Part 5 - Blood of the King

Chapter 81 - Blast From the Past

Max had left a note on his bed saying he had left. There were probably protocols in place he should be adhering to, but nobody had told him anything. All he knew was that his sister was dead, and he blamed himself. His parents had met up with the 'old friend' and gone back in time. Max was walking along the street with his headphones in. He rounded a corner and stopped at a police cordon guarded by Ethereal Legion personnel, staring at the mess that was Visions Academy and the street in front of it. The Legion had given out amnestics and now everyone believed it had just been another shooting. Putting 'just' in the context of a school shooting was something Max thought he would never do, but whatever 096 was, it was far worse than any shooter could be. He was brought back to Earth-1610 as a Legion soldier stopped in front of him and coughed to get his attention.

"This area is restricted. Please move along."

Max sighed and turned away, knowing the soldier was likely under orders from his father and wouldn't budge. It crossed his mind that he hadn't heard from any of his friends since the incident, and he hoped they were OK. He pulled his phone out his pocket by his headphone cable and opened Instagram where he went to the group chat and typed:

'Is everyone OK'.

There were no replies for nearly a minute, but eventually one of his friends replied:

'Yeah we're OK, no thanks to you'.

Max replied with: '?'

He received a response nearly instantly:

'Lead the shooter away next time you dumb shit'.

So that was what the Legion had done; by making everyone believe it was a shooter, it made him look like a villain not a hero. He guessed that was what happened half the time as Spiderman. His phone buzzed again; he didn't want to look at it in case it was more abuse, but he forced himself to. It was a private message from his friend Jacob:

'I know the truth, meet at Central Perk ASAP'.

Central Perk was a café made famous by a comedy show from 9633. Max didn't know whether the branch here in 7610 was opened before or after the program reached here, but the hot chocolate was some of the best in town. He wondered what Jacob meant by 'I know the truth'. Had he skipped the amnestics? In which case he was in big trouble if the Legion found out.

A forest in Hudson Valley, twenty-five years ago...

Gwen landed on a tree branch in front of Miles and Peter Parker whom she had webbed up just a few moments before. She pulled her mask off and shook her hood off her hair.

"Hey guys!" She said cheerily.

"Gwanda?" Exclaimed Miles.

"It's Gwen actual..."

Her spider sense screamed. She stepped to the side, but a person dressed in black and white slammed into her. Gwen and the person tumbled towards the ground, the person trying to snatch the computer from under her arm. Suddenly, a third black, white, magenta and teal streak crashed between them, catching the computer and landing gracefully whilst the other two hit the ground painfully. The first person pulled off their mask, revealing a future version of Gwen. Gwen from the current time frowned.

"You look like crap." She said, noticing the scar over her eyebrow.

"Look who's talking." Said future Gwen.

The second mystery person sighed.

"If she looks like crap, what does that make me look like?"

She pulled off her mask revealing a Gwen who looked in her forties. The younger versions noticed she had a pair of katanas strapped across her back.

"Three Gwandas!?" Exclaimed Miles from the current time.

"Her name is Gwen." Replied Helltreader-Miles, from five years into the future, as he cut his younger self and Peter down.

They dropped down and stood next to the Gwen from their own times, all of whom looked at Scarlet-Gwen curiously. The TARDIS floated down behind the team from the Helltreader era.

"We've been staring at you for like twenty seconds now; are you gonna say something wise?" Asked Peter, rubbing the back of his hand to get the circulation going.

"I'm waiting for an old friend to show up. Should be any second now, then you guys can fight over this thing as much as you want."

Right on cue, a golden wreath of flames appeared in the middle of the triangle. Conall looked somewhat delighted at the number of people misplaced.

"Is he your old friend?" Asked the Doctor.

"Yep. How are you doing, Conall?"

Conall shrugged.

"I've just been kicking a wizards butt, so I'm feeling quite pumped up. Just one question: why are there two TARDIS's, two Time Lords, a whole load of identical people out of their own times and a whole bunch of people out of their own dimensions?"

"It's a long story." Answered Scarlet-Gwen.

"Two Time Lords and TARDIS's? I only see one of each." Commented Helltreader-Miles.

"Think again."

Scarlet-Miles dropped from a tree, and the Scarlet-TARDIS floated down. The Scarlet-Doctor didn't appear at the doors, but his current regeneration seemed quite shy so that didn't surprise the Scarlet era spiders.

"OK, your friend is here. Give the computer." Grumbled Peter.

"Wait a minute, we need it as well." Protested Helltreader-Miles.

