Gwen Stacy was nothing but conflicted.
Gwen Stacy needed someone but herself to blame.
A full year later, and she could not wipe the traumatic memory from her brain.
A full year ago, she was working alongside several different heroes and heroines to protect the Multiverse. A full year ago, she was pursuing her best friend and an interdimensional enemy throughout the Multiverse. A full year ago, that same interdimensional enemy managed to cause the destruction of the home dimension of that same best friend. A full year ago, that same best friend had snapped and killed that same interdimensional enemy before disappearing off the grid as if he did not exist in the first place.
A full year later, and she was completely at her wit's end.
The collapse of Earth-1610B and the unexpected murder of the Spot caused a massive stir within the Spider-Society and the Spider-Verse as a whole, as it violated the rules and strayed from a typical Canon Event. The idea was to ensure that Captain Jefferson Davis would die at the hands of the Spot and an elite team of specific Spider-People would arrive and detain him, but the Spot apparently jumped ahead of schedule and killed the future Police Captain and his wife Rio Morales in an attempt to lure their son in an act of petty revenge. The attempt actually did work...but in the worst way possible.
When Miles Morales found the bodies of his parents and his universe on the verge of collapse, the Spider-Man of Earth-1610B immediately attacked the Spot, damaging hundreds if not thousands of buildings in the process. They were transported to Earth-42, the home dimension of the spider that had bit him, and the Spider-Society were left with no choice but to leave the collapsing universe as it was and rendezvous to Earth-42 instead. Upon their arrival, the team found a bloodied and battered body of white with black splotches in a crater that extended beyond the park they found him in; a series of sharpened debris were the source of the blood in question. As for the "Anomaly"?
He was nowhere to be found...as if he never existed in the first place.
This initially did not sit well with Miguel O'Hara, the resolute and uncompromising leader of the Spider-Society who harbored something resembling a grudge against Miles from the very beginning. While those who knew him knew that he had genuinely good intentions in mind when protecting the Multiverse and a heartbreaking backstory justifying his actions, those who knew him also knew the extremes he was willing to go to enforce the rules upon it to prevent an event of calamity. However, his ruthless methods and abrasive attitude, coupled with his treatment and attitude towards Miles (whom he believed disrupted the rules of canon), led more than a few Spiders to either voice their disdain for him or even rebel against him and those loyal to him by forming their own group in their wake. This vocal hatred only increased when Miguel made it clear that his top priority shifted from protecting the Multiverse as a whole to locating and detaining the "Anomaly" before he supposedly caused more damage, leading even the most loyal of Miguel's acolytes to question where his loyalties lied.
As the year progressed, however, Gwen was among the few who noticed that Miguel had stopped and taken the time to reflect upon his actions and the impact they had on the Spider-Society and Spider-Verse. During one point, she had noticed him with his eyes widened and frantically searching around for...something. Something lost. Something lost that did not desired to be found. It undoubtedly unnerved her to no end, but so did the fact that she herself fell in with a cult-like organization when she first joined. She felt angry at Miguel and the majority of the Spider-Society for isolating Miles, made him feel like an outsider, and ultimately pursued him through Nueva York as if he was a common criminal. But she felt angrier at herself for letting herself believe those lies.
Gwen Stacy had no one but herself to blame.
Gwen Stacy was everything and conflicted.
Balling her fists, Gwen suited up and activated her makeshift Gizmo, creating a portal to Earth-928. Afterwards, she pulled out her smartphone and called the person who gave it to her.
"Hobie?"
"Wendy...has anyone said that you're a little paranoid?"
"Not to my face. Why? Has anyone done so?"
"I pray for the day that comes."
"Ha. I missed that snark of yours, Hobie."
"I can tell, mate. But I feel the need to make it own that I'm not entirely here for you. I'm here for Peter."
"Well...thank you. I mean, Peter's having a rough time with—"
"I didn't mean that Peter, Wendy."
. . .
"Oh, you meant Miles. Sorry, I...should've known."
"Yes, you should've. So...you still want me to call Pavitr and Humbling-Reality Spider-Man?"
"Yes, please. I've been contact with Peni, Noir, and Ham for the past year, seeing if they can find Miles."
"So far, nothing?"
"So far, nothing. We need to pull out the big guns."
"Do you want me to call...her too?"
"Yeah...call her too. We need all the help we can get."
"Don't worry, I did. Just needed a confirmation sign."
