We spent the whole night watching Avatar, or their version of it. It was quite different from what I grew up watching. For one, Zuko didn't have the long hair he had in the first season in my universe, instead he had a cliff, exactly like what Thor had in Infinity War, and it was admittedly a badass cut. His scar was also so much more badass. The others all looked the same, but the other differences were all in the plot. For example, in episode one, Zuko gets in an Agni Kai against that one general. Compared to how I first saw it, Zuko was much more badass, twisting all around and taunting the general, eventually taking him down. All in all, it was the same plot, but with more intensity and seriousness. Over here it was actually R for light violence, instead of TV Y7. I was decidedly hooked. Sokka was still the comedic humor, but he was also much more intelligent. Aang was the same, and so was Katara. Toph was so much more badass, much more than she was in my world. She used bricks to smash peoples heads like it was the most normal thing in the world, which it somewhat was. I was just going to wait for the next episodes, which would come out on Saturday mornings. Apparently they all just forgot last Saturday, which made sense, because that was our first somewhat official day at HQ.
After we finished, we all got up, and started getting ready to begin the day. When we were both ready to go to school, me and Tess left, all the while talking animatedly about Avatar. Classes went by normally, I didn't even feel sleepy at all. What a change from the usual can't even move after running or biking or playing soccer or basketball for ten hours straight (I actually used to do that, yes.) This was so much better. I headed to lunch, expecting to have some of a difficult conversation, after all, yesterday I got knocked out only about two hours after I last saw everyone.
When I got to our usual table, everyone except for Tess and MJ were already there, and everyone was decidedly not looking too happy. "What's wrong, guys? Why the long faces?"
They all turned around. "Pete!" They all said. Well, except for Liz, who said "Petey!"
"That's my name, don't overuse it. It's going to lose all the hot, and then Johnny is going to be hotter than me, which I don't want happening. What happened?" I said, as I sat in between Liz and Gwen.
"Well, for one, you beat the shit out of some people last night," Liz said playfully, giving me a side hug, which I reciprocated. "And then you passed out, and you never thought of telling us you were ok!" Whoops, I should have done that, but I was too busy binging Avatar. "Sure, Sexi told us you were ok, but we needed some confirmation from you! I was going to march up to your place, but then Sexi said you were having family bonding time, and when I woke up at 2:30, and asked Sexi if you were up, and she said yes! Then I asked if I could talk to you, and she said you were still having family bonding time! Care to explain why you were fucking the spiders in your bathroom, or whatever you were doing with them?"
I choked on my water at that, and said "What. The. Fuck. Why would I be fucking spiders. Eww! We were watching Avatar! And Uncle Ben and Aunt May know all about us, while MJ and Tess were screaming yesterday, Aunt May nearly got mugged and so Sexi had to activate the suit, and when we got home, we found two parents wanting to see the reasoning behind that strong of a weapon. So when we got home, we had to explain the reasoning, and I figured to tell them everything. No need not to tell, right? And that went well, then we went to fight Doom, and then-"
I was cut off by Gwen, who said, "Now now, don't you dare skip over that part. You fucking fought this super powered asshole with thousands of suits, and I think that's the most important part of what happened to you since we last night."
"Well, it's actually not." Tess said while coming to the table, having heard everything. "Trust me, while that was one of the most important parts of last night, nothing is as important as Avatar." Then she lowered her voice to a whisper, "Should we tell them about the whole thing at Baxter?"
"You realize I can hear you too, right Tess? You and Pete can't do that anymore, sorry." Gwen said
"Well, shit. I guess we're explaining everything that happened yesterday, but you're explaining the part at Baxter," i said, looking at Tess, who nodded, knowing that I just would not be able to talk about it properly. "and I'm talking to them about Avatar, I grew up on a kid version of that shit, I earned that right. And you guys can't ask questions until I finish talking about Avatar, y'all ain't finna be disrespecting that shit."
"I have one question beforehand." Gwen said.
"Shoot your question, Ghost." I said.
