Ranma 1/2 used without permission Spiderman used without permission ============================================= Hikaru Gosunkugi: The Amazing Spiderman Issue Twelve: Slayers Cyborg part One ============================================= I am Uatu, the Watcher. From my sanctum I have seen the birth and death of countless realities, yet there are a few which consistently draw my attention. On this earth, a young man named Hikaru Gosunkugi was bitten on the hand by an irradiated spider and the course of his life was changed forever. Thinking to use his newfound abilities both for profit and to gain the affections of a girl named Akane Tendo, he became the Amazing Spiderman. Due to the machinations of Nabiki Tendo, Hikaru had to face one of Pao Leung's strongest agents, a scientist named Doctor Octopus. Soon afterward, Hikaru had decided to discard his life as Spiderman. But, he soon met a girl named Miku Tachibana. Her troubled past had forced him to create a new costume, and resume his role as the Spiderman in order to save her life and end a war between two gangs in another ward. However, this was not the end of his adventures. To quote a man from your world, it was not even the beginning of the end. It was the end of the beginning. You may ask "What of Doctor Octopus and his device?" Or, "What is Pao Leung's plan?" Perhaps even, "What lurked behind the scenes of the war between the Riding Skulls and the Ketsume?" Those are stories to be told another time, yet they will be told. This I know, for I am The Watcher. ============================================== The rumors had spread faster than a wildfire, changing and evolving with a life all their own. Hikaru Gosunkugi heard them all from a distance, for once interested in the stories told by others. "That poor Miku," one girl said. "Getting kidnapped by a loony like that." "She was rescued!" another piped up. "Someone crashed in and saved her!" "Really?" "Who?" "Spiderman!" Hikaru stopped to listen, absently eyeing one of his books. "No way!" "Maybe they're in love?" one asked. "What?" "It's so romantic," another said, hands clasped to her chest. "If *I* had been kidnapped, I'd want a mysterious masked avenger to come to my rescue." Hikaru winced at her words. No, he said silently, you wouldn't. I hope you *never* get kidnapped at all, much less by someone like Shigeru. "Hey, Akane," one said. "What's that like?" Hikaru froze at the question. He hadn't noticed Akane there. He saw her at last, and his heart began to ache. I've heard enough, he thought. Time to get to class. Miku's supposed to be back today. Akane blushed at the question. She had been kidnapped more times than she cared to recall, and by quite the rogue's gallery of crazies to boot. The times when Ranma had come running to her rescue touched her more than she'd ever care to admit, even if he *did* have his own motives, like a cure for his curse. The time on Togenkyo, an incident she hadn't told her group of friends about, came to mind. That water could have rid him of the curse easily, yet he had destroyed the spring to save her. "Akane?" "Hm? You were saying something?" =================================================== Nabiki zeroed in on Hikaru Gosunkugi. Earlier, she had gotten more information than she had ever hoped from other sources. Hikaru had been gone for three days, he hadn't even been at his apartment. During that time, Spiderman had shown up to save that Miku girl. New costume, according to the newspaper, same man. The plot thickens, she said to herself as she veered off toward the stairs to the junior floor. Hikaru had to have told Spiderman about what they had seen at Miku's apartment. Spiderman then goes into Juuban to look for the girl. And what a job he had done on her kidnapper! According to her sources, it was possible that Shigeru Katsuo could die soon. The whole incident, in and of itself, proved that Hikaru Gosunkugi *did* know Spiderman, likely even knew his secret identity. Now, how to corner him into telling her? ====================================================== Hua Ping stared at her handiwork. Two stories of vanadium steel, the most advanced systems she could pull together, and more firepower than a ZSU anti-aircraft vehicle all molded into the shape of a black widow spider, hence the name. It was the most effective design she could devise, and somewhat symbolic, too. Of all the species of arachnids, the black widow had the most infamous - indeed lethal - reputation. A few bites from it were enough to kill even a human. The monstrous machine stood dormant in the now-silent hangar bay. All the work was completed, and soon would come the testing phase. This machine would be able to kill Spiderman; why Leung wanted him dead she did not want to know, and the surgery her daughter needed in order to walk again would be perfomred. A deep-seated part of her found the whole thing to be sickening. Taking the life of a man she didn't know in order to give her daughter back the