Endless tunnels of dimensional energy flooded their eyes. The lights were so strong that Tokoyami was unable to use his quirk to protect himself. Miles tried to hang onto Kyoka, but the force of their decent was too great even for his enhanced strength. None of them could slow down as they finally crashed through the dimensional barrier.
…
Miles was blinded by the red light when he awoke. His spider-sense rung only slightly, echoing from the pain he felt upon impact. His body had changed to withstand greater pain and injury since getting his abilities, and he still found himself struggling to stand.
Metal brushed on his skin from beneath his feet. Did they land atop a roof? No, there was not enough wind for that. A platform, perhaps?
As his vision started to clear, he first noticed his friends, Jiro and Tokoyami, struggling to stand up after falling such a height.
Miles first went to Kyoka's side, helping her up gently as not to hurt her further, "Are you okay?"
"My ears are ringing," Kyoka groaned, "And for once, that is not a good thing."
Tokoyami's shadow helped him to his feet. He was the first to realize where they had ended up, looking into the sky with shock and horror.
Surrounding them was Musutafu, or at least It should have been. The concrete they expected was replaced with cold, unforgiving metal. Billboards were filled not with advertisements for the next big fashion line or streaming service, but with propaganda boasting about the military. The entire color pallet of the city was various shades of black, green and red, and the sky above was guarded by a thick layer of smog.
Hanging above them on the tallest building was the logo of a skull with six octopus legs, colored with blood and soot.
Beyond the sounds of sirens and cars driving down the road, there was not a voice that spoke around them. The people who witnessed their arrival paid no attention to their presence, barely even glancing at them. Everyone was wearing assigned uniforms colored in red and green, covering up most of their bodies.
One woman carrying her baby bumped shoulders with Miles on accident. She backed away quickly and fell to her knees after seeing his mask, and began to cry on the spot, "Es tut mir leid!" She said in German, despite clearly being Asian, "Forgive me! I had not seen you were there! I beg for your forgiveness, mein Vorgesetzter!"
Miles stood their awkwardly, glancing back at Kyoka and Tokoyami. No one else around them was stepping up to defend her. They simply walked around to avoid them, even if that meant stepping into the street.
"Uh …" Miles cleared his throat, "You are …forgiven."
The woman was genuinely surprised that Miles spoke so calmly to her, but she did not take it for granted as she jumped back to her feet, "Thank you, mein Vorgesetzter, Hail Hydra!"
The woman held her child closely as she walked away with quickened pace.
Miles looked back at Kyoka and Tokoyami with his head tilted to the side, "The hell is Hydra?"
Tokoyami pointed to one of the billboards, reading the contents as best he could since most of it was in German, "I think Hydra are the people that are running the city on this Earth."
"That's right …" Kyoka said, "We're on another Earth; everything we know is going to be turned on its head."
"Why was that woman so scared of me?" Miles asked, "She took one look at the mask and thought I was gonna hurt her."
"Not you," Tokoyamu deduced, "Your doppelgänger, or whoever wears that mask here."
Kyoka raised her brows, "You're catching on quick," She pointed out.
"I have much time on my hands," Tokoyami mentioned, "I've read many science fiction stories in my room in-between studying. Mostly the ones that dig into darker themes, such as parallel realities where the moral compass is reversed. That is …the sense I am getting here. There is so much darkness in this world; My shadow and I can feel it."
"Well, how do we get out of here?" Miles asked, "I only found out 'bout all this, like, a few hours ago! What about the others? What about that Infinity guy?!"
"Chill," Kyoka put her hands on his shoulders, "We got this. If I know Parker, he's already looking for a way to find us. Until we can rescue us, we just gotta lay low."
"First step to that is to get out of plain sight," Tokoyami suggested, "Though the civilians are avoiding us, I doubt the authorities would."
"Yeah …" Miles took a deep breath, "Yeah, you're right. Vamos, then!"
The trio made for the nearest alleyway they could find, watching each others backs to ensure no one was following them.
They continued through the city as stealthily as they could. Security vehicles passed through the streets far more often than anything else. In fact, the local authorities were all they had seen driving so far. Perhaps civilians were forbidden from driving? That would make criminals easier to catch, in theory.
Across most street corners were searchlights positioned on rooftops. They monitored the ground level for any suspicious activity. Kyoka had been peering out from their hiding place when she saw one civilian try to run across the street to get away from foot soldiers. A sniper from the roof where a spotlight was positioned quickly took the shot at the man. He was dead before hitting the ground.
A garbage truck came by minutes after and picked up the body, placing it in the back and crushing it like Sunday trash. Kyoka could almost hear the bones as they snapped and crumbled.
Such horrors reminded her of Hosu, when Carnage hunted her down like an animal. This, somehow, was so much worse.
"Hey," Miles took her hand, "You good?"
Kyoka took a moment to compose herself, "As long as you're here."
Tokoyami's shadow quietly commented about getting them a room, but Tokoyami quickly shut him up. It was not the time for jokes.
"The way those soldiers are speaking, and the way they're dressed …" Tokoyami noted aloud, "If I did not know better, I would say that they were Nazi's."
"So, we're in World War II?" Miles asked, shivering, "Of all places …"
"No," Tokoyami shook his head, "Everything is too modern; this is most certainly present day. My guess is that WWII didn't go as well on this world. That woman from before was speaking German as well as Japanese. This is Musutafu, no doubt, but …altered."
"A world where the Nazi's won …" Miles realized, "If that doesn't stir up your nightmares …"
Sirens went off just a block away from where they hid. They looked out to see a squad of Hydra Soldiers rounding up a group of civilians with brute force. Anyone who resisted was either disciplined or killed on the spot. Men, Women and children cowered in fear as guns were pointed at them.
"Where are the resistance operatives?!" one soldier demanded, "Someone better speak up before bodies drop!"
"We don't know!" One man argued before being shot in the leg.
"Anyone who talks back will get far worse!" the soldier threatened.
Miles clenched his fist so tightly that it nearly bled. This was not their world, so it was not their problem. Yet, he could not deafen the words gifted to him by his mentor. It did not matter where they were or who it was that needed help; failing to act when something could be done was never to be an option, not for Spider-Man.
"Miles, don't," Kyoka stressed, "We have no idea what we're dealing with here. Laying low is our best play."
"Not standing by while people suffer or die is my best play," He retorted as he turned invisible and ran into the street. Kyoka and Tokoyami, though reluctant, followed.
The soldiers gave the crowd until the count of three to relinquish the information they needed. Either no one knew, or no one was going to talk. Either way, the soldiers were displeased, yet more than happy to dish out the punishment.
"Wait!"
One girl from the crowd stepped forward. Her long blonde hair was like a camouflage among the city, and she knew that. No one with blonde hair or blue eyes was arrested, at least not nearly as much as others. She was also sporting the respectable black and red uniform of the local school district. She did not stand out in any way, except for one.
Her golden eyes.
"A quirk, eh?" The soldier commented, pulling out a pair of cuffs, "You know superpowers are illegal without a permit. You're coming with us."
"Okay," The girl held up her hands, trying to calm the officer down, "Just don't hurt these people."
Before the officer could put the cuffs on her wrists, they were suddenly knocked out of his hands. He tried to catch them as he was struck in the chest by a powerful force. The other soldiers thought it was the girl, but she had not moved an inch.
A web shot out from nowhere and stuck to one of the soldiers, whipping their body into their partner. The impact sent them both to the ground with a loud thud as their weapons dropped, misfiring at a nearby car and setting off its alarm.
Miles dropped his invisibility when all of the soldiers were down and out. He had not meant to knock them out that quickly; he was still learning the limitations of his powers, "You good?" He asked the girl.
The girl recoiled from the sight of his costume, believing that this all had to be some kind of trick. Instinctively she reached for the knife hidden under her skirt, but Tokoyami's shadow wrapped around her wrist and forced her to drop it, "We are not your enemy," Tokoyami argued, "We're here to help."
"The Spider is here to help?" The girl questioned with shock, "That's unlikely. Peter Parker would never help someone like me."
