Chapter 6
DC Universe – Earth Prime
Wayne Manor
Peter's sleep was deep and dreamless, yet not untroubled. Although his unconscious mind was unable to produce any imagery, there was a lingering sense of anxiety. Semblances of ideas and thoughts were floating through the blank void that was his mind, as his body lay still.
Through the dark hours, though they felt like seconds, it was as if he was hearing his own voice from underwater. He felt like he was making pleas to nameless things for peace, for reassurance, all of which were maliciously ignored. He felt as though his subconscious was probing the void beyond all things, attempting to speak to something which should never, under any circumstances, be spoken to.
And yet, as soon as Peter became aware of his own begging thoughts they ended; and they were gone from his brain as if they were never there to begin with and, more worryingly, as if they should never have been thought at all; As if the very attempt itself was a taboo beyond comprehension. He felt the disdain from whatever beings heard them, and a sense of unimaginable dread filled his slumber.
He woke with a start, in a cold sweat, disoriented and angst ridden. For a merciful second he thought he was back in his own bed at his shared apartment, then reality slapped him in the face as he was confronted by the noise that awoke him. It was the voice of Alfred and another man; he didn't move at first and instead listened to the men talk.
"Come on, Alfred! I just wanna' see the new guy… You know I was asked to." The voice that startled him from his slumber spoke from the hall.
Although Peter was thankful for the respite from the anxiety laced, unfinished, and in many ways entirely unthought, words that plagued his sleep. He was, nevertheless, annoyed for the intrusion as his body still ached and he felt just as exhausted as he had when his head first hit the pillow.
"I do, Master Dick. But you can wait a few minutes longer, he needs his rest." Alfred responded.
"It's already twelve-thirty! He has to get up at some point…"
"That may be so, but the boy went through a lot last night…"
Peter felt as if he should intervene and relieve Alfred of his worries, quickly stretching and approaching the closet where he found some spare clothes. Throwing on a pair of grey sweatpants and a black T-shirt, before calling out, "It's okay, Alfred. I'm up! You can come in!"
The voices stopped and Peter was unable to see as the two men looked at each other, Dick raising his eyebrows with a grin as if to say, 'I told you!'. Alfred simply sighed and rolled his eyes at the young man as he opened the door to the spare room. Dick Grayson found the source of his curiosity sat on the side of the bed, looking at the door.
Peter watched as the young man, who he assumed was Dick, entered the room. The man was handsome, impossibly and irritatingly so. Peter felt as if he would resent the man's looks if didn't also appear so friendly. His bright blue eyes were shining with fascination and kindness as the man approached Peter with a wide, genuine smile and a welcoming hand outstretched. Peter responded by standing and shaking the hand, smiling back, albeit very groggily as he attempted to push his exhaustion away.
"Dick Grayson, nice to meet you, Peter? Was it? Bruce and Babs told us all a lot about you…" The dark-haired man spoke.
"Yeah, uh… nice to meet you too, I guess." Peter felt like the man seemed friendly enough. Though, he still wasn't sure how he felt about so many new people in this world knowing his name.
"Right… You're probably wondering who the hell I am?" Said Dick, clearly picking up on the apprehension on Pete's face.
"Heh, yeah a little bit…" Peter replied as the two of them stopped shaking hands and he rubbed the back of his neck.
Alfred decided to interject and spoke, "Dick is one of Master Bruce's adopted sons."
"Right…" Peter said looking back to Dick curiously, Batman didn't seem to be the fatherly type, "And do you also… You know?" He continued, clenching his fists and rolling them around the air a bit, imitating a fight.
"What? Dress up in a costume and fight crime? Yes. We kinda' all do…"
Peter was unsure what to make of this information, while he was glad his secret identity was at least in the hands of other crime fighters, he still didn't know how many members of the Batfamily there were, and he wasn't sure how comfortable he felt about that information being shared amongst them without his knowledge.
He pushed that grievance aside for the moment and instead asked, "So, just how many people work for Batman?"
"Hey, I don't work for Batman, I just kind of help out here and there…" Dick said, still smiling, but slightly irritated by the insinuation.
"Oh, sorry. I don't really know how any of this works…"
"No problem. I'll fill you in as we go, we've got a big day ahead of us. First though, you look like you could use some coffee…"
"You have no idea…" Peter replied. He was going to question what the 'big day' entailed but felt as if he would find out in due course anyway, right now the offer of caffeine was too good to pass up.