use of her legs left a sour taste in her mouth. But, she had no choice. She had been given the order that morning. She would launch the spider seekers tonight. Once they found him, the Black Widow would crush him. ======================================================== "That will be all, class," the teacher said as the bell screamed out into the hall. "Remember, your assignment on Henry VIII is due by Friday." Hikaru stepped out into the hall. He could already feel the mountain of delinquent assignments on his shoulders. If he was going to moonlight as Spiderman, he'd have to find a way to balance webslinging with schoolwork. Through the crowd he saw Miku standing in the midst of a group of other girls. He caught snippets of their questions; some of them concerning Spiderman, some about Shigeru, and others about why she had even been kidnapped in the first place. I guess the details haven't hit the papers yet, he thought. He cast a glance at Miku and her eyes locked with his. Hikaru saw something flutter there for a moment before she looked away again. Am I wrong, or is the hero supposed to get the girl? Hikaru continued his walk to the next class, dreading how much he had missed in trigonometry. Making up homework in that class was a cast iron bitch. "Hikaru." Miku's voice brought him up short a few meters away from his intended door. Hikaru slowly turned to face her, fighting to keep his features calm. She definitely looked better than the last time he had seen her. The spot on her throat where the blade had nicked wasn't even visible. She wore the uniform of Furinkan's female students, a rather modest affair, her hair washed and flowing down her back. "Yeah?" He didn't think talking to her would be so awkward. In saving her, he had proven to her that he was linked with Spiderman far more closely than he had implied when she had first asked. "I never got to thank Spiderman," she said as she drew up closer. Her eyes held his fast, and Hikaru suddenly forgot what he had been thinking about. "I... um... think he's used to it. Yeah..." "If you see him, tell him I said thanks." "Sure. No problem." Hikaru made to leave and was stopped when her hand appeared on his shoulder. "Before I forget," Miku whispered as she lowered her head to his. "Thank you, Hikaru Gosunkugi." Hikaru nearly took leave of his good senses when her lips planted a delicate kiss on his cheek. "Ahhh..... wha.... but..." Miku giggled at the somewhat alarming shade of crimson his face had taken. "If you hadn't told him, I'd still be with Shigeru right now..." She trailed off at the end, obviously not wanting to think about that matter any further. "Yeah. Um... don't mention it. Really." "See you later." With that, Miku turned and vanished into the thinning crowd of students. "She... kissed me..." Hikaru practically floated into the classroom. =================================================== Otto Octavius glanced again at the readouts, not quite able to believe what he was seeing. Could that halfwit former assistant of his have actually stumbled across something like this? It was unthinkable, yet the evidence was staring him square in the face. "Sanzaki," he breathed, "you are indeed an imbecile for not guarding this more closely." The perversions the other had inflicted upon Octavius' own research had somehow produced something stunning. Accident was just as much the mother of invention as necessity, it seemed. ==================================================== "Ninety-seven!" Pao Leung hoisted the barbell skyward. "Ninety-eight!" His arms burned pleasantly. The skin was slicked with sweat that ran down the length of his rippling muscles, some collecting on the vinyl surface of the padded weight bench. "Ninety-nine!" Almost done... "One hundred!" Leung replaced the barbell into its cradle before rising to a sitting position. Taking one end of the towel draped around his neck, he dabbed the sweat from his forehead while his other hand reached for the bottle of water by his ankle. The excercise room was spartan when compared to most public gyms, yet Leung cared not for ammenities. Each piece of equipment was there to serve a purpose, nothing more. The only thing in there that was not, in fact, meant for that purpose was the full length mirror that rested along one wall. Five minutes, then he would hit the showers. An hour of strenuous exercise each day was Leung's routine. A leader had to be strong in mind and body if he had any hope for survival. This was a lesson often driven home brutally in the Triad. Leung began to clear his mind of the euphoric sensation such physical exertion could bring about. It was time once more to face the problems outside his private gym. "Fixer." "Yes, sir?" Wu Long replied from his post at the door. "What progress is Doctor Octavius making?" "As of his last report," the other began, "he estimates the device to be ready for preliminary testing by December." "Too long." "Shall I persuade him to expedite his efforts?" "No. He'd