Miles was off put by that assumption, but realized it was due to context he did not have. To ease her, he lifted up his mask enough for her to see his face, "I'm not Peter Parker, see?"
She audibly gasped upon seeing him. Now she was far more confused than before.
Seeing she had calmed down, Tokoyami released his grip.
"We can't stay here," The girl told them, "I can bring us somewhere safe."
The girl started down the street, but Kyoka called out "Wait! Where are we going? Who are you?"
The girl stopped and turned around, "I'm Himiko Toga; member of the League of Heroes. You coming or what?"
Cautious and confused, the trio followed her through the dangerous city.
…
In the tallest tower of Musutafu stood the Japanese HQ of the Hydra Empire. Within were hundreds of soldiers, all with special abilities. Anyone with a quirk was either processed into the Hydra Empire, imprisoned, or killed. If superpowers could not be used for the good of the empire, they were to be contained or eliminated by any means necessary.
A tall, muscular man marched down the hallway with a frown on his face. Soldiers that walked by him would stop and salute, "Hail Führer!" They exclaimed, remaining still until he was gone from sight. The man could wipe them all out with a flick of his finger; to anger him by forgetting to salute was aided suicide.
The Führer entered a large war room where several super powered soldiers were awaiting. These soldiers were different than the average gunman of the Hydra Empire. They were dressed in outfits unique to their abilities. Whatever they were talking about before he entered died as he approached the table.
The group saluted to him.
"Show me what you have found," The Führer commanded.
"Yes, All Might."
The war table lit up with a holographic screen, showing Miles, Kyoka, and Tokoyami conversing with Himiko.
"More wannabe heroes?" All Might asked aloud, "Where are they now?"
"Off the grid," One said, "We are attempting to locate them, now. What would you like us to do once we find them?"
"Parker will like to know about this little Impostor of his. Have him lead the execution squad once you find them. Resistance shall not be tolerated."
They saluted to their Führer once more before being dismissed.
All Might stayed behind to observe the screen with great interest. Where did these heroes come from? Why was one of them dressed like The Spider?
…
Himiko knew the best routes through the city to avoid the Hydra spotlights. Miles would instinctively flicker in and out of visibility with each security vehicle that passed by. Every few blocks they would see a soldier harassing and even brutalizing civilians. The young heroes had to resist all their training.
They were led to an old bar, abandoned by the city and by time. Hydra patrols never seemed to pass through the area, making it the perfect blind spot for the war effort.
"I'm back!" Himiko called out, "And not alone!"
The trio was treated with a sight both familiar and foreign. They recognized most of the people in the old bar, but their appearance was different than expected. Kurogiri, Tomura's right hand, was the only one whose appearance remained largely unchanged, other than the accents of his smoke-like body being blue rather than purple.
Bubagiwara—better known as Twice—lingered in the bar without his mask. He was playing with a yo-yo rather skillfully. His hair was left long, reaching down just to his shoulders. He watched the trio with great suspicion as they entered.
Dabi—the pyro maniac—had snow-white hair. Though his face still brandished a few scars, they were not nearly as bad as what he was famous for back home.
Then there was Tomura. The leader of this parallel league was tall and standing without a hunch. His build was more defined, and his body was devoid of any of the decorative hands he often sported. Tomura's blue hair was cut short, too, and his hands were encased in high tech metal gloves.
"Meet the League of Heroes," Himiko introduced, "Guys, these three saved me from a bad run-in with Hydra. I think we can trust them."
"Why is that one dressed like The Spider?" asked Jin with a growl, "Don't he know that's in bad taste?"
Himiko gestured for Miles to remove his mask, which he obliged quickly as he felt the daggers being stared into him, "I'm friendly," He reassured.
In seeing his face, everyone in the room calmed down. That was the second time that seeing his face was enough to earn the trust of strangers. What was it about his appearance that told them he was safe?
"I think they're breachers," Himiko deduced, "From another world."
"Whoa, whoa!" Jiro cut in, "How did you figure that out?!"
"Not far fetched," Dabi joined in, "We know Hydra has been experimenting with inter-dimensional technology. Each of their attempts to break the barrier between worlds has resulted in storm clouds over the city. Guess we should have figured we'd get visitors eventually."
"We're not here because of Hydra," Tokoyami explained, "One of our enemies threw us through the multiverse. We ended up here completely on accident."
"Well, Hydra has been tinkering away at something for weeks," Himiko clarified, "We've been trying to figure out what it is, but the lab they're working out of is heavily guarded. We'd need someone with serious stealth skills to get in and destroy whatever they've got."
Himiko raised her brows at Miles with a grin on her face. It clicked rather quickly what she was getting at, "Hold up, you want-uh uh- you want me to sneak into a lab full of Nazis? No, thank you!"
"Our new friend here can turn invisible," Himiko ignored Miles and addressed her team, "He could sneak into the Hydra base and destroy whatever they're making, then get out before anyone realizes what happened."
"Invisibility, huh?" Dabi stroked his chin, "That could be useful."
Miles waved his hands in the air, "Hello?! Standing right here! Still not gonna do it! We just met, and we've already got our own crisis to deal with!"
"I know we're asking a lot of you, but if they're creating a dimensional gateway, it may be exactly what you need to get home."
Jiro put a hand on Miles's shoulder. They both knew that they needed to get home sooner rather than later. An opportunity was being handed to them on a silver platter decorated with lit dynamite sticks. It was not ideal, but their options were limited.
"I think we need time to think about it," Kyoka said, "Like you said, you're asking a lot."
"Take your time," Tomura agreed, "In the meanwhile, feel free to make yourselves at home. Soda is behind the bar."
"No alcohol?" Miles asked in disappointment.
"We don't actually have any, here."
"…Damn."
Kyoka smacked his shoulder.
…
After the initial appearance of the young trio, Hydra soldiers were put on high alert. Brutalization of civilians went up by 50% for that day while questioning them for information. No one seemed to know anything about the new young heroes, or the girl from the resistance.
Atop the tallest building in the district was a man wearing a black and green suit with a spider emblem across his chest. Hanging from his hips were a pair of pistols, freshly loaded with ammo. His lenses were a deep, blood red, lighting up each time they scanned something down below.
"No sign of the impostor, yet," He said.
Another figure dressed in black and green jumped down onto the roof, crackling with red lightning. His sharp and menacing mask peered down at the street alongside his partner, "Anything?"
"Not yet."
"I'm surprised someone is imitating you, Spider," the newcomer mentioned, "Didn't think you had fans."
"Midoriya," The Spider scolded, "Take this seriously."
"Green Death," He corrected, "It's Green Death when we're on the field."
"Still hate the name."
"Hate you too."
"No you don't."
"Du bist ein Bastard."
"Fick dich ins Knie."
The two chuckled at their own insults before settling on the edge of the rooftop.
"What are you gonna do when you find the impostor," Green asked.
"Kill him, probably," The Spider said, "No one imitates me and gets away with it. I worked hard for what I have and no one is going to ruin it."
"Nothing can ruin it. You earned your position. You earned your power. And Hydra is grateful for your efforts."
"I hope so."
"Hey," Green nudged him, "I know so."
In the city of chaos and death, it was nice for them to have a moment of peace. For The Spider, it was nice to stop being the costume so often, and just be Peter Parker, even for only a moment.
…
Back at the bar, Tokoyami sat at the front with a soda in his hand. He had been sweating and grunting quietly for some time, like he was in physical turmoil. The soda helped with his nerves but did not stop the pain. Most of the League chose to leave him alone. All but one.
Jin Bubagiwara approached Tokoyami and sat beside him, asking Kurogiri to hand him a drink. Though the older man still did not trust this job to children, he recognized the look on the young birds face.
"Whatcha holdin back?" Jin asked.
Tokoyami was smart enough to know when he was being obvious, and decided it better not to lie, "My shadow."
"Your shadow?"
"My quirk is called Dark Shadow. I control darkness, and in the darkness …it becomes harder to control."
"Ah …I see," Jin sipped his drink, "I get that."
