"Avengers! Assemble!" Hope screamed, holding up the cut out she made of me.
"YA!" Morgan cried out as she moved a holographic army of faceless soldiers against another army of faceless soldiers that had kidnapped a very real barbie doll.
The mock battle had giant space monsters, similar to the Chitauri army, and the good guys had holographic members of the Avengers, and they were all running across the dining table that had been cleared for their use.
Apparently the girls were playing heroes and princesses, where the former saved the latter. The holograms were apparently something Morgan figured out how to make herself. Pepper had bragged about it, how she figured out how to display the armies with FRIDAY's help.
The two girls were busy wrapped up in their own fantasy world happening in the dining room, they didn't even look at the living room where the situation wasn't as easy going.
Jean, Felicia, Wanda, Johnny and I sat in the living room couch. Steve had taken a seat on a chair to one side while Pepper sat across from us in another comfortable looking seat. The rest of them surrounded us, eyeing us carefully. Pepper and Rhodey still wore their suits, obviously on edge.
"So..." the Spider-man with good hair turned to my Wanda and the one from this world, "this is weird right? It's not just me?"
"Agreed," T'Challa replied, eyeing the suit Felicia was currently wearing.
"You need something, buddy?" Felicia asked with a raised eyebrow, "you're going to burn a hole into the suit if you keep staring."
"I doubt vibranium will burn," T'Challa replied, the implication left unspoken.
"Keep looking at me like that and it will," Felicia snorted, "plus, if I didn't make it obvious before, I'm not really looking for anyone right now."
"That's not-" T'Challa sighed, rubbing his nose, "I just knew this would be trouble," he grumbled and spoke clearly, "the vibranium in your suit, where did you get it?"
"From another world?" Felicia shrugged, "what does it matter to you?"
"I suppose it doesn't..." T'Challa replied.
"I believe what my brother means is that your suit is amazing," Shuri spoke up quickly, the beads around her wrist coming alive, analyzing Felicia's suit, "kinetic absorption, bulletproof, fireproof, temperate adjustment and...something I can't seem to pick up on. Who made the suit?"
Felicia turned to me, "who do you think? Perfect birthday present if I do say so myself."
"Dude! That is so cool!" Shuri replied, typing away at the holographic screen that came out of her beads, "mind if I steal some of your designs?"
"Sure," I replied, "go ahead." Once again silence fell over the group, the sound of Shuri mumbling under her breath about Felicia's suit design was the only noise heard.
"Perhaps it is time to address the elephant in the room," Doctor Strange spoke up, clearing his throat, "maybe we can begin with introductions first?"
"Right," I nodded, "Peter Parker, in my world, I'm Spider-man, you all know that."
"Felicia Hardy," my Kitten went next, flipping her hair over her shoulder, "the Black Cat and current avatar of Bast."
"What?!" Shuri, T'Challa and the Dora Milaje all cried out as one.
"Oh yeah, I forgot you worship Bast don't you?" I said, my brain plopping out that vital piece of information now.
"You are the Panther Goddess's avatar?!" T'Challa asked, his eyes going wide, looking the woman over, "you?"
"Yes, why the look?" Felicia asked, flexing her fingers, summoning a phantom projection of a large cat's paw over her arm, an avatar of Bast's magic, "because, again, it's starting to get uncomfortable."
"I am the goddess champion," T'Challa explained, "how did you become her avatar?"
"Long story short?" Felicia sighed, "I stole her amulet, she got pissed. Tried to kill me but we sorted it out."
"...By Bast," T'Challa sighed, rubbing his head, "I cannot even ...you said you did this on your Earth, correct?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Shuri, see if you can track that amulet on our world," T'Challa quickly ordered, his mind picking up on the implication of an amulet with a direct connection to his deity being somewhere on his own world, "and then put our agents on acquiring it, make it our top priority."
"Doing so now brother," Shuri hummed as she took a picture of the amulet around Felicia's neck, sending it away into her database.
"So...your a goddess?" Sam Wilson asked, his eyebrow frowned, "like Thor?"
"Nope, New York girl born and raised," Felicia shrugged, "I just picked this up."
"I almost hesitate to ask about you," Sam turned to Jean, ignoring Wanda's doppelgangers.
"Jean Grey, I am a mutant," Jean explained, seeing their confused looks she turned to me and asked telepathically, 'don't they have our kind here?'
I shook my head, "a mutant is a sub-race of the human race on my Earth. Individuals born with abilities, I would be considered a proto-mutant, man-made mutation."
"So, what can you do?" Bucky asked, with a tone of worry.
``I can speak to you through your mind,' Jean replied telepathically, smiling as the people from this Earth flinched in shock.
"Holy shi-" Hulk's eyes widened, "does that mean-"
"-No, I won't read your thoughts, without your permission," Jean smiled, immediately the Peter of this world blushed, "don't worry, I've seen it all. You should see what this one thinks off half the time," she smirked, elbowing me, "I swear, fatherhood has made you more frisky Tiger."
"Jean, do you have to make me out as a sexual deviant?" I rolled my eyes, "I literally just got their respect."
"I'm sure," Jean rolled her eyes.
"Wait, so would I be considered a mutant?" Johnny asked, confused.
"No, you got your powers after, you're like me," I explain with a shrug, "well, not exactly..."
Johnny grinned, "yeah," he then noticed everyone looking at him expectantly, "oh, right, Johnny Storm, I'm a walking fireball," to demonstrate he held out his hand and light it on fire.
"Woah! That's so cool!" the Peter with the good hair cried out.
"Thanks, man," Johnny grinned, turning to me, "why can't you be that in awe?"
I rolled my eyes, "I've seen you do that hundreds of times Johnny, now put that out before you set off the smoke alarms." Johnny rolled his eyes and did so.
"And I suppose I'm next," my Wanda spoke up, drawing everyone's attention to her, especially this world's Wanda. My Wanda stood up, walked over to her doppelganger and looked her over, "a bit older, maybe...and your hair," my Wanda reached up to her darker and shorter auburn hair, "I like it."
"Yes, I...I grew it myself?" the other Wanda said, unsure, "you're me?"
"Yes...you got your powers through the Mind Stone?"
"Yes."
"Did your father abandoned you?"
"No he… he died," the reply shocked my Wanda.
"No mutant Wanda," I say softly, "Erik was just a human, not Magneto...he died in this world. So did your brother."
My Wanda's eyes went wide, "Pietro is dead here?"
The Other Wanda's eyes watered, "he-he is alive? On your home?"
"Y-yes...I would never have thought…." My Wanda turned to me, "you said the multiverse is infinite...I suppose one were he died is ...damn it all… how?"
"By saving someone, a child and Clint," Steve stepped up, putting a gentle hand on his world's Wanda, "maybe we should not learn any more about other worlds...less we know the fewer regrets we relive..."
"So your friends found a way to you, using," Paper looked to the box containing the Reality stone of our world in it, "that...I didn't think I would ever see one of those again."
"An Infinity stone..." Hulk whispered, "you need to get rid of it. Now, the power, the temptation-"
"-Not a problem," I reply, taking the box containing the red liquid and open the top. The other flinched, moving away as I reached in and pulled out a fully stable and motionless jelly-like substance.
"How is that thing not trying to eat you?" Rhodey asked, powering down his weapons.
"When an Infinity Stone is taken from its own reality to another, it loses its power," I reply, moving the jelly around to demonstrate, "it's just...jelly now. Powerless. The Reality stone can be used to bring people into other worlds but once they are there, well, it becomes useless."
"So, you risked your lives on one chance?" Rhodey asked, "that's insane."
"What's insane is a black hole taking your daughter and boyfriend out of your home without explanation," Jean shot back, "trying to find them is anything but."
I smiled, putting the dead infinity stone back into its container, putting it away, "yeah...I still can't believe you found us..."
"It was Wanda's idea," Jean admitted, turning to the woman, "she kept us all together."
Wanda sighed, running her hand down her hair, "it's not a big deal. I just figured I should do something before goes all Phoenix and burns everything."
