Miles G. Morales (AKA the Prowler) - Earth 42
"There's a window up there a few feet from us. My tech tells me it's breakable with enough momentum," Uncle Aaron stated, wearing his Prowler suit.
Miles G. Morales took in the information.
"Grapple up there?" he asked, his thick Spanish accent giving his words a unique charm. Aaron nodded and tossed him his grapple. "Put on your Prowler gear."
Acting swiftly, Miles activated his watch, its sleek, glowing emblem signaling the transformation. The purple armor began forming around him, as if guided by an invisible hand. It enveloped him, covering every inch of his body, forming a formidable exoskeleton. The helmet materialized over his head, completing the transformation. Now clad in his Prowler gear, he was ready to break into the Alchemax building.
"Remember, we came for one thing and one thing only. The Interdimensional Translocator," Uncle Aaron emphasized.
The Interdimensional Translocator, or the I.T., harnesses advanced quantum technology and complex spatial manipulation algorithms. Encased within a sleek, metallic device reminiscent of a wristwatch, it contains a miniaturized power core capable of generating the energy required for interdimensional travel.
But there was a catch. To travel to another dimension, you would have to choose a person from that Earth, who would be forced to come to your dimension. Then you could go to the victim's Earth.
Their plan involved using the I.T. to bring Miles Morales from Earth 1610 to their dimension, while Aaron would stay to interrogate him.
Aaron pulled out his grapple gun and attached the hook to the window. After Miles G. mimicked his uncle, they both climbed the wall carefully, with Uncle Aaron in the lead. To ensure a solid grip, he activated his Prowler boots. Once they reached the window, Miles stepped back to gain momentum and then launched himself forward, striking the window with his foot. The glass shattered from the force, and Miles expertly jumped into the building, followed closely by Uncle Aaron.
Inside, the Prowler armor retreated, leaving Miles in a hoodie and sweats, with a brown backpack slung over his shoulder. Soon enough, he realized they were in a lab, but it had no tech. Uncle Aaron pulled out an Alchemax guide and briefly scanned it.
"We're on the second floor, it says the real shit is on the floor above us," Uncle Aaron notified.
"Let's go," Miles G. urged, ready to proceed. They exited the lab but they ran into a male security guard. Aaron knocked him out clean before throwing him against a wall. They ran up the stairs to the third floor, encountering a few more guards on the way. As Miles deftly disarmed the guards and secured them outside, Aaron pressed on, somewhat oblivious to the act of mercy. Uncle Aaron wouldn't understand what he did, as he would say saving them is wasting precious time. Aaron still valued human life, at least more than the Sinister Six Cartel.
Miles G. followed Uncle Aaron up the stairs as they arrived at floor three. There were four rooms, each labeled a letter from A to D.
"Says here that the I.T. is located in Room C," Uncle Aaron read from his Alchemax guide. He threw it in a garbage bin and led Miles toward Room C. Aaron quickly took a claw from Miles so that they each had one. After sorting out the weapons, they charged through the door of Room C and looked onward for security guards. Instead, they found a pale scientist with dark hair who was fiddling with a chip.
Uncle Aaron cleared his throat. The man turned around in shock at the sound. 'Dr. Sneller' was written on his name tag that stuck to the left side of his chest.
"You are prohibited from this section of the building. Please leave immediatly," the scientist, Dr. Sneller said nervously. Miles' menacing claws hinted that he was serious.
"We want the Interdimensional Translocator. Hand it over," Aaron demanded.
"The chip for the I.T. device is not completed, and is prone to malfunctions," Dr. Sneller said while showing them the defective chip. "It hasn't passed the safety measures yet either."
"How bad are these malfunctions?" Uncle Aaron asked.
"Some test subjects ended up trapped in other dimensions. Only one managed to return, describing the experience as a fever dream. Alchemax was taken to court because of it."
Miles G. glanced at his uncle in uncertainty.
"Enough talk. Insert the chip," Uncle Aaron ordered, growing impatient. But Miles noticed something intriguing: a white first aid kit that dropped from the scientist's lab coat.