"Ha, well follow me, we'll get some breakfast…"
Alfred quickly spoke before the two young men left the room, "Oh, Mister Parker. I know you were against it last night, but have you reconsidered my offer in regards to your costume?"
Peter looked between the two men, unsure of what to say. He trusted Alfred to a certain extent but was still unsure if he wanted someone else tampering with his suit. He looked at Dick who simply shrugged.
"You're going to need it later, so I'd take the offer. It'll be in good hands, trust me." Dick said in reply to Peter's apprehensive expression.
"Um… Yeah, okay, thanks. But please be careful with it. And its machine washable, it… probably needs it… Except the mask! That needs to be hand wa- Sorry, you probably know what you're doing…" Peter said as he grabbed each part of his suit, removed and pocketed the contents of his concealed belt, and handed his costume to the older man, slightly embarrassed at his confession.
His suit smelled a little ripe and could probably do with some care. So, Peter conceded, to which Alfred smiled, looking at Peter before nodding and heading off down the hall. Peter then quickly picked up his web shooters and equipped them on his wrists before pocketing his phone, it wasn't much good here, but still he felt safer with it on him. He then followed as Dick led him out of the room and down the hall, in the opposite direction to Alfred.
Peter looked after the old man, still not entirely sure about his decision. He felt exposed in this new world, in a house wholly unfamiliar to him, with people that all seemed to know a lot more about him than he did about them, and now he was without one of the few things connecting him to his own world. A feeling of anxious nakedness darkened his mood as he absentmindedly followed the other man through the maze-like halls of the mansion.
Dick picked up on the awkward shift in mood, and tried his best to alleviate some of the tension by talking to the stranger, "So, Barbara tells me you can stick to walls?"
"Huh? Oh yeah. And other, spidery things… Spin a web of any size, catch thieves just like flies- yadda yadda… You know how the song goes-" Peter paused, he had momentarily forgotten his predicament, "Actually, I guess you probably don't…"
Pete felt his embarrassment grow as he was confronted but just how little he had adapted to his situation. His mood was soured slightly at the brutal reminder at how lost he was. Mostly though, he was hoping that the other man didn't realise, and subsequently, question him on his word choice.
The grin on Dick's face seemed to communicate that he did, in fact, notice Peter's choice of words, "Hahaha, song? What, like a theme tune?" He said with enthusiastic curiosity.
Dick thought that softly pushing Peter to open up may help extend an olive branch between them. Even if that meant picking up on, and softly poking fun at, the embarrassment of the other man. Still though, letting Peter explain himself may also be helpful in alleviating said embarrassment.
Peter just sighed slightly, he was still discomforted by his own accidental admission, but he felt oddly comfortable in Dick's company. Comfortable enough that he allowed himself to give a soft confession to the other man, "Yeah… There's a few actually. Most of them are pretty cheesy though…"
"Ha! Please tell me you sing them while you fight crime!"
"What? No. God. Nothing like that. They're just little jingles some folks back home came up with…"
"Well… Don't leave me in suspense, how do they go?" Dick felt as if some playful teasing as they walked to the kitchen wouldn't hurt. In fact, he hoped it may help to coax the younger man out of his sullen mood, a theory that was being supported by the slowly growing smirk on Peter's face.
"That is not happening." Peter replied, struggling to fight the small smile that was determined to blossom into a grin.
"Oh, come on… You can't say something like that, and then not sing me at least a little bit!"
"I can and I will. Or won't, I guess. I'm not that easy Mr. 'Grayson'. You gotta' at least buy me dinner first."
"Yeah? It's a date, 'Spider-Man'."
Peter just smiled at that, the playfully banter painting the mood between them for the rest of the day. One built from mutual understanding and humour. For the first time since Peter had arrived in this world, he felt optimistic about his situation.
There was still a slight sense of melancholy within him, but it was lessened by his newfound comradery with Dick. The young man showing none of the hostility of his adopted father, in fact Peter felt as if he had been friends with him for a lifetime despite only meeting the man a minute ago.
It was nice too that Dick wasn't tiptoeing around Peter and his situation. His tone was sickeningly sweet and chipper, and it helped Peter feel more at ease with the direness of his life's current story arc.
