Welcome back, true believers to a new chapter of our Fantastic Adventure featuring our beloved Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. As you've seen in the last chapter, Spidey's starting to work with the F4 Family to fix Johnny's problems but there's trouble on the horizon with a new Frightful Four preparing to strike!

Now, before we jump to our regular programming, I'd like to point out that, the recent Anniversary issue of the Fantastic Four series revealed that the family's back to the Baxter Building while in here they're still on 4 Yancy Street, so I'll establish this story as set before they move back, just a minor change to the current continuity in F4's terms. And of course, let's check out the reviews!

Timeless Writer: Glad you liked the brief summary of Peter's relationship with the Four, something very necessary for the unitiated. As for the Johnny/Sky relationship, well, honestly I thought it was doomed to failure, but I never expected it ended the way it did. And yes, Yellowjacket is a villain I'd like to exploit here. I originally was going for Speed Demon, but Cross could make a good play over here.

Wilcard Sparda: Both stories will have small connections, won't hurt each story but they'll keep with the timeline.

Young justice 17: Glad you liked it!

Ka1zen: Franklin is quite a Powerhouse in the Marvel Universe (hence why he has that codename) and he is actually onmipotent, or at least can reach that level, since it's been established that even Galactus fears him. As for him regaining his cosmic powers... read on, my friend!

El-lector327: Esta soberana idiotez hizo que le perdiera el respeto a Johnny por lo que hizo, así que si, es Karma en todo su esplendor (aunque no dudo que se recupere eventualmente, lo triste es que si dudo que no aprenderá de esto). Como dije a Wilcard, las conexiones serán pequeñas, no afectarán ambas historias pero si establecerá la línea de tiempo de ambas historias.

OK, with that said, let's jump to our story!

Enjoy the reading!


SPIDER-FOUR: THROUGH THE FOREVER GATE

Chapter 2: The Ever-Helpful Parker

"Wait, wait, What?" Peter asks after hearing what Valeria just said.

"Oh right! I forgot that you haven't seen the Gate, Uncle Pete" Valeria replies, remembering that minor detail "Do you remember the ABA Porter I made that you used to teleport to Krakoa?"

"Yeah, how could I forget about that thing?" Peter replies with a deadpan tone, remembering his unfortunate visit to Krakoa where he earned the ire of the mutants after insulting Charles Xavier "Please tell me you fixed it so it can charge faster" he adds, remembering that he was almost beaten by the riled up mutants due to how long it took to charge the device before making the jump of return.

"Don't worry, I evolved from that device" Valeria replies as she activates her holographic device to show Peter the Forever Gate "The Forever Gate took inspiration from many travelling ports, including the Krakoan Gates, and became a fully functional interstellar-interdimensional travelling portal" she shows him the schematics, causing Peter to look at them with deep attention.

"And you can travel anywhere?" Peter asks her out of curiosity.

"Indeed" Valeria eagerly replies "Anywhere across the universe or even through dimensions across the Multiverse!" she exclaims.

"Of course, that's still sort of a work in progress" Franklin quickly interjects.

"Valeria, while I'm sure that Peter's eager to put the Forever Gate to a test, right now we have a bigger priority" Reed replies with a calm, yet serious tone of voice "Which means that a trip to this place called 'Loomworld' will have to wait" he points that out to them.

"Of course, another 'bigger' priority, right?" Franklin replies now looking frustrated since he has heard those words before when he was the 'bigger priority' due to the situation involving his powers.

"Franklin!" Reed tries to scold him but Franklin leaves the lab to rejoin the rest of his family.

"Franklin, wait!" Valeria calls for him "I'm sorry Uncle Pete, I'll be back Dad" she talks to them and then leaves to follow her brother.

"Wow…" Peter mutters after the scene he just witnessed "I don't mean to pry but… is this about the situation of him losing his powers?" he asks, to which Reed sighs and nods in response.