"I wasn't that bad," Jean protested, to which Wanda, Felicia, and Johnny all leveled her a scratching stare. The redhead blushed, "okay...maybe a little..."
"You threatened to blow up a planet Jean," Felicia rolled her eyes.
"It was the moon!" Jean cried out, "and you know I was just overreacting! I wouldn't have done it..." she ended quietly like a child got caught doing something they shouldn't have.
"I don't even know if you all are joking by this point," Sam whispered, the others sharing similar looks.
"Kind of," Felicia sighed, "it's a long story, and we don't have time for it."
"Exactly," I got up, "it's time we leave. Pepper, thank you, for...everything," I nodded to the woman who just nodded, still a little lagging behind on the whole situation. I turned to the other Spider-men in the room, "you still want to come with?"
"Hell yeah," the Amazing Spider-man replied, getting up quickly, "I owe that energy vampier a punch in the fucking teeth. Assuming he's still alive like you think."
"I'm coming as well," this world's Peter Parker nodded as well, "until we resolve this, May and anyone close to me won't be safe."
"I am as well," this world's Wanda stood up, her eyes shifting between me, My Wanda and the Amazing Spider-man, "I wish to help."
"Then there's only one thing left to say," Johnny grinned as he got up, "assemble!"
…
Everyone in the room seemed to automatically agree to just ignore that last bit. Except for Steve, who just seemed to smile a bit.
"First stop is our homeworld," I held up the portal watch my colleagues and I spent the whole day fixing and perfecting. I turned to Jean, "I want you and Johnny to take Hope home and keep her safe."
"But I-"
"Jean a blackhole tried to swallow our daughter. You are the best shot we have to destroy something like that if it tries again. Agreed?"
Jean looked ready to argue, but sighed, nodding, "yeah...your right. Nothing more important than her being safe...I'll do it."
"And what about me?" Johnny sulked, "I also came across universes to find you you know. Now you want me to leave?"
"I want you to protect my daughter, Johnny, because I trust you more than almost anyone else," I replied back, placing my hand on his shoulder, "you're my best friend Johnny, I trust you."
Johnny seemed a bit taken aback, I'll admit, I we never really admitted the fact that we were our best friends. It was just something we knew was real, it didn't need to be said. He grinned, "you trust me more than anyone else?"
"No, I'm sending Jean with you, aren't I?" I grinned back.
"Before you leave, may I suggest something?" Doctor Strange spoke up, earning everyone's gaze.
"Damn, he even sounds like our Strange," Jean replied communicated to Felicia, Wanda and me.
"He acts like it too," Felicia grumbled.
"We need to ensure these Inheritors and other beings don't pose a threat to our plane of reality," Strange explained, turning to Felicia, "and the fact that gods from other worlds can just casually drop-in is...disturbing. I propose that until the situation with the Inheritors is over, we treat it as a hostile invasion. Mrs. Stark, can you contact the UN and have them put the world on the watch? Just in case another extra-dimensional threat arrives that we don't know about."
"Are you thinking about the Inheritors or...something else?" I asked, implying Strange's plan was actually for the white-cloaked Doom he saw in his visions.
Strange nodded, "both."
"Fine, okay, whatever," Pepper sighed, rubbing her nose and sighing, "how did Tony put up with this shit?"
"Whiskey," Rhodey replied.
"Hope! Honey!" Jean got up first, moving to the living room, "we need to go!"
"But I don't want to!" Hope cried out. I sighed, I asked the others to meet us outside by the pier near the lake, promising to join them soon.
Jean and I entered the living room and saw Morgan and Hope looking up at us with wide innocent eyes. I could smell their desire to keep this budding friendship going on for a long time, even Jean turned to me with a pleading look. As parents...this was new ground for us.
I wrapped an arm around Jean and pulled her close, showing her we were in this together. "Hope, we have to get home now," I tell my little girl, "mommy and Aunty Felicia and Wanda came a long way to get us."
"But daddy! Morgan and I are still playing!" Hope cried out.
"I know, but it's getting late Hope," I sighed, "you can play some other time."
"When?" Hope asked, looking a little hopeful. Gods, the puns I can make in my own head.
"I….we," I turned to Jean. She looked even more unsure than me. Having playdates with Morgan wasn't going to be possible. This is a one time deal, we both knew it.
"I can't lie to her Jean," I told my red-haired lover.
"I….I know," Jean smiled, reaching up and cupped my chin, "you won't have to. I'll step in Tiger."
Jean moved forward and closed the mental connection we shared. She then kneeled before Hope and stared at the girl. Immediately I could detect the mental connection Jean formed between Hope and her. The way my daughter's face kept changing expression without a word being said outwards confirmed as much.
I tried to listen in, figure out what was being said, but they blocked me out. Slowly though, I saw Hope's eyes slowly start to water. She began to sniffle, Morgan grew worried, "Hopey? What happened?"
"I need to go Morggy," Hope said, calling Morgan by a nickname, "mommy says it's important."
"Oh...when can we play?"
"I don't know, but I'll try," Hope replied, turning to Jean and then saying something through her mind.
Jean smiled, nodding, "if anyone can do it, your dad can."
That made Hope grin, she turned to Morgan, "soon! Mommy said daddy can do it so I'll try to come again and play Morgy! Promise!"
Morgan smiled, "cool! Next time, I want to be Thor! He's so cool and fat! Uncle Thor once let me ride his shoulders!"
With that, the two girls bolted out to the back. I joined Jean and we walked behind them. I turned to her and whispered, "what did you tell her?"
"What I tell myself whenever I'm in a tough situation," Jean smiled, "that you would be there to help. So while she can't see for some time, I told her you would find a way to see her again."
I snorted, "you know, you're something of an amazing parent yourself, Jean."
"Oh I know I am," Jean replied, "I'm just as good as you buster, I just assured Hope you'll do fix it because that's your category. I'm the fun parent."
"Bullshit, I'm the fun parent," I argued back. Who does this hot bird think she is?
"Oh yeah? What fun thing did you and Hope do while you were gone?" Jean challenged.
"We visited Venice," I grinned.
Jean raised an eyebrow, "and? Did Hope have fun?"
"Yeah, of course, she did! We went on a boat ride!"
"And…."
"Well… we were attacked by this guy named Mysterio, but that isn't my fault!"
"Peter, Tiger, love of my life. You are an amazing dad, but you are way too responsible to be the fun parent. Trust me on this," she leaned up and kissed me, pulling me down and whispering to my ear, "your fun in other ways."
I smiled as we walked to the pier where everyone was waiting for us. Hope and Morgan said their goodbyes, with the idea that they would see each other soon, maybe even the next day. No one had the heart to tell them that may not be the case.
The Avengers stood by the base of the pier, the Peter Parker of this world, now in his suit, the Amazing Spider-man, on his own, and this world's Wanda joined us at the head of the pier.
"We wish you all the best," Pepper said as she held Morgan in her hands, "whatever you face out there ...kick its butt."
"Yeah! Kick its butt!" Morgan cried out.
"Language," Steve replied, though everyone could tell it was more of a running gag at this point.
"Kid," Rhodey stepped forward, approaching his world's Peter Parker, "you sure you don't want the Iron Spider suit?"
Peter shook his head, "now I...I don't think I'll need it. Plus who knows how it'll react when in another world. The servers that host its system might not work in another reality."
I picked up on that bullshit, and by the looks of things so did the Amazing Spider-man and Rhodey, but we didn't say anything. The colonel just nodded and walked away, though we all did notice just how defeated Peter looked.
"Alright then, first stop, our home," I held up the portal watch and turned it on. I then had it scanned my molecular makeup and determine the dimension I was from. It wasn't a part of the original schematics, but something I added in, super helpful when you wanted to identify and travel to another world you didn't have on record.
The watch's face whirled to life for a few seconds before displaying a number. My world's number: 999.
Felicia looked over my shoulder and whistled, "turn that around and I might not want to go back."
