It had been a day since Jordan left. In that time, Lincoln had been feeling a bit down in the dumps.
The boy had gone to his family's living room, turning on the TV to see if anything good was on. One such channel he came across was a news report from Katherine Mulligan.
"The town is making a speedy recovery after the attack from sinister villain, The Green Goblin, this past week. A Halloween that no one will forget," Katherine said. "Next up, it's Just the Facts with J. Jonah Jameson."
"When it comes to Halloween, two things are known to be scary. Spiders and Goblins," Jameson said. "After this past celebration, I say the fear is cranked up to an eleven...hundred! These freaks have turned a holiday of playful fun into a true nightmare from hell! That menace known as The Green Goblin terrorizing the innocent people of Royal Woods. Not only that, the sinister Spider Duo of Black Widow and her son Spider-Man continue to-"
"Ugh!" Lincoln immediately turned the TV off. "I am just not in the mood for this crap. And why does everyone think that Black Widow is Spider-Man's mother!?"
"Jameson running his mouth again?" Lana asked, the girl walking over with a juice pouch in hand.
"Everyone's still talking about The Green Goblin, and of course Jameson is lumping Spider-Man and Black Widow into that" Lincoln said. "That guy really knows how to spin a story, it's honestly incredible."
"Jameson's just a hack, we both know Spider-Man was the true hero that day," Lana said. "Honestly it's probably the coolest Halloween in years."
"It was exciting, but it led to some terrible consequences," Lincoln lamented as he sat on his couch.
"Is this about Jordan?" Lana asked, sitting next to Lincoln.
"Kind of," Lincoln admitted. "We just started dating and she's already gone. I know it's beyond either of our control, but it still doesn't make it any easier to deal with."
"I totally get that, and yeah it's unlucky, but that's why you stay determined," Lana said. "You're not one to let anything get to you. Bullies, miserable adults, our sisters." The girl then leaned in to whisper. "And supervillains." She leaned back. "You just gotta keep trying. Your best quality is that you never give up, even when things look crappy."
"Wow, you really think so?" Lincoln asked.
"Would I lie to you?" Lana asked, offering a friendly punch to Lincoln's shoulder. "You got this, bro."
"Yeah, I guess I do, thanks Lans," Lincoln said, rubbing his sister's head.
"Hey, can we head to your room to discuss some...things?" Lana asked, using her eyes to gesture toward the kitchen.
Lincoln could see that Luna and Luan were in the kitchen, scarfing down some leftover Halloween candy. "Sounds good to me."
The two got off the couch and made their way up the stairs, but not without a few words for their sister.
"Easy on the Halloween Candy, sis!" Lana called.
"Yeah, you got your braces off not too long ago, you don't want to ruin your teeth already," Lincoln said.
"I'll be fine, but thanks for looking out for my teeth," Luan said.
"Same goes for you, Luna," Lincoln said. "Keep those teeth shiny, you're a rockstar after all. They need that award winning smile."
"I'll be good, bro," Luna said, checking a reflection in a pan. "Though I should dial it back, a good smile can go a long way."
"What are you, a dentist?" Luan asked.
"No, but Chip Skylark had a smile that led to his Number One Hit back in the day," Luna said, suddenly whipping out a guitar. "My shiny teeth that twinkle! Just like the stars in space! My shiny teeth that sparkle! Add beauty to my face!"
"Such an ironic song for someone named 'Chip'," Luan said, taking another bite of candy. "Even more that his voice is candy to the ears of a lot of girls. Heh."
Upstairs, Lincoln and Lana sat together in the boy's bedroom, Lana having a lot on her mind that she wanted to relay to her brother.
"Alright, we're alone, did you need to tell me something in private?" Lincoln asked.
"Yeah, for starters, who exactly was that Green Goblin guy?" Lana asked. "He wasn't really some magical being, was he?"
"I honestly don't know who he is," Lincoln said. "But I do know he's a fraud. Whatever magic he had was likely just technology belonging to the aliens that invaded New York last year."
"You think he's one of those aliens?" Lana asked.
"I'm not sure, that's what I intend to find out," Lincoln said. "I'm going to look into this and figure out his true identity. I want to know what he was after and why he did what he did."
"Is Black Widow looking into this?" Lana asked.
"No, she had to leave the country, so I'm going to look into this on her behalf," Lincoln said.
"Whoa, she trusts you with something that big!?" Lana asked. "This is so awesome, Lincoln!"
"Uh...actually, she didn't ask me to, if anything she doesn't want me to," Lincoln said. "I'm making my own choice."
Lana's eyes widened in surprise, "You're defying a direct order from a member of The Avengers?"
"Uh, kind of?" Lincoln hesitantly said.
Lana's surprised expression slowly turned into a mischievous grin, "For a good guy Lincoln, you're so bad."
"Is it really that bad? I want to know more about this guy, and why he terrorized Royal Wood," Lincoln said, the boy bitterly looking aside. "Especially after what happened to Jordan."
Lana's expression once again changed, this time appearing sympathetic toward her brother, "Right...sorry that happened by the way."
"So am I," Lincoln lamented. "It's not just the fact that I lost another girlfriend, it's the fact that Jordan is my friend and I couldn't protect her well enough."
"You did your best, besides at least you two breaking up wasn't your fault, it was The Green Goblin's," Lana said.
"Even so, as a boyfriend, I have to be there for Jordan," Lincoln said. "It sucks, I really thought she and I had something. Unlike with Emma, I knew Jordan longer and I was comfortable. At least as comfortable as I could be."
"You did seem pretty confident after your date at her parents' pool party," Lana said.
"Yeah, Jordan and I...had a big bonding moment," Lincoln cleared his throat, hoping he didn't give too much away. "Point is, I felt closer to Jordan after that and I hoped we could really have something special. I hated having that taken from me. But, I guess that's what happens when you become a hero. I've seen this happen a lot with Ace Savvy, I just hoped I'd have a little more luck."
"Well look at it this way, you've had two girlfriends so far, I'd say you're building the confidence you need to try again," Lana said.
Lincoln shrugged it off, "I really don't know. Seems like my superhero life has made dating difficult so far. One girlfriend felt neglected, the other was endangered. I just don't know if it's worth continuing."
"Hey, don't give up just yet," Lana said. "You still have options, try a girl who's familiar with your superhero life."
"The only ones who are familiar are Stella and Christina," Lincoln said.
"There's your answer," Lana said. "Just try your luck with one of them."
Lincoln shook his head, "It won't work. Stella made it clear she doesn't want a boyfriend. Been like that since I first met her."
"Well, keep trying, she might change her mind," Lana said. "Persistence is key, bro. Girls like it when guys don't give up. It's one thing I found interesting about Skippy. No matter how tough a job is, he never backs down. You have that determination, so just go for it."
"I appreciate your support, but I think you're underestimating how stubborn Stella can be," Lincoln said. "I am not totally confident that it would even work. I don't want to risk our friendship."
"Take it slow then," Lana said. "Besides, Stella isn't your only choice. What about Christina?"