Gwen chuckled to herself as the call ended before she stepped into the portal and traveled to Earth-928, specifically the Spider-HQ. When she made it to the lobby, she arrived to find many of the Spider-People rushing to the main room shouting in a panicked state. A state of alarm rising within her, she broke into a sprint and bolted in the direction that they all were running.
"What's wrong?!" Gwen shouted above the chatter, "What's going on?!"
"It's Miguel!" A fellow Spider replied as she ran beside her, "He's being attacked!"
"By who?"
"We don't know!"
Gwen and the Spider ran side by side as the group of Spiders made it to the main room, where Miguel was indeed being attacked by a pair of individuals that donned costumes unlike themselves.
The first individual was a young girl (a year younger than Gwen, perhaps?) with blood red eyes, light pink lips, and shoulder-length black hair; her hairstyle was two twin buns with a red streak on her bands and strands of red hair on the sides. Her main uniform was a jumpsuit that conjugated a contrast between red with black dots and black with red dots. While her front and the back of her waist were red with black spots, the rest of her costume—specifically her arms, shoulders, legs, back and sides of her torso—was black with red dots. She had red platform soles on her feet and her mask was connected to her jumpsuit through the black turtleneck, covering her eyes and chin (with that part being black). She resembled a ladybug almost; come to think of it, the strands of red hair that acted like ribbons resembling the antennas of a ladybug.
The second individual was a young boy (but older than the girl) with a wild mane of spiked green hair, purple eyes with slitted pupils, and black lips. His main uniform was a black bodysuit with tears in the knees, a black mask over the top half of his face, fake cat ears on his head with a hole in the edge of the left ear, a black leather jacket, a spiky silver ball hanging from the front of his neck, a long black belt with silver spikes around his waist that stuck out the back like a tail, tattered at the end, and a pair of calf high steel-toed black boots with spikes at the top. He most definitely resembled a black cat, much like the woman named Felicia continuously mentioned by Miguel.
The young girl wielded a dark red yo-yo, which she repeatedly flung at Miguel and knocked him back. When she flung the yo-yo again, Miguel grabbed it and attempted to cut the string, but resorted to pulling her forward and knocking her down to disorient her. This did not sit well with the young boy, who snarled and elicited a battle cry as he rushed him while wielding a dark grey staff, extended it as he swung wildly at Miguel. He then suddenly stopped himself mid-swing to distract Miguel, who then shouted in pain when the staff managed to injure his femur and he was hit back and sent flying into a concrete pillar that was smashed upon impact.
A good amount of the Spider-People witnessing the battle was terrified and confused by the abrupt arrival of these interdimensional individuals, but Gwen took the time to take note of a few things. Specifically, judging by the boy's furious reaction and equally furious assault on Miguel prompted by the latter attacking the girl, the boy was in love with the girl. This was backed up by the recovering girl charging into battle to aid him, even allowing a few tag-team combos in for good measure. And then there were the glowing blue wristwatches they both wore.
Eventually, Miguel was overpowered and defeated by the dastardly duo, who dared the rest of the Spider-Spectators to charge at and fight them. Jessica approached them first while having a couple of Spiders tend to Miguel.
"Who are you two?"
The boy approached second as he wielded his staff menacingly, "We're a pair of peas in a pod with no names. You can call us the Defects...the Blights...the Anomalies. Just like O'Hara described us as, right?"
The girl approached next as she spun her yo-yo threateningly, "We've been watching you and this...Spider-Society for some time. And believe us when we say...it is not a honor to meet you all."
She then paced around the area and kept an eye on the surrounding Spiders, daring them to ambush her in the middle of her speech.
"You call yourselves the heroes? No, you are the villains. The hypocrites. The self-mythologizing narcissistic autocrats that the so-called Spider-Verse so rightfully deserves."
From afar, Gwen could hear Hobie chuckling in amusement.
"You supposedly protect one half of the Multiverse's inhabitants by enabling their cosmic assassinations. Good in practice but flawed in execution, right? Hmm...nah! More like bad in practice and worse in execution! I don't know much about this Spider-Man business, but I think that the point of being a Spider-Person in general is to never knowingly allow anyone to die or suffer because of inaction. In other words...with great power, there must also come great responsibility."
