Spyder and The Changes [ON HOLD]

Chapter 3 - In or Out?

The stranger looked at me, a huge grin on his face, and said, "I don't know, can you?"

Fantastic. I was dealing with an idiot.

Even more idiotic than those Avengers. Even more idiotic than S.H.I.E.L.D. They didn't even seem to care that Spider-Man was kidnapped. Poor Spidey. How couldn't they see that this was the only solution?

"Whatever. Just stop poking me." With that, I turned away and shoved the buds back in place, not in the mood for antics.

He resumed immediately.

I was going to...

get myself under control.

Grinding my teeth, I snapped, "Seriously, quit it. Go bug someone your own age. If I were you, the first place I'd go is back to preschool."

The kid -and yes, that's what I'm going to call him- whined. Like a five-year-old whose favorite toy just got taken away.

Huh. Immature and annoying. My least favorite combination. Maybe that was Pet-

Nope. Not going there.

Focusing on there here and now. Snap out of it, Pepper. You're playing grown-up now.

As the kid was about to reply, my name was called.

Thank God.

I got up immediately, slinging my bookbag over my back, and practically flew to the office door. A sobbing girl in her early twenties came out, clutching a piece of paper. Her "acceptance" letter.

If I had to guess, I'd say she didn't make it in. Which means there wasn't a defininte guarantee for me either.

I let her past and slid inside. This wasn't going to scare me. Grown-up time.

A formidable-looking crone was seated in a lush office chair behind an ornate desk. He had a bright pink "Let's Go, Alumni!" banner pinned to the front of the desk.

Wonder what the school color was...

I took my seat across from him and pulled out my "acceptance" letter.

He glanced up from a pink polka-dotted clipboard and I almost had a heart attack.

It was Marce- I mean, Phlame's - father. Mr. Phlame.

How fitting.

"Pepper B. Parker. Female. Sixteen. Perfect grades," he began, adjusting his glasses. "Skipped part of high school to attend the prestigious Roosevelt College. I am the manager here, and you may call me Dr. Phlame. Nothing else. Not Phlamester, not Doc, not Dude Man. Understand, young lady?"

Stomach churning, I nodded. "Y-yes, sir."

He didn't recognize me. Why didn't he recognize me? Surely Phlame had told her daddy about the horrid Spyder and her obvious secret identity.

He continued and I snapped to attention. "If you are to be accepted, it is a necessity to have the letter at all times. I trust that it is in your possession, correct?"

I slid the letter forward hesitantly, afraid to speak.

Maybe he forgot about me. Maybe Marcy never told him. Maybe he couldn't tell it was me. Maybe he was playing "dumb old man." Maybe that wasn't really her dad and it was a professional imitation of him instead.

So many possibilities.

"Marvelous," Mr. Phlame said, swiping the paper and stuffing it into his desk. "One more to join the team." He motioned me to the door, saying, "We'll see you the first of August, Pepper Parker. Thank you, and welcome to Roosevelt College."

The door slammed shut behind me and I trotted back to the waiting room, spotting the kid immediately.

I shouldered my backpack and averted my gaze. He wasn't there. He wasn't there. He wasn't there.

Boom.

Hewasn'ttherehewasn'ttherehewasn'tthere.

I looked up. He wasn't there.

What?

I scanned the room once more.

No sign of him.

But there was only one office.

That meant one of two things: either he left prematurely or... teleported into Mr. Phlame's office? Super-speeded into his office? Invisibilitied his way there?

I pressed my ear up against the (supposedly) soundproof office door and, sure enough, could hear his whiny voice as well as the old man's inside. Chatting away. Laughing. Paper rustling. Silence. More laughing.

Then another boom sound.

The door whooshed open and I had to leap out of the way.

Mr. Phlame stalked past. He made his way through the still-full waiting room of expectant teens and went outside.

I poked my head into his office and found it strangely empty. The kid was nowhere to be seen. He had entered, somehow, but never exited. Yet the room was devoid of life. How was that possible?

My peers began to get up and leave. Some were sobbing.

Poor strangers.

I made a hasty decision to store that question away for later. I slipped out with the miserables, trying my best to hide the only smile in the group.

My smile.

I made it.
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<·<Pepper_B_Parker*Alias:_Spyder*Position:_S.H.I.E.L.D._agent>·>

Put a crap-ton of little Easter eggs in this one for ya. Enjoy, kiddies.