Coward

"Hermaaaaan!" The phantom, his limbs glowing bright with Godspeed energy, shouted as he continued to ruthlessly give chase to the man who killed his mother. Like a free runner, the costumed assassin flowed effortlessly from building to building, stepping forward quickly using Godspeed and further propelling himself forward with his webs.

Shocker tried, with everything he had he tried, but he could not escape the grasp of the Phantom Spider. Within a matter of time, the shadow was right on the Shocker's tail, having no other option, the yellow costumed villain shot another concussion blast at his pursuer, sending him crashing into a nearby hotel building.

The Shocker was afraid, he knew he didn't stand a chance after seeing what the kid had done to his partners, but fighting was his only choice. Chasing after the man who was once his pursuer, the Shocker lept into the hotel building, finding himself inside an empty hotel room.

"Where the hell did he-" He failed to notice the spider perching above the hole in the wall behind him. Before his sentence could finish, Herman was greeted by a powerful kick to the back of the head, sending him flying toward the room's entrance.

He crashed through the front door of the hotel room, which led him into the hallway, uncontrollably. By the time he had landed on his hands and knees, the phantom was already on top of him, leaping in the air and using his two Godspeed-coated hands to push off of the ceiling. With tremendous momentum, the ghost dive-kicked his mother's assassin in the back of the neck.

Due to the strength of the incredible kick, The Shocker was blasted through the floor, landing in the hallway beneath the two fighters. His back slammed onto the ground, knocking the wind out of him as he struggled to regain his bearings. Though his special suit was made to counteract any physical and electric damage, the punches from the Phantom Spider hurt like hell and they weren't even nearing his full strength.

Herman glanced up to suddenly see his reaper using two webs to slingshot himself downwards once again, though this time from a floor above. The Shocker was too slow to react as his killer stomped down onto his body at an astonishing velocity. The mighty strike sent the two crashing through multiple floors of the building as if the floor was made of paper mache.

As they broke through each floor, the sounds of civilians screaming and fleeing could barely be made out due to the intense volume of the brawl between killers. Eventually, the two found themselves on the ground, causing the few people within the hallway to run for their lives.

Now that their momentum had ceased, the phantom began to throw a punch toward the Shocker's skull. However, before the punch could land, he was propelled upwards by the Shocker's powerful gauntlets and sent back through the holes in which they had just created. The momentum from the propulsion blast sent him back to the level they started on, though the momentum did not cease until he broke through three floors above where they started. Once his acceleration had slowed down, he slammed into one of the ceilings, only to be met by a gut punch from the Shocker, sending him down the hallway.

He didn't expect his mother's killer to have that much fight in him, so the boy decided to start using more of his strength as his body soared uncontrollably through the hallway, coming to a rolling stop.

The Shocker brushed some of the debris off of his shoulder and began blasting his way toward the boy with haste. With a counterattack in mind, the Phantom Spider stood up on his two feet, forming a bright blue aura around his limbs. He then kicked his foot off of the ground, leaving a crater behind him, and began stepping forward using Godspeed. Within three steps he reached Herman and punched him in the chest at an unprecedented speed.

As the Shocker flew toward the very end of the hallway, due to the strength of the attack, the vengeful spider took one step forward using Godspeed which flashed him forward about fifteen feet instantly, he didn't know it yet but he was becoming stronger during every passing second of that fight.

The young killer released a web from his wrist, attaching it to the Shocker before pulling him in close to deliver a powerful punch to the face.

*CRACK*

The ear-splitting sound of Godspeed's electricity could be heard throughout the entire hotel. The lights flickered at the same time as the punch landed. As the Shocker's body began rocketing away in the opposite direction, the Phantom Spider yanked the villain once again, this time hitting his mother's killer with a Godspeed kick to the chest.

*CRACK*

Once again, the Shocker was sent flying backward, only to be met by another web to the chest. As if the Shocker were a paddle ball, the boy repeated the process of spartan kicking him backward and yanking him back toward himself. With each kick, the lights would flicker, causing the entire hallway to go dark, only to be illuminated by the boy's Godspeed energy before the lights would brighten up the hall again.

