Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel Cinematic Universe, Buffyverse or anything else you may recognize
Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed or reviewed this fic so far.
Also, in this chapter, Peter Maximoff has now gone off to help with the natural disasters over the world, since if he's there during the curing stuff, he can prevent the whole mess with his superspeed. And I think having someone that fast help with natural disasters makes sense.
But worry not, I have a very important role for him in the final battle.
Spiritree0513: Thank you for the review. Fair explanation, plus Strange was probably holding back by a lot since he could have taken Peter out in 2 seconds if he actually wanted to. Though in Phase 4 it seems like MCU is trying to separate magic and science so far.
Guest 1: Originally, the fic was removed over song lyrics, but now, an asshole decided to be a tattletale and told Critics United about my fic, so they're trying to get it removed over accusations of it being a MST even though I've given them 4 different meanings of the word to prove its not, but they don't listen and are petty AF, so they added the story to one of their mass-reporting communities to mass-report it, and admins will probably find a BS reason to get rid of it. So what I'm doing is- I'm temporarily deleting the fic, and I only restore it while updating, and keep it up for 13-14 hours, then I take it down again. It won't prevent reporting, since someone on their community could report the story while its up, but taking it down for such a long time will reduce the chances of reporting, and this way I can continue and keep up my story without being bothered by Losers United too much.
Guest 2: Yes I will continue it. I'm just trying to get some inspiration, since plot of next fic is decided, I just have to write it out. And I do plan to add a fandom or two.
Chapter 12- Cures
Avengers Tower
All the villains to be cured were lead inside. Willow still had some power so she had done a spell to paralyze X-24 in one place, leaving him unable to do any damage while this was being done.
"Where's Connors?" Peter asked May.
"He told me he wants to stay in the truck", she replied.
"Okay", Peter sounded disappointed as Dawn held his hand.
"He'll come around", she assured.
"What is all this?" William was wondering, looking around in awe and fear. "This is all so….." He saw a phone on the table. "This strange box, what does it do?"
"Its used to talk." Tara told him.
"How?"
"He's too dumb to understand", Liam shrugged.
"Hey!"
"Okay, this is so weird", Pepper commented, seeing the strange assortment of villains in the Tower, holding Morgan to her chest.
"Yeah, I'm regretting my decision already", Tony nodded.
Pepper then noted Tony-2. "And that's you from another Universe?"
"Well….yes."
Tony-2 turned to them. "Hi."
"Hi", Pepper greeted him awkwardly.
"I'm-"
"Pepper Potts, I know, you look different on my Earth though", he told her, then looked around. "And you married Happy Hogan."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, seriously."
"Oh my God", Pepper rubbed her head, trying to get that mental image out of her head.
"Gonna fire him", Tony muttered.
Max shot energy at the TV, and shorted it out.
William gasped again. "What is all this?"
"Buddy, just calm down", Liam assured him.
"But this is all so-"
"Oh suck it up, mate!" Spike snarled at him, making him shut up.
Sandman sat on the black leather sofa. Sand fell everywhere. "Oh... sorry." He tried to brush it off the sofa but was unsuccessful.
"Clean it up", Tony ordered him.
Norman puzzled over DUM-E as Tony said. "My first proper bot. Very good boy that one."
Doc Ock was wrapped into submission by his own tentacles by Tony-2 still. He scowled. "So this is your plan, Peter? Hmm? Just performing miracles here?"
"Well, this place looks like its in the age of miracles", Norman commented to him.
Ock scoffed. "He's gonna kill us all."
X-24 snarled at the comment as Vamp Willow raised a hand. "Already dead."
Peter simply shook his head. "Well, let's hope not. You're up first, Doc."
Ignoring Ock, Peter walked to the lab.
"What? Hey, I told you, I don't need fixing. Especially by a barely adult boy!"
Tony walked with Peter as Max followed after them. "Nah, nah, nah. They got something back there. I can feel it. That weird energy."
Tony removed a tarp from a case marked "Stark Industries", Peter next to him as Norman, Max, May, Fred, Willow, Tony-2, Ripper and nerd Cordy entered.
Norman asked. "What the hell is that?"
"Yeah, never seen anything like that on my world", nerd Cordy said, looking impressed.
"Me neither", Ripper shook his head.
"It's a Fabricator." Peter pressed a button on the case - it unfolds to reveal a Stark Fabricator, powered by an Arc Reactor. "It can analyze, design, construct basically anything."
"All 'cause of me", Tony raised both hands on either side.
"Eh, I got one too", Tony-2 shrugged.
"Its not here, mine is." Tony-2 groaned.
May commented. "Wow!"
"So, let's use it", Willow finally said.
On the Fabricator, readouts came alive, sections opened and extended outward, growing to full size. Max's eyes lit up at the sight of the arc reactor. "Look at that."
"I am looking", Fred said as the unfolding machine keeled forward and—
Punched a hole in the wall, making Morgan and Connor both cry as their parents comforted them.
Doc Ock glared. "He's gonna kill us all."
Tony-2 laughed. "Mine never did that." Tony groaned.
Two pedestrians walked by the F.E.A.S.T. truck of May outside the Avengers Tower.
BANG! RAWR!
As the truck gently shook, one of them asked. "Whoa... what's going on there?"
Bruce, Bruce-2 and David worked together on a cure for Old Man Logan as Bruce asked. "So you're called David then?"
"Yeah, my dad was DW", David confirmed to them while mixing some chemicals. "He wanted me to be an agriculturist, wanted to be a doctor, now here we are."
"Well, at least better than mine, much better, mine never paid any attention to me", Bruce told him with a sigh.
"Mine tried to kill me when I was a baby", Bruce-2 added.
"Sorry to hear that", David assured them. "Lost my wife, figured could have saved her by using more strength, the ones we get during panic, and then this happened."
"So an accident for all of us, just different reasons", Bruce-2 realized.
"Thanks for the save though", David thanked them as they smiled and nodded.
"Like you a lot more than my David", Bruce-2 commented, as David shrugged.
"Trying to kill a baby, that too your own, you've to be complete scum to do that", David told them.
"Yeah, not even mine was that bad", Bruce told him. "And you two don't have other heroes in your world?"