break you in half if you tried. Besides, I need him with me, not against me." For now... "Is Doctor Ping still planning to launch the Black Widow tonight?" "So far, she has found no glaring flaws in the mecha's systems. She will launch the seekers, and if they find Spiderman she will launch the Widow." "Excellent." "On another note, sir," Wu Long said as Leung stood to his full height, "there is still the matter with Nabiki Tendo." "What about it?" Leung asked irritably. "She is hardly a priority now." "Sir?" "I have far too many things on my plate right now. If the opportunity arises, eliminate her. I leave it in your hands, Fixer." "Understood, sir." "But I warn you," Leung said, pausing at the door. "Use standard assets. Doctor Octavius is far too busy to be bothered with such trivial matters." "Yes, sir." Fixer had exactly the plan necessary. Why test the Black Widow on just one target? "I think the Black Widow could be of use here." "What?" "Sir," Wu Long said, "If the Black Widow spots Miss Tendo, it could kill her without even slowing. Surely such a target would not prove too much an obstacle to Doctor Ping's latest device." "No," Pao Leung said, "Spiderman is the Widow's target. Use your own men to kill Nabiki. Understood?" "Yes, sir." ========================================================= Hikaru Gosunkugi donned his new costume, glad to be done with his schoolwork. All those makeup assignments finally done, once he handed them in his GPA would be assured. He had always prided himself on being smart, but he had never completed homework that fast. He closed the window behind him and checked to find his camera firmly tucked into the belt beneath his costume. The compact model was comfortable to carry, and didn't show all that much beneath the tight fabric. Spiderman photos were sure to be hot sellers after the news of the battle in Juuban. Just listen to me, he thought as he crested the roof, I'm starting to sound like Nabiki! Hikaru swung into the night air, thinking about how she had managed to follow him last time. His spider sense hadn't gone off until he had reached Miku's apartment building when Nabiki was in the lobby with him. Maybe it had a limited range? Or perhaps it only worked when it wanted to. Or maybe he just needed an instruction manual with his powers. He gained altitude as he neared the taller buildings closer to downtown. From his height, the people below appeared to be tiny specks in a maze of concrete, asphalt, and halogen lights. He came to rest on the corner of one of the towering office buildings and began another climb. Nabiki was getting to be a real thorn in his side. He knew that she wouldn't stop, wouldn't back down until she knew the truth about him. He also knew that those Yakuza thugs were still after her. She had printed his pictures of the warehouse pickup, there was no way they'd let her go that easily. But they hadn't tried anything since Doc Ock kidnapped her. Gosunkugi halted his climb, crouching on a ledge, and stared down at the almost indiscernable flecks of shadow on the streets. They couldn't have given up. From what little he knew, the Yakuza could hold one heck of a grudge. Nabiki still wasn't out of the woods. The fact that they had been quiet bothered him. Maybe she wasn't so high a priority anymore? That didn't place her out of danger, though. Much as she annoyed him, he had to protect her. Where are you, Spiderman? Hua Ping stared at the enormous monitor in the lab's control room. Her fingers gripped the edge of the console in a white-knuckled grip as the red dots that indicated her spider seekers flitted across the wireframe map of Tokyo. "They've been at it for over an hour," Wu Long said from behind. Hua Ping had to force herself not to wince at the tone in his voice. "They will find him, rest assured." Hikaru turned to climb higher, suddenly yearning for even more distance between himself and the ground. There was something about being so high up, alone, that soothed him. Up here, only he could move as he wished. That, and webslinging, had proven to be much better release valves than voodoo had ever been. At least this *worked*. He thought of Miku, back in her aunt's apartment. Her aunt had been released only that morning, he had heard. Hikaru wondered how they were faring after Akemi Moroboshi's attack and Miku's kidnapping. Maybe he should check in? Their apartment was only a few minutes away. No, he decided as he climbed over the lip of the roof, some seven stories up. Man, but the air was cold up here! He would do it tomorrow, as Hikaru Gosunkugi. He didn't want Miku to learn too much about Spiderman. Besides, having one girl looking into it was bad enough. "Hm. Pretty quiet tonight." As if on cue, Hikaru's spider sense went crazy. "We have him," Hua Ping said as one of the spider seekers began to send in a video feed. A quarter of the wireframe map vanished to reveal Spiderman standing alone on a rooftop. The crosshair was centered on his