*CRACK* *click* *CRACK* *click* *CRACK* *click*

Repeatedly, the booming sounds of the Godspeed-infused kicks could be heard, followed by the sound of lights flickering and Herman grunting in pain. Having had enough of using the Shocker as a toy, the hero yanked Herman back one last time before stepping forward, causing a crater in the ground as he released a powerful straight-right punch, striking the Shocker in the chest.

*ZZT CRACK*

If it wasn't for the suit, the Shocker would have been reduced to mush from this attack, but the spider knew this and let himself go all out with that punch.

Herman's body was sent zooming down the hallway, causing him to break through not only a hotel door but a window that led to him flying outside aimlessly. Though he tried to regain his balance as he flew through the air uncontrollably, the Phantom Spider was already on him as if he had teleported.

Glowing with Godspeed energy, the killer spider put two fists together and slammed Herman on the skull, sending him falling down into the train tracks below them.

Herman was barely conscious at this point, only being able to see blurs and hear the sound of an oncoming train rocketing toward him. He turned his head, only being able to see the lights as the train speedily made its way toward his unmoving body.

Before the train ravaged his nearly unconscious body, the Shocker began accepting his fate. At that moment, his life flashed before his eyes, though he regretted nothing. He looked up at the sky, and the last thing he saw was the white symbol on the Phantom Spider's chest inching closer to him.

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"Hah!" The Shocker's eyes shot open as he found himself sitting inside an abandoned train car, somewhere deep below the city. He was no longer wearing his suit and he was attached to a seat with his arms webbed behind his back. His body was also webbed down to the seat, he couldn't move a muscle. The Phantom Spider chose this place so that way no one would hear the Shocker, or rather, Herman Schultz, scream.

Herman looked over to see his costume laying on the ground in front of him, though his gauntlets were nowhere to be found. "Where the hell am I?" The ex-Fisk minion whispered to himself as he continued scanning the area for any clues.

Hearing this, the Phantom Spider lept into the train car, startling the Shocker as the young man held onto the thug's gauntlets. "These are pretty high-tech. Did you make these yourself?" The phantom asked his mother's assassin in a chilling tone, though Herman remained silent.

"It's funny, you've had to have some sort of engineering background, right? But you threw that all away to live a life of crime. How long did it take for you to get these Vibro-Shock gauntlets right anyway? One mishap and they could've killed you. You could've blown your arms off." Once again, the spider spoke as if he were acquainted with the man, though Herman did not respond.

Phantom Spider placed the gauntlets down and picked up a rusty, metal rod, and walked toward the villain with the metal weapon resting on his shoulder. The piece of scrap metal began to glow brightly with Godspeed energy, a new ability that the boy seemed to have discovered during the Shocker's slumber. "You know, while you were asleep, I was looking for something to beat the answers I want out of you with and I learned that I can transfer my energy onto metallic objects. I don't know why I never thought to try it."

His Godspeed-embued, rusty rod shone brightly as he approached his mother's killer, placing the hot metal on the half-naked villain's chin before speaking down to him with an emotionless and monotonous voice. "I'll be honest with you, Herman. You're going to die here. Let's get straight to the point and I'll make sure it's fast, alright?"

The torturer reached into his pants pocket and pulled out his cell phone, scrolling through his photo gallery until he found a picture of the man shaking hands with Wilson Fisk. "Do you know who this guy is in the photo?"

Herman scoffed. "Wilson Fisk." This pissed off the hero, causing him to slowly dig the electrified metal rod into the Shocker's chest, making sure to miss any organs. Blood spewed from the Shocker's mouth and he began coughing up blood as the weapon dug deeply into his flesh.

"I know who Wilson Fisk is, dumbfuck. I killed him. Who's the man in the suit?" The spider held the weapon in place, staring into Herman's eyes intensely. However, his eyes were not that of a killer. They were scared, just as scared as Herman's eyes were. However, both failed to notice how terrified the other was at the moment.

"No way." Herman chuckled ever so slightly, causing more blood to spew from his mouth. "You're the one that did it? Some kid?"