Due to this, part of Peter felt, rather dangerously, as if his earlier stress was unfounded. Causing only the more rational parts of him to begrudgingly accept that his stress was not only warranted, but entirely necessary if he is to find a solution.
Yet Peter was entirely aware that Dick knew about his worries, simply trying to keep him distracted with mundane and friendly conversation. Both could sense the dangling plot thread tying them together, holding their newfound kinship for ransom, demanding their attention. Yet neither of them addressed it as they traversed the winding halls, both men content to ignore that beast until they had at least partaken of their breakfast.
The two of them eventually found themselves sat in an impressively large kitchen, and Dick poured them each a cup of coffee as they sat and ate a small but hearty breakfast of fresh fruits and croissants. Chatting casually the whole time, Peter was now starting to feel like a welcome guest in the manor.
To help ease Peter into the flow of discussion, so that they may eventually attack the elephant in the room head on, Dick spoke first. Sharing details about the family that lived in the halls they currently resided, giving the intricacies of their lives both in and out of costume.
He shared with Peter the fact that, currently at the age of twenty-one, he was the oldest of Bruce's adopted children. How he had been raised in the circus, his parents being famous and exceptional trapeze artists. How that, when he was orphaned and adopted by Bruce Wayne, he was ushered into the world of crime fighting as 'Robin' the boy wonder.
Peter gave a Dick a veritable buffet of expressions in response, offering condolences to the loss of his parents, interest at his subsequent adoption, and a look of disapproval that bordered on disgust at his apparent grooming into crime fighting. Dick did his best to counter Peter's unsureness, but Peter was still unapproving.
"I see your point… But nine years old? I mean come on, really? That's way too early, if you ask me. Batman owes you a childhood…" Peter said, his disapproval only slightly tempered by Dick's reassurance.
Dick's face remained friendly, but it hardened near imperceptibly. What was perceptible however, was the severity that coated his tone as he spoke, "The only person who owes me a childhood is Tony Zucco…" The atmosphere in the kitchen became noticeably darker.
Not wanting to sour the mood further, Dick spoke on, hoping to re-establish some levity to battle the thick layer of tension that had enveloped the room.
"Look… I know it sounds bad, and if I was in your shoes, I'd probably think the same as you. But, going through that, having your childhood ripped from you like that… I think- I think Bruce saw himself in me. Do I agree with everything he did? No, not at all. And by God does he know that…"
Dick looked at Peter, whose deep brown eyes were watching him back curiously, Dick continued, "But in the end, I think… I can't believe I'm about to say this: He was right. It was necessary, Gotham isn't the sort of place where kids can easily recover from something like that… And that's the point, that's what we're trying to change. All of us. Bruce has made a lot of mistakes but, in one way or another, he saved our lives…"
Peter nodded with understanding; his judgement had been slightly disarmed. Though, still not fully made impotent, "I'm sorry. I guess none of us really had the life we were supposed to have, did we?" he spoke.
Dick laughed grimly at that, "No, I guess not. Still, you play the hand your dealt, right?"
"Probably, I don't know… I've never played poker…", Peter replied with a grin.
Dick chuckled slightly as the air of the kitchen loosened, "Seriously? Cause' I can teach you how..."
The casual flow of conversation returned as quickly as it left, allowing both the men to breathe and speak comfortably once again. The tension gone, seemingly to never return.
"Ehh... The Avengers never invited me to their weekly games, said my Spider-Sense made it unfair..." Peter waved his hand dismively as he spoke, barely hiding his frustration...
"Who are the Avengers?" Dick asked, genuinely curious.
"Uh-Ah-Ah... I'm not falling for that... I've was talking about myself to Batman all night last night... You first. Tell me more about Dick Grayson..." Peter said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Dick continued to detail the chain of events, both good and bad, between himself and Bruce. The results of which eventually encouraging Dick to forge his own path as 'Nightwing'. Telling Peter that as Nightwing he mostly offered aid to his family in Gotham from time to time. Instead, spending most of his nights protecting his new home city, Bludhaven; Peter, of course, hadn't the slightest clue where that was. Nevertheless, he assumed, like Gotham, it was in New Jersey.
Dick digressed, delivering yet more anecdotes surrounding the personal history of himself and his family. He mentioned that Batman also had one adopted daughter, Cassandra who went by 'Orphan', as well as two more adopted sons, Tim and Jason, the former of which was currently going by 'Red Robin'.