"Do you?"
"Sure. I can make copies of anything. Hydra used to keep me as a prisoner and use my power to give them endless soldiers, till the League broke me out. I haven't used my power since. Its hard not to see it as some kind of burden."
Tokoya,I still remembered the last time he had lost control of his quirk. The attack on the training camp was difficult for everyone. He became strong enough to fight the enemy, yes, but he also attacked his friends. Tokoyaki prided himself on being calm, cool, and collected in every situation. Never had he lost it so badly, nor since.
Nor ever again.
"This world is full of so much darkness," Tokoyami stated, "I can feel it all. I worry that if I let it get to me …Morales and Jiro will get hurt. They are my friends; my brother and sister in this crusade for peace. I cannot allow myself to be the thing that ends their career, not now, and not with so much on the line."
Jin was not surprised to find someone as young as this feathered hero harboring so much darkness and tragedy. In this world, people are born in darkness. They are born and given a purpose based on their genetic potential. Jin was supposed to work for Hydra because of his power. He was supposed to be a tool, a resource to be spend, drained, and tossed away. His darkness was part of him, right down to his core.
But not Tokoyami.
"Your shell may be darkness," Jin pointed out, "But I can see your core. Within you is someone born of light; born with love and kindness. You don't get too many people like that in the world, these days. The few we have are often killed before their 20's."
"In our world," Tokoyami thought to mention, "We won WWII."
"Yeah?" Jin raised a brow, "Your world some kind of paradise, then?"
"I wish I could say yes."
"Well …no ones perfect."
The two sipped their drinks, feeling they understand each other more clearly now.
Whether they were born of darkness or light, they have the right to choose.
…
Tomura packed out boxes in the back of the bar, cleaning and loading all their weapons and gear. He was the leader of the League. He could have easily ordered someone else to do this job, yet, he chose to do it himself. As leader, he spent most of his time in the bar coordinating missions. The least he could do was make sure they were safe every time they left.
"You're so different."
Tomura turned around to see Kyoka Jiro standing at the door frame of the storage room. She was twiddling her ear-jacks while staring at the supposed hero. "Different from …?" Tomura wondered.
"On my world," Jiro explained, "You …the League of Heroes is the League of Villains."
Tomura put down the supplies in his hands and stood facing her with his hands on his hips, "Really? Villains? Is your world controlled by Hydra, too?"
"No," She shook her head as she crossed her arms, "In our world, people with Quirks are trained to be Pro Heroes. I'm attending a school to become one."
Tomura was rather pleased by the idea of that. A world where people could train to become heroes; a society built upon helping out the powerless. That was a perfect opposite to the world he grew up in. So, if that was the case, then "How could I be a villain?" He asked, "Your world sounds wonderful."
"I don't know all the details," Kyoka admitted, "I think you felt …betrayed by society? Like, they weren't looking out for you? I'm honestly surprised you're so different here," She broke her gaze, "How did you …become like this?"
Tomura recalled the memories of his past, sitting down on the box to let their weight fall on his shoulders. Just thinking about it caused the scars on his body to sting, "Hydra wanted me as an asset, like everyone else here," Tomura explained, "As a child, I discovered I could turn anything I touched to dust. They thought they could use that for torture, breaking into enemy facilities, and destroying evidence. The amount of people they made me …that they made disappear without a trace is more than I can count."
Tomura looked at his pale hands. When all five fingers touched something, he could break it down to dust. It was a curse he had lived with since he was young. The only reason he joined Hydra that young, other than to avoid execution, was to feel as though his gift was useful.
"Over time, I learned to control it," He told her, "I can touch things without immediately turning to dust, but I have to focus."
"What made you finally leave Hydra?" Kyoka asked.
"I was rescued by my mentor, All For One," He said, "He has the power to copy other peoples abilities. That man was our greatest hope against Hydra, until the Führer finally captured and killed him. Now, I carry on in his place."
The weight of the memory became too much to bear. Tomura distracted himself by continuing to pack out supplies.
It was so strange for Kyoka to see how different this version of her enemy was. She could not help but worry he would flip a coin and attack her just like her Tomura would. There was not an ounce of evil in his eyes despite the world he was born into. Fascinating that a world of darkness could make someone so full of light.
"Did you need anything else?" Tomura asked genuinely.
"…No," She smiled and shook her head, "I got what I needed. Thank you."
She left him in the storage room, thinking carefully about what he said. What was her doppelganger in this world like, she wondered. If those she thought to be villains are born as heroes here, is the opposite true as well? She could never imagine herself becoming a villain, but this world was so different than her own.
If this worlds Tomura was capable of light, was her worlds Tomura the same?
…
Too much.
It was too much too fast. The multiverse, Hydra, his powers. It was all too much for Miles to process at once. This was not his world, so it should not have been his problem. These people were asking too much without knowing him. Saying no should have been easy.
Whatever they say Hydra is building might be able to get them home. Is that a risk worth taking? Would it not be easier to wait until Peter finds and rescues them? Would it not be safer to lay low? Would it not go against everything he promised to be if Miles refused to help?
"Hey," Himiko approached the booth Miles chose to sit at in isolation, "Mind if I sit here?"
Miles shook his head and she sat down just across the table from him.
A moment was spent in silence. Neither of them knew what to say. One came from a world of heroes, another from a world of villains. To each of them, the other looked like the enemy. For Himiko, almost everyone was her enemy.
"Why were you surprised, before?" Miles spoke up, "When I took off my mask, you weren't scared anymore. How come?"
Himiko did not want to make Miles feel uncomfortable, so she tried to speak delicately, "Hydra …doesn't like people …who look like you."
Miles understood immediately and slumped back in his seat to think about it.
"We don't have any problem with you," Himiko pointed out, referring to the League of Heroes, "In fact, the whole point of the group is to fight for peace and equality. Hydra singles out entire races, genders, and cultures if they don't fit into their idea of a perfect world. If you aren't blonde, blue eyed and white, you have a good chance of ending up …" she gulped, "In a camp."
Miles did not feel any hostility from the other members of the League, minus Jin, though that was clearly for a different reason. He should have realized as soon as they arrived that he would not be accepted by this world.
"I've had friends who were taken away," Himiko admitted, "Friends of all kinds. This one girl I knew had a crush on me, and when people found out, she was taken away."
"…I'm sorry."
"I should be sorry for not going with her."
"Why would …oh," Miles realized, "I see."
"That's why I'm fighting," Himiko clenched her fists, "I want the people I love to be able to be themselves. Hydra rules the whole world, but I will never let them rule me."
There was a reason she was telling him all this, and she did not need to say it. Even if this world was not his, that did not mean his heroic duties were put on hold.
"Okay," Miles said, "I'll help you."
"Are you sure?"
"Great power and all that," He stood up, "Just tell me what I need to do."
…
Tomura laid out a map across one of the booths in the bar as the League and the young trio of heroes gathered around it. The map described a Hydra facility just outside of the city. There was a layer of security for each Hydra head, it seemed. Of all their facilities in the city, this one was highly funded and the most protected.
"Hydra has one, glaring flaw," Tomura explained, "They're ego. They think they've won already. Most people who are born with powers are either recruited or executed. Though they hunt us down, they don't expect much from us. That's why most of their security isn't equipped for people with quirks like yours."
"Everyone with powers works for them, so why would their security reflect anything else?" Jin pointed out with a hint of sarcasm, "We've charted out a path for you, Morales. You can use your invisibility to sneak through, destroy whatever they have in there, and get out. We'll be in contact with you just outside the facility."
The plan was well thought out, but that did not ease Miles's fear. He had never faced an enemy so evil, before. This was the dangers heroes faced, though. If he could not handle this, then he might as well hang up his webs.
"You don't have to do this, Miles," Kyoka said, trying to give him an out if he needed it, "We can find another way home."
"Nah, I gotta do this," He shook his head with a smile, "I've gotta get you guys home."
The way he worded that seemed strange to Kyoka. It was as though he was blaming himself for them getting stuck on this parallel earth. Miles, of course, had nothing to do with that. There was no reason for him to think this was a mistake he had to repent for.
