บท 377: C377 Pressure

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As Aunt May left the room, tears flowing down her face, Peter couldn't help but follow after her, leaving the remaining Spider-People in the living room, their expressions filled with determination and concern.

As they sat together, the weight of their shared responsibility hung in the air. They knew they had to stop Kingpin and his absurdly dangerous plan of his, but a difficult decision loomed over them.

Someone had to stay behind and destroy the collider. Or else people like Kingpin will just pick up where he left off, throwing the multiverse into chaos once again.

And sadly, doing so is practically a death sentence, as this universe is almost constantly rejecting their presence.

Eager to sacrifice themselves for the cause, each Spider-Person volunteered simultaneously.

"I'll do it," one after another, they proclaimed.

"No, no, no. You guys don't get it," a voice interrupted their chorus. It was Miles, the young Spider-Man. "None of you can stay here. If you stay, you'll die. I'm the one who's going to turn it off, and I'll get you all home before I do."

The group exchanged confused glances, prompting one of them to ask, "Who are you again?" Noir asks.

"This is Miles," Ben chimed in. "And he's going to save the multiverse." He proclaims proudly.

"Yeah." Miles nods of his head proudly.

"This kid can turn himself invisible. Watch this." Ben tried to demonstrate Miles' ability, but nothing happened.

Miles shook his head. "I can't do it on command."

Unfazed, Ben turned to the group. "He can't do it on command, but it is cool. Show 'em the zappy thing, Miles."

Squeezing his eyes shut and tensing his muscles, Miles tried but once again failed miserably. "I can't do it on command," He repeated dejectedly.

Instantly, each Spider-Person besides Ben and Gwen gave Miles a doubtful look.

Peni crossed her arms, her gaze fixed on Miles. "He's too new... Are we sure he's ready for this?" Her robot companion nodding behind her.

Noir leaned against the wall, his voice laced with skepticism. "I've seen what happens when someone inexperienced tries to take on these kinds of villains. It doesn't end well."

Miles clenched his fists, his determination shining through. "I understand, but I can't just sit back and watch. Not again... This is my responsibility too. I promised Spider-Man that I would stop Kingpin, and I meant it."

As if on cue, a glitch coursed through the room, causing each Spider-Person to flicker momentarily as they fell to the floor, groaning in pain.

Miles seized the opportunity to drive his point home. "See? We need each other. Who's going to send you all back home if you don't include me? I made a promise, and I'm not backing down."

The Spider-People exchanged glances, realizing the truth in Miles' words. They couldn't help but agree that he had something unique to offer as well.

Ben cracked a smile. "Looks like the kid knows what he's talking about. I say we give him a shot."

Despite the skepticism, Gwen defended Miles. "Look, I've seen him in action. He's got potential. I think he's going to get us home."

Their stamp of approval seemed to slightly wash away the doubt in the room, each of them eager to help Miles prepare for what's to come.

Addressing Miles with a cigarette hanging from his lips, Noir cautioned. "Okay, little fella, Kingpin's gonna send a lot of mugs after ya. I'm talkin' hard boys, real biscuit boxers. Can you fight them all off at once?"

"I haven't actually fought anyone..." Miles admitted awkwardly.

Trying to help Miles comprehend the expectations placed upon him, each member crowded around.

"Can you swing and flip with the grace of a trained dancer?" Gwen asks.

"Can you close off your feelings so you don't get crippled by the moral ambiguity of your violent actions?" Noir asked a much heavier question.

"Can you re-wire a mainframe while getting shot at?" Peni joins in.

"Can you float through the air when you smell a delicious pie?" Spider-Pig floats by, his snout sniffing the air.

"Can you be strong? Heroic? Disciplined?..." The more they spoke, the more Miles seemed to get overwhelmed by the entire situation.

Unimpressed by his uncertainty, they continued to demand more from him.

"Show me some moxie, soldier!" Noir exclaimed as they piled on even more challenges and expectations.

Gwen stepped up, eyeing Miles seriously. "Above all, no matter how many times you get hit, can you keep getting back up?" She sends a kick to his stomach, knocking him to the ground.

On the floor, Miles was met with a chorus of never ending encouragement. "Come on, Miles. You can do it. You can do this..." Their words seemed to pile on top of him, refusing to allow him any breathing room.

"Guys, cool it." Ben spoke up, though his voice was drowned out among the chaos.

With every word spoken, the intensity grew. "Come on. You can do it! Get up, Miles. Come on, Miles. Get up."

However, seeing that he couldn't get back up, the group began to voice their doubts once again. "We need to be more honest with ourselves about this... He's not ready. It's obvious... There's no way... He's just a kid... If he can't do this, we have to stay and do it for him..."