back, streams of data scrolling down the sides of the image. "Nice outfit," Wu Long chuckled. "Did he think it would throw us off?" The blueish-black material really showed off his physique, like that of a swimmer. "I'm relaying the data to the other seekers in the area," Ping's hands flew about the keyboard. In response, several other red dots on the map veered from their preprogrammed patrol routes to join their comrade. Hua Ping watched as Spiderman suddenly went rigid. His head whipped about as if he were frantically searching for something. "I wonder what's gotten into him?" Long asked just as Spiderman's gaze locked onto the crosshair. "No way." Not even a second later, Spiderman's hand lashed out and the image changed to snow. An indicator in the bottom of the terminal's monitor blinked that a seeker had been destroyed. "Unbelievable," Hua Ping whispered in a moment of awe. "How had that bastard known?" Even Wu Long sounded impressed. "Doctor Ping, launch the Black Widow." Outside, the night air was suddenly filled with the dull roar of submerged machines coming to life. In the nest of squat buildings that comprised the Yamaguchi Industrial Complex, light began to pour skyward from the rapidly growing hole in the pavement. Thrusters fired from below just before an immense shadow began to rise. The head crested the opening, its red eyes glaring hatefully ahead. The Black Widow instantly linked with its seeker drones, finding several searching the last known area the target was in. As the Widow rose higher and its eight legs folded beneath its frame, it accessed all the available data on Target Designate: Spiderman. DAMNIT! Hikaru swore vehemently under his breath as he swung out into the night air. It had been one of those flying robots that set off his spider sense. Adrenaline still streamed into his blood as his eyes searched about for any others. I shoulda *known* the Yakuza wouldn't give up on me that easily. I just never thought they had that kind of technology. Hikaru's spider sense flared again, wrenching his head to the left where he saw at least a dozen red lenses bearing after him. "The Black Widow is closing in," Hua Ping said into the mostly empty control room. The wireframe map of Tokyo had vanished, replaced by a video feed from the lead seeker on one side with the images from the Widow's optics on the other. "He certainly is fast," Wu Long said noncommitally. "When will the Widow be in range?" "Three minutes." She watched as Spiderman suddenly dove toward the street, only to catch himself and duck around the edge of a building. He was trying to lose the seekers, obviously, but he would not prevail. Inwardly, Hua Ping was astounded at the man's strength and agility. Who knew anyone could do the things he did? She had read the newspapers concerning the kidnapping of that Tachibana girl, and how Spiderman had saved her. He was a good person, and Hua Ping hated the fact that she had to kill him for her daughter's sake. Wu Long spared a glance at Hua Ping's back. The decision had been made the moment Leung had secured her services. Soon, succeed or fail, her usefulness would be at an end. "What are they doing?" Hikaru fought to evade his flying pursuers to no avail. Regardless what tactics he tried, the robots still stayed on him. But why weren't they attacking? Last time, the damn things had tried to blow him to bits. As if in answer, a massive black shape suddenly loomed in the air ahead. Hikaru felt his heart catch in his throat as he came to a halt on the roof of a nearby skyscraper. He couldn't help but stare up at it, at the curved body made of black metal that shimmered in the moonlight. Eight legs unfolded from beneath as the massive machine descended onto the roof. The rough surface cracked and groaned beneath the weight of a robotic spider the size of a small house. "Oh.... SHIT!" The red eyes glared through him as its enormous mandibles snapped open and shut. Where the *hell* had this thing come from? Hikaru barely had time to wonder as the spider sense hit again. He leapt up just as a stream of silken goo shot from the machine's maw. Looks like I'm number one on someone's shit list, he silently groused as he took to the air again. He had to put some distance between himself and that monster, whom he could already hear lifting off from the roof. "He almost seems to know when he is about to be attacked," Hua Ping whispered to herself as Spiderman dodged the Black Widow's glue cannon. She watched as her creation lifted off and turned to pursue. As programmed, it was running several attack options, automatically narrowing the list down to a select few. Spiderman suddenly dodged left as the concussion rocket streaked past. The missile exploded in midflight, the warhead releasing waves of sonic energy designed to stun any targets in the area. "He's just too fast," Ping muttered as the Black Widow angled downward to intercept him. "Stop playing with him," Wu Long growled from behind. "Just kill him