"Wow, Spidey, you actually met a guy, those bad guys call him either the Chameleon or Twilight?"
Sarina spoke in amazement as she softly spoke a recap of what Spider-Man said about his recent crime stop yesterday. And how he met someone who literally wore another person's face to blend in until someone found the guy the Chameleon impersonated. Led to a fight with Spider-Man and the Chameleon or Twilight, depending on whether there is a preference, team up to stop the illegal operation.
Sarina is absolutely amazed by the way Spider-Man is explaining it, and she asks if the Chameleon is another villain like the Shocker, but Spider-Man shakes his head.
"No, I don't think the Chameleon is an enemy, Sarina. I mean I would have dodged a bullet from the guy's pistol but thankfully he was only threatening me with a gun aimed at the side of my head while I asked why he was even there. Sadly I didn't get much information as he literally ran off."
"That's a bummer. I wonder if…"
Sarina suddenly went quiet as Sekinin noticed this and instantly changed the topic, letting her know about the recent swing tricks he had made, like spinning into a ball after some web swings or hanging upside down while swinging which got Sarina to chuckle a bit. It gave Sekinin a small smile of pained expression behind his mask. One of the symptoms of her illness is depression.
Even if Spider-Man is there for her, the illness is making her worse. Memory issues, like one she nearly asked who he was before recalling her number one status to him. Headaches, vomiting whenever she moves her body too much, and if she ever tries to move on her own, she would at times, lose consciousness. Sometimes even seizures.
Sekinin recalls Dr. Amamiya's words to him about what would happen to Sarina if either he or Spider-Man were not with her when she needed either of them. Out of anyone in the world, Sarina's own doctor, Sarina's hero Spider-Man, only two people, only two are the only ones who ever visited her. Sekinin can still recall when he asked Gorou about Sarina's parents, asking if they ever visited her one day.
But what Sekinin got was the reason he felt angry towards Sarina's parents. The moment the signs and the revelation that there is a tremor growing inside her brain. Lead Sarina to be admitted to the hospital in the Minato ward.
It obviously seems like they have enough financial support to cover Sarina's expenses in the hospital. Yet, the moment Gorou first saw Sarina first admitted to the hospital with her mother, that was the only time he ever saw her in the same room as her daughter. Not a single visit, not one.
Sekinin recalls Sarina's voice, saying her mother is busy with work, that her father is just as busy as her mother is. Yet, the only thing in her hospital room that she had access to was the computer, her flip phone, posters, a few pieces of merchandise of Ai Hoshino, and the newspaper and webs of Spider-Man.
Even after a month with her, he got to know her. Her age is 11, her birthday is on January 5th, and she used to have light brown hair.
Apparently, she has a different dream, to be a figure skater, to participate in the Olympics as it seems what Sekinin learned from Sarina is that her mother used to be a figure skater. Her current dream is to be an idol, an idol to cheer for everyone, for her to stand next to Ai Hoshino, to cheer for the Sensational Spider-Man.
Dreams that Sarina makes sound certain, yet… Would it be fulfilled? Will it ever be a reality? Sekinin couldn't help but make a bittersweet smile behind his mask.
Sekinin hated it, he came from a loving family, two loving families, to see Sarina being neglected, just pissed him off. He wanted to cheer her up, not to let her feel depressed. With no hesitation, Sekinin held Sarina's hand as she looked at him in confusion.
"Hey, Sarina… I never told how I got my powers didn't I? Would you like to hear the story?"
Sarina widens her eyes as she gives him a small nod, and Sekinin nods as he speaks the story.
"Would you believe me if I say I'm actually an elementary student close to being a middle schooler with the appearance of a high schooler's body?"
Sarina blinked before gasping in pure wonder and curiosity as a trait of her rise again, her optimism, she now looks like she is very interested in what she heard.
"An elementary student? Are you an actual kid? The same age as me?"
"Yep! I'm actually 11, my birthday is on August 10th. So like two months away since it's June right now. Anyway, yeah, I'm a boy from Shimokitazawa. I'm in Shimokitazawa Elementary, I will definitely be in Shimokitazawa Middle School soon. And one day, in April, I was bitten by an enhanced spider during a field trip to Osukōpu Industries."
Now that Sekinin thought about it, Osukopu Industries was where he had met Kamiki even for a brief moment. He did consider looking back to that place, even to sneak in, but decided against it, for one, what could a guy like Kamiki want at that place where the spider that gives Sekinin his powers?
Sekinin decided to continue his story.