"Yes" Reed replies "I know he's very hurt that he lost his powers and there's not a day that goes by where I try to find the answer to that" he adds as he grabs a thick folder, giving it to Peter "Susan, Valeria and I have spent days checking the notes of Rachna Koul to see if her 'Godpower' Theory has that answer"

"I remember" Peter replies "She once helped Ben and Johnny while you guys were gone, right?" he asks him, to which Reed nods in response.

"Yes, she's the one who determined that our powers connect with each other, meaning that if we were too far from each other in dimensional terms, we'd lose our powers" he explains the theory to him "In fact, I'm surprised that our powers weren't afflicted by Johnny's overload" he explains while Peter keeps reading the notes.

"And you haven't found a solution to Frankie's problem through these notes?" Peter asks him out of curiosity.

"Sadly, no" Reed replies "And I even contacted her but she hasn't found a connection yet, even Val and I searched through the Multiverse for an answer" he adds with a solemn tone.

"Hey, I know things are a bit tough but if there's one thing I know for sure about you and the family is that you guys always manage to break the impossible" Peter replies, giving Reed a much needed encouragement to work on solutions both for Franklin and for Johnny "Do you mind if I take the notes to take a closer look?"

"Not at all" Reed kindly replies "Like I said, more heads thinking on the matter may help find something quicker" he adds as he pats Peter's shoulder.

"And we will" Peter replies "You know? I'd like to have a talk with Frankie, maybe I can get through to him and find a way to cheer him up" he comments, to which Reed nods in response.

"Of course, you and Kitty mean a lot to him" Reed comments "He values what you guys have to say".

"Yeah, as for Johnny, well… I hope he goes through it, although, and this is no 'Spider-Sense' related joke, I have the feeling that this stunt of Doom is only a small part of the punishment" Peter replies, still unaware of how right he isdue to the circumstances of Johnny's troubles.

"That's not my story to tell" Reed replies to his comment "In the meantime, I can check the notes I managed to take from Johnny's condition and I'll let you know where you can start"

"Right, got it, thanks Reed" Peter gives Reed a thumbs up and then leaves the laboratory so he can have that one-on-one chat with Franklin, hoping to raise his spirits after he lost all of his cosmic powers.


MEANWHILE, AT AN UNDISCLOSED LOCATION

In a parking lot building a few miles away from 4 Yancy Street, a man in a large helmet and a trenchcoat watches the home of the Fantastic Four from his position, waiting for the right moment to make the move and bring his plan into fruition. After a few minutes, a flash of green light appears followed by a purple mist, signaling the arrival of one of his allies.

"I apologize for the delay Wizard" Diablo comments but then he notices that he has actually arrived first "Wait, am I the first one to arrive?"

"You do" Wizard replies "And right on time actually, I'm glad to see that people still value punctuality nowadays" he comments as he approaches his ally "I hope you're packed"

"What kind of man would I be if I don't come prepared?" Diablo gestures as he makes his hands glow, revealing he is prepared with his spells. Right then, a fly begins to buzz around the villains, causing them to look annoyed and move their hands to swat it away.

"Hey! Hey! Cut it out!" a voice is heard coming out of the fly and right then a man grows in size right near them "It's me, dammit!"

"Cross, you should've said that you were arriving in a stupid bug" Wizard scolds Yellowjacket as he approaches them.

"Sure, because no one would suspect of an armored supervillain arriving in a limousine!" Cross replies with a sarcastic tone "Where's Zabo, by the way?"

"Still waiting for him, but if I know the man, he'll probably arrive straight to the building once we start" Wizard replies "But don't worry; I already calculated a major array of possibilities once we strike that house"

"I'm curious, how'd you get the Intel on that house?" Cross asks him out of curiosity.

"I have a man inside, of course" Wizard replies with a serious tone "A young clone who is actually connected through me; he's just unaware of his assistance"

"Like a sleeper agent?" Diablo asks him but Wizard shakes his head in denial.

"He is…" Wizard then sighs "A younger clone of me who is sort of adopted by the Richards Family to work in that Foundation of his" he replies, revealing the status of the younger clone who works at the Future Foundation "Long story short, the kid's not evil but I'm connected to him and what he does returns to me"

"Sure, sure" Cross interjects "You have a kid inside, that's cool, so that means that we have a way in?"

