Chapter 270: Chapter 202: Across the Spider-Verse (27)
As the smoke begins to clear, the silhouette of two figures emerges. The room falls into a stunned silence as everyone recognizes the arrival of the Legendary Spider-Man, Michael Wilson, and his disciple, Peter Parker, also known as Spider-Man Red.
Miguel narrows his eyes, his expression a mix of shock and confusion. "Michael Wilson," he mutters, his voice laced with tension. His mind races, trying to understand how the one anomaly he couldn't control has appeared here, now of all times.
Whispers ripple through the crowd of Spider-People.
"Is that... Michael Wilson?"
"The infamous anomaly Miguel warned us about?"
"Isn't he the one who changed a whole universe without facing any consequences?"
The murmurs continue as more Spider-People exchange concerned glances. Michael's reputation precedes him—an unpredictable force even in a world of anomalies.
Peter B., standing nearby with baby Mayday strapped securely to his chest, murmurs, "Michael..." His voice is tinged with familiarity and unease, memories of past battles and victories flashing in his mind.
Gwen looks at Michael with a complicated expression. She feels torn between loyalty, admiration, and the weight of the situation, but her eyes eventually drift to Miles, who looks like he's barely holding it together.
Michael smirks, brushing off the tension with an air of confidence. "Seems like I'm famous, huh?" he quips, his casual demeanor a stark contrast to the gravity of the moment.
Without warning, Miles sprints toward Michael, unable to hold back his emotions. "Michael!!" he shouts, his voice cracking as tears well up in his eyes.
Michael meets him halfway, catching him in a warm embrace. "Yow, Miles," he says softly, patting him on the back. "You've grown."
Miguel's patience snaps. "Tell me!!" he yells, cutting through the air like a blade. The room tenses as all eyes turn back to the confrontation.
Michael releases Miles and turns his gaze toward Miguel, his expression hardening. He gently nudges Miles behind him. "Stay behind me, Miles." he instructs, his voice calm but firm.
Miles nods, wiping his eyes as he steps back, still feeling the warmth of Michael's protection.
Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man Red, steps up beside Michael, his stance ready and alert. "Captain, what should we do?" he asks, his respect for Michael evident in his tone.
Miles glances at Spider-Man Red, surprised. "Captain?"
Spider-Man Red grins, sensing the curiosity. "Oh, you must not know me yet. I'm Peter Parker from another dimension. I'm also Michael Wilson's disciple."
He continues with a friendly nod, "I've heard a lot about you from the Captain."
Miles smiles faintly, some of his tension easing. "I've heard about you too... from Michael."
Miguel, growing increasingly agitated, interrupts their reunion. "Enough! Tell me, Michael—how did you even get here without a watch?!"
Michael's eyes gleam, the hint of a smirk playing at his lips. "Miguel, you still think a watch is what limits me?"
Miguel's eyes narrow as he processes Michael Wilson's presence. "Now that I think about it," he says with an edge in his voice, "you have a strange ability to pull things out of thin air."
The crowd of Spider-People exchange uneasy glances.
"What? What kind of power is that?"
"A dimensional pocket? A portal?"
"Is that why he's an anomaly?"
Michael rolls his eyes, clearly annoyed by the chatter. "You bastards, I can hear you all." he mutters with a smirk.
Meanwhile, Miles, desperate and overwhelmed, pleads with his mentor. "Michael, please help me... my fa... my dad..." His voice cracks as tears well up in his eyes.
Michael places a reassuring hand on Miles' shoulder. "I know, Miles. You don't have to tell me." He meets Miles' pleading eyes with a firm nod. "Let me handle this as your teacher."
He then shifts his gaze to Peter B., who's been watching the exchange closely. "Hey Pete, it's been a while," Michael says, his tone softer. He notices the baby strapped to Peter's chest and grins. "Looks like our advice worked out, huh?"
Peter B. chuckles, looking between Michael and Miles. "Well, what can I say? You two are kind of motivational speakers in your own chaotic way."
