Disclaimers
All characters appearing in Marvel Comics are copyright Marvel Entertainment and Walt Disney Company. No infringements of these copyrights are intended and are not authorized by the copyright holders.
All original characters are the property of Celgress.
Another Strand In The Great Web – Episode Twenty-Three Shattered Dimensions Part Three Rumble in the Web of Life
A rooftop in New York City, evening
"Well, that was certainly easy," Spider-Man said after he, his partner/wife Spinneret, and the two alternate teenage versions of his daughters gained the last pair of tablet pieces. Minutes ago they had defeated a pair of powered up rival punks who were engaged in a pointless duel on Coney Island.
"Yeah, to bad it took us all day." Spider-Girl Solferino lamented.
"I thought it was kind of fun." Spider-Girl Azure said.
"You would," Solferino said. "But remember we still have to find out whatever Hobgoblin is planning so we can stop him before he strikes."
"Valid point," Azure said.
"Today's a wash, but we can look for him again tomorrow," Solferino said. She then added in a much milder tone of voice. "Meeting you guys has been awesome. Going on a mission together is like getting a chance to web sling with our parents when we younger which we never did."
"Mom and dad didn't train us until we were fourteen," Azure said.
"Why did they wait so long?" Spider-Man asked.
"Mom was afraid we couldn't handle ourselves, that we'd get hurt," Solferino said.
"My sister, as usual, is only telling half the story," Azure said. "She does this sort of thing a lot."
"No, I don't," Solferino insisted.
"Mom wanted us to have normal lives. I think she always felt guilty because she missed the first six years of our lives." Azure said.
Spinneret remained silent. She could readily identify with the alleged guilt of her counterpart as she felt the same way about her own May and April. Part of her could never forgive herself for what they had been through and felt she had to do everything in her power to protect them from further trauma.
"Your mother sounds like she was worried about you is all." Spinneret finally said following a pronounced pause among the small group.
"What changed though? Why did your parents start training Spiderling so early?" Spider-Man asked out of curiosity.
Solferino and Azure exchanged a look. "Do you want to tell them or should I?" Solferino said with a deep sigh.
"Go around," Azure said not wanting to broach the touchy subject.
"For some reason, I don't think this is going to be a pleasant story." Spider-Man awkwardly joked.
"What happened to change their minds?" Spinneret asked.
"When we were nine, not much older than Spiderling is now, our dad wanted to train us just in case we were ever put in danger and our parents or someone else with powers couldn't reach us in time. Mom freaked when she found out and forbade him from teaching us anything." Solferino said. Spider-Man and Spinneret could tell by her halting words and the fidgety demeanor of both Spider-Girls that this memory was an uncomfortable one. "One day not long afterward we were attacked by a group of crazed supervillains, led by that piece of carp Carnage, at school. The supervillains almost killed us. They would have killed us if not for Uncle Ben. He saved us."
"Our Uncle Ben your brother, not your Uncle Ben," Azure said preempting Spider-Man's request for clarification.
Solferino continued her tale. "Before help could arrive, Uncle Ben, Scarlet Spider was killed by the supervillains. He protected us by laying down his life so we could escape."
"I'm sorry." Spinneret said feeling this was somehow her fault for wanting to shelter her girls even though this was not her universe nor her future.
"So am I," Spider-Man said.
"His death tore apart our family. Nothing has ever been the same." Solferino finished.
"To this day Aunt Cindy won't talk to mom, even though Aunt Aracely tries her best to play peacemaker between them. Aunt Cindy blames mom for Uncle Ben's death." Azure said.
"I have a question. Who's Aunt Cindy and who's Aunt Aracely?" Spider-Man inquired as he was unfamiliar with the names.
"Aunt Cindy was Uncle Ben's wife. Aunt Arcely is married to Uncle Kaine." Azure answered.
"I see," Spider-Man said though in truth he remained deeply confused.
"Mom should have taught us how to defend ourselves earlier than she did like our how parents are doing with Annie." Solferino suddenly snapped.
