[Life is Good] Chapter 51

Petra eyed the "tagalong" with a doubtful expression. She hadn’t found a way to say no when Gwen asked to join her for a patrol with Salamander. Sure, she could’ve lied, claiming that despite working together that one time, they hadn’t exchanged contact information. But the moment the press caught wind of a joint patrol, her cover would’ve been blown. And yeah, she could’ve brushed it off as a "random nighttime encounter" where they decided to team up on the spot, but… Petra was honest with herself—deception and playing pretend weren’t exactly her strengths. Even before she got her Spider powers, social maneuvering wasn’t her strong suit. A handful of decent acquaintances, one real friend—that was the extent of her network. Oh, and a romantic interest.

She grimaced under her mask. Toby had nailed it when he called MJ a pompous peacock. It wasn’t even about the rejection—it was the way it happened. Looking back at the situation with clearer eyes, Petra saw what she had stubbornly ignored before. The brief moment of attention she got from her crush wasn’t because he had suddenly realized how amazing she was. No, MJ had caught wind of the rumors that Tobias was interested in her, and the last thing he wanted was to let some "small, girly-looking twerp" steal his fangirl.

Petra had always thought Toby was a good kid. Her relationship with Flash had soured over the years, especially once she started crushing on Harry. Not that they were close before, but once the athlete saw Petra’s quiet friendship with Osborn as a threat to her own plans, things got worse. When this scrawny little kid skipped a grade and landed in their class, people were surprised but not overly impressed. Midtown High had plenty of young prodigies—Petra and Harry were among them—so Toby’s presence didn’t cause much of a stir.

The new kid fit in fast. He got close with Osborn, butted heads with MJ a few times—so spectacularly that the whole class had laughed at MJ’s expense—and had an immediate soft spot for Penny. Penny, who wasn’t exactly an outcast but often ended up the target of "jokes" because of her towering height, lanky frame, and easygoing, non-confrontational nature.

Petra still remembered the moment Toby shut those girls down. They were teasing Penny about her height—again—and he just smirked and fired back something about long legs, men’s preferences, and how one day, they'd all be eating their words. And, well, he was right. By the time Penny hit fourteen, Petra had noticed how all three of the class’s most popular guys were sneaking glances at her. Harry and MJ were looking at Penny the way boys looked at pretty girls. But Toby? Toby’s eyes held satisfaction—like an auntie watching her niece ace a spelling bee.

And unlike the other guys, Toby barely checked out their classmates. He had this annoyingly patronizing air sometimes—like a miniature adult among a bunch of rowdy kids. But instead of being irritating, it was… oddly charming. He was always upbeat, cracking jokes, tossing out harmless teases.

She grinned, recalling the first time he’d called Flash a "dumb little airhead, but at least a busty one." The whole class had frozen. Flash had sucked in a breath, ready to end the little shit, but Toby, the fearless menace, had just ducked behind Harry and whispered, not-so-quietly, "Dude, by the time she’s eighteen, that’s gonna be a solid D-cup. Don’t miss your chance."

Flash had choked, red-faced, barely holding back a furious retort. But instead of going nuclear, she had glared at him, looking a little embarrassed, and snapped, "You wanna keep running your mouth, brat?" And then, all through their next class, she kept sneaking glances down at her chest and at Harry, looking strangely thoughtful.

Weirdly enough, after that, Flash had started treating Toby… not quite warmly, but less aggressively. She also stopped giving Petra the side-eye whenever she and Penny were with Harry.

As for Petra herself—she appreciated Toby in her own way. He never outright defended her like Harry sometimes did. But she heard him, more than once, quietly scolding Flash for her antics. He openly called her a genius in front of their classmates, always polite and friendly, and never laughed along when Flash pulled her usual crap. And somehow, without ever making a show of it, he even got Flash to ease up on her. Sure, part of that was Flash’s newfound academic focus (which, yeah, was thanks to her own crush on Harry), but still—Toby had nudged things in the right direction.

