Arachnoblast: I'm Fourteen This is Ridiculous

Chapter 14: Decisions, Decisions

Kelsey staggered through her front door. While swinging home from the hospital, she had decided to carry her bag in one hand to practice one-handed web-slinging in case of an emergency. This had made swinging even more exhausting than usual, and she'd had a few close calls with falling and becoming street mush, not to mention the fact that she still had to stop a robbery.

"Hey, Kelsey," Justin greeted from the dining room, lifting Kelsey's somewhat trampled spirits. "How was Mrs. Parker?"

"I, uh, I didn't really get to see her," Kelsey said sheepishly. "I rode there with Harry, and then we walked in and Peter and MJ were holding hands and looking all romantic and stuff—which Harry clearly wasn't a fan of, so he ran off and I had to follow him because, well, he was my ride. He ended up leaving me anyway and I had to take the subway back."

"That's a shame," Justin sighed. "But you said Peter and Mary Jane are developing a stronger relationship? That's exciting! Isn't that something you've wanted to happen for a while?"

"Yeah, how did you know?" Kelsey asked.

"Come on, Kelsey," Justin laughed. "Everyone knows you're a sucker for romance, especially theirs."

"Everyone?" Kelsey felt an embarrassed blush creep into her cheeks.

"Everyone who knows you, anyway. Honestly, it's pretty common knowledge that you adore love. Just one of your many empathetic traits." Justin smiled kindly. "Did you at least let Peter and Mary Jane know that you were excited to see them together? I'm sure it was easy to tell, but they'd probably appreciate it."

By the time Justin had finished his statement, Kelsey had tuned him out as her blushing face paled. Everyone who knows me? Does that include...Oh my stars!

"Oh, Dad, I just realized I didn't really tell them I supported their relationship," Kelsey said, trying to play it cool. "I'm gonna go call Peter right now to do just that. Be right back!" Kelsey rushed upstairs to her room and whipped out her phone, frantically finding Peter in her contacts. The line rang twice before being picked up. "Peter!" Kelsey cried. "Oh, thank goodness, I was worried for a second there. Listen—"

"Can Arachnoblast come out to play?" the Green Goblin's voice interrupted with a chilling cackle.

Kelsey froze, staring at the wall in front of her with wide eyes. "What have you done with my friends?"

"Not much. Peter does wish he could come to the phone, but he's a bit tied up at the moment."

Kelsey's eyebrows furrowed into a glare of determination. "Where is he? Where's MJ?"

"The girl? Oh, she's not far. Probably at home worrying, preparing to mourn," the Goblin said casually. "But you'd better hurry. Pete's hanging out without you!"

Kelsey hung up, dropped her phone on her bed, and changed into her costume before leaping out her window and swinging into the city as quickly as she could. She had to find Peter and the Goblin before it was too late.

*****

It didn't take long for Arachnoblast to find where the Goblin had taken her friend. As soon as she saw the explosion at the Manhattan Tram Station and heard the screams, honking, and screeching of disrupted traffic, it was clear that the Goblin had taken over the Roosevelt Island Bridge. Arachnoblast watched as the Goblin grabbed a severed cable of the tramway, pulling the tram up to one of the towering sections of the bridge. Once she knew where the Goblin was, Arachnoblast had her target location. Standing at the far edge of the rooftop nearest the bridge, Arachnoblast sprinted forward, taking a running leap a great distance over the water. As soon as the beams of the bridge were within range of her webs, Arachnoblast began a short succession of swings that took her to a perch just below where the Green Goblin stood.