A few days had passed since the Royal Woods Block Party, and as expected, the biggest talk of the night was when Spider-Man showed up to do battle against Shocker.
Various news outlets reported on it, especially within the Royal Woods Gazette, and the story reaching across the country. The talk of most parts of the world was 'Who is Spider-Man?' and 'Where did he come from?'
Regardless, for Lincoln, that Block Party was an eye opener for him. He had finally had his big public showdown against a supervillain, a tough one at that. Though deep down he did pity Herman Shultz, the man who called himself Shocker, because he understood why Shocker was the way he was. He was a man who lost his dream, and as a result, became angry and resentful of the world.
The plus side was that he got to meet SMOOCH that day, or at least , he met the lead singer. Granted he spoke to him as Spider-Man, it was still cool for Lincoln to know that SMOOCH respected Lincoln as a hero.
Speaking of music, to his surprise, almost at least, Luna's Spider-Man song was a hit with the crowd, she's already been getting gigs over that. Her performance was recorded and placed on ViewTube, and was a hit with the kids at his school, many of them humming the Spider-Man theme.
Lincoln wasn't entirely in this for the fame, but he would not turn down the praise his superhero persona was given, it was nice to be something popular and positive, as opposed to the negativity associated with his family.
Another major plus that night was his newfound relationship with Emma. This was one outcome Lincoln did not expect, while he never found Emma unappealing, he was still amazed that their relationship has grown the way it has. The fact was that he had a girlfriend now, and while it's only been a few days, he's more than enjoyed the relationship he's gained with such a nice girl.
The irony to this of course, is that this is a girl that Clyde once crushed on, the same Clyde who crushed on his eldest sister Lori, and the same Lori, who after the Block Party, had nothing to say about Emma. Luan warned Lincoln the following day to keep an eye out, Lori was not taking this well, but Lincoln did not care, all he cared about aside from his job as a superhero, was to be a good boyfriend for Emma.
Sometime during the week, Lincoln was seen making his way over to the Sunset Canyon Retirement Home to visit his grandfather Albert, and he was not alone. Clyde and Stella were joining him, both eager to visit their respective grandmothers.
"Thanks for coming with me to check on my grandma," Stella said. "I don't know this place too well yet."
"It's no trouble, it's always great seeing Pop-Pop," Lincoln said.
"And I would never pass up a chance to visit my nana," Clyde said. "I'm a bit surprised you could make it though, Lincoln. I mean, you've been really busy lately."
"Oh yeah, lots of stuff in my life," Lincoln nervously insisted.
"Now things are going to get even busier, thanks to a certain girl," Clyde teased.
"Oh yeah, Emma's really going to be craving my attention," A nervous Lincoln said, Stella turning away with a hint of jealousy on her face.
"Well that's one thing you can tell your grandpa," Clyde said.
"Are you gonna tell your grandma anything about the Block Party?" Lincoln asked.
"I would, but I feel like she might get a bit worried about my safety," Clyde said. "She's not as overprotective as my dads, but a grandparent worries."
"I know my grandma would be too," Stella said. "This used to be a peaceful town, now we're running the risk of Supervillains taking over."
"Spider-Man will keep us safe," Clyde said. "You saw him fighting that Shocker guy the other day, he's got this."
"Totally..." Lincoln said. "I gotta rid the town of the filth."
The kids made their way inside, finding that all their grandparents were gathered in the cafeteria.
"Pop-Pop!"
"Nana!"
"Lola!"
The three turned to see their grandchildren standing and waiting.
"Hey, my young double," Albert said, rubbing Lincoln's head. "How's it going, bud?"
"Going great, Pop-Pop," Lincoln said.
"Hey, Nana, how's life treating you here?" Clyde asked.
"Oh you know, same as usual," Gayle said.
Nearby Stella was hugging her grandma, "Are you settling in ok?"
"Just fine, dear."
"So how's the family, Lincoln?" Albert asked.
"Doing great, Lori's still in college, Leni's doing surprisingly well, Luna's getting popular with her music, all around good stuff," Lincoln said.
"Luna's definitely doing good with the music, especially after that Block Party the other day," Albert said.
"Oh, did you see it on TV?" Lincoln asked.
"You bet, seeing my little Luna jamming it out, especially about that Spider-Man hero," Albert said. "Quite an interesting fellow, if I do say so myself."
"Does that mean you think he's cool, Pop-Pop?" Lincoln nervously asked.
"Lincoln, I think he's a fine young man with a heart of hold, Royal Woods should be honored to have him," Albert said. "I respect anyone who would risk their lives for others, especially Superheroes, they're pretty cool."
"You like superheroes too, sir?" Clyde asked.
"Of course, why personally my favorite was Captain America," Albert said. "As a young boy all I remember was hearing the tales of a brave man who battled against the forces of Hydra, before mysteriously disappearing. It made me want to join The Airforce, so I can be a hero in my own way."
"Wow, that's really cool, Mr. Lincoln's Grandpa," Clyde said.
"Just call me 'Albert', son," the elderly man said.
"Lincoln did say you could fly planes, and that you taught his mom," Stella said.
"Sure did, little lady. Rita picked it up so fast too. That reminds me Lincoln, there's someone I'd love for you to meet," Albert said, calling to the back. "Hey Adrian, this way!"
Making his way over was Adrian Toomes, the presence surprising Lincoln and his friends, "Who's this?"
"Lincoln, I'd like you to meet my old buddy from the Airforce, Adrian Toomes," Albert said, gesturing to the former pilot.
"Good to see you, so you're Albert's grandson, Lincoln Loud," Adrian said.
"That's me, nice to meet you sir," Lincoln said.
"Adrian was one of our best pilots back in the day, most of us knew him by his call sign, Vulture," Albert said. "He could do so many great things in an F-14 plane."
"You're embarrassing me, Albert," Adrian said. "But, and not to brag but, I was quite the pilot back in the day."
"We worked together to stop any sign of threat from enemies, both in country and out," Albert said. "At one point even S.H.I.E.L.D. took notice of our skills, Adrian here has even met with a few. In fact, you knew Tony Stark's father, right buddy?"
"Yes, Howard Stark, brilliant man, and it seems like his son turned out even more brilliant," Adrian said. "It's thanks to us that we were able to rebel against any leftover forces from Hydra. Nowadays heroes and soldiers alike have more threats to worry about, like A.I.M."
"Pfft, bunch of amateurs if you ask me, nothing The Avengers can't handle," Albert said. "Or the fine men and women in The Airforce today."
"Would you kids consider joining the Airforce once you turn of age?" Adrian asked.
"Um...I kind of want to be an Astronaut, or a Magician," Lincoln said.
"Or a superhero, like The Avengers, right Linc?" Clyde said.
"Right, that too," Lincoln said.
