Tarantula (Spider-Man)

Kraven the Hunter

     Spider-Man carries Tarantula to a nearby rooftop, slumping her down onto the concrete.

"You sure you gonna be alright?" he asks, tearing off his mask.

She smiles up at Peter, "Yeah, I'll be alright. Fast healing...remember?"

Putting his mask back on, Spider-Man sits down next to her, "Gosh...how are we suppose to catch this guy? I'm worried that he's...you know..."

"Too strong for you kids?" a low, gruff voice asks.

Spider-Man and Tarantula turn around to face a man in a brown shirt and cargo pants with an orange coat with the face of a tiger on the front and fur lining the collar. He stands like a soldier, but with a confident smile lined by a trimmed beard.

Spider-Man stands to confront the man, "Who're you? And how did you find us?"

The man chuckles in a thick accent, "My name is Kraven the Hunter, and I can get rid of your beast. I tracked you two by following the trail of the girl's blood."

He points to Tarantula, "She's bleeding, and it left a trail for me to follow."

"Okay, so you've clearly got this 'hunter' thing down, but what makes you think that we're not capable of handling the job? And...please don't tell me that's a real tiger," Spider-Man quips, pointing to Kraven's jacket.

"You two are children, untrained in the ways of the hunt! A beast like this requires a professional," he explains.

Tarantula sits herself up, "We aren't dealing with a beast. We're dealing with a human being with the ability to change into a large animal. If you're a hunter like you say you are, you would've realized that by now."

Kraven the Hunter nods his head, "Yes...I have realized this. But a beast is still a beast, that doesn't change the hunt."

"So...you're going to kill him?"

"Ha ha! ...what else are you going to do with him?" he asks, "Put hit in a zoo? Who knows how many people he's already hurt! You children are just too naive to see it."

Spider-Man marches up to Kraven, and pokes a finger in the middle of his chest, "Listen here Cruella de Vil, we're not going to let you come in and make Thomas into a fur coat! We can help him, murder is not the only option!"

Kraven scoffs, stepping away from Spider-Man, "Fine...have it your way. We'll see who catches the beast first, and then we'll know if you children are truly prepared for the hunt."

Turning away, he jumps over the edge of the building. Spider-Man runs to the edge, and looks down, "...he's gone. He just disappeared."

Tarantula chuckles, "Not exactly special, we could do the same thing, couldn't we?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right," he confesses, turning back and walking toward her.

He picks her up with both hands, "I'll take you back to your apartment, okay?"

"I can get home myself-"

Behind his mask, he smiles, "C'mon, let me be the chivalrous gentleman for once, okay?"

She laughs, "...fine."

   

Valerie sits down at her lunch table with Gwen, Peter, Harry, and Eddie. Gwen and Peter are engaged in a rather private conversation while Harry and Eddie are pretending not to notice one another, occasionally exchanging suspicious glances.

"Babe...where were you last night?" Gwen asks Peter.

"I-I'm...so sorry, I, I had stuff to do, I got wrapped up at work," he excuses, squeezing her hand and keeping his voice hushed.

"So that's your excuse for ditching our movie date without a call?" she questions, "Unbelievable."

Trying to avoid the couple's conversation, Harry and Eddie both turn to Valerie, "Hey!" they expound at the same time.

They both get up, but Harry beats Eddie in grabbing the seat next to Valerie.

He wraps his arm around her, "You need to see this guy on YouTube I found last night. Hilarious."

Valerie glances across the table at the disapproving Eddie, who has his arms crossed and a scowl across his face. She then looks over at the smiling Harry, who's taking his phone out to show her the video. How exactly did she feel about these two boys?

"Harry, can we talk, privately?" she asks, taking his arm off of her.

Maintaining his smile, he nods, "Sure Val."

They get up and walk through the courtyard, and into the main school hallway, which is always empty during lunch.

Valerie leans up against the locker while Harry presses his hand against the locker above her, leaning in toward her, "So...did we actually come here to talk, or something...a little bit more?"

He leans in for a kiss, but Valerie stops him short, "Harry, I...I appreciate the gestures but...well...I'm just unsure about how I feel about-..."

"Hey, I get it," he interrupts, "you're nervous, this is your first relationship. I'll go slow if that's what you want."

"No, Harry, until I come to a decision, I'd prefer if you refrain from personal displays of affection," she clarifies.

Harry's smile fades, "Oh...wow...uhm..."

"I'm sorry if this comes off as negative toward you, it just...highlights my uncertainty. I truly do appreciate the attention, I do. What do they say in movies? 'It's not you, it's me?'"

He raises an eyebrow, "I think you're using the wrong context for that."

Valerie sighs, "I've never been good at this..."

Her head bowed, she starts walking back to the courtyard when Harry stops her.

"Wait! Does this mean...you like Eddie?"

She turns around, "Honestly...I'm not sure how I feel about either of you right now."