Spider-man : Shattered Webs

Spider close to home: act 1

It had been two weeks since summer started, and Shinji was finally getting used to life after everything that had happened with Liz. The days had been quieter, more reflective, but also filled with a sense of newfound purpose. Today, he found himself hanging out with Ned and MJ, who, ever since Liz left, had taken a liking to Shinji—though she'd never admit it outright. The three of them were at Ned's house, lounging around and making plans for the summer, when suddenly, Shinji's phone buzzed.

"Hey, Ned, MJ, give me a sec," Shinji said, stepping out into the hallway. He looked at the caller ID and saw Tony Stark's name flash across the screen. He answered quickly.

"Mr. Stark," Shinji greeted, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Kid, I need you," Tony's voice came through, brisk and serious. "We've got a situation brewing in Japan. Something big. Like, really big. We're talking 13 massive humanoid things—called Angels. And they're causing some major problems."

"Angels?" Shinji echoed, trying to wrap his mind around it. "And you want me to...?"

"Yeah, kid. After the way you handled the Vulture and saved all those people, I'm entrusting this to you. You're ready for this. Plus, it's a good chance to prove yourself on the international stage," Tony explained. "You can bring along whoever you want, but keep it on the down-low. If anyone asks, it's just for the Stark internship. I've already reinstated your status."

Shinji's mind raced. Japan? Angels? This was way beyond anything he had ever dealt with before. But Tony trusted him, and that meant something. A lot, actually.

"Okay, Mr. Stark. I'm in," Shinji replied, his voice firm with determination.

"Good. Pack your bags and get moving, kid. Time's ticking," Tony said before hanging up.

Shinji walked back into the room where Ned and MJ were waiting, curiosity written all over their faces.

"Guys," Shinji began, trying to sound as casual as possible, "we're going to Japan."

Ned's eyes widened with excitement, understanding what this meant on a deeper level. "Japan? Dude, this is gonna be epic!"

MJ raised an eyebrow, half-smirking. "And what exactly are we doing in Japan?"

"Just, uh, Stark internship stuff," Shinji said, trying to play it off cool. "You know, the usual."

MJ gave him a skeptical look but shrugged it off. "Alright, as long as it's not some weird superhero thing. I mean, unless you've been hiding a double life as Spider-Man or something."

Shinji chuckled nervously, avoiding eye contact. "Yeah, totally not that."

As they packed up and headed to the airport, Shinji couldn't help but feel the weight of what lay ahead. Angels in Japan? This was going to be one of the biggest challenges he'd ever faced. But with his friends by his side and the trust of Tony Stark, he knew he couldn't back down now. The scene cut to the trio at the airport, ready to embark on their new adventure.

Shinji, Aunt May, MJ, and Ned hurried through the bustling airport, boarding their flight to Japan. As they settled into their seats, Shinji found himself next to MJ, who casually glanced at him with a teasing smile.

"Looks like we're in for a long flight," MJ remarked, her tone light and playful.

"Yeah, hope you don't mind my terrible movie choices," Shinji replied with a grin, trying to keep the conversation going.

As the hours passed, they chatted about everything from school gossip to what they were looking forward to in Japan. MJ was as witty and charming as ever, making Shinji laugh more than he had in weeks. The conversation slowly drifted off as the cabin lights dimmed, signaling the start of the night.