"I don't", Bruce-2 shrugged.
"I do", David looked up at the 2 Matts. "Matt Murdock, Daredevil, he is on my Earth, defended me during a trial and we teamed up."
"Huh? Neat to have him around", Bruce said as David smiled.
"Yeah, and the Thor you mentioned, he exists on my world too, only the enchantment says he has to serve whoever possesses the hammer, which was a student of mine called Donald Blake", David explained, shocking Bruce who had to chuckle a bit.
"I'm sorry, its just..." He chuckled again. "Thor serving a normal human-"
"Well, at least you got some too", Bruce-2 noted.
"Hey don't worry, things will get better", Bruce tapped Bruce-2's shoulder, nodding reassuringly.
They mixed the chemicals a bit more as Bruce said. "Think its done. Logan!"
Both Logans arrived as Bruce-2 held up the cure, looking at Old Man Logan. "This will restore your healing factor and put you back to full strength."
Old Man Logan looked at the cure. For a long time, he wanted to just die and let it end, he'd never have taken the cure.
But now, things were different. Holding out his hand, he took it. "Thanks bub."
He then injected it onto his chest, gasping and grunting a bit, feeling a bit drowsy as the now empty syringe dropped from his hand.
Old Man Logan staggered a little, Logan supporting him, and then he finally straightened.
"How do you feel, bub?" Logan inquired.
"Fucking perfect, bub", Old Man Logan cracked his neck, feeling a strength he had not felt for a long time. Even the temporary chemical enhancement was nothing compared to getting it all back.
Meanwhile Faith-2, Harmony and Lorne were doing a cheerleading dance to encourage the others.
"Who will make the cure?" Faith-2 asked in a sing-song voice.
"Peter! Peter!" Harmony and Lorne said together, the rest shooting them weird looks.
"This is so weird", Dawn winced.
Bear was confused, tilting his head as he looked between Faith and Faith-2 curiously.
"Awww, he's such a cute pup", Faith-2 walked to Bear but Faith lifted him up first a bit possessively.
"Nope, my puppy!"
"Aw come on Faith, good things must be shared."
"He's my pup, not a thing."
Faith-2 sighed as Lorne told her. "Not to worry, I think you're great. The cheerfulness from you-"
"Can we do anymore?" Harmony inquired.
"Oh sure", and they started doing some more.
"So, what happened with you, bit?" Spike asked Slayer Dawn as he, Buffy, Dawn, Felicia and Slayer Dawn sat together.
"Buffy, she died in my world", Slayer Dawn confessed, looking at her mask and wig.
"The portal?" Buffy inquired.
"Yeah", Slayer Dawn nodded sadly. "And the Council got annoyed by Faith staying in prison so they….."
She trailed off but the implications were clear. Spike sneered. "The rat bastards."
"And so I became the next one", Slayer Dawn gestured to herself. "Didn't take it well at first. Used my powers to steal. Became the Black Cat."
"More like copycat", Felicia commented with a mock glare.
"I could call you mine", Slayer Dawn shrugged.
"I was not a Potential on here", Dawn commented.
"Well, it takes a lot of getting used to. Eventually realized my responsibilities and so here we are", Slayer Dawn finished her tale.
"I'm sorry, must have been hard", Buffy told her hard.
"Yeah, it was hard without you, but I had them", Slayer Dawn gestured to Willow and Tara. "The ones on my Earth. They were very kind and patient."
"They always are", Dawn smiled fondly.
William was still staggering around. "This is so terrifying."
"He reminds me of someone", Wesley commented, sitting with Lilah.
"Who?" Lilah asked.
"Myself at the start", Wesley shrugged.
"Yeah, does seem like it", Lilah nodded.
"He's from the same world as you?" Cordelia asked Liam, looking at the confused William, who tripped and fell, then stood back up.
"That was deliberate."
"Yeah, but he passed away in his time, I still live in the present", Liam shrugged.
"You're not a Vampire, how are you still alive?" Angel inquired out of curiosity.
"Annoyed a hermit too much, he cursed me with immortality", Liam simply said, shocking them.
"Isn't that an overreaction though? Of the highest order?" Cordelia asked.
"Hermits are known for that stuff", Liam told her. "I'm over it. Learnt magic, including the dark stuff and got back at him. Teamed up with the Council a few times but they were just impotent scumbags, William was a bit better but too much of a coward."
"I heard that!" William raised a hand.
"I know", Liam shrugged.
Connor looked between the working nerd Cordy and Cordelia in confusion. "Mama?"
"Oh, she just looks like me, baby", Cordelia assured the baby.
He looked between Angel and Liam as well then. "Dada?"
"No, he's your dada, I'm a very cool magician", Liam quipped to baby Connor.
"Hmm…"
Darla looked at baby Connor with some affection in her eyes. So this was her son in this Universe, with an ensouled Angel of all people.
And she had died to let him live.
In her own Universe, she'd never have a child, she knew.
"You wanna play with him?" Angel asked Darla but she shook her head.
Cordelia looked between Connor and Darla. She hadn't meant to become the kid's mama, but it had just happened. She loved him like he was her own, and he had come to see her as his mother.
But Darla, she was his real mother. Cordelia couldn't help but feel deep down she'd stolen him from her.
Now that wasn't rational. Darla was not around, so her becoming Connor's foster mother was natural.
Cordelia wouldn't feel the irrational guilt if Darla had been a terrible mother. But she had made the ultimate sacrifice to make sure her son would live.
And this Darla, she was the kind of person Darla could have been with a soul.
"I think you should hold him", Cordelia finally said to Darla, surprising both her and Angel.
"But-"
"Please, he should see his mother once, even an alternate version of her", Cordelia requested.
Darla considered, then sighed and nodded. "Fine."
Cordelia handed Connor over to Darla, who looked at him with a smile, affection in her eyes. "Hello child. How are you?"
Connor made a sound as Darla commented. "Yeah, I get it." He produced some baby babble, making Darla laugh. "You're so adorable."
"Yeah, he is", Angel agreed with a nod. "Take Vamp face, he loves it."
"All right", Darla looked up, then took Vamp face and looked down at baby Connor as he laughed and clapped. "Yeah, you like that, don't you, you sweet little child?"