Conversely, Dick said very little of the latter, as if there was a dark history there that was too taboo to casually mention over pastries and coffee. Peter felt it was best not to pry any more, lest the atmosphere grow heavy again. Pete appreciated that Dick was sharing as it was, he didn't want to stare into the mouth of a gift horse by pushing the boundaries of what Dick was comfortable sharing.
As Dick moved away from the topic of 'Jason', Peter got the impression that the sibling lesser spoken of was the proverbial black sheep of the family. The awkwardness in Dick's tone communicating to Peter that their current relationship was not personal enough for him to divulge much more than Jason's name and the mere fact of his existence.
On a wholly related, and all the same unrelated, note: The mantle of 'Robin' now belonged to Bruce's youngest, and only biological son, Damian, bringing Bruce's total number of children to five.
This surprised Peter, he had heard the term Batfamily, but did not consider that it would be so literal. From his short interaction with Bruce, he had not pegged him for a family man. Nor the type to broaden his team so liberally. This initial impression on Pete's side led to his shock growing with each member Dick recounted to him.
He also mentioned the members that weren't part of the 'family' but were still part of the family. He'd obviously met Batgirl, so Dick didn't mention much about Babs. He did mention Stephanie, though, the younger former Batgirl who now went by Spoiler.
Although the details weren't too in depth, as Dick was getting agitated at his attempt to explain the entire history of his family in a fashion appropriate to casual breakfast Resulted in him merely explaining their existence and the briefest overview of how they each joined the team. It was clear that he had not fully considered the true scope of the Batfamily until this moment. Even Dick was finding himself surprised in how many members he felt the need to mention.
Finally, Dick drew to the end of the onslaught of information he was delivering to Peter. Concluding his anecdotes with the mention that the final members of the Batfamily were more 'unofficial' in their roles and association.
More just helping sometimes. The first of which, for lack of detail, was 'Huntress': A purple clad vigilante with crossbows, which Peter admitted privately to himself, sounded cool.
'I should invest in a web-crossbow, that'd be pretty cool…' Peter thought to himself as he drew a comparison to the web-shotgun he had been given by Fury once.
Then there was the former partner of Joker, this led Peter to stare in disbelief, unsure of how to process what he was being told. Unsure of how someone who used to work alongside a man such as that could ever gain Batman's trust. He let Dick speak however, and he explained that the woman, named to him only as 'Harley Quinn' was currently working on being a better person.
She was now the type of personality that was a chaotic force for, mostly, good. Sometimes a crook, sometimes an anti-hero, usually a mix of the two. Apparently, her former connection to the madman in purple had also proved invaluable, as she had personally helped to put him away, twice.
Peter reserved his judgement, in fact he felt as if her description slightly reminded him of Deadpool. He only hoped that should he meet her; she would prove to be less annoying than Wade could be.
The final person Dick spoke to Peter about, was the most interesting, Peter's eyes perking up as he mentioned the feline themed anti-hero.
"I've actually met her, I think!" Peter interjected, enthusiastic about finally having a sense of familiarity with the information being presented to him.
"Oh, really, you met Selina? How'd that go?" Dick replied, interested in the revelation.
'Selina… So that's her name, huh.' Peter thought before replying, "Well. I guess. She was like the second person I encountered yesterday so I was still adjusting to the angst… But she reminded me of someone back home, so that kinda' put me at ease a bit, I think." Peter seemed to be genuinely considering his answer between sips of his coffee.
Although a lot of time had passed, Peter hadn't really had much time to reflect on his thoughts of the people he met yesterday. As such, Peter hadn't really thought about how his meeting with Selina had gone, nor how his first impression may have been. In fact, he was realising now that he must have seemed, at least a little, insane: With his unexplained revelation of dimensional travel and his confusion at nearly everything told to him.
"Really? Who?" Dick spoke, referring to the 'someone' Peter had mentioned, conceding his role as speaker and breaking Peter out of his thoughts.
"Oh… This cat-burglar, back in my New York. Similar gimmick, but younger, I think. White hair. Different name. She goes by 'Black Cat'… Similar personalities, though. They're both pretty… Forward."
