[Third Person's PoV]
Spider-Man and the others carried large web nets filled with colorful rocks, their steps light yet deliberate. Ghost-Spider, however, was seen carefully cradling an assortment of vibrant flowers and herbs in her hands, clearly pleased with her collection.
Spider-Kat let out an exaggerated sigh, her shoulders slumping. "It would've been so much better if you'd refused to let us have this. Stealing it from under your noses would've been so much more fun."
Shanna raised a brow at Spider-Kat, giving her a puzzled look before her expression shifted. She extended a hand toward her without a word.
Spider-Kat clicked her tongue, clearly annoyed. "I should've kept my mouth shut," she muttered, pulling a knife from her belt and handing it back to Shanna.
Shanna shook her head with a small smile. "You know what? Keep it. Think of it as a souvenir—a symbol of our newfound friendship."
Spider-Kat stared at the knife in her hands before sighing dramatically. "I don't want it anymore. You giving it to me totally defeats the purpose of stealing it. Where's the fun in that?" She flipped the knife in her hand, her pouting making Shanna laugh.
Nearby, Spider-Man handed Ka-Zar two objects: a card and a small red, metallic spider.
"What's this?" Ka-Zar asked, inspecting the card. It read Spider Family in bold letters, with a phone number and email. He flipped the spider over and noticed a tiny red button on its underside.
"That," Spider-Man said with a proud grin, "is your official welcome into the Spider Family. Congratulations—you're one of us now!"
Ka-Zar blinked. "One of you?"
"Yup!" Spider-Man said. "And that obviously includes Shanna and Zabu, too." He reached down to playfully ruffle Zabu's ear, earning a satisfied growl from the massive feline.
"So… does that make us part of your superhero team or something?" Shanna asked, amused.
"Exactly!" Spider-Man nodded. "That spider? If you ever need a superhero, feel lonely, or just want to explore the surface for a while, press the button. We'll come as soon as we can. And don't worry—your land is officially under our protection now."
Shanna took the card from Ka-Zar and gave it a once-over. She chuckled. "This really has a phone number and email on it? That's hilarious."
Ka-Zar let out a low laugh as well. "We're honored you hold us in such high esteem—and to be part of your so-called 'Spider Family.'"
Meanwhile, Spider-Kat crouched beside Zabu, running her hands through his thick fur. "You big, fluffy cat. I wish we had more time together. I could've kidnapped you," she purred, earning an affectionate nuzzle from the feline.
Spider-Man glanced at a nearby floating Spider-Bot. "Alright, bring her down."
Shanna and Ka-Zar turned their heads as something shimmered above them, materializing from thin air. A sleek jet appeared, its cloaking mechanism disengaged. The craft descended smoothly, stopping just above the ground as its hatch opened.
The Spider-Family began boarding, offering final goodbyes.
Spider-Man clasped Ka-Zar's forearm in a firm grip, their gazes meeting. "Until we meet again, Ka-Zar."
Ka-Zar smirked. "Don't be a stranger, Spider-Man."
With a final wave, the jet's hatch sealed shut, and the aircraft slowly rose into the sky before vanishing once again beneath its cloak.
Inside the jet, Scarlet-Spider leaned back with a wistful sigh. "It's a shame we had to leave so soon. We were really starting to get along."
Spider-Man nodded, adjusting a console. "Yeah, but remember the time zones. We couldn't stick around for too long."
Scarlet-Spider shrugged, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I know. I was just saying it's a shame."
The group set the Anti-Metal off to the side, and Nightwing turned toward everyone with an excited smile. "So, as we're flying, why not make a quick stop and retrieve the Underwater Vibranium while we're at it, right?"
---
[Nightwing's POV]
Please say yes! Please say yes! I inwardly pleaded. A short underwater adventure sounded like an absolute blast. My excitement must have been obvious because the others gave me amused looks, making my cheeks burn slightly.
Peter seemed to be thinking it over. Then, with a casual shrug—a definite yes, knowing him—he sealed the deal. Where Peter went, the others followed.
"I don't see why not," Peter said. "It should be a quick stop. We swing by the Atlantic Ocean, send Nightwing down to grab the Vibranium motherlode, pick him up, and head home with two types of Vibranium to study. Easy win."
