Excerpts from the Daily Bugle

Peter Parker, biochemistry student at Empire State University, and part-time photographer for the Daily Bugle. -- Spider-Man RP Account for Closed Avengers RP--

[flame-haired-avenger]

Weaving Webs - Peter and Natasha

[flame-haired-avenger]

Natasha started to move, using her skills against a dummy she’d unhooked from the wall. Peter was watching her and admittedly, he performed the same movements as she did, not as practiced but she recognised flexibility he used just from jumping from building to building.

Then he ruined it. “So, um, did you ever name any of the moves in your repertoire? Can I expect to be taken down by the Eight-Fold Taratula Atemi? Ooh, maybe the Woven Orb Onslaught Pin?”

Rolling her eyes, she turned her movements on Spiderman, gripping his wrist and pushing him firmly against the dummy. “NO, I don’t name my moves. Did anyone ever tell you, you can be annoying when you can’t keep your mouth shut?” Letting go of him, she smirked. “Tell you what, why don’t we spar directly instead? That way you have to keep your mouth closed while fighting.” What was this kid, Tony Stark’s bastard son?

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

"Sure, but if you think I'm any quieter whilst fighting, well..." he mumbles in reply, before noticing Natasha's expression. "However, I think I can make an exception. Just this once. For the international super assassin. Who I don't want to piss off. Shutting up now."

He steps a few feet away from Natasha, performing another quick set of stretches.

"Oh, um, one last thing, we only using the moves you just showed me, or is it anything goes? Y'know, within reason."

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

Goblin Market | Johnny Storm

[howhotdoyouwantme-deactivated20]

The blonde man rolled his eyes at the other’s jocular attitude. “Hey, with a get-up like that plus your rather unfortunate, uh, webs and bug eyes, I figured you didn’t get out much. I was trying to save you some trouble.”

For all that Johnny was mocking Spider-Man, he had to admit a kind of grudging like for the man’s ability to back-talk through an entire supervillain powered fight. Letting go of his hand, Johnny soothed, “Still, you’re pretty good in a fight, kid.” 

The kid comment had slipped out by accident, but as the man studied the red-costumed vigilante in front of him he decided it fit all right; the spider was long and lean, not much in the way of weight or in meat on his bones though that hadn’t seemed to have stopped him from going headfirst into the fight.

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

"Hey, I might not have Reed Richards levels of funding but I can afford stuff to wear outside of the costume. Just."

He takes a step back and casually folds his arms.

"Uh huh. You're not bad yourself, for a hot-headed, family-funded daredevil," Pete says jokingly. "But seriously, thanks for the assist. Goblin caught me off-guard for once. Cost me a chilli dog, too."

[flame-haired-avenger]

Weaving Webs - Peter and Natasha

[flame-haired-avenger]

Stark’s idea? That was not what she expected to hear. “Fury can be very - stolid in his idea’s and need a bit of persuading at times.” Natasha watched as he exercised.

“I mean, I’d be kinda an idiot to turn down the training on offer from SHIELD, right? The fact that it’ll make a certain newspaper editor eat his own words is just icing on the cake.”

Natasha shook her head as he talked about the person she assumed was his boss. “Ok I’ll do some movements and you follow me. Is that ok?”

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

"Sure thing. You're the international super-spy who could probably kill me in forty-six different ways while sleepwalking. What you say goes."

Peter follows Natasha's graceful, practised motions with fluid mirrored movements. He stays quiet for almost half a minute before speaking up again.

"So, um, did you ever name any of the moves in your repertoire? Can I expect to be taken down by the Eight-Fold Taratula Atemi? Ooh, maybe the Woven Orb Onslaught Pin?"

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

Goblin Market | Johnny Storm

[howhotdoyouwantme-deactivated20]

Johnny looked over and shook out his hand, the flames dissipating. “Aw, I promise the burn’s not too bad once you get used to it, webhead.” 

He stuck out his hand with a smile that became visible that as he muttered “flame off,” and the inferno that covered him died away. 

“The name’s Johnny Storm. Who’re you?”

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

Pete grins a little under his mask, standing up and shaking Johnny's hand firmly.

"Spider-Man. Friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man," he says with a chuckle. "Sorry, just find it kinda funny that Johnny Storm of the Fantastic Four feels the need to introduce himself."

[flame-haired-avenger]

Weaving Webs - Peter and Natasha

[flame-haired-avenger]

Natasha nodded. “Fighting counts a little, course it does, but perhaps lets warm up and then see how you fight now.”

