Chapter 68 – New Arc

Location: New York, Midtown High School

Timeline: March 10, 1949

As we sat together in the school courtyard during lunch break, the sun casting a warm glow over us, the conversation flowed easily among our group of friends.

Mark adjusted his glasses as he spoke, his voice animated as he recounted a particularly funny incident that had happened in one of his classes. "And then, the teacher asked me a question about quantum physics, and I swear, I felt like I was in another dimension!" he exclaimed, eliciting laughter from the rest of us.

Chris ran a hand through his messy hair, chuckling at Mark's antics. "Man, I don't know how you do it, Mark. I can keep up with regular physics, But quantum physics well you could probably guess!" he joked, earning a gentle nudge from Emily.

Emily smiled at Chris's comment, her eyes shining with amusement. "Well, you're not alone, Chris. I think most of us struggle a little bit with quantum physics," she said, her voice light and teasing.

I agreed, laughing along with everyone else. "Yeah, seriously. I'm pretty sure quantum physics is just a conspiracy invented by scientists to mess with our heads," I joked, and everyone laughed with me.

Just then, Loe jumped into the conversation, his tone a bit sarcastic. "Quantum physics, huh? That's like the ultimate nightmare for every high schooler," he said, his sharp wit making us chuckle.

Our close group got bigger, adding Loe to our circle alongside Mark, Chris, Emily, and me. Even though I knew about Loe's past, and I forgave him, I never held it against him. After all, I don't hold grudges. Plus, even though I'm 16 physically, mentally I'm 27, so I handle things with more maturity and additionally we been friends since then.

Chris suddenly chimed in, "Hey Michael, you still flying solo? No girlfriend yet?"

Chris's question caught me off guard, and I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in surprise. "Whoa, Chris, what's with the sudden interest in my love life?" I replied, trying to deflect his question with a playful tone.

"I mean, I already have a girlfriend, you know her. She's pretty, and I fell in love with her since that day," he announced, a hint of pride in his voice.

Chris's remark made me laugh, fully aware of who he was talking about. "Sure thing, Chris. You've mentioned your love life more times than I can count," I teased, nudging him playfully. "Seems like you just can't help but show off, huh?"

Chris teased, "And you're still single," which earned giggles from Mark and Emily.

Chris's remark elicited a round of laughter from Mark and Emily, their chuckles echoing through the courtyard. I shot Chris a playful glare, teasingly pretending to be offended. "Hey now, being single is a lifestyle choice,"

Chris chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. "Hey, suit yourself, man," he replied, his tone teasing.

Feeling a bit flustered by the teasing, I turned to Loe, hoping to shift the focus away from my relationship status "How about you, Loe?" I asked, genuinely curious.

To my surprise, Loe shook his head, a smirk playing on his lips. "Actually, I've got a girlfriend," he revealed, his tone casual yet confident.

My jaw dropped in shock. "What? Why didn't you tell us sooner?" I exclaimed, genuinely surprised by the revelation.

Loe shrugged, unfazed by my reaction. "Mark, Chris, and Emily already know. You were just too caught up in your own world to notice," he replied, his tone teasing yet amused.

I couldn't help but laugh at the situation. "Looks like I'm the only bachelor in the group then," I remarked, shaking my head in mock disbelief.

Mary Rose Fletcher, Mark's younger sister, strolled over to us, her bright smile lighting up her face. "Hey, guys! What's up?" she greeted us cheerfully, her eyes sparkling with interest as she joined our conversation.

Mary Rose Fletcher transferred to our school and earned a scholarship, just like Mark did. Although she still works a part-time job, it's not as demanding as before since she now has the financial support from her scholarship. Typically, she works only on weekends to earn some extra money.

As for our school, it has fully recovered from the incident that occurred a year and a half ago. Despite the destruction caused by the terrorists, the school has managed to rebuild and become stronger than ever. This was possible because the school got a lot of help from sponsors. They gave money for fixing things and making improvements projects.

Mark suddenly interrupted our conversation with a mischievous grin. "Hey, Mary, did you know Michael here is the only one without a girlfriend?" he teased, shooting a playful glance at his sister. "Maybe you two could be a match," he added with a wink.

Mary blushed at Mark's playful remark, her cheeks turning a faint shade of pink as she briefly looked away, feeling a bit flustered. "Uh, well..." she mumbled, her voice trailing off as she tried to gather her thoughts. "I, um, I mean, it's not like that," she murmured, her eyes darting nervously before meeting mine, a shy smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Come on, Mark, knock it off," I chimed in, giving him a playful shove as I shook my head at his teasing. "You know Mary and I are just Friends," I added, my tone firm but friendly. After all, Mary was only 15, and I was mentally 27, despite inhabiting a 16-year-old body.

Mary quickly chimed in to clear things up. "Yep, just friends," she confirmed, giving a nod of solidarity with me. "Let's not make a big deal out of it, okay?" she added with a dissapointing voice.

