keep telling you, Liz," Gwen answered sharply. "You know how many of those criminal lunatics the police and the superheroes catch on any given week? And those are the ones they don't miss! You can't always expect those guys to be able to-"

"Okay, okay!" Liz said, surprised at Gwen's tone of voice. "Well, today's Friday. You up for going out tonight? Harry'll be there, Flash, Hobie, Kitty, Kenny, maybe Peter and Mary Jane..."

"What time?" Gwen asked. "I'll be at the dojo working out until about half after six or so, but I'm good for afterward, if you like. Where were you thinking of going?"

"I was going to get some dinner around seven, then maybe I can come by?" Liz asked.

"Sounds good," Gwen nodded.

"Are you kidding?" Gwen had the distinct displeasure of hearing as she walked into Drama class later that day. "I can't believe you're wearing white-I mean, it's winter!"

Felicia Hardy, Gwen groaned inwardly as she stepped into class. Probably picking on-

"What does it matter to you, anyway?" another girl's voice cut in, this one with a French accent. Two girls stood facing one another, one tall and slim with platinum blonde hair, and the other rather shorter, dressed in an odd combination of dark blue and white and wearing a large orchid in her hair. Felicia Hardy and Marie-Ange Colbert had known-and hated-each other ever since their days at Midtown High.