"I can't date her, she's my sidekick," Lincoln said. "Ace Savvy wouldn't date his sidekick."
"Ace Savvy's sidekick wasn't a cute girl," Lana said. "Christina's already your friend, and someone you've known for a while. Plus she has powers so you avoid the problems from your last two girlfriends. Unlike Emma, you can still spend time with her since you're both heroes. Unlike Jordan, she can protect herself from a villain. I say you have nothing to worry about, and nothing to lose."
Lincoln scratched his head, "I'll think about it. Right now, I'm not ready to move on."
"That's fine, go at your pace," Lana said. "I believe in you, bro."
"Thanks," Lincoln said, pulling Lana into a hug, the girl quickly returning. "Seems like I have a lot to do."
Lana pulled away from the hug, offering a thumbs up. "Let me know if there's any way I can help."
"Oh, totally," Lincoln said.
The following school day, an assembly was called first thing in the morning by Principal Ramirez. Every student in the school gathered in the auditorium, with Lincoln sitting with his friends, as per usual.
This time, it felt different as Jordan's absence was clearly noticeable by the empty space next to Mollie. All of Lincoln's friends were a bit bothered, knowing that their friend had left Royal Woods, and while Mollie was the most visibly upset, Lincoln had a lot of disappointment welling up in him that he did his best not to show.
"So, what do you think this assembly is about?" Zach asked.
"No clue, but whatever gets me out of class," Rusty said.
"Maybe it's Thanksgiving related?" Paige theorized. "Like some type of Potluck."
"Sweet, free food," Rusty said.
"Remember dude, a potluck means you have to bring something too," Zach said.
"I can manage," Rusty said.
Ramirez tapped on the microphone, both testing it, and getting the attention of the students. "Thank you all for gathering this morning. This won't take too long, but I do have some things to comment on."
"Here we go," Clyde said.
"First, I regret to inform you all that Nadia Rodavich has retired from her position as Assistant Principal," Ramirez said, much to the lament of all the boys.
"Oh come on! She was so freaking hot!" Chandler bluntly stated.
"That's detention for you, McCann!" Ramirez said.
Chandler had a look of disbelief, but brushed it off, "Oh whatever."
Ramirez continued her explanation, "Now, I will say that Miss Rodavich was not exactly eager to leave. She did have a family emergency to attend to back home in Russia. The door is open for her return, but she is unsure of when that will be. She wished to say good-bye in person but unfortunately her leave was quite urgent. She wishes you all the best for the future."
"She actually left?" Zach asked. "But why?"
"Think the villain attacks scared her off?" Clyde asked.
"Why would they? Spider-Man stopped them," Rusty said.
"It's still dangerous, I trust Spider-Man but that doesn't make being around villains that much easier," Clyde said.
"Still, kind of sucks that Miss Rodavich had to leave, she seemed really nice," Paige said.
"Nice? The woman's attractive but she's strict as hell!" Rusty said.
"Maybe to you, and maybe because you deserved it," Zach said.
"Alright, settle down you lot," Liam said. "Don't be making a fuss here."
"Yeah, you don't want to get in trouble, do you?" Stella pointed out.
"Still, it does kind of suck that we lost out on two hot chicks," Rusty said. "First Jordan, now Miss Rodavich."
Lincoln immediately narrowed his eyes toward Rusty, everyone else following suit as the boy was quick to regret his statement.
"I may have spoken too soon about that," Rusty said.
"It will always be 'too soon'," Mollie warned.
"Also keep in mind that Jordan was Lincoln's girlfriend before she moved," Paige said.
"That I remember," Rusty bitterly said. "How did you end up with two girlfriends back-to-back, Lincoln?"
"By not saying stupid things," Lincoln sassed.
"Burn," Christina teased.
"Okay, I deserved that," Rusty admitted.
"Another thing that I wish to bring up," Ramirez said. "Recently, an unfortunate incident had caused Jordan Rosato to transfer schools. It is a travesty to lose one of our students due to the rise of villainous activities. As such, the school will be working with the parents and county to crack down and prevent more like this from happening."
"Ugh, why is she even bringing Jordan up?" Mollie lamented. "Sucks enough she's not here."
"Well it was a big deal," Paige said. "But what changes is she planning?"
"Super villains can come from anywhere, be it labs, the streets, or even within our own community, including school," Ramirez said. "In time, rules will be cracking down harder, ensuring the safety of you students, which may include constant chaperoning and curfews."
"Is she serious!?" Rusty asked.
"Things will be discussed further at the next Parent-Teacher conference," Ramirez said. "Including a strict policy regarding the Mutant Registration Act."
Christina's eyes widened a second, the girl looking awkwardly to the side as Paige did her best to comfort her friend.
"That seems a bit extreme," Lincoln said. "Why is the Principal doing this?"
"Well, gotta keep potential threats away, am I right?" Rusty pointed out.
"Assuming mutants are evil seems kind of, you know, mean," Lincoln said. "Not all of them are bad."
"Well technically speaking, if someone has mutant powers, should we all know about it?" Liam asked. "If those powers are dangerous and someone's hiding that power, kind of makes that person untrustworthy."
Christina lightly furrowed her brow, but tried not to make it obvious.
Lincoln shook his head in disagreement, "That person isn't trying to be secretive. Given how society is like, then he," Lincoln quickly glanced at Christina before looking back, "Or she, might be worried about being treated differently."
"Lincoln has a point, we've heard all about how terrible people are to mutants," Clyde said.
"Yeah, but isn't it from lack of trust?" Rusty asked. "Don't get the wrong idea, I'm not against mutants. Honestly, having super powers should be considered cool, not shameful. I'm just looking at it in a way that I understand why everyone's so wonky about it all."
"Hate to say it, but ah kind of agree with Rusty on this one," Liam said. "People get bullied and picked on even without having powers, not like the mutants who register will be experiencing something everyone hasn't experienced at least once."
"I feel like it's much more complicated than that," Lincoln said. "Still, this just got a bit weird to think about."
"How is this curfew thing going to affect us?" Stella asked.
"I'm not sure, we have time before the Parent-Teacher conference, maybe we can put our Action Six News Team skills to use?" Lincoln suggested. "See how the students feel and show the principal their reaction."
"Think she'll listen?" Rusty asked.
"It's worth a shot," Lincoln said, focusing back on the principal as she rounded up her speech.
"That will be all for this assembly," Ramirez said. "Everyone back to class."
Christina had a lot on her mind, hoping this Mutant Registration thing wasn't going to be a problem for her. She felt Paige grab her hand, her friend trying to silently reassure her, which did ease Christina's mind a little.
Lincoln was a bit worried himself, wondering how they would test for mutants, and if his identity would be at risk. He hoped he would have a way out of it, but for that he would need to be clever.
The students left the auditorium feeling very sad and disappointed regarding Natasha's departure, the saddest of course being Bolhofner.
"What a waste," the man lamented, pulling out a handkerchief to rub his nose, then placed it in his back pocket.
The rest of the day was uneventful, aside from the missed presence of Girl Jordan. Lincoln occasionally glanced to where her seat was, wondering what the girl could be up to right now. He hoped she was happy, and awaited the day the two could reunite.