"Indeed" Wizard responds now more ecstatic "What we have to do is combine your Pym Particles with your alchemic disguises to create a diversion and a way in, then I'll jack into their so-called Forever Gate and execute the plan" he explains the details to them, looking impressed by the simplicity.

"Is that so?" a voice is heard in the room, slightly startling the villains present "If you already count with Cross and Diablo for the infiltration, then why do you need me for?" the man, Calvin Zabo, emerges stepping out of the shadows.

"You were there the whole time?" Cross asks him, sounding more annoyed by the fact that he was lurking at them.

"Enough!" Wizard intervenes to avoid an incident "Seems that I underestimated your methods of displacement Calvin" he talks to him "And as for your question, you are useful for us, since we're dealing with the Fantastic Four and we need someone with pure strength to go through them" he explains it to him, yet he remains unimpressed.

"So in other words, I'm the brute" Zabo replies, knowing that they need him for the strength of his alter ego, Mister Hyde.

"We prefer the term 'Muscle'" Diablo interjects.

"Think of it this way Calvin" Cross tries to calm him down "You want to beat down people and become the resident genius? This is your chance! So what if you have to punch your way?"

"Very well, when do we start?" Zabo throws the important question at Wizard, who simply smiles with a calm look on his face.

"Patience my friends, the moment is near" Wizard replies, turning his attention back to his surveillance "Just wait for the right signal" he adds, confident that their plan will work and they will take down the Fantastic Four once and for all.


BACK AT 4 YANCY STREET

With the family busy at work dealing with Johnny's situation, Spidey decided to pay a visit to his 'Foster Nephew' Franklin and have a talk about his own particular situation.

"Knock Knock" Peter jokes as he knocks on Franklin's bedroom door.

"Come in, Uncle Pete" Franklin's voice is heard through the door, allowing Peter to walk inside.

"Hey there kiddo" Peter greets him as he walks in "Family's busy so I wanted to drop by"

"I know why you're here Uncle Pete" Franklin comments, sounding a bit down on his mood "You just want to convince me that everything's OK"

"I know that losing your powers was a tough blow Frankie" Peter comments as he sits on the chair in front of his desk "But you got to believe that Reed and the others will find the solution and they'll be back soon" he adds, trying to encourage him.

"Sure, just like he fixed Uncle Ben and so far has done a good job with Uncle Johnny" Franklin replies sarcastically but then he sits and looks at Peter "Sorry Uncle Pete, is just that…" he slowly sighs "One day I was this kid full of dreams of helping everyone, save the world and create a better one for all of us and like that, it's gone…" he then looks at Peter's face "One day I was the greatest mutant on Krakoa and then, just like they did it to Kitty back then, I'm no longer welcome back to the island because I'm not 'one of them'" he recalls how Xavier told him that he was no longer welcome because he never was a mutant in the first place "One day I had everything and now… nothing"

"Frankie, listen" Peter approaches him, putting a hand on his shoulder "You're one of the smartest kids I've ever known, and even without powers, you always found a way to help others" he begins to encourage him "Having such a power is not about bragging of being the best, is about being responsible about it and help shape a better world with them"

"With Great Power comes Great Responsibility" Franklin mutters Spidey's mantra.

"And I know that you love to brag, but never forget that the greatness within never fades and no one will take it away" Peter encourages him, causing Franklin to smile.

"Thanks Uncle Pete" Franklin replies, grateful for having this talk.

"No problem kiddo" Peter replies, ruffling Franklin's hair "Now listen, I'll take a good look at these notes" he shows him Rachna Koul's notes "I'll try to see if I can find something that can be helpful to find the answer to your situation, OK?" he pats his shoulder and then stands up "In fact, considering this might take a long time, I'll drop by the apartment and get some stuff to come back" he adds as he leaves the room.

"Later then, Uncle Pete!" Franklin replies as Peter leaves the room and then heads to the lab where the rest of the family works on Johnny's case just for a quick check-up, noticing that now they are being assisted by the Future Foundation.

