Miles was not having a good day.

He had woken up thinking that he would have to deal with the normal things any teenager had to deal with… well, a teenager that was also the sole protector of New York City.

That was… annoying. He knew that there were other heroes in the world, had seen them on the news, but apparently out of "respect" for Spider-Man, both him and Peter, they were staying out of New York. That's what Aunt May had told him, at least. His response had been to beg her to ask them to come help because he had SO MANY QUESTIONS. She had promised she would try but he wasn't for sure if they were ignoring his request or if the old woman just hadn't made them yet. Could be either or.

But he was the sole protector of New York City, dealing with normal teen problems. Teen problems like daydreaming about his crush and wishing he could talk to the people that had become his friends.

('Were they your friends?' a nasty little part of his mind whispered. 'They had ways to see you and refused to. They lied to you. They used you and then tossed you away. When they needed your help they demanded everything, gave you so little, and then scoffed when you asked for them to help you because you weren't Miguel O'Hara.')

And then everything had gone to Hell. The Spider Society that was supposed to be his chance to meet with people that understood him had turned into a nightmare. His dad was supposed to die and he was to just… accept that. Oh, his prize would be that maybe, just maybe, the roided out caveman vampire would let him obey his every command. Yay.

So he'd fought back and then… woken up in a hospital, his parents and a male version of Doc Ock helping him out.

(That had been a… fun conversation. The Superior Spider-Man, as he preferred to be known as, hadn't taken kindly to the knowledge that a doppelganger of him had existed on Miles' Earth. Not due to any sexist thing but rather he thought her designs for her tentacles were 'utterly foolish and she rather moronic')

He and his friends (who were all also alternates of Spider-Man villains though certainly none Miles had ever met) had been trying to help him and his parents escape Miguel's Earth when he'd learned about the riots and… well…

Well, Miles wasn't the smartest hero in the world, despite what the tests might claim, because he had decided to go back and protect the jackass that wanted his father dead and family ruined.

"Miles Morales…" one of the citizens whispered as they stared at him, jolting Miles back into the present.

"Uh… do me a favor and don't begin making cults around me." He looked at Otto. "They're going to do that, aren't they?"

"They tend to," Otto admitted while the rest of the Superior Six nodded in agreement. It had been hard to convince them to work with him but in the end he had appealed to them all that the chaos in Nueva York could lead to innocents dying. All of the Superior Six, from what he had gathered, had suffered from great tragedies where their worlds had received heavy blows and they blamed themselves from what had occurred. He had felt bad for playing on their grief and trauma like that but it had gotten them to agree to abandon the original plan and focus on doing what they could to help the city.

And right now that meant dealing with a mob and an invading army.

"So… I want to know why any of you thought this was a good idea?" Miles said, folding his arms over his chest and glaring at them all. It felt so odd having his mask off and he had to keep resisting the urge to tug it back on. "Because from where I am standing this all seems like… some really dumb shit."

"Oi!" his mother snapped. "Language!"

"let him talk," his father said.

Miles, glad that his mother wasn't going to embarrass him… or at least embarrass him any further, nodded his head slightly before returning his focus on the mob. "Now, I appreciate what is going on here but I didn't ask any of you to do any of this. I'm not looking for any Messiah."

Spider-Chaos shook his head though. "Sorry but… honestly you are just the straw that broke the camel's back. Miguel and the Society have been looking to get fixed up for a long time and we're just finally stepping in to do just that."

"The same," Skitter said.

"That's my motive. Get your own." Spider-Chaos glowered at the black Spider hero.

"You don't own justice."

"No but I do lease it," Spider-Chaos said only for several of his Avengers to groan. "Oh shut up! I'm a dad, I'm allowed to make dad jokes!"

"is… is that why you never smile or crack any funnies?" Peter said and Miles turned and winced at the sight of his… mentor? Friend? Fellow hero? Random asshole that had betrayed him? Peter was covered in cuts and scraps and bruises but he still kept glancing over at Miles' mother who had a sleeping Mayday tucked in her arms. "Because you can only do dad jokes?"