After school, Lincoln had called an emergency meeting at the HQ, Stella and Christina quick to meet with him in Tall Timbers Park.
Once assembled, Lincoln handed out some juice pouches as he prepared his speech, "Okay, let's cut to the chase. Recently, two very special ladies have left our lives. Jordan, and Natasha."
"Yeah, that much is obvious," Stella said. "Kids were bummed out all day and you could not stop staring at Jordan's desk. Are you going to be alright?"
"Give me a break, I miss her," Lincoln said. "I was dating her before she moved."
"I'm well aware of that," Stella said, bitterly sipping from her pouch.
"I don't know why you're knocking me for that, you clearly miss Natasha," Lincoln said.
"How do I clearly miss her?" Stella asked.
"Because I spotted you standing outside the Assistant Principal's office earlier, looking like a sad, lost puppy because your senpai left," Lincoln said.
"First of all, you're a weeb," Stella said, Lincoln rolling his eyes in annoyance. "Second, okay maybe I miss Natasha, but I only stood there for a few minutes. Not compared to you who seemed to grieve all day."
"The only reason you didn't stand out there longer is because Bolhofner told you to go back to class," Lincoln said. "Probably so he can stand out and do the same thing because I don't think anyone's seen him all day after that."
"You should be missing Nat too," Stella said. "She was your mentor after all."
"Uh, guys," Christina tried to interject.
"Of course I miss her, but Jordan hit a bit harder since, again, I was dating her," Lincoln said.
"Guys!" Christina still tried getting their attention, helplessly watching the two argue as she glanced back and forth like a ping pong match.
"Well Natasha was like a mother to me," Stella said.
"Stella, you already have a mom," Lincoln said.
"I can have two moms, Clyde has two dads," Stella said.
"Clyde has two parents, like you," Lincoln said.
"I can have three!" Stella said.
"You're not supposed to have three!" Lincoln said.
"Well what if you're a child of divorce and you get a step parent in addition to your birth parents!?" Stella asked.
"Your parents aren't divorced!" Lincoln said.
"You're focusing way too much on the semantics," Stella said.
"And you're too focused on my love life!" Lincoln said.
"GUYS!" Christina shouted, getting their attention. "This is going nowhere! Look, I miss Jordan and I miss Natasha. Arguing about it won't help, and it certainly won't make them come back sooner. Jordan will come back to Royal Woods when she's ready, Natasha will come back from her mission when she's done. Now please stop fighting and let's focus on what else we might need to do!"
"Yeah, you're right," Lincoln said. "Er, sorry for overreacting Stella."
"That's fine, I'm sorry for overreacting myself" Stella said.
"Now then, with that settled, we need to make some plans on our next course of action," Lincoln said. "That being, finding the Green Goblin."
"Uh, Lincoln, maybe you forgot, but Nat specifically asked us not to go after him," Stella reminded.
"She said we can't fight him, she didn't say anything about not figuring out who he is and what he's up to," Lincoln said. "So basically, we're saving time."
"Are you seriously looking for a loophole!?" Stella shouted. "A member of the Avengers gave you very clear instructions, she's showing you trust and you're tip toeing around that!?"
"Stella, please calm yourself," Christina said.
"You should be on my side, do you want to potentially tick off Natasha?" Stella asked. "She gave us a big opportunity, the least we can do is not risk upsetting her."
"Geez Stella, you've turned into such a suck up for Black Widow," Lincoln said.
Stella's eye briefly twitched, "What the hell did you just call me!?"
"Whoa, Stella, take it easy!" Christina implored. "Don't start fighting again!"
"Lincoln, I'm just trying to make sure you don't throw away a chance at being in The Avengers, something you WANTED for yourself!" Stella said, completely ignoring Christina.
"It's the right thing to do, I'm not doing this because I want to defy Natasha, I'm doing this because...I just want to bring justice down on that guy," Lincoln said. "After everything he did, I need to do this."
"Is this about doing the right thing, or you just bitter about Jordan?" Stella asked, further upsetting Lincoln.
"If you don't want to help, then fine, I can do it without you!" Lincoln said.
"Tch, sure, can't wait to see how you pull that off, David Steele," Stella taunted.
"Hey keep in mind who figured out where your grandmother's music box went when you brought it to school," Lincoln said. "Also keep in mind who it was that helped my sister out when she was fired for stealing something she never stole. That's beyond David Stelle, that's Ace Savvy."
"Well this time, you don't have Clyde there to be One-Eyed Jack," Stella said.
"I don't need Clyde, I have Christina," Lincoln said, gesturing to the girl.
"Who, me?" Christina asked. "I don't know about this. Black Widow's orders were quite clear."
"See, even Christina agrees with me," Stella said.
"Hey don't get me wrong, I can see it from Lincoln's point of view as well," Christina said. "I'm just trying to make sure we know what we're doing here."
"Yeah well I know what I'm doing," Lincoln said. "I'm going to find The Green Goblin."
"You're being ridiculous," Stella said. "Natasha's going to be so mad."
"Natasha this, Natasha that!" Lincoln said. "Geez, forget being a like a mother, it's almost like you have a crush on her."
Stella's eyes widened in fury, "That better be a freaking joke, Lincoln! I don't swing that way!"
"Well that's going to break Sid's heart," Lincoln said to himself.
"I heard that, Sid doesn't even swing that way either!" Stella said.
"Can we not gossip about something like this?" Christina said.
"Ever consider this, Stella? That whatever The Green Goblin might be planning just might be too difficult for anyone to handle?" Lincoln asked. "It would be smarter to stop it before it turns into something worse!"
"Don't you think Natasha took that into consideration? She probably has S.H.I.E.L.D. agents on standby to make sure we're safe, and to keep you from doing something stupid," Stella said. "This is going to blow up in your face."
"I don't get why you're acting like this Stella, like how badly do you miss Natasha that you're turning into such a brat!?" Lincoln asked.
"Who the hell are you calling a 'brat'!? You're the one acting like a lovesick moron!" Stella said.
"You know what Stella!?" Lincoln shouted, getting in her face. "I think you need to-"
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Christina said. "Lincoln, you're acting very immature right now, and Stella, you need to dial it back a bit. Both of you are acting so ridiculous right now!"
"Ugh, you know what, I need a break," Stella said, storming out of the base.
"Me too," Lincoln said, making his own exit.
"Wait, what about our patrol?" Christina asked.
"Just give me five minutes, Christina!" Lincoln demanded, the boy thwipping away.
"Geez, what a pain in the neck," Christina shook her head in shame. "I can see both their sides, but they have to work on their communication." The girl looked to the distance, thinking about the two women who left. "Jordan, Natash, if only you can see just how much your boyfriend and daughter miss you right now."
Nearby, Lincoln had swung to the top of a tree, the boy letting out a deep breath to calm himself, "Dammit, I didn't want to argue with Stella like that. I know Natasha's orders, but I gotta do this. For Jordan's sake, and mine." Lincoln looked around the forest of Tall Timbers park, thinking to himself, "Just who are you anyway, Green Goblin?"
