Chapter 13: Fight
"Ben! Peter!"
The panicked cries of Gwen, Ned, and MJ echoed through the school halls, loud enough to pierce the tension in the air. Both Spider-Man and the Lizard froze momentarily, their heads snapping toward the source of the sound.
The Lizard's yellow eyes glinted with malicious intent as he turned toward the students' voices. "Let's see how you save them, Spider-Man!" he growled, charging down the corridor toward the unsuspecting trio.
From my hiding spot behind a row of lockers, I clenched my fists, heart pounding. This can't be happening.
I glanced down at the Omnitrix on my wrist, its faceplate glowing faintly green. My mind raced, weighing my options, but there wasn't time for second-guessing. With a determined scowl, I twisted the dial, flipping through silhouettes until I landed on the one I needed.
"Here goes nothing," I muttered, slamming the Omnitrix. A brilliant green flash lit up the hallway, and my body morphed.
Muscles rippled under thick, orange fur. My vision shifted to infrared, and my hearing sharpened, picking up every scrape of the Lizard's claws against the tile. My form grew larger and more imposing, my arms transforming into powerful limbs ending in razor-sharp claws. My tail swished behind me for balance, and my nostrils flared, taking in the scent of the enemy.
I had become Wildmutt, the primal beast from the Omnitrix.
The Lizard was mere feet away from Gwen, Ned, and MJ when I leapt into action, landing between them with a ground-shaking thud. Letting out a guttural roar, I bared my fangs and crouched low, ready to pounce.
The Lizard skidded to a halt, tilting his head as he examined me. "A giant... dog? No, something more. Fascinating," he mused, his voice laced with sinister curiosity. "But even you can't stop me."
Before he could react, I lunged forward, claws slashing through the air. The Lizard barely dodged, my attack slicing into the wall instead, leaving deep gouges. He hissed, his tail whipping around to strike me, but I ducked low, using my heightened senses to predict his movements.
Spider-Man swung into the fray, landing a kick to the Lizard's back. "Wow, Lassie! You've got some serious moves," he quipped as he landed beside me. "But let's keep him away from my friends, yeah?"
I let out a low growl in agreement, my body tense and ready for the next attack.
The Lizard roared, charging at me with terrifying speed. I met him head-on, our bodies colliding with enough force to crack the tiles beneath us. His claws raked across my fur, but my thick hide absorbed most of the damage. Snarling, I clamped my jaws around his arm, shaking him violently before tossing him aside.
Spider-Man leapt onto the Lizard's back, wrapping him in webbing. "Let's see how you like being tied up!" he said, firing another stream of webbing to secure the Lizard's legs.
But the Lizard was stronger than we anticipated. With a guttural roar, he tore through the webbing and grabbed Spider-Man, hurling him across the hallway. Spidey managed to land on the wall, his reflexes saving him from a hard crash.
"Okay, new plan," Spider-Man muttered, swinging back into the fight.
I circled the Lizard, my nostrils flaring as I tracked his every move. When he lunged at Spider-Man, I seized the opportunity, jumping onto his back and digging my claws into his scales. He roared in pain, thrashing wildly, but I held firm, biting down on his shoulder.
"You're persistent, I'll give you that," the Lizard snarled, slamming me into the wall to shake me off.
Spider-Man swung in from above, landing a series of quick punches to the Lizard's face. "Hey, Scales! You talk too much!" he taunted, distracting the monster long enough for me to recover.
I charged at the Lizard again, this time aiming for his legs. With a powerful swipe of my claws, I knocked him off balance, sending him crashing to the floor. Spider-Man followed up with a web to his face, temporarily blinding him.
"Nice teamwork, Big Guy!" Spider-Man called out, giving me a thumbs-up.
I let out a bark of approval, my tail swishing as I crouched low, ready for the next move.
The Lizard tore the webbing from his face, his eyes glowing with rage. "You think you can stop me? I am superior to all of you!" he bellowed, his voice echoing through the halls.
He lashed out with his tail, catching Spider-Man in the chest and sending him flying into a row of lockers. Before I could react, the Lizard turned his attention to me, slashing at my side with his claws. I snarled in pain but retaliated, raking my own claws across his torso.
We grappled, a blur of orange fur and green scales, each trying to overpower the other. My heightened senses allowed me to anticipate his moves, but his sheer strength made him a formidable opponent.
Spider-Man swung back into the fray, firing webbing at the Lizard's feet to slow him down. "Come on, Scales! Let's see how fast you are now!" he taunted.
The Lizard hissed, tearing through the webbing, but the distraction gave me the opening I needed. Leaping onto his back, I clamped my jaws around his tail, using all my strength to swing him around.
With a growl, I spun faster and faster, the Lizard's massive body becoming a blur. Finally, I released him, sending him crashing through a set of double doors. He lay there dazed, his tail still twitching in my mouth.
Grimacing, I spat it out, the severed appendage landing on the ground with a sickening thud. The Lizard staggered to his feet, his tail already beginning to regenerate.
"You... you'll regret this!" he snarled, retreating toward the nearest vent.
Before I could chase after him, the distant sound of police sirens filled the air.