"This is not a proper line of questioning," Miguel muttered. "We need to discuss your world-"

Spider-Chaos held up his hand. "I will shoot you with another Time Barb, don't think I won't."

Skitter, for his part, looked ready to tear Miguel apart. "You are STILL on that bullshit? What, gonna beat Miles up again if he doesn't obey you? Need to get in the latest bit of black blood on your knuckles, big man?"

"No!" Miguel shouted. "No… I don't want to… I never wanted too…" He looked at Miles sharply. "But you have to understand… what you are doing… what you are risking-"

"Oh for fuck's sake!" Spider-Chaos exclaimed. "Do you even hear yourself?" He threw his hands into the air. "Miguel, you have MULTIPLE universes all screaming at you that you are wrong… why aren't you listening?"

"Because I'm not wrong." He glanced at a young Hispanic woman wearing a similar outfit as his own and Miles wondered just who she was. "I'm… I'm just missing something…"

"You are missing nothing," Otto stated. "You can't get your theory to work because it is broken. You have built all of this up on faulty logic and all attempts to make your theories work just keep crashing apart."

"Oh, like I'm gonna listen to a Doc Ock!" Miguel snapped. "Why don't you tell everyone how you got your powers? Tell them about your Peter-"

"ENOUGH!" Miles shouted. "Just… enough." He shook his head. "What are we doing? Any of us?" He gestured at the massive crowd. "We're supposed to be heroes but who have we saved in all of this? We are fighting amongst ourselves because of some theory…"

"A wrong theory," Cassie Strange said idly before pulling out a glowing rock.

Otto stared at the stone in utter shock. "How… how did you-"

"Get it to work here?" Cassie asked. "My world is bathed in chaos energy… you think the Chaos Stones aren't also?"

"Chaos Stone?" the Prowler asked ('But not my Prowler,' Miles thought, 'not my Uncle Aaron.')

"Also known as the Infinity Gems, apparently," Cassie said. Miles didn't get what the big deal was but when he saw everyone in the mob grow quiet as the rest of Spider-Chaos' team began to pull out different glowing stones he knew that this was a bit deal. "On our Earth we protect the Chaos Stones. I hold the Soul Gem… and it has given me some interesting knowledge." She shot a dark taunting look at Miguel. "I know what you're hiding!" she sang before grasping the stone in her fist. There was a flash of light… and Jessica Drew suddenly appeared, hands held awkwardly in front of her. She suddenly stumbled before pressing her fingers to her swollen belly, looking about wildly before focusing on Cassie Strange.

"You…"

"Me!" Cassie said brightly… before twenty green skinned figured stepped forward to shield her. "Want to make something of it? Or just want to accept that you were beaten and we move on to what you learned about from Miguel's hidden files."

Miles looked over at Miguel and saw his face lose all color. "What… exactly is she talking about?" he asked. "What hidden files?"

"You don't-"

But Jessica whipped around and glared at Miguel, her entire face distorted thanks to her rage. "I saw them! I saw the files on the Earths you've hidden from us! Countless earths were Gwen Stacy lives! Peter or Ben or any other Spider save their family! Where police captains don't die! Where canon events DON'T HAPPEN!"

Miles felt like he was drowning but he didn't care.

He had been right.

He had been RIGHT!

He could save his father! And it wouldn't cost him his world! His dad didn't need to die! He had been RIGHT!

And then… the joy turned to sorrow.

He had been right… and no one had listened to him. No, worse than that… they had tried to convince him that what he was seeing with his own eyes, what he knew to be true… was wrong. They had been so consumed with Miguel and his theories that they had turned their backs on him.

"Listen," Peter said, proving that of all Spider-Men… he had the most shit timing in the universe, "I'm sure things aren't as bad as all that. We… we need to hear Miguel out. He didn't hide these things from us out of some evil scheme. I mean, sure, he looks rather sinister with his dark eyes and his glowering all the time and-"

And with that sorrow came another emotion he knew all too well: anger.