In the basement of a lab, Johnathan Rosato was still working on his OZ Formula, doing everything he can to perfect it.
"I'm so close, soon I will be unstoppable," Johnathan said, carefully applying what he needed. "Soon Spider-Man, I will make you regret crossing me. I will destroy you and everything you stand for. So says I, The Green Goblin! The King of all Goblins! And soon, the King of your world!"
Johnathan let out a sinister cackle, ready for the next part of his plan.
At the same time, The Enforcers had brought Stanko to an isolated room, with Dan focusing the Rhino suit man's attention on a pair of monitors. "Bosses want to talk to ya."
"Bosses?" Stanko asked.
"Well, one boss and a client close to the boss," Dan said, turning on the TV. "First up, Doctor Miles Warren."
"Greetings Mr. Stanko, it's a pleasure," Warren said from his monitor.
"Uh, should I know you?" Stanko asked.
"Not likely, but that's fine, prior knowledge is not needed," Warren said.
"This is our boss," Dan said, turning on the TV to reveal a shadowy figure. "You can call him, 'The Big Man'."
"Greetings, Mr. Stanko," Big Man said. "Me and my associate here have a proposition for you. It could guarantee the one thing you've wanted for so long. Your Freedom."
"My Freedom?" Stanko asked.
"I trust you are not fond of being trapped in that suit, are you?" The Big Man asked.
Stanko's eyes widened in curiosity, but he knew they weren't wrong. "I've been stuck in here since those damn experiments, if I can finally free myself, then I'll take on whatever offer you got."
"First tell me this...do you know, Spider-Man?" Warren asked.
"Spider-Man?" Stanko replied. "I have heard of the name."
"Then you know who your target is," Big Man said. "Let's discuss the details, shall we?"
Stanko wasn't sure what he got into, but he wasn't going to back down now.
After Patrolling, Lincoln had gone home, the boy ready to relax for the evening. "Another long day. I hope I don't have any major plans, I'm really not feeling up to it." He checked his texts to make sure he didn't promise anyone anything. "Let's see, nothing for my sisters, or my friends...hm, Chloe? Come to think of it, I have been a little behind in the tutoring, I should contact her and set up more sessions. I hope she hasn't been slacking off though."
After texting, Lincoln had finally arrived home, ready to start his investigation on The Green Goblin when he was met by his father. "Hey sport!"
"Huh?" Lincoln was a bit surprised. "Uh, hi dad. Did you need something or are you just saying 'hello'?"
"Well like a good father, I do want to greet my son upon coming home, but I also found this," Lynn Sr said, showing off a flyer. "It's a Father-Son competition being held in Ketcham Park! I figured that it's been a while since you and I did anything as father and son, and since you've turned thirteen, you've gotten so independent that, well, I kind of miss the old days where the two of us did some fun things. So I figured, why not get some more quality time in?"
"Hm, a father-son competition, when is it?" Lincoln asked.
"This weekend," Lynn Sr said. "Hope that's not too short noticed for you."
"Well..." Lincoln wanted to focus on his hero work, but he knew it would mean a lot ot his father if he agreed to this. Plus Lincoln didn't mind spending some father-son time with his dad. "Actually, that's perfect. We should do it."
"Good on you, my boy!" Lynn Sr encouraged. "You and I are going to rock this competition! First place is ours!"
"Let's not get carried away, remember when you and I did that Father-Son Legends of the Hidden Temple thing? Or how intense things got when you and I competed against Ronnie Anne and her Abuela?" Lincoln asked. "The competitiveness nearly got the better of us."
"Yeah, good point, it is all about the fun of it," Lynn Sr said. "Alright, I'll dial it down."
"Alright, so what exactly are we doing at the event? I want to prepare," Lincoln said.
"Let's see, there's a water balloon toss, obstacle course, that thing where we run with a spoon in our mouth while balancing an egg," Lynn Sr looked through the list before handing it off to Lincoln. "You're good with strategies, I'll let you handle things."
"Wow, thanks dad," Lincoln said.
"Ah, it's no big deal," Lynn Sr said. "Now come on, I made some of my famous Lynn-agna. Hurry before Junior eats everything."
Lincoln took a seat at the table, and fortunately had a few slices of the lasagna still available. "Time for some dinner."
"Yo, Linc," Lynn said, the girl with a plate full of her father's lasagna. "Another busy evening?"
"Yeah, busy," Lincoln said. "For the most part."
"That's good, staying busy can help someone keep in shape," Lynn said. "Gotta say, feels like it's working. Your stamina's incredible."
"Huh? My stamina?" Lincoln asked.
"I've seen you come home after a long day, and you still have a bit of energy left," Lynn said. "Keep that up, maybe I'll let you help me practice my harder sports."
"...You mean there's harder stuff?" Lincoln asked.
"Totally, you and I can practice playing Rugby," Lynn said. "It's like football, but more aggressive. It's really popular in Australia."
"Oooh, Australia," Lana said, sitting next to her twin sister. "I've always wanted to go there."
"What for?" Lola asked.
"I want to find a Kangaroo and ride in its pouch," Lana said.
"Of course you do..." Lola said, taking another bite.
"Like you wouldn't want to, it looks so fun," Lana said.
"You do that if you want to, I'd go to see some koalas," Lola said.
"I do hear great things about Australia," Rita said. "Seems like an idea vacation spot."
"A trip to Australia does sound like fun," Lynn Sr said, taking a seat at the end of the table. "We can add it to our list of places to visit."
"Thats sounds rad," Luna said.
"I bet there's a lot of great fashion there too," Leni said.
"I'd love to go down under," Luan said.
"Are you all quite certain you wish to go to Australia?" Lisa said, getting their attention. "While the scenery is nice, and I personally would love to attend a show at the Opera House in Sydney."
"Lame," Lynn said, much to Lisa's annoyance, not that she cared too much.
"Keep in mind the local wildlife there, including their arachnids," Lisa said.
"Arachnids?" Leni asked. "Is that French?"
"No Leni, it's a species of animals people often mistake for insects," Lisa said. "For example, a spider is an arachnid."
Leni's pupils shrank, "EW! There's spiders in Australia!?"
"There's spiders all over the world, Leni," Lana pointed out.
"Yes, and Australia has quite an abundant of them, including large ones that are about the size of an adult human hand" Lisa explained, extending her palm for emphasis, this freaking out some of her sisters as well as her father. "They're common house spiders too."
"Ew, ew, ew, so gross!" Leni whined. "I changed my mind, I want to stay in America where spiders are gross but tiny."
"That's not even counting the scorpions," Lisa said. "While their venom isn't always hazardous to a human, their sting is still quite painful."
"Okay, no more talk about that," Lynn Sr said, the man feeling a bit disgusted. "Let's hold off on Australia. Maybe someone has other ideas?"
"How about New York?" Luna asked. "We can visit the city."
"That sounds like a great idea honey," Rita said. "There should be plenty of activities for us."
"Are there spiders there too?" Leni asked.