"Well personally, I want to be a chef, just like Nana," Clyde said.
"You're well on your way to that, Clyde," Gayle said.
"I want to work in Stark Industries one day, it'd be amazing if I could work on the same type of tech he does," Stella said. "Or even work with S.H.I.E.L.D."
"A bright young girl shouldn't need either of those places, I bet you can be successful on your own, start your own business, and make sure you run it with honor and integrity," Adrian said.
"Of course, I would never think to do otherwise," Stella said.
Adrian knelt before the young girl, "Between you and me, I would tread carefully. Over the years I've met some unfavoring people who will make your life difficult, make sure you push back against that, through any means possible."
"You got it sir," Stella said.
Albert cleared his throat, "Good talk Adrian, but let's not worry about that type of stuff for now."
"Yes, of course," Adrian said.
Lincoln couldn't help but feel like something was a bit off with Adrian a second ago, but of course he just met the guy, he couldn't fully judge him yet.
"Hey Nana, what do you think of Spider-Man?" Clyde asked.
"He seems like a nice young boy, I do worry though, he seems too young for this," Gayle said. "I hope he knows what he's up against."
"Come on, Spider-Man's strong, he'll be fine," Clyde said.
"Maybe Clyde, but remember, physical strength isn't emotional strength," Gayle said. "A young man like that ought to be careful, and not find himself in too bad of a position."
Stella's grandmother nodded in agreement, "Hopefully he has the proper maturity a hero needs."
"Eh, I think he's got this, he's got a strong sense of justice," Albert said.
"Reassuring that Pop-Pop feels this way," Lincoln mentally noted.
"I just wish everyone could like Spider-Man," Clyde said, bringing out the Royal Woods Gazette. "Places like these still trash his name, especially that J Jonah Jameson guy."
"Oh that guy's a blowhard, it's a dang shame that Rita has a boss like that," Albert said. "And she loved that job too."
"Mom's still mostly happy, she just hates when he's all 'Spider-Man's a Menace' or something like that," Lincoln said.
"Well as long as she's able to find some bright side to working there," Albert said. "By the way, Adrian, you gotta meet the rest of my family soon. My daughter and all ten of my granddaughters."
"You have quite a large family, Albert," Adrian said, feeling a bit envious to know that his old buddy has a large family, having gotten married, having a lovely daughter who herself had so many kids. "I still remember the day you got married, to think it would lead to such a large family."
"Yes, it was a great day," Albert said, recalling his first wife. "I love Myrtle, and I'm happy to call her my new gal, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss my daughter's mother. But sometimes, you just gotta move on in life, try to find the happiness."
"I give credit to those who do so with no trouble," Adrian said.
"Adrian, buddy...it is not without trouble," Albert said. "Still, I hope you'll get to meet the rest of my family soon."
"I look forward to it," Adrian said.
"Where is Gran-Gran anyway?" Lincoln asked.
"Oh she should be around, I'll make sure you get to see her today," Albert said.
"Oh, Stella, by the way, have you gone shopping for bras?" Stella's grandmother asked, embarrassing the girl.
"Lola!" Stella shouted in embarrassment. "Now's not the time for that!"
"Honey, you're growing into a woman, you have to be prepared for that day," Stella's grandma said. "I mean, you're developing into an early bloomer with those big puffs on your chest."
Stella covered up with shame and quickly ran out of the room, leaving everyone feeling awkward.
"Uh, I know it's not my place to say, but...maybe this wasn't the best time to bring that up," Albert said. "I remember how much it used to bother Rita."
"Could be worse, at least it wasn't in front of a bunch of kids her age," Adrian said. "Kids are much crueler after all."
"I'll be right back," Lincoln said, quickly making his way out of the room to find his friend.
"That's my grandson, always thinking about the feelings of a woman. Say Clyde, are those two dating?" Albert asked.
"No, they're not dating," Clyde confirmed. "Lincoln does have a girlfriend though, her name's Emma. She's a really nice girl."
"Well good for him, hopefully I get to see this girl too," Albert said. "My grandson, he's really growing into a fine young man."
Out in the hall, Lincoln spotted his friend sitting against a wall, using her knees to cover herself up, "Hey Stella, you alright?"
"Would you be alright if your grandparent embarrassed you like that?" Stella asked.
"She didn't mean to, sometimes parents and grandparents just say things without thinking," Lincoln said, sitting next to her. "Stella, you really need to stop worrying about your body, it happens sooner or later to a girl, and it's great because it means you're growing up."
"I'm only thirteen, I'm still a little kid, I shouldn't have a body like this, " Stella said. "I'm not ready to start wearing bras."
"It's just an undergarment, Lynn wore them when she turned thirteen, and she wasn't even developed then," Lincoln said. "Actually she's still not developed, and it really ticks her off. But still, Leni was an early bloomer and she's fine, Lola might be one too. My Lola of course, not yours."
"I know who you mean, though I do recall Lori saying something like that to me once," Stella said. "Poor girl's gonna go through this too."
"She'll be fine, and so will you, because neither of you are alone," Lincoln said. "Think of it this way, a girl developing her breasts is like a guy getting his first bit of facial hair."
Stella glared at Lincoln, "That's a terrible comparison."
"Is it really though? Both are signs of maturity," Lincoln said.
"Lincoln, no offense, but I doubt you could understand what I'm feeling," Stella said. "You don't know what it's like for your body to start changing, to just be totally different than how you were a week ago, or to be treated so differently."
"If only you knew," Lincoln placed his hand on her shoulder. "Listen, maybe I'm a bit off, and maybe I don't understand this the same way a girl would, but I do want to try my best to be there for you." Stella glanced at the boy as he continued. "Regardless of your changing body, you're still my friend and the same Stella I love hanging out with. So stop being so ashamed of yourself, because I don't see anything for you to be ashamed of."
"You're so sweet Lincoln, thanks," Stella said, pulling the boy into an affectionate hug, one he happily returned. In a way, Stella felt at peace, while she still had her doubts about her body, she at least took comfort in Lincoln's friendship. Out of all her guy friends, Lincoln seemed to understand her the best, it's not perfect, but she could sense the effort.
Lincoln pulled away, gesturing to the room, "Let's head back inside."
"Sure," Stella said, following Lincoln.
Inside, Albert is seen resuming his conversation, "More of our old air force buddies are coming to town soon, it's gonna be a really nice reunion."
"Yes, I am quite eager to see them again really soon..." Adrian said. "After all, there's a lot that I wish to put behind me for good."
"Good on you, Adrian," Albert said.
"I can't way to see it," Clyde said. "Paying homage to great heroes is always a proud duty for anyone to be part of."
"Ha, good on you there Clyde," Albert said. "Kids these days are being raised well."
"Yes, of course," Adrian said.
Time passed by, the trio of Lincoln, Stella and Clyde heading to their respective homes while Adrian went to his room.