Her friendship with Harry and Flash had only truly solidified after Toby transferred schools and Penny moved to Europe. But before that? Before that, she had realized exactly why Toby had always been so nice to her.

That trip to Oscorp…

Petra scratched the tip of her nose, feeling her face heat up. At first, she hadn’t noticed. But as the tour went on, it hit her—Toby wasn’t paying attention to anything except her. He was always nearby, walking just behind or beside her, eyes locked on her face, her neck…

At first, she had worried something was wrong with her appearance. But then—like a lightning strike—it clicked.

He had grown up.

He had started dating Penny, realized his feelings… and suddenly, it all made sense. Why he had always treated her so kindly. Why he had subtly steered Flash’s attitude. He had liked her. Maybe even a lot. And for the first time, she had seen it.

It was a little embarrassing. Okay, very embarrassing. But also… kind of nice.

If only she had known back then what MJ was really like—maybe she wouldn’t have brushed off Toby’s feelings. And Penny? Petra had always liked Penny as a person.

But, well. No point dwelling on it now.

She had made her choice.

And Gwen? Gwen definitely knew what she wanted.

Petra turned her attention to her black-and-white-clad friend.

Gwen had hesitated about hero work at first. But after her kidnapping, she had made up her mind—she wanted in. And, honestly? The number one reason behind that decision had been him.

Mister Mutant. The guy who had saved her and the other girls.

Petra stifled a giggle, remembering Toby’s reaction when he’d realized that he was the so-called Mister Mutant. The way he had fought against that name, only to admit, grudgingly, that he hadn’t come up with anything better at the time.

Silk(1)—because Gwen had officially named herself that now—hadn't been part of the plan. Petra had made her web-shooters, trained her in web-swinging through New York, shared her own experience… but when Gwen found out there was a patrol scheduled with Salamander, well, no amount of reasoning could convince her to sit this one out. Her debut? She’d decided to make it alongside the very guy who had saved her from captivity and put her on the path of heroism. Petra snickered quietly. Oh, she had no doubt Silk was grateful to him. But it was also crystal clear that New York’s second spider was out to claim Toby for herself. Especially after that intense interrogation Gwen had put her through after the drug dealer incident.

The meeting was set for a quiet alley in Queens. The two of them arrived a little early and were now perched on a nearby rooftop, waiting for him.

"Pe—uh, Spider, how much longer?" Gwen asked, shifting slightly.

"Not long at all—look, here he comes. Relax."

Sure enough, a figure in a hoodie, hands stuffed into his pockets, turned into the alley. He scanned the surroundings before pulling out his phone, tapping at it briefly, then bringing it to his ear. For a moment, the dim lighting reflected off the telltale sheen of Salamander's mask, and Petra’s phone vibrated in her hand.

"Hey, Salamander. Look up and to your right," Petra called, waving down at him from the roof. "Take the fire escape up."

"Hey, on my way," he replied, ending the call and making his way toward the old but sturdy fire escape—one Petra had checked in advance to make sure it wouldn’t betray them at a crucial moment.

As he climbed, Petra slipped her phone into the bag where both girls had stashed their civilian clothes. The thing was fragile, and the last thing she needed was to smash it mid-action—or worse, have it ring and blow her cover. The plan was simple: the phones and belongings stayed here, the bottom section of the fire escape would be pulled up, and they'd retrieve everything after patrol.

"Hey, girls, how’s life treating you?" Toby’s upbeat voice rang out as he pulled himself onto the rooftop.

"Hey!" Gwen greeted, a little too brightly, but at least she was keeping her enthusiasm in check. Petra sighed in relief. Her friend’s giddy fangirling over her "hero" had become a running joke in their little group, and Petra had been mildly terrified of how she'd act in person.

"Hey again, Salamander. This is Silk—I told you about her."

"Just Silk is fine! Nice to meet you!" Gwen said quickly.

"Likewise. Call me Sal, then—nickname’s way too long," Toby replied, and yeah, Petra could hear the grin in his voice. "Alright, Spider, what’s the plan?"