"There's spiders everywhere, but it's not like they're going to be big there," Luna said.
"Indeed, most New York spiders are quite tiny," Lisa said.
"Okay, that's a bit better," Leni said. "And no scorpions, right?"
"No scorpions," Lisa said.
"Given that there's a Spider-Man, imagine if one day we see a Scorpion-Man," Luan said. "Delivering the sting of justice to unsuspecting villainy."
"That sounds awful," Leni said.
"Yeah, no one wants to see that," Lola said.
"That doesn't sound too bad, might be a great sidekick for Spider-Man," Lana said.
"No way, we don't need two bug heroes running around," Lynn said.
"A-rach-nid!" Lisa said. "I swear, aside from Lincoln, no one seems to understand the difference around here."
"What is the difference?" Leni asked.
"Insects have three segments, their heads, thorax and abdomen," Lisa said. "They also have six legs."
"Arachnids have two segments, the cephalothorax and the abdomen," Lincoln said. "And they have eight legs."
"Boooooriiiing," Lynn joked.
"Lynn, that's not polite," Rita said.
"I'll shorten it for you then," Lisa said. "Insects have three parts and six legs, arachnids have two parts and eight legs. Easy for even a jock like you to understand."
"Thanks...wait, did you just insult me?" Lynn asked.
"Who? Me?" Lisa chuckled to herself. "I haven't the slightest idea what you could alluding to, dear sister."
"Well personally, I think it's great hearing you kids being so willing to educate one another," Rita said.
"I agree, even if it is such a creepy subject," Lynn Sr said.
"Lynn..." Rita scolded.
"What? I'm not knocking them," Lynn Sr said.
"I must admit, Lincoln has grown to be quite the intellectual regarding spiders," Lucy said.
"Of course, Lincoln's a Spider-Man fan, he has good tastes after all," Lana said.
"Appreciate that, girls," Lincoln said.
"What good taste though?" Lynn asked. "Spider-Man sucks."
"Lynn!" Rita scolded.
"You talking to me or dad?" Lynn asked.
"Don't sass your mother, young lady," Lynn Sr warned.
"Also, Spider-Man saved your life a few times, maybe you should get over this ridiculous grudge already!" Lana said.
"No shouting at the table!" Rita scolded. "Honestly every time Spider-Man gets brought up, some of you kids turn into my boss."
"It might be better if Spider-Man wasn't brought up then," Lincoln said. "Keeps the harmony."
"Lincoln honey, I know you admire him and I don't want you to feel like you need to hold back just because of some silly misunderstandings," Rita said.
"Besides, Spider-Man's awesome, anyone who says otherwise doesn't understand awesome," Lana said. "If Spider-Man were here, I'd tell him that he does a great job and I am very grateful he's doing his best to protect us."
Lincoln felt flattered, especially knowing that Lana was in on the secret.
"You're such a kiss up," Lynn said.
"Junior!" Lynn Sr scolded.
"Look, let's just find something else to talk about," Luna said.
"Okay, how are things with you and Sam?" Rita asked.
"Going great! Still working on getting tour dates, but things are getting a little out of whack due to scheduling conflicts," Luna said. "Right now we're competing with other smaller bands to hit the big times."
"It's a competitive world out there, remember to not give up and don't let anyone push you around," Lynn Sr said.
"We won't," Luna said. "If we get lucky, we can go on tour with some of the best bands in the world. Bands like Smooch, Boyz will be Boyz and Twelve is Midnight."
"Ronnie Anne likes Twelve is Midnight, doesn't she?" Luan asked.
"Oh yeah, maybe I can get her some autographs," Luna said.
"I think she has some, she's even met some of the members a couple of times, even here in Royal Wood not too long ago" Lincoln said. "The best thing you can do is promise Sid she can marry Yun Kwan."
"I can't pull that off, but she's welcome to come backstage with us," Luna said.
"See if they can play some of their most popular songs," Leni said. "My favorite one is 'Till I Forget About You'."
"Uh, Leni, you're thinking of another band," Luna said.
Leni took a moment to think it over, a blush coming on her face, "Wow, that's embarrassing."
"It's cool, people get songs mixed up once in a while," Luna said. "Someone thought that Mick Swagger sang 'I need Mo' Allowance'."
"WHAT!?" Lynn Sr shouted. "Who is responsible for that blasphemy!"
"Lynn, please don't freak out," Rita said.
"Sorry, just hearing that makes my brain hurt," Lynn Sr said.
"I know the feeling, Pop Star," Luna said. "But that's my plans with me, Sam and the Moon Goats."
"That's amazing Luna, me and Benny are trying our luck too," Luan said. "We want to see if we can perform in higher profile plays."
"That'd be awesome, but what about your comedy shows?" Luna asked.
"That's on the table too, of course, but I want to mix it up," Luan said. "Truth be told, I'd love to write a play in the comedy genre."
"That sounds amazing honey," Rita said. "Don't be shy about coming to me if you need help."
"I appreciate that mom, but are you good with comedy?" Luan asked.
"Oh how hard can it be to come up with a few jokes?" Rita asked.
"Honey, telling jokes is an art, just like music," Lynn Sr said. "It's quite difficult, not everyone can come up with witty puns on the fly like Luan."
"Yeah, fail and you get swatted," Luan said, chuckling to herself.
"See, that takes talent to know when to make that delivery," Lynn Sr said.
"All while getting cheap tips," Luan said, chuckling again.
"That's my girl! You know she gets that wittiness from me," Lynn Sr said.
"You know, speaking of lovers," Lynn turned to her brother. "Lincoln..."
"Don't start, I'm not in the mood for that," Lincoln said.
"Seriously, kind of a low thing there, Lynn," Luna said. "You know Lincoln's girlfriend had to move."
"Didn't they stay together?" Lynn asked.
"No, she broke it off with me, she can't handle long distance," Lincoln said. "Honestly, I can't either."
"It's quite difficult, so it's very understandable that you couldn't make it work, sweetheart," Rita said.
"Dang, didn't expect that," Lynn said. "So, that's two girlfriends so far?"
"Lynn..." Luna warned.
"I'm just asking, God Damn!" Lynn said.
"Junior, do not use phrases like that!" Rita warned.
"Look, I really don't want to get into this regarding Jordan, I already got enough of that from...some friends of mine," Lincoln said, not wanting to directly name drop Stella.
"Wait, were your friends bugging you about this?" Lynn asked. "If they were, let me know and I'll kick their asses."
"Young lady, do I need to wash your mouth out with soap!?" Rita warned.
"I'll be fine, I just need to get used to Jordan not being around," Lincoln said.
"Well if you are still bothered, you can tell us, and hopefully we can be sensitive about it," Rita said, glaring at her daughters.
"You know Lincoln's a guy, you shouldn't be so sensitive with a guy, you're supposed to be tough," Lynn said.
"Young lady, not another word out of your mouth," Rita said. "If you continue your disrespectful behavior, you can forget about doing your sports for the rest of the month!"