Walking into the centre of the mats, she stretched her left arm over her head. “But we both need to warm up first. Reps of eight, legs slightly apart, right hand on the hip and move your torso over to the right.” Making sure his stance was correct. she moved in a similar way then told him to change sides.

“So was this your idea or was it Fury’s? Joining the Avengers I mean.”

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

Peter arches an eyebrow at the mention of a warm up, but goes along with it anyway.

"Actually, I think it was Stark's idea," he says absent-mindedly as he stretches in mirror to Natasha's movements. "Fury wasn't real keen on the idea, but we kinda managed to talk him into this whole trainee thing."

He idly flexes in the other direction.

"I mean, I'd be kinda an idiot to turn down the training on offer from SHIELD, right? The fact that it'll make a certain newspaper editor eat his own words is just icing on the cake."

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

Goblin Market | Johnny Storm

[howhotdoyouwantme-deactivated20]

If anything it was the small sound of Spider-man’s voice that set Johnny’s head straight as he tried to sit up from the tree. His muscles were wobbly and aching, his back one long wide bruise that hurt as he pulled himself to his feet, but his flame was still burning bright and that meant that he could still throw a fireball or two.

He lurched into the air staggeringly but his flight pattern straightened out as he focused in on the big yellow baddie and sped up.

“Aw, a present for me, bug boy? And all nice and wrapped, too!”

Johnny was braced for impact but it hurt all the same, his chest raw and aching already from the shock of catching and absorbing a pumpkin blast, but damned if tackling the stupid goblin off his equally stupid glider wasn’t one of the more satisfying moments in his life. Immediately the spandex like fabric the flashy villain was wearing began to smoke, blackening at the edges where his flame licked at eagerly, and he knew as he straddled the guy and wound up for a punch that there’d be second degree burns along the baddie’s thighs and the thought made him smile.

He slammed down hard with his fist, catching the snarling face in the sweet spot of his jaw, and then hit it again, and again, and by the fourth punch the guy was not only out like a light but his ugly mask was melted and bubbling in strange places, the nose dripping at the tip.

“Too bad, you’re supposed to laugh, Goblin; don’cha know what a punchline is?”

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

Still slightly dizzy, Peter leaps down next to Johnny.

"I know how you feel. None of the masked crazies I tango with ever appreciate my cutting remarks."

He crouches down and looks up towards the Human Torch.

"Thanks for the help by the way. Goblin caught me off-guard. I'd offer to shake your hand, but I like to keep my costume from being well done."

[flame-haired-avenger]

Weaving Webs - Peter and Natasha

[flame-haired-avenger]

Natasha raised an eyebrow. The last thing she needed to hear was he went commando… no, he can’t have meant that, surely? Shaking her head, she took her thought back to the previous thought, combat training. Much more in her line.

“Do you do any exercise at all or are you just lucky?” Natasha smirked, guessing what the answer would be. Life would be keeping him fit right now, all the running around he did.

“My training evolved from martial arts, now I don’t know how far Fury wanted you to go into this but we can cover the basics – how to defend yourself and how to fight back.” Natasha paused a moment, then said to her student, “Is there anything you particularly wanted to learn or do you just want to take it as it comes?”

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

"Does beating up on crazy costumed criminals count as exercise?" Peter asks with a nervous chuckle. "But I'm pretty sure some of it just comes with the whole spider thing."

He falls quiet as Natasha resumes speaking, scratching the back of his head as she asks him for specifics.

"I honestly hadn't thought about it much. I guess maybe we could go a round, let you have a look at my improvised fighting and see what I could work on."

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

Goblin Market | Johnny Storm

[howhotdoyouwantme-deactivated20]

The Hobgoblin was nightmarish now in features, his voice a howl of rage as he turned on the spider and began slinging explosives at Spider-man, and Johnny flew around the infuriated man looking for an opening, any opening he could find, not wanting to singe the little bug zipping around making mouthy remarks but also wanting to take down the villain as soon as he could.

The webhead’s comments only made the man angrier, and as he threw the last of his pumpkin-shaped bombs (eerie, jagged-smiling things that scared Johnny more than the mask as he watched them implode gleefully) the blonde saw a yellow gloved hand unhook a something from the back of his belt and raise up his arm…

“Spider-man!”

He had grabbed up the web slinger by his hands faster then the larger pumpkin bomb could land as it lavished tongues of green and yellow flame over the remaining stand Spider-man had been fighting from. Setting the man down within fighting distance, Johnny spiraled into the air and flew into and out of the man’s personal space, taunting.

“That wasn’t very nice; all you’ve done is proved you need to have a timeout, mister.”