Miles G. stealthily pocketed the first aid kit, remembering that his mother had a night shift for her nurse job and always forgot to bring extra supplies when she worked late.
Dr. Sneller inserted the chip into the I.T. After a few moments of humming and vibrating, the I.T. activated. It had words on the screen, saying 'Current Dimension: E-42. Travelling To: NA. Switching With: NA.'
Uncle Aaron snatched it from Dr. Sneller and inputted the dimension E-1610 in the second slot. He hesitated for a second, but then added the name Miles Morales in the third slot.
Dr. Sneller started chuckling anxiously. He slowly backed up against a wall and pressed a red button. Alarms started ringing through the Alchemax building. Uncle Aaron shoved the I.T. device in Miles' backpack and dragged him to the very top floor. There was a door leading to the roof of Alchemax, but Miles G. dropped his first aid kit and watched it bounce down the stairs.
"No!" Miles G. shouted. Uncle Aaron pushed Miles towards the door. "I'll get it. You escape, now!"
Uncle Aaron tossed him a cylindrical remote with a button. "Set a timer for two minutes on your watch then press this button when the clock hits zero. Make your way to the closest Alechmax warehouse while the clock runs down."
Miles G. set the timer, confused about why he had to do this. Nevertheless, he put on his Prowler boots and ran out the door. He made it a few feet before a group of five security robots burst through the door. They were grey and slim with coarse material. Miles G. sprinted away from them as they fired red beams at him. Miles parkoured over a bench and brought out his favorite gadget to use. They were sky-blue balls that expand out into a net when they make contact with their victim. He liked to call them Morpho Nets. Miles dodged more of the lasers. He leaped off the edge of the building, releasing the Morpho Nets into the air. They transformed into a red net just as they fell on two of the security robots.
The timer was still ticking slowly.
Once Miles G. attached a grappling hook to the nearest skyscraper and started swinging from building to building, he thought the robots had given up. But he saw the three robots who didn't get caught in the Morpho Net trap jumping off Alchemax with wires attached to the roof and their backs. They managed to fire several more shots, with Miles G. avoiding them perfectly. They started to run down the side of Alchemax while shooting more lasers at Miles. Sparks flew off the robot's feet. Miles G. grappled to the top of an Alchemax warehouse.
He checked the timer and two seconds were left. Miles G. waited two seconds, pressed the button, and looked up to see the effect. A warehouse door exploded and out came Uncle Aaron holding the white first aid kit. Three robots came charging after him, firing green lasers. Uncle Aaron jumped off the side of the warehouse, hurling the first aid kit at Miles in mid-air. Miles G. quickly caught it and followed his lead. Uncle Aaron sent a grappling hook toward Miles, which he snatched and attached to his backpack.
He was finally swinging again, and it felt amazing. Like he was back in his garage, swinging and climbing on Uncle Aaron's ropes. He even used to do this with his father, Jefferson, until...
One year ago, he was brutally killed saving a child from falling rubble. Rhino had just torn down a skyscraper, and the police were the only ones available to help. That was the case all the time. There were supervillains, but no superheroes. After Jefferson Davis died, the whole police force was disorientated, as he was their captain. But Miles' family had it the hardest. It was so unexpected, no one even believed it was real until a few days after the event.
Miles G. almost crashed into a building while dwelling on his dead father. Focus.
Uncle Aaron clawed onto a bridge to stop and give Miles more speed. Miles G. swung under the bridge and finally unattached the grappling hook. Uncle Aaron raced ahead of Miles and made a zipline for him to glide on. Miles zipped down the zipline, eventually passing his mother's hospital. She was treating a child in need. He dropped the first aid kit on the window and kept going.
They finally landed on another skyscraper. Miles G. brought out the Interdimensional Translocator and gave it to Uncle Aaron.
"The coordinates are already in,' Uncle Aaron said. "Stand in front of me and I'll zap you with this."
Miles G. stepped in front of his uncle, bracing himself.
"Three."
Miles G. sighed with anticipation. Like a fever dream.
"Two," his uncle counted. "One..."
Uncle Aaron pressed the enter button and a bright light enveloped Miles.