"Loving scene, ain't it?" Liam muttered to himself mostly.
Spike suddenly said to Liam. "Hey, you have funny hair." He then laughed, wondering what Liam would do to him.
Liam snapped his fingers and next moment, Spike was a puppet. "BLOODY HELL!"
Angel rose up from his seat and cheered. "THAT'S HOW IT FEELS!"
Liam looked at him weirdly as Angel added. "I'm just a big fan of the sport."
"Awww, you look so cute", Buffy started stroking Spike's hair.
"Yeah, let's play with you", Dawn added, cuddling his cheeks.
"All of us", Felicia agreed, pinching his nose.
"I AM A BLOODY PUPPET!"
Liam snapped his fingers and Spike was back to normal, gasping. "Anyone else wanna join the muppet show?"
And the message was clear- don't mess with Liam!
Miss Kitty Fantastico the 2nd was looking between the two sets of Willow and Tara in confusion, but seemed to recognize her owners as she jumped into their laps.
"How did you…" Tara tried to ask sexy Tara but trailed off. Vamp Willow was trailing some kisses on sexy Tara's shoulder, and she was kissing her forehead every now and then, making their doppelgangers uncomfortable.
"Ah, this?" Sexy Tara looked at herself. "Well, when I was in the rebel phase after mom died, I met this guy called Ethan Rayne-"
"Ethan?" Willow asked in shock.
"You know him on your Earth?"
"He's our enemy, he is one of the Horsemen", Tara revealed, surprising sexy Tara.
"Wow! What a change! He's a bit shady in my Universe but decent", sexy Tara said with a shrug. "Does experiment a bit with the dark arts but he's a good guy."
"So, what happened?" Tara inquired.
"Well, he figured out the family legend was a lie and so I changed myself, got the blood kin arrested, and joined him", sexy Tara smirked. "Partners and all that."
"Right", Willow nodded, she and Tara now realizing how this change came to be.
"I want your mouth", Vamp Willow moaned.
"So do I", sexy Tara and Vamp Willow started making out, making Willow and Tara cringe.
Xander and Anya were sitting in front of Vamp Xander as the former asked. "So you're Xander?"
"Yeah, and you're Xander here?"
"Yeah."
"You're Anya?"
"The one and only."
"And you two are married?"
"Yeah", both said together.
"Didn't figure you to be the marrying type, my Anya doesn't seem like it", Vamp Xander honestly said.
"What's she like?" Anya asked.
"Oh, she was a Vengeance Demon, then part of the Watcher's Council but she hated their methods, so the Council conspired to kick her out for trying to protect a Slayer. Now, she owns the Magic Box and gives us advice."
"I did run the Magic Box, but joining those pricks? Urrggh!" Anya said.
"Any other differences?" Xander asked.
"Well", Vamp Xander took Vamp face, making Xander jump.
"What?"
"Yeah, I was turned by Drusilla but Willow, Jenny and Buffy helped me, and got half of a soul back, and its half of Willow's, tethered to a stone, so I'm half Vampire", Vamp Xander explained to the two.
"Huh?" Xander was shaken at this point.
"Think I need shrimp", Anya said.
"What's that?" Vamp Xander asked.
"You don't have shrimp in your world?" Anya asked and Vamp Xander shook his head.
Anya jumped up with a cheer. "The world without shrimp is real!"
She was shot weird looks and with an embarrassed chuckle, sat back down.
"I'm a half-Vampire", Xander muttered, feeling like his world-view had shaken at this point. A version of him that struggled with bloodlust and had been turned existed.
"Well, your Universe has differences, like Spike having a soul and being Buffy's boyfriend, at my place we trust him as far as we can throw him", Vamp Xander told the two.
"Xander's the same here with both Spike and Angel", Anya informed him. "But its just him, right Xander?"
Xander didn't respond, still processing the whole thing. He gave shit to Angel and Spike, but if he was an ensouled Vampire and they gave shit to him, how would he feel?
"Xander?" Anya snapped her fingers in his face, making him come back to normal.
"Oh, oh, right."
During that time, Angel and Cordelia handed Connor to Lorne as the former said. "Think we should keep him away from here for now."
"You think its gonna be a mess or what?" Lorne asked.
"Could be, who knows?" Cordelia shrugged. "Unless all these bad guys are fully cured and on our side, not comfortable having our kid near them."
"All right."
"Take him too", Faith handed Bear to Harmony, who cooed over him.
"Awww, he's so cute", Harmony said as Bear yipped.
"I know", Faith patted his head.
"Could you take Morgan?" Pepper asked Xander and Anya.
"Sure, I love babies", Anya took Morgan from Pepper with a smile.
"Xander, think you should go too, take Miss Kitty with you", Willow handed the kitten to him.
"Yeah, sure", Xander nodded, still in a daze.
With that, the four of them were gone as Faith-2 said. "Well, I'll have to do it all alone then-"
Faith told Matt. "You know, if you want a threesome with cheery me, wouldn't mind."
"Seriously?"
"Don't get me wrong, the way she never shuts up makes me want to stakes through my eardrums, but if there was something to shove down her mou-"
"Faith!"
"Not like you weren't thinking about it."
"I wasn't!"
"...Damn, you're more patient than I give you credit for."
Johnny walked to where the ladies sat. "Hi, I'm Johnny, I'm hot, and fl-"
Liam shot a small ball of water at him, making him gasp and stagger away.
"Take that", Buffy muttered as all snickered at him.
"You are embarrassing", Ripper quipped to Johnny.
"Hey, at least I tried", Johnny pointed out. "You're not even trying."
"Well, its because they know an old me", Ripper shrugged.
"And?"
"You know what? Let us try."
Ripper went to the ladies too. "So, who of you would like to-"
"EEEWWW!" All the ladies went together, and shot him looks. "Not interested."
Ripper groaned and walked off as Johnny laughed at him.
"Hi", Oz sat next to Wanda.
"Hi", she greeted back. Maximoff had gone off with some heroes to help with the natural disasters, as his speed could save a lot of people.
"That guy was your brother's doppelganger?"