While there, he pulled out a secret case filled with various parts for what seemed to be a metallic suit, "So, those old fools are planning a comeback atre they? Think they can get away with stealing my tech? I'll show them how this tech can be truly used to it's potential. They will regret the day they crossed The Vulture."
With the kids, Stella was taking her own leave, "Alright, I'll see you boys tomorrow at school."
"Sure thing, see you Stella," Lincoln said.
"Get home safe!" Clyde said, then turned to Lincoln. "Oh, Lincoln, it still seems early in the day, wanna head to Gus's? Maybe we can revisit our Ace Savvy movie."
Before Lincoln could answer, his spider sense went off, there was danger nearby. "Sorry, I can't now, I just remembered that I needed to get something for Lola's pageants."
"Again? Lincoln, I've noticed you've been really busy lately, especially when it comes to your sisters," Clyde said. "They're not taking advantage, are they? Or blackmailing you? I mean with Lori off at college and Leni being the oldest one there, that could lead to chaos since Leni has a harder time enforcing rules like Lori does."
"Leni's fine as the oldest, she's gotten a little bit more mature at least," Lincoln said. "Anyway it's no big deal, my sisters just need me more, but I promise I'll make more time for us to do what we need to do."
"Alright, I'm counting you Lincoln," Clyde said.
"See ya buddy," Lincoln said, making his leave. Once he was far away enough, he switched into his superhero gear and began swinging off. "I really wish I could tell Clyde who I am, or anyone, but that's way too risky. Last thing I want is for anyone to be targeted by villains just to get to me." Lincoln landed on a nearby roof, keeping an eye out for the danger, "Gotta say, while I don't mind being a hero, it's really cutting into my personal life. I can't help Luan as much with birthday parties, I can't help Lola with her pageants, I haven't been able to find a good scoop for the News Team...well I can but I'm not gonna have my friends cover something potentially dangerous like a robbery. I gotta do something, I mean, if I keep sneaking off, my friends are gonna worry, I mean my whole family freaked out when they couldn't find me while fighting Shocker."
"You'll never take me, coppers!" a robber said, making his escape. Suddenly Lincoln landed down with a kick to his head, knocking him down and immediately webbing him to the ground. "Hey!"
"Don't 'Hey' me! You're the one who broke the law, jerk," Lincoln said, thwipping away and leaving the robber for the cops.
"Having a hero to help is great...but I wish he'd leave us something for these dang webs," a cop said. "This stuff is way too sticky."
Lincoln landed on another roof, keeping an eye out as he felt like there was more to do, "I really wish I could tell someone. Maybe I can let Clyde know...but the responsibility might be too much for him. Maybe one of my other friends...no, I don't know if they can handle it either, especially Zach, I don't want him thinking I'm some type of alien. Should I tell Pop-Pop? Eh, might be risky too, plus I get the feeling he'd just start to worry about me. Maybe one of my sisters...no way, they'd just worry too and they would never let me out of their sight. Plus, some of them don't like Spider-Man, I don't want them thinking I'm a freak, otherwise it's gonna be the bad-luck thing again, only worse. Shame, I'd really like Lisa's help with my suit, I could use a few modifications to make my crime fighting easier. Maybe I can tell Emma since she's my girlfriend, but we just started dating, it's way too soon to overwhelm her with such a secret."
Lincoln noticed another robbery and went to put a stop to it, figuring he'd get to the bottom of this later.
Lincoln arrived home later, "I'm back!"
"Yo! Lincoln!" Lynn called from the couch. "You're home late, has Emma been keeping you busy?"
"I wasn't with Emma today, I was with Clyde and Stella, then something came up," Lincoln said.
"Stuff comes up with you a lot bro," Lynn said. "But I suppose busy schedules aren't unusual, I play like a bajillion sports a week. Heh, reminds of me of the time we tried getting home schooled because of the workload."
"Yeah, that was a pain," Lincoln said. "Of course, now that I know better, I'd be more than happy to get homeschooled againif it means more free time."
"By the way, Agnus called earlier today, he wanted to check in on you," Lynn said.
"Agnus? For me?" Lincoln asked.
"Well you were the former Duke of Loch Loud, something you really should mention more to get some extra booty," Lynn said.
"I don't need 'extra booty', I have Emma," Lincoln said.
"Yeah, she seems plump enough for you at least," Lynn teased, earning a groan from Lincoln." Hey come on, you can't deny her butt. Hell I'm kind of jealous, I didn't have what Emma, Stella or even Girl Jordan did at their age, that's why I took up those butt exercises."
"I thought that was for cannon balls into the pools and lakes?" Lincoln asked.
"Well that too, but I wasn't going to shout my real reason to the world, there are things even I wouldn't say out loud," Lynn said. "I let my actions speak for me."
"Why are you even concerned about your...assets?" Lincoln asked. "I mean, usually you're concerned about your abs than anything else. Unless there's someone that you yourself want to impress."
"Who? Me?" Lynn asked, her face turning red. "N-no way, I don't care about dating! I just feel like I should be developed myself, I mean I'm clearly athletic aren't I? It's science."
"Uh...sure," Lincoln said. "Seriously though Lynn, you don't need to look a certain way, I mean-"
"Hey bro," Luna said, greeting her brother, accidentally interrupting him, much to Lynn's relief. "You're home late."
"Yeah, I had some things to handle," Lincoln said.
"You didn't get too close to any crime stuff, did you?" Luna asked.
"Well, no, not particularly," Lincoln said. "I may have seen it on the way home but I wasn't in any danger."
"Lincoln, if you're gonna be home late, you gotta call and text us more, you gave us quite a scare at the Block Party," Luna said.
"Yeah, and I'm really sorry, but I am not going to put myself in danger," Lincoln said. "I'll try to call more, I just get sidetracked."
"He's capable of taking care of himself Luna, our little Linky here is becoming quite the man," Lynn said.
"Hey you were just as worried that day," Luna said.
"Well yeah, but I knew deep down Lincoln was fine," Lynn said. "And things turned out well, so no more fretting on the past, gotta think to the future."
"Pfft, you? Not fretting on the past? That's new," Luna said.
"Says the girl who idolizes some old rockstar who's probably not even as great as he once was," Lynn said.
"That's a low blow," Luna said.
"Well anyway, Lincoln, you should probably call Agnus," Lynn said. "I think he's waiting for a video chat too."
"Sounds good to me, I'll head upstairs now," Lincoln said, making his way to his room.
"Yo, Lynn, do you really think Lincoln will be fine? I mean, he loves superheroes, and I keep feeling like he'd want to see Spider-Man up close," Luna said.
"We'll keep an eye out," Lynn said. "Still don't know why Lincoln likes Spider-Man. I mean, there's so many cooler heroes out there, like Hawkeye."
