Mha: The Spectacular Spider-Man Vol.1

Spider-Man: Hunted

[OK! Hello! I lied about Spider-Man returning in April! He's back! But also, this chapter takes place after Aviacc98 chapter where Taeko goes to! But! He hasn't done it yet, (he said soon) so, this one is kinda, maybe, is spoilers]

The three heroes continued their journey through Connecticut, still utilizing their boat to avoid strafe conflict. Taeko reinforced the sail with extra padding of webs, able to withstand the winds that guided them towards the land. The glimmering water, albeit slightly dirty, looked so serene and beautiful underneath them. Taeko had rarely traveled in his life, which was something he wished heavily to change.

"Land ahead Spider and Husband!" Jeannine called out, pointing at the shore of Connecticut they approached. Takeda fixed his glove and grabbed one of the paddles, offering to help steer them carefully. The boat they traveled the lakes across was found near a lake house, unattended and holding the keys inside. The engine was partially damaged, most likely from the raging villains in the city.

Taeko looked down after hearing Jeannine, humming with acknowledgment. He held himself upside down by bending his knees over a small bark of wood. He needed to keep his head calm, clear of any creeping thoughts about the decaying world. After his reunion with Aeon and the other heroes, he finally felt that absent piece of his life slowly returning. Their hug, albeit short, reminded him of the family he was once a part of.

Endless memories he once locked away behind a shatterproof lock had flooded back. Smiles he and Aeon once shared brought new ones, alongside the promise to find each other after the conflict had ended. Taeko wished greatly to join the other heroes on their upcoming attack, however, his priorities were sent elsewhere. He wanted to find Kaina Tsutsumi, hopefully without getting shot again.

"Still thinking about her?" Venom asked, having peered into Taeko's private thoughts without permission. The latter sighed, still not completely sure about his new pairing with the upgraded Nomu. He felt stronger, but his mind and memories were now shared with a creature that once tried to kill him.

"Yes," Taeko answered, giving a short response, trying not to continue the conversation. For reasons he wasn't completely sure of, he felt more aggressive than normal. One belief was that symbiote that bonded to him, feeding off his emotions and manipulating them. "She's still out there somewhere."

"You don't resent her? She hurt us."

"I'm...upset... but, I can't just leave her behind," Taeko whispered, feeling a lump tug against his throat. What slowly broke him most was what he told Kaina the night he awoke inside the Moonlight Tower prison. Taeko could picture her eyes staring back at him, clear as glass and as if he was looking at her in person. Her dark Lilac pupils shook as he spouted words of abandonment, each one stabbed deeper into her psyche.

So Quickly he turned his back against her, despite all that she claimed to have done. Taeko was reminded of their friendship, the nights they spent planning on tackling their problems together. How one unfortunate night ended everything, pressures, and stress that Kaina was forced to handle alone, all because he never asked. No matter how many lives Spider-Man had saved, she was the one that he never could.

Taeko dropped down onto the bottom deck of the ship, pulling his mask over his face. His identity was still a secret and he couldn't expose that to anyone they might encounter shortly. The spider hero made his way towards the front deck, where Takeda and Jeannine stood. The couple stood near the railing, overlooking the ocean as waves of blue light moved over horizons unmeasured.