"Do you remember when we were at Oscorp, and you noticed that one of the super spiders was missing?"
Alan asked after comforting Gwen on the couch for a while, making sure she had calmed down.
Gwen nodded.
"If I'm not mistaken, that missing super spider must have crawled into your backpack," Alan explained carefully.
"When you got home and reached into your bag, it probably bit you before you even realized it. Then it jumped out, and you accidentally stepped on it."
"So, if my guess is correct, after that spider bit you, instead of dying... it passed some of its powers onto you."
Alan continued, "You've gained spider-like abilities: super strength, danger sense, and the ability to stick to surfaces through bio-electrostatic energy."
He gently held Gwen's hand—soft, smooth, and delicate.
Feeling the warmth of Alan's touch, Gwen couldn't help but blush. "Will I turn into a spider? Won't that be ugly?" she asked nervously.
Alan froze for a moment.
Of course! Women always focus on these kinds of things.
"I don't think there will be any more changes, so this might actually be a good thing," Alan reassured her.
"Won't that make me a freak?" Gwen said, her sadness returning. At the end of the day, she was still a girl who cared about her appearance.
"A freak? Or a superhero?" Alan looked sincerely at Gwen.
"Think about it—you now have powers beyond any ordinary person. Doesn't that make you a superhero? And haven't you always wanted to be like your dad—fighting injustice and helping the weak?"
"Maybe this is your chance, a gift from the universe."
Alan's words stirred something deep within Gwen. Her heart began to race, and in that moment, she found a new resolve for her future.
Being different doesn't necessarily make you a monster—it can make you a superhero. The difference lies in how you use your powers.
Gwen felt a sense of peace wash over her. She also realized just how close she had gotten to Alan—almost snuggling into his chest.
She quickly straightened up. "Thank you, Alan!"
Inwardly, Alan thought to himself, If I had known the mood was so perfect, I could've set it up even better. When did I get so good at comforting people?
"No problem! Actually, the new ingredients have arrived. Didn't you want to try my homemade Asian cuisine?" he said, grabbing the two packages and heading towards the kitchen.
"Just relax for a bit, it won't take long."
Thanks to Alan's words, Gwen was completely at ease now. Her mind was clear, and she started feeling playful again.
Since she had been working out regularly before this, Gwen quickly adapted to her new spider abilities, much faster than Peter did when he first became Spider-Man.
While Alan was busy cooking in the kitchen, he soon heard the clanging of the barbell being tossed around again.
"She's recovering fast. I wonder... will she be able to shoot webs on her own...?" Alan wondered.
It seemed that some versions of Spider-Man could naturally produce webs, while others had to rely on devices they built themselves.
Gwen was the ~~Spider-Ma~~... Spider-Woman here. Just thinking of her in the white spider suit made Alan's heart skip a beat.
It's... kind of exciting!
At the dinner table, Gwen happily devoured the meal Alan had prepared, her face glowing with satisfaction.
"This is so good! Way better than the steak downstairs!" Gwen exclaimed.
At that moment, she had fully returned to her lively and joyful self.
It was as if the whole crying episode had never happened.
"Gwen, I have something I want to ask you."
Gwen's cheeks were stuffed full of food, making her look like a hamster storing snacks. Unable to speak, she simply nodded.
Looking at her like this, Alan couldn't help but chuckle. This girl... she was too adorable.
Just a moment ago, she had been all teary-eyed, but now she was so cheerful and carefree.
"When you're done eating, we'll talk," he said.
After Gwen finished eating, Alan gathered up the dishes and took them to the kitchen to wash.
Gwen stood in the doorway, asking, "What was it you wanted to ask me?"
As he washed the plates, Alan asked, "Since you've gained all those spider abilities, can you shoot webs?"
"Webs?" Gwen paused, her face filled with confusion.
Although the question seemed odd, it did make sense. So she started examining her body, looking for where webs might come out.
Seeing Gwen spin around, inspecting herself, Alan made the classic Spider-Man hand gesture toward her. "Try this, Gwen."
Gwen mimicked Alan, bending her two fingers into her palm, but nothing happened.
Alan finished washing the dishes and walked over to her. "Looks like you don't have the ability to shoot webs after all."
Gwen frowned slightly, a bit disgusted. "That ability sounds kind of weird anyway."
Alan thought about it and nodded. "True."
"Come on, let me take you home. You need a good night's rest," he said.
"Alright, I'll just go change back into my clothes." Gwen smiled. "I'll leave this outfit here."
...
Not far from Gwen's house, they both got out of the taxi.
"I'm home."
"Okay, go on in. Your dad is probably worried by now."
Gwen hesitated slightly, her tone showing a bit of reluctance. "Alright, I'll head in then."
"See you tomorrow at school."
"See you at school!"
Just as Alan lifted his hand to wave goodbye, Gwen suddenly leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before darting away, her face flushed red.
Alan touched his slightly damp cheek, thinking, "Did she just... flirt with me?"
Back at his own place, Alan stood on the balcony, his mind racing with countless thoughts.
"In this universe, Peter Parker isn't Spider-Man. Does that mean Tony Stark will still become Iron Man? Or... can he even survive his kidnapping?"
Tony couldn't die. Alan's future lifestyle depended on it—especially if he wanted to keep spoiling his little frog and spending money on it!
Speaking of the frog, who knows if that dumb little guy had managed to get his revenge. It had been gone for days and hadn't even sent a photo. Really made him worried.
"No, I've got to check on Tony's situation myself. If he dies, I'll lose big time."
"But where should I even start looking for Tony?"
Alan opened his computer and quickly searched for the location where Tony had been ambushed.
"After being attacked, Tony was seriously injured. He couldn't have gone far. The desert area isn't that large..."
"He must be somewhere in this area!"
With the coordinates confirmed, Alan retrieved the Emperor Belt from the game.
"Emperor Armor..."
"Fusion!"
"Armor Fusion..."
...