"After the total demolition at the hands of-...."
"Provoked by a childish tantrum from Reed Rich-...."
"Reed Richards is a villain! Look how badly he left Spider-Man!"
"I, Betty Brant, along with the citizens of New York, applaud Spider-Man for standing up without hesitation-...."
"While I do not necessarily agree with what happened, I firmly believe the situation could have been worse than just property damage! If it were not for Spider-Man's intervention, we would have several dead today! Like it or not, the fact that he is our hero is undeniable."
"You crazy killer!"
The case of Spider-Man being beaten and threatened by two members of the Fantastic Four, the Young Fantastic also known as Reed Richards, and Human Torch also known as Johnny Storm, had sparked considerable controversy among the media and people around the world.
"The mayor has opened up about Spider-Man and his words.... well, they were not very kind and people are not happy-...."
"The New York crowd has gathered to show their support for the spider-themed hero-...."
"From our sources, we have also heard that several of the police officers had threatened to resign if Young Fantastic and Human Torch were not charged for their actions."
"Young Fantastic is a hero! He-...."
"He is a madman! Not only did he kidnap a police officer, but he attacked the police station, and he even dared to threaten Spider-Man! He is a demented person, and his actions not only caused property damage, but also endangered the life of an officer and a third person."
"Spider-Man is a-...."
"Assas-...."
"Hero-...."
"A Savio-...."
---------------
"You are watching the news again, Chief.
Natasha Romanoff reporting for duty, sir," a beautiful redheaded woman wearing a tight black suit said as she entered the room, looking at the man in front of her with thinly veiled amusement. "You know they are not the best sources in the world."
"I know that very well, Agent Romanoff," he said while changing the channel to watch Tony Stark saying "I am Iron Man."
The director of the spy agency just grunted and grabbed his temples to massage them.
Natasha smiled slightly upon hearing about the television. She saw her boss staring at a specific point with a lost look.
"Is something bothering you, Chief?"
"Things are always bothering me, Agent Romanoff. I do not like unknown variables."
"Is it about Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four?"
"Precisely," he said while taking out two photographs.
One of a man and a woman, and the second with the same people mentioned before, but with a child with glasses.
The director of SHIELD concentrated more on the second photo, more specifically on the child with glasses.
Returning to reality, he put the photos away and pressed a button. "Go ahead, Agent Hill."
The door opened for Maria Hill to enter with a tablet in her hand.
"Director Fury, Agent Romanoff," she greeted as she stood next to Natasha. "Sir, I have news."
"Continue. Pay attention, Agent Romanoff."
"Our sources say Richards' mental health is not the best after being subjected to the punishment inflicted by Spider-Man. He is experiencing a mental decline, as doctors have diagnosed him with PTSD, a severe case of paranoia, depression, schizophrenia, and perhaps other undiagnosed mental illnesses."
She said this as Fury leaned back in his chair while Natasha looked at Hill in awe upon hearing what she said. "Mr. Storm was arrested and volunteered to cooperate with the police in the investigation, which has turned in Spider-Man's favor."
"Has Reed Richards gone crazy?" Natasha asked with a snort at the end. "I mean, crazier than he already was? Boss, the man is a menace! Should we not-...."
"Richards is not that movie-...."
"He makes machines that could destroy the world just because he is bored!"
"You have a good point," Hill nodded in agreement.
"But he is no longer a threat. It has been a week since Spider-Man beat Richards and Johnny Storm like rag dolls. Reed took the brunt of his anger, and now he is reduced to nothing more than a mental patient."
She sighed. "He has lost his powers, and the doctors have not found anything to help him regain them or even his sanity. According to the diagnoses, it is only a matter of time before he is in a vegetative state, more like a living dead man."
"Good heavens!" Natasha said, impressed.
"Yes, I can understand why Richards might have developed PTSD and so on, but that is not enough to keep him depressed. If anything, it makes him more dangerous," Fury said as he stood up.
"Spider-Man must already know all this. This must be part of his revenge: to get rid of Richards or eliminate him as a permanent threat. The consequences for Richards not only decimated his reputation, but he lost everything he valued, from his powers to his sanity."
"But how did he do it?"
"I do not have that answer yet," he said while narrowing his eyes.
Natasha narrowed her eyes, knowing where this conversation was headed.
"Agent Romanoff, I have a mission for you."
-----------------
"Ha!" Yuri growled as she unleashed a combination of devastating blows on the poor punching bag, which shuddered with each hit. "Ha!"
The final blow was strong enough to break the bag and send it flying, crashing against the wall and scattering all the sand across the floor.
"Well done," Missy said as she approached Yuri with a water bottle and a white towel. "Here you go."
"Thank you," Yuri said as she put the towel around her neck and sat on the floor, drinking the water in large gulps.
"Are you getting used to it?" Missy smiled as she sat down next to Yuri.
"Physically? Yes." She gave a half-smile as she closed the bottle and settled in. "Mentally? No. I am still unable to grasp the fact that Spider-Man is a damn teenager."
"Well, I do not understand why that would be ma-...."
"I was flirting and making sexual innuendos to a barely legal teenager this whole time!"
"Well, when you put it that way...." She smiled awkwardly as Yuri moaned, lying back on the floor.
"Still, you are not the only cradle robber. Does that term apply here?
Never mind..... May had a relationship with Peter."
Yuri's mouth hung open like a fish, her mind nearly collapsing. "Why the hell did they do that!"
"Well, they are not exactly related by bloo-...."
"Why are you still with Peter?!"
"He is a loving man, loyal most of the time, and when he is not, he tells me," she smiled while holding her legs.
"And May and I agreed to share him."
"I think I need a psychologist," Yuri said as she slowly stood up, only for Missy to laugh inwardly.
"You can talk to Peter. He is trying to get several degrees, including one in Psychology, though he has not had any luck so far. But even knowing all this, your feelings for him have not changed, have they?" she asked, which made Yuri freeze.
"You really like him, do you not?"
"I fell in love with Spider-Man and I desire him sexually," Yuri said.
"Now that I know he is Peter Parker, a teenager with a killer body, and a future millionaire.... I do not know how to feel anymore."
She sighed while putting on a new punching bag. "But he saved me and has made me a little better."
"Injecting a dying person with the same serum that created Captain America is not a minor improvement, Yuri Watanabe," Missy said in a more stern tone.
"I hope you understand the implications of this. You cannot go back to your old life. You need to think long and hard about what to do with your life and yourself now. I do not think Peter will force you to stay, but I would prefer you did not leave."
"And why would that be?"
"You would hurt Peter," she said as she stood up and turned to leave. "He really likes you after all."
Yuri looked at her feet as Missy left the gym. More than a gym, it was a room that had been turned into one for the girls. She brushed her wet hair away from her face, tucked it behind her ear, and looked out the window.
Sweat dripped from her chin and onto her generous chest, which had become a little bigger and firmer, all because Peter had injected her with a small percentage of the Superior Soldier Serum.
Yuri smiled to herself and raised her hand to cover her smile.
"He likes me, huh?"
-----------