"We need it to get home." Argued young Gwen.

"What's on this computer?" Asked Conall.

"Schematics for a temporal collider which that lot," Scarlet-Miles pointed at the group from the current time, "need to make an override key to take control of the thing and get home. As for them," He pointed at the Helltreader team, "they need it to build a collider to put Helltreader into...temporal flux, I think we called it."

Conall looked at the computer under Scarlet-Gwen's arm.

"Sounds like it could cause a lot of temporal problems. I'll take it so the tech can't be rebuilt, then I'll trash the real thing."

Scarlet-Miles and Gwen exchanged looks.

"Here comes a five way fight." Muttered Scarlet-Gwen as Doc Ock ripped a tree in half.

"Now here's a party!" She said with a laugh. Her eyes fell on the computer. "I'll be taking that."

Her claw shot towards Scarlet-Gwen, but she rolled out the way. All hell broke loose as everyone seemed to jump for her at once. Scarlet-Miles punched the ground with a mega venom strike, hurling the crowd away. Conall chuckled.

"This is gonna be too easy."

He marched towards him, allowing Ethereal energy to course down his arm. Scarlet-Miles caught the punch that came his way; Ethereal energy shot between the pair, much to the amazement of the team from the current time. Conall's eyes widened in shock as his opponent channelled the power into his free hand combined with a venom strike. The resulting punch blasted the immortal straight into Doc Ock and left an obvious scorch mark on Conall's stomach.

"Anyone else?"

Helltreader-Miles and Gwen stepped up to the challenge.

"What are you here for?" Asked Helltreader-Gwen.

"For Conall, thanks very much. By the way, have fun watching Helltreader slit Ganke's throat. Oh, and enjoy dying, Alduin, Satan, the Empire, exile and some more dying."

"If you don't want the computer, hand it over." Answered Helltreader-Miles, ignoring the list of future events.

"No can do. I made a promise to the High Aether to keep time intact. Let the others have it first, then you can use it afterwards."

"They'll hardly be willing to share."

"I bet they will. Now do we have to keep fighting, resulting in you getting a stake through the foot and you getting interrogated by your teenage self? Or can you look past your own desires and share?"

Scarlet-Gwen scoffed at her husband.

"No offense, but that's rich coming from you. You have that insignia on your suit for more reasons than to look cool."

"Hey..."

"We'll share." Interrupted Helltreader Miles.

"That's good. Get out of here with the trainees; we'll handle Ock."

Scarlet-Miles handed the computer to the Helltreader-Doctor and turned to face Doc Ock who was rising up on her tentacles.

Present day New York, 7610...

Max was waiting for Jacob when he arrived. A waiter appeared with two hot chocolates to-go which the former had ordered for him and his friend.

"You said you knew the truth. What about?" He started.

Jacob glanced around and leaned in to whisper.

"I know it wasn't a shooter."

Max looked at him, then at their surroundings.

"Let's walk. There's too many people here."

They made their way into Central Park.

"If it wasn't a shooter, what was it?"

Max wasn't entirely sure Jacob wasn't trying to pull a joke, and he wanted to be sure.

"It was some tall white thing that just kept screaming."

"Jake, you shouldn't have jumped the amnestics squad."

"But that's just it; I didn't. They must have just not worked. Holy crap, man; that thing was freaky. What was it?"

"I'm not exactly sure."

"Then where did..."

Jacob was interrupted by shouts. Max ran ahead, being faster, but his friend caught up. A man stumbled towards them wearing a shredded red cape and some sort of blue clothes. His face and hands were bloody and bruised. The man tripped and almost fell, but Max caught him.

"What happened?"

"20...95. The Sc...the King is..."

He blacked out. Max whipped his phone out and called Edward. It didn't take a genius to realise the Scarlet King had made his first move. Edward picked up.

"Hello Max. You really shouldn't have..."

"Edward, listen. I'm in Central Park, 7610. There's a man just appeared from 2095. Tufto has made his first move."

"I'll send an aircraft. Hang tight."

Hudson Valley, twenty-five years earlier...

The teams from the current time and Helltreader era had left on the Helltreader-Doctor's TARDIS. Scarlet-Gwen drew a katana from her back and twirled it threateningly at Doc Ock. Ock sent a claw for her; she took a trick out of Conall's book and let it grab her before she sliced it clean off. The broken tube flew around like an angry fly before completely deflating. Miles climbed up a tree and swung forward, slamming his foot in Ock's face. She growled, wiping some blood from her lip and grabbing a tree which she tried to use to knock Miles down. Miles webbed a broken branch and span it around into her face as Gwen leapt up and punched her in the chest. As she reeled from the hits, a golden beam of energy ripped through her remaining tentacles. The scientist fell to the floor; Conall fired his beam at Gwen and Miles. It narrowly missed Gwen but struck Miles and blasted him into the snow and mud. Gwen drew her katanas again.