now!" "The Widow will incapacitate him first..." "Did you not install any of the lethal ordinance?" "I did!" Hua Ping barked. "There is no need to use them!" "Oh, really?" Long returned snidely as Spiderman evaded yet another concussion rocket. Hua Ping's blood began to boil. She knew full well what the Widow's more powerful weapons were capable of. If she used them in such a heavily populated area... "Mr. Long," she said through gritted teeth, "the vulcan guns that monster is equipped with alone could cause horrendous civillian casualties, even at the Widow's current altitude!" "Ping..." "NO!" Hua Ping nearly flinched at the black look that crossed the other's face, yet she managed to hold her resolve. "I agreed to kill Spiderman, *not* to kill innocent people!" "Very well, *doctor*," Wu Long spat. "We'll try it your way." They continued to match glares for a few seconds before she swung her chair back around to the monitor. Long, for his part, absently traced the outline of the Glock 9mm holstered beneath his tailored jacket. He was looking forward to splattering the haughty bitch's brain all over her precious equipment. "What..." Jink left... "... the hell..." Dive, shoot web, dodge, *damn* that was close... "...*is* this thing?!" No matter what he tried, Hikaru couldn't shake the black spider as it chased him through Tokyo's concrete canyons. His spider sense screamed yet again, and Hikaru yanked himself up on his webline to avoid yet another of those weird rockets. "This isn't gonna work," Hikaru gasped as he angled right. "Can't get away. Gotta fight!" But how? He couldn't get any lower, that thing's missiles would kill anyone on the ground, and going higher wasn't really an option. He needed... Another blast from his spider sense rammed his skull, but it came too late as he felt a wave of murderous force slam into his side. All the air left him in a rush as he lost his grip on the webline and tumbled down to earth. "Direct hit." "About bloody time, Doctor," Long replied. On the screen, he watched Spiderman fall like a limp doll until the costumed freak came to a hard landing atop a steel I-beam. "I'll bet that hurt." The first thing Hikaru was aware of was pain that seemed to throb throughout every square centimeter of his body. His mind could barely focus, his wits scattered to the winds as he struggled to rise again. "What the?" he heard a male voice say. "Spiderman!" "He's real!" Hikaru slowly began to gather himself. Reality crept back into his addled senses, telling him that at least he wasn't dead. Not yet, anyway. More details came into focus, the collection of voices, the cold air, the unyeilding metal beneath him... where the hell was he? "Oh, my..." he heard another voice say as the sound of turbines filled the air. "What the hell is *that*?!" "Oww..." Hikaru opened his eyes. The blurred image finally focused into an enormous robotic black widow spider. "Now we have him," Wu Long said smugly. "Doctor, get rid of him." "I'm bringing up the glue cannon," she said as her fingers tapped at the keyboard. "Once the Widow..." "Kill him now, Ping," Long growled. "I told you, I won't endanger innocent people!" On the screen, several men in khaki uniforms and hardhats stood amongst the skeletal collection of steel beams that would soon support hundreds of tons of concrete. "To hell with them," Wu Long said in a voice like arctic ice. "And while we're at it," Hua Ping heard the telltale click of a gun's safety being clicked off. No, no, he wouldn't! NO! "... to hell with you, too." Hikaru slowly regained his feet, his spider-like equilibrium having fled him. The image of the machine tried to blur in and out of focus in time to the pounding in his skull. He knew he was hurt, and badly. A concussion at least, maybe even broken ribs from the fire that raced up and down his left side with each breath. He focused on the spider, still standing astride three steel beams. Its red eyes glared at him, yet the robot did not move. Was it playing with him? Trying to decide how to finish him off? Hikaru caught himself as he began to sway to the right. He had no idea how high up he was, but he didn't fancy the thought of another tumble. "What does it want?!" Huh? Hikaru looked around to find several construction workers gawking openly at the robot. He felt his heart sink and his temper rise. "GET OUT!" he screamed. Some turned to look at him, confusion evident in their gazes. "GET AWAY, YOU MORONS!" It was then that the enormous spider finally moved. Wu Long cast one glance down at the cooling body of Doctor Hua Ping. A pool of blood rapidly expanded from her head to stain the cobalt-blue floor. With a derisive snort, he turned his attention back to the image coming from the Black Widow. He would deal with the little whore's lame daughter later. "Okay, Spiderman," Long sneered as he brought up the Widow's weapons list, "you humiliated me once. High time you paid for that." "MOVE!" The spider sense blared, causing Hikaru to look