Spider-Man Beyond

Meeting a Legend

Barbara stared at the masked hero as he crouched on top of the street light in the parking lot. He just came up out of nowhere and said that he just wants 'to talk.'

"After all this time of my officers chasing you, you just come down here just like that?" Barbara asked.

"Well, that's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about." Spider-Man said as he rubbed the back of his head. "I just wanted you stop sending your cops to arrest me."

"They were never going to arrest you." Barbara clarified.

"Wait, what?" Spider-Man questioned.

"Think about it. Every time you were confronted by the police, all they said was that they wanted you to stop and stay where you are. They were trying to get you to stay put, just so we could talk to you." Barbara explained before sighing. "Granted we could have done it in a calmly manner, but you are a hard guy to find unless there's trouble."

"So what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" Spider-Man asked.

"I'll get straight to the point. I want you to hang up the mask and stop this vigilante routine you got going on." Barbara said firmly.

"Sorry, that's not going to happen." Spider-Man said immediately.

"Listen kid, you have no idea what this kind of life will bring. Let me tell you right now, it will destroy you." Barbara said while narrowing her eyes.

"It's better then letting this city and it's people suffer." Spider-Man said.

"If you feel that strongly about it, then let the police handle it. We're qualified to handle these situations while I can tell you're still just a kid in a costume." Barbara argued.

"Maybe, but this is still something that I want, and have to do." Spider-Man said.

"Why do this? This life you're trying to live will only bring you trouble and pain if you're not too careful." Barbara said. 'Just like it did to me.'

Spider-Man didn't speak for a moment as he pondered his next response. He then began to speak as he recalled the words of his grandpa. "Because with great power, there must also come great responsibility. I have these powers, so it's my responsibility to use them to help people."

Barbara didn't say anything at that, I mean how could she. She didn't think that this kid in a costume would be that mature about the powers he had. From what she remembered back in the days fold Gotham, most people went crazy when they gained different abilities or means to hurt people.

This young man right here was given these amazing gifts and instead of using them for his own personal glory, he believed it was his duty to use me to protect this city.

For one split second, she almost saw a little bit of Bruce in him back in the day.

Spider-Man stood back up on the street light and was about to launch a web line before addressing the police commissioner again. "You know, I've done a lot of research on the old police force. Your dad, the first Commissioner Gordon, he had a solid partnership with the Batman decades ago. I hope one day we can come to an understanding like that as well."

"Those days are long gone, kid." Barbara said simply.

"That's exactly my point. This city needs help, and if Batman isn't going to do it, then someone has to step up." Spider-Man said before launching a web line and swinging away.

Barbara watched him swing away before he disappeared into the night. She sighed in resignation as she figured that not even a simple talk would get him to stop. But the question in her mind wouldn't stop nagging at her. Should he stop?