Even without that thought, she did not want him marching into a Nazi facility. If his invisibility failed, or if he was caught, or if anything went wrong, she would never be able to forgive herself.
"We've got Hydra's patrol routes for tonight, which were tough to get," Jin said, "If you're man enough to do this, we gotta do it now."
Miles was afraid. Miles was terrified. Miles did not want to die.
So, Miles had to sit this one out.
As he put on his mask and let his fears wash away, Spider-Man nodded his head in agreement to the League of Heroes, "I'm ready," He spoke with determination.
…
The Hydra Facility was shaped like a hexagon, with several layers of borders and security points leading to the center. Towers were scattered across the rooftops with red spotlights gliding across the ground. Each soldier marched in perfect formation, and anyone caught breaking it was disciplined immediately.
Just outside the facility was the League of Heroes, camped behind a few bushes and trees. They remained on standby as Spider-Man got himself ready, trying to hype himself up as he shook out the nerves from his hands.
"Miles," Kyoka addressed, "You don't need to do this, you know. We can find another way back."
"I have to," Spider-Man told her, "Peter isn't here, so someone has to be designated Spider-Man. Spider-Man would go in there without hesitation if it meant getting you guys home."
"Spider-Man also acts on impulse and never considers his own safety," She touched his arm, "I don't want you getting hurt."
"I'll be okay, Kyoka," He touched her arm in return, "I just gotta get in, shut down their power, and let the League do the rest. We'll be home in no time."
"Miles-"
"Hey," he took her by the shoulders, "We'll be back to mixing beats before ya' know it."
She embraced him before he could finish speaking. Her fingers twitched against his back as they struggled to squeeze him any tighter. It was only then truly hitting her how dangerous this world really was. This was not like the quirky or cartoon-y villains with weird voices and costumes; this was war, a war lost and carrying on like a reanimated corpse. It was far more than she had ever thought she would handle. The idea of losing Miles to such a world broke her spirit.
"The patrols are trading off for the night shift," Dabi said, "Now is the time to move, kid."
It was a struggle for Kyoka to let go of him as he walked away from her with reluctant determination.
"We've only got a small window until the next patrol team comes out," Dabi explained, "Use your invisibility to sneak through and climb over the walls until you reach the center. Find out where they are keeping their secret project, shut down the power, and we move in."
"A lot of pressure," Spider-Man pointed out, "You know I'm, like, fifteen, right?"
"I was a lot younger when I started fighting Hydra," Dabi said, "Age ain't really a thing, these days."
Miles took a deep breath before turning completely invisible. The team only knew he had left because of the sound his footsteps made against the blades of dry grass.
"He'll be alright," Tokoyami said to Kyoka, "Have faith."
Kyoka wanted to believe in Miles. What scared her was how little they really understood about their enemy. After everything they have been there, this cannot be where their story ends.
…
The Spider and Green Death had returned to the locker room of the local Hydra Facility. Green Death was already changing out of his clothes, but Spider was hesitant to even take off his mask. It was only the two of them within the room as the single pale light dangled from above them.
"You okay?" Green asked.
"I just …yeah," He straightened his back, "Hail hydra, and all that."
"Hey, it's just us," Green told him, "What's on your mind?"
Such thoughts as he was having were not for sharing. That is what he was taught; what he was raised on. When he joined Hydra, he also forfeited any original thoughts that strayed from the Hydra standard. No matter what fears or doubts he may have, he could never show weakness.
Not even to someone he called a brother.
"To lose my grip on the Hydra Ideology of strength, even for a moment, is shameful," Spider pointed out, "How dare you even ask of me to do so, being that we are in private or not. Our duties do not stop outside of the uniform."
"I didn't mean it like that," Green defended, "I just meant-"
"Forget clocking out," Spider slammed his locker shut, "I'm working a double tonight."
Spider left without another word, knowing he would choke on it otherwise.
He doubted himself. He doubted what he had done and what he chose to stand for. Spider could never tell anyone of what he felt deep inside; the question he asked himself every day.
Was he on the right side?
…
Miles was several layers into the facility. Though there were some close calls, he was able to remain undetected. He kept in constant communication with the League, just in case anything went wrong. At first, Miles was nervous walking around those soldiers. As he kept moving, it almost became like a game as he started feeling numb to the repetitive actions.
The inner most building, according to the map, was where their special projects were being kept. After nearly 45 minutes of invisibility, he had finally made it.
As Spider-Man found a hiding spot by the bushes near the front door, he let his invisibility drop for a moment as he started panting. Holding transparency for so long was difficult, especially while staying on the move. He never realized just how much physical effort this new power took out of him, operating no different than any of his limbs.
He waited for a soldier to open the door for him before disappearing again and following behind him. From there, it was as easy as following the directions printed on the walls to security.
"I'm inside," Spider-Man stated in a whisper, "No one has spotted me yet."
"Keep It that way," Dabi said over the comm.
The map he saw led him toward Special Projects. He needed to confirm whatever they were looking for was even there, and he prayed it was, less this be a waste of time.
A pair of guards blocked the door that stood between Miles and whatever secret they were keeping. The door was locked tight, so Miles quickly leapt into the ventilation system and crawled straight over them.
When he dropped into the next room, it was completely empty, allowing him to drop his cloak once again with a sigh of relief.
That sigh quickly turned into a gasp when he saw what was being kept within that room.
Hanging above him in the large empty room was a woman. Her skin was pale and her hair long and dark. She was dressed in torn blue garments. On the floor beneath her rested a pair of yellow gloves. The woman was being held up by her arms and legs, her limbs clamped by machinery. Yellow energy was being sapped from her and funneled through tubes that spread to every angle of the room.
She should have been in pain, yet, she seemed almost in a trance, as though the pain was no longer a stranger at the door, but a familiar friend.
"Holy …" Miles muttered, "Yo, it's …it's a person!"
"What is?" asked Toga.
"The special project! It's a woman! It's like Hydra is stealing energy from her or something."
"Their key to multiverse travel is a woman? Can you free her?"
"I'll see what I can do."
A single console stood beneath the trapped woman. Spider-Man had no idea what any of the buttons did as most of the instructions were in German. He had to ask Toga over the com to translate any phrases to him until they came upon the 'disengage' function by trial and error.
Upon pressing the button, the cuffs holding the woman in place lowered her slowly to the ground. Her body did not fight back when the cuffs released and she was dropped like a rag doll. Her chest weakly moved up and down as her fingers twitched. The lights in the room shut down once she was free as the emergency lights replaced them.
Spider-Man rushed over and placed his hands on her shoulders, trying to help her up, "Hey, you good?" He asked.
When the woman finally regained consciousness, she flinched at the sight of her rescuer. She held up her hand, expecting something to happen that never did. Sparks flickered from her hands, stinging her palm.
"It's okay!" Spider-Man said, removing his mask as he knew it to work before, "I'm not the other guy! Call me Spider-Man …or, Miles, whichever works."
Seeing his face, she immediately felt calm and brushed her messy hair aside to get a good look at him, "Your aura …you're not from this dimension."
"You can tell?"
The woman's voice was raspy and weak and her speech slowed by the constant need for air, "They've been draining my powers, trying to use them to open portals into the multiverse. Unless I command it, a portal will never open, but they've been getting rather creative in trying to force me."
"Well, you're safe now," Miles put his mask back on, "What's your name?"
"Stephany. Stephany Strange," She answered, just barely managing to get to her feet.
"Strange?" Spider-Man held her up, "You wouldn't happen to be a wizard, would you?"
"That's exactly why they captured me, among other factors."
"Well, don't worry, I'm getting you out of here."
"I'm afraid it won't be that easy."
The emergency lights began flashing as an alarm blared through the halls. The sound of frantic footsteps echoed across the base. The intercoms raged in German, to which Spider-Man could only assume was about him.
"They weren't just using me for experiments," Stephany claimed, "They were also using me to power their facility, draining my magic for their war. Now that I'm free, the entire base will be on high alert, and I'm still too weak to portal us away."