The eyes of the surrounding Spider-People widened in horrified realization, shifting uncomfortably in their spots as the little ladybug smirked knowingly. The black cat humphed and crossed his arms in contempt when he noticed this. Then he focused on Gwen. His smirk disappeared and transformed into a frown when she did not express the same kind of unrelenting discomfort her fellow Spiders did. Glimmering from her blue eyes, he noticed regret and sorrow in the place of uneasiness and ambivalence.
"Unfortunately..." The ladybug continued in a sickly sweet manner, "You will have to live with those mistakes for the rest of your miserable, meaningless lives. Well, most of you will, anyway..."
Ben Reilly lunged at the couple before being whacked away by the black cat's staff, prompting several more Spiders to rush them. The ladybug then swung her yo-yo round and round, hitting many of the Spiders and incapacitating them one by one. Gwen managed to leap out of the way when it was flung in her direction and watched as the ladybug and cat struck poses as if they were for the cover of a magazine.
Suddenly, the ladybug began to...sing?
Sweet dreams are made of this
Who am I to disagree?
Gwen exchanged looks of utter bewilderment with Jessica, Ben, and the rest of the Spiders before the cat sang next.
I travel the world and the seven seas
Everybody's looking for something
The ladybug and the cat held hands and locked eyes as they briefly danced in a synchronized sequence.
(Hold your head up) Movin' on
They twisted...
(Keep your head up) Movin' on
They turned...
(Hold your head up) Movin' on
They leapt and spun around all over the place in a loving manner...
(Keep your head up) Movin' on
...before they created a portal with their wristwatches and leapt away from the scene.
Left speechless and at a crossroads as to what the hell just happened, the remaining Spiders snapped out of their trance and tended to the injured as Jessica helped Miguel and Ben to their feet. As they rushed to rush the injured to the medical center and pinpoint the location of the...Anomalies, Gwen could find herself doing nothing but stand in silence as she tried to process the event that had transpired. Unbeknownst to everyone else, she spotted a glowing blue wristwatch similar to the one the duo wore and used to escape.
Making her way over and picking it up, Gwen carefully examined it and noticed a slip of paper wedge in-between the holes of the strap. Pulling it out and unrolling it to read, she gasped in shock at the contents of the letter:
If you wish to seek your friend, then you'll just have to go the extra miles.
~ SB & CN
So simple, so clear.
Glancing back and forth between the watch and the note, Gwen made yet another risky decision.
Some Time Later. . .
. . .
"Skye...!"
. . .
"Skye...!"
. . .
"Skye...!"
. . .
"Skye...!"
. . .
"Skye...!"
The magenta eyes of the Cockapoo slowly but surely opened in response.
As the smallest member of the PAW Patrol, Skye always found herself situations that one would deem larger than life. But this? This was pushing it.
When her magenta eyes fluttered open, she was immediately greeted by a big, bright blue sky. Before she could get accustomed to it, she noticed that she was lying on something...wet. Slowly sitting up and glancing over her shoulder, she found a puddle that stretched for a thousand miles or more and surrounded the entire landscape. She was also surprised to learn that she was not entirely drenched despite laying in the same spot for presumably so long.
Feeling a tingling sensation around her neck, Skye glanced down and gasped at the source: a pink neckerchief.
What...what is this place?
. . .
Where is everyone?
. . .
Where are my friends?
Fear and panic now began to overwhelm Skye, who hyperventilated and ran forward, unsure on where to go but certain she would get somewhere. That hope was close to disappearing when it became clear to her that it was nothing but a body of water that stretched for a thousand miles or more, perhaps to the ends of this strange world. Although tears were starting to build up in her ducts, she shook her head and continued onward, desperation and determination driving her to find a way out.
"Hello? Anybody?!"
Eventually, Skye screeched to a stop as she came face to face with a neverending abyss. Peering over the edge as dread and resignation settled in, she sat down and let the tears gently flow.
I'm...I'm dead...
. . .
I can't get back...
. . .
Suddenly, Skye was gently patted by an unknown hand, prompting to look up and towards the source. Standing beside her was a very pink creature. She had rose pink skin, amber/gold/honey yellow eyes with cerise/magenta/ruby pink irises, and hair of different colors, specifically sapphire blue, amethyst purple, topaz yellow, jasper orange, ruby red, and rose pink. Her dress was a halter maxi dress with a Grecian-like strap and two waist-high slits on both sides, the front of the skirt forming a point, while the color scheme shifted from teal blue (top) to cerulean blue (middle) to ocean blue (bottom). On her head was a sand-colored headband with three green leaves; one was a Magnolia leaf in the middle, while two of them were Betels that took both sides.