"Ok, now you made it two. One, what's Avatar? And two, Why'd you call me Ghost?"
"Ok, I'll answer two first. I called you Ghost, because that's your moniker in the other world Ghost Spider. And one, how do you, I can't even imagine, what type of a childhood I could have had, had I not had Avatar. That show was my lifeline, my first show. The first love of my life, the one show I-"
Liz cut in "we get it, you grew up on it. But it's rated R, why'd you grow up on R stuff?"
"Where I come from, it was TV Y7."
"Oh my god, that's so cool! It literally is on two sides of the spectrum of shows, how!?" Ned asked.
"Just take out Toph smashing people's heads, Make Zuko less of a badass, a less intense plot that goes along the same lines, and you got it." I responded.
"I can actually see that making sense, surprisingly. I guess I need to rethink life." Ned said, putting a hand on his chin.
"Oh my god Ned, you just reminded me about the prank I played on everyone in my family!" I said "Sexi can you pull it up, sunshine? Start at the point where I started telling the about my Avatar."
"Of course dad, but first you have to admit that I turned the prank on you." Sexi said sweetly, expecting me to deny it.
"Of course, you literally rocked it hun. Good moves sunshine." I said
She took a moment to recompose herself, clearly expecting me to deny it "Why thanks, dad. Here's the recording."
She played the recording, and by the end we were all laughing. Then I realized something. "Wait, you guys didn't explain why I found you all with long faces!? What happened?"
Immediately their moods all soured, and then Ned said "We tried to have MJ join us here, but she was adamant that she would not sit with a 'pretender' on the table, and that she honestly wished that you died last night."
"Oh." I said, sadly. While I didn't think of her as a possible romance, I wanted her to be a friend to me, or some sort of a sister. It was kinda sad to think that she was hurting inside, and I could do nothing about it. "That sucks, I promised Pete that I would keep her safe, and she won't even accept a Parkerwatch to keep her safe."
Liz said. "Worry about yourself, goddamn. How are you feeling about this development?"
I looked at all of them "No judgement?" I asked, unsure of how they would feel about what I would say.
"No judgement." Tess confirmed.
"I didn't ask you, Tess. I could kill everyone in the world, and you would still love me as your big brother." I said. "I seriously still don't understand what I did to deserve that."
"You don't need to understand, big bro. Just continue being you, and I will only respect and love you more." She said, seriously.
"I don't even know what, or who, if I can even be considered a who, I am, so I guess I'll just wing it, like how I've been doing the whole time. But I was saying, No judgement? Actually you know what I just realized I should be saying will you be honest with what you think of what I will say, and not just be nice, or something."
"I think I can say for everyone that we aren't afraid to say the shit we think, so you can trust us to be honest." Liz said, and everyone nodded at what she said.
"Ok, so basically, that first day, I was basically drunk with emotion. I was just managing to pull myself back, and whatever I did, wasn't actually me. Well it was me, but I was feeling emotions that I didn't have any reason to have. But on the second day, my brain came back for the most part, and I could see why I liked you, and not just like you straight up. And back on my universe, when I used to read the comics, I never understood why Peter liked MJ. Spider-Man was always a block between him and her, because she didn't understand why he would risk his life for people who he doesn't know, and she thought Spidey was his main flaw. And she always made it hard for him, when he came home. So I just didn't understand. Like why? You have a girl right there, who literally accepts, and loves both of your parts, is so much more understanding, she even goes on patrol with you, while you go with the girl who has no respect for your mask, no respect for the fact that you need it, to keep your sanity, who you bonded with over the fact that you were both mourning the love of your life." I looked at Gwen, and the increased control I had over my vocal cords was the only thing that stopped my voice from breaking all the way as I continued. "That's why I always look at your neck, you know, Ghost. The Green Goblin, Norman Osborn, and sometimes Harry, it depends on the universe, threw you from the top of Brooklyn Bridge, and I jumped off the top to save you, but when I realized I wasn't going to reach you before you hit the water, I shot a web, and it caught you, but-" At this point my voice broke, and my eyes were shining with tears I refused to let drop. I recomposed myself, then forced myself to finish. "It caught you, but the whiplash," at that point everyone realized, and they all collectively put their hands to their mouths, in shock. Gwen hugged me, as a reassurance. "Your head stayed on, but I've seen your neck just dangling so many times, I can't even." I shook my head. "But that's not what we were talking about. What happened only matters to me, so I can stop it, stop all of it. Not again, never again. Anyways, what I was saying, on the first day, it may have seemed like I cared for her romantically, but now I am in control for the most part, having gotten used to the feelings in the background, and I was hoping for some sort of platonic relationship between me and her. But it looks like I won't be able to do that, nor will I be able to protect her, she's Peter's family, and I promised him. So, while I am disappointed, I am not sad, or depressed at what happened, or what she said. I'll die when I do, and I am not a pretender, yet am a pretender at the same time. I don't know what to think about it, therefore I have no thoughts on it. That's how I feel about it."