That's my brother from another mother! As expected, the others quickly nodded in agreement. It's funny how Peter doesn't seem to notice how naturally he steps into the leader role—or maybe he does and just doesn't let on. Who knows what goes on in that brilliant mind of his?
But I couldn't care less right now because I was going underwater! This was the perfect opportunity to get rare samples for my environmental science research. Nothing beats hands-on experience.
"Aria, set the course for the Vibranium meteorite fragment you detected," Peter ordered.
"Course set," Aria announced, and the jet shot forward, soaring through the air. My abilities let me grip the floor with ease, unlike Lizzy, who had to stay buckled into her seat.
A few long minutes later, Aria announced, "We've arrived at the destination."
I stood by the hatch, preparing myself. "Anyone want to join me?" I asked, glancing back at the others.
They all scoffed or waved me off dismissively.
"Someone has to babysit the Anti-Metal," Gwen said, rolling her eyes. "It's not going to take care of itself, and I'd rather not have it melt a hole through the jet, leaving us stranded."
Fair point.
"Plus, none of us have fish DNA, animal boy," Felicia said with a shrug.
Another fair point. I couldn't resist a retort, though. "Not like we don't have oxygen masks for this exact scenario," I said, rolling my eyes.
Still, I wanted to do this solo, and I made that clear. "Suit yourselves. I'm sure you'll just be watching through my lenses anyway, thanks to Aria."
I slapped the side of the jet and called out, "Alright, Aria, open it up."
The hatch opened, and a gust of wind roared past me, whipping my hair wildly. The view below was a mesmerizing expanse of endless blue. I took a few steps back, then sprinted forward, launching myself out like an Olympic diver.
Mid-air, I executed a few flips before straightening into a perfect dive, breaking the water's surface with barely a ripple. The water enveloped me, cool and serene, as I began swimming downward with powerful strokes.
Then I froze. A strange sensation crawled up my neck, like my skin was shifting. What the hell? I thought, pressing my hand to the sides of my neck. My fingers brushed over three slits that weren't there before.
"No freaking way," I muttered, shocked. My voice echoed clearly. Underwater.
I widened my eyes in disbelief. "I just grew gills!" I exclaimed. "Holy crap! I knew I could hold my breath for hours, but I didn't think I'd actually grow freaking gills."
"We suspected as much," Gwen's voice chimed through the comms in my ear.
"You suspected I could grow gills?" I asked, incredulous. "And you didn't think to tell me?"
"It wasn't a certainty," Gwen replied coolly. "But it was highly probable. You have to remember, the KOJ serum is different. Yours was enhanced with Dr. Connors' Lizard-Axolotl serum. Normally, I can only integrate three animal DNA strands into the KOJ serum, but your mixture included a fourth. The serum mutated thanks to the combination of the Super Soldier Serum and the Lizard-Axolotl serum, creating a completely unique result."
I blinked, processing her words. "So... I'm a 'brand-new beast,' huh?"
"Exactly," Gwen said with a chuckle.
I smirked to myself. Now this was interesting. Glancing at my hands, I noticed they were slightly webbed. "So... my body only transforms when I'm fully submerged? I've taken showers and baths before, but nothing like this has ever happened. This is the first time I've been completely underwater."
"If I had to guess," Gwen began, "I'd say it's tied to the Lizard aspect of the serum. Think about a chameleon—when you change its environment, its skin adapts to blend in as camouflage. Your body seems to work the same way. When exposed to a new environment, it shifts to accommodate. Thanks to the Axolotl DNA, this transformation likely only triggers in water."
I frowned at the thought. "Wait, does that mean I can't go swimming anymore? No pools, no beach trips?" The idea was a little horrifying. Imagine diving into a pool and sprouting gills in front of everyone.
"A chameleon can choose whether or not to blend in," Gwen explained, her tone reassuring. "You should be able to control it too. You'll just need some practice."
That was a relief. Before I could reply, Peter's voice came over the comms, cutting in smoothly. "Dude, are you just going to stand there gawking? Don't you know how to multitask? You can chat and retrieve the Vibranium at the same time."
"Oh, shut up," I said with an eye roll. "You try growing gills out of nowhere and see if you don't freeze up."
But as much as I wanted to stay in awe of my newfound abilities, Peter had a point. Time to focus and get what I came here for.
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