Silk & Cologne | Miguel O'Hara

Chapter 8 - Awakening

It had been 3 days since I began my training with Peter and the others. They helped teach me so much, I was so grateful for their advice. As time went on, I became more confident with my swings and web shooters thanks to Gwen and Hobie, and Peter B. walked me through wall crawling. He taught me how to relax my body and to just be in the moment, instead of utilizing the emotional fear of falling.

I also spent the time getting to know them a little bit better. When not doing their Spiderly duties, Hobie was in a band and runway model, Gwen was in a band, a drummer actually, but that went south and now spends most of her free time hanging out with Hobie in his dimension, and Peter B. helps MJ take care and raise MayDay.

"You know how to dance too?" Gwen's eyes widened in awe as she watched me incorporate one of my dance moves into an evasive maneuver as Hobie taught me how to dodge incoming attacks from a distance.

"Yeah, I just joined a Dance Team earlier this week," I smiled at her. "It was why I moved to New York in the first place,"

"Oh, you gotta teach me some moves sometime!" She beamed.

"I'd love to! I've never really given a lesson before, but I'd be more than willing to try," I smiled back, my stomach bubbling with excitement.

For the first time since I came here, I finally felt like I was settling into this group. They all made me feel so welcomed, it was refreshing. It reminded me of going to my first dance camp and making so many friends.

Unlike joining my step-father's agency in Seoul. . .

Nevermind that . I'm trying to move past that, remember?

Whenever I'd walk past Miguel's lab either when we're taking a break to grab food or heading home for the day, I always stop and linger at the large doorway. Should I go in and check to make sure he's okay? Should I apologize for what Hobie said? He did seem pretty upset. I thought back to Peter B.'s words. While he probably did have no bite, the look in his eyes when he glared at Hobie, and at me , I thought it was best to give him his privacy.

If he wanted to talk, he'd talk when he was ready.

The next morning, I arrived at Spider-Society HQ through the portal from my dimension. I had a spring in my step as I walked into the lobby, headphones on as I listened to some music from my phone. Some Spider-People greeted me as I walked by, and I waved back, smiling. I was slowly getting to know more members of the Spider Society. Some of them I had recognized from cartoons and movies I saw growing up, and it was fun being introduced to ones I had never even heard of and learning their powers.

I was ecstatic to learn that there was an actual Canadian female Spider-Woman. Her costume collar scheme symbolizes the Canadian flag and she carried around a hockey stick! Plus she was best friends with Spider-Plush! How cute was that?!

As I looked around the main hall of the Society, seeing how all the Spider-People made their way around the building, a light bulb went off in my brain as a spontaneous idea came to mind. I double checked the route to the training center on the map. When I figured out where to go, I took a deep breath, focusing and then fired a web sling as I began to swing across the room.

It helped that I still had my headphones on, the music playing in my ears helping me keep calm. Peter's instructions coursed through my mind as I repeated the motions he taught me. Aim with your hips, look where I want the web to hit, square my shoulders, then thwip and release!

I never knew something like this could feel so free and exciting. I felt like a kid swinging on the monkey bars for the first time when the world felt so much bigger. As I swung across the large space, I quietly sang along to the current song on my playlist. As I aimed and fired the next web sling and swung across, I glanced up and my eyes locked on to my sling when I noticed it change colour. It started to glow.