It was hard enough for Miles to get this far on his own, but to carry someone with him with Hydra soldiers ready and trigger happy would be next to impossible without a fight.
"He's coming …" Stephany warned, "I can feel it."
"Who's coming?" Spider-Man asked.
"The Führer," she looked at him in fear, "All Might."
Spider-Mans entire demeanor dropped, "…Shit."
…
The Spider had chosen to spend the night patrolling rather than go home with his brother. He found it humorous that when he began doubting his work with Hydra, his coping strategy was to fulfill their work. It was the only way he ever felt he was truly making a change in the world.
In the span of a single hour, he had rounded up eight people for various crimes against the empire. Most were children in need of reconditioning, stripped away from parents who never lifted a finger to stop it. Fear kept them in line; fear kept the peace.
Fear would be what killed them.
Perching atop a building, he pondered the idea of fear. How many of the people below truly respected him, and how many only claimed they did to avoid the punishment of free thought. Free thought bred too many factors, which inspired violence through clashing ideals. One, united idea kept people safe and secure. Freedom sacrificed for peace.
Was it truly peace?
His uncle never thought so. He was a soldier, like his nephew, but spoke out when he found something to be immoral, and even chose to retaliate against the empire he swore his life to. That was why they had him killed, or at least, that is what he was told. Perhaps they killed him because they felt like it. Perhaps it was to teach a lesson to the rest of his squad. Perhaps it was to motivate Peter to use his powers for a better purpose.
Perhaps it was because of fear.
The communicator in his mask alerted him as he answered it quickly, "What is it?" he asked coldly.
"An emergency at special projects!" A soldier claimed, "We're calling in any nearby units for backup! The special project has escaped!"
The Spider cussed aloud before attempting to call his brother. There was no answer from the Green Death, leading straight to voicemail. "Izuku, get to special projects if you hear this. Something went wrong. I'm headed there now."
Fear pushed him to fight. Fear pushed him to swing toward special projects. Fear kept him in his place.
One questioned lingered; what was his place?
…
The League of Heroes watched from afar as the entire base was put on high alert. Miles was dead in the center of the chaos, making an easy extraction impossible.
"We have to help him!" Kyoka claimed, "There's no way he can get out on his own!"
"The entire facility is searching for him," Jin said, "With those alarms going off, it's only a matter of time before the Führer gets here to see what's going on with his special project."
"Whose the Führer?"
"Führer All Might; The most powerful person in Japan."
The color completely drained from Kyoka's face. She knew just how powerful All Might used to be on her world. If he was the leader of Hydra on this world, then Miles did not stand a chance. Never had she considered the concept of an All Might turned villain. The very idea shook her to the core.
"I can't just stand here and let him die!" She begged, "There has to be something we can do!"
"We can handle soldiers, even some of the villains too," Jin said, "But All Might? Hell no. He killed our former leader five years ago. Ain't no way any of us can fight against him."
"I don't care!" She threw her hands down, "I will not leave him to die for YOUR mission! He chose to help you! He is putting everything on the line to help you and get us home! You're obligated to return the favor!"
"We ain't obligated for shit."
"You know, I met the Jin on my world," Kyoka mentioned, "He's a villain, and despite that, I know that he would still try and help! What's your excuse?!"
Himiko got between them before any hands went flying. They all knew what All Might was capable of if he took a fight seriously. If All Might did show up, they would stand no chance in a one on one. Escape was their only option.
"She's right," Himiko agreed, "Morales is in there because of us, we should at least try to extract him before All Might gets here."
Jin tried looking to his allies for support, but none of them appeared to be on his side. Even Tomura agreed they should try and do something. Outnumbered, he finally surrendered with his hands in the air.
"Okay," Tomura announced, "We're going in."
Knowing stealth would not be an option, Tomura led the team into a charge, commanding them to use their unique gifts to their highest caliber.
Tomura reached out his hands as he made it to the wall, pressing all five fingers firmly on their surface and watching as it completely turned to dust and allowed the League to move in. The Hydra soldiers were too distracted by the alarm to see them coming. By the time they did, it was already too late.
The League hit hard, trading countless blows with waves of soldiers that did not stand a chance. Himiko sported dual knives hidden under her skirt as she placed a mask over her mouth. She did not hesitate to slice through them, not caring if any of them survived. Dabi kept the greater masses at bay with walls of fire. The rest focused on pressing forward.
Though neither Kyoka or Tokoyami were entirely comfortable with the possibility some of these soldiers would die that day, they knew that war was something they had not yet the burden of understanding. Regardless, they made sure not to allow any of their attacks to be fatal. Tokoyami used his shadow to disarm and push the men aside, while Kyoka dazed them with her sonic blasts.
The first ring was cleared as Tomura opened the way into the second. There were twice as many soldiers in that sector, but it did not matter. They were going to fight their hardest all the way through.
"Keep going!" Tomura shouted, "We gotta get to the center!"
"What do we do if All Might shows up?!" Dabi asked.
"We run," Tomura answered plainly, "And pray he doesn't catch us."
Kyoka knocked another batch of soldiers down and ran forward. All she could think about was Miles. She wished she had done more to stop him from taking this mission. This was not their world, it should not have been his problem. Why did he have to be a hero? Why did he have to shoulder all the responsibility?
She was suddenly yanked to a stop as webbing attached to her back. She fell and rolled into a recover, only to then be entrapped in more webbing. She tried to shake the substance off, but it would not budge, and she could not reach the speakers in her boots.
Landing in front of her was The Spider, staring her down with his rage-fueled red eyes.
"…Parker?" She asked aloud.
"You'd be wise to address me as The Spider," His deeper, raspier voice commanded, "You're little rebellion is over."
Tokoyami took notice first of the arachnid villain and lunged his shadow toward her. The Spider dodged the attack without so much as looking. Spider's demeanor as he landed was calm and focused. He had not even considered these two a challenge.
Kyoka managed to finally connect to her speakers and blast out of the webbing. Her and Tokoyami tried to face off against The Spider from both sides. The villain did not look intimidated by their tactic.
The Spider reached to his ear and spoke under his breath, "Mein Führer," He addressed in a monotone, "There has been a breach at special projects; The League of Heroes and a few new quirkies. I'm dealing with them now."
"You have five minutes," Führer All Might said sternly through the comms, "If you do not call back by then to report your success, I will come there to deal with it myself, starting by reprimanding you for your failure."
"Yes, mein Führer," The Spider hung up and addressed the young heroes, "You have one chance only; surrender now, or be executed."
Kyoka wanted to argue that this was not who he was; that Spider-Man was not a killer, but she had to remember that this was not the Peter Parker she knew. This man was born in an unforgiving world. Who knew just what he may have been capable of?
All they could do was fight.
…
Spider-Man carried the wounded sorceress through the halls as the emergency lights flashed and the alarms blared in their ears. Whenever they came across soldiers, the arachnid hero did not hesitate to web them up, or briefly put the woman down to deal with them. Thankfully, they had little resistance on their way out.
The complex continued to shake from the fighting that took place outside. Spider-Man stopped in his tracks as the woman asked what was wrong.
Miles knew his friends were out there, fighting for him, dying for him. If he had not come here, they would not have had to come to his rescue. If he had just been a better Spider-Man, perhaps-
No. He could not allow himself the luxury of pity at that moment, not when lives were on the line.
They were close to one of the exits, and with most of the forces focused on the League of Heroes, their escape would be guaranteed. That is, at least hers was.
"Why did Hydra capture you?" Spider-Man asked.
"I learned something I shouldn't have," Stephany explained, "A way to beat the Führer."
"How?"
"I learned All Might's weakness. He sustained an injury five years ago that has been slowly diminishing his quirk. To ensure Hydra's survival, he passed his power onto his predecessor."
"How'd he do that?" Spider-Man asked, wondering if their All Might had ever done the same.
"I don't know, but I know that he's vulnerable. All Might has not made many public appearances since the incident five years ago. I believe it's because he cannot risk straining himself, less he risk the security of Hydra's leadership. When they found out what I knew, they ambushed me, and brought me here for experimentation."
