The dimly lit warehouse smelled of rust and old machinery. Dust swirled in the air as Johnny Storm set up a tripod in the center of the room, adjusting the camera angle with precision. Ben stood nearby, arms crossed, an eyebrow raised.
"Seriously? What's with the camera?" he asked, smirking.
Johnny grinned without looking up. "It's for posterity, man. Someday, when you're a famous superhero, your kids and grandkids are gonna want to see how it all started. This is history in the making."
Ben chuckled but couldn't deny the excitement bubbling inside him. He glanced around the empty warehouse, taking in the enormity of what they were about to do. I've always felt like an outcast, he thought. Maybe this is my chance to finally find purpose. Protecting New York… being a hero… it could give my life meaning.
Johnny snapped his fingers, pulling Ben from his thoughts. "Alright, enough daydreaming. Let's get to it. First up, let's test that super strength of yours. See that metal beam over there?"
Ben followed Johnny's gaze to a large steel girder lying across the floor. He swallowed hard, then nodded.
"Yeah. Got it."
Ben approached the beam, took a deep breath, and crouched down. Wrapping his fingers around the cold metal, he focused all his energy and lifted. To his surprise, the beam rose effortlessly. A grin spread across his face as he began to show off, tossing the beam lightly into the air and catching it with ease.
"Okay, okay, show-off," Johnny said, laughing. "Let's move on. Try running from one end of the warehouse to the other. I wanna see your speed."
Ben set the beam down with a clang and positioned himself at one end of the long space. He crouched slightly, his eyes focused on the far wall.
"Here goes nothing," he muttered.
In a blur, Ben took off. The wind whipped past his face as he sprinted across the warehouse. He wasn't as fast as Superman or the Flash, but he covered the distance in the blink of an eye. He skidded to a halt, his sneakers screeching against the concrete.
Johnny clapped enthusiastically. "Not bad, not bad! You're no Scarlet Speedster, but that's still impressive."
Ben jogged back, his confidence growing. "What's next?"
"Let's test your jumping ability," Johnny said, pointing to the warehouse ceiling. "Think you can touch that?"
Ben looked up at the high ceiling, then bent his knees and launched himself into the air. He soared higher than he expected, easily reaching the ceiling and slapping his palm against it. As he descended, he instinctively twisted his body and landed in a crouch, sticking the landing perfectly.
"Nice!" Johnny cheered. "And speaking of sticking… try climbing the walls."
Ben nodded and walked over to a nearby wall. He pressed his hands and feet against it and began to climb. It felt natural, like his body instinctively knew how to distribute his weight. In seconds, he was perched upside down on the ceiling, grinning down at Johnny.
"This is insane," Ben said.
Johnny gave him a thumbs-up. "Insanely cool, you mean. But wait—there's one more thing we gotta test."
Ben dropped down and landed lightly on his feet. "What's that?"
Johnny pointed to Ben's wrists. "The webs. You said you felt something weird earlier, right?"
Ben hesitated, then raised his arm and flexed his wrist. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a faint thwip, a thin strand of webbing shot out and stuck to a nearby crate.
"Whoa!" Ben yelped, nearly stumbling backward.
Johnny took a cautious step back, his eyes wide. "Okay, that's both awesome and super creepy. But hey, it works!"
Ben experimented a bit more, shooting webs at different targets around the warehouse. Each time, his aim improved, and he grew more comfortable with the strange new ability.
"Alright, I think we've seen enough for today," Johnny said, packing up the camera. "Let's head back to my place and talk suits."
Back at Johnny's apartment, the two of them sat in the living room, surrounded by piles of clothes. Johnny rummaged through Ben's old belongings, tossing items aside as he searched for something specific.
"Where is it? I know you've got it here somewhere…"
Ben leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "What are you looking for?"
"Aha! Found it!" Johnny exclaimed, pulling out a red and blue hoodie from the pile. He held it up triumphantly, then grabbed some shoulder pads and knee pads from another box.
Ben raised an eyebrow. "You're serious? That's the suit?"
"For now, yeah," Johnny said, already assembling the makeshift costume. "You're just starting out. No need for anything fancy yet."
Ben watched as Johnny pieced together the outfit, adding finishing touches. They spray-painted a white spider symbol onto the chest of the hoodie, the fresh paint standing out starkly against the fabric.
When they were done, Johnny stepped back and admired their handiwork. "Not bad, huh? Functional, simple, and you'll definitely stand out."
Ben slipped into the outfit, adjusting the fit. It wasn't perfect, but it felt right. He looked at himself in the mirror, a small smile forming.
"So, what's your hero name?" Johnny asked, leaning against the doorframe.
Ben thought for a moment, considering the possibilities. Then, with a confident grin, he said, "The Amazing Spider-Man."
Johnny clapped him on the back. "Perfect. Now, let's get to work making New York a safer place."
Ben nodded, determination shining in his eyes. "Let's do this."