over at the Black Widow. Twin hatches had opened near the top of its rear sections. From them rose two six-turreted guns like he had seen in war movies. "Oh, shit." He wasted no time, ignoring the pain of his injuries as he charged toward open air. Hikaru clung to the other side of one of the outer support beams, hoping that the steel would protect him against the coming onslaught while he got away. A roar like thunder hammered Gosunkugi's ears as hundreds of shells pounded the steel, which rapidly began to give way. He looked up just as one worker, terrified out of his wits, slipped off a beam to plummet to the earth below. "NO!" Without thought, Hikaru launched himself from his perch. The wind ripped at him as he tried to streamline his body. The hellish racket above him did not abate as he neared both the falling man and the hard pavement. He opened one hand just as he neared the worker's leg, grabbing hold just as they had fallen two stories. Ten more to go, plenty of time. Hikaru fought to ignore the man's screams as he fired a webline onto the exterior of the steel frame. "Hang on, pal!" Gosunkugi shouted "It's gonna be a bumpy ride!" They swung around into the criss-crossed mass of beams. Hikaru released his web, taking a moment to draw the man closer and to readjust himself to the extra weight before landing on another horizontal beam. Obeying another cry from his spider sense, Hikaru somersaulted backward and allowed himself to fall several feet before swinging outward again. He had to get this man to safety first and foremost. Then he could figure out how to deal with that damn robot. They finally reached the ground, and Hikaru allowed himself a small breath. He set the man down on his feet, releasing him only when he felt sure the guy could stand on his own. "You okay?" The worker could only nod dumbly. Sirens wailed in the distance, telling Gosunkugi that he was nearly out of time. "He saved him!" "Holy shit!" Lights fell on him, making Hikaru squint as he saw a woman in a stylish miniskirt sihlouetted against the glare from a camera. A reporter, damn it! She ran toward him, microphone held out like a spear as the cameraman followed suit. "Spiderman!" she shouted as she came in range. "What an..." "Look out!" The spider sense hit him once again, propelling him forward into the reporter. He wrapped an arm around her and the cameraman and leapt clear just as 8mm tungsten-alloy tipped rounds shredded the dirt where they all once stood. Another leap carried them beneath the Black Widow, where Hikaru released them. "I don't have time for an interview now!" he shouted as he leapt upward. Keiko Sachiko stared up at the retreating form of Spiderman, feeling a touch of awe and gratitude that he had just saved her life. "As you can see," she said to the camera, which was transmitting a live feed, "Spiderman is now locked in combat with some strange spider-shaped machine, and he just saved this reporter's life..." Ranma watched the live broadcast, which had preempted the hundredth showing of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. He's pretty good, Ranma thought as he saw Spiderman leap forward and grab the reporter and cameraman. It's like he knew that thing was gonna fire. "I don't have time for an interview now!" he heard Spiderman shout as he leapt up. Ranma tuned out the reporter's droning words as he studied Spiderman's agility. "Wow," Akane said from next to him. She had also been watching the movie, finding the techniques used in it rather decent for a film. "He's pretty fast." "Yeah." That wasn't what impressed Ranma, though. He had faced opponents just as fast as Spiderman appeared to be. It was what the costumed man did, not how he did it, that gained a small amount of admiration from Ranma Saotome. Spiderman had risked his life to save that construction worker, but to also save that woman and her cameraman. He had read the papers on how Spiderman had saved that Miku girl from Furinkan, and knew that this was a martial artist he wouldn't mind getting to know. The fact that Spiderman hadn't come gunning for him also helped. "Incredible," Genma said from behind the couch. "Tendo, the boy's got skill." "Indeed, Saotome." Nabiki, for her part, remained silent. She did not know, fortunately, how close to death she had once come at the mandibles of the monster she watched on the screen. Wu Long swore vehemently as Spiderman dodged the second burst from the Widow's cannons. The man was just too damned fast! Okay, focus. The Widow can take him, and you can handle it. Long saw the Widow's proximity sensors flare to life, showing Spiderman approaching from beneath. "You think that will save you, little spider?" he asked as the Widow moved into position. He paid no attention to the warning that the structure benath the behemoth was rapidly compromising as he readied another trick. "Time to die, Spidey!" Hikaru juked right as the spider sense shouted and twin orbs of shadow dropped past. "FUCK!" he shouted