Gwen Stacy - Earth 1610
In the vibrant cityscape of New York, the sun was setting, casting a warm orange glow over the towering skyscrapers. Among the urban labyrinth, a familiar figure gracefully soared through the air, leaving a trail of webbing behind her. Ghost-Spider, or as she was known to her friends, Gwen Stacy.
Her heart was still heavy from the recent argument with Miles as she swung through the city with effortless finesse, her web-shooters propelling her forward with each calculated move. The wind rushed through her hair as she navigated the bustling streets, her heightened senses allowing her to anticipate obstacles and swiftly avoid any potential hazards.
She had just left Miles' house after their heated exchange. He didn't understand her intentions, and it left Gwen feeling frustrated and hurt. She had thought they were friends again after she helped him escape Earth 42, but apparently, he needed some time alone.
As she swung through the cityscape, Gwen heard a distant train alarm, but she ignored it. She needed time to collect her thoughts and sort out her feelings. She wished people would start listening to her, understanding her perspective. Lately, she had been grappling with her newfound knowledge of canon events and the delicate balance of the multiverse.
Gwen's thoughts kept drifting to the two canon events she had learned about: Miguel's alternate self and Pav. In both cases, Spider-Men from different dimensions disrupted the established canon. This revelation left her wondering about the potential consequences and whether Miles could save his father, considering he was from his father's dimension.
However, she knew she had to push those thoughts aside for now. Her priority was to regroup with her friends at the Super Collider. She had followed Miles shortly after he left the abandoned collider, even though the Spot was holding off against several Spider-People. Her spider sense told her that her friends were in danger, and she couldn't ignore that call.
Speaking of friends, Gwen hadn't seen Jess Drew in a while. She wondered what happened to her. Despite some past differences, Gwen still viewed Jess as a parental figure and hoped they could reconnect soon.
Gwen's mind focused on the task at hand as she swung with determination, closing the distance to the Super Collider's location. But with each swing, Gwen's heart pounded with a sense of dread. She couldn't shake off the guilt and worry about her argument with Miles. She needed to make things right, but she also had to stop the Spot.
As Gwen approached the Super Collider, the night sky began to envelop the city, the stars shining brightly above. She leaped into the ditch that led to the collider room. When she landed, met with a distressing sight. Her fellow Spider-People lay on the ground, injured and in pain. Only Miguel and Peter remained on their feet, while Cosmic Spider-Man somehow looked the most in pain. The Spot stood triumphantly over them, clearly responsible for the mayhem.
"I'll ask one last time. Where is Spider-Man?" the Spot threatened.
"Who, Miles?" Gwen asked. She realized she said something wrong when Peter winced and Miguel glared at her.
"Ah, his name is Miles? You know, back on my Earth, there was a guy named Miles Morales who was destined to be bitten by a radioactive spider. If not for the spider being transported here, he would have become Spider-Man," the Spot revealed. "So if your Miles has the same address as my Miles..."
Determination and concern flooded Gwen's senses as she prepared to face the Spot. Her spider instincts were on high alert, her body poised for action. With a quick leap, she engaged the Spot, her agile moves a dance of precision and skill.
Gwen ran at him in an attempt to kick him with her Chucks, but her legs went through one of his black holes. She ended up in the corner of the collider room beside a wounded Spider-Ham.
"Hey," Ham said, clutching his stomach. Gwen rose as Miguel clawed the Spot's face. Gwen picked up Spider-Ham by the arm and swung him full force at the Spot. The Spot, being distracted by Miguel, got knocked over by Spider-Ham's wooden mallet.
The Spot scrambled back to his feet but the other heroes rose from the ground, inspired by Gwen and Ham's actions. Though they were injured, they still had to fulfill their duty as Spider-Man.
The next few minutes were pure chaos. All the Spider-People ran at the Spot at full speed, which provoked him to throw dozens of black portals in multiple directions. Half of the heroes were thrown against walls, while the other half managed to dodge the portals.
Gwen wondered if Miles would finally forgive her if she stopped the Spot from killing Captain Davis. But if her theory that disrupting canon is only okay if you are from the same universe as the person who is destined to die, then saving Miles' father would destroy his universe. Maybe she could reason with the Spot like she could have done with the Lizard... instead of killing him.
