[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/XV1PIyT.jpg?2[/img][/center] Thunder rumbles over me and out the front of the garage, engulfing my street in sound. Crashing, banging sound fills my little corner of Queens as I beat away at the drum set I've used and abused for the past seven years. In the years since mom died it's been one of my few outlets. There's nothing like banging on a drum when you're frustrated or sad to really work out the inner demons. Mom had told me back in the day that I should play an instrument. That it would be an outlet for my creativity, and foster my growing mind. Little did she suspect that I'd pick the drums. My parents really loved that. My mom bought the set for me with the idea that I'd grow into it. Much to the chagrin of our neighbors, I have. I even play in a band with Mary Jane and our friends Betty Brant and Glory Grant named the Black Cats. We're not the best in the world, but we can rock as hard as anyone out there, and I'd put money on that. Neighbors give me dirty looks as they walk their dogs past the house, clearly trying to be seen showing their displeasure at my display. I couldn't care less, if I'm being honest. They're dogs bark like hell half the damn night, me drumming in the middle of the day is the least of Queens's noise problem. Putting my head down, I really get into the flow of a beat and don't let up. In the past years, my beats would often be full of rage and raw emotion. Being in a band with a punk rock persuasion certainly helped with that. But today is different. Today the beat is light and free flowing as my swinging was last night in the streets of New York. For too long my mind has been gripped by sadness. First for my mother, then by the changes I went through with the spider, then from Uncle Ben's fate. But now that I'm doing something...trying to make things right, I feel like a huge weight has been taken off my shoulder. My spider sense alerts me to someone approaching, and I pick up my head to see Mary Jane standing in the entrance of the garage smiling broadly. She nods along to the beat, sending her short, curly, black hair bobbing over her shoulders, her caramel skin glistening in the late morning sunlight. Her brown eyes light up as I stop, [color=f26522]"That kicked so much ass. We need to use that in a show." [/color] I smile, [color=ec008c]"Yea, as long as I can remember it, for sure. Wasn't really doing anything but freestyling."[/color] [color=f26522]"Gwendolyne Stacy, for as long as I've known you you've never forgotten a beat,"[/color] she responds, and she's probably right. MJ was probably my first girl friend. At least the first that I can remember. We met in preschool, and to say my dad wasn't thrilled with me being friends with her would be an understatement. She comes from a family with a reputation. Her uncle is serving twenty for a drug conviction, and her father had given her mother more than her fair share of bruises. He's the definition of an asshole, but MJ isn't. She's possibly the person with the biggest heart I've ever met, and it wasn't long before my dad was won over as well. I don't know if you can feel proud of how far your friend distances themselves from their crappy family, but I'm damn proud of Mary Jane. [color=f26522]"You want to jam later this afternoon? I can get the rest of the girls together,"[/color] she asks longingly. It's honestly been too long since we had a session, but I can't. [color=ec008c]"I gotta go to the lab this afternoon,"[/color] I say in an apologetic fashion. I've been working at OsCorp, Harry's dad's company, as a high school intern. Mostly just jotting down observations and the like for the real scientists. Still, it's pretty cool, and I got superpowers out of the equation. Win-win. Plus I get to hang out with Peter, which is fun. He's way more into the hard science than I am, though, which is why I'm moving on for my senior year. MJ's eyes narrow and she cocks her head to the side, [color=f26522]"I thought you were done with that? Something about a loony bin?"[/color] A chuckle escapes my lips, [color=ec008c]"My internship runs through the end of the summer. Then I start at the Ravenscroft Institute learning about forensic psychology. It's not a loony bin." [/color] Ravenscroft Institute for the Criminally insane is possibly the best location in the world for helping those that suffer from dangerous mental illnesses. Doctor Ashley Kafka, the head of the institute, is one of the leading minds in reforming those that were often seen as hopeless cases, and next year I'll be learning from her directly. I think it'll give me a leg up in following in my dad's footsteps. If I can understand why criminals do what they do, maybe I can help catch them. Well, get better at catching them, at this point. [color=f26522]"Okay, well, we need to jam soon. Saturday?"[/color] MJ asks hopefully. [color=ec008c]"Deal,"[/color] I nod. [center]**********[/center] [b]Oscorp Tower Manhattan[/b] The gleaming, glass elevator opens on the lobby floor of the tower, and I step in with a few other Oscorp employees. The elevator recognizes all our employee IDs and begins traveling to the floors we need to go to. As it smoothly travels to its destinations, I turn and look out the back. The entire elevator system of the tower is along the outside, and made almost completely made of glass, which gives it an incredible view of the entirety of New York City. I always love looking out over the city. Sure, I can literally do that without being inside a building now, but this is still pretty dang great. Oscorp Tower itself is something of an architectural marvel. Its rounded, twisted structure stretches up into the sky, resembling a strand of DNA before the two strands come to a point at the top. It reflects Doctor Osborn's commitment to biological advancement, and his commitment to the betterment of human life. It's crazy that one of my best friend's dad owns all this, and it's even crazier that I'm working here, at least for a few more months. The elevator comes to a stop on the floor I'm getting out on, and I politely make my way out. What greets her is a sterile, white, brightly lit lab. Scientists scuttle about in their lab coats, jotting down notes and conversing quietly with one another. I scan the scene and see Peter in front of a subject case, taking down some notes in a tablet. [color=ec008c]"Hey stranger,"[/color] I say coming up behind him and throwing my arm around his shoulder. He looks up at me with his big, brown eyes over his glasses, brushes his scruffy hair out of the way, and smiles, [color=0054a6]"You see the news this morning?"