"Ok, you explained your feelings towards MJ, but what about the rest of your harem?" Tess said frankly.
"Tess! What the actual fuck is, ugh." I put my head in my hands for a second. Then I raised my head, and said "Need you use such language!?"
"What?" She said "You're trying to tell me that you fell in love with some twenty women in the multiverse, and you didn't have one of those in a bunch of the universes?"
I facepalmed. "That doesn't mean you have to use language like that, it sounds so weird."
"Just answer the question." Tess said smoothly.
"Ugh, fine. So I truly understand why Pete fell in love with them, so my feelings towards them just go higher, so I guess I do love them, but I don't want to pursue a relationship with any of them until I can safely say that the feelings are truly mine, and not another Peter's. That's what I told Sue, and she commended me for telling her so. I've already given thought to it, and I feel I can safely say that with you two," and I gave both Liz and Gwen a gentle squeeze, who had both been hugging me for a while now, "that the feelings are ninety percent mine. I'm not truly sure if I can ever make it hundred percent, but I have to be content that I've pushed it down that far."
Liz looked up at me "Can I ask you two questions, one more important than the other?"
"Fire ahead, Lizzy." I said.
"Is Sue the same Sue that caught you when you fell yesterday, Susan Storm?"
"Yes, due to some... Events last night, the fact that we had a relationship in other worlds was revealed, and we had a conversation on this topic. I will go to The Baxter Building to see if everyone there is ok, and to pick up Ben, not that he knows, I couldn't tell him yesterday, and take him to a place where he can learn how to change between his human form, and his rock form."
"Where are you taking him, you didn't tell me you were going somewhere before?" Tess asked.
I sighed "I didn't tell you, because I didn't want to take you, I can't risk you getting hurt, or The Ancient One wanting to teach you magic as well. I promised you I would try and learn how to use the magic stored within me, but if you learn too, you will gain new enemies, which I don't want to happen."
"Look, Pete." Tess said, reaching out for my hand with her hand. "If I learn magic, I can be more safe right, and your enemies will automatically target me, so it's better I learn magic as well, if 'The Ancient One' whoever that is, agrees to teach me. Right?"
Her logic was sound, so I said "Yes. Ok, I will take you. Lizzy, you had another question?" I said, turning to Liz.
"Yeah, but you just added one more question, and I want to ask my original question after the new one. There's an actual magician called The Ancient One that lives in New York?"
"No, she isn't a magician, she's a sorceress. The term magician is what we, or they, use for fakes. For people who just do tricks. They call themselves sorcerers. And she doesn't live in New York, one of the three entrances to Kamar-Taj, the real life Hogwarts, is placed in New York. Now for your other question?"
Liz looked hesitant, almost scared to ask her question. I put my hand on her shoulder, reassuring her, and she looked at me. She quietly asked "What happened to me, that you always look at my breasts? Like I know it's not sexual, you said it, and I can see the fear in your eyes when you look down. I know I'm punishing you by asking you to tell me, but it's been eating at me since I left your lab. It's fine if you don't tell me, I just had to ask."