Spider-Man did a double-take, "Aren't you, like, a super powerful wizard?"
"Trying to be," Stephany explained, "I only discovered my gift a few years ago, and there are no wizards left to teach me."
"You're self-taught …" Miles compared her to himself, before Peter took him on. He had to figure out everything himself in a world that did not want him to. She—in that way—was like him.
They were close to one of the exits, and with most of the forces focused on the League of Heroes, their escape would be guaranteed. That is, at least hers was.
Spider-Man put Stephany down just as they reached the back exit of the complex, "I have to go and help them," he told her.
"If you do, you could die," Stephany said, "I'm not strong enough to rescue them myself, and All Might will be here soon."
"You said he was weaker, though."
"Weaker, yes, but still dangerous."
"Maybe my friends will escape before he gets here if I help them."
"I may be weak but I still have my abilities of foresight," She stated, "I can sense All Mights arrival. Your friends …" she blinked twice, reading deeper into her visions, "No …she will …"
Miles did not need context to know what the woman was referring to.
"Listen," Spider-Man pointed to her, "The All Might on our world is a hero; he believes in truth and justice. He believes that if you have the power to save someone with a smile, you do it. And my mentor—the Peter Parker of my world—he believes that with great power, there must also come great responsibility. I have the power to fight against evil, so it is my responsibility to do so."
Stephany stared into his bug eyes with disbelief. Even though she knew of the multiverse, she never had the time to consider the various constants and variables. How could she when most of her time was spent hiding from the fascist world she lived in?
"Your All Might …" She muttered, "A hero?"
"Even if this other All Might is just as strong as ours was, even if I die fighting him, I can't do nothing."
This kid was serious. Even with All Mights injury and weakened state, it would take someone powerful to bring him down. Stephany could sense his strength, his untapped potential. With the right push and knowledge, he may just have what it would take to finally end this eighty-four-year nightmare.
Spider-Man slowly stood up straight, taking in the new responsibility ahead of him. Was it really possible? Was this worlds All Might weak enough to stop? Even going against a weakened All Might on his world was a death wish, but what if this one was different? What if he really could do this?
This was it. This was the moment that would define him. He could not allow himself to run away again, knowing someone he loved could die. It did not matter if it was All Might; it did not matter if it was God themselves standing against him. He would never run away; he would never hide ever again.
"I can stop him," Spider-Man said, "I'm going to stop him; no room for doubt," he picked Stephany up and pointed her toward the door, "Get out of here. I need to help my friends."
"Wait," She said as she wobbled, "I may not be strong enough to help you fight …but I can at least help protect you."
Holding up her hands, yellow sparks emerged from her finger tops. Circular runes appeared around them, before attaching to Spider-Mans chest. His entire body began to tingle as his suit shifted and the colors started to change. "What are you doing?" He asked.
Stephany smiled as she cast her spell, "Giving you a minor upgrade."
…
Kyoka and Tokoyami tensed in the standoff against The Spider. The villain did not move nor flinch. He barely showed the movement of his own breath. Unlike the Parker they knew, this man was trained in the art of professional killing. One wrong move, and it would all be over.
Tokoyami attacked first with dark shadow. Spider spin-flipped over it and shot a web bullet which struck Tokoyami in the chest, making him stumble back. Kyoka tried to stay at a distance, knowing she would not survive a one-on-one fight.
Her sonic attacks only managed to briefly shake the Spiders focus as they threw off his superior senses. Spider adapted rather quickly as he shot webbing into her speakers. Unlike the last time such a move was used on her, she immediately cut the power from her ear jacks before the webbing caused her ankle amps to implode.
She had only fought someone like this twice before. This man had the abilities of Spider-Man with the deep evil of Carnage, only far more focused. She knew he would not hesitate to end her life or waste time playing with his pray. He was not a hunter; he was an executioner.
The Spider came at her quickly and all she could do was dodge. Kyoka avoided the first attack only to be immediately struck by the second, more powerful blow to her arm. She felt her shoulder dislocate instantly as pain shot through her body. Kyoka hit the ground holding her shoulder, trying to sooth it as best she could as she attempted to get to her feet.
The Spider put a foot on her back, pushing her face into the ground as he pulled out the gun strapped to his hip. He pointed the barrel straight at her head with his finger on the trigger.
Dark Shadow quickly swooped in and moved for the gun. Spider sensed the attack and jumped back before impact, landing a few yards away and firing a few rounds in Tokoyami's direction. The beaked hero was protected by Dark Shadow, who hardened his corporeal form enough to deflect the bullets.
Spider reached into his best and tossed out a small metal sphere. It rolled underneath Tokoyami and activated instantly, releasing an explosion of electric webbing that entrapped the hero where he stood. Not even Dark Shadow could squeeze out of its grip as the power surging through the webs paralyzed him.
"Parker!" Kyoka grunted as she tried to crawl away, "It's Peter Parker, right? On my world, you're the kind of person who helps others! How could you work for people like Hydra?!"
"Your world?" The Spider asked, "Breachers, are you? I guess that explains your interest in special projects. The multiverse is Hydra's ticket to true, universal order."
"You can't actually believe that. I've been here less than a day and I can say with certainty that this isn't order! This is fear!"
"Maybe fear is order."
"And who told you that?! Your uncle?!"
The Spider froze in his tracks. The mention of his uncle triggered something behind those red bug eyes, and Kyoka could see it clear as day. Someone like Carnage would not hesitate at the mention of family; A monster would never even consider them.
"What do you know about my uncle?!" Spider raised his voice.
"…I know our Parker's uncle was a good man," Kyoka explained, "He raised him; He taught him right from wrong. He taught him that with great power-"
"-Comes great responsibility," Spider finished.
Kyoka hooked him, now she just had to reel him in, "If you really believed in Hydra, then those words would mean nothing to you. You'd have ignored my pleas and killed me. If you're anything like my Parker, then your love for others will always outdo the evil in your heart! You have to see this is all wrong!"
Spider had never spoken about his uncle to anyone but Green Death. It was an unspoken rule to his work under Hydra. He could never admit weakness, he could never defend his uncles actions against Hydra. Spider was meant to redeem his family name by killing whoever he was told. Only then could there be order.
Right?
Spider stood there, frozen in thought. Kyoka had stopped trying to crawl away, accepting that it would be pointless if she could not convince him.
Spider thought back to everything leading to this point, to the words his uncle spoke before his execution. "Remember," He told him, "With great power comes great responsibility."
He thought back to the first time he ever drew blood. He thought back to the first time he put on that mask and became the monster Hydra needed. He thought back to the bodies he forced others to bury. He thought back to the horrors he inflicted on the order of his superiors.
He thought. He felt. He cried.
He hesitated.
A sonic boom through him off balance. The Spider cursed himself out, wondering just how long he had been lost in thought. The fight to that moment could not have been any more than a few minutes.
Five, to be exact.
Another body crashed into the ground near Spider and Kyoka. His large, muscular shape bred fear. The Führer, All Might, had made good on his word.
The tall, blonde man stood there menacingly with a frown on his face. No one had ever seen the man smile throughout his entire reign. He believed smiles brought hope, and hope was the root of rebellion. To destroy rebellion, he must destroy hope.
"I hope you are afraid," All Might growled, "Because I am here!"
The Spider was too afraid to move. He knew he had failed All Might, so a bow or salute would mean nothing. If anything, the Führer would likely take it as an insult.
"I can't remember the last time I did my own dirty work," All Might stated, "It will be good to stretch my legs, starting with this pathetic girl."
To see All Might speak like that was traumatizing for Kyoka, who had grown up seeing the man as a hero. Even if it was not really him, it was still horrific, like a nightmare come to life.
All Might took a step toward her, purposefully cracking the ground beneath his feet to intimidate her. He would barely have to use ten percent of his power for this; one good kick in the right spot and it was all over.
"Wait!" The Spider stood between them, "We should bring her in; question her for information!"
"What for?" All Might asked, "The entire League of Heroes is here. We can take them all out tonight."