"Since when do you like superheroes? You've always found them dorky," Luna said.
"Well Hawkeye just looks cool, and he has a cool name," Lynn said. "Also The Hulk, gotta admit, dude's built. Wonder what his secret is?"
"I'm pretty sure his strength is not natural, I mean he turns green," Luna said.
"Maybe he just eats a lot of vegetables," Lynn theorized, Luna face palming at the reply.
Lincoln made his way upstairs, activating his laptop, "Thinking about it, maybe I can tell Agnus about my powers. I mean he lives all the way in Loch Loud, what's the worse that can happen?"
Lincoln made his call, which was answered by the last person he expected, "Oh, it's you."
"Morag?" Lincoln said in confusion. "Uh, how's it going? How's Loch Loud."
"Peachy...just peachy..." Morag said, venom seeping into her voice. "Of course my life is made miserable nowadays thanks to the towns people, as well as the memory of your horrid family, both past and present."
"Well she's mad, not that I blame her, I mean me and my family did thwart her evil plans, still, I hoped she'd lighten up after all this time," Lincoln cleared his throat. "At least you can live in the castle again without us around."
"My life, is not, any, better!" Morag emphatically said. "But...I digress, you were calling to speak with Agnus correct?"
"Yes, would you mind getting him?" Lincoln asked.
"Sure, what else am I good for?" Morag said, then called for the current Duke. "Agnus! It's that Loud boy!"
"I know she did something bad, but I kind of feel sorry for her, all she wanted was some peace and quiet, sometime I can relate to," Lincoln took note of his the new arrival. "Hey Angus!"
"Ay, how's it going Lincoln?" Angus asked.
"Everything's going well," Lincoln said. "How's life back at Loch Loud?"
"Oh splendid, the people here are as happy as usual," Angus said.
"How's Lela doing? Is she behaving?" Lincoln asked.
"Yes, quite well in fact," Angus said. "Poor girl does miss you."
"I wish we could bring her back home, but we have nowhere to put her," Lincoln said. "She's better at the castle."
"Yes quite, you and her had quite the adventure here, though it looks like things are heating up in your side of the pond," Agnus said. "I mean, all this talk of superheroes coming to life."
"Oh yeah, The Avengers, very powerful warriors," Lincoln said. "There's The Hulk, who gets really big and strong."
"So I've heard, don't want to get in his way," Angus said, chuckling to himself.
"Then there's Iron Man," Lincoln continued. "He flies and shoots laser blasts."
"Iron Man? Is he actually made of iron?" Angus asked.
"No, he's a human in suit," Lincoln said. "One he built himself too. Though Lisa theorizes that it's not actually made of iron, but a type of steel alloy. Guess Iron Man just sounded cooler than Steel Man."
"How about Man of Steel?" Angus asked.
"Oh, Man of Steel, that's good, but I think it's taken," Lincoln said. "Also there's Thor."
"Thor? Like in those old Norwegian stories?" Angus asked.
"Yeah, the very same," Lincoln said. "I've heard people say he just borrowed the name, but his actual brother Loki was here too, and like in the myths, he's evil."
"Guess those myths weren't just fiction, but rather a documentation of old times passed along as mere stories," Angus said. "How peculiar."
"I've seen legends come to life, and Thor is definitely one of the better ones," Lincoln said. "It'd be cool if some of the Greek Gods were real too, like imagine seeing the Gods of Mount Olympus."
"Careful what you wish for, some forms of media make Zeus look like a just ruler, but true mythology says he's not such a nice fellow," Angus warned.
"Oh yeah...well there's Hercules at least, he's a good guy," Lincoln said. "He goes the distance to protect others."
"Oh yes, well everyone loves Hercules," Angus said. "Who else is there?"
"Well, there's others like Hawkeye, who's an archer, and Black Widow, who's got this awesome black skin-tight suit," Lincoln briefly had certain thoughts regarding the Russian spy, but quickly placed them aside. "Then there's the leader, Captain America, The First Avenger."
"Captain America?" Angus asked. "That's quite a large title, sounds like he has the whole country on his back."
"He certainly does, he's an old solider who protected this country from various threats decades ago, then got frozen in ice and emerged some time last year," Lincoln said. "He's a true American hero who fights for Justice and Freedom."
"Sounds like the American way, you should be proud to have a man like that fighting for your country," Angus said.
"Cap's so cool, he'll fight for any country," Lincoln said. "He wants everyone to benefit from The American Dream."
"You're quite knowledgeable, but I suppose it makes sense, given your love for comic books," Angus said. "Only this time, it's for real."
"Got that right, there's even a hero in Royal Woods," Lincoln said. "In fact, it's-"
"Angus!" Morag called. "Some peasant woman wants to see you."
"Tell her I'll be right there, and please don't call her or anyone a peasant," Angus said.
"Ugh, fine," Morag said, making her leave.
"I'm sorry my boy, what were you saying?" Angus asked.
"I probably shouldn't say anything with Morag not too far away, if she finds out, I'm worried what she might do with that knowledge," Lincoln shook his head. "Yeah, there's a hero here called Spider-Man, he's a kid, probably close to my age, but he's doing his best to be a hero."
"A boy your age? That's quite concerning, I hope he's being careful," Angus said. "How would he have acquired those powers?"
"There are theories, like him being an alien, him being a government experiment, or just born a mutant," Lincoln said.
"Ah, mutants, don't have many here in Loch Loud, but I hear they're in a lot of places these days," Agnus said.
"How do you feel about them?" Lincoln asked.
"As long as they're good people, I don't mind them at all," Angus said.
"That's a relief," Lincoln felt. "Same here, I think mutants are just people with extra abilities that may not be typical, but that still doesn't mean they're worth less."
"Exactly," Angus said. "Still, that Spider-Man, or it sounds like he's not a man at all, but a boy. I wonder if his parents know about this?"
"No one knows who he is, so it's hard to say," Lincoln said. "But he's done a great job, he saved Lana and Lily when they got kidnapped, and-"
"Hold on, back up boy, what's this about your sisters getting kidnapped?" Angus asked, the man feeling very concerned.
"It happened weeks ago, some crooks kidnapped them to sell them as laborers," Lincoln explained. "Spider-Man showed up to save them, and some other kids."
"Well thank goodness for this Spider-Man fellow, but to think your sisters were taken by such despicable people!" Angus said, feeling infuriated. "I do say, if I had been there, oh, they would have been gotten quite a whooping if I do say so myself."
"Or send Lela after them," Lincoln said.
"Even better idea, they wouldn't stand a chance against a dragon," Angus said. "Good on this Spider-Man fellow though."
"He's pulled through a lot, he recently fought another villain at a party, saved more of my sisters," Lincoln said.
"Hm, this is quite concerning, I was under the impression that Royal Woods was a rather safe place," Angus said.