"But my team needs me! Without me around they're totally fu..." Lynn quickly caught herself, knowing if she finished that sentence, her sports career will take a tumble. "Uuuu-inished! Yeah, Fu-inished! Emphasis on the 'F'."
"Why would you need to emphasize the letter 'F'?" Lisa asked.
"Lisa, put a cork in it," Lynn said.
"I'm with mom on this, we don't want to stress Lincoln out," Luan said.
"Why did she move anyway?" Lynn asked.
"Well between getting taken hostage by the one known as The Vulture, being at the mercy of The Chameleon, and being endangered by that so-called Golbin King, I imagine stress levels took a toll," Lisa said.
"Why is a Goblin King even in Royal Woods?" Luna asked. "Is it because of the town's name? Man if it's called Royal Woods because of Goblins rather than that old tree, that's just going to be plain weird."
"It might be a coincidence, I doubt that Goblin has anything to do with our town's name," Lisa said.
"I'm still a bit fascinated by him," Lucy said. "Evil or not, that was impressive magic. But, a King usually has an army, I fear what he might do to all of us."
"That was a scary night, what's weird is that I swear I ran into someone that might have known me," Luan said.
"Oh yeah, his lackey got arrested," Luna said. "I think her name is Brooke."
"Yeah, she gave Lori trouble in Great Lakes," Luan said. "I had to help her with that, and I guess she wanted revenge on me. I'm so glad Spider-Man and Firestar were there to help me out."
"I still don't see why Jordan left, we all deal with supervillains," Lynn said.
"Not everyone can handle that type of stress, Lynn," Lucy said. "Don't shame Jordan just because she was likely traumatized by this. Some don't have your mental strength."
"Honestly, Lynn would have freaked out too if it happened to her," Luna said.
"Bogus!" Lynn shouted.
Lynn Sr rubbed his head in annoyance, then felt his youngest daughter tugging at his shirt. "All finished daddy!"
"Lily? Wow, almost forgot you were next to me," Lynn Sr said. "Daddy really appreciates how nice and quiet you've been."
"Hey!" The other kids shouted.
"No offense to any of you," Lynn Sr insisted.
"Daddy, can I suggest a vacation spot?" Lily asked.
"Uh, sure, where would you like to go?" Lynn Sr asked.
"The moon!" Lily said.
"Uh...that might be beyond my budget honey," Lynn Sr sheepishly said. "But, when Lincoln becomes an astronaut, maybe he can take you."
"You still want to be an astronaut, bro?" Lynn asked.
"That's one of my goals, part of me also wants to be a comic book writer," Lincoln said. "But honestly, if I can, I want to do both."
"Nothing says you can't, son. Ambition gets you through life," Lynn Sr said.
"Take me to the moon, Linky," Lily said.
"Uh, sure, I'll do my best," Lincoln said, then thought to himself. "Wonder if I really can go into space though? I should have asked Natasha why she was here, maybe next time."
The following day after school, Lincoln was on his way home. Normally he would meet up with Christina and Stella, but things were still a little tense. Stella hadn't spoken to him much all day, and Christina seemed visibly uncomfortable. Not wanting to put either girl into an awkward predicament, he elected to go home, get some work done and then go patrolling.
He checked his phone, looking up his texts with Chloe. "Okay, she said she's busy tonight but she's available tomorrow, so I should definitely try to make time for her. Crime's been slow lately so I'm not too worried, plus Christina can handle things on her own if she needs to."
It wasn't long before Lincoln got home, the boy checking inside to see who else was already home. "I'm back!" Lincoln took a look around the room, "Doesn't seem crowded. Luna and Luan are probably with Sam and Benny, and Leni's probably at work."
As he stepped inside and sat down, he turned the TV on to see if anything good was on. The first thing he spotted was a Monster Truck show.
"Maybe I can finally kick back and enjoy some TV," Lincoln said. "After all-"
"Hey! Lincoln!" Lana interrupted, getting her brother's attention.
"Oh, um, hi Lana, what's up?" Lincoln asked.
"I need to go to the City Dump to get some stuff, can you take me?" Lana asked.
"Huh? Me?" Lincoln asked.
"Leni's at work, and even if she wasn't, Luna and Luan borrowed Vanzilla to pick Sam and Benny up for a double date anyway," Lana said. "So I kind of need your help."
"Lana, I don't have a car," Lincoln said.
"You have spider powers," Lana said, earning an eyebrow raise from Lincoln. "Please Linc?"
"Lana, I can't use my powers for that, it's not responsible," Lincoln said. "One thing I learned from Bill Buck was that With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility."
"Cool catchphrase, Linc. Totally badass and all," Lana said.
"Don't say 'badass', you know mom and dad don't like you or any of us using inappropriate words like that," Lincoln said.
"Right, sorry, but still, I really need to go to the dump! I promised Skippy I could get him some parts for a quad bike he's trying to fix," Lana said. "Please Linc, it's an emergency."
"Lana, I know you made a promise, but this doesn't feel like a Spider-Man Level-" Lincoln was interrupted when Lana hopped on his lap, looking at him with pleading eyes.
"Pleeeeeeeeease!?"
Despite still wanting to say 'no', Lincoln could not find it in him to turn down Lana's request, especially when she made such a cute face at him, "Okay fine. But after I finish my homework."
"Thanks bro, I love you!" Lana said, kissing her brother on the cheek before hopping off his lap. "I'll get ready."
Lincoln grumbled in annoyance, "So much for an afternoon off. But if it makes Lana happy then I guess it's worth it."
A half hour later, Lincoln suited up outside, waiting for Lana near the woods in their backyard, waiting for the girl to make her way over.
"Hurry up Lana..." Lincoln said, checking his watch while tapping his foot.
He heard some panting nearby, turning to see Lana running over, "Hey bro, sorry I'm late. I had to take a dump."
"TMI, Lana" Lincoln said.
"Sorry, but it's funny, I had to take a dump, before doing to the dump," Lana said.
"Stop talking before I change my mind," Lincoln said.
"Alright, alright, I'll stop," Lana said, climbing on her brother's back.
"Hold on tight," Lincoln said.
"I will," Lana said, pointing forward. "Onward Spider-Man!"
"Good grief..." Lincoln said as he dashed into the distance, unaware that he caught the attention of someone looking for him.
A few minutes later, he was at the dump, fast enough to get there in a short time, but not too fast that his sister got sick. Of course while she would not have cared if she threw up, he still wouldn't put her through that.
Lana searched the front part of a car, pulling out any material she could use, "Skippy's going to love this."
Lincoln stood back, tapping his foot while keeping a look around, "Hurry up, if someone sees me they're going to wonder why I'm here with you."
"Chill bro, if that happens, I'll just say that you were on patrol and agreed to help me with something," Lana said. "It makes you look good because you chose to help kids."
"Still, I can't stand the smell of this place," Lincoln said.
"Is your sense of smell heightened by your powers?" Lana asked.
"Probably," Lincoln said. "I'm no dog but a lot of my natural senses got stronger with my powers."
"That's so gnarly," Lana said, grabbing some stuff. "Anyway, it won't take too much longer, just give it five more minutes. I'll even buy you a flippie."
