Deadpool Syndrome - Spider Soulmates

Chapter 5 - Listen To The Wind Blow, Watch The Sun Rise

***GWEN***

Believe it or not, when I finally wake up in the morning, I really can't wait to show Peter my new Spider-power. I think Maggie might be right - super-enhanced night vision isn't one of his abilities. If it were, he would no doubt have told me by now. To be fair, though, there has to be some level of explanation for how he's able to operate so well after dark. I've always suspected that being bitten improved his night vision to some degree, however small But it didn't seem to have too much effect on his vision in general, based on the fact that he's still forced to wear contacts and/or glasses.

And then, factoring in the fact that this is a more recently-developed version of the spider venom, what I was bitten with...you never know. It's entirely possible that Norman, after tinkering with the formula enough to ensure that it would work on himself and others who didn't have Parker DNA, went ahead and packed in other surprises for potential mutates.

On the one hand, that was a total dick move on his part, giving me (and God knows how many future victims he's got in mind) even more unwanted gifts.

But on the other hand, I can finally see why Peter doesn't just stop being Spider-Man. Not only because of his sense of responsibility, but because it's just plain cool. In fact, on my way to breakfast, I actually overhear Hiro (who's wearing purple battle armor) saying something to Baymax that accurately captures that sentiment: "I fail to understand how you fail to understand that it's awesome!"

So I feel pretty good for a while - until I see Peter talking to Clint and Pietro. I sense right away that he's talking about last night's events with the X-Men, and when I finally join them with my food, I can confirm that fact. "They were just...I dunno," he says. "I mean, they seemed cool. But cool people don't kidnap you when you're asleep."

"In that case," Pietro says solemnly, "Hydra is most definitely the opposite of cool."

"Tell me about it," says Wanda as she drops in next to him. "But we're not talking about the good Baron, are we?"

"As if you need mind-reading powers to figure that out," I laugh.

"True. True."

"So they just wanted to quote-unquote 'recruit' you?" Clint asks, his voice skeptical. "Or are you guys not just gonna take their word for it?"

Peter shifts a strip of bacon around on his plate. "I think they were telling the truth. But..."

"Hey, don't worry," Pietro says. "That kid, Billy, he splits his time between us and them. He says they're cool too." He laughs nervously. "Of course, this was before they did something like what they did last night."

"Have they ever done that before?" I ask.

Pietro and Wanda shake their heads in unison. "Not that we can remember," she says.

"So what got us on their radar?" I ask, scratching my head.

"Whose radar?" asks Tadashi as he comes up to join us.

Before Peter or I can say something like "Nothing" or "Not important," Pietro blurts out, "The X-Men brought Peter and Gwen to their place last night."

"What?" Tadashi asks incredulously. "But...but how?"

"Well, one of them teleported me in and out," Peter says, "and the other one phased Gwen through the walls like she was Danny Phantom or something. Speaking of which, Gwen, I was meaning to ask you last night...what's that like?"

My only answer is "Weird."

"Weirder than me?" asks Wanda.

"So much," I say.