"It used to be, but suddenly all these crooks showed up, apparently it's happened all over the country," Lincoln said. "There's a few theories but nothing confirmed."
"Well I do hope you stay safe," Angus said.
"Angus! Hurry up!" Morag called.
Angus sighed in annoyance, "That woman has no patience."
"How is she doing? Is there any hope of her being less bitter?" Lincoln asked.
"I mean, she's not doing anything cruel at least, but she still has quite a chip on her shoulder," Angus said. "I do my best to treat her well, show her the kindness she should show others. It's still such a shame what happened, while she was always a bit bitter, she wasn't anywhere near cruel, she was actually quite friendly on occasion, and I dare say she was a good friend, I hope to have that friend back someday."
"I'd like to do something for her too, but she needs to want it," Lincoln said.
"One day," Angus said. "Well I should be off before Angus gets even more infuriated, keep in touch with me, I want to make sure you and your family are safe."
"Will do, thank you," Lincoln said, after the good-byes he hung up. "At least Loch Loud is safe, I hope no villains attack. Well Lela's there to protect the town, I doubt many villains are stronger than dragons, but still. Times like this, I wish I had Iron Man's suit or something, I really need cool upgrades. Maybe I should tell Lisa? I mean, in the end, she is my sister and I know she cares more about her family than she mistrusts Spider-Man. But...no, she'll just want to run tests on me, plus she isn't the best at secrets."
The following afternoon, Stella had gone to the mall, shopping with her grandmother. Against her desires, she was going to find some undergarments to suit her new size.
"I'm going to check the mall map, wait here for me Stella," her grandma said as she left.
"Sure thing," Stella said, taking a seat nearby, dreading this situation. "This really sucks."
"Stella!" Came Leni's voice, the girl seen with her co-workers Miguel and Fiona.
"Oh, hi Leni," Stella greeted.
"This is such a surprise," Leni said, taking a seat next to her. "I didn't expect to see you at the mall today. Is Lincoln with you?"
"No, he had to go do something urgent," Stella said. "Like he's been doing all week, part of me wants to confront him about it, but..."
"Are any of your friends here?" Fiona asked.
"No, I'm here with my grandmother," Stella said.
"Oh that's sweet, you're spending quality time together, you're such a nice kid," Miguel said.
"That's not it, I mean don't mind spending time with my grandma, she's really fun to be around sometimes, but..." Stella began blushing. "It's too embarrassing to tell you the real reason why I'm here."
"Oh you don't have to be embarrassed, you know you can tell us anything," Leni said.
"Yeah, we share a booth at Gus's, you're our booth buddy," Miguel said.
"Something's bugging you, and we're not leaving until we know what it is," Fiona said.
"Fine...please don't tell anyone," Stella said. "Though, it's a bit weird saying it in front of a guy."
"Honey, I promise I will not judge you," Miguel said. "Don't think of me as just a guy, think of me as your friend."
"Well...my grandmother...she wants me to go shopping...for bras..." Stella reluctantly admitted.
"Oooooooh, so that day has come," Fiona said.
"It's so embarrassing, I'm only thirteen, why is my body developing like this?" Stella asked.
"I get it, my body developed at your age too, it can be weird," Leni said. While Stella knew this, it was somewhat reassuring hearing it straight from her mouth.
"I developed early too, not as early as you are now Stella, but still pretty early," Fiona said. Stella started feeling a tiny bit less alone, but the awkward reactions from the older girls didn't help too much.
"Wish I could relate...well I can but it might be inappropriate," Miguel said, Stella raising her eyebrow.
"I just mentioned bra shopping, can't be as bad as that," Stella said.
"Well yours is a bit more innocent than what I had in mind," Miguel said.
"Point is, that it's normal, and you're not alone," Leni said. "You're turning into a woman, that's great."
"I don't want to be a woman yet, I want to be a kid for a little while longer," Stella said.
"I don't blame you, adult life sucks," Fiona said. "You have to work, pay bills..."
"What bills do you pay? You still live with your parents," Miguel said.
"So do you!" Fiona snapped back.
"Yeah, but I'm not going on about 'bills' now am I?" Miguel asked.
"Then what do you call my car that I'm still paying off?" Fiona asked.
"That's a mortgage, completely different," Miguel insisted.
"Huh? It's basically the same thing!" Fiona said.
"No, bills are monthly charges that are always consistent, mortgages get paid off eventually," Miguel said.
"Well what about gas?" Fiona asked.
"Still not a bill," Miguel said.
"Miguel, Fiona, come on, this is about Stella," Leni said, rubbing the girl's hair. "You can still be a kid, just because your boobies are growing doesn't make you less of a kid."
"Boys stare at me though, and some girls too," Stella said. "Even my friends sometimes look at me different, except Lincoln, he does a better job of keeping his eyes up."
"He's a good kid, sometimes," Miguel said. "But at the very least he's a gentleman, easy to see why so many girls like him."
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Fiona asked.
"Oh come now, you've seen him at Gus's, you've seen the glances he gets from girls, I mean he's something of a town hero since he convinced that trashy lady not to flood Royal Woods," Miguel said. "If he were a few years older, I'd totally have my eyes on him, and I bet you would too Fiona."
"As if, he nearly got me fired once," Fiona said.
"Oh that was forever ago, and he was trying to help Leni keep her job," Miguel said. "Even you have to respect something like that."
"Plus, Lincoln did apologize," Leni said.
"Doesn't mean I'll have my eye on him," Stella said.
"Well it doesn't matter anyway," Stella said, bitterly looking aside. "He has a girlfriend."
"Leni told us about her, she said she's a cute little girl around his age," Miguel said.
"Her name's Emma," Stella said. "She's in our school and in our grade."
"Isn't that her right there?" Leni asked, gesturing to Emma and Chloe walking nearby.
"That is them," Stella said in surprise. "Emma and Chloe."
"Oh wow, small world," Fiona said.
"Which one's Emma?" Miguel asked.
"The one with the brown hair tied in a ponytail," Stella said.
"Oh...I see," Miguel said, observing her. "She's cute, Lincoln really picked a good one. Her friend's actually cute too, totally rocking that beret."
"Oh yeah, very fashionable," Fiona said.
"Sure is..." Leni said, then called them over. "Emma! Chloe!"
"Leni! What are you doing?" Stella asked.
"Calling them over, I love any chance I can get to talk to the girl who snatched away Linky's heart," Leni said, then noticed the two girls making their way over, though Emma seemed notably uncomfortable while Chloe was more confused.
"Hi, do we know you?" Chloe asked, then noticed her peer. "Oh, Stella, good to see you."
"Stella's here?" Emma asked, taking note of the tall girl. "Oh hi Stella. Are these your friends?"