"Yes", Wanda sighed. "I thought I was stronger, but seeing him again, it opened the wound-"
"He was your brother. You can't leave him behind", Oz pointed out.
"Guess you're right, the grief shows how much I loved him", Wanda nodded, finding some comfort with Oz, to her surprise. The man seemed to have a way with words.
"What is grief if not love persevering?" Oz asked and pointed out, as Wanda's eyes widened, remembering when she'd heard it last.
"Did I say something?"
"No, nothing", Wanda shook her head. "Nothing."
"So wait, this Mephisto Devil gave you the actual Devil?" Matt-2 asked Matt in shock.
"Took me a long time to work through it, then realized Adam was just another victim of Mephisto's sick game", Matt told his doppelganger. "Now we're brothers."
"Strange, all these differences", Matt-2 sighed.
"I know."
"You were not in the Marines?" Frank and Frank-3 were shocked on hearing that bit.
"Nope, Delta Force", Frank-2 confirmed to both of them. "And FBI Agent, they came after my family due to me being undercover getting the kid of that bastard Howard Saint killed."
"Never thought I'd meet a version of myself who's not a Marine", Frank-3 commented. "We have stuff in common, and other stuff, not so much."
"Still, at least we are alike", Frank pointed out.
"Can't disagree there", Frank-2 said, since in spite of differences (including physical appearance), his 2 counterparts, they were exactly like him in mentality and worldview.
Peter worked at the Fabricator. There was a holographic scan of Doc Ock's compromised chip. "So the chip in the back of Doc's neck was designed to protect his brain from the A.I. system that's controlling these tentacles. But if you look here..." Peter rotated the hologram with his hands and singled out the compromised chip. "The chip is fried. So rather than him being in control of the tentacles, the tentacles are now in control of him. Which I guess explains why he is so miserable all the time."
"We can help with that though", Fred assured.
"Just gonna take a bit of time", nerd Cordy added, still awed by this kind of technology, which made her feel a bit inferior, sadly.
Norman took in the holographic chip, intrigued and amazed.
Ock's tentacles still restrained him as May tapped one of them, then held up a glass of water. "Thirsty?"
"Why yes, I am thirsty."
"Fresh water or salt?" She added off his look. "You know, because you're an octopus?"
"...What?"
"Fresh water it is."
By the windows, Max stared out at the world. "Look at this place. And all the possibilities..."
"What?" Sandman asked.
"I'm talking about the world", Max added regarding his cool self. "I kind of like who I am here." He glanced toward the lab, thinking of the arc reactor. "And all that power back there... I could be so much more." He turned to Flint. "So why'd you come along?"
"I have a daughter, and I want to see her. But he's not gonna send anyone home until he's finished his little science project back there."
Max asked. "You trust him?"
"I don't trust anyone." A beat. "How'd you end up like that anyway?"
"Oh, the place where I worked at, they were experimenting with electricity created by living organisms and then, uh... I fell into a vat of electric eels."
Flint was surprised by that. "You're kidding. I fell into a super collider."
Now it was Max's turn to be surprised as he empathized with Flint's situation. "Damn. Gotta be careful where you fall."
The Fabricator held the new microchip cure for Doc Ock. Peter, Fred and nerd Cordy added the final pieces, as Tony, Tony-2 and Norman looked on.
Norman commented. "Remarkable. The technology and you. When all this is over, if you need a job and you're willing to commute to another Universe..."
"He said 'no' to me already", Tony shrugged.
The Fabricator hummed. The chip was finished.
"That worked! That totally worked!" Peter grabbed the finished chip and raced out of the room, the rest following him.
Peter slid in with the new microchip, holding it up to May and the rest. "I got it. I did it, I did it."
"Congratulations", Dawn cheered happily, sharing a smile with Felicia and Slayer Dawn.
"He's nice", Slayer Dawn said.
"The best", Dawn confirmed.
"Good, congrats."
"You'll find someone", Dawn assured her slayer counterpart. "My sister and Faith both did here. Don't give up hope."
Slayer Dawn thought about it, then nodded. "Thanks."
"His enthusiasm is sweetly infectious", Lilah commented to Wesley.
"You like him or what?"
"Kinda."
Peter asked. "Uh... would you send him up?"
"Here we go", May said as Peter started bounding up the stairs, with Tony-2 adjusting the controls.
Peter suddenly stopped, took off his magnifying glasses, and tossed them to Tony-2. They almost hit the controls. "Sorry!"
Ock's tentacles began to lift him upwards.
Tony-2 assured. "Hold on, Doc."
"Oh, will these humiliations never cease?!"
Peter reached higher, Ock now suspended in front of the railing. As Peter approached, Doc Ock sneered. "You! Keep your science fair project away from me!"
"Come on, it works", Old Man Logan assured him.
"Yeah, the Fabricator can do a lot", Bruce added.
Norman nodded. "Hey, it'll work. Have faith."
Ock snarled. "Says the reckless fool who turned himself into a monster."
Norman and Sandman looked up from below as Peter tried to implant the new chip. "Please stop moving your head. Hold still."
"Don't you dare."
All anxiously awaited the result, as Doc Ock continued to squirm.
"I swear, when I get out of this, we're gonna rip you a new—" The new chip was gently attached to Doc Ock's inhibitor chip. Ock passed out.
"...Doc?!"
Max looked up, waiting.
"Doc? Doc?! ...Doctor Octavi—"
Ock gasped, lifting his head, amazed. "It's so quiet. Those voices... inside my head... I'd almost forgotten."
Norman called out. "Otto?"
Otto replied. "Yes, Norman..." Otto's tentacles lowered him back to the ground. He stood tall. "It's me."
"It worked. Good job everyone", Steve complimented all, holding hands with Fred.
"Nicely done", Buffy smiled.
Max looked on. Stunned. Disappointed. This decision was real now. Peter jumped down.
Sandman commented. "Would you look at that."
"Yeah, quite something", Pepper nodded as Tony-2 used the holographic controls to release the hold over the tentacles. The nanotech reformed over Tony-2's suit.
Otto held out his hand to Peter. "I'm grateful, dear boy. Truly."
Peter shook hands with him. "Yeah, you're welcome."
Otto asked. "How can I help?"