Hobie began assaulting the Spot with his guitar while Gwen attacked him from behind.
"Typical villains of the week," Hobie said when one of the Spot's holes consumed his guitar.
"Mr. Johnathon—"
"That's Doctor Johnathon Ohnn to you," the Spot interrupted. Gwen took a deep breath.
"Doc, the collider room blew up when you were in it, right?" Gwen waited for confirmation, eventually receiving it. "Well it wasn't Miles' fault, it was Wilson Fisk and Olivia Octavuis' doing."
"Do you think I care? Once I'm done ruining Spider-Man's life, I'll go after Kingpin. They will both suffer for what they did to me," the Spot claimed. He sent a concussive blast at Gwen, sending her flying back into Peni.
As she slowly got back up, she looked back at Cosmic Spider-Man, wondering what he was doing. It seemed like he was charging up. The Spot noticed this as well, looking on curiously. It was at that moment, Gwen knew if he obtained the power of Cosmic Spider-Man, he would be unstoppable. And just when she thought he couldn't get any more powerful.
The Spot advanced at Cosmic Spider-Man, which went unnoticed by him. Peter realized what was happening and tried to step in the path of the Spot but he was blocked by a portal which he stepped into, causing him to end up several feet in the air. Gwen instinctively fired a web at him, but as expected, he used his powers to send it right back at her.
The Spot grasped Cosmic Spider-Man's head, consuming his power. Gwen had heard stories that Cosmic Spider-Man had Uni-power abilities like invulnerability. Would that be transferred over to the Spot?
Miguel charged at the Spot but some sort of force prevented him from getting close enough to do any damage.
And within a few more seconds, the process was done. The Spot has drained the Enigma Force from Cosmic Spider-Man's body,.
The Spot was unkillable. You couldn't even get close to him. It was simply impossible.
"Tell Spider-Man that I'm coming for him."
The Spot entered a black portal, leaving the abandoned Super Collider.
"Mother..." Miguel said. He quickly left after saying there was a disruption on Earth 199999.
Margo blinked once or twice. "What the hell just happened?"
Gwen didn't know. To be honest, she didn't know most things these days. She didn't know if she was dreaming or if everything was just a figment of her depressing imagination. But one thing she did know is that Miles Morales was a friend that she couldn't live without.
She pulled out a photo of her and Miles. It was the photo that they had taken on the bus when they has just escaped from Alchemax. Those were the good days, when the worst villain they had to face was a big guy in a fancy suit.
"Gonna talk to Miles again, eh?" Hobie asked.
Gwen nodded, deep in thought.
Hobie grinned. "Count me in."
"Hey, kid, tell him that we're still here for him," Peter said.
Hobie brought a gizmo out of his pocket and tossed it at her.
"A new one. Has some improvements."
Gwen smiled. She was lucky to be friends with Hobie.
Gwen swung away to see her former friend. But first, she made a pitstop. A pitstop that included seeing her father again.
Miles Morales - Earth 1610
Miles felt like a jerk. He believed he had every right to save his father, but did he need to be rude to Gwen during that brief meeting they had in his room? Was he seeing everything the wrong way?
She's not on your side, Miles reminded himself. He sat on his bed, defeated. Thinking about everything just made it worse. He grasped his headphones with his sweaty hands in an attempt to wear them, but he couldn't get another problem off his mind.
The Prowler of Earth 42. He let Miles and the others escape pretty quickly. Almost too easily. Did he have another trick? And amongst all of the confusion, the Prowler almost looked jealous of Miles having a dad, which must have been the main factor that was driving him. Maybe Miles could reason with him and get his help to defeat the Spot. He of all people would understand. Maybe Miles could use Uncle Aaron's death on Earth 1610 as a way of saying he understand what he went through.
Interrupting his deep thoughts, an alarm shrieked from a passing train. Miles peeked out the window and saw a black cargo van racing away from the scene.
Crime-Master.