"Maybe," I sighed, typing in the coordinates into the portal watch as to where in my world watch was to open up. "I've programmed it to open upright on the surface of Arachno. I can't, however, pinpoint where on the plant's surface you'll arrive, so you'll look around for a bit."
"It's a good thing we both can fly," Jean and Johnny nodded. "Come on Princess, it's time to go home," Jean reached down and pulled Hope into her arms, the girl waving her tiny hands at Morgan who waved back just as sadly.
"Right," I tapped the screen and held out the watch. Slowly the air before me began to glow. The cold night by the lake began to spark alive as a tear in space and time broke out before us. Cracks of warm purple light came out, crackling alive in short bursts. And then, a portal began opening before us.
"I'll go first," Johnny bravely ventured, "tell you if it's our place or not." I nodded in agreement and Johnny stepped forward, placing his hand next to the portal. And in an instant, I saw a blast of black lightning erupt from the portal.
BOOM!
Johnny was blasted off his feet, thrown into the air. "Johnny!" I cried out, cutting out the portal energy from the watch.
"I got him!" the Amazing Spider-man replied as he jumped and grabbed Johnny, landing on the pier with ease, laying him down.
"Let me take a look!" my Wanda called out as she approached Johnny, summoning several circular magical sigils around his body, monitoring his vitals.
"What happened?" Doctor Strange asked as we all gathered around his body.
"His body seems fine, but his mind seems to be in pain," Wanda whispered, "It seems like a magical whiplash, an overload to his system. But that makes no sense given the fact Johnny doesn't use magic. He can't."
"Then the portal dumped all that energy into him," I quickly deduced as I began messing with the watch's functions, pulling up the data for the last portal made from it's a memory.
"What happened Peter?" Jean asked as she saw a look of anger across my face.
"I don't know," I hissed. I hated not to know, "I can't even begin to explain what I'm looking at Jean. It's like...it's like our world is rejecting us."
"All of us? Or just Johnny?" Jean asked a glance sent to Hope in her arms.
"All of us," I replied, "something has put our world on lockdown. No one can enter it...no, that's not accurate. We can't enter it."
"Who would do such a thing?" Wanda asked.
"Who can do such a thing?" my Wanda asked.
"Something with a lot more power than a mere Sorcerer," Strange said as he snapped his fingers. A blast of fire came out of Johnny's throat and a moment later.
"FUCK!" Johnny cried out in pain as he exploded off the ground, grabbing his chest in shock as he broke out in a cold sweat, "what the fuck hit me?!"
"Fuck?" Morgan repeated.
"Oh for the love of God!" Pepper cried out, "potty training took you two years but this you learn in seconds!"
"It seems something is keeping us out of our home dimension Johnny," I told him as I helped him to his feet, "I'm sorry I didn't notice it before sending it forward Johnny, I...I didn't-"
"-It's fine, I'm alive aren't I?" Johnny smiled, "besides, I'm just glad it wasn't Hope and Jean who got zapped."
"So what now?" Felicia asked.
"You could stay here," Steve offered.
"Not an option," Strange replied, "if the Inheritors come for them, this world will be in danger."
Rhodey didn't like that as he stepped forward, "The Avengers-"
"-Are scattered," Strange replied, "as much as I hate to admit it, we aren't an army anymore ...but there is another army out there who can help them."
"The Superior Spider-man said he was gathering people to help," Peter said, his eyes hopeful, "maybe he managed to get enough to stand a chance!"
"Then that's where we need to go," Felicia nodded, looking at me, "do you know where they might be?"
I tapped on the screen, going to the backlogs I found the home dimension where this watch was created. World, 001. The Loom world, the center of the Multiverse and where the Weaver, the creator of the Web of Life, is said to reside.
The very core of this whole mess.
"Peter," Jean touched my arm, "what's wrong?"
"We're bringing Hope into the middle of a war Jean," I whispered.
"We can't find safe haven back home, we need allies Peter," Jean replied back, "and there is no one I trust more than you. So an army of you, well, it might be the next best thing to the fleet on Arachno."
I looked at her, "an army of Peter Parkers are not the same...don't trust anyone, not with her Jean. Especially the Superior Spider-man."
Jean nodded, "I understand. But why?"
"He's not what he seems," I reply, turning to the others, "fine, it's decided, we go to a world where the Superior Spider-man is gathering his army. Any objections?"
"No," they said, shaking their heads.
I held out the watch and activated it. Slowly another portal formed, but before anyone else I stepped forward and placed my hand against it, it's warm glow was comforting, though I kept waiting for the bit of the lightning to come once more.
It didn't. I turned to the others and nodded, "it's safe. You all go through first, I'll be right behind," I told them. One by one they entered, Johnny and the Amazing Spider-man taking the lead. Jean and Felicia went next to align with the two Wandas. And finally, there was Peter, the MCU Spider-man.
He turned to me and nodded, "you know, the last time I did this we ended up fighting Thanos."
"Something tells me this time will be worse," I replied as he jumped through. I turned to the others, I gave them a two-finger salute, "Avengers, it's been a pleasure."
I then stepped through, closing the portal behind me.
Earth- 2837
"ARGH!" Morlun lifted the several tons and several story tall sentinel-like it was made out of cardboard and threw it into a building.
"Evasive maneuvers!" a white Nick Fury called out from a nearby building rooftop as he guided the SHIELD issued mutant killing sentinel robots at the family of monsters dressed Victorian-era clothes that suddenly appeared in the middle of New York City.
They had torn apart five blocks into rubble within moments. Fury had been forced to use his secret ace in the hole, the classified sentinel project to defend the city. The Avengers were one hour away and every minute that passed by those things seemed to kill people by the dozens.
They ate them, absorbing some form of yellow energy from their bodies. The group comprised of
There was one man dressed in blue, one in a green-hued trench coat, a woman in dark Victorian-era clothing and a set of twins, male and female, wearing a matching set of red and white hunting uniforms.
And leading the group of six was a man that stood at seven feet tall. He looked every bit the patriarch as he was, with a long flowing white beard and mane, dressed in tight fighting Victorian era noble clothing.
"BRING ME THE SPIDER!" the one in blue cried out as he grabbed the leg of an approaching sentinel and used it as a bat, raising him into the air and into a building, increasing his death count by several dozen in that second.
"Damn it to hell," Nick hissed, "all personal move back! Give that space and continue the evacuation!"
"It won't work," a voice called out next to him. Fury turned to see Spider-man, New York's greatest defender land next to him. Fury had never seen Spider-man like this. His suit was ripped apart, hanging on by strands of red and blue. His lens was shattered and his skin was bruised and bleeding. He carried behind him a bag made of webbing, inside of which was something that glowed green.
"You fought them?" Fury asked, looking at the invader through a pair of binoculars.
"I survived them," he replied, "They want me."
"Well tough luck for them, we don't sacrifice our own, no matter the reason."
"Every second we waste another person dies, and it's on my head!" his rage was obvious, his lack of power even more so.
Fury turned to the young man, the man who would be his son's age if Fury ever had one. Who was someone...someone who Fury respected, very much so.
"What's the plan kid?" Fury asked.
"Give them want they want," he replied, pulling out a vial of green liquid from the web sac behind him.
"What's that?"
"I fought them in a hospital, I noticed one of them growing weaker in the x-ray room. Radiation hurts them. This is an aerosol version of radioactive water. Best I can come up with on such a short time. It should be enough to end them, but I have to get close. Like two feet."
"Good, then wait a few moments and I'll-"
"They can catch missiles Fury. And doge them at will. We only have this once shot."
"Then I'll do something else! I'll send a bomb at them so big they can't dodge it!"
"What? Nuke the city?"
"Damn it kid I'm not losing you too!" Fury cried out, throwing his binoculars aside, "I lost your father kid! Peter was a good man! A great man! And I don't-"
"-You know, mom never cried over dad," Ben Parker cut him off as he stood up tall, "not once. She missed him, but she never cried over him. I asked her, I remember asking her why. You know what she told me?" Fury didn't ask, he knew. "She said it's because dad knew the responsibility of his actions. And she knew he would have done nothing less ...goodbye Fury. Kiss mom goodbye for me would you?"
