Out For A Swing

John "Jack" Smith... well, he was pretty sure that was his name. It was one of the things he know; one of the very few specific things he knew. He could fill out crossword puzzles, he could set a table, he could tie his shoes, he could tell time, he knew what times of day were harder to hail a cab, but nothing specific. There was no personal history in his head.

Of course, right now he was a little more concerned with the fact that he'd just flung someone across a room, pulled a costume from out of nowhere, and now was flying across down on lines he shot out of his arms. Normal people don't do this! Not even amnesiac normal people!

The fact that his instincts are telling him this is supposed to be happening is what freaked him out more than anything else.

He could tell he was supposed to be doing something, but what was it?

And why were all these people yelling 'Hey! Spidey!' at him?


Marcia Martin is off the clock. She was talking on the phone quite happily with one of her female friends. She was giving them advice on how to deal with a two-timing man. She offered up the idea of cutting out the crotches of all of his pants and hanging them out for everyone to see.

It made her friend laugh in her ear so Marcia was smiling. She didn't notice the men following behind her just yet. She was too busy trying to cheer her friend up.

Jack saw the thugs advancing with obvious intent on the woman as they sped up, and he yelled at them as he swung towards them.

"Hold it right there!"

He flung himself loose from his latest swing, outstretching both his arms and firing cords at them on instinct. They both fell over, bound and squirming on the ground. Jack put his hands on his hips with a satisfied smile.

"I know it's a busy life in the city, but there's gotta be better ways of trying to pick up a woman quickly."

...he was quipping. Odd, that.

"Rosie, can I call you back? Thanks!" Marcia hangs up quickly.

"Hey! Spidey, look out," she calls out when two other men jump out of the shadows. A blue spark hits one in the chest knocking him on his back. The other gets caught with a heavy purse clubbing him in the face.

She smirks at the man. "I'd say you should stay put pal but... You might not listen."

"I'm not Spi--" Is all he gets out before she starts with the blasting and the self-defensing the HELL out of the other guy.

Now, see... if that were a normal costume, you wouldn't be able to tell that he just blinked right now. But he totally did.

Not being overtly tall himself, he's pretty much looking the woman in the eye. "I'm not Spidey."

He surveys the damage she wrought. "You're good at that... are you a superhero too? I think I am."

She blinks at him as if he's been smoking something.

"Look. I appericate you saving me and all but if I was a hero I wouldn't be spreading it around, yeah?" She glances around seeing they're largely alone.

"It's not smart to advertise. Haven't you seen the news? People want mutants to register. That could turn to heroes. If I was..... Look. Times are getting dangerous, hero. You gotta be careful."

"Mutant..." He tests the word out, as if considering something that never crossed his mind before.

"No... no I'm not a mutant." He scratches his head contemplatively. "I don't know how I know that, but I'm definitely not a mutant."

He sighs, slumping forward as his shoulders go down. "I just started this today, you see."

The mask... is making a sad-face, to the extent that it has no features besides eyes. He just seems very tired.

"Then what are you? An alien??" She shouldn't ask questions.

And his first day? Geezs. Someone needs to keep an eye on this kid. "Just today? Why now?"

He reminds her of a puppy. She has no idea why but he screams puppy.

Any remnant of the heroic pose he'd struck earlier is long gone, as he practically flails. "I'm not an alien! I'm DEFINITELY not an alien! I'm a boy! A human boy!"

He hesitates, composing himself as he looks at his hands, and the stuff trapping the bad guys.

"...mostly?" He fidgets. "I don't know... I was staying at the shelter for a while, and then... this just happened, and I do stuff now, apparently."

Marcia shakes her head. Then glances at him ganging him very carefully.

"Okay. Come with me. Or rather.... Can you follow? I'll let you in through the fire escape." She was going to look after him. She might not feel free to admit being a super hero but she can make sure he isn't on the streets.

He blinks again, watching her.

"I can follow you, yeah."

Jack hesitates, then jumps up to a wall, climbing it the rest of the way to the rooftop.

...he just climbed straight up a wall with his bare (kind of bare) hands and feet. What else can he do?

She won't act outwardly surprised. But she is! Is he like Spider-Man?

She shakes jer head and starts walking. It's a few blocks before they get to her apartment building. It doesn't look very nice but it isn't terrible either. She cheerfully greets the old men on the steps by signing at them. They sign back with cheery nods and smiles.

She waves to them before going inside.

It's a couple minutes latter before she opens a window and steps outside. She lives in a big apartment jut one floor down from the roof.

"Hey. Hope I didn't go too far."


(joint-posted with permission from Beth)