Dick looked at Peter with a little confusion before nodding in understanding. It's true that Selina is a little playfully flirtatious, but Dick had known her so long now he hadn't really considered it from an outside perspective. Nor, how flustered it must have made Pete. Besides everyone knew that it was mostly fruitless, her eyes only really belonging to one Bat.
"Yeah, I think I get what you mean…" Dick responded, before leaning in a little closer, "But, trust me, it's best to stay away. She'll give you nothing but trouble. Besides you really aren't her type…"
"Oh no… I've been there, trust me, doesn't end well…" Peter didn't notice Dick's eyebrow raise in curiosity, "Plus if I had to guess I'd say she was more into the tall, dark and brooding type. Preferably with bat ears…"
"What makes you think that?" Dick responded, mild suspicion on his face.
"Just a hunch… But your face right now isn't really dissuading me from that theory…" Peter responded as he squinted back into Dick's eyes. A sly grin creeping onto his face.
"You know Peter Parker, you're smarter than Bruce gave you credit." Dick replied also grinning as he took a sip of his own drink.
"The Cat and the Bat, huh? Ha! That's so good… So how serious?"
"Nuh-uh… Not my place to say… You'll have to find out for yourself, either from her or from him…"
"Probably better to ask her, right?" Peter responded. His tone was deathly serious.
"Oh yeah, definitely." Dick responded nodding, "Tell me about the Cat and the Spider, though…
"What? No? I would never, she seems too old for me. Plus, now I know she and Batma-" Peter spoke at what seemed to be one-hundred-miles-an-hour.
Dick simply chuckled back as she shook his head, interrupting Peter, "Dude! Chill… Not Selina…"
"Wha- Ohhh… You mean?"
Dick simply nodded back with a sickeningly handsome grin, his suaveness mocking Peter who could feel his head growing hotter and hotter.
"No comment." Peter responded, his face beetroot red as he took an exaggerated sip of his coffee..
Dick chuckled back, "Really?" Clearly Reading through Pete's flustered expression, he continued, "I was just guessing! How'd that go? What's she like? Are there wedding bells ringing for the 'Black Cat' and the 'Spider-Man'?"
"I refuse to comment on whatever may or may not have happened in my love life…" Peter responded, still blushing.
"Fine. I won't pry…" Dick replied, a knowing expression on his face, silently communicating to Peter 'I'll get the info out of you eventually'.
Peter, for his part, felt much more at ease with Dick than he had with Bruce, and even Barbara. Chatting over breakfast, even with Dick's teasing, was much more inviting than the interrogation the night prior, and, as such, Peter felt comfortable to give a few details of his own life back home, telling the man about his powers and some of his villains, as well as other non-hero details of his life.
Details like how he was raised by his aunt and uncle, with Dick offering his condolences at the loss of his parents and his uncle to which Peter thanked him before continuing. He spoke about his best friend MJ, his friends, Miles (the 'other Spider-Man' as he put it), Kitty and Flash. Then he told Dick about his other super powered friends from school, briefly mentioning his short stint at 'S.H.I.E.L.D.' with his team.
"Wow… Did you go to like a special high school for superheroes or something?" Dick asked as he chuckled slightly into his coffee before taking a sip.
"Haha, no they were placed there by the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. He wanted me to lead his team of young superheroes for some reason…"
"Woah... That's… Pretty cool… What's 'S.H.I.E.L.D.'?"
Peter looked at Dick slightly suspiciously, as a moment of fear struck him. Was this another ploy? All to gather intel for Batman…
Dick put his cup down and raised his hands in mock surrender to Peter's suspicious gaze, "Hey, no tricks here… You don't have to tell me, I'm just curious."
Peter believed him; besides he had also been given a lot of sensitive, potentially incriminating, information from Dick about the Batfamily. He decided to go on, as he felt like this was genuine interest and not just another interrogation.
"They're basically an international defence agency, very involved in superhero affairs. I can't remember what it stands for… 'Strategic, Homeland' something, something. Personally, I just think they chose the words cause' they thought the acronym 'S.H.I.E.L.D.' sounded cool."
Dick laughed softly at that and seemed satisfied with the answer, prompting Peter to continue with his life story.
Although Pete didn't mention the friends that he'd lost, like Harry or Johnny, nor did he even hint at the topic of Gwen; not wanting to ruin the atmosphere or revisit the memories. He did mention he was studying a double major of Biochemistry and Biophysics at ESU and living with his friends from school, Rand, Bobby and Angel. Talking candidly about how the last two were also mutant superheroes and sometimes members of the 'X-Men', going by 'Iceman' and 'Firestar' respectively.