My eyes widened slightly as she talked, then returned to normal. This question was coming sooner or later, and me telling Gwen just shoved the question to the front of her mind. "Are you sure you want to know? And are you ok with everyone knowing, or do you want me to talk to you alone? It's not very pretty."
Liz took a deep breath, then said "Yes, I'm sure. And I would prefer to do it away from the table, thanks for asking."
"Your want will always be forefront to mine, Lizzy." I said as I stood up, then gave her my hand, which she gratefully took. When she got up, we let go, and we went towards the doors. Once we were out the doors, I turned to face her, and placed my hands on her shoulders. "Are you sure you want to know, Lizzy? This is your last chance."
"I have to know, it's eating at me, I'm sorry, I'm asking you to do something you shouldn't even be asked to do. If you don't want to tell me, then it's fine." Liz said.
"Like I said, Liz. Your wish is forefront to mine, and my wish is yours. So, in thousands of universes, me and you, we were engaged. Several days before the wedding, the day changes based on the universe, I came home from work, to find you not there, just a note, in green lettering, which told me you were in a warehouse, the specific location changing in each universe. I got ready immediately, sometimes even calling The Fantastic Four, and went to the warehouse. When I got there, I found you hanging by your arms in some chains, unconscious, naked. You were just waking up, and I was running to you, when I saw The Green Goblin was behind you on his glider, two blades on his glider out, and he pushed it into your chest. He jumped off the glider onto another one he had ready, and flew away. I just ran to you, no care for where The Goblin went, just wanting to spend your last moments with you. I wasn't dumb enough to think you would live, I just wanted those last moments. Those last moments, Lizzy. I broke your chains, and held you in my arms. You were awake, and looking at me, sadly. You were saying that you were sorry, and I said even if I tried to, I wouldn't be able to find a reason you had to be sorry. You said I would know why you were sorry when I saw the message in your hair. You gave me a kiss, and you asked me to remove the blades, to end the pain. I- Lizzy, those few moments of pulling them out, they were too long and too short. As soon as I pulled the blades, you started bleeding, and you died, I closed your eyes, and I went to kiss your hair. As I kissed it, I found a USB. It had a picture of a goblin on it, and I would've smashed it, but I knew you told me there was a message in your hair, so I kept it. I went home, and I opened the file on it, when I saw a video. Hesitantly, I played it. The video was slightly different every time, and I remember every variance. It started off with Gobby, telling me he made this so that I had a video by which I could remember you. He moved out of the view, to reveal you in the chains, but you were unconscious and clothed. He slapped you on your face, and you woke up. You and him started talking, you were putting on a brave front, and he was being his maniacal self. You told him that he picked the wrong day to kidnap you, and he said, no, it was the perfect day, considering the situation. You asked what the situation was, and he said that it was the fact that you were pregnant. You were surprised, and asked what would make him think that. He said, the fact that usually, once a month, when they collected a negative pregnancy test from our house, but this month, there was no test thrown away, therefore telling him it was a positive. You said that it would have been better if he waited till tomorrow, because you were going to tell me tonight, but he said that it was nicer if you told him now, and he pointed the camera out to you. You looked straight at the camera, and told me thousands of times, in thousands of universes, with thousands of variances, that you were sorry that you didn't tell me before, and that you wish that you could tell me in person. All the while, Gobby was walking around you, and then he decided it was enough. He didn't end the video, that would be so much easier for me. He took off your clothes, with you telling him not to, to at least have that much honor of his own self. He just continued, then he started raping you, laughing all the while. He went on till you were unconscious, then when you went faint, he went to the camera, and said 'and you found your fiance in this position. Nearly dead, her honor tainted, her child mixed with my semen. Sorry, not sorry.' That's the one thing said, that didn't change. Ever. I'm sorry, I couldn't save you in time. That's what happened, Lizzy. I'm sorry that I couldn't save you, and I will never stop being sorry."