Miles ripped off his clothes with his suit right underneath. He still wasn't in the best of shapes, as his wound was threatening to bleed through the bandages, but did he have a choice? After all, he was still Spider-Man.
No mid-fight quips and Miles should be fine. It was a train robbery, so maybe Miles should take it more seriously. People could die.
Miles quickly put on his favorite hoodie and Jordans before he reluctantly web-zipped out of his window and caught up with the van. He attached a web to the window and swung into it, gaining momentum as he got closer. When his foot finally collided with the glass, it shattered everywhere, attacking the driver with fragments. Miles flew through the van and out the opposite window, ending up on the other side of the van. He saw Crime-Master climb onto the top of the van and pull out a grapple gun. He grappled back onto the train and pressed something on his wrist.
CLICK. A strong wave of electricity came rushing at Miles, stunning him. After experiencing a loss of muscle tone, he gained insight into the situation. Crime-Master must have used some sort of taser gadget on his wrist. It didn't seem as powerful as Miles' venom power, but it had more amps than a regular police stun gun.
"Get off!" Crime-Master growled and kicked Miles off the side of the van. Miles managed to deflect some of the electricity back at the villain of the week, stunning him. He shot a web at Crime-Master in an attempt to get on the train, but he accidentally pulled his top hat off his head. It flew into Miles' hands.
Miles noticed that a signature was imprinted inside the hat. It was a name, Miles realized. Brant.
Miles launched into the air and landed on the train, still deep in thought. Gwen once told him about her band members. There was Mary Jane, Gloria Grant, and Betty Brant. Crime-Master must have some relation to Betty, as coincidences rarely happened to Miles in his life as Spider-Man.
There must have been a Betty Brant in Crime-Master's universe, Earth 90214. Maybe they were siblings because Miles remembered Gwen saying something about Betty having an older brother.
"Why so quiet?" Crime-Master asked. "For once, you're not making stupid jokes."
Miles shot a web at his mouth. "Do you have a sister named Betty Brant?"
Crime-Master froze. "How do you know that?"
As the tense confrontation escalated, Crime-Master slowly rose a flamethrower, the weapon seemingly appearing out of thin air, leading Miles to believe he must have Hammer Space—a mysterious pocket dimension where villains often seem to store their arsenal.
"Of course... you were there," Crime-Master accused with a sinister edge to his voice.
"W-what?" Miles asked innocently. Wait... Earth 90214 was also Spider-Man Noir's universe. Miles remembered Noir telling him that the first time they met. So did Crime-Master think Miles was Noir?
The train went under a tunnel, causing Miles to instinctively duck. As it emerged from the dark passage, Crime-Master had closed the distance between them, his menacing presence more palpable than before.
"I see your red and black suit was just a disguise, you're finally wearing your real suit," Crime-Master spat. Miles observed the transformation in horror as the red on his suit turned white, leaving him clad in a dark trench coat and a hat similar to Crime-Master's, as if he had seamlessly merged with the atmosphere of this alternate dimension.
Before he could fully grasp the situation, a strange glitch-like effect engulfed him, and Miles found himself inside an old coffee shop, its surroundings completely devoid of color. The chairs, walls, and tables appeared in black and white, almost like a surreal world out of a vintage movie. Even the server donned the same monochromatic palette, adding to the uncanny sensation.
His attention was caught by a wanted poster plastered on the wall, featuring the face of Crime-Master with the ominous words 'ALIVE OR DEAD' written beneath it. Adjacent to the poster, an article detailing the criminal mastermind was penned by Peter Parker, but intriguingly edited by Eleonore Brant, raising questions about her involvement in this enigmatic dimension.
The Brant family must have been a big deal in this universe.
Miles decided to read the first paragraph, as it could be important. 'In the heart of New York City, amidst the ongoing battles between superheroes and supervillains, a renowned writer and investigative journalist, Eleonore Brant, has stumbled upon a potentially catastrophic conspiracy. Recent developments have led her to believe that the notorious Crime-Master, a criminal mastermind, is orchestrating a sinister plan to eliminate Spider-Man Noir and Flash Thompson. To make matters worse, a surprising alliance between an enigmatic figure known as the Spot seems to be taking shape, adding a new layer of complexity to the imminent danger. As Eleonore unravels the puzzle, the stakes soar higher, and the city's safety hangs in the balance.'