"Hey girls," Stella greeted. "Yeah, these are friends. Fiona, Miguel, and one of Lincoln's older sisters, Leni."
"Yup, I'm Leni," the blonde girl said.
"Leni...oh yeah, I remember you, didn't you run for Mayor once?" Chloe asked. "I remember being at one of your rallies."
"Yeah, that was a fun time," Leni said.
"So, you're one of Lincoln's many sisters, you're what, the second or third oldest?" Chloe asked.
"Um...give me a second," Leni said, counting with her fingers.
"Leni, you are second oldest, right after Lori," Fiona said.
"Oh right, I am," Leni said. "Yes, I'm the second oldest. Anyway sorry for just calling you in so suddenly, I just wanted to see if I can get to know you girls more, especially you Emma, you are dating my baby brother."
"Yeah, Lincoln's a really nice boy," Emma said.
"How did this even start?" Fiona asked. "Like, when did you first start liking him?"
"Well I always thought he was cute, for a few months now, I was just too nervous to say anything," Emma said.
"So I stepped up, and got my friend here a date," Chloe said. "Worked like a charm, despite a hiccup here and there."
"You mean Lori?" Leni asked. "Luan told me how she was a bit mean to you Emma, I'm really sorry about that. Lori's usually nice but when it comes to Linky, she really hopes he would have ended up with her boyfriend's little sister, Ronnie Anne Santiago."
"I've heard a lot about her, wasn't she a bully once?" Chloe asked.
"Well, sort of, but only because she liked him," Leni said. "You know what they say, if a girl picks on you, then she likes you."
"Well, you're not wrong, I've seen girls do that," Chloe said. "Not that I would."
"Me neither, I would never be mean to Lincoln," Emma said, thinking about her boyfriend. "He's way too dreamy."
"Matchmaking is fun, but getting carried away is not something I can respect," Miguel said. "Props to you Emma for getting the guy regardless."
"Thanks mister," Emma said.
"Honey, call me 'Miguel', I'm way too young to be a 'mister," the flamboyant worker said.
'
"Gotta say, you're cute too," Chloe said.
"Do you have a girlfriend too, Miguel?" Emma asked.
Miguel chuckled at that statement, "No sweetie, but I'm flattered you would ask."
"I'm almost surprised she went with girlfriend, though Emma doesn't know Miguel, and I doubt she would judge a book by its cover," Stella thought to herself.
"Well, I gotta say, I'm really happy you're dating my brother Emma, don't be shy on coming over too, all my sisters would love to meet you," Leni said.
"Thanks, your brother makes me happy, it's only been a few days but every time I see him, my heart bounces," Emma said.
"That's nice, but have you noticed that he's been busy lately?" Stella asked. "I hope that isn't an issue for you."
"Oh yeah, he did have something to do the other day so he couldn't walk me home like wanted to after school. But he showed up later at my doorstep, and he gave me a freshly picked flower," Emma began blushing from the gesture. "It was really sweet of him to do, he's such a gentleman."
"Hopefully Lincoln's careful with his plans though, I mean crime's been rising lately," Miguel said.
"That's why we have Spider-Man, he keeps everyone safe," Chloe said.
"Oh yeah, that so-called hero..." Leni said with mild disgust.
"Lincoln told me you didn't like Spider-Man, I always wondered why," Stella said.
"I just don't like spiders, they're icky," Leni said.
"Plus it looks like there's a little kid under that mask, after the trouble I had with Lincoln and Clyde, I really don't like the idea of an actual superpowered kid running around," Fiona said.
"He certainly is an enigma, but it's hard to argue with results," Miguel said.
"I like Spider-Man, he seems nice," Emma said.
"Yeah, Lincoln and Clyde definitely like him too," Chloe said. "He's cool in my book."
"I'm with you there," Stella said. "Leni, Miguel, Fiona, I hope you come to appreciate him, I know spiders are creepy but they're actually very useful creatures. Plus they can be affectionate when they want to be, like how some people have pet tarantulas."
"Ew, don't remind me of tarantulas, I remember when Lincoln brought one home, and it laid eggs in our vents," Leni shuddered at the thought. "Millions of creepy, crawly spiders everywhere."
"Oof, that is kind of creepy," Chloe said.
"Stella!" her grandmother called.
"There's my grandma, I have to go...shop," Stella said.
"Aw, leaving already? I kind of hoped to be able to talk to you more," Chloe said.
"Maybe later," Stella said.
"Chloe and I were going swimming at Tall Timers Park," Emma said. "You can join us if you want."
"Swimming? It's practically autumn," Fiona said.
"Yeah, but it's still warm out, plus Emma and I want to get as much use out of our bathing suits as we can before we have to put them away," Chloe said. "Plus, you do tend to hang out with guys a lot. I know Jordan and Mollie tag along, but having a girl's day swim seems like a good way to refresh and connect with your fellow female."
"Uh, sure that sounds great," Stella said.
"Great, we'll see you this weekend," Emma said.
"Once we settle on a time, we'll text you," Chloe said.
"I'll look forward to that," Stella said.
Before she left, Emma had one more thing to say, "Hey Stella, does it matter too much who sits next to Lincoln on the bus?"
"Uh, no, it shouldn't, why?" Stella asked.
"Well, I kind of want to sit next to him from now on," Emma said. "It just feels fitting."
"Oh, well, yeah, that makes sense," Stella said, feeling strangely jealous. "You should totally sit next to him, if you want."
"That's great, thanks!" Emma said. "Alright, Chloe and I are off now."
"Also, you can try coming by Reininger's if you want, our break is done soon and we can definitely help you find what you're looking for," Fiona said.
"Thanks, I'll let my grandmother know," Stella said, standing up. "I'll see you later."
The girl dashed off to meet her grandmother, while Leni focused back on Emma, "You girls can come by too if you're looking for clothes."
"Thanks, but we're on our way to the music store," Emma said.
"We're getting the new Boyz will be Boyz album," Chloe said.
"Ooh! I love those guys! I really wanted their autograph the other day, but then that Shocker guy showed up and ruined everything," Leni said.
"Yeah, that sucked, but at least no one got hurt," Chloe said.
"That was so scary, not only was there a bad guy, and not only did I see some icky webs, little Linky got lost," Leni said. "I thought he got hurt, after what happened to Lana and Lily, I just don't think I can handle that type of scare again."
"Oh yes, none of us want that," Miguel said. "Knowing those two darlings were in harm's way was heartbreaking."
"Mrs. Carmichael was a wreck herself because of her son, I mean thank God he's safe but wow, what a week for her," Fiona said.
"That's why we should be grateful to Spider-Man, he saved the day," Emma said.
Leni shrugged it off, "I guess you're not wrong, still."
"Well, we gotta go, see ya," Emma said, getting up and leaving with Chloe, with Leni's friends also getting ready to go back to work.