"Jacket off, put it in the bag," Petra instructed, motioning to the stash. "Phone too, but set it to silent first. We’re hitting some high-crime spots, then looping back."

"Got it, but I’ll need my phone on me," Toby said, shrugging off his hoodie and loose pants to reveal his costume underneath. He tossed his bundled-up clothes into the bag, then set his phone to silent before slipping it into a secured pouch on his thigh.

After the girls stashed our things in their hiding spot, Petra started strapping herself into some kind of harness system. Looked a bit like a parachute rig, except instead of a backpack, it had extra straps.

"Here, put this on. If something happens, we land, and I detach." She pointed to a little pull-tab on her chest. "I yank this, and we separate instantly. So when we’re flying, watch your hands."

"Uh… yeah, I don’t usually grab girls' chests for no reason."

Oops, the joke landed. Betting Petra’s face is the same shade as her suit right now.

"I didn’t mean that! I was just saying—ugh, never mind! Just don’t pull it by accident when we jump!" She flailed her hands, clearly trying to erase the mental image.

"Got it, got it. So… how do I put this on?"

The next five minutes were filled with a series of slightly awkward adjustments as she strapped me in. I didn’t ask any dumb questions like why or how—hell no, I wasn’t about to dangle off her like some overgrown koala. Instead, I just praised her ingenuity out loud.

"Heh… well, you’re still gonna have to hang on," Petra mumbled as she shifted her weight, tightening the straps until I was pressed against her even more. Shoutout to McCoy for the armored groin guard. Not that I had any real interest in Petra that way, but her tight suit and, well, her—it was bound to cause some reaction. If not for that little safeguard, I’d be awkwardly poking her in the ass with… uh… the buckle. Yeah. The buckle.

"Just keep your arms locked around my torso, right at the solar plexus," she added. "I need a full range of motion."

"Gotcha, Mama Koala. Whatever you say."

She gave me a little jab in the ribs.

"Ow—why is everyone always poking me?! Can’t even make a joke anymore."

"So… you two have known each other a while, huh?" Silk finally spoke up. Her voice—it sounded familiar. And there was something in it—curiosity, maybe a little… jealousy?

"Uh… we… um…" Petra, eloquent as ever when caught off guard.

"Well, I mean, I don’t go around asking you how you know each other, Silk," I cut in, keeping my tone light and easy. "We’re all trying to keep a little mystery here, right? If Spider starts telling everyone who we are, I’ll be very upset with her."

Silk hesitated for a moment.

"Yeah… yeah, you’re right," she finally said, a little sheepish. "Sorry, I wasn’t thinking."

"All good. It’s your first night out, right? We’re all kinda new at this, so no need to be nervous. So, Spider, what’s next?"

"Training first," she said. "Silk and I already practiced, but you need to get used to landing."

"Sure thing," I grinned under my mask, tightening my hold on her. "You’re the boss. You sure I’m not too heavy?"

"Nah, don’t worry about it. Ready?"

I grunted something affirmative.

Then—thwip—webs shot out, and the next second I immediately regretted confirming my readiness.

I never thought I’d say this, but thank you, Hulk, for that time you “trained” me. Otherwise, I’d be flopping around like that one dude in every bungee jump fail video.

Petra swung between the buildings with an effortless grace, twisting, pivoting midair, pulling off maneuvers that had my stomach doing backflips. Good thing she was strong, because I was gripping her tight. Six months ago, I might’ve cracked her ribs. But now? She handled it easily, moving with such fluidity that even I had to admit—it was kinda mesmerizing.

Still, when she suddenly shouted, "Tuck your legs!" mid-descent, I wanted to scream AND YOU COULDN’T SAY THAT FIVE SECONDS AGO?!

We landed.

Somehow.

Holy shit.

Okay, okay, breathe. I lived. Honestly? The Hulk jumps were worse. Especially the first few times.

"How are you feeling?" There was something expectant in her tone—like she was waiting for me to say something specific.