Fury's lone eye teared up, "sure kid," he did not think his liver could manage telling Watson another Parker had died in the line of duty, "and...tell Pete I said hi, alright?"
The boy of fifteen turns to Fury, pulled off his mask and let his red and brown hair breath, "yeah, I will. See you Fury"
Benjamin Peter Parker swung across the city to what he knew would be his death.
"SPIDER!" came another cry.
Ben growled as he heard the cry kill out the other screams for help that came from the dying people around him. He forced himself to ignore them all. Forced himself to keep moving.
He landed on a nearby light post, "oye! Harry Potter rejects!"
The group stopped and turned, all smiling viciously like a lion would a little doe.
But Ben wasn't afraid, he had already accepted his fate.
"Spider?" the one in blue raving like a mad man asked.
"Yeah, that's me, come and get it, pal!" Ben cried out.
"...Not Spider," he spat, sounding almost lunatic.
Ben drowned, "what do you mean? I'm-"
"-I believe my son asked for Peter Parker," a voice turned Ben's feet cold. He turned, ever so slowly, the giant old man, the father, was standing in mid-air behind him, looking at Ben like one would at a meal, "you see, he recently went through a very traumatic event. We brought him back, of course, but it left him scarred. He needs to feed to gain his sanity back. We only thought it was poetic that another Peter Parker fix what one damaged. But it seems there exists no one in this world. Sigh, oh well," he smiled, "you'll have to do."
He grabbed Ben by the neck and ripped off his backpack, "we could smell these a mile away child, clever, but in vain."
He threw the boy onto the ground and the one dressed in blue, Morlun, approached. Ben looked up, his body in pain. Morlun looked down, his eyes slowly focusing on his next victim.
Ben grinned, "so, tell me the truth. You're a virgin right? That's why you're so angry all the time. Sexual frustration."
"GRAH!"
Moruln grabbed him and drained him. Golden light ran from the body's form as he cried out in pain, screaming for help, but none arrived.
In moments, it was done. Morlun dropped the now mummified body of Ben Parker and wiped his mouth, "disgusting."
"Oh look, he speaks," the larger man in green laughed, patting Morgan's back, "it's good to see you back to your senses brother. Though I must say I enjoyed seeing you behave like your natural wild self."
"You enjoyed my suffering Daemos?" Morlun asked.
The big man smiled, "no, I enjoyed you suffer, for once."
"Enough brothers," the elder woman in dressed spoke, "we have restored Morlun's sanity, tell us brother, what caused your clone body to act so hysterical?"
"We know it was a Spider totem," the male twin in hunting clothes said.
"A version of Peter Parker that you have so much trouble with," the female twin snorted.
"It's known of your business!" Morlun hissed, "it is mine and mine-"
"-Enough!" a booming voice stopped them all cold. The patriarch of the family approached them, his massive feet stepped on top of Ben Parker's skull and crushed it into the ground. He didn't even register it was there as he destroyed it, "this is a matter of family Morlun. You will tell us and you will tell us now. What happened?"
Morlun growled, but bowed, "a totem, unlike any I saw before. I was barely finished speaking before he….he broke off my head."
Solus narrowed his eyes, "what makes him stand out so?"
"I...I don't know the father. All I saw before was… a flash of lightning."
Solus's eyes widened by a fraction before returning to normal, "interesting. It would seem we have a new player of note, other than the Superior and his army. Come, children," he said waving his hand, forcing reality apart as a portal appeared before them, "let us continue our hunt."
They smiled savagely as they leaped through the portal, leaving behind a destroyed city and the managed and destroyed the body of the son of Spider-man.
Earth-001
This one felt like I ever entered through before. While all the portals I traveled through before felt like a chaotic mix of a roller coaster ride and the teacup ride from Disneyland, this one felt like stepping through a door.
A purple road surrounded me and in the very next second, it opened up to another world and I was pushed outside.
I landed gracefully enough and looked up to see my group and I standing on top of a large building. We were in a city, a futuristic city that seemed a mix of ancient japan and china along with futuristic New York.
"Okay, so we're...here...which is?" Johnny asked as we looked around, confused.
"Which is Earth-001," a voice suddenly spoke out.
We all looked up and standing on top of a translucent platform were six figures I recognized. One was a Spider-man that took to wearing the UK flag as his costume. The lover cross ending at his chest and his legs full yellow. Spider UK, if I remember correctly.
The other one wore the classic Spider-man costume, with silver tubes instead of black. His spider logo was a bit sharper and...nostalgic. Was it...holy shit, was that Tobey McGaurie's Spider-man?!
The ones next to him were female, one wearing a black and white spider costume, resembling how venom would look on a host, the only difference being her lower jaw and ponytail were exposed. If I were to guess, I would say this one was Anya Corazon. One of the man Sider-women from the 616 universes!
The other female wore a costume I knew all too well, it was the costume Gwen wore as Spider-woman back on my earth, though by the way she acted, I suspect it wasn't the Gwen I was familiar with.
The final female wore the classic spider-man costume, though this one had web gliders under her arm. I honestly couldn't tell who she was though, because of how vague her costume was.
And the one leading them all was in red and black, the red ending in a 'V' shape at his abdomen. He wore a thick lens around his eyes and a backpack on his shoulder.
"I am the Superior Spider-man, welcome fellow Spider totems," he spoke as the platform landed before us and he and his companions stepped off. He looked at the Amazing Spider-man and nodded, "I see you took me up on my offer, good."
"Only because my world got ripped apart by a crazy lunatic named Morlun!" came the reply.
"Which was exactly what I told you would happen," the Superior Spider-Man said, turning to the rest of us, "and I see you brought friends, good, we can always" he stopped, noticing the others with us who weren't Spider totems. And of course, he recognized some of them.
"Johnny Storm, Felicia Hardy, Jean Grey and...two Wanda Maximoff's," Superior Spider-man noted, looking them over, "this is...strange. Why are you here?"
"They are here because we brought them," MCU Spider-man replied, doing his best to act tough. Superior Spider-man turned to him, slowly. He remained silent and I could almost see Peter sweat beneath his mask. He stammered out, "s-sir."
"That may be, but this world is for Spider-people. We cannot afford the distraction."
"Now wait a moment, that's not right," Spider UK stepped in, standing between Superior and us, "we agreed when we began this army that we would help anyone who asked for it."
The one I suspect to be Tobey McGauire nodded, "he's right, with great power-"
"-Don't complete that phrase or I swear I'll serve you to the Inheritors myself," Superior hissed, "I swear, I have heard that more times than any of you have ever said it."
"Then maybe you should listen," Spider Gwen replied.
"We are here to help," I finally spoke up, walking to the front of my group, passed Spider UK and stopped right in front of the Superior Spider-man. I towered over him by a good few inches, "the Inheritors are after us and those we care for. You said we're fighting them, then let's fight."
"This is a Spider totem matter," Superior hissed, "you put your friends in danger by involving them."
"I put them in danger by not," I replied back, "They can help. So can we."
"Him especially," The Amazing Spider-man popped in, "remember I told you Morlun was chasing me? Well, this guy right here socked him across the jaw and put him down! Permanently! He's like that bald anime guy with the cape! The Caped Baldy dude!"
Superior seemed to consider the advice and turned to me, "which Earth are you from?"
"Earth 999," I replied.
"I see. And you killed an Inheritor? By yourself?" Superior asked.
I nodded, "yes, I did."
"How?"
"I punched him really hard."
The others chuckled, Superior did not. He clicked his teeth, "don't take me for a ride. Answer the question."
"I am unlike other totems," I explained, "for one I am more than just a Spider-man. I'm also a sorcerer," I held out my hands and formed a red magical circle around me, "and doing so allows me minute access to the Web of Life's power. A sliver, but it's enough."
"You can access the Web of Life?!" Anya cried out, her eyes going wide like a child on Christmas.
I nodded, "yes, it's-"
"-P-Peter?" the woman in the classic Spider-man costume asked.