"The fight is over, Conall!" She yelled.

The immortal ceased his attack and looked at her with a grin.

"You don't want a blast from the past?"

"I'm good."

Miles stood up, coughing and clutching his ribs.

"I guess I had that coming."

Conall folded his golden wings and landed.

"So, you came to the past looking for me, eh? Good to know I meant so much to you."

"You killed our parents." Miles answered with another cough.

"Really? You seem like half-decent people."

"To sum up the next thirty years: me and Miles started dating, you dragged us into some temporal mess which we hated. We joined a resistance against you cos you freaked us out by killing Doc Ock down there in cold blood. You were defeated, then three years later came Helltreader..."

"Helltreader? Why'd you let him out of his pen?"

"He stormed Ardveer and took three Ethereal Plates." Miles explained.

"Well that sounds fun."

"So we came back here to get that computer to build a collider to put him in temporal flux. It worked, we found a way to kill him then he killed Miles just before dying himself. I went crazy and brought back Alduin, made a deal with the devil, then built an Empire which was overthrown. Miles was brought back with the Animator..."

"So you killed Scarlet? How big is she now?"

"Pretty sure he's a guy. That's why he's the Scarlet King, not queen." Said Miles.

"Been looking in places you shouldn't? Well, if you're into ancient red monsters, I'm not judging."

"That's disgusting!"

"Point is you can't prove he's a guy. And I just call him 'Scarlet' and that's technically a girl's name. Continue."

Gwen shrugged and kept going:

"So yeah, I was sent into exile on Ardveer and took Miles with me, then I died ten years later cos complications with an Ethereal Plate."

"We're Plate buddies! Fist bump."

She left him hanging.

"In the last few days, I was brought back by Tufto, as we call him. I don't know why, but I hear Robert Montauk has a lead. The High Aether says you spent two hundred years fighting Tufto, Conall. We need your help or the multiverse is gonna be destroyed."

Conall's serious face appeared.

"Tell me how big he is. How many spikes?"

"Five, and the size of a fifty storey building, or there about. We haven't exactly been able to get any measurements." Said Miles.

"Naturally."

There was a silence, in which Ock began to stir only to be knocked out again by a rock hurled with Conall's telekinesis.

"I will help. I think you've realised why I do, or did, what I do. The Scarlet King has to be destroyed."

"Thank you."

Present day New York, 7610...

An Ares jet touched down on the grass in Central Park. A pair of medics and Edward emerged. The medics tended to the man and Edward approached Max and Jacob.

"You say he said 2095 was destroyed?"

Max nodded, worriedly. Edward tapped his wrist.

"ELIS, check in with 2095."

"Processing operation. Error: destination not found."

The admiral bowed his head.

"Then the clock is ticking before he moves again. ELIS, place all assets on high alert."

"Operation complete."

"Max, I want you and your friend to go to your godfather's house. Your parents may want you somewhere else when they get back, but for now that's the best place."

"OK."

"And Max's friend, whatever your name is. Not a word about any of this. We know you remember the Visions incident, so make sure it stays just you."

"Err...yes sir."

Edward nodded at Max and and returned to the Ares as the medics wheeled the man aboard on a stretcher. As the jet took-off, Jacob turned to Max.

"How did they know?"

"It must have been the stupid chip they put in me. Come on, let's go to my godfather's house. We can trust him."

Ganke had his feet up, binge watching episodes of Big Bang Theory when he got a text. He threw another kernel of popcorn up and caught it in his mouth then checked who it was. Max had sent it, saying he was outside with a friend. Ganke grinned. He and Max got on well, despite the former no longer being as close to the latter's father as they once had been. He replied saying the door was unlocked, and Max appeared with Jacob a second later. Both looked quite freaked out, so he paused the show.

"Did you see a ghost on the way up? I hear Mrs Kelly's cat died recently."

Max plonked himself down on the floor while Jacob took the other armchair.

"2095 was trashed." Explained the latter.

"Oh? Wouldn't we have heard about it by now?"

"The Legion'll cover it up like that...thing at school."

"Thing at school? There was a shooting, right?"

"There was a real shooting a couple of weeks back. This one was this horrible creature that looked like it hadn't seen the Sun in years."