"You are still defending him?!" Miles roared, now moving towards Peter who looked at him, startled. It was as if he had forgotten that Miles was there; part of him wondered if that was actually the case. If Peter had forgotten all about Miles in the name of defending Miguel O'Hara. "After what he did to me… after Jessica telling you that he lied… you are defending him still?"

"Listen kid," Peter began only for Miles to cut him off.

"Why should I listen to you?" Miles snapped off. "Listening to you has never helped me!" He let out a scoff.

"Miles," Peter said slowly, "don't say anything-"

"What? That I'll regret?" Corrosion pushed Peter forward, causing him to stumble slightly and when he glanced back at her the symbiote bonded hero merely smirked. "You told me you'd teach me to be Spider-Man… and that mostly involved you bumming money off of me, using me as your therapist because you were too cheap to hire a real one, and then demanding I do things I didn't understand but you thought I should know! And then the first chance you got you ran off! Made no attempt to remain in contact with me! I mean… did you even think about me for one second?"

"Of course I did… I told you about Mayday. How you are the reason I had her-"

Otto huffed. "Come now Parker… we are all smarter than that." Peter looked over at the Superior Spider-Man. "It has been 18 months since the incident that brought you, Peni Parker, Peter "Noir" Parker, Gwen Stacy, and Peter Porker to Miles' earth. Your daughter is clearly nearing two years old. Unless she was born premature or you and your wife conceived her upon your return…"

"You… you lied to me about THAT!?" Miles roared.

Peter held out his hands. "Miles… listen… so maybe I stretched the truth a little bit-"

"What the fuck is wrong with you people?" Spider-Chaos demanded. "Jesus Spider-Christ!"

"is that a thing?" Nathaniel Asgard asked, one of the Wongs shrugging.

"For fuck sake why is it that me and the head of the mob are the only two people being fucking honest! He wants to take down Miguel because he's tired of his bullshit and I want to protect my family! There, was that so fucking hard?" He began to pace. "Uncle Ben's shriveled nut sack-" All the Peters in the group shuddered at that thought, "-you people are all pathetic! Be fucking honest with each other! No wonder the Spider Society is seen as a fucking joke in the Multiverse."

"The Venomverse happily mocks you all!" Corrosion's symbiote said cheerfully.

"Miles?" Spider-Chaos said. "We're here to get you out of this shitshow and back to your universe. Offer any help that you need in dealing with the shit there and sealing up your world so none of these jag offs can come in-"

"You can't!" Gwen shouted as she swung down, the rest of her group joining her…

…and causing the mob to suddenly turn around and brace to attack.

"I told you this was a bad idea," Noir muttered.

"Thanks Gwendy, that really is helping," Hobie muttered.

"Miles… please… listen to me." Gwen swallowed as she took a step towards him. "We made mistakes… a lot of mistakes… but don't shut us out before we can make up for them."

Miles considered her for a long moment. "I… I was willing to change the entire course of my life to find you all again. It didn't matter how many years… I was going to find my way back to you all." He let out a bitter laugh. "And you had a way to see me for… what? Months? And didn't even bother."

"Miles…" Gwen whispered.

"What would it have been like if you hadn't have had to come to my Earth? Would you have lied to me when I showed up 15 years later, all excited that I figured out how to travel the Multiverse? Or would you have looked right at me and laughed in my face at how naïve and stupid I was to think you actually cared."

"Kid… we did… we do care," Peter got out.

But Miles shook his head. "Then why do I always seem to be last place for all of you?" He shook his head in disgust. "I don't know what I was thinking coming here. Otto was right." He turned and walked back to the Superior Six. "You all deserve each other."

"You don't get to walk away from this," Miguel said. "The canon events-"

"Aren't real," Miles said, his tone utterly defeated. "But I guess that won't stop your little flunkies from defending you." He forced himself to not turn back and look at Gwen when he heard her sniff, knowing she had begun to cry. "Spider-Chaos… I'd like to hear about locking my Earth down."