The Phantom Spider dug the weapon deeper inside Herman's chest, causing him to scream in anguish.

Leaning in closely, the boy spoke, though his boyish voice was beginning to break through his murderous facade. "I'm no kid. Not anymore. Answer the question."

"I don't know who the man is. It's a hand..." Shocker admitted falsely.

"You do know." The Phantom Spider adjusted his hand, hinting at Herman that he was ready to twist his electrified weapon as it burned the inside of his chest.

"I don't! I swear!" Herman shook his head frantically. Unbeknownst to the boy, this was a lie. Herman would rather die than give up that information. He wouldn't dare risk the ramifications of talking.

"What do you know about Project V then?" Still holding the electrified rod with a reverse grip, the boy spoke once more. His voice was no longer cold. It was becoming frantic and fragile.

"Where did you hear about that!?" Shocker screamed, causing the boy's eyebrows to rise beneath his mask.

"What do you mean by that? What is it?" The boy questioned, though the answer he'd receive wouldn't be satisfactory.

"I don't know who created it but it's like a fucking virus. It makes the host go insane and want to eat people and breed or some shit. Look kid, you need to stop or else he'll-" Before the man could finish, the boy twisted the rod slowly before barking more orders at him.

"Who? Who is 'he'!"

"I'm not fucking telling you! Kill me! Fucking kill me, I'll die if he finds out I opened my goddammed mouth! Kill me, you fucking coward!" The Shocker challenged the boy, he knew he was dead regardless.

"I'll spare you if you tell me. Please." The boy pleaded, though his plea was on deaf ears.

"Fuck. You. I don't care about my life. If he finds out I talked... I won't be his only target, my folks would be next."

"I won't tell anyone who told me if you just fucking spit it out!" The boy yelled, but it didn't matter. The Shocker already had decided his fate.

"I won't. I'm not risking my family for some kid."

The boy paused after hearing those final words, they were reminiscent of some of the final words of Fisk, before he brutalized him.

He thought of Fisk's daughter.

He thought of his mother.

He thought about what Black Cat told him.

Eren thought about everything that's been happening in his head for the last few months.

The nightmares.

The guilt.

His feelings of worthlessness and regret.

They'd all be gone after this.

At least, that's what he told himself.

Then, new emotions began to overwhelm Eren.

Frustration.

Confusion.

'Why did he choose this life if he has a family?'

'If I choose to steal his life from him, does that make me no different?'

'Is it worth making his family feel my pain?'

'Killing him doesn't do anything for anyone. All it does is continue the cycle of pain... He wants to die. I'll be giving him a gift and the ones who weren't involved with my mother's death would receive misery.'

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'He could be lying.' The Phantom Spider said internally.

So with empty eyes, Eren removed the blade and stood with his arm raised, holding his Godspeed-infused weapon high above his head. 'Kill him. He's useless to you now.' His inner voice demanded of him, though the boy could do nothing but stare at the man in front of him with emotionless eyes.

'You can finally avenge her.' The voice in his head spoke.

'She can rest in peace now, knowing you've finally got him.' The same voice, once again tempted him, though it was louder.

'Do it, now!' The same voice screamed, pushing the boy past the edge, finalizing his decision.

_____________

*knock*

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*knock*

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*knock*

Eren, having blood all over his costume and the body language of a broken man, knocked three times on the window of Black Cat's penthouse, immediately summoning the feline to open her doors for him. His eyes, hidden beneath the shadow covering his face, were devoid of any emotion.

As he stood there, once again as heavy rain poured behind him, just like with Fisk, he felt nothing.

No joy.

No sadness.

No satisfaction.

No pain.

Just... emptiness.

"Spider?" Felicia asked him, feeling scared due to his imposing stance, yet she felt sympathy for his now unknown circumstance.

There was a long pause between the two, though it was soon broken by the defeated words of Eren Parker.

"I couldn't do it." He spoke, triggering Felicia's eyes to widen. "I let my mom's killer walk."