"It's okay, Skye," Poppy smiled, "It's okay..."
"Who...who are you?" Skye sat up in alarm, "How do you know my name?"
"My name is Poppy," Poppy introduced herself, "and I'm the Queen of the Pop Trolls. Don't worry; I'm a friend."
Skye's fascination momentarily overtook her fear, "You're...you're a queen? Erm...should I bow? Should I curtsy?"
"You don't have to," Poppy shook her head and waved her hand, "I'm not one of those Queens. Now...you probably have a lot of questions. Namely, what is this place and am I dead? Well, I can answer those questions: this right here is the Space Between, a sort-of spiritual realm between the living world and the dead...ish world. And no, you're not dead. You're just having a weird, out-of-body experience following a pivotal moment in your life."
During Poppy's rundown of the place called the "Space Between" and its rules, Skye listened attentively until she finished.
"So does this mean..." Skye gasped in excitement, "I can eventually go home? Reunite with my family?"
"Eventually," Poppy nodded as she added, "But after you finished your training."
"What kind of training?" Skye tilted her head.
"I've seen what you are capable of with the PAW Patrol," Poppy continued, "You may see yourself as small, weak, or insignificant. But I see you as someone who is smart, fearless, and dependable. As such, until we can find a way back to your home, my team and I can use someone like you for the time being."
While Skye was understandbly hesitant to trust the Queen and accept her offer in exchange for a way home, she could clearly see the kindness in her eyes. It betrayed no malice or ill intention, but instead a genuine desire and sense of altruism. Not unlike Ryder, she thought to herself.
Skye ultimately smiled with a reignited flame of determination in her eyes, "It would be my honor, Your Majesty! When do we start?"
"You just did," Poppy smiled back as she took one small step backward...and one giant leap forward the abyss, an action which Skye slightly jump in fright. This was before she realized that the Pop Queen landed perfectly on her feet and created the illusion that she was walking in midair, much to her shock. She nodded in resolution and mimicked her actions, right down to the perfect landing stick.
"Where are we going?"
"Someplace we can begin. Hold on."
With that, Poppy's eyes glowed blue as she transported herself and Skye to that someplace where they could begin training. When Skye opened her eyes, she gasped in awe and wonder.
It was clear that the kingdom that stood before them did not adhere to a single, specific aesthetic. From old to now, from ancient to contemporary, from old-fashioned to futuristic; if one should name it, the city most certainly had it. The works of science fiction and fantasy, along with the various technology and creatures that comprise said genres, laid the foundation for the empire. One part was akin to cyberpunk while another was dedicated to steampunk, and these feelings were reflected in the buildings that housed many of the colorful Trolls.
Meanwhile, the colors of the rainbow and beyond danced around and delved deep into the decorative side of things, always experimenting with a variety of scheme and palettes. Similar to the gimmick in Dragon City, some of these colors resembled that of a certain element of nature. They often spread to the cast of characters populating the city as they casually mingled with each other.
Everything and anything of all existence combined together to create a haven for those in need.
"It's beautiful," Skye spoke in a hushed, awed manner, "What is this place?"
"Lady Skye..." Poppy smiled with pride, "Welcome...to TrollsTopia."
In the heart of the city, a young Funk Troll by the name of Lunella Lafayette woke up and started the day with a much-needed musical number. Getting cleaned up, slipping on her usual outfit, and finally trying on her roller skates, she burst out of her apartment and skated towards the central park, passing by the passengers of her everyday ride.
[Diamond White]
It's a good day to be great!
I'm lacing up my roller skates
As she slid down the streets, she passed by Ruby Gillman, who in the midst of her finishing hours spotted her skating by. Lunella beckoned her on and prompted her to give chase.
To hit the pavement once again
My neighborhood really is the best
Then, she skated forward to find Mirabel, Bruno, and Camilo manning a food truck while Alberto passed out plates of pasta.
Hey-hey-hey, how do you do?
It is so good to see you!
"Que pasa!" Mirabel called out.
"Ciao bella!" Alberto greeted.
"Hey, Lunella!" Bruno and Camilo waved.
"What up, fellas?" Lunella greeted and waved back as she beckoned them along for the ride. Briefly exchanging glances with each other, Alberto merely shot inside the food truck that Mirabel, Bruno, and Camilo drove and pursued Lunella in. This in turn prompted many of their hungry, awaiting customers to give chase as well.