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

“Ah! Ooh! Hot!”

Peter lands in a crouch, and glances up at the Torch.

“Again, whilst I appreciate help, and I’m positively gleeful at the prospect of a straight man for my wisecracks, a little warning the next time you want to get all up close and personal with the whole fire thing would be appreci-“

He’s cut off as he’s forced to duck under the Goblin’s clumsy attempt at a ram with his damaged glider.

“… As I was saying, knowing when fire-touchy-things are going to happen would be bueno. Now… how’s your clay pigeon shooting?”

[howhotdoyouwantme-deactivated20]

Johnny rolled his eyes at the other hero. 

“Hey, at least I saved your skin, Webhead.”

To be honest the blonde had forgotten that perhaps the red webbed suit the other wore wasn’t flame impervious the way the rest of the Fantastic Four’s was, and he felt kind of bad because he could see the slight singe marks around the palms where Johnny had picked him up. 

But suddenly all that didn’t really matter when he caught a bomb traveling out of the corner of his eye—-headed towards a group of people roped in by the fiery remains of the market stands—-and raced to meet it, realizing as he shot towards it he wouldn’t have time to do much else but spread out a cover of fire or take the hit himself.

He didn’t want to scare the civilians even more then the events already had, and with a grim determination Johnny flew up in enough time to catch the hit in his chest, his body absorbing most of the flame but the impact still shooting him back into a tree trunk. 

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

"Oh, well, that's not good," Peter mutters as the Human Torch is sent careening backwards. Snapping his gaze away from the now blazing tree, he looks back at the Hobgoblin.

"Alright, that's more than enough trouble from you, mister!"

Peter quickly vaults up onto the tallest intact stall he can find that isn't on fire and casts a web-line at each of the Goblin Glider's wings, and begins spinning. Initially, the strange vehicle seems unperturbed, but soon the centrifugal force begins to overtax the glider's thrusters, causing them to cough and splutter out of existence.

"Hey... hot stuff... finishing blow's... yours... if you... hurry."

Peter, never do this again. This degree of dizziness is a Bad Thing to have in a fight.

[flame-haired-avenger]

Weaving Webs - Peter and Natasha

[flame-haired-avenger]

Natasha tipped her head to one side to take in the young man in front of her as she crossed her arms. He was taller than her (so nearly everyone, including Pepper was taller than her) but had a degree of wiry muscle, which would make training easier than no muscle at all.

Listening to him nervously chatter, she wondered if he was always such a talker. Shaking his hand, she watched him pause for a moment (probably for breath), and asked,

“What do I call you? Agent Romanoff? Black Widow? Sensei?”

Chuckling a little, she shook her head. “Natasha will be just fine. You’re an Avenger in training after all.”

“So apart from swinging round buildings on spider threads, just what training do you do?”

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

"Umm, well... Natasha... the agreement I had with Fury was combat training."

Peter nervously scratches the back of his head.

"Given that, y'know, I have no formal training in that department, and every time I take some new costumed crazy on I'm basically flying by the seat of my pants. Or, given that this is what I'm usually wearing, the seat of my lack of pants."

Smooth, Parker.

[flame-haired-avenger]

Weaving Webs - Peter and Natasha

[flame-haired-avenger]

“Umm… hey. I’m here for a training session. This the right place? I mean, it sure looks like a gym, but for all I know Stark has twenty rooms like this.”

Natasha turned round mid-stretch to look at the masked man walk in. It was rare she trained in full costume, except to see what the limitations were so she was a little surprised to see him come in, in full costume.

“So this is the famous Spider-man, hmm?” Natasha walked towards him, a friendly smile on her face as she tightened her ponytail. “I’m Agent Natasha Romanoff - otherwise known as ‘Black Widow’.”

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

"I think 'infamous Spider-man' is more accurate, thanks to the efforts of J. Jonah Jameson," Peter says dryly, before offering her his hand. "Either way it's nice to meet you, um..."

He pauses for a moment.

"What do I call you? Agent Romanoff? Black Widow? Sensei?"

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

Goblin Market | Johnny Storm

[howhotdoyouwantme-deactivated20]

The Hobgoblin was nightmarish now in features, his voice a howl of rage as he turned on the spider and began slinging explosives at Spider-man, and Johnny flew around the infuriated man looking for an opening, any opening he could find, not wanting to singe the little bug zipping around making mouthy remarks but also wanting to take down the villain as soon as he could.

The webhead’s comments only made the man angrier, and as he threw the last of his pumpkin-shaped bombs (eerie, jagged-smiling things that scared Johnny more than the mask as he watched them implode gleefully) the blonde saw a yellow gloved hand unhook a something from the back of his belt and raise up his arm…

“Spider-man!”