"Seems that their hands are full" Spidey mutters as he looks at the heat coming out of the door's window and then turns to look at H.E.R.B.I.E. "Oh, hey, can you drop a message for the family, please?"

"Not a problem Spider-Man!" H.E.R.B.I.E. cheerfully replies.

"I'll head to my apartment to search for some stuff to help and come back, so if they ask, tell them I'll be back shortly" Peter asks the robot to give them the message.

"Your message has been sent Spider-Man, take care and come back soon!" H.E.R.B.I.E. replies and then leaves, allowing Peter to go up to the roof but just as he reaches the edge of the rooftop, he begins to have a very mild buzzing sensation "Huh… Spider-Sense?" he wonders but then dismisses it since it was very faint, then he shoots a web-line and then he begins to swing away from the building, but unbeknownst to him, a fly was flying by with Yellowjacket on board, watching him depart.

"Wiz, this is Cross, Spider-Man just left the building and I can confirm that the aircraft you said would arrive is here" Cross communicates to his fellow villains.

"Excellent, the time has come my friends" Wizard replies, letting him know that the time to make their move has come.


A FEW MINUTES LATER

After swinging across the city, Peter reaches the apartment to search for some snacks and a couple of his tools to help with the work at the laboratory, checking on Gog, who is asleep, and Lockheed who is watching TV. He then walks to his room to grab his things but then an idea pops into his mind "Hmmm, if I'm spending the day with the Family, might as well dress for the occasion" he then reaches his special compartment and decides to have a change of clothes, leaving his classic red-and-blue attire and changing to the black-and-blue suit that was given to him by the Family during the Cotati Invasion "There… why would Wolverine return his? These are awesome!" he comments, remembering that Wolverine told him that he gave his suit back "Uh, dude, I know you don't like me but can you watch the fort for me?" Peter asks Lockheed while he steps out of the room, but the dragon simply puffs a cloud of smoke as response, then Peter walks back to the window and grabs his phone to leave a voicemail to his girlfriend "Sweetie, I'll be spending the day at 4 Yancy Street helping the Family with something that happened to Johnny, so when you return from Krakoa you can drop by and help us out if you can, Love you baby" right then he fires a web-line and swings away, but right then, the TV screen begins to show static and a figure appears on it.

["Welcome back my dear sweethearts to the Season Premiere of 'MOJO'S ASTONISHINGLY UNCANNY MULTIVERSAL ADVENTURE'!"] The visage of Mojo, the nefarious owner of the Mojoverse appears on screen ["Now, this is the part where you're wondering 'Oh Great and Wonderful Mojo, what's your intention with those pesky little mutants?' and to that I say to you to stick that righteousness right where the sun doesn't…"]

Those images prompt Lockheed to react in concern, knowing that if Mojo is involved in something, then Kitty must be dealing with it herself, and after looking at Gog, who is still asleep, he decides to fly away and go after Peter to warn him, hoping that the Family can make it through and assist Kitty, unaware of how things will go down in minutes to come…


And here we are! Spidey's bringing back the Black-and-Blue suit! The Family begins to work! But the Villains are ready to do their part! The clash is inevitable!

Now, before I go, I want to take this moment to thank every single one of you. Seriously guys, thank you. "A Light in the Darkness" has reached 100 FAVORITES! 100 people loved the beautiful story of Peter and Kitty and I'm so, so glad that you enjoyed that piece of work that led to the creation of this "Alt-616" Universe, as well as the series involving this beloved couple. THANK YOU guys for enjoying my work and I'm very happy that you do love it.

Now, for the next chapter, it's gonna be a huge fight inside 4 Yancy Street with the Fantastic Family, the Future Foundation, Spidey and even Lockheed (Yes, Lockheed's joining as well!) to fight the All-New Frightful Four, so I'll see you around for that one (but before that, comes the update to "Into the Kitty-Verse"). I'll see you around!

NEXT CHAPTER: RUMBLE AT 4 YANCY STREET!