I turned to her, her tone of voice sounded fragile, like a glass structure ready to shatter at a moment's notice. But I recognized it, I knew it, I knew it very well.
"M-May?" I asked.
She pulled off her mask revealing a red eyes tear stricken Mayday Parker, the daughter of Spider-man from Earth-982. My friend.
She rushed into my arms, crying and I held onto her, holding her close. I turned to Felicia, the woman recognized her from my stories. So did Jean and Johnny. Especially Johnny.
"May, what's wrong?" I asked, running my hand down her back like I do to Hope every time she grew upset.
May pulled away and looked up into my eyes, I smelled despair and torture drip out of every pore in her body, "m-my dad. They killed my dad."
And I felt my stomach drop.
Holding May in my arms I felt cold. I didn't know what to say, all I could do was hold the girl that was slowly falling apart in her hands, like an ice sculpture that was melting.
She was crying, every sob felt like a river of ice crashing down over my head. I couldn't do a thing, I couldn't say a thing. Expect gently rub my hand down her back like I do with Hope every time she gets upset.
"This is getting too melodramatic," Superior spoke up, "pick yourself up girl, you are the daughter of Spider-man, you cannot wallow in self-pity."
I narrowed my eyes at him, while I agreed with the spirit of his message, he should have framed it better.
"She lost her father, people are allowed to drive," I hissed at the man, turning to the one I guessed to be Tobey McGuire underneath that silver web lined suit, "she needs to lie down, do we have a base of operations?"
"Yeah," the spider-man replied as he pointed to a faraway building that looked like a massive golden dome. It had pillars all around it, sort of like a goody western Taj Mahal, "it's where Master Weaver is. The Web Warriors use it as their base."
"You're one of us to Peter, better get used to it," Spider-Gwen replied, elbowing the Spider-man. She turned to me and the others and motioned to the translucent platform she was standing on, "come on, we can get you there on this."
We agreed and slowly got onto the transparent platform, Jean, however, chose to fly there on her own with Hope in hand as the platform seemed to get a bit crowded.
By now May's tears had dried up. She hung off my side, looking at the people behind us, giving Johnny a smile, "Hey Johnny, long time."
The Human Torch gulped, "hey girl who forgot to mention she was the daughter of my best friend who I certainly did not hit on."
May chuckled, "so you finally get how weird that was for me?"
Johnny shuddered, "yeah, trust me, I know. But am I getting used to the awkwardness of human spider relations."
May nodded, spotting Jean next with Hope in her arms.
"Wait, is that," she turned to me, her eyes wide open in surprise.
I smiled, "Hope Leia Parker. My daughter. You can guess who her mother is," I smiled at Jean. I held out a hand, "Princess, come here, there's someone I want you too met."
Hope looked at her mother who nodded encouragingly. Jean flew closer to us, allowing Hope to slowly levitate out of her mother's arms and into mine.
"Woah, how did she do that?" Anya, the spider-girl of Earth 616, asked, the others looking at her curiously.
"She's psychic, obviously," Superior explained, "I sunrise she inherited her mother's gifts?"
I nodded, "you would be correct," I held Hope in my arms and turned to May, "Princess, this is May...she's your aunt," I figured calling May Hope's sister would confuse the kid to all hell as May and I was around the same age.
"I have another aunty?" Hope asked, turning to May, now less shy, "is she a Spider too?"
I grinned, "she is," I motioned to the others, "they all are."
"Cool!" Hope cried out, her eyes glittering, "can you all climb up walls like my daddy? Can you shoot webs? Can you make cool stuff?"
"That and more," Superior said with a proud tone. Was this guy seriously showing off in front of a kid? Did he think my kid would ever, for one second consider him cooler than her own dad? Pfft, as if.
"She's an active one huh?" Spider UK chuckled, "how old is she?"
"One," Hope replied quickly, smiling at the compliment. Everyone looked confused, turning to me and the others. Jean looked away, I sighed.
"It's complicated, something's….affecting her growth rate," I explained, "in the last universe I visited I met a version of Doctor Strange that suggested it could be because of some childhood trauma she faced, but I can't be certain."
"What childhood trauma?" Spider-Gwen asked with an edge to her voice.
"The Shi'ar Empire kidnapped me when I was pregnant," Jean replied, looking at me curiously as she hadn't heard about my encounter with Strange before, "is that why…."
"It's my best guess," I told her, "I began training her in the ways of a sorcerer. She's good, hopefully, we can figure out what's going on before…."
I stopped myself, couldn't bring myself to imagine anything happening to Hope. And then I turned to May, who's eyes looked hollowed out, I smelt the despair come again.
"May...what happened?" I asked the girl I considered a sister of sorts.
"He….he came at night, we were having dinner, all four of us."
"Four?" I blinked, trying to recall what I was forgetting.
"Four," May nodded with a smile, "I have a baby brother now, Ben. He was born a year or so after you left."
My eyes widened, "holy...alright, baby brother, go it..."
May sighed, "he was fussing that night. God, I can remember it, I can remember it so clearly...he...he wanted a cookie, mom was doing her best to keep it out of his reach. Which was when Ben started to climb up a wall."
May smiled, a ghost of a smile that seemed to light up her broken spirit, "dad was in shock. Ben's powers were developing faster than mine did and we...we were all so happy. Then they came crashing in…..Daemos….an Inheritor….he was after Ben. Dad fought him, he ordered me to run out with mom and Ben...I….I should have stayed, I should have done something! I should have-"
This world's Gwen placed an arm on her shoulder, May broke down, passing Hope back to me before turning away and walking to one corner of the platform, facing away from the others, crying her eyes out.
"We found them soon after that," Spider UK explained, "we drove Daemos away but he...he did his damage."
"I'm sorry, but I feel like I'm missing something here," Wanda from the Cinematic universe spoke up, "who is her father? How do you," she looked at me, "know her?"
"Her name is May Parker," I explained, "in another world, Earth 982 to be exact, Peter Parker married a woman named Mary Jane Watson. May is my daughter, technically, yours too," I motioned to the Amazing Spider-man and the MCU Spider.
Wanda's eyes went wide. The amazing Spider-man looked like he was going to have a broken jaw by how low it hung while MCU Peter looked like he was going to have a heart attack.
"What?" Hope looked up, confused, "aunty May is like my sister too?"
"Ah," I sighed, "yeah, aunty May is like your sister." Hope looked at May and slowly slipped out of my arms, flying to May's side. She floated away from Me for a moment, long enough for May to notice her, and when she looked up, Hope moved in, hugging the girl.
"It's okay, mommy says it's okay to cry when you're sad, it's what makes us human," she tried to be comforting. May hugged her, I could smell some of the sadness in her come down, comforted by the little girl hugging her.
"You said they were after Ben, why?" Jean spoke up, flying close to us.
"Jean," I warned her, "now's-"
"No, this is important," May wiped a tear as she smiled at Hope in her arms, "she's sweet...I don't know why they were after Benji, but they were. Daemos said as much. Hell, he all but demanded him when he stepped through the door, said he would spare my life and mom's."
"But not your father?" my Wanda asked.
"No...I think whatever experience Daemos had with other versions of my dad made him dislike Peter Parker, all Peter Parkers," she looked at us, "he didn't say why he wanted Benji though..."
"Peter," Jean spoke up, her eyes narrowed, "a portal appeared to be kidnapping Hope and we find another child of Peter Parker is the target for a kidnapping? It's too much to be a coincidence."
I groaned I hadn't thought about that, too distracted by Peter Parker's death. The man was the closest thing I had to a father figure in this life. Even Richard Parker wasn't as supportive as Peter of Earth 982 was.
He helped me when I was at my lowest, he helped me when I was broken. He helped me and now...he's gone...and someone was after his children.
No, fuck that. He's dead. Whoever this douchebag is, he's dead.
"It isn't," I turned to the Web-Warriors and quickly explained what had happened to them. About Hope, about how I intervened and even how the Web of Life seemed to be involved in some manner.
"It sounds to me like something was trying to kidnap your daughter," Superior explained, "we can ask Karn, he will explain it fully."