"Just promise you'll hurry," Lincoln said.
"I will," Lana said, grabbing some things. She turned to her brother again, and despite him being in costume, his body language told her that something was wrong. "You alright, bro? You seem tense. And something tells me it's not the dump."
"It's nothing," Lincoln said.
"Come on, if something's bothering you, then you can tell me, I won't judge," Lana said. "Is it still Jordan?"
"Lana, I don't wanna get into that," Lincoln said.
"But it is her, right?" Lana asked. "You told me you miss her."
"Of course, but there's nothing I can do," Lincoln said. "Now please, I got enough of this from Stella, I just want to move on, but I can't if no one lets me."
"Wait, what happened with Stella?" Lana asked. "Does she miss Jordan too?"
"Honestly, if she does, I can't even tell," Lincoln said. "She gave me a hard time because I missed Jordan. We got into a stupid argument about it yesterday."
"Whoa, you and Stella had an argument?" Lana asked.
"She acted so bratty over me missing Jordan, meanwhile she's bummed out because Black Widow had to leave the country on assignment," Lincoln said. "Stella is such a fangirl when it comes to Black Widow that she was pretty much glued to her hip the whole time she was in Royal Woods."
"Makes sense that she admires her, didn't she dress up as Black Widow for Halloween?" Lana asked.
"I know she admires Black Widow, and I feel disappointed that she left because I liked having her around too," Lincoln said. "Point is Stella was such a hypocrite. She acted like some jealous girlfriend over Jordan."
"If she was jealous, that might mean she likes you bro," Lana said.
"But she's not my girlfriend, she's the one who put me in the Friend Zone in the first place, so it's her own fault she's feeling this way," Lincoln said.
"Linc, you gotta remember, girls are complicated," Lana said. "We can get a little competitive for attention, and it's not always romance related either. Now Stella may like you romantically, or she may not. But regardless, you're giving a lot of attention to another girl, so she feels a bit left out. You've seen how Lola and I fight over your attention, we like feeling special."
"Even so, why is it okay for her to sulk over Black Widow while I can't even miss my girlfriend without getting sass! Then when I call her on it, I become the bad guy!" Lincoln said. "It's total bullshit."
"Whoa, now who's being a potty mouth?" Lana teased. She didn't need to see Lincoln's facial expression to know he was bemused and glaring right through her. "Seriously though, I can see where you're coming from. But keep in mind, girls can be a little sensitive too, so try not to take things too personally with Stella. Did you ever try making amends with her?"
"She's still a bit heated, so I'm trying to keep my distance when I can," Lincoln said.
"Well keep an eye out, don't ruin your friendship over something stupid," Lana said.
"Yeah, I won't," Lincoln said.
"By the way, did you find out anything about that Goblin guy?" Lana asked.
"Not yet," Lincoln said. "I'm looking into who he might actually be."
"Can't believe he crashed the Halloween party like that, but I have to admit, it was a really impressive entrance," Lana said. "One thing about supervillains, they're all about that Presentation."
"No kidding," Lincoln said. "That guy was tough too, I can't believe I pulled it off."
"Hey you're strong too, and you had not only Christina, but Black Widow there helping you out," Lana said. "But I think you would have done fine, even by yourself."
"You're overestimating me, but thanks," Lincoln said.
"Well good luck on finding out more about that guy. I know Black Widow told you not to go after him, but I think she'll respect your initiative," Lana said. "Plus, something like that is hard to ignore."
"I feel the same way. Funny enough, that's another reason Stella and I argued," Lincoln said. "I still want to find out who he is and what he wants, but Stella thinks I should let Black Widow handle it when she gets back. Now I do intend to keep my promise about not going out to fight him, but I still want to figure out who he is and what he's planning. That way we can be prepared for anything."
"That sounds smart," Lana said.
"Well Stella doesn't want me disobeying her Spy Mama," Lincoln said. "Christina's on the fence about this too, so I'm on my own with this."
"Wow, you and Stella really need to work things out," Lana said.
"I will, hopefully," Lincoln said. " I just need a distraction. Thankfully me and dad are competing in that Tournament."
"Tournament?" Lana asked.
"A father-son competition at Ketchum Park," Lincoln said.
"You mean like that game show? Or that cooking show?" Lana asked.
"I think it's just a regular picnic with some games," Lincoln said.
"Oh, can I come too? I can cheer you both on!" Lana said.
"Sure, I think everyone else will come, but it's nice that you want to be there," Lincoln said.
"I'll be your number one fan, I'll even bring a sign," Lana said.
"Uh, you don't need to go that far, but I appreciate the gesture," Lincoln said. "So, just about ready to go home?"
"Almost, but first, any chance I can try your web shooters?" Lana asked.
"Huh?" Lincoln asked in confusion. "They're not toys, Lana."
"Just a quick second, I want to be as cool as you are, big bro," Lana said, this slightly melting Lincoln's heart. "Just a quick second?"
"...You need to stop being so cute," Lincoln said, handing his web shooter over.
"Me? Cute? How hard have you hit your head these last few weeks?" Lana asked, pressing down, with nothing happening. "Hey, what's wrong?"
"Press down hard, I designed them so they wouldn't be too sensitive," Lincoln said. "Well actually Stella designed them that way."
Lana pressed harder, making the web come out, amazing the girl. "Awesome!" She began shooting web everywhere, having the time of her life. "Wow, it's like one of those streamer guns, but better!"
"Yeah, just try not to use up all my webbing, remember I make them myself and the materials are not cheap so..." Lincoln's eyes then widened in disgust. "EW! Lana!"
Lana was positioned to make it seem like she was firing the web out of her butt. "Now this is how a spider spins a web."
"Alright, that's enough, give it back, right now!" Lincoln demanded.
"Okay fine," Lana said, handing the web shooter over. "Still, thanks for sharing. That was kind of fun."
"I just hope you didn't waste too much," Lincoln said. "Now hurry up so-"
Suddenly Lincoln's Spider-Sense went off as he quickly grabbed Lana just as a large crashed occurred nearby. Lincoln turned to spot a man in a large, armored, black and brown rhino suit charging in.
"Whoa! Who or what is that!?" Lana asked as Lincoln set her down.
"I don't know, but wait here," Lincoln said, leaping down near the man. "Hey you!"
Stanko turned to face his foe, "You must be Spider-Man."
"Yeah, I am, who are you!?" Lincoln asked. "And why do you look like a bulkier version of Iron Man?"
"What was that!?" Stanko angrily asked.
"Easy there, missing link of the animal kingdom," Lincoln said. "Why does his voice sound familiar?"
"You may call me, 'Rhino'," Stanko said, dusting his feet. "It will be the last thing you say as I crush you into nothing!"
"Oh boy," Lincoln leapt out the way as Stanko attempted to impale him, the boy rushing to kick his foe, though he barely budged. "Huh?"
"Try harder!" Stanko tried stomping on Lincoln, the boy outmaneuvering him and going for a punch that the villain once again tanked. "Is that all you got?"