Liz gave me a hug, while looking at me in the eyes. "I'm sorry I made you tell me what happened. I should not have ever done that. And there's nothing you need to be sorry for, you weren't those Peters, you just saw it happen. If you were them, Norman wouldn't be alive to do that. And I know that you're keeping an eye on Norman, and that the moment you see him misbehave, he will permanently be out of the picture, with no one there to blame you for it. And I know that I can trust you to make sure everything is ok. And I can trust you with my life, and my heart, and hopefully, our future children's lives. So for that, you deserve this." She said, reaching upwards, with me automatically reaching down, and we kissed.
After about two minutes, we broke the kiss. I looked at her, love shining in my eyes, with her the same. "That was awesome, how were you able to stay without a breath for that long?"
She laughed "Of course you would ask that, after our first kiss. That was awesome, you're right. Ten out of ten, would want kisses like that for the rest of my life." I frowned slightly at that, out of worry if I could keep her safe, so she added to what she originally said. "No matter how short it is. I don't care how long my life gets, I want kisses like that all the time. And my wish is forefront to yours, remember?"
"Yes, I do. And your wish is also mine, I hope you keep that in memory." I said playfully.
"Oh, I will, just wait till I say I want you to change the kid's diapers." She said, just as playfully.
"You think I'll manage to get us there?" I said softly, worried for her life.
"I know we will manage to get us there. I'm not about to get outdone by my multiversal counterparts, and neither are you. So yes, you'll change my baby's diapers because I wanted you to." She said, then reached up again and kissed me fiercely, which I reciprocated just as fiercely.
After we broke apart, Liz said, "I think we should get back to the others, right? But what should I say? Like about us?"
I smiled "We'll say what you want to say, but Gwen and Tess most probably heard all of what was said, and done." I added done teasingly, and she smirked.
"Well, Tess can't keep a piece of gossip to herself, so I guess they already know, which decides for us right?"
"Yes, yes it does. Let's go back." I said and we parted from the hug we had been, and then I asked, "you want to hold my hand, or not?"
She thought for a second, then said "While I'm down for PDA every now and then, holding hands just like that seems so cringy."
I smiled "Agreed, one hundred percent."
Then we went back to the table, and sat back into our spots on the table, with Gwen giving Liz a fist bump behind my back, and everyone else smirking.
"Congrats, guys. I'm already an aunt, but having a nephew or another niece within a year wouldn't hurt. What do you say, Sexi?"
"It would be awesome." She said, but her voice betrayed her insecurity.
Immediately I took action, saying "Sexi, say that again, what do you think about having a sibling? I can hear that you're not sure, and I'm not surprised. It's normal, Sexi, to be worried at the thought of siblings, and trust me, it's a good thing to be worried. You're my big girl, my eldest child, and you can talk to me for anything you need, and if you don't want to talk to me, you can talk to your crazy aunt, or someone else. So hun, tell me, why are you worried?"
"It's just, you guys always ignore me without realizing, because I don't have an actual body, and I just, ugh this is stupid!" If Sexi had a human form, she would have been pulling her hair off.
"No, Sexi, it isn't stupid." I said. "You raised a valid concern. We do ignore you without realizing, and it's our fault, Friday, mine first and foremost. I'm your father, and I should have seen my mistake. What do you say, me and you, jet to Wakanda, and get their help in making a human body for you, that can connect to your presence?"
"That would be awesome, Dad!" She squealed from excitement.
"Of course it would be, but I better be the first person you hug." I said in mock sternness.
"Of course you will! You'll be the first person I touch, the first body heat that I actually feel, rather than sense, the first person who'll mess my hair up, the first person to kiss me on my hair, like how you did a few minutes after I was born, the first, well the first everything!" She said, practically vibrating the table with her excitement.
I laughed "Now, now, I won't be the first person who kisses you on the lips, or the first person who French kisses you, or the first person you have sex with. That'll be someone else, in at least ten years."