Mary's smile dropped briefly, a tiny hint of sadness crossing her expression before she covered it up with a forced smile. Even though she tried to act cool, I could tell she'd hoped for something else. It was like she'd thought about it, just for a second. My rejection had left her feeling somewhat deflated.

"I'm sorry, Mary," I silently thought, regretting any disappointment I may have caused.But we're in different places in life. I'm mentally older, and you're still young. It wouldn't be fair to either of us. With a sigh, I brushed away those thoughts, diverting my attention back to the lighthearted chatter and laughter of our friends, hoping to ease the awkward tension that lingered between Mary and me.

After the school

Location: New York

Timeline: March 10, 1949

Time: 5 pm

After spending time with our friends, it ended up just being Mark, Loe, and me, as Mary was assisting her manager at the restaurant. Chris was occupied with his family's business, and Emily had piano lessons to prepare for a family gathering next week. Mark, being Emily's boyfriend, would naturally be accompanying her next week. So, it was just the three of us heading to Teacher Thomas Halloway's place.

Mark and I decided to visit Teacher Thomas Halloway's place, as we often did. Since they already knew about my vigilante identity, Because Loe, who now lives with Teacher Halloway, had already told Mark about taking over Halloway's vigilante persona, the Angel. So, in return I told Loe and Teacher Thomas about being Spider-Man. I trusted them with my secret, just like they trusted me with theirs.

By the way I didn't tell our other friends—Chris, Emily, and Mary Rose—about our secret. I believed it was safer for them not to know, considering the risks involved in being associated with a vigilante.

 Mark, on the other side, had become my partner, He is Night wing and I'am Spider-Man.

3 months Ago 

In my room, I turned to Mark with a surprising proposal.

"Mark, what if you joined me as a vigilante?" I asked, curious about his response.

"Seriously?" Mark's eyes sparkled with excitement, showing he was intrigued.

"Yeah," I confirmed, nodding. "You've improved a lot, especially after I gave you that serum. You can handle yourself out there."

[Boost Serum (3 million Shop Points): This serum is like a weaker version of the Super Soldier Serum. It makes you stronger, faster, and tougher, but not as much as the full strength one. It's still a big help in fights, without any big downsides.]

"Yep, I bought this one, but now my 5 million shop points have become 2 million shop points. Huhuhu. But it's still worth it after all; it's for the sake of Mark's growth."

Then Suddenly Mark's eyes lit up with excitement at the suggestion. "Nightwing... I like it! It's got a cool ring to it," he exclaimed, a grin spreading across his face.

"Good, now we have to create your costume," I say, then continue, "Don't worry, I already have the idea." Well, After all, I want him to resemble Nightwing from DC Comics as closely as possible, so I've already conceptualized the costume in my mind.

I access the Spider-Man System through my thoughts, hoping to utilize its advanced design tools to create the Nightwing costume. "Can I create a Nightwing costume using your functions?" I inquire.

"Unfortunately, host, the only thing I can create is Spider-Man costumes, as this system is designed specifically for Spider-Man," the system responds, its limitations evident.

Disappointed but not giving up, I decide to make the Nightwing costume myself. Inspired by the famous DC Comics character, I imagine a smooth, black outfit with bold blue highlights, just like the bird Nightwing.

Lost in my thoughts about crafting the Nightwing costume, I was suddenly pulled back to reality by Mark's voice. "Hello, hello, Michael," he greeted me, his tone lighthearted yet expectant as he waited for my response. 

"Come on, let's get started on creating your costume," I said to Mark, eager to bring Nightwing to life.

After days of collecting stuff and drawing our plans, Mark and I were all set to make the Nightwing outfit. We had fabric, needles, and our sketches laid out, and we were eager to get started.

During our late-night work, we made sure nobody found out what we were up to. We sneaked around carefully and chose the right times to do our work, always retreating to my room when someone got too close.

As we carefully drew and planned, we kept our work a secret, talking about other things when people were nearby. We had to be careful not to let anyone see what we were doing. It was like a tricky things, trying to stay true to our mission while keeping our identities hidden from our friends.

Even though it was tough to keep it secret, we stayed determined. With each stitch and every little detail, we stuck to our plan, believing it would pay off. As the Nightwing costume started to look real, we got even more excited. That excitement kept us going, pushing us to hide our doings from anyone.

After many days of effort, we stepped back to admire our creation. The Nightwing costume stood tall, representing our teamwork and promise to fight for what's right. Its smooth design and vivid colors perfectly reflected the hero Mark was meant to embody.

"Wow, it's even better than I imagined," Mark exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement. "I can't wait to try it on!"

With a smile, I gave Mark the costume. Seeing him standing there, our shared dream realized, I knew we'd be a strong team fighting crime together.

"Welcome to the team, Nightwing," I said with a smile, feeling a surge of pride in our accomplishment.

