Green Goblin Appears

"I want to go to the Carnival Parade too!"

In the apartment, Mindy pouted, looking pitiful with tears in her eyes. Today was New York's carnival day, and many citizens would leave their homes to gather in Central Park for a grand parade.

The little girl had been looking forward to this for a long time, and Sean had received an invitation from Harry. He hadn't planned on joining such a lively event, but the thought of witnessing the first showdown between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin firsthand made him accept Young Master Osborn's request.

"I'd love to take you, but you've got an appointment with Teacher John today. You have to go to school for the interview—this is the big deal that decides whether you can actually enroll!"

Sean shrugged helplessly. After discussing it with the little girl, he decided to let Mindy attend school and live a normal girl's life.

He introduced her as his cousin, whose parents had died in a car crash, and who had come from Australia to find family—her tragic backstory and tempting cash had swayed the admissions director of that private school. After some maneuvering, the blonde little girl successfully became a student at the elite private institution, provided she passed interviews with several teachers to prove she had no intellectual deficiencies.

"I'll bring you Burger King as compensation, or take you for Chinese food. A real Chinese restaurant finally opened in Chinatown—that's probably the best news in a while."

Sean comforted the sulking Mindy, feeling like he was fast approaching middle-aged dad territory. Taking in a little girl was like raising a daughter, worrying about everything for her.

"Oh, and remember to act as normal as possible. Don't scare the teachers!"

The young boy cautioned anxiously. Given how abnormal Mindy's previous education had been, her way of thinking was completely different from other kids her age. He was worried that when the school asked about her special skills, she might whip out a butterfly knife or show off some grappling moves—that would be incredibly awkward.

"Fine, fine! You're so annoying!" The tsundere little girl slung her backpack on, flicked her ponytail, and walked out without looking back, clearly still holding a grudge against Sean for ditching her to go to the Carnival Parade alone.

With the little tagalong dealt with, Sean changed into a well-fitted suit, hailed a taxi, and headed toward Central Park.

"Maybe I should buy a car," he thought to himself.

Central Park, known as New York's "backyard," has always been a favorite leisure spot for citizens. As the largest urban park in New York City, it boasts beautiful scenery, vast stretches of lush little forests, and spacious courtyards and open-air theaters.

Today, the wide plaza was packed with surging crowds as citizens poured in. Colorful ribbons and countless balloons floated in the sky, Disney cartoon characters were everywhere, capturing children's interest and gazes. The festive atmosphere infected everyone, and they cheered and played joyfully, their laughter echoing overhead, merging into a roaring ocean of celebration.

Harry, along with his girlfriend Mary Jane, had arrived early at a reserved hotel suite. This historic luxury hotel happened to be located near Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. From the well-positioned observation deck, one could take in the entire view of Central Park—the perfect spot to watch the Carnival Parade.

"I wonder if Dad will come. And those two, Peter and Sean—why aren't they here yet..."

Harry realized he and his girlfriend were the first to arrive and felt a bit frustrated. Peter had recently hit a low point in life—the uncle who raised him had been shot and killed. Young Master Osborn wanted to help his best friend move past the pain of losing a loved one. As for Sean, since starting college, aside from attending classes on time, he was hardly ever seen, as if he was busy with something.

But one thing worth noting was that Sean had joined the independent research lab of Dr. Connors, a visiting professor at the State University of New York, as an intern assistant. This surprised Harry—he'd never heard before that Sean had any special talent or interest in genetics and biology.

As for his best friend Peter, he heard the guy was working hard to become the lead photographer for the Daily Bugle. All the Spider-Man photos published by that paper were taken by him alone, which added a decent income to Parker's previously tight finances.

Both friends had their own lives, while Harry, aside from spending time alone with Mary Jane every day, didn't know what to do. He had little interest in inheriting his father's company—the hypocritical socializing of the business world and the dull industrial production gave Young Master Osborn a headache. For a moment, Harry, arm in arm with his girlfriend, felt lost about the future, unsure where to go.

"Harry, your father isn't coming?" A voice interrupted Harry's thoughts. He turned and saw two of his father's business partners, Mr. Barr and Mr. Fay.

"He said he'd come, but I haven't seen him yet," Harry said dejectedly. Maybe his father was busy with some work—he was always like that.

"We were about to tell him some good news."

Mr. Barr and Mr. Fay smiled eerily. Osborn Industries, having lost its last lifeline—the Department of Defense contract—would soon be sold at a high price to Wall Street bankers. A huge profit would fall into their pockets. That was something worth celebrating.

As for Norman Osborn, who cared about a loser? Mr. Barr and Mr. Fay had always wanted to carve up Osborn Industries like a big cake, but Norman had stubbornly blocked them, trying to transform the company into a defense procurement enterprise, a military-industrial giant like Stark Industries.

"How ridiculous." Mr. Barr and Mr. Fay exchanged glances, turned, and walked to the other side to enjoy the carnival feast in Central Park.

Waves of cheers and noise surged into the sky. On the large stage, a red-clad black woman sang passionately, swaying her bulky body. The high-energy rock song, driven by a strong beat, instantly ignited the crowd's enthusiasm, applause rolling in wave after wave.

A taxi pulled over at the edge. The ever-growing crowd blocked the road ahead. Sean got out, looked up, and saw ribbons and hot air balloons floating like colorful clouds, almost blotting out the sky.

"I wonder if Harry's here yet?" Sean stared at the sea of people, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Before long, he spotted Peter in the crowded throng. The young Spider-Man was holding a camera, snapping photos nonstop, looking thoroughly absorbed.

Sean was about to go say hello when a series of sharp laughs cut through the air. The singer on stage stopped, and the lively, cheerful atmosphere paused. People looked up—a strange man in green armor, riding a bat-like glider, weaved between ribbons and balloons, laughing wildly.

"Haha! Happy holidays!"

The strange man piloted the oddly shaped glider. His terrifying demonic helmet had eyes glowing with green malice, radiating cruelty. He looked down at the surging crowd below and tossed down several pumpkin-shaped bombs.

"A gift for you!"

Several booming explosions erupted, bright flames shooting into the sky, accompanied by deafening blasts. The people at the Carnival Parade panicked, scattering in all directions. Chaos reigned as everyone screamed and ran. The stage, built for the event, collapsed under the crowd's impact, wires tangling together and bursting into sparks of fire.

Sean watched the strange man in the sky, thinking that, just like in the original timeline, the Green Goblin had made his flashy debut by crashing the carnival.

PS: Just because I wrote about a little girl, you Esteemed Readers labeled me a pervert... That's too harsh...

Actually, I'm a onee-san lover (ω)