The brief moment of warmth is quickly shattered by Miguel's angry outburst. "What are you trying to do with Miles?!" His voice echoes through the room, filled with frustration and suspicion.
Michael turns back to Miguel, his expression growing serious. "Let Miles go. Let him save his father."
"Bullshit!" Miguel snaps, stepping forward. "Do you have any idea how much I've sacrificed to fix universes torn apart by anomalies trying to break canon events? I'm not letting this one slip away!"
The tension in the room thickens. Gwen looks at Michael with conflicted eyes, her emotions in turmoil. She wants to believe in what Miles and Michael stand for, but the fear of unraveling everything they've worked to protect holds her back.
Peni, still inside her SP//dr suit, watches quietly, her gaze shifting between Miguel and Michael. Her usual cheerful demeanor is replaced with uncertainty and unease.
Michael, unfazed by the chaos, takes a deep breath. "You're making this harder than it has to be, Miguel. We both know what happens when you force a script onto people who refuse to follow it. You end up breaking more than you fix."
Hobie chuckles, his voice dripping with a mix of admiration and rebellion. "He really is the Legendary Spider-Man." he says, smirking as if he knew all along
Miguel's eyes blaze with anger. "I'm trying to protect the multiverse, Michael! You're just here to stir up more chaos!"
Michael's smirk returns. "Or maybe I'm here to show you that not everything is written in stone. Sometimes, the real power lies in rewriting the story."
Miguel's frustration boils over as he snaps, "You!!! This isn't the time, and you know it!!!"
Michael's eyes harden, but his voice remains firm. "I know, Miguel. But I'm still going to choose to save someone—even if it means destroying a canon event."
Miguel clenches his fists, spitting out, "Estúpido."
Peter B. quickly covers Mayday's ears, muttering, "Sorry, kiddo, you don't need to hear this mess."
Miguel's eyes narrow. "Is that why you changed your Peter's canon event, Michael?"
Miles's eyes widen in shock. "Wait… what?" This revelation catches him off guard. It's clear that everyone else—Gwen, Peter B., and the other Spider-People—already knew about Michael's past actions. Miguel must have told them before Miles arrived.
Spider-Man Red turns toward his mentor, confusion and concern etched on his face. "What? Captain, what is he talking about? Mike?"
Miguel steps forward, his voice dripping with accusation. "Looks like you kept him in the dark, huh? You didn't tell him about his canon event, did you?"
Michael's face darkens as he glares at Miguel. "Shut up, Miguel."
But Miguel isn't backing down. "Let me tell you, kid. Your Uncle Ben was supposed to die—"
"I SAID SHUT UP!!" Michael's voice rings out like a whip crack, cutting through the tension in the room.
Spider-Man Red's breath catches. "What? My Uncle Ben? My canon event—what is he talking about?" His voice trembles as he looks at Michael, desperate for answers.
Michael's voice is laced with regret as he turns to his disciple. "Pete, I…"
But before he can explain, Miguel cuts in, determined to drive the point home. "What I mean is that your uncle was supposed to die—that was your story. But Michael changed that canon event!"
Spider-Man Red's expression shifts from confusion to realization. "So, my uncle was supposed to die… and Captain changed it?"
Miguel nods, his tone urgent. "And now that he's done that, we have no idea what the outcome of your story will be, Peter Parker! Even though there's no quantum hole yet, we still don't know what the ripple effects will be. You don't understand how dangerous that is, Michael!"
Miles, hearing all this for the first time, feels a chill run down his spine. The idea of Michael destroying the other canon event is new to him. He finally begins to grasp the gravity of the situation.
[Quantum Hole: When a canon event is disrupted or something interferes with how it is "supposed" to go, a Quantum Hole will form. The Spider-Person of that universe will disappear or be erased from existence.]
Michael struggles to find the words. "I—" he begins, but his disciple interrupts with unexpected enthusiasm.
"Whoooah!! It means my teacher is amazing!" Spider-Man Red exclaims, a broad grin spreading across his face.