"How that spider bit me was literally an accident with an idiotic classmate who decided to mess around with the glass case that held the rarest and most dangerous spider that scientists have ever made. The whole place went into chaos and the scientists thought they captured the spider that escaped but had no idea it hitched a ride on me and later in the day it bit me on my hand."
Sekinin waved his hand that the spider bite happened to a very focused Sarina.
"I received nausea, dizziness, and so much happening within my body. And when I blacked out and woke up the next morning, my body changed from a little boy to a teenager. It took me every ounce of my will not to scream to wake up my neighborhood. And soon finding out I can do anything a spider can do."Sarina's eyes glowed in shock and amazement. She then couldn't help but ask a question which led to another.
"Did anyone close to you were shocked by your sudden growth? Was your appearance the reason why you could stop a car with your bare hands?"
"Oh absolutely for both questions. You could imagine the ones closest to me were purely stunned by my sudden 'growth spurt' and I decided to just let it be explained like that because how could I even speak that a spider that was modified gives me the powers that a spider can do."
Sarina looks even more interesting as she couldn't help but ask another question.
"Spidey! Did you happen to save someone, like the very first person you ever saved as the Spider?"
Now Sekinin had a nostalgic face despite still having the mask on. But he can still remember his first save, and that person was Ai Hayasaka, and the girl he eventually got the name of thanks to that meeting yesterday at the shrine Sekinin was able to get the name of the second girl he saved from Hayasaka as the other person he saved alongside Ai is Chika Fujiwara.
Yep, that first week of self-training on how to use his powers and how his dual-consciousness ability worked at that time during his first month as Spider-Man. And then his third, or perhaps in some cases, his second save of someone.
"Would you believe me if I say the very first person, well two of the first people I saved were two pre-teens of my age. And then the first person I saved was Ai Hoshino herself?"
Sarina gasps in excitement.
"Ai Hoshino!? Like the very idol herself? Was it special? Was it romantic? Did the two of you instantly become friends? And– Oh! Spidey, did you happen to give her the letter I gave you?"
"Well, the first meeting was…"
Suddenly Spider-Man realized the last question she asked just as he began to answer her first question. And that Sekinin realized he still had Sarina's letter at his home in his bedroom, secretly hidden away underneath his desk with webs keeping it in place. How, how could he have forgotten to give a letter to the idol Sarina wanted her to receive?
He could have given it to her during the concert, well after the concert no thanks to Shocker. But he could have mentioned it during the phone call to her, but the fact is her information about the person Kamiki killed, Arawareru who Kamiki killed, even when the identity of Arawareru was never revealed thanks to Yuri just to keep the Ijichis safe from that monster. Had caused Sekinin to forget about the letter which caused the previous days to end up like this.
Although, perhaps there could still be a way for Sarina to somehow get her letter read by her, or perhaps, for Sarina to speak with the idol herself.
"Hey Sarina, do you mind if I stay outside the window for a bit, I need to make a phone call."
Sarina was a bit surprised by the sudden change of topic but she nodded as Spider-Man adjusted her beanie before simply climbing out of the window, and being a bit far away from Sarina's window in hopes of the surprise he had for her not to overhear.
Sekinin took out his phone and looked at his contact list and had his thumb hover over the contact named "Star-eyed" as a way to not reveal Ai Hoshino's contact information. Sure, not many would believe Sekinin Parker to have the phone number of Ai Hoshino, but for obsessive fans, it's better to be safe than sorry.
But the real question is will Ai Hoshino answer his phone call again? Sure, she did mention during their phone call, before she revealed what Sekinin needed to know, that she would be busy due to her job as an idol. So that really depends on whether Sekinin calls her during her idol work or perhaps if he is lucky, Hoshino is on her break, perhaps a day off.
So when Sekinin pressed the contact, he felt something land on his head, and heard a "Caw! Caw! Caw!" as he saw the reflection on his phone that showed a crow. Sekinin let out a huff of familiarity as if he sensed this was the same crow he had met like perhaps the third time already.
"I swear you are interested in me, I don't even have… Actually, don't try to steal my phone. It is not even shiny."
The crow just kept making "caw" noises yet showed no attempt at stealing or even anything that makes a crow a crow. While it was confusing to Sekinin, his main focus was on the phone that showed that Ai's phone was ringing yet within the first few seconds it was just waiting.
So after just a few rings Sekinin was already convinced she was busy and was about to just end the call, the other end answered as Sekinin didn't speak for a few seconds. Until he heard the familiar voice of the idol.
"[Hmm? Is Spider-Man still a bit irritated by what I said in our last call?]"