[/color] [color=ec008c]"Pretty cool, huh?"[/color] I ask, unable to contain my excitement. [color=ec008c]"The footage was crazy! I almost wish someone was closer to get some really good stuff. Find anything on YouTube? I couldn't."[/color] His big, goofy smile is almost as big as mine is, [color=0054a6]"Nah, nothing that's any better than from the chopper."[/color] [color=8dc73f]"Ms. Stacy!"[/color] a warm, but powerful, voice calls out from behind me. I turn to find Harry's father Norman approaching along with his head scientist, Otto Octavius. Norman smiles and puts his hands on Pete and I's shoulders, [color=8dc73f]"And Mr. Parker. Two great young minds that will lead OsCorp into the future someday. I can't tell you how happy I am to see two of Harry's best friends working here."[/color] Norman is exactly the kind of many you'd expect to have built a company like OsCorp. Tall, well cut, and I would assume handsome in his time, Doctor Osborn is also a brilliant geneticist. He's clad in an impeccably tailored suit of a deep, navy blue, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him walk into a board room for some gigantic meeting after this. Still, he always treats Pete, MJ, and me like we're equals of Harry. There's not a pompous bone in his body. [color=c4df9b]"Unfortunately, young Gwen will be leaving us in a month or so, sir,"[/color] Octavius adds in, genuinely sounding disappointed. He continues in his low, German-accented tones, [color=c4df9b]"I'll only be left with one of my best lab assistants after the summer."[/color] Otto Octavius is not someone Gwen would have expected to get along with so well. His genius is known the world over, and she expected such a superb intellect to be standoffish, or awkward. While he is softspoken, he's affable and kind. He's the leading mind behind nearly every biological project going on in the building, including the spider that ended up giving me my powers. His dream is to meld animal and man, giving humanity abilities that can ease our struggle against disease. I've struggled since getting my powers. I could help his research...but I don't want to become a science experiment myself. Plus, who knows, I could be a freak of nature. Who says the thing that gave me super powers wouldn't kill someone else? I smile at the two titans of science, [color=ec008c]"Yea, I think the hard sciences are more Peter's future. Mind is forensic psychology. Well, at least I think it is."[/color] [color=c4df9b]"Ah,"[/color] Otto brushed his long, grey-brown hair from in front of his face, [color=c4df9b]"the science of the mind is nothing to be ashamed of, dear girl. And Dr. Kafka is the best."[/color] [color=8dc73f]"Working for Otto and Ashley in the span of two years,"[/color] Norman chuckles, [color=8dc73f]"I might have to watched out. You might be a CEO next."[/color] [color=ec008c]"I'll let you deal with the board room, Dr. Osborn,"[/color] I put my hands up, passing on the idea. [color=8dc73f]"Well, we could certainly be doing worse,"[/color] Norman turns to Pete. [color=8dc73f]"Young Mr. Parker is the brightest boy I've ever met. I only wish you could rub some of that off on Harry."[/color] [color=0054a6]"I may be bright, sir,"[/color] Pete winks, [color=0054a6]"but I'm not a miracle worker."[/color] Osborn laughs deeply and heartily, [color=8dc73f]"That boy will be the death of me. But he says you're coming over for dinner? I'll see you tonight then. Otto and I have an important meeting to attend."[/color] [color=0054a6]"Sure thing, sir,"[/color] Pete nods before motioning towards the specimens he'd been studying. [color=0054a6]"I better get back to work. Science doesn't happen without effort."[/color] [color=c4df9b]"Right you are, Peter!"[/color] Otto beams. [color=c4df9b]"Make sure our little friends are doing well! I'll check in after the meeting."[/color] The geniuses head off to whatever meeting they have, and I turn back to Pete. In the enclosure he's monitoring sit three lizards about four inches long each, with green, speckled skin. They are the first batch in the line of "super lizards", as Doctor Octavius and Doctor Connors, the man in charge of this experiment, like to say. They've had their natural healing factor, what allows them to regrow tails and limbs, kicked up to eleven. The hope is that they'll be able to synthesize the ability and place it into the human body, allowing us to heal from any disease or injury. It's an ingenious theory if they can get it to work. It also makes me think of what could have been possible for mom if she had only been able to hold on for a while longer, or if the sickness would have happened later in life. It's something I shouldn't dwell on or think about. I know that, but it's always hard not to wonder. [color=ec008c]"So how are they doing?"[/color] I ask Pete. [color=0054a6]"Not bad,"[/color] he shrugs. [color=0054a6]"Increased appetite and thirst, but that's to be expected with their cells being supercharged. The docs will have to find a way to get that under control before we move onto the lab rats." [/color] [color=ec008c]"Yea, the last thing I need is a bunch of mutated lizard rats running around the city,"[/color] I joke and elbow him in the side. He looks over with wide eyes, [color=0054a6]"Oh my god do not even joke about that."[/color] The two of us laugh and get back to data collecting, all the while I'm just itching to get back out on patrol tonight. Still, it's nice to spend a quiet moment with Pete being geeks. It's been a while since we've gotten together and just hung out, instead of talking about what other kind of gadgets Spider-Woman can use out in the streets of New York. Sometimes, the quiet moments are the best.