"Now that's a hell of a 180 and I like it!" Spike cheered.
"I still don't understand what's going on", William commented.
"Modern tech, Willy", Liam shrugged.
Apocalypse stood in his base as he told Pestilence and War. "The heroes are trying to help the hoppers, those they find redeemable."
"You think it will backfire, my Lord?" Rayne asked.
"Oh it will", Apocalypse smirked, as he was going to mentally influence his 3 wild cards when the time was right.
"What shall we do then?" War asked.
"I will let you know, but we shall crush them for trying to oppose my protection."
"What happened to you?" Cordelia asked her nerdy self. "I mean...I was good in studies but I never thought I..."
Nerd Cordy looked at a chemical in a tube and told her. "Had a faux pas in early high school."
"What kind?"
"Don't wanna talk about it", nerd Cordy said, looking her doppelganger in the eye. "Lost all my 'friends', since then, I've only relied on my smarts. Then your Scooby Gang and Angel did become friends with me, but that was it. And here, don't think my smarts are gonna do much considering the better technology and genius."
Cordelia now felt a bit bad at her earlier reaction to her doppelganger. Her 'friends' too had dropped her due to dating Xander and losing her money, and with nerd Cordy it happened even earlier, so she was worse off.
"Sorry, about my overreaction earlier", Cordelia started.
"Its fine-"
"No really, I'm sorry", Cordelia told her, then added. "And, regarding more geniuses, just because they're smarter, doesn't mean you're an idiot. You're just a different kind of genius. You show 'em."
Nerd Cordy gave an appreciative smile. "Thank you."
"Carbonadium." Tony-2 said, turning all attention to him. "It's a radioactive metal discovered on my Earth. The radiation can slow down healing factors, it could even kill immortals in theory."
"How do you know?" Liam asked.
"Because it nearly killed my Logan."
There was some shock there, especially by the Logans.
"My Logan, who is much shorter on my Earth-"
"Like you're one to talk." Tony quipped.
Tony-2 turned to look at his doppelganger. "Sorry, I didn't see you down there."
"Here we go", Pepper muttered, knowing Tony very well.
And so, the snark off began.
Tony told him. "Maybe when you step off that box of yours, you can reach up to my elbow."
Tony-2 shrugged. "Maybe if you step off your tippy toes."
"You're mad. Don't worry, puberty should hit soon."
"If it makes me look like you, no thank you."
Steve, rubbing his face in exasperation, has had enough. "Starks!"
"What?" Both asked simultaneously.
"That's enough."
"You're really not like me at all", Johnny commented with folded arms.
"And we're all happy about that", Fred flashed Johnny a smirk, making him groan.
The Starks grumbled in acceptance and Tony-2 continued. "As I was saying, it can nullify healing factors. You could use that to halt wild child's regeneration while you work on his noggin."
"That still leaves the Adamantium though. It'll take a lot to cut through, and it might actually kill the clone." Willow pointed out.
"Heating up Adamantium is the only way I know of that can cut through the stuff." Logan said.
"Yeah, I know from experience", Old Man Logan nodded.
Tony-2 said. "It's dangerous, but could be the only way, if we have a small enough fragment to craft into a scalpel, could pull it off."
"You know? I think a combination of magic and science might be needed for this one", Tara spoke up. "Like, the cure, and magic to implant it properly without risk."
"She raises a good point", Bruce said.
The Fabricator manufactured more cures. Norman did his own calculations off to the side. Otto asked Norman. "How does it feel, Norman? You're about to become whole again. No more darker half. Just you."
"Just me." Norman turned to face Doctor Otto and smiled. Otto grinned back.
Vamp Xander felt thirsty and drank some water, but for whatever reason, it didn't sate him. Why?
Max and Peter sat at the kitchen table. Peter held out the cure device. "Okay, um... It just goes right here." Peter places the device onto Max's chest. It activated.
"Like my reactor", Tony explained while tapping his own chest. Max looked uneasy.
Peter assured him. "That should be drawing power now. I'm gonna come back in a second just to check on it. But..." Peter pointed out indicator lights on the device. "Keep an eye on the lights. When they're all green, it means that all the electricity in your body's dissipated. Well, not all of the electricity. I mean, obviously you know that you need electricity for your brain to function. Your nervous system is—" A beat. "I'm not really sure why I'm explaining electricity to you."
"You just like explaining stuff", Dawn shrugged as they shared a chuckle.
An alert signaled from the lab as Willow called out. "More's ready."
"Yep, let's give 'em", Fred added.
"Uh, I gotta go. I'll be back."
Peter walked off, Dawn after him. Max shifted, uncomfortable. He checked the indicator lights.
BEEP!
One green.
"Something feels off."
Sandman asked him. "What do you mean?"
"I don't like this."
Sandman came out of the shadows. "Leave it alone. The sooner you guys get through this, the sooner we go home."
BEEP!
Two green.
Max looked troubled. Changing his mind?
As Peter worked on his Sandman cure with Willow, Fred and nerd Cordy, he stopped abruptly, looking around, his spider-sense going off.
Otto noticed. "Peter?"
Norman asked. "What's wrong?"
"Are you feeling something?" Matt then asked, since the spider-sense could be more accurate than his in certain situations.
"If you are, tell us", Matt-2 added.
"I don't know..." Peter entered the conference room with Matt, Matt-2, Fred, nerd Cordy, Otto and Norman following.
"May?"
Something was definitely wrong.
May appeared. "What is it, Peter?"
The rest picked on it too as Buffy inquired. "Anything wrong?"
"Tell us, son", Steve nodded.
Sandman asked. "What's happening?"
Peter searched, on alert. What was he sensing?
"Are you sensing something? I'm not getting anything", Wanda told him.
Where was the threat?
Max was on edge as Peter looked at him. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Peter closed his eyes and focused on his SPIDER-SENSE when—
THWIP! THWIP! THWIP!
Peter webbed Norman's hand to the robot arm of DUM-E, Vamp Xander to the wall, and X-24 as well, who they noted had started moving, the magical restraint fading away.
"Oh my God! He's moving!" Willow gasped.
"What the fuck?" Logan snarled.
"How did the spell wear off?" Tara wondered.
