The Many Loves of the Amazing Spider-Man

A Pirate's Treasure (Bloody Bess)

"So, what do you think?" The female pirate captain with silver hair stated, her hands on the steering wheel as she had a huge smile on her face. The raid they have done, with the help of Spider-Man, has gone successfully. She really didn't expect the help of the hero of New York, but the help was appreciated. "Is a bona fide pirate different from what you expected, Spidey?"

"Well… knowing that you were enemies of the X-Men, I still had my doubts" She could remember those times, times where she was the one following orders. But ever since that last battle they had with the Marauders, she had started to see things differently. But remembering those times was slightly painful for her. All she wanted to do was forget about those days where she would torment people instead of helping them. "Though I am glad that I was wrong on my assessment"

She smiled at him. Her blue eyes overlooked the sunset that shone through her ship. She could see just how every crewmember of her ship was working non-stop, a happy smile on their face as they were moments away from being thanked by the people in need. It was one of the main reasons that she went from bad to good, the gratitude that was shown to her by those in need made her want to keep experiencing that feeling.

"I am glad you think that way, Spidey" She whispered, the man hearing her since he was standing almost next to her. She wouldn't normally allow any of her crew near her when she was on the steering wheel, but the arachnid hero was definitely not a part of her crew. So she couldn't really tell him off. But even if she could, she was enjoying his company.

"Forgive me if I am speaking out of turn here… But why still call yourself pirates?" She looked at the hero, who was looking at her with only one raised lens on his mask. She ironically found it hilarious just how the mask of the hero could make more detailed expressions than people she knew of. "Why not something else?"

"It is still a part of who we are…" Bloody Bess, the captain of the ship, stated. She couldn't explain it any other way. They have joined to be pirates, and they are still pirates. They just had better standards than the common pirates around the sea. Ever since the day that completely changed her perspective, she was a new woman. "But even though we go by that word, our crew only takes from rich scoundrels or from other pirates"

"That is good…" He sighed, and she could notice that he was quite tired. She knew that Spider-Man was the only hero that she personally knew that was fighting bad guys on a daily basis. She admired that about him, the tenacity he had to keep on going. Even when his body was close to breaking. "And what now?"

"We are going to give everything to the needy!" She exclaimed happily, already awaiting all the thankful words that she had been receiving from people who she had helped. If this was what being a hero was all about, she would have given it a try even earlier. She loved the thankful looms she was recently getting. "Our moral code is what sets us apart from other pirates on the sea."

"You really have changed, Elizabeth…" She sent a wink at him, thankful for his words. She didn't know just how the hero knew of her real name, but she guessed that being called 'Bloody Bess' was not helping at all. It was probably a speculation on his part, one that managed to hit straight at the bullseye.

"And I take pride in it" She really took pride in being a new woman. Unshackled by the chains of her past, she was free for once in her life. She now had the choice to decide whatever she may want to do, and helping people had been her new calling. "When I see the look of appreciation on the faces of those we help, I know we did the right thing" She sighed, letting go of the steering wheel. She walked a few steps, standing in front of the hero that was accompanying her and her crew. She was really enjoying their conversations, not really understanding the suffering others have told her that Spider-Man brought to their lives with his jokes. Though, maybe it was one of his more serious moments. If so, she couldn't wait to hear him banter. Even if she heard snippets from her crew. "And I plan to continue on this path with the rest of my crew as the leader of the newly reformed Crimson Pirates!"

"I hope you are able to accomplish everything that you propose yourself to do, Bess…" She smiled at him, kissing his cheek for his words. She could see the slight shock on the hero's face. She laughed, the lenses of the hero's mask making the funniest expression she had ever seen during this evening. She really was going to enjoy his company.

"Why don't you stay until we give out the goods?" She asked, her voice a bit hopeful. She wanted to get to know the man better, already surprising her with their conversation. She wanted to understand him, what had inspired him to be a hero, everything. She wanted to understand who Spider-Man was, and not just read whatever the media wrote about him.

"Sure… I have nothing else to do" She smiled at him, walking towards the steering wheel with a skip to her step. She was excited to talk with the man. Maybe talking in her private quarters would be a better place to have a conversation than out near the mast, where her crew could eavesdrop on their conversation. She knew that this would be an eventful day, and she could hardly wait until they could really talk about everything.