"Wow, sturdy fellow, aren't you?" Lincoln said, glancing around. "I gotta fight smart."
"Your end has come!" Stanko charged again, Lincoln grabbing a car and aggressively flinging it at his enemy, knocking him back a little, but not enough to knock him over. Lincoln webbed the sides of the ground and flung himself in for a double kick to his chest to stumble him again.
"Geez, what is that guy made of?" Lana wondered aloud. "Hit him harder, Spider-Man!"
Stanko turned his attention to Lana, "A young girl?"
"Yeah, you nearly ran over this civilian a moment ago!" Lincoln said, going for a punch that Stanko blocked.
"It wasn't my intention, I was coming after you," Stanko said, then punched Lincoln through a hill of trash. "Curiously, she was riding on your back."
"He was taking me home! Then I stopped here to pick up some free stuff!" Lana said.
"Well, isn't he a nice guy?" Rhino walked over and stomped on Lincoln, trying to crush him. "I hate nice guys, they think they're so cool."
"NO!" Lana called, climbing down her garbage pile. "Get off of him!"
"No L...ittle girl! Stay back!" Lincoln called, trying to avoid saying Lana's name. "It's dangerous!"
"You should listen to him," Rhino said, pressing down harder. "Don't worry, he'll be dead soon."
"I don't think so!" Lincoln webbed the eye visor, blinding Rhino a second as he attempted to pull it off. The distraction allowed Lincoln to push Rhino's foot away and then hit an uppercut, stumbling Rhino and causing him to trop over a pile of garbage that Lana just threw, the girl jumping out the way at the last second.
"Yeah! Teamwork!" Lana said.
"Let's get you out of here," Lincoln said, getting Lana on his back as he left the dump.
Stanko stood up, angrily charging after the two. "You won't escape me!"
As Lincoln rushed through the streets of Royal Woods, Stanko was right behind him, charging through, his stomps causing mini Earthquakes.
"Hey pal! This isn't the Savannah for you to be stampeding like this!" Lincoln called back.
"Wow, you're as good with quips as Luan is," Lana said.
"Guess she rubbed off on me over the years," Lincoln said, still trying to escape.
Many cars stopped to see Lincoln attempting to flee, including some familiar faces.
"Is that Spider-Man!?" Katherine Mulligan said from her van. "Quick, follow him, and get those cameras rolling!"
Also driving nearby was Luna, the girl with her girlfriend, her sister, and her sister's boyfriend as she spotted the chase. "Is that Spider-Man...with Lana!?"
"And are they being chased by a rhinoceros!?" Sam asked.
"Whoa, I heard about going to the zoo, not the zoo going to you," Luan said.
"Not the time for your jokes, Luan!" Luna scolded.
"I found it funny," Benny said.
"No one asked, Benny!" Luna said, aggressively turning the car around, though doing so caused it to stall. "Dammit!"
"...So now what?" Benny asked, shutting up once Luna glared at him.
Lincoln and Lana continued avoiding Stanko, the man noticing the news van following him.
"This is Katherine Mulligan, a new rhinoceros villain has been spotted in hot pursuit of Spider-Man. One has to wonder-"
Suddenly Stanko stopped in front of Katherine's van, lifting it up and throwing it. "I hate the news team!"
"This is Katherine Mulligan, AND I'M ABOUT TO DIE!" The woman shouted in worry.
"Lana stay here!" Lincoln said, placing his sister down as he leapt to catch the van, landing safely on the ground and placing the van down. "Hey, are you alright in there?"
Katherine peaked her head out, "That was close. This is Katherine Mulligan, and Spider-Man just saved my life!"
"It's dangerous, you need to leave before-" Lincoln was kicked away by Rhino, getting knocked toward the woods as the boy scurried away.
"You're not getting away from me!" Rhino shouted, charging at Lincoln.
Katherine checked her Van, noting the damage done because of how it was mishandled. "Great, now I gotta call a mechanic."
"I can help," Lana said, appearing nearby. "I'm good with tools."
"You're Lana Loud, I heard a lot about you, especially from Bobbie Fletcher," Katherine said. "I saw you with Spider-Man, any reason?"
"He was keeping me safe from that guy, he calls himself 'The Rhino'," Lana said. "I don't know why he's attacking Spider-Man, but he's already bad news."
"Interesting, well if you can fix my van, I'll give you a ride home," Katherine said.
Lana pulled her wrench out, "Give me five minutes."
Meanwhile Lincoln had to think of something before things got bad for him. Rhino was clearly strong and durable, he had to be cunning. "Okay, I just need to find a way to keep him pinned down, but how do I-"
Suddenly Stanko tackled Lincoln near a river leading to a waterfall. Lincoln tried standing but he got kicked closer to the river. "Ow..."
"Gotta say, for a seemingly famous hero, you're not that strong," Stanko said, getting closer. "Or maybe, I'm just so much stronger than you are."
"Don't get cocky," Lincoln said.
"Man, to think you caused so much ruckus that someone had to hire me to eliminate you," Stanko said. "This will be easy money."
"Wait, who hired you?" Lincoln asked.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Stanko charged at Lincoln, but the boy leapt aside, the man nearly falling into a river. Lincoln rebounded off a tree and kicked Stanko into the water as the stream carried him toward a waterfall. "No! NO!"
Lincoln turned around, about to use his webs to grab him but he was too late, Stanko had gone over, much to Lincoln's worry. "I can't let him die!"
As Lincoln checked over the waterfall, hoping to find anything he could do. However Stanko was nowhere to be found. Lincoln's heart raced, despite Stanko being a villain, Lincoln did not want to be the cause of his demise.
Fortunately, Stanko emerged from the water, desperately swimming to shore. Lincoln was relieved he was alive, but concerned knowing that he still had to figure out a way to capture him. Suddenly Stanko retreated, much to Lincoln's curiosity.
"Ugh, he got away..." Lincoln scratched his head in curiosity. "Who was he? Why was he after me? Looks like I have another villain to worry about. I might need to put my Goblin investigation on hold until I can catch him. If I can catch him that is."
With that settled, Lincoln figured the best thing to do was alert the police, and more importantly, check in on Lana.
He then got a phone call from the sister he was worried about, "Lana?"
"Hey, where are you?" Lana asked.
"Near the river, Rhino got away though," Lincoln said. "Where are you?"
"With Katherine Mulligan" Lana said sitting in the News Van. "She's going to give me a ride home. After she drops me off near Luna. Vanzilla stalled on the road."
"Oh good," Lincoln said. "I'll see you when you get home."
"Be careful," Lana said, hanging up.
Lincoln sighed in relief, "At least Lana's safe. Still...gotta figure out what to do with Rhino."
Down near Rhino, the man was walking through the woods, on his way back to the base. "That Spider-Man sounds more like a Spider-Boy. Did he even go through puberty?" He shrugged it off, "It's fine, I will make my mark again. Chances are he'll be at that Father-Son Tournament. How I would love to destroy both Spider-Man and that competition all at once. Hehehe..."
A new rivalry was brewing as Lincoln had the Rhino to deal with. This collision has only started.