"Why would the Legion cover it up?"

Max sighed.

"Why does Dad not let me do my job as a spider person? It's the same reason: they're scared someone might get hurt. When was the last time you spoke to him, Uncle G?"

"A lot of years ago. We had an argument just before your mother died and he's been too busy with his job at the Legion to make amends."

"Makes sense. He doesn't have time for anyone else's opinion being the top dog."

"Are you OK, Max?" Gankes asked quietly.

The Spider-Boy often told his godfather all the things going on in his life, but this was the first time he had spoken ill of his father.

"I'm freaking out, alright? Some guy shoots Dad then goes on to try and shoot up school, then some skinny monster turns up and succeeds in killing Charlotte before the Legion gets there. Now the Scarlet King has destroyed 2095. At least the Borg were wiped out. Maybe if Dad wasn't senior director of the whole Legion operation, Charlotte would still be alive and we'd actually be doing something to fight the King instead of letting him loose."

There was silence for a moment before Ganke spoke.

"Charlotte's dead, and Miles is senior director?"

"They covered up Charlotte's death? Makes sense. Wouldn't want the publicity. Might expose who someone really is."

Some more silence, then Jacob said:

"If you want to be Spider-Boy, or whatever you call yourself, just do it. He didn't stop Charlotte."

"No, but she would've snapped his neck. And I don't have a suit."

"What about someone at the Legion? They might be willing to make one for you. Or borrow your dad's." Suggested Ganke.

"Dad would flip if I took his suit. I'll try the Legion thing."

Max had left Jacob and Ganke to watch Big Bang Theory while he went to get a suit. His only real option was R&D eight where Stanley, who was a family friend, worked. He arrived outside the lab and tapped the button beside door. It hissed open a second later. Stanley spun round on his chair to face him.

"Hello, Max. Does your father know you're here?"

"He went back in time. So probably not."

"Well, so long as you don't get into any trouble I'm sure he won't mind. Can I do anything for you? Or is it just a social visit?"

"I need a spider suit. We're going to war and all I've got are some good reflexes and super strength."

"What about a spider sense?"

"I didn't inherit one."

"Oh of course. I forgot about that. I'm sorry to hear about Charlotte."

"Thanks, but can you help with the suit?"

"I guess I can. I'm just doing some paperwork, so the lab is all yours. ELIS, pull up specs of Project Exodus dash five dash DIR01ELA. Copy files, allow editing for SPI-2."

"Processing operation. Operation complete."

A series of holographic displays appeared in the air which Max approached, wondering where to start.

"So, I get to customise this however I want?"

"Of course, but try and steer clear of any explosive ordnance. Your father wouldn't thank me for that."

"Thanks, man!"

Jacob and Ganke had just finished their fifth episode when Max returned clutching a black, red and light blue ball.

"One spider suit. That was scarily easy."

"That's your suit?" Asked Jacob, wondering how something no larger than his friend's hand could turn into a full-body suit.

"Let's see it!" Pressured Ganke.

Max pressed the ball to his chest. A second later, it morphed around him. From the waist down was much the same as Miles' suit apart from a light blue touch on the heels. The body was completely red apart from some blue flares. It was styled to look like a hoodie with black sleeves. The head was mostly black with blue eyes.

"And in case it gets cold in the thing's climate controlled insides, I added a hat."

He double tapped the top of his head and a red beanie appeared.

"That screams Max more than all the pranks you've pulled combined!" Jacob commented, glad to see his friend was somewhat back to his normal self.

"What's it made of? It's shiny but...not." Asked Ganke.

"Nanotech infused programmable matter." He received blank stares. "Sort of rubbery stuff with tiny metal robots for extra functionality."

"This is literally the coolest thing I've ever seen." Said Jacob, giving Max a fist-bump.

The doorbell rang. Max pressed his hand to his chest and the suit turned back into the ball.

"The door's unlocked!" Said Ganke.

It opened and Gwen walked in, pulling her mask off.

"Edward said you were here. Dad said to come and get you." She said to Max.

Max frowned.

"Can Jake come?"

"Edward said you two were discussing things you shouldn't, so he might as well."

Ganke stared in confusion. Gwen noticed and cracked a smile.

"It's a really long story."

"Err...OK..."

"See ya, Uncle G!"

Max and Jacob followed Gwen outside where she handed them pre-programmed temporal watches. Max had built one into his suit, but he wasn't sure how she would react to him having it so used the watch instead.

Crossovers in this Chapter

- SCP Foundation