Green Goblin had taken over Norman and now rasped in a crazy voice. "That's some neat trick. That sense of yours."
"Oh boy, he has gone coocoo", Tony realized.
"Blood!" Vamp Xander roared, straining. "I want to feed on you all!"
"Xander?" Willow was confused.
"What's up with that guy?" Vamp Willow wondered. "He got no chip, right!"
"Trying to control it, everyday! But no more!" Vamp Xander screamed.
"Think something is coming over them", Angel realized.
"Norman?" Otto asked.
Green Goblin now laughed. "Norman's on sabbatical, honey."
Max wondered. "The hell?"
Peter realized it. "Goblin." Peter, Buffy, Dawn and May shared a look of concern.
"So what, your bloodlust takes over now?" Faith asked Vamp Xander.
"Oh yes, you're all just food, I'm not gonna be a traitor to Vampires now", Vamp Xander scoffed.
Green Goblin laughed. ""No more darker half?" Did you really think that I'd let that happen?"
Off to the side, May quietly headed into the lab with nerd Cordy, both searching and getting the cures as May put them in a FEAST tote bag.
During that time, Green Goblin continued. "That I'd let you take away my power just because you're blind to what true power can bring you."
Peter stared Goblin down. "You don't know me."
"Xander", Steve tried to talk him down.
Vamp Xander seemed near feral now. "I need…blood!"
X-24 snarled too as Green Goblin asked. "Don't I? I saw how she trapped you." May snuck back in from the storage room, clutching the bag of cures. She nodded at Peter while nerd Cordy did a thumbs up.
Even Faith-2 was silent at this point as Goblin continued. "Fighting her holy moral mission. We don't need you to save us... We don't need to be "fixed!""
Sandman processed it as Goblin turned to the others. "These are not curses." Max looked down at his cure device.
BEEP... another GREEN LIGHT.
"Guys, he's just acting crazy, don't listen", Dawn tried to warn.
"They're gifts."
Otto shook his head. "Norman, no."
Now Goblin was not in the mood. "Quiet, lapdog."
Peter told him. "You don't know what you're talking about."
Goblin now taunted all. "I've watched you all from deep behind Norman's cowardly eyes. Struggling to have everything you want. While the world tries to make you choose."
BEEP! Only one more light to go.
"Gods don't have to choose."
"Powers do not make us Gods", Steve countered.
"They do", Max looked at Norman, now really buying in. "We take."
Peter immediately commanded. "May... RUN!"
May broke for the door with the bag of cures.
The 3 Franks raised their guns at Norman as Max ripped the cure device off his chest, and Goblin teared free from the web holding him to DUM-E, Vamp Xander and X-24 freeing themselves as well.
Before the Franks could fire, Max knocked them out with electricity, then with another bolt of electricity, he reached towards the lab- CRASH!
The Arc Reactor tore free from the Fabricator, burst through the wall, and flew into Max's hand... SURGING ELECTRIC CONTACT!
"Hey!" Tony yelled when he, Tony-2 and Pepper were knocked out by electricity as well.
Goblin pounced on a distracted Peter. He was freakishly strong. He smashed Peter into the stairs. Seeing this, Sandman disintegrated into a whirl of sand, retreating.
The others were about to help when the windows burst open, War appearing.
"Oh God!" Steve sighed as Bruce, Bruce-2 and David turned into Hulks, leaping at him.
War threw all three off and hit the ground, creating a shockwave which made them fall again.
May ran to the elevators, pressing the "down" button over and over.
Same time, Sanctum
A portal opened and Giles turned to see Ethan appear.
"Ethan."
"Rupert."
"Why are you here?"
"To free these people for the Master's plan", Ethan laughed.
"Come on Ethan, do not do this, I know even you are not this chaotic", Giles tried to appeal one last time.
"Seems like you never knew me then", Ethan shook his head.
Giles sighed. "Fine." He threw an enchanted dagger which Ethan deflected. He then threw the Crimson Bands of Cyttoral of the armor but Ethan deflected that too.
Giles took out his gun to fire but the bullets disintegrated near Ethan, who did a gesture and Giles was disarmed before being held telekinetically in the air.
"I will not let you win", Giles snarled, then added defiantly. "We will not let you win. Buffy, Willow, Tara, Xander, Dawn, Peter, Anya, the rest of them. They will stop you all."
"Perhaps they will, but you will not be there", Ethan smirked cruelly. "Goodbye, Rupert."
CRACK!
Giles' neck broke telekinetically as he fell to the ground, dead.
Ethan then looked at all the trapped villains and turned the ancient stone dial. "How would you like payback against those who put you in here?"
Max surged with arc power. Lights throughout the Avengers Tower flickered on and off.
May looked up - the hallway lights were flickering there too. She pushed the elevator "down" button once more.
Hulk punched War before Hulk-2 gave him an uppercut, then Hulk-3 slammed on him, only for War to blast them off.
Fred became Illyria as Buffy blocked a blow from Vamp Xander. "Xander fight it!"
"I have been doing it all this time!" Vamp Xander roared as he punched her back.
Then the Russian, Russoti, Rack, the Edera Demon, Bullseye, Lothos and his Vampires and Absorbing Man appeared.
"Oh my God!" Steve called up Mjolnir before a blast from Ethan sent him back.
"You are all weak and pathetic!" He snarled as the other heroes started fighting these villains.
Logan blocked a strike from X-24 before Old Man Logan kicked him away.
"Giles you-" Rack roared at him and fired as Ripper rolled away to avoid and fired back, Rack blocking with a magic shield.
Bullseye threw shurikens with Matt, Faith, Matt-2 and Elektra leaping or blocking.
Faith-2 started. "Guys this is-"
A Vamp of Lothos knocked her out from behind, while nerd Cordy hid.
Lilah appeared, twirling her sword as she decapitated one Vamp and Wesley staked another.
Ethan was about to fire more when Wanda and Willow held him back together, gritting their teeth as they struggled against him.
Steve threw Mjolnir at War, making him fly back.
Cordelia, Dawn, Slayer Dawn, Angel, Spike, Wesley, Darla, Felicia and Lilah all took on the Vampires of Lothos as Buffy blocked a blow from Vamp Xander and head-butted him away. "Stop this!"