The Spot was working with Crime-Master?
'While Crime-Master is no stranger to villainy and has clashed with Spider-Man in the past, his collaboration with the Spot hints at a more devious plan. The Spot, a villain with the ability to create portals, has long been a mysterious figure. Now, Eleonore has witnessed their secret meeting together, indicating that a dangerous plot is unfolding.'
Miles eagerly looked at the second paragraph.
'Eleonore's keen observations have revealed that the Spot has entered into an agreement with Crime-Master, offering to perform a favor in exchange for assistance with a planned terrorist attack in Brooklyn. The nature of the favor remains undisclosed, leaving Eleonore to piece together the puzzle. As an experienced journalist, she understands the ramifications of such an alliance and its potential impact on the city.'
The Spot wanted help from the Crime-Master to attack Brooklyn Tower. But Crime-Master wasn't helping unless the Spot did some sort of favor first, which Miles couldn't let happen.
'Steering away from the malicious antics of Crime-Master and the Spot, a cold-hearted teenager who calls himself the Prowler was seen with Alchemax technology. Engineers stated years ago that it would take trienniums upon trienniums to make such high-tech items, but the Prowler has evidently done the impossible. Adding to the confusion, the Prowler's armor has strange colors and is unusually vibrant. The teen claims that he can switch dimensions with his alternate self using the Alchemax device, though he has no proof, and the concept is extremely confusing to us and even scientists who studied theories of the possibility of other dimensions.'
Miles blinked as he took in the information.
"Wake up, Miles," a faint female voice ordered. Miles spun around, but no one was behind him. Even the server disappeared.
"Miles, wake up!" the voice got louder.
"WAKE UP!"
Miles burst awake after hearing that deafening command. He opened his eyes and saw Spider-Byte standing over him.
"Margo?" Miles realized he had a dream. One that wasn't fake.
"Where's Crime-Master?" Miles asked.
"Who?"
Miles sighed in frustration. "Okay, it doesn't matter. I just gotta be… careful I guess."
Margo still looked confused. "Whatever you're talking about, it can wait, yeah?"
Miles nodded without listening to the question. He had too many things to think about.
"Well then, how did your talk with Gwen go?" Margo asked.
"Wait, how do you know that?" Miles was sure Gwen wouldn't have told anyone about their falling out, as he didn't either.
"She mentioned seeing you like five minutes after you left. But she came back to help us defeat the Spot at the Super Collider, which didn't go too well.."
Damn. Miles had forgotten that the others were fighting the Spot.
"Well, that's cool," Miles said. "Do you wanna get coffee? There's a nice place around this block called Foam Party."
"Yeah, that would be nice."
Do the shoulder touch before it gets awkward.
Miles' hand dropped on her shoulder.
"Hey," Miles said in a deep voice.
"Uh…" Margo raised an eyebrow.
Before Miles could apologize, his body started glowing and he disappeared.
He reappeared on a sidewalk, with a news board a few feet away. J. Jonah Jameson was blabbing on about a Spider-Man, from whichever dimension this was. Miles knew this wasn't Brooklyn.
"Tragedy," Jameson said in an unusually gloomy voice. "What else can I call it? What more need be said? The damage, the destruction, you saw it with your own eyes. When will people wake up and realize that everywhere Spider-Man goes, chaos and calamity ensue?Everything Spider-Man touches comes to ruin. And we, the innocents, are left to pick up the pieces. J. Jonah Jameson reporting. Goodnight, and God help us all."
Miles wondered what was happening in this dimension. If Spider-Man managed to get Jameson to stop screaming, that's pretty impressive, but more strange and alarming.
"Am I dreaming?" Miles asked himself. If he could dream so realistically about being on Earth 90214, then he could dream about this mystery.
A bright light shined in front of Miles, interrupting his thoughts. A familiar in a suit popped out of it. Earth 42 Prowler.
"You're not," he answered in his cold voice.
Miles had a long day coming at him.