"Firestar? Really?" Dick replied with wide-eyed fascination.
"Yeah, why?" Peter responded curious to the interruption.
"My girlfriend, Kory, she goes by 'Starfire'…" Dick spoke with a wide grin.
"Really? Huh. That's weird…"
"Pretty cool, though. Does she shoot green energy blasts?"
"Woah… How'd you know?"
"Really?!"
"Nah. I was lying, I just wanted to see your face… She can like manipulate microwave radiation."
"Oh. Well, that's still pretty cool, I guess..." Dick said, mildly disappointed by Peter's betrayal.
As the two of them continued, the food became mostly ignored and their coffees grew cold as the conversation kept distracting them from consuming their breakfasts. They continued back and forth, and Dick gave Peter some more information about the world he found himself in, talking about how this earth was protected by the 'Justice League', also giving a quick overview of some of their more prominent members.
Peter interjected, "'Superman'? Really? Isn't that a little, you know, on the nose?"
"A little, I guess… No more so than ' Spider-Man', though." Dick replied.
"Yeah, no. You're right… I retract that statement."
Peter in turn spoke about 'The Avengers' and the 'X-Men' and gave a quick history lesson on the adventures of Captain America and how he was basically considered the first 'superhero'.
"Dude… Seriously, 'Superman' is too much for you, but ' Captain America' isn't?" Dick asked chuckling at the absurdity of the title.
"Alright, alright! You made your point..." Peter replied, laughing. And it was now his turn to raise his hands in mock surrender.
Pete then mentioned the civil rights issues surrounding mutants and the prejudice they face. How it's an issue that is important to him, not just because its major human rights issue, but also because of how it affects those close to him; like his roommates and his ex-girlfriend, Kitty Pryde.
Dick showed an intense interest at this part and mentioned how it echoed how certain governments treat 'Metahumans' in this world. They're conversation then shifted from the political and back again to the more personal as Dick told Peter about his team the 'Teen Titans', sometimes just referred to as the 'Titans'.
He mentioned how the team was quite large now as the older members including himself, his girlfriend Starfire, and his other friends all took on more of mentor type role and instructed the younger members. One of which was Damian, the current Robin. He didn't mention the members they'd lost...
When it naturally became Peter's turn to talk again, he decided he could trust Dick further and decided to talk about how he 'technically' had two brothers and a sister but that he was only close to the latter as there was still some tension with his 'Brothers'. He also mentioned that they hadn't grown up together, as his siblings were also his clones.
This did cause Dick to raise his eyebrows in curiosity, but Peter communicated that it was too long, convoluted and painful of a story to properly discuss now, one which he didn't really like revisiting. The violation he felt, to find out someone had stolen his DNA and created new life with it, life that never asked to be created. It was a feeling that still stung.
Peter also didn't want to go into more detail as it would remind him of the fact that he didn't know when, or even if, he would see his newfound family again, among others. Dick simply smiled at Pete's apprehensive face knowingly, not acknowledging the dark inflection that quickly passed over Peter's face.
As if on cue, the door to the kitchen opened as Alfred walked in. The older man smiled soflty as he spoke, "Mister, Parker, your suit is ready. I suggest the two of you get ready as soon as possible if you are to make your appointment."
"Right. Thanks. Wait- What appointment?" Peter replied, looking at Dick.
"Oh really, that time already? My bad, I got so caught up in the conversation I completely forgot to tell you, we're going to the watchtower…" Dick said, with a wide grin.
"What? You mean the satellite thing, where the-?" Peter spoke, recalling what Dick had told him.
"Yep."
"Why?"
"Well, not that my company isn't great, but I imagine that you'd want to get home at some point, right? There are some people in the league that may be able to help, but they need to speak with you." Dick spoke with a smile.
"Wow. Cool… I wasn't expecting to meet them so soon…"
"Well, finish your coffee and let's go." Dick said as he picked up his own cup of, now stone cold, coffee.
The two young men chugged their respective cups of the cold brown liquid and, almost simultaneously, each cringed slightly at the once warm drink's current taste.
