Rising Fatality (Ultimate Spider-Man Fanfic)

2| Guard Dog

Okay, I'll admit. This is one of my favorite chapters. Like, for realises. It was so much fun, I loved writing the dynamic, and it's seriously one of my favorites from this book.

Hope you guys enjoy it just as much as I do! :D

Luke C. POV

Luke wasn't feeling ready for another training diagnostic. Not with how well the last one went.

It wasn't just because of the lacking team-work in their group, but because Scorpio was displeased with how it was going. His boss hadn't been very happy with his last performance.

"Fighting like a child. Insufficient tactic! A big, blundering idiot ramming through walls. A disgrace to the Zodiac."

It had gone on for a while, each word feeling like a bullet ripping past his invulnerable skin. He'd given Scorpio his word that he'd serve the Zodiac to the best of his abilities, and that he'd repay him for all he's done and helped Luke with. For what he was helping him achieve now. Having failed so spectacularly, Luke didn't feel quite ready to take on the training bots again, even if it were just himself, much less with his "team."

While he'd never say it out loud, he hated this idea of being in a team. This team, specifically. Zver was nothing but a crazy hunting beast belonging to Kraven that looked as ready to attack them as the training bots. Disciple didn't care whether or not they succeeded, and cast spell after spell without making sure his allies weren't in the crossfire. Novae and his constant derisive sneers and comments on their worthlessness and stupid "Earthling" strategies. Cheliceri and his inability to communicate. For someone who was supposed to be leading them, he wasn't doing an ideal job of it.

Luke wanted nothing but to vent his problems to Scorpio. To explain how this team was useless and incapable. But something told him he wouldn't get very far in his argument. For some reason, Scorpio was set on the idea. All of their superiors were, in fact. It was strange.

But whatever their superiors did since the last exercise, it seemed to have worked magic - perhaps, literally, in Disciples case. The team was much more...subdued. Novae generally remained hovering in the air, as he normally did, but his remarks were few and far between.

Zver, too, was silent. Her lips were set straight, not in their usual snarl, and past the fabric covering the top half of her face, Luke could barely see a partially hidden bruise on her cheek. When she caught him staring, she hissed and stalked in the opposite direction.

Disciple was looking far less enthused than normal. But he didn't scoff and mutter about how it was a waste of time. Rather, he stood off to the side, in his own little corner, waiting for the training to start.

Out of them all, Cheliceri was the only one missing.

Until he jumped down from the ceiling, landing silently in a couch, and Luke glanced vaguely up, wondering how long he'd been up there. Those abilities of his never failed to unease him. He's seen a lot of weird things at Zodiac, but the way Cheliceri moved. Smooth movements, like water rolling over stone, when he wasn't fighting. Quiet and solemn behind those red lenses.

But, every time, as soon as he was in a battle it changed. His movements became jerky, quick, and fast-paced. His head snapped in every direction, tilting to the side as he regarded different situations and enemies. He scuttled and crawled across any surface, limbs moving so quickly sometimes it seemed like he had more than one pair of arms. It was unnerving, and it left Luke with a deep understanding as to why people generally feared spiders. They were usually small and harmless, but the way they moved seemed dangerous and otherworldly.