Everybody know each other's names
Everybody round here family
Come for them, you coming for me
Lunella shook her head and laughed in amusement as she continued her way to the park, where many a Troll of different size, shape, age, and tribe congregated and interacted in such a friendly manner. From atop one of the many built-in platforms, she spotted her older brother's group performing the background music and then a stairway. With a determined smile, she leapt up and slid down the railing before skating forward to the platform.
When the light is inside you
No one can turn it off
Maybe your superpowers
Find you when you're lost
It must be in the water
Cause we all got that sauce
Don't you ever forget
Where you come from
When she was close enough, Lunella launched herself and stuck the landing, swerving to a stop beside Miles, whom she tossed the microphone to.
[Shameik Moore]
It ain't you at, it's where you come from
Wander but come home
The seed, the soil, and the root
Made the flower that is you
The water, the honor, the reverie dripping in pride
The melanin black and gold is glowing where I reside
As Miles ruffled his younger sister's hair mid-rap, Lunella batted him away with a laugh and joined him in his rap.
[Diamond White & Shameik Moore]
If you feeling good, drop a pin
Twilight riffed her guitar...
Wanna know where you at, where you is?
Followed by Sunset...
If you in your neighborhood, shine your light
And then Flash...
So the ancestors see you way up high
...just as Ruby tossed a pair of confetti bombs into the air and opened fire on them with her laser vision. It caused them to explode and rain upon the crowd, who cheered in absolute delight.
In the Folk Rock Kingdom, the unveiling of a new and improved TrollsTopia (at least until Pop Village could be fully repaired and reopened) was underway. DJ Suki and CJ helped Val and Melody send word to the Rock Trolls and composed a playlist of all things Rock. Trollex-1 and Gem passed a message along to the Techno Trolls and welcomed them to the kingdom. Marinette, Mei, and Mr. Wolf performed much of the heavy lifting while Sofia, Esteban, and Princess Peach acted as a trio of liasions between the main Troll Tribes and the secondary Subgenre Tribes who were hesitant on stepping out of the shadows for so long.
[Shameik Moore]
Everything you need is inside of you
But I've got your back when you need me to
Along with King Quincy and Queen Essence, Chenille and Prince D both danced in romantic harmony. Trollex-2 and Aggie were not far behind, but they were more focused on teaching the younger Trolls on how to become a Magical Musical Troll like the latter. Harper and Archer had to pull them in and put Gia Grooves and Bella Brightly in their place to get them to loosen up.
We'll be rolling till the end of time
Just keep your light on, never hide your pride
They then bumped into Guy Diamond and Meadow Spriggs, who both danced awkwardly before embracing each other and joining them. A similar situation happened with Val and Gust, but they were both urged by Melody and Holly respectively to share a dance, however brief it was.
[Diamond White]
Everybody knows each others' names (yeah)
Everybody round here family
Come for them, you coming for me (yeahh)
Adora and Catra had no such reservations, spinning each other around and tossing one in the air while the other caught them. They even pulled Flutterina, Keith, Priscilla, and the rest of the children in as they all danced in celebration.
Everybody knows each others' names
Everybody round here family
Come for them, you coming for me (you're coming for me, yeahhh)
With the rest of the Tribe Leaders and Ambassadors, Viva giggled heartily at the sight and gently nudged Branch and Amethyst, who rolled their eyes, shook their head, and flashed a genuine (if brief in Amethyst's case) smile as well.
Eventually, Queen Poppy and Skye made it to the heart of the kingdom, where the former's new friends were performing. They made their way to the front through outside the crowd, where Queen Peony and the rest of the council awaited as they watched the performance from their desired spots.
[Diamond White & Shameik Moore]
When that light is inside you
No one can turn it off
Baby, your superpowers
Find you when you lost
You must be in the water
Cause we all got the sauce
Don't you ever forget
Where you come from
As Skye watched and cheered for the group, Poppy's eyes met her mother's, the both of them exchanging acknowledging smiles and nods.
When that light is inside you
(No one can turn it off)
They both knew that this was not the end.
Baby, your superpowers
Find it when you lost
Instead, it was only the beginning.
You must be in the water
Cause we all got the sauce
The beginning...of a brand new day...
Don't you ever forget
Where you come from...