He had grabbed up the web slinger by his hands faster then the larger pumpkin bomb could land as it lavished tongues of green and yellow flame over the remaining stand Spider-man had been fighting from. Setting the man down within fighting distance, Johnny spiraled into the air and flew into and out of the man’s personal space, taunting.

“That wasn’t very nice; all you’ve done is proved you need to have a timeout, mister.”

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

"Ah! Ooh! Hot!"

Peter lands in a crouch, and glances up at the Torch.

"Again, whilst I appreciate help, and I'm positively gleeful at the prospect of a straight man for my wisecracks, a little warning the next time you want to get all up close and personal with the whole fire thing would be appreci-"

He's cut off as he's forced to duck under the Goblin's clumsy attempt at a ram with his damaged glider.

"... As I was saying, knowing when fire-touchy-things are going to happen would be bueno. Now... how's your clay pigeon shooting?"

[flame-haired-avenger]

Weaving Webs - Peter and Natasha

When Fury had given her a ‘special project’, she was a little surprised. When she found out she was training Peter Parker aka ‘Spiderman’, she found the idea a little amusing. Two spiders part of the Avengers, hmm? That would be interesting.

Natasha requested Peter Parker meet her in the gym at Stark Tower at a particular time, making sure he had access to the Tower. Pulling her still blond hair back into a pony tail, she started to stretch, having changed into long leggings, a vest top and sneakers.

She knew a little about the trainee Avenger from scanning his file that Fury dropped in front of her. Otherwise, she was intrigued to see just what it was he could do. He must be pretty fit to be able to use the webs to go from place to place, right?

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

It was quite remarkable, really. For once, he wasn't late. He dropped from his web-line onto Stark's landing pad once again, but this time, Jarvis let him in. He was expected, after all.

Expected, full permission to be here, the whole deal. Still, Peter stuck to the ceilings as he followed Jarvis' directions down to the gym. Walking in the costume just felt... odd. Still, once he reached the door to the gym, he dropped down to the floor. First impressions, and all that.

He knocked somewhat tentatively, then stuck his head in the room.

"Umm... hey. I'm here for a training session. This the right place? I mean, it sure looks like a gym, but for all I know Stark has twenty rooms like this."

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

Goblin Market | Johnny Storm

[howhotdoyouwantme-deactivated20]

Johnny realized it was probably stupid to be in the middle of the crowds, especially at Central Park, but his favorite street performer frequented there, and, well, a man could be forgiven for enjoying music, right? 

Apparently not, because the next thing he knew a stand across the park had blown sky high and the fire was blazing bright in the middle of the wooden stands. Cursing, Johnny tore off his t-shirt and spared a short half-second to mourn his new jeans before he shouted “Flame on,” and took off.He arrived on the scene to see a guy in a seriously atrocious mask and brightly garish clothing yelling at…hmm. Spider-Man. It promised to be interesting, if nothing else. The blonde kept a low profile as he swooped down to the stand fire and tried his best to rein it in, trying to keep the other wooden stands in the market safe. 

When he was certain it was nearly out, Johnny leapt back into the sky again and threw a fireball at the goblin’s head, trying to get his attention. 

“Really, man, you should’ve paid more attention in science, even I know that the spider’s an arachnid. They’re less attractive then insects; but then I wonder what that makes you, Mister Purple and Ugly?”

The villain turned to face him with an ugly grimace that made his face even more twisted then it already seemed. Wincing, Johnny threw a couple more fireballs in quick succession, singing the villain’s hood, tights, and finally, his hoverboard.

“I didn’t think you could get any uglier, but man, look at that face!”

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

Quiet. Sudden, blissful quiet. Heat, and voices. Voices he recognised. Hobgoblin and...

"The Human Torch?"

Peter clears his head with a quick shake, watching as his opponent taking evasive maneuvers in an effort to avoid the fire from the Fantastic Four member. Seeing a chance, Peter takes it.

He casts a web-line at the tip of the hoverboard, and pulls hard against the criminal's next dodge. It doesn't upset the Hobgoblin's movement much - just enough to ensure one of Johnny Storm's fireballs hits one of the hoverboard's wings squarely, melting through a huge chunk of it. As the Goblin struggles to regain control of his craft, Peter turns to the Torch.

"Hey, hot stuff, not that I don't appreciate the help, bu-"

His question is cut off by a barrage of pumpkin bombs, forcing the wall-crawler to leap away from his new ally.

