"Is it supposed to tickle," Andi asked worriedly. She was sitting inside of a pentagram, legs crossed as she waited for Terrible Eye to work her magic. They'd spent nearly two hours casting protective wards around the area, highlighting just how serious messing with Mephisto like this was.

"How don't you have your own comic yet? You're not even scared of the devil," Gwen exclaimed, downing her third cup of Sarah's weird starry drink.

"Gwen, please put the glass down. You promised not to overdose again," Sarah reminded her worriedly, not looking up from her book as she chastised her friend.

"Ugh, fine," Gwen pouted, putting the drink down before she crossed her arms.

"Guys, am I gonna be okay," Andi asked, Mania squirming against her skin as the ticklish sensation grew even stronger.

"Andi, dear, please stop talking, I'm trying to concentrate," Sarah reminded her softly, drawing the final goat blood rune into the pentagram Andi was sitting in.

"Yeah, Andi, quit distracting us," Gwen chimed in, already sipping from her fourth glass. Andi huffed loudly and crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for whatever was supposed to happen to happen.

"Okay, Gwen. The moment I put on the Eye, I'm going to begin. Mephisto will do everything in his power to stop me from finishing the ceremony. Anything that tries to hurt Andi-"

"Sarah, don't worry about me. Doreen and I kicked the crap out of Mephisto in three panels flat. If anything he should be afraid of me," she reminded her with a smirk.

"Oh, right… whatever did happen to your brother-"

"Ah, ah! Spoilers! We're here for Andi's character arc," Gwen handed Sarah the headpiece before downing her last glass and readying her pistols. She slid her mask over her face and she was ready for action. Sarah looked down at the headpiece before looking to Andi.

"Are you ready," Sarah asked, soft eyes looking at the young woman sitting in a ring of blood. She looked more than a little concerned, gently placing a hand on Andi's shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm not really cut out to rule Hell. Way too edgy for me," Andi chuckled, doing her best to hide her blush as she looked up into Sarah's eyes.

"Well, I think I've still got some of my vintage corsets lying around if you ever plan on slipping into something that suits the task a little better," she offered, taking a deep breath before fitting the headpiece over her face. Andi looked down at the ground, hoping to hide her own flushed cheeks as she waited for Sarah's transformation into Terrible Eye.

"Ahh… Yes, I can see it. Your deed has been undone by your own hand. The ties that once bound you have been severed… Let's begin." Terrible Eye wasn't new to these sorts of spells. With just a few incantations she'd started the process, magical runes lighting up along the floor as she worked. The entire room had gone dark, the warm, flickering light from the burning cinders of the runes the only thing lighting the room. "Jack's soul has been returned to Hell. This woman's contract with Mephisto is void." Terrible Eye waited, eyes rotating in their sockets as she waited for… something.

"Should… something be happening," Andi asked confusedly, only to be shushed by the woman.

"Patience, child. When the underworld answers it pours, never rains," she warns her, all three of her eyes glancing around the room. It took a few more moments before they all settled on something just a few feet next to Gwen. "Gwen, look out," she hissed.. Gwen looked around curiously, not even moving away as she tried to find the source of Terrible Eye's fright.

"Sarah, do we need to get the Eye adjust- hng!" Gwen fell to her knees and clutched at her chest, gasping for breath. The lenses of her mask went wide as she struggled to breathe, and Andi quickly tried to move from her spot in the pentagram, symbiote already covering her skin as she readied for a fight.

"Gwen!"

"Do not move, child," Terrible Eye warned, pointing a stern finger at Mania. "The only thing protecting you from whatever's infested Gwen are the runes at your feet."

Andi was forced to watch as Gwen struggled for a few more moments, holding her head as if she were trying to stave off a bad headache. She shivered and finally stood upright, dusting herself off.

"Ah, the bitch that aided in the escape... I was awaiting the day you'd deliver her to me. Sooner than I expected," Gwen laughed, dry and cruel. It didn't take long before Mania realized her friend wasn't herself anymore.

"Mephisto?! What business have you here," Terrible Eye questioned, moving to stand between Gwen and Andi.

"You've been too long without the Eye, you forget your place," Mephisto reprimanded her, pacing around the pentagram as he looked for a flaw in its construction. One incomplete line and he'd be able to snatch Andi away from this ridiculous place. Unfortunately, if Terrible Eye was anything, she was meticulous.

"I know you never attend these events personally," Terrible Eye countered.