"Karn? Who's Karn?" Johnny asked.
"You'll see," Tobey MacGuire Spider replied.
God, so many fucking Spider-men! I need nicknames to keep it all in check!
We arrived at the Taj Mahal knock. The structure was massive, now that I was closer I could tell that the building was large enough to carry several 747's inside it with ease. It had stairs leading up to the giant wooden two-door entrance with massive pillars like structures placed on the four corners of the building.
There were no windows and the top was hued gold. And as we landed I felt… something.
It was a tingle in the back of my head. Just there, right in the back, just out of reach. "Follow me, don't touch anything," Superior ordered as he led us inside.
The massive doors opened leading down and long straight hallway that was covered wall to wall with empty hooks and discolored shadows on the walls that indicated removed paintings.
"What was on the walls?" Felicia asked, being the first to scale out the place. My kitten was probably casing the place already in her mind.
"Trophies," Anya explained, "eh, this kind of used to belong to...ah, well-"
"-The Inheritors," Spider UK explained, "they used to live here."
"What happened?" my Wanda asked.
"We drove them away," Superior explained, looking over his shoulder, "we lured them away from their home and then locked this dimension away from their reach. As long as we are here, they can't enter."
"Locked?" my eyes widened, "you can lock dimensions?"
Anya shrugged, "not us, Karn."
I narrowed my eyes, this wasn't….right.
I remember Spider-verse, the comic version at least. This did not fit in with what happened before or after the events. Granted it could have developed after I arrived into this body but still...this was all wrong.
This leads me to one conclusion, my meta-knowledge of this event was out the door. Fuck.
Soon the hallway ended and we came upon what looked to be the one and only room in this entire building. And it was massive.
It could have housed two football stadiums and I couldn't even tell where the roof ended as shadows covered everything above 100 feet from the ground. The floor was marble, echoing our footsteps, the walls grey, and gold.
But in the middle of the room was something that made my every hair stand in attention and pull upon my focus like nothing I had ever seen before.
It was massive, starting ten feet off the ground it grew until it covered the whole chamber. A web spun out of gold, a single strand came from it to touch the ground, digging into the ground and ending where I did not know, but the rest, the rest spread out into the darkness above and the walls of this room, anchoring it to this place.
Almost on instinct, my eyes went into Web Vision and I saw...everything.
The Web of Life was unlike anything I had seen before. What could even come close to its massive power was maybe the Dark Tower inside my own head. Its physical form was limited, but it's metaphysical form was...like calling a skyscraper big.
I quickly remembered the last time I saw the Web of Life. Earth 982, in the home of that world Doctor Strange. I entered the world between worlds and I landed on a strand that belonged to the web of life.
That was a small sliver of it, this...this felt like more. Not the heart, no, it can't be that. But….it was...it was…
"Peter!"
Something grabbed me as I snapped out of Web vision. I turned to Felica's concerned face, blinking away the confusion, "w-what happened?"
"You began staring off into the distance, ignoring everything around you," Superior sounded very cross, "I was in the middle of explaining what this is."
"I know what this is," I replied, holding Felicia's concerned hand in mine, turning to the massive web, this time I managed to stay off the tempting call it gave off, "it's a physical embodiment of the Web of Life."
"How did you know that?" Superior asked, growing tensed by the second.
"It's a giant glowing web dude, what else could it be?" Amazing Spider snorted.
"That thing you did, with your eyes," Anya spoke up, narrowing her eyes, "what was that? You started giving off energy similar to the Web."
I opened my mouth to explain, when my new voice cut me off, "that's because he is channeling the energy of the Web, as I do. Only he can access it through his blessing of the totem hood, while mine is a curse."
We all turned to the source of the voice. A figure crawled down from the darkness above. He wore a Victorian-era blue overcoat with golden buttons and linings, like naval captain of old. On his mask was an ancient nautical diving helmet and the lower half of his body was inserted into a robotic golden spider body complete with 8 working mechanical legs.
"This, is Karn," Spider UK spoke up, "he's the current weaver of the Web."
"Current?" Jean asked.
"Atonement, for my crimes of murdering the previous Weaver," the...thing, explained.
"You what now?" Johnny asked we were unsure how to react to that.
"In his defense, it was kind of his destiny," Gwen spoke up, "his family rejected him and enslaved the previous Weaver. To free him Karn had to kill him and took his place in exchange. It's thanks to him we can keep the Inheritors out."
"You sealed this world from them?" I asked.
Karn nodded, "yes."
I narrowed my eyes, "you're an Inheritor yourself."
The comment shocked my people, each turning on Karn, Jean's eyes glowing with power. May, however, moved, standing between Karn and us, "he's on our side! He betrayed his family for us!"
"And why would he do such a thing?" MCU Wanda asked.
"Because I saw the error of my family's actions...and I regret not doing anything to stop them," Karn replied, crawling down the web until he stood just above, he turned to me and then slowly bowed, "I have waited a long time, Sorcerer of the Web."
Everyone turned to me, Superior growled, "what are you on about Karn? What does that title imply?"
"The Sorcerer of the Web is a spider totem who has accessed the Web of Life's primal energy. He has done so, taking a step into its massive energy reserves...but," Karn's head turned, "it is not enough. You have not been training in the use of power. You barely have touched the surface of what you can do...shame."
"I'm strong enough," I replied.
"Not for what is to come," the Weaver whispered, "you need to grow, to evolve. That is why I locked your world, you all would not be safe there, you need to be here ..."
My eyebrow twitched. So he locked our world? That's why we couldn't go back when we wanted to? Damn it, what is this guy playing at?! "What is coming?" I asked.
Karn turned back to the top of the Web, "Doom….but first, we must attend to other matters. The child, where is she?"
I looked to Hope, standing next to Felicia.
"Ah, yes, the Key," Karn hissed, "you have kept her safe, good. I was worried you had done something irrepressible when you interfered in my extraction."
"That was you?!" I cried out, stingers exploding out of my hands.
"Woah!" MCU Spider cried out, jumping away in shock.
"Holy-is that Wolverine claws?!" Anya exclaimed.
I leaped onto the Web before anyone could stop me. Spider UK seemed to want to try, but Superior stopped him. I grabbed Karn by the throat, holding the other hand next to his throat, "why? Give me one good reason or I swear to Lee-"
"-You will kill me?" Karn asked, scoffing, "no Spider, you will not. But I will explain. I attempted to bring her here because she needs to be protected. My family is searching for her. If you find her then it would spell certain doom for us all."
"Why? What could they possibly want with a child?!" I cried out.
"A spawn of a great Spider with a woman of red hair will come, bringing the Originator's pieces back to one. All may unite against this threat, but in the end, only a Spider may remember to regret."
Suddenly the Web of Life below me began to hum, vibrating at each syllable that came out of Karn's mouth.
I growled, "what was that?"
"A prophecy...the last prophecy that will be fulfilled in this multiverse," Karn replied in the same tone as before, almost as if my hand around his neck didn't affect him at all, "it was one we knew since the dawn of time. One we feared but now...it would seem it is being fulfilled."
"How? Why?" I asked, trying to make sense of what he was saying.
"Enough," Tobey MacGuire Spider jumped up onto the web and put a hand on my shoulder, "you need to calm down, Karn is our only ally in this. You can't lose control like that."
I turned to him, I growled but...seeing the mask of one of my childhood heroes made me a little relaxed. I removed my hand and moved back slightly, "explain."
"They are called the Inheritors," Karn explained, "didn't ever wonder what they inherited?"
"I thought it was something like, 'inheriting the world'," Spider Gwen suggested, "sounds like the kind of thing they would call themselves."
Karn nodded, "it's what they consider the name to mean now. The truth is my father never told us the truth. He never told us that we are called Inheritors after the one known as...the Originator."
"The name came up in the prophecy, who is this person?" Jean asked as she flew up, levitating next to me.
"The creator of this multiverse," Karn replied, "the one responsible for the creation of these worlds you all inhabit."
I got confused, "the...One-Above-All?"