"Dad! Stop!" She said, clearly embarrassed, but not letting that affect her excitement.
We all laughed. "Now that that's out of the way, how long can I expect to hear that Liz is pregnant?" Tess said, with a smirk.
Liz said "Would you stop? You know we're not having sex anytime soon, so bug off." Then she turned to me and said "At least, I don't think we are anytime soon, what do you think?"
"Whatever you want, Lizzy."
Liz started talking to herself "Then we won't, but then again, Petey is so self sacrificial, he's going to die before we turn 17 so, eh, I don't know. I have to think on this. That okay, Petey?"
"Take all the time you want, Lizzy. But we're having this conversation in front of everyone." I said.
"oh, shit." She Said, just realizing.
Tess smirked "What, Lizzy? there a problem with me knowing when to expect a nephew?"
"Bug off, Tess." Liz said "And don't call me Lizzy."
Tess just grinned. "Someone's possessive of her nickname. And spiders are arachnids, not bugs."
"You're calling me Liz, Tess." Liz said "And if that's how you want to play it, then arachnid off, Tess."
"If so, then Pete has to arachnid off as well. But we can't take your sweetie Petey wheatie, can we? So no arachnid off."
"Lay off, Tess." I said jokingly.
"Fiiine" Tess said.
As if on cue, the bell rang, and we headed to our classes.
The rest of school went by uneventfully. After school, me and Tess went to The Baxter Building, and came through the front door like normal people. But we were still wearing our suits. When we got to the living quarters of the fantastic four, we found all of them except Reed in the living room, just chilling around.
"Why, hello. Have I interrupted anything? If not, then I came to tell you something, Ben. It's about a way to cancel your powers temporarily." Everyone's eyes widened at that, and I smirked, then got serious again. "It's not concrete, but it's your best shot. I know you really want to be able to be a normal person every now and then, and I'm trying to help you, bro." I reached my hand out in a handshake, and he looked at it for a second, before shaking it.
"Where are we going?" He said, clearly happy at the thought of being normal again. "Thank you, Pete, for trying your best to help me."
"It's no problem, there are some worlds where this works out, and others where it doesn't, and others where the idea never crosses our minds because Reed doesn't believe in magic. I mean, I do, but I know Reed doesn't."
"Magic isn't real, Pete. Have you gone crazy?" Johnny asked.
"Ok fine, the correct term is Mystical Arts. Happy now?" I said.
"Buddy, are you screwed up up there? I don't believe you."
"Yes, I'm screwed up up there, what told you that? The fact that I'm not a normal person? I know my facts Johnny, and when I come back tonight, you'll believe me that magic is real." I said, exasperated.
"Is that a bet?"
"If it is, I'm betting all my money. I already know I'm winning. You have to bet all your money too."
"Bet."
"Johnny, you just lost all your money." Sue said, from where she was sitting on the loveseat. "Hey, Pete." She smiled.
I smiled back. "Hey yourself. How're you doing, are any injuries of yours from last night still there?" I said, making my way to the couch, and I sat down next to her.
"My stomach is still a little cramped from when that Doombot punched me, but other than that, I'm fine."
"Hey! Why didn't you tell me you got hurt!" Johnny said.
Both of us turned to glare at him "Because you didn't ask." We both said at the same time.
Johnny shrunk into himself. "Yeah, I'm just going to shut up."
"That's a good idea, Johnny." I said, then turned back to face Sue. "We have to leave now, I don't know how long I'll stay there, but I need to make sure I get there as early as possible."
"Do you have an appointment with them?" Sue asked.
"In a way." I shrugged. "The Ancient One definitely knows I'm coming without me having contacted her, so you could say I have an appointment."
"That's not an appointment, Pete, but I guess things work different with the magicians."
"They aren't magicians, they're sorcerers. And no, it shouldn't work like this normally, but I'm a special person, so I know she knows I'm around, my magical aura is super high, I know that."