"April mom did her best by us so did dad," Azure said. "They had no way of knowing what would happen."
"Bullshit, May," Solferino said. "They should have known considering the lives they lived, especially mom. Before she got her powers mom had been put in danger on more than one occasion because of dad's lifestyle. Mom told me so herself. Why she expected any different for us I'll never understand."
"Mom never wanted us to be superheroes because she loves us. She wanted us to have carefree lives." Azure said. "You know that April. You're not being fair."
"Maybe you're right." Solferino conceded. She turned to Spider-Man and Spinneret. "I'm sorry. I love my parents deeply, including my mom, I really do. It's just I sometimes wish things had been different, that mom hadn't been so overly protective of us growing up."
Spinneret and Spider-Man exchanged a glance. "We understand," Spinneret said vowing to learn from the mistakes of her counterpart.
"We should be going," Spider-Man said. "Thanks again for your help we appreciate what you've done for us." He and Spinneret waved at the Spider-Girls who in turn waved back while the portal opened which they soon passed through.
The Great Web
"Here you are, madame," Spider-Man said while Spinneret handed him the second of the two final fragments. He was about to hand these to an eager Madame Web when his Spider-Sense alerted him to danger as Spinneret's own warning sense did the same. "You're not Madame Web! Who are you!?" He demanded as he took a step back.
"Touché, Spider-Man, well played." Said a sinister masculine voice off to Spider-Man's and Spinneret's right.
Madame Web seemed to flicker. Her seated form then shifted into that of a standing Mysterio. In his hands was held the nearly reconstituted stone tablet.
"I have a disruptor bolt emitter with a nanosecond trigger mechanism aimed at her right temple. Less than six inches of distance separates her head and my weapon. Neither her reflexes nor your own will prevent her from suffering a rather messy demise should I fire my weapon." Spider Reaper said. His extended left arm with its attached gauntlet hovered near Spinneret. "Move another inch away from my comrade and your worthless lover forfeits her life."
"Don't give him the fragments." Spinneret urged.
"I won't let you die," Spider-Man said. Without reluctance, he handed the fragment to Mysterio.
"Sentimental fool," Spider Reaper said. "She'll die soon anyway along with you and everyone else in your pathetic reality. You should have refused me at least you'd have stood a fighting chance." He lowered his left arm. "Mysterio destroy the Web of Life so I may remake it according to my purpose."
"Yes, my master," Mysterio said dutifully.
"Master?" Spider-Man questioned.
"Precisely, You see Madame Web has been aware of my plans for some time now. The old spider bat took certain precautions which prevent me from wielding the power of the tablet directly. Which is why I sought out the aid of Mysterio, pseudo-magical moron though he may be." Spider Reaper said. "I took the liberty of infecting the Mysterio of your reality upon our first meeting with my venom which allows me to exercise full control over the actions of any being not immune to its effects." Spider Reaper removed a thin inch long tube of neon yellow liquid from the gauntlet around his right forearm. "It is a biochemical formulation of my own design. It also fosters addiction in those exposed. They literally come begging for more long before the initial dose wears off. As one would expect, my venom comes in very handy when subjugating the inhabitants of the various realities through which I often travel. In my experience, nothing insurance loyalty more than a complete absence of free will on the part of my servants." Spider Reaper putting the vial away.
"Spider-Man, Spinneret you must stop him!" Madame Web cried. She was enmeshed in the Web of Life itself which shuddered and swayed behind a growing Mysterio as the tablet fused with his chest plate. "If you do not intervene all reality will be rewritten according to his dreadful design!" Soon Mysterio towered twenty then higher still over our heroes.
"Shut up you elderly idiot! I have more to say." Spider Reaper bellowed. He jumped into the air kicking Madame Web in her face in an action which knocked her insensible for a time. He landed on Mysterio's shoulder where he sat. "Before I become God of the Web of Life I think I'll indulge in a little fun. I want to test the limits of my new toy. Mysterio, do your worst."
"At once, my master!" Empowered Mysterio rumbled.
