May landed lightly inside the bank, the soles of her sneakers barely making a sound. She brushed a little dust from the front of her overalls, a casual gesture.
"Nice work, buddy. That webbing was perfect."
Joltik chirped from her shoulder, its tiny chest puffing out. A faint spark of pride crackled in its fur. May felt a warm, quiet satisfaction settle over her. It was just another Tuesday.
She turned to the frightened bank tellers, still huddled behind the counter. Her smile was small but genuine.
"You're all safe now. The police are on their way."
Her attention shifted back to the three robbers, cocooned in sticky white webbing and twitching from Joltik's precise shocks. She walked over and gave the webbing an experimental tug. Secure. Good.
Mom and Dad had those strict rules about "superhero touring," about how she was supposed to just observe. But the rules felt fuzzy and far away in a moment like this.
The rush of swinging into action, the focus of a fight, the way Joltik moved with her… that was real. The rules were just words. They could wait.
From the sidewalk, the trio watched the entire thing unfold in a matter of seconds. May was a red and blue streak, webbing guns, tripping feet, and moving with a fluid grace that seemed impossible for someone her size. The tiny yellow spider on her shoulder added bright, precise zaps that made the last two robbers yelp and drop their weapons.
It was over before they could even process the start. Valeria's mind was already calculating angles and force vectors, impressed by the sheer efficiency. Kamala's jaw was practically on the pavement, her inner fangirl screaming. Doreen just grinned, a proud, nutty gleam in her eye.
They stepped through the broken window, their footsteps the only sound in the quiet bank. The tied-up robbers groaned in a pile near the vault.
"That was amazing!" Kamala blurted out, her voice bouncing off the marble walls. "Your swing was perfect, and the way you used the chandelier for momentum? So cool!"
"And your little buddy!" Doreen added, pointing at the Joltik now perched calmly on May's shoulder. "Talk about a shocking development! He's adorable and effective. Best partner ever!"
Valeria nodded, her analytical gaze sweeping the cleanly disabled scene. "Optimal use of environment and minimal collateral damage. Your tactical processing speed is notable."
May, who had been calmly checking her web-shooters, suddenly stiffened. The praise washed over her, and a bright pink flush crept up her neck under the mask. She scuffed one boot against the floor.
"Oh. Um. Thanks," she muttered, her voice much smaller than it had been moments ago. "Just… doing the job, you know?"
Valeria studied the tiny, fuzzy Pokémon perched on May's shoulder. Her mind was already running calculations—bonding speed, combat effectiveness, potential for static interference.
"How long have you had Joltik?"
May puffed out her chest a little, her pride cutting through the last of her nerves. She reached up to gently stroke the Pokémon's back.
"Not long at all! We just met in Aurawood. But we're already best friends, right?"
Joltik let out a happy, high-pitched chirp and nuzzled her cheek, a few tiny sparks dancing across its fur.
Kamala's eyes went wide. The red hair, the spider-themed suit, the way she moved… it all clicked into place with the force of a superhero landing.
"Wait… are you Spider-Man's daughter?"
May let out a small, resigned sigh. It was the same sigh she used when someone at school finally figured out why her dad was always "working late" during supervillain attacks.
"Yeah, that's my dad. But you can call me Spider-Girl."
Valeria's gaze sharpened, locking onto May. This was the perfect piece for the puzzle she was building.
"May, we need your help. There's a legendary Pokémon called Zapdos in Aurawood Preserve. It's a living storm, powerful enough to disrupt entire power grids."
Her voice was a clear, analytical briefing. She laid out the facts—HYDRA's interest, the threat to the preserve, the need for a small, agile team that could work with Pokémon.
"Your skills with Joltik are exactly what we need. Speed, disruption, and a partner that can hit hard from unexpected angles. This isn't about fighting the creature. It's about protecting the whole ecosystem from HYDRA."
May listened, the earlier excitement from her quick victory cooling. She heard words like 'global terror organization' and 'weather manipulation.' This was so much bigger than a bank.
A quiet understanding settled over her. This was what real responsibility looked like. On her shoulder, Joltik pressed a little closer, its tiny static charge a familiar comfort.
"Okay," May said, her voice firm and surprisingly steady for someone so young. A look of determined focus replaced her bright smile. "If HYDRA wants to hurt the Pokémon or their home, we can't let them. We'll help."
She reached a finger up to gently touch Joltik, who chirped a bright, enthusiastic agreement. They were a team, and this was a job for a hero.
"Joltik and I are in."
Valeria considered the team's youngest member with a calculating eye. Kamala, however, was the one who voiced the obvious concern.
"Okay, first thing, welcome to the team! You were great out there! But… should we tell your parents?"
May's mask widened slightly, the lenses conveying a very specific kind of childhood panic. She waved her hands frantically.
"No! Please don't! If Mom and Dad find out, I'll be grounded for, like, a hundred years. Maybe more. No going out ever. Not even for school."
Valeria opened her mouth, a logical argument about parental consent already forming, but Doreen beat her to it.
"Aw, c'mon Kamala, let the kid have her fun! Weren't you the one sneaking around Jersey City in your Ms. Marvel costume for, like, a month before your parents figured it out?"
Kamala's face flushed a bright red behind her domino mask. The memory of her own secret start was still vivid. She sputtered, completely thrown off her big-sisterly concern.
"That was… that's different! I mean… it's not… okay, fine, point taken!"
She crossed her arms, deciding it was better to stop talking than to dig herself deeper. Doreen just grinned, pleased with herself. May Parker's mask shifted, the lenses squinting into a very familiar, smug smile.
***
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