"Never!"
Oz grabbed one Vamp by the throat, now retaining some werewolf strength in normal form too, and managed to rip his head off as Jack did the same to another.
"My Buffy or not, I'll make you all pay", Lothos sneered.
"Flame on", Johnny fired at Ethan from a side, making him fly off due to the surprise attack.
William was terrified. "What the bloody he-"
He tripped and knocked himself out.
Doctor Otto looked at Max in horror. "Oh my God. What have you done?"
Max snarled. "I liked you better before." He unleashed a Stark-grade cascade of ELECTRICITY... blowing Otto back through the room wall!
Otto tore through glass and steel before finally coming to a wrenching stop - his tentacle arms gripping the side of the building.
He then climbed away, disappearing into the night.
As the Russian marched to Frank-2, Illyria kicked him away, knocking him out, then Gunn rammed into Russoti, sending him down and punching his face.
Ethan got up when Liam fired a blast of magic at him from behind, sending him down again. "Oh you-"
Ethan blasted him back before blocking a combined assault from Willow, Wanda and Tara, the latter using some weak Eldritch magic.
One Vamp came at sexy Tara when she enhanced her foot with magic and gave him a spin kick, sending his head flying off.
"Damn! You are badass!" Vamp Willow commented. "I'm turned on." With that, she grabbed a Vampire from behind and threw him off.
Vamp Xander threw Buffy into a wall before she dodged to avoid his leaping kick and getting up, kicked him into the wall.
May headed for the emergency exit door, racing downstairs.
Max and the swirling cloud of sand that was Sandman approached the burst-open room wall. Sandman propelled himself forward, Max following after... transforming into a being of pure electricity.
The shelter truck down below rocked violently.
SLASH! SLASH!
Lizard exploded out of the hole he cut open and ran off.
Bystanders scrambled for cover as Max and Sandman took to the wind and flew off.
Hulk-2 grabbed Absorbing Man from behind, Hulk and Hulk-3 pounding on him before a blast of his new energy sent them flying off.
Ethan saw Johnny about to fire at him again and hit him with a blast of enchanted water, making him groan in pain as he fell down.
X-24 rammed Old Man Logan into the wall before Logan stabbed him from behind, pulling him off and throwing him down.
Peter punched Goblin who then smashed Peter through a window... but Peter fired a web and pulled himself back inside... only to be flung through another window, outside onto the balcony.
The overhead lights flickered as May hurried down the stairs.
Goblin pounced on Peter. Peter webbed the balcony above to flip himself on top of Green Goblin, smashing him down to the balcony below.
Peter tried to swing away.
"No, you don't!"
Goblin grabbed Peter's leg and threw him through a window.
CRASH!
Peter was taking a beating.
Buffy blocked a blow from Vamp Xander and smacked his face, then spin kicked him before he grabbed her foot and tripped her.
Steve brought Mjolnir down on War, then pounded on him thrice before War grabbed his wrist and hurled him away.
Absorbing Man tried to strike when Steve aimed his hand and stopped him, throwing him off for a bit.
Willow dodged a blast from Rayne who then had to use a magic shield to block a combined assault of Tara and Wanda.
Russoti rammed Gunn into a wall, only to get kneed in the gut and thrown down.
As Lothos swung his sword, Angel ducked and Spike kicked his face, sending him back while Johnny fired at the Edera Demon, making it screech in pain.
CRASH!
Peter was thrown through a wall and into a hallway. Goblin kicked through a door and stepped out, looming over him.
"Strong enough to have it all..." Peter webbed a table at Goblin. He knocked it away effortlessly. "Too weak to take it!"
Goblin punched Peter in the chest. Peter went flying down the hallway, but recovered and charged! He jumped on top of Goblin, brutally punching, not holding back.
Goblin smiled at Peter taking punch after punch. He laughed maniacally. Goblin effortlessly smashed Peter through the floor into the hallway below.
Green Goblin looked down at him through the hole in the floor, then disappeared.
"Trying to hold it all in! Trying to keep my feeble humanity! For what? Friends?!" Vamp Xander ranted as he grabbed Buffy by the throat before slamming her down.
He tried to choke her, taking Vamp face, as Buffy head-butted him, tossing him away.
As War lifted Steve by the throat, the 3 Hulks rammed into him from behind, sending him flying off.
Matt and Matt-2 flipped around to avoid throws from Bullseye, Elektra deflecting some before Faith spin kicked his face, sending him crashing away.
Peter struggled to his feet, hobbling towards a window, and webbed it open. He climbed outside and up the wall to the floor above. He stopped to catch his breath, looking down at all the damage below.
ROAR!
Lizard leapt onto Peter from above. They tumbled down the side of the building. Lizard clutched Peter by the throat.
"I told you there'd be consequences!"
"Dr. Connors-"
Lizard hurled him through a window. As Lizard took off, Goblin seized Peter, smashed him against the ceiling and then down... through floor, after floor, after floor...
"Rack, stop this!" Ripper tried to reason. "Don't you see how bad it is?"
"Shouldn't have locked me up", Rack sneered as he fired a magic blast which Ripper avoided, then fired his own as both clashed.
May emerged from the stairs, running towards the front doors- BOOM!
Peter and Goblin crashed through the ceiling, landing in the lobby. Goblin straddled Peter, strangling him.
May pulled something out of the bag of cures - the Green Goblin anti-serum!
"Your weakness, Peter, is morality. It's choking you!" Goblin squeezed harder - Peter gasping for air. "Can't you feel it?"
May ran forward and stabbed Goblin in the neck with the cure. Goblin screamed and Peter gasped. May staggered back, as Goblin pulled the cure device from his neck and threw it to the ground.
"It didn't work! Norman was right. He got it from you. That pathetic—" Goblin landed his foot on Peter's back, slamming his head into fallen debris. "-sickness!"
May grabbed a metal rod from the wreckage, as Goblin grabbed Peter, pulling his head back to whisper in his ear. "You tried to fix me—"
"May, go—"
But May wouldn't leave Peter.
"Now... I'm gonna fix you."
Peter called out to May, pleading. "May, run, please..."