The next day, Lincoln was sitting on the bus on his way to school like normal, only this time, Emma was in the seat next to him, riding with her boyfriend for the first time since the two had started dating.
Stella still felt a bit jealous but she didn't let it bug her too much, at the very least, Lincoln was still her science partner.
Everyone had gotten off the bus, Lincoln and Emma were walking toward the school, the two conversing with one another when Girl Jordan had gone to greet them.
"Hey Linc, I don't mean to interrupt your time with Emma, but I thought you should know something interesting," Girl Jordan said.
"What is it?" Lincoln asked.
"My parents are doing a little event for army vets, their way of thanking them for their service or whatever," Jordan said. "Your grandfather is one of the people my parents tried reaching out too."
"Wow really? That's amazing," Lincoln said. "Is he getting some type of reward?"
"My parents have something planned, I don't remember the full details, but I just thought you should know," Girl Jordan said. "They're doing their first event on Saturday in the afternoon, not sure if your grandfather's part of that but just a heads up in case he calls you."
"That's exciting, isn't it Lincoln?" Emma said.
"You bet, hey if my grandpa's there, do you want to come with me to see him?" Lincoln asked.
"Sure...I might need to let Chloe know, we were doing swimming this weekend, but I'll make time if you need me too," Emma said.
"Swimming, that sounds fun," Lincoln said. "Though is it alright to do that in September?"
"It's still warm out," Emma said. "We'll be fine."
"Well as long as you take care of yourself," Lincoln said.
"Don't worry, we will," Emma said, kissing Lincoln on the cheek. "But I do like when you're caring."
"It's nothing," Lincoln said, blushing a bit.
"Hey! Lincoln Lame!" Chandler called, annoying not only Lincoln but Emma and Girl Jordan. "Gonna go missing again soon? Maybe one day you'll do us a favor and not come back!"
"Ugh, that son of a..." Girl Jordan was about to confront Chandler, but Lincoln prevented from happening.
"Ignore him Jordan, he's not worth it," Lincoln said.
"You are way too nice, that guy needs a butt kicking!" Girl Jordan said.
"Maybe Lincoln's right, you don't need to stoop to his level," Emma said.
"That your girlfriend or something? Fitting you could only get the least attractive girl in school," Chandler said. Now Lincoln wanted to do something, he was ready to make an example out of him but Emma squeezed his hand to get his attention.
"Remember what you said, he's not worth it," Emma said. "It doesn't bother me, so don't let it bother you."
"Gee, hope I didn't hurt the little girl's feelings," Chandler mocked, laughing some more.
"Move out the way," Rusty said, shoving Chandler aside.
"Hey don't put your fu-" Chandler was then shoved aside by Zach.
"Shut up, loser," Zach said
"Seriously, you're such a dumbass," Stella said.
"Hey you know you want me Stella, your boobs call out to me," Chandler said, further annoying Stella, and her friends.
"Oh you're crossing the line pal," Liam said, menacingly approaching Chandler with Rusty, Zach, Mollie, Clyde and Chloe ready to back him up.
"Hey get the hell away from me!" Chandler shouted, making a run for it with the others giving chase.
"Should we go after him?" Girl Jordan asked.
"It's not gonna solve anything. Even if we help beat him up, he's just gonna come back and act like a little turd again, because he's too dumb to learn his lesson" Lincoln said. "Better to just let it go."
"You're so mature," Emma said. "Also, for what it's worth, I would miss you if you didn't come back."
"Same here, now if Chandler disappeared, that would be the true favor," Girl Jordan said.
"You're a good friend, Jordan," Lincoln said, then kissed Emma on the cheek. "And you're a great girlfriend Emma, and in my opinion, VERY attractive."
"Aw, you're so nice Linky, thank you," Emma said.
"You two are so cute together, I'm almost jealous," Girl Jordan said, making her exit. "See you later."
"You know it's really cool that your grandfather is a veteran," Emma said. "That kind of makes him a hero, doesn't it?"
"Oh yeah, totally, I wouldn't be surprised if he flew with S.H.I.E.L.D., that'd actually be pretty cool," Lincoln said.
Come the weekend was the big event, the veterans living in Royal Woods were standing on stage alongside Mayor Davis.
Lincoln was in the crowd with his sisters, and Emma, who wanted to accompany him, in the same vein that Sam and Benny accompanied Luna and Luan.
Girl Jordan was on stage with her parents, the girl seemingly bored out of her mind, wishing she was anywhere else right now.
"People of Royal Woods, it is my honor to introduce you our fine and elite veterans, the likes of whom have kept our country safe from those who threaten our freedom," Davis said. "These veterans have done great deeds over the last few decades and have earned the prestige honor of official Royal Woods Medals of Service, along with a grant of $500,000."
"Courtesy of us," came Girl Jordan's father.
"Dad, sit down," Jordan demanded.
Lincoln was seen scouring the stage, seemingly confused by something, which Emma notice, "What's wrong, Linky?"
"My grandfather's friend is not up there," Lincoln said. "Pop Pop told me they were in the air force together."
"Maybe he couldn't make it," Emma said. "Or maybe he's running late."
"I hope he gets here soon, heroes deserve to be acknowledged," Lincoln said.
"These medals were approved even by Captain America himself, who has earned a similar medal back in New York for his bravery against the villain league, Hydra."
"I went against Hydra's Airforce once, I flew circles around them," Albert joked. "For an organization that named itself after a Greek Mythology monster of several heads, they sure can't use theirs, can they?"
That got a laugh from the crowd, especially Luan, who turned to her boyfriend, "I got my comedy from him."
"I know there's more threats out there, and while I may not be a spring chicken, I'll gladly take 'Aim' at anyone who tries to threaten out peace," Albert said.
"He did it again! Pop-Pop's such a jokester," Luan said.
"Uh, I don't get it though," Benny said.
"Oh, I think there's a villain league called 'A.I.M.', Lincoln mentioned it the other day, it's another threat for The Avengers to go against," Luan said.
"I'd say they should worry more about Latveria," Lisa commented. "Theoretically, they're probably the biggest threat to our country, and it's leader is said to be extremely powerful."
"Latveria?" Lincoln thought to himself. "That's in Europe I think, not too far from Scotland. Gee, I hope it's nothing for Angus to worry about."
"Now before I hand out these medals, allow me to say a few words about our soldiers and the town of Royal Woods," Davis said, pulling out a list from a piece of paper, that suddenly turned into a larger piece of paper.
"Good grief..." Lincoln lamented.
"Ooh, I hope this doesn't take long, I did promise Chloe and Stella I'd meet them at the pond," Emma said.
"You can go if you want," Lincoln said.
"Are you sure? I don't mind waiting," Emma said.
"It's gonna take too long, you and the girls made plans and I don't want you to ruin them," Lincoln said. "Just coming along was enough for me, I appreciate that."
