As Long As The Sun Burns

Chapter Ten

Peter swung through the city, laughing at the exhilaration. It felt like forever since he was last out, helping people and protecting the streets of New York. The night was relatively calm, only a couple of muggings and one attempted assault.

Peter came to a stop on a building a few blocks away from his high school, Midtown, and a few streets down, Ned's house. Peter sighed and leaned back, his head resting against the aging bricks.

His suit's AI, (he borrowed the code Dad used to make JARVIS and FRIDAY and tweaked it a little. If Peter could show him the suit, he knew his Dad would be so proud) Karen was his only company for the night so he settled comfortably and began to ramble off things he needed to get done, asking Karen for her input.

"...and then, what if I made it so that legs could like, pop out of my back? You know, like how spiders have eight legs? What if I made mechanical spider legs?" Peter asked.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, Peter," Karen said. Peter hummed contently. He liked Karen. A lot. He gave her the voice of a very comforting female. It was so comforting, Peter imagined that if he knew his mother, she would sound like this. "However, I must ask. How would you make it aerodynamic?"

"Hmm, I don't know," Peter said, scratching his chin. "I guess we'll have to play around with it a little? What do you think, Karen?"

"I think it is a great idea Peter. I am always happy to spend time with you," she said in her always bright voice.

"Aww, Karen, you're making me blush," Peter said with a chuckle. "You're just saying that because I'm your creator."

"Perhaps," Karen allowed. "However we are also, as you've said, best friends. Best friends must spend time with each other to be best friends."

"Like the patrols?" Peter asked.

"Indeed, Peter," Karen said. Peter laughed, shaking his head fondly at his AI. He was about to open his mouth to continue the conversation when a scream pierced through the quiet night.

"Karen! Where is the scream coming from?" Peter cried, jumping up.

"Two blocks down," Karen said. Peter jumped off the building, swinging down the streets in the direction of the scream.

"Why is it always an alleyway?" Peter asked, as he lowered himself into a (surprise, surprise) dark alleyway, veering off from one of the main roads. He landed next to a dumpster and squinted his eyes, scanning the area for the owner of the scream.

A girl is cowered against the brick walls, a man towering over her, four giant arms lifting him up off the ground. The girl was crying, pleading for the man to leave her alone. Peter grinned.

"Hey!" he called, standing up and making the man with the arms turn to face him. "Didn't your mama ever tell you it's not nice to pick on girls?"

The man snarled, his lip turning up in a fierce sneer. "Spider-Man," he said, his voice deep and scratchy. "I was hoping I'd see you."

"Looking for me? I'm flattered," Peter said boldly. "But I think you're a little too old for me."

"Hmpf," the man huffed. "They said you were annoying. I didn't realize they meant it so literally."

"Is there another way to mean it?" Peter asked. "And, I have to ask. What's with the arms? They're kind of off-putting."

"Oh, these?" he said, gesturing the limbs protruding from his back. One of the arms raised, and waved at Peter, looking eerily similar to hands. "These just help me move around."

"I can see that," Peter quipped. "Perhaps they can help you move along, too."

"Oh, and who's going to make me? You?" he asked, tilting his head and smirking at Peter in a condescending way. "Why, you're just a boy."