A playful tone of a girl with a slight pouting, well it was something Sekinin would just imagine when Ai spoke with that tone. He sighs as he begins talking.
"Miss Hoshino, I'm sorry for our conversation ending because of my anger. It's just… It is personal for me when you ask that question."
Ai didn't speak for a moment, but then spoke again.
"[No… I should be the one to apologize, had I known what I asked would have caused you to react, then I would have said something else. But~ Since we already got apologies out of the way. Is there a reason why you called me Spidey-kun? You call me on a day off which is good for you if you want to speak with me again. Is like that Spidey~]"
Spider-Man can feel the heat in his face with the mask on as sweat was already forming on his forehead. Sekinin coughs as he becomes a bit serious on the phone call.
"Well, yes, there is a reason for me to call you. And, I am wondering if you are already with me giving my phone to a fan of yours. She… She really wishes to meet you but due to an illness she has, she couldn't physically get to see you in a concert."
Sekinin heard a "hmm" at the other end of the line as another playful comment arose.
"[Aww, a fan of mine? Well, I don't see a problem with that! And that's so cute~ You're being serious for a fan of mine.]"
Sekinin said a "Thank you," and told Ai to be quiet for a moment while Sekinin reenters Sarina's room as the moment Sekinin reenters, his spider-sense goes off, and he instantly sees Sarina trying to walk out of bed but immediately begins to fall as Spider-Man instantly rushes and grabs her before she falls to the ground as Sarina tightly grips her hands on Spider-Man's suit.
"Spidey… Sorry, I just wanted to sit down in the lounge chair."
Spider-Man just said he was glad he was able to catch her on time as Spider-Man carried her like a bridal carry which insanely made Sarina blush but she didn't complain or say anything. Only a small disappointment when it ended fast when Spider-Man carefully placed her on the chair.
"Well, here you go, Sarina. Hey, do you wish to speak with someone?"
Sarina looks at Spider-Man in confusion. Spider-Man didn't say anything at first as he softly grabbed her hand, and placed his phone in her hand.
"I'm going to be outside again, but you won't be alone. In that phone call, you are in for a surprise, perhaps a very, very early birthday present from me, maybe an early Christmas present."
Without saying anything more Spider-Man once again climbed out the window as Sarina slowly brought the phone to her ear and asked who this was.
"[Hey~ Is this a fan of mine? It's so nice to meet you. I'm Ai Hoshino. Spidey-kun said you wish to speak with me~]"
While Sekinin was wall climbing on the wall of the hospital, he was still in hearing range to hear Sarina's squeal which made him chuckle. He knows Sarina would spend who knows how long on the phone giving him some time to perhaps do something. If Sekinin is being honest, the crime radar, aka Yuri, hadn't informed him of any new crime yet.
Plus everything just seems peaceful. And that his other self was currently dealing with the somewhat dynamic between Usagi and Rei who had met as Usagi heard about him and Nijika visiting a shrine and wanted to visit a shrine too.
Yet during another trip to the shrine, for some unexplained reason, or perhaps Usagi being herself must have done something as right now his other self is trying to stop the two from fighting each other.
So while Sekinin Parker is dealing with that, Spider-Man meanwhile is just heading to another window just to explore more of the hospital while being Sekinin Parker.
He grabbed his bag outside the wall he webbed up there, entered a supply closet, and put on his clothing on top of his suit. Not the first time he does that, but it is effective whenever Sekinin wants to quickly change just in case.
So once Sekinin was finished, he crept open the door and saw no one in the hallway, and quietly exited the hospital room and just began to wander in the hospital he was in. He didn't have the chance to do so as while he could have done this normally, well Sekinin didn't have an excuse.
He had only ventured off to two hallways but before he could continue, a hand was placed on his shoulder.
"Hey, I don't suppose you are just using a visit to wander the halls, right?"
Sekinin froze as he slowly turned around, and saw a man with blond hair and blue eyes. Sekinin instantly felt like he had seen this man before, but couldn't quite explain how. Kinda like how it was with Yor and Yuri. Suddenly he knew why, he had met this man exactly when he was little when he first met Yor and Yuri.
Sekinin remembers Aunt May explaining that after Yor and Yuri's visit, she explained there was someone whom his father Richard Parker adopted like how his mother did with Yor and Yuri. Loid Forger, a person who looks serious but is actually relaxed when it is around him, or around his father.