"I’m good, Spider, all good. Didn’t really experience it, though—it happened too damn fast." Which was true. A blur of buildings, my grip nearly strangling her, the dumb realization that Petra’s ass was basically solid muscle, and the frantic internal debate of whether I’d splatter if she fumbled the landing or if my powers would save me. Just pure, undiluted extreme. "But I got the general idea."

Silk landed beside us, watching quietly.

"Well, if you’re fine—" Oh? Oh, Petra sounded disappointed. Was she expecting me to scream HOLY SHIT, THIS IS AMAZING!? Probably. I mean, original Spidey loved swinging around. "Then let’s go for real. You ready?"

"Yeah, let’s go. Just take it slooooOOOOO—"

The red-and-blue menace took off like a damn rocket.

Okay. Either she was still mad I wasn’t worshiping her method of transportation, or she decided I just hadn’t fully appreciated it yet.

After a few more minutes?

Yeah.

I appreciated it.

Once I got used to her movements and stopped flailing like a sad, oversized fanny pack, I got why she loved it.

This wasn’t like Hulk’s jumps, where you had all the time in the world to look around. It wasn’t like racing through the streets on the Hellcycle with Blaze.

It was like… extreme swings. Pure momentum. A rollercoaster without the track. You drop, you fly, she cuts the web, you free-fall, then thwip—web catches, and you launch forward again.

And below us?

New York rushed past.

A city of contradictions. Beautiful, thrilling, full of opportunity—and brutal, merciless, terrifying all at once. Towers that stretched to the heavens, looming over squat little buildings that looked like dollhouses in comparison. Insane wealth sitting side by side with crushing poverty. Love and hatred. Businessmen and criminals—sometimes both in the same person.

I didn’t build this city. I didn’t plan it. I didn’t draw up blueprints.

But people did.

Humanity—our greatest genius and our greatest villain.

Swinging through the towering structures, I imagined the thousands, the millions of people who had poured their sweat, their blood, sometimes even their lives into making this place what it was.

And, funny enough, my mind drifted back to that conversation with the reporters. That last joke I made about faith.

Except now? It didn’t feel like a joke.

I believe in us.

Not democracy. Not communism. Not monarchy.

I believe in People. In what we can do.

We can build these massive cities. We can end pointless wars. We can break through our atmosphere and claim the stars.

Just like wooden ships once sailed into the unknown, chasing the promise of a New World, someday, metal ships will sail the void, their engines burning bright against the endless dark.

Humanity is my god.

And I believe in it.

If we don’t destroy ourselves first.

And that’s where the Emperor comes in.

Billions of people. Millions who dream of power. Hundreds of thousands who have it.

And out of all of them, only a few truly want to lead humanity into a better future.

But I believe—I know—that somewhere among them, there is someone, or maybe several someones, who could be that Emperor.

The one who will unite us—not by nationality, not by religion, not by gender.

The one who will turn humanity into Humanity.

The one who will push us forward, beyond our own limitations, into a future where everyone reaches for the stars.

Holding onto my friend, I smiled.

A grown man in a teenager’s body.

And still, at heart… a kid.

A kid who believes that we won’t burn ourselves to ash. That we won’t vanish in plagues of our own making.

A kid who believes that things will be okay.

And for the first time in this new life… I felt like everything was exactly as it should be.

Everything was right.

Living for yourself? That’s good. Just living is good already.

But living in a way that makes life better not just for you, but for everyone around you?

That’s even better.

END OF BOOK ONE

TN: Her hero name gave me grief. In the original, her name is “Шелкопряд” which literally translates into Silkworm. However, the real Шелкопряд is Mary Jane who heroed under alias Spinneret. It is just her name was localized as Шелкопряд for russian comics. There is also a niche character named Silk, yet another Spider themed hero from some alternate version of Marvel. What complicates this even further is that in Marvel, Gwen Stacy usually goes by Ghost-Spider or Spider Gwen. So for now I decided to settle on Silk until I get the word from the author