Miguel's eyes widen in disbelief. "What? Huh?"
Peter B. can't help but chuckle, the tension easing just slightly.
Gwen watches them all, her eyes lingering on Michael, Spider-Man Red, and Miles. Her thoughts begin to spiral, wondering if Michael really could change the outcome of a canon event. If anyone could defy the rules of the multiverse and succeed, it might be him.
Gwen clenches her fists, a spark of hope igniting within her. "Maybe… maybe if it's Michael Wilson, he could save my dad." she thinks, her mind racing with possibilities.
Jessica Drew watches the scene unfold, her gaze shifting between Michael and Miguel. Deep down, she admires Michael's courage to walk a different path, to break free from the rigid rules of the multiverse. But there's a gnawing fear within her too—the fear of what Michael's actions could unleash.
Miguel grits his teeth, his frustration mounting. "This kid…" he mutters as he glares at Spider-Man Red, annoyed by the disciple's blind loyalty.
Peter B hesitates, torn between old friendships and harsh realities. "Michael, I…"
Michael's eyes meet Peter B's with a sharp intensity. "Pete, why are you siding with Miguel on this?" There's a tinge of hurt in his voice, knowing Peter B has always been someone who questioned authority.
Peter B looks down, a mix of regret and conviction on his face. "Michael, I hate the idea of letting the canon events play out. I hate that we have to stand by and watch people we care about suffer. But I also know what happens when we try to change things that are supposed to stay fixed. The universe… it starts to fall apart. I can't let that happen again."
Michael's expression softens as he recalls the trauma Peter B and Miguel experienced. They had watched helplessly as an entire universe was erased, its reality torn apart by a quantum hole, all because of one broken canon event. Despite all their efforts, even with their combined strength, they couldn't save Miguel's daughter. It was a tragedy that left scars on both men—a constant reminder of how delicate the multiverse truly is.
Michael's voice carries a quiet understanding. "I get it, Pete. You're trying to protect everyone. But sometimes, protecting everyone means going against what's written. I've already walked this path, and I'm not about to let Miles lose his father if I can help it."
The room falls silent as the tension builds. It's not just a fight about Miles or a single canon event—it's a clash of ideals, of different visions for the future. Michael stands firm, ready to challenge the very foundation of what the Spider-Verse stands for.
Miguel, fists clenched, prepares to respond. "You're playing with forces you can't control, Michael. You're risking everything!"
Michael's expression softens as he sees the desperation in Miguel's eyes, but he doesn't waver. "Stop this now, Miguel. You don't have to go down this path. It's never too late to make the right choice."
Miguel's eyes narrow, his tone sharp. "Nah, I'm not gonna stop." He steps closer, locking eyes with Michael, and says coldly, "You have to hand over Miles to me—or else."
Michael doesn't flinch. "Else what?"
Miguel's voice drips with menace. "You know what I'm capable of. Don't make me show you."
Michael tilts his head slightly, unfazed. "How am I supposed to know what you're planning when you won't even say it?"
Miguel's temper snaps. "Fuck you, Michael!" he shouts, frustration spilling out.
But Michael just chuckles, keeping his cool even in the face of Miguel's anger.
Meanwhile, Takuya Yamashiro watches the tense exchange, his eyes flicking between Michael and Spider-Man Red. He sighs, scratching his head. "I was just supposed to escort these two… and now I find out that guy's the legendary Michael Wilson? What a day." he mutters under his breath.
Takuya can sense the weight of the situation, but deep down, he knows this confrontation is far more than just about rules or canon events. It's about how each person chooses to bear the burden of being a hero. As he watches, he quietly prepares himself, ready to jump in if things go south.
The air crackles with tension as Michael stands his ground. He's not just protecting Miles—he's defending the very idea that sometimes, doing what's right means breaking the rules.
The clash between Michael and Miguel is inevitable, but as the moment lingers, it becomes clear that every Spider-Person in the room is choosing sides, whether they realize it or not.
To be continue
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