"I-I know, but she could-"
All Might swatted Spider to the side. His body tumbled and crashed into a nearby vehicle, denting the door on impact. The arachnid would be a matter All Might would deal with later.
"Do you recognize me, little girl?" All Might asked Kyoka, "The way you looked at me, before; you're a breacher, aren't you? Do you know me on your world? Are we friends? Enemies? Do you think words of sincerity will work on me? Like it did him?"
"How did you-?" Kyoka asked.
"I listened. Through Spiders earpiece. I am always listening, always watching, always ready to deliver fear and order! I am All Might! I am the most powerful being in all of Japan!"
He stopped in front of her, raising his foot into the air and aiming it at her skull. She trembled in fear, knowing there was nothing she could do to stop him. Was this it? Was she going to die right then and there? Should she pray for her life, or simply for the end to come swiftly?
"Enjoy the great beyond," All Might said, "Hail Hydra."
Suddenly, All Might felt a great pain in his lower abdomen. Something strong and fast had been pushed against him, hitting directly in his weakest point. The Führer stumbled back, holding his stomach as he immediately spat out blood.
Blood. He had not seen his own blood like this in over five years. What happened? What had hit him? How did-
Again, he was struck in the same spot, sending even more pain through his body. Then another impact went across his cheek, then the other. Several strikes from nowhere were thrown against him.
A pair of webs suddenly attacked to his chest. All Might glanced over at The Spider, who was still recovering.
Then, the true attacker emerged from nothing, and struck the Führer again, sending him to his knees.
Posed and ready to attack was Spider-Man; Miles Morales. His outfit was completely different from before. The body of his suit was completely black. Red webbing covered only his chest, which was decorated with a large crimson spider in the center. An outline of his original outfit remained, along with his elbow and knee pads, but everything else was completely altered.
"…Miles?" Kyoka questioned, "Is that you?"
"Dope, right?!" Miles exclaimed, "Courtesy of our new wizard friend! Gives me a nice defense boost!"
"Miles, you can't fight this guy! You'll be killed!"
"You're completely ignoring my new drip."
"Miles, this is All Might! He'll kill you!"
"Nah," Spider-Man turned to face All Might, "He can't; dude couldn't hit a strike unless someone puts up the safety bars, ain't that right?"
All Might coughed, "What are you-agh- blabbing about?!"
"Your quirk," Spider-Man explained, "it ain't as cool as it used to be. You've been getting weaker for years. Seeing you up close, you don't measure up to our All Might. I bet you haven't been in a real fight for years, because you know you couldn't handle it. You're a washout, ya fascist prick, and you know it!"
All Might stomped on the ground in an attempt to intimidate the boy. Spider-Man tensed up, but held his ground.
"If you're so sure you can take me," All Might threatened, "Why don't we find out?!"
All Might made the first move, leaping forward and throwing his fist at the arachnid. Spider-Man dodged it quickly, watching All Mights body fly by. Miles had seen footage of their All Might fighting against All For One. This twisted version of him was definitely strong, but not as strong as the one he knew. If he was, Spider-Man would not have been able to avoid that attack.
In that moment he knew; he could do it. He could beat All Might.
"You're slower than our All Might!" Spider-Man taunted, "Sloppier, too! I guess that injury hit you harder on this world! You're making yourself look bad!"
"Quiet, welp!"
"Welp? That's it? Could you at least say it in German?"
"Du Göre!"
"There ya' go!"
All Might turned around and began a flurry of attacks. Whatever strikes Spider-Man could not dodge, be blocked as best he could. This All Might was weaker, sure, but his attacks were nothing to be messed with.
Spider-Man focused every one of his strikes on All Mights abdomen, where his injury was located just as Stephany described. With each strike, All Might got slower and weaker.
All Might had come there to kill the rebels and leave. As much as he denied it, he knew he could no longer handle a real fight. Fear and intimidation were his best tactics since the incident. They should have killed that sorceress when they had the chance.
Finally, he had enough. All Might swatted Spider-Man back and wound himself up for another attack. Spider-Man's senses went off, unsure if he would be fast enough to avoid this one.
The Spider, meanwhile, finally recovered from the blow he took and saw Spider-Man fighting against the Führer. This boy, who could not have been any older than he was, was taking a stand against the symbol of fear? And he was winning? Could this have really been possible?
All Might zipped forward and struck Spider-Man in the chest, sending him to the ground and into a coughing fit.
"You're right," All Might admitted, "I'm not as strong as I used to be, but I still know how to squish pathetic insects like you."
Spider-Man coughed as he got to one knee, "I bet that line gets you all the ladies, huh?" He struggled to get to his feet, "I don't care how tough you think you are. You ain't nothin' but a cheap crown on a dead throne, pretending the diamonds you carry are real. Guess what? Their nothing but plastic. You got the crown from Burger King, and the throne from IKEA!"
"What the hell are you talking about?! I am this country's leader!"
"A leader provides for their people! They protect them! But all you do is bring fear and death! But you will be stopped. Why?" He braced himself, "Because I am here!"
All Might clenched his fist. He had enough. No more holding back.
The Spider's senses tingled. All Might was ready to kill the rebel. That should be a good thing, yet, something in Spider's chest ached at that thought. In front of him was something he had not seen for years, if he ever had at all; hope.
The light inside his heart—one he thought had gone out years ago—was reignited.
With a shout of refusal, The Spider leapt forward with all his strength. He was not thinking, simply aiming his body in one direction and hoping for the best. The image of his uncle filled his brain. For the first time in so long, he was not doubting himself. For the first time, he knew he was doing the right thing.
All Might threw his fist forward toward Miles. Just before impact, The Spider pushed him out of the way.
The fist struck Spider dead center of his chest. Bones broke. Blood stained his costume. His lenses cracked from the intensity. All Mights fist had dug into his ribs, settling there like a mother bird making a nest out of bone. The Spider felt his chest cave in instantly as his heart was punctured. Adrenaline pumped through what remained of him, numbing some of the pain.
Spider hit the ground hard. His skull cracked against the ground. All Might stepped back in realization of what he had done.
Spider-Man quickly jumped to his feet and rushed over to the fallen soldier, trying to hold him up. He could see the mans eyes behind the broken mask. His cheeks were raised. Tears fell from his eyes and mixed with the blood.
Miles carefully took off his mask, revealing the face of his mentor underneath. What shocked Miles the most was not how this man looked identical to his teacher and friend, nor was it the fact that he saved his life despite working for Hydra. No, what shocked him most was the expression Parker wore on his face.
A smile.
"Did …did I do good, Uncle Ben?" Peter asked, too delusional from the pain to understand what was happening.
"…Yeah," Miles smiled back as he took off his mask, a tear in his eye, "You did good, Peter,"
Miles did not know why he was getting emotional. This was not the Peter he knew, yet, he still saw him as his mentor and friend.
"I did …?" Peter laughed, "I did …I did …"
The Spider's body went limp, a smile still etched to his face.
Miles entire world began to spiral. His heart raced. His pupils dilated. Something within him completely snapped. His mind went back to seeing his mother dead in the alleyway, then his father in the hospital bed. All the pain and sorrow he felt in those moments came rushing back into him like static.
Sparks flickered between his fingers as his shoulders shook from rage. He held back the anger and power for as long as he could, but eventually, he just could not contain it anymore.
He screamed, and the entire sky lit up.
From his body rose a pillar of electricity, illuminating into the clouds like a beacon. The ground around him electrified, forcing All Might to step back as the wind picked up. Something inside of Miles had been unlocked by his rage for justice. Everyone in Musutafu could see the lightning fly across the clouds, cutting through them as though it were Zeus himself soaring across the stratosphere.
Miles stood up straight, allowing himself to feel the power coursing through him. What was this? Field-Induction? Bio-Electricity? He could feel it was coming from his very core, as though he was generating the energy himself.
The world was slower now, to him, as he entered this state of power. It felt as though nothing could touch him.
Not even the so-called Führer.