"Yes, Hobby, I know you can make fiery explosions too, but the adults are talking now, okay?"

The Goblin responds with a snarl and more Halloween themed explosives.

"We really need to introduce you to the naughty step, young man."

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

Goblin Market | Johnny Storm

It was going to be one of those days.

Peter sighed internally. He'd stopped by a Winter Market set up in Central Park to take a quick break from his patrol, and to fill his stomach with something warm. Just as he'd been about to dig into his chilli dog, a stand at the far end of the market detonated in a cloud of too-red fire and sickly green mist, the wooden structure rupturing darkly varnished shards and splinters into the crowd.

Above the screams and the roar and crackle of the spreading fire come a subsonic thrum and a maddening cackle. Floating above the chaos is a purple hoverboard in the shape of a stylised bat, and upon it is a man glad in orange, his face hidden behind a monstrous, sallow mask.

"Ugh," Peter mutters to himself. "Already?"

He looks lamentably at the chilli dog, and then throws it into the nearest trashcan with a long, weary sigh, before darting forward towards the Hobgoblin, keeping the still-intact stands between them as cover until he drew roughly level with the criminal. Then, he took to the roof of the most solid-looking stands.

"Y'know, Hobby, it really doesn't say anything good about your looks when you prefer the world to see that mask rather than your own face."

The Hobgoblin whirls his board around with a snarl.

"You interfering insect! Showing up to ruin my plans again and again!"

"What, your plan to rob the Winter Fair? I thought you were a goblin, not a Grinch."

The Hobgoblin snarls again, quickly drawing and throwing a pumpkin bomb in one, smooth motion. Peter leaps up and over the explosive, firing web-shots into the Golin's eyes as he does so, then quickly casting a web-line to get behind his opponent.

"Also, dude: arachnid, not insect."

"Silence, wall-crawler! Let's see you crack wise after this!"

The floating criminal pushes a button built into his gauntlet and suddenly a continuous stream of ultrasonics bursts out from the hoverboard's "mouth". The harmonics shred the webbing covering the Goblin's eyes, as well as that in the line supporting Peter, who promptly falls to the ground, clutching at his ears in agony.

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

((Just want to apologise to those who I owe posts. I've had a complete lack of inspiration for Pete lately, but I'll try and fix it soon.))

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

Late, As Usual (Halloween) | Open

[howhotdoyouwantme-deactivated20]

Johnny came off of the floor after dancing with a very attractive blonde and her redheaded friend, feeling slightly out of breath but in an extremely good way. Still, they were a bit shallow for his tastes and had only wanted to talk about his powers because they thought they were scary. And, well, those who can’t take the heat should stay out of the kitchen; Johnny had been around enough to know these types weren’t even easy for a good one nighter, because they tended to cling but be afraid of his heroing persona. Sighing, the blonde ordered a good old-fashioned shot of tequila and downed it in a gulp, heading back out among the crowd, only to catch sight of a very well-dressed Spider-man costumer. Johnny walked up to him and clapped him on the back. “Great outfit, man.”

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

Once he'd talked his way past Pepper, Peter slipped through the room, following old instincts and taking up position near a corner of the room. So far, so much like parties of the past.

“Great outfit, man.”

Peter turned to face the man who'd just clapped him on the back, and had a double take. The costume was Captain America's, but there was something ever so slightly off about the face. Then it hit it.

"Thanks. Some of us can only afford the one, y'know. Johnny Storm, right?"

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

Late, As Usual (Halloween) | Open

[12-percent-of-a-pepper-deactiva]

The PA had been stood here for the past two hours, greeting the guests and giving everyone the same fake smile, there had been a few raised eyebrows at the dye-job and the dress, but so far it wasn’t too bad. By now her shoes where starting to hurt, and she could really do with drinking something she actually recognised, rather than all these very colourful creations. With a sigh she glanced out of the main doors again, noticing a very familiar figure approaching her. 

Secretly Pepper had been wondering where the teenager was, it was unlike him to miss a party, but the lateness of his arrival wasn’t that surprising. Peter was almost as good at Stark himself for getting completely distracted. she waved slightly as her approached, straightening up: “Good Evening Mr Parker?”

[thelocalwebhead-blog]

Peter winced internally at the questioning tone of Pepper's voice.

"Ah, h-hello, Miss Potts. Sorry I'm late. There was some nutjob robbing a bank whilst I was on my way over. Had to deal with it," he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck as he did so.

"And before you ask where my costume is, I'm wearing it. Not all of us can afford to rent or buy another one when the ones we already have cost us way too much."