"And miss out on all the fun you've left at my feet," he laughed with Gwen's voice and it sent a shiver down Mania's spine. How was he doing this? Was Gwen okay? "What have you brought to offer me in exchange?"

"Mephisto, you have overstepped your bounds," she explained, all three eyes locking on to Gwen.

"Ah, of course. The girl's experienced such distress ever since the Mark's residing in her. That little excursion to Hell was unintentional, and torturing poor Jack's wretched soul provided no catharsis at all," he smiled wide, head tilting as he spoke. Andi wished there'd been something different about her friend. Red eyes or gnashing teeth or something to show she'd been possessed. Rosy cheeks and watery blue eyes that she'd known for so long held such terrifying animosity as she spoke… it felt worse than being in his presence in the first place.

"That was a mistake! I didn't mean to do any of that," Andi shouted, fists clenched as she fought to stay in Terrible Eye's pentagram.

"As was Jack's cold blooded murder? Child, that Mark belongs with you more than you know," he laughed, holstering Gwen's pistols with a quick flick of her wrist.

"You are under obligation to correct your mistake or-"

"Hush, Eye. I'll absolve the girl of her responsibilities to Hell. I've found myself a more… interesting candidate," he said dismissively, taking time look at his reflection in a glass of the black, starry liquid.

"Mephisto, that girl has done nothing to- hrk!" Terrible Eye had started tracing runes in midair before she was cut short, left clutching at her throat and completely unable to speak.

"I remember demanding your silence," Mephisto said casually, walking over to a large, jeweled mirror inlaid in the wall. He ran Gwen's fingers through her hair before looking to Andi in its reflection. "This is the part where you beg for your friend's life, child."

"I'm not playing your fucking game," she growled, Mania forming over her again and her large white eyes narrowing as she glared at him.

"Child, the game is all that you two are useful for… There's such hatred, such violence in your heart. You're a contender for my throne, sure… and this girl? Such madness, such chaos in her future. You don't even realize who's life you're pleading for." Mephisto finally turned back around, facing Mania as he dusted himself off. With a shudder, her costume began to change, the white fabric turning completely black and the pink fabric taking on a more reddish purple color. Even her hair changed color- her blonde hair turning black and the pink dyed parts turning the same color as the fabric of her costume. The costume ended with a long, black cape that flowed from her shoulders. Mania looked up into pink lenses she no longer recognized, confused and terrified.

"Ah, much better. An agent of chaos indeed," Mephisto laughed, sliding the mask off Gwen's face and revealing shoulder length hair and black lipstick that made both Andi and Mania inexplicably uncomfortable.

"What did you-"

"Andrea, be calm, girl. I've no intention of harming your friend. I just wanted you to have a chat with her more experienced self." There was a deep, red glow and suddenly Gwen dropped to her knees, gasping for breath again. Andi almost took a step out of the pentagram before Mania pulled her back, sensing even more danger than before.

"G- Gwen?"

"Kind of," Gwen laughed, standing up and dusting herself off. "Oh, man, it's good to be back," she yawned, stretching her arms wide as she looked around the room. "Sarah, hey! Long time no see. Sorceress Supreme yet or is Strange still holding it down in this timeline," Gwen playfully patted Terrible Eye on the back who coughed loudly, her voice returned to her.

"You do not belong here," Terrible Eye sneered, somehow more uncomfortable than she'd been facing down Mephisto only minutes earlier.

"Aw, I thought you'd be happy to see me! You're the only one who knows what I've done, after all," Gwen laughed, big and dramatic, as if she'd practiced her evil laugh for years.

"Gwen what did he do to you," Mania hissed, the symbiote bristling against her skin.

"Mania? What are you… oh did I get retconned again," Gwen asked curiously, tilting her head as she inspected the other hero.

"I did! Andi, baby! Sunshine, the love of my life. How are you," she cooed, a playful smirk on her face as she spoke. Andi frowned, looking from Gwen to Terrible Eye for an explanation.

"She's a future Gwen had destroyed," Terrible Eye explained, rubbing her throat as she tested her magic.

"Oh, am I supposed to be dead? Haha, looks like the writers didn't get that memo," Gwen laughed. "Andi, honey. It's great seeing you again. Even if it's baby you. The Victorian Goth look Sarah puts you on to is totally more your style," she teased, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"Why are you talking like-"

"Oh, come on, puddin' isn't it obvious? I've been crushing on you since before we first met... To be fair I'm crushing on most Marvel characters," she added pensively before blowing a kiss at Terrible Eye. "Have you seen Wolverine? Totally daddy material," she laughed to herself before reaching out for Andi, stopping just short of the pentagram.