Mysterio glowed purple. The area surrounding the Web of Life tore itself apart into floating fragments of debris while Mysterio with Spider Reaper riding on his shoulder floated above the suspended web. Spider-Man and Spinneret leaped from spinning platform to the spinning platform in a desperate attempt to not fall into the swirling black-blue abyss below.
"Flee little ones flee! In the end, I shall destroy you if you do not flee from me!" Empowered Mysterio boomed. From his hands, he flung balls of purple smoke which turned into giant cobras which in turn flew through the air and attacked our heroic duo.
"This is hopeless." Spinneret said while fending off a cobra strike. "We'll never get close enough to stop him, assuming we even can stop him."
"Have faith," Spider-Man said while he likewise dodged a cobra strike. "If I've learned anything from being Spider-Man it is there is always a way, we just need to find it."
"The Web of Life is breaking down." Madame Web cried having regained her senses. "I can help you by bringing others here now that the barriers between worlds have correspondingly weakened. Hurry you must stop them soon or all is lost!" Seemingly from out of nowhere appeared many confused Spider-Men and Spider-Women including Spider-Man Noir, Obsidian Spider & her own Spider-Man, Spectacular Spider-Man (of animated fame) and the Spider-Girls Solferino & Azure with their little sister Spiderling alongside countless others such as Spider-Ham and several Spider-Gwens. "Stop Mysterio and his master Spider Reaper before they conquer all your worlds!" Madame Web instructed these newcomers.
Once they got their bearings the spider heroes swarmed Empowered Mysterio. "No, get away from me!" Empowered Mysterio rumbled. He tried in vain to swat the pests off by there were simply too many. Like a bear who attacks a beehive, he was overwhelmed by sheer numbers.
Seizing the opportunity, Spider-Man and Spinneret made their move. They landed on the torso of the greatly enlarged Mysterio. With all their might they pried the tablet loose. Empowered Mysterio screamed in pain before he shrank down to normal size. A blast of purple energy was emitted which tossed everyone back. The world of the Web of Life then reassembled itself.
Spinneret landed with the tablet off by herself. Before she could get to her feet Spider Reaper approached her. He leveled his right gauntlet at her face.
"Hand it over bitch, or I'll scramble your brains with my disruptor." Spider Reaper threatened.
Spinneret shook her head. "No," She said defiantly holding the tablet tight.
Spider Reaper noticed a group of spider people rapidly approaching their position. He grabbed onto the tablet and struggled for possession of it with Spinneret. When he could not immediately break her grip on the ancient mystical artifact he became angry. Frustrated he let go of the tablet."Have it your way." He growled. "I hope protecting the tablet was worth your life." A beam of concentrated blue-white energy shot forth from his right gauntlet hitting Spinneret directly between her eyes, where it left behind a burn mark. Spinneret fell down. Meanwhile, Spider Reaper pressed a sequence of buttons on his left gauntlet than he vanished in a wash of multicolored energy.
"MJ," Spider-Man yelled. He ran to the side of his fallen wife who he gingerly unmasked. She was not breathing! "Please, please, be okay." Spider-Man pleaded. He cradled her lifeless body in his arms as tears soaked his mask. The various other spider people gathered around the pitiful scene.
"The integrity of reality has been restored. The Web of Life is safe." Madame Web who was back in her chair declared joylessly. The tablet floated into her hands.
"But at what cost!?" Spider-Man said bitterly. "My wife, the mother of my children, the love of my life is gone!"
"Not ever end is permanent. I owe you a debt, Spider-Man. One I intend to pay in full." Madame Web said. She began humming a strange tune. The tablet lifted into the air then glowed many colors.
Mary Jane's eyes opened as he again drew breath having been restored to life. "Thank goodness," Spider-Man said holding her tight. He could not fathom his life without her.
"Away ye all each to back their own world." Madame Web said sending every spider person including own our couple back to their home dimension. Before our favorite couple vanished, however, Spider-Man mouthed the words "thank you" at Madame Web who smiled at him.