Karn shook his head, "no... The Originator is….something else. I know not what, even the Web of Life cannot show me. But what it is is dangerous, chaotic. It has the temperament of a child but the powers of a God. And it is sealed away. We Inheritors inherited its will, it's hunger even a sliver of its power. What it was is lost to time...what it is now….we cannot imagine."
"What does Hope have to do with all this?" I demanded.
"'A spawn of a great Spider with a woman of red hair will come, bringing the Originator's pieces back to one,'" Jean quoted, "whatever this thing is, Hope, is the key to bringing it back?"
"Maybe," Karn waved as hand and suddenly every hole in the web of life began to display images of people dying. They were a mix of them, all different people, some in costume, some without. Most had red hair, some did not. But all of them met their end at the ends of a being dressed in Victorian-era garb.
"Who are they?" Jean asked.
It hit me like a bolt of lightning, "c-children of Spider-men," I whispered, "they are….my Lee, are they different versions of my children?!"
"Not just children of Peter Parker, but any child born between a Spider and a woman of red hair," Karn explained, I felt Tobey Macguire Spider stiffen next to me as Karn continued, "my family is merciless, ending them all."
"Why?!" Jean cried out, "why are they killing them?"
"To prevent the Originator's rise to power."
"But why?" Superior asked, "if they inherited their power from the Originator, why would they wish to kill the key to bringing him back?!"
"Would you willingly become a slave after you've gained freedom?" Karn asked, turning to Superior, "my father is an arrogant man. He has grown used to his freedom. He will not return to serving another if he can avoid it. I tried to bring Hope Parker here because she is the closest child I have ever seen that matches the description. A child of the Sorcerer of the Web and the Phoenix Force is one destined for greatness-"
"-But she's not the only one," the silver webbing Spider reached up and pulled off his mask, revealing his face. Holy fucking shit, Tobey is old! His head was turning grey at the temples and he had a beard like mine, though he was peppered with white and grey.
"Da-" I heard May whisper to herself and stop. She realized quickly enough he wasn't her dad.
"I married a red-haired woman and we had a child. Is my son also a candidate?" he asked. I blinked, it made sense, he got older and I can't imagine MJ splitting up with him after all they had been through.
"...yes, it may be possible," Karn nodded.
"Fuck!" Toby cried out, turning to Superior, "You told me they would be safe if I came with you!"
Superior shrugged, "obviously I didn't know about this prophecy Peter."
"We are going back to my world, now! We need to get MJ and Harry back here!"
"Agreed," Superior nodded as he held out his portal watch, "the rest of you stay here, we'll be back soon."
"I'm coming with you," MCU Spider spoke up.
Toby sighed, "Kid, I appreciate the help but-"
"-But nothing. If the Inheritors are searching for kids that ah, might be, kind of is, mine, then I'm doing something to help."
"As am I," Amazing Spider nodded.
"Me too," my Wanda nodded.
"No," I hissed, jumping off the web, landing next to Toby and Superior, "you all stay here, keep Hope safe and find out more about whatever this Originator thing is. I literally don't know a better magic researcher than you Wanda."
"We're coming," Spider UK and Gwen stepped forward.
"No, too many people and we'll attract the Inheritor's attention, four totems is already risky enough," Karn warned, turning to the four Peter Parker's in the room, "go. Bring your child and wife back soon Peter Parker of Earth-96283. I will do my best to support you from here."
Superior snorted, "hardly need your portals thanks to my technology," he held out his watch, opening a portal before us, "come, we must be quick," he said, jumping through.
"Kind of a dick isn't he?" Amazing Spider snorted jumping through.
I turned to Hope and Jean, "I'll be back as soon as I can."
Jean smiled, "go, we'll be safe." Hope waved, I waved back before turning around and activating my suit. My costume came alive around and I dashed through the portal.
Earth-96283
I landed on the other side in the middle of an alleyway with the other spiders. The alleyway was dirty and it was the middle of the night, but the streets outside were still crowded. Which meant it could only be one place in New York.
"We're home," Tobey whispered with a smile, turning to us he put his back on, "alright, follow me."
We climbed the building in the alley and got to the top. I took a deep breath and sighed, nostalgia for New York hit me hard, doubling it was the knowledge that this wasn't my New York, not really.
I remember the few days I spent in New York back in the MCU universe, but it was too little and again, not my NY. Then, I saw Tobey swig away, the others following right behind him and I felt...excited.
I ran, rushing to the edge, every step I took recalling every time I shot out my web line. I grinned, jumped at the edge and shot out my hand, forming the shape to throw out my webs and the webs exploded out.
It touched the edge of a building and I swung. The momentum of the swing pushed my legs outwards, my hands stretched out, my body was being pulled along for the ride and when I let go at the crescendo of the swing it was….heaven.
I was Spider-man again. Not the Destroyer of the Shi'ar Empire's sun or the leader of the Galactic Avengers, I was just...me.
I swung from building to building, the other Peter Parker's, including Superior, mimicked Tobey's path, but I strayed, jumping, leaping, curling and dashing through the skyline, enjoying myself and maybe showing off a little along the way.
I felt like screaming in joy, laughing, just for a moment, forgetting everything that had happened to my life. Except for my daughter and my family...those I didn't want to forget.
We arrived soon enough at an expensive-looking apartment complex in the better part of town. We landed on the roof and Tobey turned to us, "stay here, getting Harry and Mary Jane to agree to this will be hard enough without having to explain," he looked us up and down, "this."
"What? Your family has never met several versions of you before?" The Amazing Spider asked with a scoff.
"Right," Tobey rolled his eyes, jumping off the wide, crawling to a window several floors below us. I turned to Superior, the man playing around with his device.
I sighed, turning to Amazing and the MCU Peter, "we need to patrol this block, just in case the Inheritors manage to track us."
"Cool, I'll take North and West," Amazing pointed.
"South and East," MCU shrugged.
"I'll go up and keep a bird's eye view," I turned to Superior, "you can manage here?"
"Obviously," Superior snorted.
I sighed, "prick."
"You do realize he's a different version of us, right?" MCU Peter pointed out.
"Don't," I hissed back, flying straight up into the air.
I heard Amazing whistle and shared with MCU, "I have got to learn how he does that."
The others moved, keeping an eye out around the building while I looked down from above, doing my best to track any sporadic or strange moments around the city. Or a group of weirdos dressed like vampires or Purebloods from Harry Potter, either or.
The night was cold and windy. I could smell so much, it took effort for me to ignore it all. The stench of the city, the reek of civilization, I didn't miss that for sure. But the lights...I missed that.
It was then when I felt it..a wave of Web energy. I don't know how or why, but I could feel it. It must be some form of sensitivity I gained. Maybe seeing a physical representation of the Web of Life awoke it, either way, I felt a disturbance. Something or someone had ripped open a hole in the fabric of space and time.
And if I was a betting man I would guess the company had arrived.
I swooped down to Superior, "they are here, I can feel them."
He looked up at me and snorted, "how? Sorcery?"
"Yes."
"Forgive me for not giving your arcane believes much weight," he snorted, turning back to his portal watch.
I sighed, "I'm a man of science too Superior, magic is just science yet to be understood. Trust me on this, the Inheritors are here. I'll go buy you some time. Get the others and get out of this universe."
"And what about yourself?" he asked, though I doubt it was a concern in his voice.
"I have away," I held out the portal watch Superior gave to Amazing, "I'll be fine."
"You will not," he hissed, "I doubt you understand just what you're dealing with Sorcerer, but these things are beyond us. We need to plan ahead and strike with a proper plan of attack."
"I have a plan, and I'm plenty strong enough, trust me," I felt the portal close, I turned towards the West. Whatever these things were...they were coming from Central Park, "I have this, get the others."
"But-" I didn't listen to him argue, instead of blasting off towards where I felt their energy signatures last.
I flew across New York, it wasn't the same as swinging, there was no thrill in it, just….me.
"ARGH!" a scream came into the night.
KABOOM!