"Ok then, see you guys tonight." Sue said.
I got up "See y'all, but I might just spend the whole night there, I'm not sure."
"Ok, till next time."
"Till next time."
All three of us got into the elevator, and then we left. I carried Ben by one arm, and we swung to the Sanctum. When we got to the Sanctum, I put Ben down, and he said "How are you able to carry me, I'm super heavy."
"I've carried buildings on my shoulders, you're nothing."
"Wow." Ben nodded at me in respect, and I returned the nod.
Then I walked up to the door, and shouted "Hey, Wong, or whoever is guarding this Sanctum, open the door! I don't got all day!"
The door opened, to reveal an annoyed Wong, who got surprised when he saw me in my mask, then he grumbled. "What do you want?" He challenged.
"You know what I want, Wong." I said.
"Or do I?"
"The Ancient One may not have told you, but she has probably sensed my presence. I'm filled with magic, and I want to see her so she can teach me how to use it."
"So the rumors are true then, there was a major magical entity sensed by the higher masters." He said to himself.
"So will you let me in? Dude, I'm waiting."
"Of course, sorry, come on in."
I walked in, and Tess and Ben made a move to follow me, when Wong blocked them. "They're with me, Wong. Do you not see the fact that they have magic?"
"I didn't look, I was paying attention to the fact that you were here, and not them." He focused on them for a moment, then said "Yes, the girl has a minor presence, and the man has a spell of Petram, but it has been changed." He said, then moved to make space for them to come in.
I took my mask off, and he studied my face for a second, before saying "Follow me."
We followed him, then when we got to a specific place in the Sanctum, he activated a portal, and said "Kamar-Taj is beyond this portal, you will be told where to go by the ones waiting for you on the other side. It's been an honor to meet you, Parker."
So he wasn't an idiot, he knew who I was. "The honor is all mine." I said, then walked into the portal, Ben and Tess following in after me.
As soon as we entered, we were surrounded by several sorcerers. They all had their shields activated, and were ready for a fight. Ben and Tess immediately got ready as well, but then I raised my hand, telling them to stand down. They did, and then I looked at the sorcerers who had surrounded us, until I saw a familiar face. "Baron Mordo, what's the meaning of this?" I asked him.
He stiffened in surprise that I knew his name, then said "You're the presence we can all sense. We were unsure wether you would be a threat to us, so we were prepared accordingly."
"Well, I'll only be a threat if you stand in my way, so I would recommend you take me to The Ancient One as soon as possible."
"Of course." He said, and gestured to the rest of the sorcerers, and they all deactivated their shields. "Please follow me."
We did, and then when we got to a door, he said, "The Ancient One is beyond this door, I will leave you from here." Then he briskly walked away.
I knocked on the door, and a man's voice came out, "Come on in."
When we entered, we found three people sitting on chairs, two of them I didn't recognize, and on the left was The Ancient One. I looked at each of them, giving a nod in respect, which they returned. Then I looked at The Ancient One, and said, "You know why I am here, or at least my story?"
She nodded, then turned to the other two and said, "You two may go, Masters Kaecillius and Richard." They nodded, and left the room. Then she changed what room we were in, and now we were in the weaponry. "I know of your story, who you really are. I don't know your name, I had no need to. Like me, you have taken a new name or names. Peter, and Spider-Man."
I nodded "Ray, and The Ancient One."
"Correct." She said, "Now, before we start with you, let's look at the warrior of Petram." She looked at him, and smiled sadly "You're a happy man, with a sad situation. The spell was changed for you, because it wasn't truly a spell, so it didn't have all the aspects." Out of nowhere, she shot her hand at his stomach, and his rocks just flew off of him for a moment, then came back on. "It seems I could not do anything to remove the skin forever, he is stuck with this skin." Ben had been happy when the rocks came off him, but hearing what she said, he looked sad again.
I said "But there is a spell that can remove it temporarily, am I right?"
"You want him to be taught that one spell, don't you?" She said, looking at me.