A little Sekinin and a Loid who used to carry him whenever he came over, as if he wanted to see how much he could carry and…
Actually, now that he thought about it, how in the world did Loid, Yor, and Yuri not have met each other? His parents literally adopted them both, Sekinin met them, yet he never saw them in the same place whenever one of them came over. Well, perhaps they could have met at the funeral, but then again, perhaps they were grieving that they didn't see each other, that was Sekinin's only guess.
"Loid?"
Sekinin said his name, as if he was asking if Loid remembers him, but all he got was a stare, or so it seems on the outside.
Because Loid was thinking of so many scenarios, theories, trying to make sense of how the boy he hadn't seen in a while, whom he knew by his calculations should be a twelve-year-old soon in August.
Yet for Loid, he was seeing a teenage version of the father figure who adopted him. How or why was very uncertain of him, yet despite trying to figure out the cause, he is face to face with Sekinin looking exactly like his father…
"Sekinin?"
Sekinin looked at Loid with wide eyes as he didn't think that he was going to remember him. But Sekinin was glad Loid was able to. He didn't know what to say or ask how he was. But it seems Loid was somewhat on the same page as Sekinin.
"Sekinin… How…? What kind of growth spurt did you have? A teenager already, but you're still 11, correct?"
Loid was literally having a hard time understanding how such development would affect his little brother this fast. He instantly theorizes that perhaps Aunt May's wheat cakes were full of so much love that it affected Sekinin's maturity.
Sure it sounds ridiculous for Loid to imagine, but he couldn't think of anything else about how Sekinin would grow this much. No wonder why when he called Uncle Ben and told him that he was going to visit as Ben explained Sekinin really looked like Richard.
Loid just assumed that Ben had just missed Richard but right now, in front of him was truly shocking. The last time he saw Sekinin was when he was 9 and during…
"Wow! You truly do look like Richard. Sure, the genetics were all there but… You really do look like him. But there are also Mary's eyes."
Sekinin just scratches his head before beginning to catch up with Loid like how he did with Yor and Yuri.
"I didn't think you would become a doctor. Uncle Ben said you went to join the military or something."
Loid's smile falters for a bit, but then he lets out a sigh.
"Ben is correct, I did join the military, until I decided to become a doctor. It… It wasn't easy but I know I can help people whenever I can. And it was what your father encouraged me to do, just support me."
He put a hand on Sekinin's shoulder.
"War really took a toll on me, but Richard helped me gain through what I've been through. But I didn't think I would see you here, I did plan to visit after my shift, but it seems fate changed."
"Yeah, so it seems."
"Are you okay? I've heard about… I'm so sorry."
Loid hugged Sekinin, Sekinin knew what he was asking. Sekinin just slowly nodded.
"It just… Doesn't make sense that he was able to hide this well. He is still out there, and it felt like nothing new was brought to light. Just what I saw on that day."
"Hikaru Kamiki? Is that his name?"
"Loid, I'm pretty sure everyone saw the news."
"Sekinin."
"…I saw him twice, he was a few feet away from me, then I was close to him when I tried to disarm his weapon. Just what kind of connections does this guy have to be able to hide this well?"
The two didn't say anything, but stood there for a moment. But Loid soon broke off the hug once he felt Sekinin wanted some space.
"I'm sure the authorities will find him Sekinin."
"I hope so too."
"But I still have to ask. Are you checking in with a patient or would you plan to leave before deciding to wander in the hospital? Because I doubt there is a coincidence that I'm here as well as you, Sekinin."
"Oh I just decided to visit a friend of mine, and I was just leaving as I couldn't help myself in exploring the rest of the hospital, until I was unaware I would meet you here."
Loid nodded as he looked at his watch.
"Guess I have to go back to work, I was on my break. But I guess I'll see you at your aunt and uncle's place. Oh, May is preparing meatloaf for my visit."
"Oh, wonderful! But yeah, I guess I'll see you there. I'll see you later."
"You too Sekinin, it was nice meeting you again."
Loid waved to Sekinin as he left.
While Sekinin left for the hospital entrance, once he was out of Loid's eye range, his expression turned cold as he took out his phone and began making a phone call. Once the other end answered Loid got to the point.
"Sylvia, I need you to search for someone. And no it isn't related to the Kingpin."
"Twilight, I assume whoever you are searching for must be important for you to find."
"In a way, he crossed a line he didn't imagine he would. I'm pretty sure you heard of him, Hikaru Kamiki."
While Loid is quietly speaking, Sekinin has just exited the hospital and is calmly just walking around the side, and begins to climb back to the storage closet to go back to Sarina's room as Spider-Man just to check up on her.