Earth 1610

Chapter 26- Hobie

I heard running behind me, thick heavy boots pounding on the floor. A guitar chord rang through the room, so loud it broke the barrier. A punk Spiderman broke through while playing the guitar, making me stare at him in awe. His outline was orange, and his guitar yellow. He looked awesome.

"Hobie!" Gwen exclaimed.

"Hobie, my guy!" Pavitr added.

"Hobie?" Miles and I questioned in disbelief.

"Look at that, another one. I love that many different variations of you guys."

"Man like Pav, big steppa!" Hobie pushed Pavitr's shoulders playfully. "You alright, mate?"

"What's this dude saying?" Miles asked.

Pavitr started play fighting with Hobie, making me smile. "It's English for we get along great and we're close friends."

Hobie finally put Pavitr in a headlock. "Are these the youngin's from sixteen-ten?"

Miles nudged me. "You understand this guy?"

"Hobie, thanks for breaking the shield!" Pavitr commented as Spot threw portals at Gwen and Pavitr.

"We loosened it," Miles protested.

"Bit of advice. Use the palm, not just your fingers," Hobie advised.

I looked at my palms for a moment, then smiled. "Thanks."

"What's up with his suit? Is he bleeding from his armpits?" Hobie remarked to his friends.

"Miles, (Y/n), Hobie. Hobie, (Y/n), Miles," Gwen blurted.

"Hi. I've never heard of you because Gwen barely ever mentioned you," Miles snapped.

"Hi, my name's Hobie. Hobie Brown. I was bitten by a—wouldn't you like to know? Get what I mean? And for the last three years, I've been the one and only—Wait, wait. Wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait, wait, wait. You think I'm going to show you my secret identity? Come out of it. That is, when I'm not playing shows, antagonizing fascists, staging unpermitted political actions slash performing art pieces. Or having a laugh at the pub with the mandem. I'm not a role model, I was briefly a runway model. I hate the a.m., I hate the p.m. I hate labels. I'm not a hero, because calling yourself a hero makes you a self-mythologizing narcissistic autocrat."

"I thought you hated labels," Miles commented after the whole backstory.

"Gwendy, you left your jumper around my place," Hobie admitted.

"What's a jumper?"

"It's a sweater."

"How many sweaters do you have?" I commented.

"That's not mine, I'm sure," Gwen lied.

"And your toothbrush," Hobie added. "Are those my Chucks?"

Gwen gave him a little fake laugh as she landed on his guitar that flew at Spot.

"Y'all make a heck of a team," Spot commented.

"I don't believe in teams," Hobie snapped.

"Aren't you in a band?" I questioned curiously.

"I don't believe in consistency," Hobie replied.

"I live on consistency," I admitted.

"This guy is killing me," Miles added.

The three spiders swung toward Spot as he had Miles and me on the floor.

"This is going to be good for us, Spiders," Spot stated. "You and me are finally going to live up to our potential. You'll finally have a villain worth fighting. I won't be just a joke to you two!"