"Well...if you're sure," Emma said.
"I am sure, go on and enjoy what's left of this nice weather," Lincoln said.
"You're the sweetest," Emma said, sharing a kiss with Lincoln as she left. "See you later, Linky!"
"Aw, so sweet," Leni said, then noticed Lori rolling her eyes. "Wow..."
"Wow what?" Lori asked.
"Oh, nothing..." Leni said, Lori looking even more annoyed.
While this was happening, Adrian had suited up nearby, ready to crash the party, "Don't want to invite me? I get it, after all, why invite the man you stole from? I did all I could for this country, and they repay me by stealing my tech, and build their own little birdman. Well I won't stand for that."
In the middle of Davis's speech, Lincoln's sense went off, the boy frantically looking around. "Oh boy..."
"Something wrong, Linky?" Lily asked.
"Oh, it's nothing, I just...have to use the bathroom," Lincoln said.
"There's a restaurant nearby, see if they'll let you use it," Rita said.
"Sure, thanks mom," Lincoln said, making a run for it.
"Wow, he must have really needed to go," Lynn Sr said.
Lincoln quickly changed into his Spider-Man gear, wanting to be safe rather than sorry as he crawled up a wall to keep a lookout. "Now, where is the danger?" Within seconds, he saw a bird man swoop in towards the stage. "Was that Falcon?"
Adrian hovered above the stage, getting everyone's attention, "What a nice little party you have going on here!"
"Who's the bird guy?" Lynn asked.
"I don't know, but he looks like bad news," Luna said. "Be ready to scram."
"Excuse me, but who in the world are you?" Davis asked.
"Don't know me huh? That's a shame, if this was truly a fair country, then you'd know who I was," Adrian said, scooping down to grab one of the veterans, freaking everyone out. "In time, soon I'll be the one running this country, maybe even the world if things go well. For now, I'll start with tearing apart your legacy!"
"Seymour!" Albert shouted in worry.
"Help! I'm no good with heights!" Seymour shouted.
"Oh can it, it'll all be over with once-" Suddenly Lincoln swung in and kicked Adrian from behind, causing him to drop the elderly man. Lincoln dived down to grab Seymour by the shirt and place him back down on the stage.
"There you are sir," Lincoln reassured.
"Oh, thank you young man," Seymour said.
"No, thank you for looking after this fine country," Lincoln said, saluting the man. "Hope that wasn't corny, eh, I'm a superhero, I can get away with corny, plus it's patriotic."
"Spider-Man!" Adrian said, landing down. "So we meet, I should have expected you'd be here."
"Alright pal, who are you and why are you here?" Lincoln asked.
"I'm not one for life stories, I'm just here to give you a warning," Adrian flew in to kick Lincoln across the stage. "Stay out of my way."
He immediately took off, with Lincoln giving chase, "Hey come back!"
"I literally can't believe there's another supervillain," Lori said. "You know this never happened before Spider-Man showed up."
"Put a sock in it, will ya?" Luna said. "Let's make sure Pop Pop's alright before you start hating."
"Dad!" Rita rushed on stage, "Dad, you're not hurt are you?"
"No, he didn't come near me, and it's gonna take a bit more than a flying man to scare this old geezer," Albert said, looking to the distance. "Still though..."
"What's wrong? Did you know that man?" Rita asked.
"I can't say, might be my memory playing tricks on me or something," Albert said. "Just leave that guy to Spider-Man, he'll take care of things. I'm actually more worried about Seymour."
"I'm ok!" Seymour said.
Nearby Girl Jordan herself was in a state of shock, this villain showed up out of nowhere to crash the party, thankfully Spider-Man was nearby, which is always a treat for her.
"Hey, are you hurt?" Luan asked, getting her attention.
"No I'm fine, thanks," Girl Jordan said, looking around. "Uh, where's your brother?"
"Lincoln went to the bathroom, he's fine," Luan said. "Too bad he missed Spider-Man...unless he saw him and went after him, but he wouldn't do that."
"Maybe we should go check on him, just in case," Jordan said.
At the pond, Stella had changed into her swimsuit, which to her chagrin, was basically a bikini that didn't seem to hide much of her features, aside from a mini skirt attached to the bottom. Thankfully she was in a somewhat private setting, with only Emma and Chloe she was swimming with. She only hoped they didn't judge her too much.
"Really wish I had a one-piece suit, though I doubt it would be any better," Stella dived into the water, submerging as much as she could, till only her nose was right above the surface. "I know Leni said this was nothing to be ashamed of, it doesn't really change the fact that I'm basically sex appeal for a lot of boys. Well except Lincoln, ironically since I wish he would notice me as more than just a...wait, what am I thinking?"
Meanwhile Lincoln was still following Adrian as the man tried making his escape. He looked back at the arachnid superhero, "Persistent fellow."
"You know, villains usually fight me rather than fleeing! Maybe you should try that!" Lincoln said, the two getting close to Tall Timbers Park. "Wait, isn't this where Stella is? And where Emma's going!? I gotta stop this guy, fast!"
Lincoln tried webbing Adrian, eventually latching on and landing on his back, nearly throwing the villain off balance, "What the hell are you doing kid!? Try to make us crash!?"
"If you surrendered, I wouldn't have to do this!" Lincoln said, trying to make him lose balance.
This showdown caught Stella's attention as she saw Adrian speed by with Lincoln on his back, trying to get him to land. "Spider-Man!? Wait, who's that other guy!?"
"Little brat!" Adrian started to ascend to a higher altitude, spinning to loosen Lincoln's grip, Stella losing sight of the two as she stepped out of the pond.
"I can't see them, where are they?" Stella used her hand to block out the sun while she looked up.
"I'm not letting go!" Lincoln shouted, still latched onto Adrian. Suddenly the boy started to feel lightheaded and dizzy. "What in the..."
"Good, the boy can't handle high altitude, unlike me, my suit gives me immunity to its affects," Adrian then knocked Lincoln off of him, the boy falling to the ground below.
Lincoln had fallen a great height, his fall being broken by water as he plunged into the pond, much to Stella's worry.
"Oh no!" Acting quickly, Stella jumped back into water and swam over to where the hero had landed. She dived under, trying to grab him as he sank deeper to the bottom. She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out, swimming him back to land. "I got you Spidey." She then got him resting on the ground, checking him over and noticing that he wasn't breathing. "Oh no, is he dying? I gotta do something, fast!"
She knelt beside him, figuring he needed CPR. She began pulling his mask above his mouth, but curiosity began to get the better of her. Spider-Man was right here, out cold and vulnerable. Stella thought it over, while she knew this was disrespecting his privacy, she had to see for herself if her own theory was correct. She opted to pull the mask off and to her surprise, she could see that it was indeed her closest friend.
"Lincoln!?"