May clenched the metal rod, psyching herself up when- CRASH!
Green Goblin's glider exploded through the glass doors of the lobby... and cut May down!
Goblin leapt on top of the glider.
"Peter, Peter, Peter... no good deed goes unpunished. You can thank me later."
Goblin glanced at May - on the ground, but still moving. As Peter realized what Goblin meant, he released a live pumpkin bomb. He tossed it towards May... Peter leapt to catch it... barely managing to knock the bomb aside—BOOM!
Goblin rocketed away on his glider, using pumpkin bombs to blow up the cop cars that had come due to the destruction. When he was done, the plaza was a fiery, smoky wasteland.
He then disappeared in a purple light.
The other villains to disappeared in a purple light.
"Oh my God!" Tara looked around at the destruction as Steve, Illyria and Wanda helped Tony, Pepper and Tony-2 back up, while nerd Cordy popped out of her hiding place.
The Matts and Elektra helped up the Franks, with Faith helping up Faith-2 and Liam helping up William as Willow realized. "Giles!"
"He was guarding the gits", Spike muttered as Willow and Tara rushed to the open portal.
Buffy staggered in. "He disappeared." Then she realized the same thing as the rest. "What about Giles?"
Not waiting for an answer, she sprinted away.
May got up slowly, groggy and covered in dust, still clutching the bag of cures. Peter sat up, weakened, clutching his side in pain.
"May? May, May, I'm here." May stumbled through the smoke, finding Peter and hugging him tightly. "May! Yeah, I'm here. Are you okay?"
"Uh huh. Uh huh..." She stumbled back. Peter caught her.
"May... it's okay. We're okay, right?"
May gasped. "Yeah, got knocked on my ass."
"Yeah, me too. We all did."
"That's all."
"I think I broke my ribs", Peter clutched his side, wincing. A beat as they caught their breaths, taking in all the destruction. "This is all my fault, May."
"No."
Dawn and Felicia ran down as Peter said. "I should've just listened to Tony and Giles and let Strange send them back."
May assured. "You did the right thing. They would have been killed. You did the right thing."
"But it's not my responsibility, May."
"Oh. What Norman said?" May asked incredulously. ""My moral mission?" No."
Peter started. "No, you—"
"No, no, Peter, you listen- You listen to me!" May rested her hand on Peter's chest. "You have a gift. You have power, and as Ben used to say, with great power, there must also come great responsibility. Hmm?"
Dawn and Felicia both had tears as Peter nodded. "...Yeah, I know."
"Let's get the hell out of here."
"Okay, let's go."
"Let me just... catch my..." May noticed something on her hands - BLOOD. Dawn covered her mouth as May dropped to the ground.
Buffy rushed into the Sanctum, seeing Willow and Tara having looks of despair.
"Willow? Tara? What's going on? Where's Giles?"
Willow held her shoulders. "Buffy-"
"What? What?"
Tara held up her hands. "Listen ple-"
"No!" Buffy rushed past them both.
Peter leaned over a fallen May. "What happened? Are you okay?"
"I'm okay."
"Yeah, you're okay. What happened?"
"...Just have to... just catch my breath."
"Okay, well catch your breath. I'm right here. We're gonna take our time, you catch your breath, and then we'll take you to a doctor, okay?" Peter looked at May's side, then held up his hand – it was covered in her blood. His face fell.
May inquired kindly. "Are you okay?"
Peter called out, frantic. "Dawn, Felicia, help! I need an ambulance, please! Help!"
Felicia nodded and ran to call one as May asked. "What happened?"
Peter turned back to May, holding her face in his hands. "Nothing happened. You're okay. You're okay.."
"I just... need to catch my breath..."
"I'm right here. I'm right here... we're okay. Just me and you." May's breaths slowed. Her eyes glazed over. She fell still.
"May? ...May? Will you look at me, May? Please?" Peter gently shook her as Dawn fell to her knees behind him, crying already, hugging his chest. "May? ...May? What are you doing, May? Please, will you just wake up and talk to me? Please?"
Buffy finally made it to the prison and saw Giles' broken corpse. She tried to form words but none came. Willow and Tara walked up behind her, with Spike, Angel, Cordelia, Ripper, Wesley and Lilah coming in soon after.
Buffy fell to her knees, Willow and Tara crying as well as Cordelia hugged Angel, sobbing into his chest. Angel and Spike just watched with looks of disbelief, with Wesley and Lilah lowering their heads sadly.
Ripper seemed stunned. His doppelganger…..was dead!
"Giles?" Buffy shook him. "Giles?" She whispered. "Dad?" He didn't move as she shook him again. "Dad?" No movement. "Daddy?"
The tears were coming out now as Buffy begged. "Daddy, please wake up! Don't go please!"
Spike grasped Buffy, hugging her as she broke down, sobbing into his chest. "I shouldn't have left him."
"Shhhh."
"I shouldn't have left him."
Trembling with grief, Peter whispered to May. "It's just me and you, okay? It's just me and you. He kisses her forehead. "Oh May, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so so so sorry."
He and Dawn cried as Felicia returned, Peter looking at her, and she realized what had happened.
May let out one final tear, and was finally gone.
The heroes had lost 2 beloved parental figures.
Apocalypse was in Camelot with his Horsemen, having gathered all the Universe-hopping villains to him. There were some who the Heroes hadn't even found yet.
"I know that you want to have your revenge for being locked up in the Sanctum. Rest assured, I will let you all have it when the time is right, and then you can go back to your worlds at last and do whatever you want."
Oof!
Rest In Peace Rupert Giles and May Parker. This was hard to do, but necessary. Poor Peter, Buffy and the other Scoobies though.
Thank you to Brainstorm Sorcerer for interaction suggestions, Rutkowski for nerd Cordy's backstory and Bl4ckHunter for the other original Buffyverse doppelgangers' backstories.
Here Apocalypse influenced Norman, Vamp Xander and X-24 a bit, making them give in to their worst instincts, in Vamp Xander's case his blood lust.
Also, remember the World Without Shrimp? That's actually confirmed to be the 2019 Buffyverse reboot comics. Talk about connectivity.
Hope all enjoyed (or not) and see you all next time with another chapter.