As the boy said, he didn't kill the man who killed his mother. Herman Schultz, the Shocker, was spared by Eren Parker, though he would spend the rest of his life behind bars. Just after the interrogation, the hero decided to call Yuri Watanabe and informed her of the museum robbery and the murders of Fisk's victims that the three were involved with. All of the Maggia members at the museum, including the Shocker, the Chameleon, and Tombstone, were arrested by Yuri and her squad.

"I'm a coward." The young hero spoke to the silver-haired feline, still not moving an inch from where he stood.

He needed someone.

No one else knew his secret but her.

He needed Felicia at the moment, just her.

Felicia, knowing she was the only one he could go to, embraced the hero in her arms. The young hero wrapped his arms around her and began to silently release tears from his eyes, though his mask hid them from her.

"You're not a coward, Spider. You did the right thing." She spoke into the boy's ear softly, immediately soothing him.

"But, you said it yourself. I should get revenge." The boy's weak voice uttered.

"No, Spider. I said revenge is okay. Being the bigger man is okay too. It makes you better than most. Remember what you said to me earlier? Being a hero wasn't a facade for you, right?"

The hero nodded slowly.

"Look at me." Felicia spoke, grabbing the young man by the face with her clawed, gloved hands and forcing their gazes to meet.

"You did the right thing. Okay?" As she said this, she slowly removed the lower half of the boy's mask with her thumb, revealing his tightly shut, quivering mouth. With her thumbs, she wiped the tears from his face.

"You did the right thing." She repeated, staring deeply into his eyes.

The Phantom Spider then grabbed her chin with both hands before passionately kissing her on the lips. This surprised her, as he was normally somewhat shy and reserved, however, he made the first move.

He didn't know what came over him at the moment, Eren Parker would never do such a thing.

Perhaps his alter ego and mask gave him the conviction he lacked when he was just himself.

Perhaps it was because he felt safe with her at that moment.

He felt that she understood him.

No, she understood the Phantom Spider, not him.

Upon realizing this, the boy pulled away, looking down at her with wide eyes. "I'm sorry, I just-" Before he could finish his explanation, Felicia quickly locked lips with the young hero once again, pushing him back into the rain as the two kissed passionately once more.

It felt wrong.

Yet, at the same time, it felt so right. For both of them.

However, he slowly pushed her away from him.

"I'm sorry. Thank you. I..." He couldn't find the right words to say at the moment. He couldn't believe what had just happened.

Felicia smiled slightly before teasing the young hero. "Cat got your tongue?"

The hero exhaled humorously, showing a glimpse of his smile to Felicia for the first time.

"Yeah, sort of. I need to go. Thank you, for everything. You're right... about me... Yeah." The boy turned around awkwardly, preparing to leap from her building. Before he could leave her behind, Felicia grabbed his arm, stopping him from leaving.

"Wait." She said quietly. "You can stay the night. If you'd like."

The boy smiled bitterly but it soon faded. He began fixing his mask to cover the lower half of his face before speaking once more in his now muffled voice. "I know, but I can't. I mean, I shouldn't. We shouldn't be doing this. I'm sorry."

Before Felicia could say another word, the Phantom Spider swung away, disappearing into the foggy, rainy night.

As he swung through the chilling rain, the hero retrospectively thought about his life and his two halves.

Eren Parker and the Phantom Spider.

The loser and the hero.

The weak and the strong.

The genius and the impulsive.

The two cowards.

He then thought about what had just happened, realizing his feelings, specifically about two people, had gotten a lot more complicated.

Eren Parker was in love with Cindy Moon.

But the Phantom Spider was infatuated with the Black Cat.

His thoughts soon shifted to the museum robbery and how he just let the police handle it. Giving up revenge, though it felt terrible at first, felt like a weight was released from his chest.

He didn't feel vengeful anymore.

No more anger.

No more hatred.

He just felt...

Content.

That day, he planned to kill the man who murdered his mother, though, in the end, he couldn't bring himself to do it and he did not regret his decision.

This action, however, may prove to have its own consequences down the line.

Whether it be days, weeks, months, or even years.

All actions have consequences.

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(Black Cat will return.)