"Sure," the older man said. "Still might-"

"I'm afraid that will have to wait."

They all turned… and Miles tilted his head as he stared at Pavi. He hadn't seen the Indian hero in forever. He hadn't seen him for hours. It felt like a lifetime ago even though he knew, from what his parents had told him, he'd only been out of commission for a few hours. But Pavi just looked so… defeated. Still determined. Still ready to fight. But also defeated. It reminded Miles of one of his dad's old partners. He was still willing to put on the uniform, to go and fight the good fight, but there was something broken inside of him. He did it out of a… nebulous sense of duty, rather than for one particular person or institution.

The others must have noticed it because Gwen took a step towards Pavi only to suddenly pull back, slowly drifting over to Hobie.

But it hadn't been Pavi who had spoken. No… it had been a Spider-Woman. Or a woman who was a Spider because Miles didn't know what her name was and honestly it was rude to assume it was Spider-Woman. He shut his eyes for a second; maybe his brain still wasn't fully up to snuff after Otto had fixed all the damage.

"While you are bicker and fight the true threat has begun to make itself known," the woman said.

"What are you referring to, Spinneret?" Otto asked.

"The Spot."

Miles felt his heart sink.

"You're sure?" Miles asked.

"I am. Your Earth is in danger from him, just like Pavi's was."

Miguel stepped forward. "That was-"

"You have no say in this, Miguel," Spinneret said darkly, snapping her gaze towards him. "Your delusions about your 'canon events' have blinded you."

"They aren't delusions!" Miguel shouted and everyone tensed; even with all those around him that were against him there was still a worry that if he went on the attack he would win. Especially if the few allies he did have in the mass of people decided to side with him. "Why can't you people get that? I've studied this! I understand the multiverse better than anyone-"

"Just like how you studied Spider Powers?" yet ANOTHER new voice called out and Miles twisted around… and just stared.

And stared some more.

And stared even more.

"I was not ready for today," Peter said.

"None of us were," Hobie admitted.

The new Spider Person was wearing a white and black spider costume… except much of it looked to be made of newspapers. His mask only covered the top half of his face while the bottom revealed an older man with a rather distinct mustache.

"Headline?" Miguel asked… and Miles swore he heard a bit of nervousness enter the man's voice. "What-"

"I've done some digging, Miguel O'Hara. On your Earth. After what happened to this young man-" he gestured at Miles, "-I decided to look into you and your Inner Circle. Found out all sorts of interesting things. Do you know that Ben Reilly is wanted back on his Earth because there are concerns he may have suffered brain damage during a battle with the Scorpion? They are very worried about him." He gestured at Jessica. "Then there are the questions about your actions during the Civil War. A certain Anti-Netrino Cannon that disappeared?" Jessica's eyes went wide. "Gwen Stacy is still a minor and is being actively looked for on her planet… you have kidnapped a child, Miguel."

"I-" Gwen said but Hobie placed a hand on her shoulder and she fell silent.

"Lego Spider-Man… are you aware he is actually a Kreo Skrull?" Headline shook his head. "And then there is you, Miguel. Your past. I've been digging into it for a long time and today I finally found the last piece. Does everyone here know how you got your powers?" Miguel was quiet, jaw set. "You experimented on human test subjects… prisoners bought from For Profit Prisons… it attempt to replicate the powers of Spider-Man. Not to create heroes… but to make better spies for the company you worked for: Alchemax."

At once Miles tensed. So did many others.

"The leader of the Spider Society… working for a known criminal enterprise… gains his powers after experimenting on helpless people. Killing many of them. You became a hero not to save the world… but because of revenge."

"Papi?" the woman in a similar outfit to Miguel whispered.

"You… you don't understand…"

"I understand enough," Spider-Chaos said, looking at Skitter who, after a moment, nodded. "The tower is ours. We'll deal with Miguel O'Hara later. The Spot is our number one concern. Miles, Spinneret?" He gestured at the entrance.

After a moment Miles nodded and headed inside.