As the conversation unfolded, Miles couldn't help but notice their discussion centered on him. Feeling extremely self conscious, he unintentionally turned himself invisible and rushed out of the house, slamming door shut on his way out.

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-Minute earlier-

Peter followed Aunt May out of the bustling living room, sensing the weight of grief that burdened her frail shoulders. He couldn't imagine the devastation of losing a nephew, someone who was like a son to her.

As he stepped into a child's bedroom, he found Aunt May sitting on the twin bed, her trembling hands clutching a framed photograph of her Peter.

The room was filled with remnants of his counterparts early years. Posters of superheroes, model airplanes, and well loved toys.

Peter approached her quietly, his heart aching for her pain. He sat down on the edge of the bed, careful not to disturb her fragile state.

"Aunt May," Peter said softly, his voice laced with empathy. "I know how much he meant to you. I can't even begin to imagine the pain you're feeling right now. Losing someone you love is... it must be the hardest thing in the world."

Aunt May's tear-streaked face turned towards Peter, her eyes filled with sorrow and longing. She saw the reflection of her Peter in this unfamiliar features.

Different, yet similar. Her heart ached, and she leaned into his presence, finding comfort in his words.

"He was my whole world," Aunt May whispered, her voice choked with grief. "He was so young. I was the one who was supposed to go first. Not him. And now he's gone because of that monster, Wilson Fisk." Her voice grew heated as she spat his name.

Peter's expression hardened at the mention of Fisk. He understood the anger and desire for vengeance that burned within Aunt May.

"Aunt May," Peter said, his voice tinged with determination. "I want to ask you something... Do you want Kingpin dead, or do you want him brought to justice? I can arrange both, but I need to know what you want."

Aunt May's eyes widened in surprise at the proposition, her gaze locked onto Peter's face. She saw a reflection of her Peter, but there was something different in his eyes.

A ruthlessness that her Peter had never possessed. She would be lying if she said it didn't scare her, but a part of her found it oddly comforting as well.

Her Peter would never purposefully kill anyone, but maybe, just maybe, he would still be alive right now if he did...

Before Aunt May could respond, the sound of the front door being slammed shut reverberated through the house, interrupting their conversation. Peter's senses heightened, and he quickly stood up, his instincts kicking into overdrive.

"I'll be right back." Peter assured her.

With a swift motion, he left the room, leaving Aunt May alone with her thoughts. She stared at the closed door, uncertainty and conflicting emotions swirling within her.

Revenge or justice?

The choice weighed heavily on her heart, and she knew she had to make a decision soon.

...

Outside the room, Peter returned to the living room, his senses on high alert. He took in the scene before him, his newfound allies looking uneasy, their expressions clouded with guilt.

The room felt heavy with the weight of their actions.

"What happened?" Peter demanded, his voice firm.

Gwen spoke up, her voice tinged with remorse. "We... We pushed Miles too hard. We were testing him, but it might have been a bit overwhelming. He turned invisible and ran off."

Peter's frustration flared, his tone turning stern. "Are you kidding me? We're a team, for crying out loud. We should be supporting each other, not tearing each other down."

Spider-Pig interjected, his expression crestfallen. "We didn't mean to-"

Peter cut him off, his voice a mix of anger and concern. "I don't care what you meant. We have a mission, and we can't do it without Miles."

Ignoring any replies from the group, Peter turned and stormed out of the house, his senses honed in on any sign of Miles.

After a moment, Peter's keen eyes caught a glimpse of movement in the distance. He swung toward it, following the trail until he landed on a rooftop. There, teetering near the edge, was Miles.

He stood on the edge staring down at the city below, too scared to jump.

Of course, he wasn't planning on killing himself.

He wanted to prove everyone wrong and show that he could be Spider-Man too, but as soon as he looked down, Miles lost all confidence.

Peter approached cautiously, taking a seat on the edge beside him. He spoke softly, his voice filled with reassurance. "You want to talk about it?"

Miles turned to face Peter, his eyes puffy from tears and his expression a mix of vulnerability and determination. "I thought I could handle it all, but I... I don't know if I'm ready."

Peter nodded his head. "That's normal. None of us knew if we were ready when we started. But we learned along the way. You're lucky, you know."

Miles turned to him in disbelief. "How?"

Peter patted the edge next to him, motioning for Miles to sit. "Do you think we had a team of Spider-People hanging around when we started? You may be new to all of this, but you have us. We can help you."

Miles looked up at Peter, searching his eyes for sincerity. Slowly, a small smile tugged at his lips. "Thanks..."

Peter smiled back, a mix of relief and pride washing over him. "You're part of our team, Miles. We're in this together. And we're going to stop Kingpin, save the multiverse, and get everyone home. But first, I think a training montage is in order..." He declared as his hand met Miles' back.

"Huh?" Miles grunted in shock as he was shoved over the edge.

A/N: 1890 words :)

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