I nodded, then said, "Yes, I am saying that. Ben deserves this, and I believe this would also help for relations between sorcerers and super powered humans. Ben gets a chance to live his life normally, the supers will not look at the sorcerers with distrust, and you will be able to move more freely, not as restricted as you have gotten. I know you have been around since the 1800's, and so I know you know what I mean. This would be advantageous for all parties involved."
She looked at Ben "Would you be ok with living over here for about six months? That's how long it will take for you to learn the spell."
Ben considered it for a second, then said "Yes, that would work. But can I say my goodbyes to my family beforehand? And will I be able to visit them once in a while?"
"Yes, you can visit them every now and then, and you can also go back to say bye." The Ancient One said.
"Then I am willing. This is the first true chance I have at this, and I won't drop it." Ben said determinedly.
"Then it is decided." She said, then made a portal that opened to the Baxter Building living room. "You can go and offer you farewells to your family, this portal will be open till you return, don't worry about rushing."
He nodded and said "Thank you, Ancient One. I finally have a shot at normal life." She nodded, then he turned to me. "Thanks so much, Pete. You just brought me, and you took the first step for me. When I'm done, I will be in your debt."
"We're family, Ben. This what family does for each other, and I'm happy to do it." I said gently. He nodded, then turned and walked through the portal.
The Ancient One looked at us, and said "You want to both learn magic, correct?"
"If I want to protect my family, then I must use all the powers I can get. I have magic within me, pooled up, and I wish to control it, fine tune it." I said.
"I want to learn magic so I can protect Pete when he is in danger, and the rest of our family. We will make several enemies, and I want to be able to use all the power that I can to protect my family from them." Tess said.
"You will be learning with me." The Ancient One said, looking at me. Then turning to Tess, she said "And you can learn with Master Kaecillius, he is a learned sorcerer."
"Not Kaecillius." I said. "He betrays you, and unleashes Dormammu onto the world. I don't trust him with my sister's life."
"Very well, then. I will keep an eye on him, and she can learn under Master Richard." She focused on something, then after a moment, Master Richard came, and then when everything was explained, him and Tess went to the training area, and Tess was going to go home by portal around our eight pm, and come two days a week, Mondays and Wednesdays.
Then she looked at me, and said "If I teach you magic, then you will be practically unstoppable. The eye is reaching for you, and it's telling me to test you before I can teach you." She switched which area of the weaponry we were at, and she pointed at something behind me. I turned around to see...
"The Ebony Blade." I breathed "Forged by Merlin, for Sir Percy. Can only be wielded by the impure, until they become bloodthirsty. Why would this be my test." I could feel a pull from the sword, and I ignored it.
"Everyone is impure. What you say is right, the spells on the blade make it so it can only be wielded by the impure. But the question is, are you willing to do what it takes? When you attempt to wield the blade, to be able to move it, you must be willing to kill, when it's needed. But the moment the blade makes you bloodthirsty, it also destroys you immediately. So the test is, can you kill, when it's needed, but not more?" She said.
"We'll see." I said, and then placed my hand on the handle of the blade, and grabbed it. Immediately I felt the blade, as if it had a mind. I pulled the blade off of it's rest, and grabbed the sheath that was sitting next to the blade, and sheathed the blade. Then I turned to The Ancient One, and said "I guess that's our answer."
"Yes, that's our answer." She confirmed, then switched where we were once again. Now we were in some sort of training grounds, and she said "Remove your suit, all eight of your limbs will be needed."
I deactivated my suit, and stretched my spider legs. Then she started teaching me.
After several hours, I was exhausted, but still learning. We did mental training, made shields, bands, pocket dimensions, and made illusions, and so much more.
"You have done well, Peter." The Ancient One said. "What takes my usual students weeks to master, you have taken days. Now, we will move onto the part where I can only tell you, and not do with you, as I am not a Spider Totem. Are you ready?"
"Yes, I am ready."
"Good. So first you will learn, how to cast a web."
"Yes, Master."