"What about me?" Mysterio asked miserably. He could not believe even with ultimate power he had been defeated again. Was his destiny to be forever foiled by Spider-Man or rather it would seem spider people?
"You have information I require, Quentin Beck." Madame Web said. "Yes, before you ask, I know full well who you are."
"Information about what exactly?" Mysterio said.
"Your Master, the one called Spider Reaper." Madame Web said. "After I've extracted what I need from you, I'll personally make sure you cannot cause any further mischief on either his behalf of your own. Now, tell me of his plans before I grow impatient." A shiver ran up Mysterio's spine. He did not like the sound of Madame Web's words or the look of the expression on her face one bit.
Garage of the Parker Residence on Western Long Island (Another Strand Universe) the next day, late afternoon
"Can we go for a bike ride mom, can we?" April asked her mother. Their father had stayed late at Spidey Inc headquarters so he could work on a special tech project with Amadeus Cho and Max Max Modell although he promised to be home by supper or shortly thereafter.
"We'll be careful, momma, we promise," Mayday said.
"Yeah, we won't leave the neighborhood or anything," April said trying her best to persuade her mother to grant permission.
"You two can go for a bike ride on one condition. We are back before dark." Mary Jane said with a smile. She stepped aside to reveal the adult bike she had purchased for herself earlier that day.
"Yay," Mayday said clapping her hands.
"Nice ride mom," April whistled admiring her mother's new bike.
"Your mom is a little rusty girls, so go easy on me." Mary Jane joked putting on her pink helmet while the girls put on their own safety equipment.
"Sure thing mom," April said.
"We'll be nice, momma," Mayday said.
A few minutes later the trio of mother and daughters with Mary Jane in the lead exited their driveway. Laughing and chatting they biked twice around their neighborhood twice before nightfall. All things considered what would prove to be their first of many mother-daughter bike rides was a smashing success.
When they return to their home an unfamiliar station wagon was parked in the driveway. While the vehicle was unfamiliar to Mary Jane and her girls the people who emerged from the car were not. Mary Jane recognized the four right away although she wished she did not know two of them.
"Hi, Mary Jane." Mary Jane's sister Gayle Byrnes said.
"Hi, Gayle," Mary Jane said with a nervous laugh and a small wave from her bike.
"Getting some exercise with the kids I see," Gayle said. Next to Gayle stood her two young sons.
"What can I say. I enjoy their company and I like to stay fit." Mary Jane said.
"Mom, who are these people and why are they parked in our driveway?" April asked leaning in close to her mother. Mary Jane did not at first answer.
"Hello, Mary," Said a man of late middle age with a scruffy salt & pepper beard and matching unkempt hair
"Hello dad, it's been a while." Mary Jane greeted her father Philip Watson. "April, May these are your grandfather Philip Watson, Aunt Gayle Byrnes, and cousins Kevin and Thommy Byrnes." Mary Jane continued.
Wonderful, as if her life was not complicated enough her semi-estranged family lands on her doorstep out of the blue. How the heck was she going to explain Ben to them (if they were around him long enough surely they would notice how similar he is to Peter or he might use an ability by mistake in his disorientated state) or hide her and Peter's clandestine nightly activities with these people around? What about Jarvis? What if they asked about his connection with the Avengers? She had no idea what knowledge was off limits to the general public and what wasn't anymore. She would have to stay on her toes 24/7, as would Peter's family and friends (those in the known like Felicia at least). Whoever coined the phrase it never rains but it pours had been so right.
To Be Continued
Next up the Gauntlet
Author's Note One -
Well, this chapter included a couple of spoilers (such as pairings) for a possible (perhaps likely in certain regards) future. Don't say you weren't warned lol.
Author's Note Two -
People have been asking me (both in reviews and PMs) if/when MJ's family would make an appearance in this story. Well, you have your answer. I've planned an original subplot or two (I use the term subplot because these won't be full storylines but rather adjuncts to pre-existing 616 storylines) involving MJ's family for a while now.