as he fired two webs after the falling bombs. His heart almost stopped as the webbing grew and expanded, closing a net of silk around the twin death-orbs. The sudden pull threatened to wrench out his shoulders, yet he still held. "Heavy..." Hikaru strained to keep both his hold on the bombs and his grip on the girder as he began to swing the webs. Momentum built, time passed, and finally he let go. Seconds later, a deafening explosion rocked the night as a terrible glare burnt his eyes. Gosunkugi shook his head clear and continued his climb upward. This thing didn't care who it killed, so long as it got to him. He had to lead it away, at least. If it kept this up, innocent people would be killed. Hikaru couldn't let that happen. It wasn't any supposed duty as a hero, but as a human being that he couldn't let them die. Planting his camera and putting it on auto, he neared the hulking Black Widow, and finally noticed something that could let him defeat it. One of the beams it was standing on was bent, the bolts and welding that held it in place weakened from the stress. One more good hit oughtta do it... Hikaru leapt up to the beam in question, and blew his best raspberry at the robot as its head turned to glare at him. The sense hit him, and Hikaru knew what it would do before the foreleg rose up. Perfect! Wu Long nearly shouted in glee as the Widow prepared for the death strike. His honor would be aveneged, and Leung's orders would be fulfilled. This was too good to be true. Ranma could barely make out the image, but knew Spiderman had left himself open. Or had he? From what he had just seen, Spiderman was a master of improvisation. Such was a key element of his own school. If Ranma was right, then that monster was about to go down. An idea began to form in the back of his mind, and Ranma let it go. If it was meant to be, then it would happen... Keiko Sachiko stared upward, back on the outside of the girders. She had seen the bombs falling toward her, and also seen Spiderman catch them and fling them clear. He was a hero, no doubt about it. Maybe he could be good for some great stories as well... Hikaru Gosunkugi waited for just the right moment, eyes locked on the rapidly descending leg. Three... two... one... NOW! Hikaru leapt clear just as the pointed appendage smashed the steel where he once stood. A yell of trumph burst from his throat as he fired a web to the outer structre and anchored himself to it. The Black Widow tumbled down to the depths, a metallic screech erupting from it as several beams were smashed. It hit the ground with a thunderous sound, drawing a crowd of gawkers, reporters, and police officers. "Time to go," he said to himself as he swung out into the night. The pain was getting worse, and Hikaru just knew he would come to regret this fight. After quickly retrieving his camera, he headed for home. He had an awful lot to think about, and none of it good. "NO, GODDAMNIT!" Wu Long screamed at the top of his lungs as the Black Widow struggled to right itself. It would return to the hangar bay as programmed, yet the whole operation had still gone to shit. He looked over at the dead corpse of Hua Ping's daughter, whom had been dragged here on his orders. Blowing her head open had almost been as pleasurable as killing the little slut's mother had been. "Next time," he muttered. "Next time, you *will* be mine, wallcrawler." ====================================== The damage had been extensive. Hikaru Gosunkugi watched the morning newscast about his latest battle and resisted the urge to groan. The pain in his ribs had't dulled a bit since last night, bruises and cuts still lining his face. "According to the latest estimates," the reporter behind the desk droned, "Damage to the new Ichinosei Building is at least several million yen. Construction has been set back indefinitely as some of the vital supports have been compromised..." "This hero stuff isn't easy," Hikaru muttered to his third bowl of cereal. The pictures he had stopped off at the Tokyo Herald had netted him some significant yen, cash in hand at that, so the bills would be caught up. "In the studio now," the reporter said, "is industrialist Raizo Yamata." The camera switched over to a comfortable lounge set with a perky female journalist sitting across from Raizo Yamata. The latter was powerfully built, white hair framing a face that was youthful and stern. Hikaru paid him little attention until the subject matter of the interiew came to light. "Spiderman is a menace," Yamata said in a voice that radiated understated power. Hikaru nearly choked on his corn flakes as his eyes locked on the screen. "Granted he saved the life of that man, not to mention two of yours, yet he had staged the battle at a construction site." "*Staged?!