"Anyway, I'll totally forgive you for trying to kill me in the future, we'll just call it even for what I did to you. Or what I will do? Gosh I can't wait for you to find out!" Mania glared at her, doing everything she could to keep the Hell-Mark from overwhelming her. The anger was like acid boiling in her stomach and it took everything she could to stop from diving forward out of the pentagram.

"Now for the main event. Mephisto wanted me to show you something from my past- well, your future I guess. Hm, so is this a flashback or foreshadowing? Eh, who cares," Gwen shrugged as she reached into the Gutter, her arm disappearing up to her elbow as she searched around for… something. "Oh, should I show you how I start Civil War 4? It was the biggest one yet, even Thanos and Galactus got involved. Hmm, nah that's not as interesting if you aren't into multiverse level threats. If I'm gonna give you spoilers, it's gotta be something you'll believe baby Gwen would do, huh? Well, how about this?" She pulled out a comic book, the cover read Gwenpool Strikes Back #3. She flipped through the book before getting to a page that made her smile.

"You know who Bruce Banner is, right? Amazing scientist? Gamma radiation? The Incredible Hulk? Founding member of the Avengers?" She held the book up to Mania, and it was impossible for her to ignore the extra large panel of Gwen pulling the trigger on the man, splattering the contents of his skull on the sandy beach while a dozen other heroes watched in horror. "You'd believe I'd murder Hulk, wouldn't you? You don't even need to hear a reason why," Gwen smiled wide, reading the comic herself and enjoying the carnage it showed.

"Give. Gwen. Back." Mania wasn't asking. Her Hell-Mark had burned into her chest, symbiote forming claws and spikes along her body that showed her only intent. The ground rumbled as the smell of sulfur belched up from fissures that'd opened in the ground. She was tired of listening to this woman talk. She was getting her friend back no matter the cost.

"Aw, there's my little Demonspawn! Just you wait, soon you'll be even scarier without even needing to be angry. But fine, fine, I'll give you your little girlfriend back. Wouldn't want to ruin the awkward dating stage for you two. It's very formative!" Gwen looked around before clicking her heels together three times. "Hey! Mephisto! I'd like to be nineteen again," Gwen shouted, looking around as if she were expecting an answer.

"Huh? Oh! Big M says you're off the hook for your Hell-Mark obligations... For now. The dramatic pause was intentional! But if you ever need him, you know how to summon him. And Andi, babe… before I go, I gotta give past you some advice. You're gonna try to stop this from happening. You're gonna try to stop me from becoming this and you from becoming Empress of the Underworld. I love you enough to ask you- just this once- don't try and be a hero. You wouldn't want to ruin your only shot at some guaranteed happiness, would you?" Gwen frowned as she reached out one more time, her fingertips never passing the border of the pentagram.

"See you soon, Andrea," she sighed, and in an instant she was gone. A couple inches shorter, a lot blonder, dizzy and disoriented. She leaned against the back of a chair for support, nearly toppling over before Sarah came to catch her.

"Ugh… did we beat him," Gwen groaned, rubbing her temples.

"You can leave now," she said, smearing the goat's blood with her foot as she released Mania from her containment.

"Gwen, are you okay," Andi asked, the symbiote forming back into a shirt as she moved to hold her friend steady.

"Yeah? Just a headache. I think I drank too much of that star stuff again," Gwen groaned, shifting her weight from the chair to Andi.

"Gwen, you were-"

"Possessed! By Mephisto. I guess he spit you out or something- you're fine now. You're back."

"Andi we-" Andi hushed Sarah with a look, Mania covering her face and stretching her mouth into a wide, toothy snarl.

"You guys are being weird. Ugh, let's go kick some bad guy ass or something, I want this issue to be over," Gwen sighed, finally collecting her balance and standing up before brushing herself off. "Thanks for all the help Sarah. You've been amazing," Gwen smiled with a wave before walking out of the house, leaving Andi behind.

"I… I'll tell her later."

"You won't."

"Look, just get off my back," Andi stuffed her hands into her pockets and walked away, leaving Sarah alone in her home.

"Good luck."

Dark!Gwen's back! The version I'm using is u/MarikBentusi's version with shoulder-length hair instead of Gwen's usual length. You guys should check out the rest of their Gwenpool art, dude really knows how to draw Gwen in Gurihiru's style and how to play around with Gwen's powerset.