An explosion from the south. I turned and rushed over and arrived just as a group of six individuals dressed in Victorian-era clothing stepped out of the southern Central Park gates. A lamp post had been thrown into a nearby car, people were injured and those that weren't were running away.
One of them, a woman dressed in gothic clothing, stepped forward and picked up a man by the neck, "hm, pretty," she opened her mouth and suddenly a rotten orange light came out of the man's body and into her mouth.
I moved, fast as I could I landed before her, the road cracking under my weight. I moved before she could do anything, grabbing the man by the collar with one hand while the other grabbed her wrist and squeezed, hard.
"ARGH!"
KRACK!
I felt it snap, like uncooked pasta. I released my grip and punched her stomach, my gauntlets activating in the last moment as a crack of lightning exploded from my fist into her gut.
KRAKOOM!
She was sent flying backward, exploding into the iron fences around Central Park. The others turned from the hole she had made to me. And Morlun snarled, "you."
"Two minutes," I held up two fingers, "give me two minutes to clear up your mess and we can fight this out."
The large white-haired man that looked like a depressing Santa Claus raised an eyebrow, "what's in it for us?"
"You get to live for two more minutes," I replied.
The younger ones looked confused, though the older man looked amused. He snorted, "well...that's bold. Son," he turned to Morlun, "is he the one?"
"Yes father, it is him," Morlun growled.
"Get to safety," I whispered to the man in my arms. He looked dizzy, confused even, but he nodded. I let him go and though he tripped and almost fell, he managed to run away. I looked around, everyone was clearing out, giving us nearly half a block to ourselves.
"I see," the evil Victorian-era Santa Claus hummed, "I'm sorry Spider, while if you were anyone else I would have accepted your deal, just for the sheer amusement of it, you are a special case. It seemed you hurt my son. That is a crime I cannot forgive. You shall die now, I apologize for the inconveniences."
"Hm….fine, by the way, what's your name?" I asked.
"It's rude to ask for another's name without first giving your own," he snorted, "but I suppose there would be no point. I am Solus, father of the Inheritors and we-"
"-Okay, cool," I cut him off, turning to the others, "which one of you is Daemos?"
One of the others scoffed, the large one with a green trench coat, long black hair and large meaty hands. He was built like the Hulk-Banner hybrid I saw from the MCU universe, only not green.
"I am Daemos," he replied, stepping forward, "what's it to you, bug?"
I pointed at him, "you die first."
"Hahaha! Really?! I die first?! May I ask why?"
"You killed a friend of mine. From Earth 982."
Daemos raised an eyebrow, turning to his father, "does he mean the totem?"
Solus shrugged, "who knows, I don't keep track of all this."
Daemos snorted, turning to me, "well bug, I assure you he suffered greatly. The sound of his bones snapping, my oh my, music to my ears. I do however like your moxie, I assure you Bug I'm not as weak as my brother, I'm-"
KRAKOOM!
Lightning exploded out of my gauntlets and into his person, blasting him into the side of a building. "I changed my mind," I said with a chill in my tone, "you'll die last. I'll kill the rest of your family first."
"Kill him," Solus hissed, the others charged. Morlun along with a set of blonde twins, one male one female, dressed in red and white Victorian vanity hunting gear.
The sound of their footsteps hitting the pavement step up a tempo. Two steps, I moved one leg back. Three steps I lowered myself into a crouch. Four steps and then one more for them leaping at me. I pushed my back leg and jumped up to meet them.
Skit!
My stingers came out. Morgan's eyes went wide, so did the twins. They moved in almost slow motion as I moved my hands across their necks. Morgan's head was separated from his body. The male twin's face was sliced apart at the jaw.
I landed and rolled. I turned, the female twin looked down in horror at her twin's rolling head, blood coating her fully. I moved, she noticed a second two late. One set of claws went into her heart, the other swiped across her neck.
I stood up and flicked her dead body away. It landed on the hood of a destroyed car nearby with a loud thunk.
I turned to Solus, "I didn't catch the twins names...doesn't matter now I suppose."
"...You are skilled, for a bug," Solus radiated power, he clenched his jaw, I could see the physical strain on him to stand still in place. It radiated out of him, pure unfiltered killing instinct, "I will have to make you suffer for that."
"Oh please, I know you have a cloning device somewhere in the multiverse, for you lot death is just a stepping stone isn't it?"
"Compared to you, even a single clone body is far more valuable," Solus snarled.
"ARGH!" a flash of black exploded out of the whole I sent the gothic Inheritor through. She came charging at me with such speed and precious I was almost impressed. That didn't stop me from forming a psionic barricade of pikes in her path, snapping shut around her body.
"ARgh-ACK!" her scream was cut off as I crushed her in the psionic version of an Iron Maiden. I let go once she stopped struggling.
"Impressive," Solus commented, turning to me, his anger gone, genuine intrigue in his face, "tell me, how did you grow to be such a powerful bug?"
"Plenty of exercises," I exploded forward, throwing a punch at Solus's head. To my surprise, he moved, he was fast enough to keep up with me, grabbing my fist with his own.
BOOM!
A shockwave exploded out of our connection. He closed his giant hand around mine, raised me up and slimed me into the ground.
KRACK!
The road shattered underneath me. I sent a blast of lightning into his stomach with my free hand. It hit his stomach ripping apart his shirt, but it didn't move him.
He growled, "power will not save you, not from this," he opened his jaw and I heard him suck in some air.
I felt myself being pulled in. My power, my essence. Everything. He was absorbing me. I saw a hint of golden energy being drawn into his mouth from my body. It reached out to his lips and when he touched it, his eyes exploded.
"GAH!" he threw me across the block, reaching in his place. I flipped and landed on my feet a little dizzy and a little drained.
"W-what are you?" he hissed, looking at me in disgust, "you are no totem. You-you are a vile chimera!"
"Yeah, that's what people say," I panted, slowly getting on my feet. He tried to absorb my energy but couldn't, what the hell?
"F-father?" Daemos was finally back on his feet. He wobbled up to us, looking around, his eyes going wide in horror as he saw the mutilated bodies of his family played out before him, "w-what has happened?"
"An underestimation of grave error," evil Santa replied. He reached up and raised his hand, a portal forming next to him, "come, we're leaving."
"Y-y-yes father," Daemos looked shaken, he didn't argue.
"Oh no you don't!" I screamed, rushing forward, but before I could even reach them Daemos and Solus escaped through the portal,, it closed down behind them.
"Damn it to hell!" I hissed, turning around. People were gathering, photos were being taken. I cursed, I just caused this world's Peter Parker a lot of bad press, especially with the killing. But there was no time, I needed to get rid of the bodies, fast.
I formed psionic scoopers and gathered them all together. I flew into the air and once I was far enough from public view I brought the bodies into one large psionic bowl and set it on fire with a simple ignition spell.
IT took a while, but the bodies soon were reduced to nothing but bones and ash, which I flew over to the Manhattan river and dumped. Plenty of dead bodies in this thing for a couple of bones to get lost in.
I then flew back towards this world's Spider-man's apart, finding the others waiting on the roof. Along with them was a woman that seemed to be approaching her late forties with red hair that was greying around her roots. Though I would recognize Mary Jane in any reality. Along with her was a teenage boy around MCU Peter Parker's age. He had brown hair and looked like an almost carbon copy of a younger Tobey Macguire, I guess he really took after his dad in that aspect.
I landed in front of them, the teenage boy's eyes went wide. "Cool," he turned to Tobey, "can we do that too?"
"No, we can't," Tobey smiled, his mask now off.
"What happened?" MCU Spider asked quickly.
"They came, I stalled them. They might be back so we need to hurry," I turned to Superior Spider-man who was fiddling with his metal gauntlets..
"You stalled them? How?!" Amazingly asked.
"He's full of surprises," Superior said as he opened a portal and stepped through. Tobey insisted his son and wife went through first before following behind. Then Amazing and then the MCU Spider.
I stepped through arriving on the other side safe and sound. I turned to Karn who nodded in greeting, "you need to tell me where your family does their cloning. Next time, they stay dead."
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