Back to the present

As Mark, Loe, and I walked to Teacher Thomas Halloway's place, we were surrounded by the usual hustle and bustle of New York City. The busy streets, the car horns blaring, and the people talking in the distance—all of it added to the city's lively atmosphere.

When we got to Teacher Thomas Halloway's place, Teacher Thomas greeted us with a big grin and let us in.

Teacher Thomas Halloway, an experienced vigilante, welcomed us warmly. He seemed wise and kind, like a caring mentor. He helped Loe and me a lot, teaching us how to be better vigilantes and giving us really helpful advice.

As we got comfortable in our seats, the TV blared loudly, The date, March 10, 1949, flashed across the screen, and grabbing our focus with the familiar voice of J. Jonah Jameson Sr., the editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle. His dislike for Spiderman was clear, even through the screen. "Spiderman and his new partner Nightwing, along with the reappearance of the vigilante known as The Angel since the 1930s. Who are these masked figures? Are they truly heroes, or just opportunists seeking fame at the expense of the city's safety?" Jameson Sr.'s words dripped with skepticism and scorn as he cast doubt on our motives.

Thinking about J. Jonah Jameson Sr. and his son, J. Jonah Jameson Jr., I noticed how similar they were. They both really didn't like Spider-Man, though they might have different reasons. In another universe, J. Jonah Jameson Sr. ended up married to Aunt May and became Peter Parker's uncle. It was pretty weird, but it reminded me how big and complicated the multiverse can be.

Even though the name sounded familiar, I had to keep reminding myself that this was a whole new reality, with its own stories and characters. There are so many versions of Spider-Man across different universes, each with its own plot and world. It's easy to get overwhelmed by all the different details.

As I pondered these ideas, I silently wished that Miguel O'Hara, the Spider-Man from the year 2099, wouldn't suddenly pop up and start lecturing me about canonical events. The complexities of alternate timelines and parallel universes were the last things I wanted to delve into right now.

[Then mark interjected]

"Can you believe this guy?" Mark exclaimed, his voice filled with frustration as we watched Jameson Sr.'s broadcast. "He acts like we're the bad guys here."

I nodded, agreeing with a sigh. "Some folks can't see beyond their prejudices," I said, frustration evident in my tone. "No matter how often we rescue the city, he's always ready to twist it into his own narrative."

As the angry speech went on, Mark and I exchanged a look, both of us feeling fed up. No matter what we did, Jameson Sr. just wouldn't change his mind. He always thought we were just trying to get attention as heroes.

Then Thomas Halloway, a seasoned 70-year-old, sat back in his chair, looking both worried and wise. "Listen, boys," he started, his voice filled with the wisdom of his years. "Being vigilantes comes with risks. But remember, real heroes don't care about fame or praise; they do what's right out of duty and kindness. Don't let what others say shake your resolve."

Loe leaned back in his chair, a skeptical look on his face. "Wise words, old man," he remarked dryly, though I could see a hint of respect in his eyes. Even though Loe often had a sarcastic attitude towards Teacher Thomas, I knew that deep down, he understood the importance of what Teacher Thomas was saying.

Then I faced Mark and Loe with resolve. "Okay, let's do this. It's time to do what we're good at—stop the bad guys and help out those who need it," I stated confidently, gearing up for another night of vigilante work.

As we left, Teacher Thomas offered us words of encouragement. "Good luck, young ones. Go out there and expand your heroic activities," he said, his voice filled with both pride and concern.

As I swung through the city, Loe and Mark followed closely behind, using their grappling hooks to keep pace with me. After hours of surveying, we stumbled upon a scary scene. There were some people doing bad stuff, and it seemed like they were trying to keep it a secret.

As we observed from a safe distance, I could feel the tension rising among us. Mark's grip on his grappling hook tightened, and Loe's expression grew more serious. The Idea that we might have stumbled upon a mafia operation dawned on us, and it made us all uneasy. We exchanged worried glances, silently acknowledging the gravity of the situation.

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" I whispered, barely audible over the city's distant hum.

Mark nodded, his eyes narrowed. "Yeah, It doesn't look good," he replied, voice tinged with concern.

Meanwhile

A big guy with a buzz cut barked orders to his underlings, his voice slicing through the tense atmosphere. "Hurry it up, or Boss Shadow will have our heads!"

His words were met with a flurry of activity as the other members of the mafia scrambled to obey. They hustled the prisoners along, their movements rough and hurried, showing no regard for their well-being

The women and girls, scared and anxious, gathered close, seeking comfort in each other's presence. Their faces showed clear signs of fear as they were forcibly moved along by the intimidating mob. Soft murmurs of worry and distress passed between them, their voices barely audible above the commotion.

The air was tense as the mafia hurried to carry out their orders, showing how serious the situation was. They were efficient and ruthless, leaving no doubt about the urgency of their task.

To be continued

Mini Arc "Mafia Operations" This will be related to the only Arc in book 1 Part 2 "The Romance Dawn" Then Time skip Book 2 Part 1