*" That rotten son of a... "Mister Yamata," the woman countered, "one could hardly consider a fight like that staged." "Damn right!" Hikaru shouted. "Poor choice of words," Yamata said with a velvet tone and a wave of his hand, "forgive me. But you must consider; how many people could have been wounded or killed, the millions in damage to the property not withstanding." "There were no serious injuries reported..." "But what if there had been?" Raizo said, interrupting the woman. "That's exactly my point. For months newspapers have carried photos of Spiderman. I, for one, thought him to be a mere publicity stunt until last night. "The fact of the matter is simple. Spiderman, whatever his true identity, is a loose cannon weilding too much ammunition. It won't be long before someone is hurt or even killed by his apparent recklessness." Hikaru slowly rose from his chair, having suddenly lost his appetite. Part of him wanted to disagree with that Yamata guy. He was just trying to do some good! He'd risked his ass to save that worker, not to mention the reporter and the cameraman, he deserved at least a *little* respect! But another voice whispered that Raizo Yamata had a point. He would have to be careful. There was no way he could predict what would happen. That robot spider wasn't exactly a mugger or a street hood, it was a killing machine. And it had a serious mad-on for him. That, in turn, brought up another disturbing thought as he rose painfully from his seat at the kitchen table. He hadn't destroyed it. He had seen the damn thing fly off to who-knew-where. And it would be back. Hikaru trudged toward the bathroom, lost in a melancholy fog. What if the next time it actually *did* kill someone? What then? It didn't care where it was, so long as it took him out. A spider-like terminator ripping up the Ginza while trying to waste him came to mind, which sent shivers up and down Hikaru's spine. That thing will find me anywhere, thanks to those other robots, he thought as he entered the changing area abd began to strip. As the articles of clothing fell, Hikaru glanced at himself in the mirror. Dozens of yellowblack bruises covered his pale skin, the more minor cuts and scrapes having alrady healed. That robot had done a real number on him, alright. Going to school now wasn't an overly pleasant option. Man, he thought, if I keep this up, I just may fail my sophomore year. One thing was certain. He would have to face that monster again. Next time would have to be the last time. So long as it was out there, innocent people would be in danger. Hikaru realized that he would need to find its home base. It had to dock *somewhere*, after all. But how? A memory from a month or so back came to him, and he involuntarily cringed. Gosunkugi hated the prospect, but Kenshiro the Mad Inventor may be his only hope. Ranma watched the newscast with a slight tinge of disgust. Spiderman had saved three lives*and* chased off that huge spider, yet this Raizo guy was calling him irresponsible? What gives? "Oh, my," Kasumi said from across the table. Ranma ignored the rest of the news, his mind dwelling on Spiderman. The costumed martial artist - and why a martial artist would wear such a disguise was beyond him - had been trying to do some good, and still got mud kicked in his eye. Sounds like someone else I know, Ranma thought ruefully as he rose to go to school. Nabiki watched intently, hoping for any clue as to who Spiderman really was. The photos in the moring paper had borne the name Hikaru Gosunkugi. Even if it had been another name, she would have known it was him. If nothing else, Hikaru Gosunkugi certainly had balls. The photos in the paper had been first rate, and obviously very dangerous to get. Right place at the right time again? Not damn likely. "And in other news," Nabiki heard the newscaster say, "talks between Yosho Heavy Industries and the American conglomerate Stark Enterprises wrapped up yesterday." The image on the screen shifted to a Japanese and an American shaking hands while kegs of sake were broken open with small mallets. She refocused her attention to the TV, being very interested in such news for more than one reason. "Stark Enterprises has just bought Yosho Heavy Industries' main production plants this morning, and is now refitting their corporate headquarters into the Japanese branch of Stark Enterprises. Such a business move has never occurred in Japan before, yet talks between the two corporations have been bouncing back and forth for years. Economic research indicates...." Nabiki Tendo knew full well what Anthony Stark's money could do for Japan's ailing economy. The American was one of the shrewdest businessmen she had ever laid eyes on, from what she could get on him. Admittedly, information on Stark was extremely limited and her contacts were not of an international sort. One reason she had wished to attend college in America was that private business owners could command far more power than most CEOs in Japan could. Sure, big business had the Diet's ear, but in America they could influence so much more. And now it seemed that she could get her foot in the door far faster and with much less travel than she had first thought.