Reaching into his pockets, he pulled out his wireless earphones and placed them delicately into his ears. On his phone, which seemed to fully charge as he touched it, started to play a song from his playlist.
"Two things," Miles said as he gently placed his mask back over his face, "One; you ain't nearly as strong as our All Might. He woulda' wiped the floor with me by now, but you? You're a joke."
"And what's the other?" All Might growled.
Yellow light filled Spider-Mans lenses as power emerged from his hands, "You underestimated me."
Spider-Man launched himself forward as a trail of lightning followed. All Might had no time to react, barely blinking before Miles had reached him with a strike to his abdomen. The hero's speed had been tripled as he struck him with ample strength. Each strike brought with it a jolt of electricity that stunned and nearly paralyzed his movements.
Everyone watched the event unfold as the wind picked up with every punch thrown. Kyoka could only stare in disbelief at the power he was displaying. Where had these abilities come from? Did he always have them? There was only one thing she knew for sure.
Kaminari was going to be so jealous.
All Might tried to swat the hero away, only for him to vanish into thin air and reappear in a different spot, striking in the same spot over and over again. All Might was completely helpless in this situation. He could not believe how badly he was losing this fight. He was the symbol of fear. Nothing and no one were supposed to be stronger than him.
The Führer stumbled back, knowing he was at his limit, "What right do you have to lay a hand on me?!" The Führer shouted with a cough, "Who do you think you are?!"
Miles reappeared in front of All Might; his fist fully charged with power, "I'm Spider-Man!"
With one swift movement, Spider-Man struck All Might in the same spot, one last time, shouting with great courage "Venom Strike!"
Electricity crackled through the air as All Might was sent flying back. He screamed in agony as he felt his quirk fail him. His muscles deflated, turning him back into his true form; the skeleton of the man he never was. Though he tried to fight it, he was helpless as he felt his quirk suffocate and die like the dying kindle of a camp fire.
With one blow, his flame went out.
All Might laid on the ground, small and helpless, feeling the pain shooting from his abdomen into the rest of his body. When he opened his eyes, all he saw was Spider-Man standing above him with electricity surging around him.
There was no denying it now. He was beaten.
As the power dwindled from Miles's body, he felt his sense of clarity return to him. His eyes darted away from All Might and toward Kyoka, who smiled at him with a wince of pain.
Miles put his earphones away and ripped off his mask as he ran to her. Despite her injury, she got up and ran toward him. They embraced as though they had not seen one another in years. No words were exchanged, just the warmth from their bodies. It was all they needed in that moment.
Almost.
Perhaps it was the adrenaline. Perhaps it was seeing someone die in front of him and realizing just how important that life really was. Perhaps it was nothing but a spur of the moment decision made in unison.
Looking into each others eyes, they were compelled into a sweet, passionate kiss.
All that mattered to them was that the other was safe. Whatever problems they were dealing with did not seem as troubling anymore.
They broke the kiss quickly, realizing what they had just done. Miles could not help but chuckle as Kyoka blushed in embarrassment.
"I'm sorry!" Kyoka said, covering her face with her good arm, "I got carried away!"
"Yeah, yeah, me too …" Miles cleared his throat, "Stressful day, we weren't thinking."
"Obviously. No thoughts. Stupid brains. Didn't even think about it."
"But …" Miles blushed, "We could think about it …right?"
Kyoka tried not to smile, "When we're not trying to die …sure."
"I'm okay with that."
The other members of the League of Heroes reunited with them, cheering for Miles and what he had accomplished. The day they never thought would come had finally arrived, all because of a stranger with a good heart.
All Might, broken and beaten, got to his knees and watched as they had celebrated. He knew what came next. They would lock him away, question him, parade their victory with images of him behind bars. No, he would not allow any of that. If his image was to be sullied, he would rather not live to see it.
From his pocket, he pulled out a tablet and did not hesitate to put it in his mouth.
Himiko spotted what he was doing and panicked, shouting for someone to stop him as she ran over. By the time she got there, it was too late. All Might had begun foaming at the mouth, dropping to his side as all function ceased.
"Dammit!" Tomura exclaimed, "We'll never get anything out of him now …"
The sound of helicopters alarmed the team as spotlights began scanning the area around them.
"We have to go!" Tomura ordered.
"But the Führer is dead!" Tokoyami argued as he finally got free of the webbing.
"It doesn't matter! If All Might was still alive, we could have used him as leverage! His forces won't just back down! We need to take our victory and go!"
With a unified agreement, the League of Heroes made for the hole in the wall Tomura previously created.
Miles, still stunned by everything going on, followed behind the slowest. He stopped completely when his spider sense went off.
A loud, painful scream came from far behind them. The Green Death had only just arrived to the scene. He had heard his brother's message only half an hour earlier. He had hoped he would arrive on time, but it was too late.
Green ran to his brother's body; the smile still stuck on the recent corpse. He then saw All Mights lifeless body just a few yards away. The two most important people in his life—his brother and his mentor—were gone.
Brought to his knees with tears, Green Death spotted Miles as they traded glances. He saw the sparks of power flickering from his hands and how they matched the sparks coming from All Might. It was easy to deduce.
Only rage came from the eyes of the wielder of One for All; the new Führer and leader of Hydra.
"You …" He growled, "I will hunt you down and strangle you! I will mutilate your body and parade it across the streets for all to see! There will be no where you can run! Nowhere you can hide! Do you hear me?! I will kill you! Mark my words!"
Miles left quickly, knowing that despite the good he had done, he had made a dangerous enemy that day.
Green Death was too heartbroken to chase him, crying over his brother's dead body.
…
The League of Heroes returned to their hidden bar with Stephany Strange, tending to everyone's wounds and evaluating their next move.
"With the Führer dead," Tomura explained, "Hydra will be in disarray for a while. Green Death was his successor, so it is likely he will take up the spot of Führer. We have a buffer period before he gets settled in. We need to use that to our advantage and hit Hydra where it hurts."
Himiko ran up and hugged Miles tightly with a smile across her cheeks, "You did more today than we asked of you, and we are so thankful for that."
"I didn't want him to die …" Miles admitted.
"I know," Said Himiko as she let him go, "Neither did we, but there is nothing to be done. You three have done more than enough for our cause. Leave the rest of this fight to us, from now on."
"But, Hydra-"
"-is our mess. You have your own fight to get back to."
Miles tried to interject, but Tokoyami put a hand on his shoulder, nodding his head in agreement, "We have our own demons to face," Tokoyami said, "Our talents are needed elsewhere, whether we like it or not."
Everyone looked to Stephany, who had just finished getting her wounds treated, "Now that I'm back on my feet, I can feel my magic returning to me. It may take a little time before I am powerful enough to send you all home. I believe I'll be ready by morning."
"Thank you," Miles said, "Really, I mean it."
"We should be thanking you, Spider-Man," Stephany smiled, "You've given the rebellion a fighting chance."
Jin grabbed the bottles of soda from behind the bar and suggested they make a toast to their victory. Mostly everyone had joined in, grabbing glasses and picking out their favorite flavors.
Everyone, except for Miles, who retreated into the shadows.
…
Miles ended up on the roof, looking out into the sky where blimps with the hydra logo were shining lights down on the city. This world was in so much torment. Even though he had another threat to face, he could not help but feel guilty for abandoning this one in pursuit of it.
"Hey, web-head."
Kyoka came up and leaned next to him on the ledge, pushing her body into his.
"You did the right thing. You couldn't have known All Might would do that."
"What if I made things worse? What if Hydra hits them harder after we leave? What if they all die?"
Kyoka pondered this carefully before giving a response, "I think the price of being a hero is accepting that you just …can't save everyone. No matter how hard that is to accept, it's the truth. People died today, but it would have been a lot more if you didn't act. I'd be dead if not for you."
"Yeah …but-"
She cut him off by handing him an earbud, connected by a wire to her phone. Miles could not hold back a laugh as he took it.
The rest of the hour was spent in silence, listening to 'Sunflower' on loop as the world seemed to disappear around them. That was fine, for them. In that moment, they became each others world.