"Why does cold coffee taste so bad when iced coffee is so nice?" Peter found himself remarking to no one as he stared at the mug before placing it back down on the counter.
"Ugh... I love iced coffee… I know a great little place back in Bludhaven, I'll take you there sometime…" Dick responded as he softly patted Peter on the back and the three of them continued out of the kitchen, following Alfred into the drawing room, where he played a few notes on the piano.
After the sequence of notes, a panel on the wall shifted and revealed a stairway to what Peter assumed must lead back into the Batcave. Peter once again marvelled at the base of operations, this time his higher vantage point giving him a chance to properly admire the sheer scale of the cave.
As the trio, led by Alfred, reached the bottom of the stairs, the older gentleman approached a large table where Peter's costume lay. He handed it back to Peter with a smile and curt nod.
"I hope I did a good job with it; I must admit your suit is more… delicate than I am used to working with. I more accustomed to Kevlar and other more protective materials. I'm astounded that your suit was so undamaged considering how thin it is…"
"I usually try to avoid most things that can cut my suit, and me for that matter… But I have like three suits back home that were way less lucky than this guy…" Peter replied as looked over the suit.
As he inspected Alfred's work, he could hardly believe it was the same suit he had handed to the butler earlier. The suit was incomprehensibly clean, the red and blue popped in a way Peter hadn't seen in too long a time. The scrapes, scratches and small rips that had been delivered to his costume, and his body, had been repaired with expert precision, so much so that Peter struggled to find the seams of repair despite knowing exactly to look.
"Alfred… Wow… This… This is as good as new. Better even, I think. How the hell did you do this is such short time?" Peter asking, his astonishment evident.
"You're too kind Mr. Parker. Though, for my own sake at least, I hope you consider using tougher materials in future. A knife would go straight through your current suit. And subsequently, you."
"Trust me, I know." Peter replied, still admiring the handiwork of Alfred. Essentially ignoring his advice.
As someone who had spent years pleading with Bruce, urging him to reconsider his more self-destructive tendencies, nearly all in vain, Alfred knew it would be useless to further argue the point. So, he simply continued.
"I also took the liberty of patching the interface of your mask to our system, so you may communicate with us and access our shared server."
Peter paused and looked between Alfred and Dick, "I'm confused, I thought we were going to meet the Justice League so I can go home?"
Dick spoke, "We are. But it won't be as simple as that. We need to figure out where you're from and go from there, we don't just have an inter-dimensional portal ready…"
Peter, obviously, understood. In fact, he had half expected as much. It would probably take at least several days before they could even begin the process of sending him back.
Peter nodded, nevertheless unable to fully hide his disappointment, "Right. Yeah, that makes sense. I'll probably be stuck here for at least a couple weeks either way, huh?"
"Right." Dick replied as he smiled softly at the other man, "So you might as well pull your weight around here."
"Wait. Batman's okay with me 'thwipping' around in Gotham?" Peter replied, his eyes wide.
"He hasn't said no… Mostly, because we haven't spoken to him about it in all honestly." Alfred replied candidly, as he was busying himself clearing the sewing utensils off the table in front of him.
Peter looked at Dick slightly apprehensively to which the dark-haired man simply replied, "Ehhh… We'll cross that bridge when we get to it… And hey, you're always welcome in Bludhaven! For now, though, just get suited up. You have some important people to meet."
Peter shrugged in response before following Dick to one of several small changing rooms. As he changed, Peter fell deep into thought. He didn't like how numb and accepting he was becoming of his situation. As if every second he wasn't fighting his newfound status quo was a step further into gentrifying himself into someone else, someone from this world.
The crushing weight of 'reality', a term which was becoming increasingly more subjective every second, was starting to press down on him. He knew that everything, the entire course of his life, hung on the meeting he was about to have. If the Justice League were unable to help him, he wouldn't even know where to begin searching next.
The thought was so impossibly overwhelming that he reached an all too familiar dissociative state, losing himself in the monotonous action of changing his clothes. The stress felt, as Peter prepared himself for the consultation that would ultimately decide his fate, was so immense that it curtailed itself. Condensed into such a fine and concentrated point that nearly every other aspect of him was beyond numb.
His soul was wrenched back into his body by a knock on the door to his changing room, "Hey, you nearly done in there? You don't wanna' be late, do you?"
Dick's voice was friendly as ever, but his words troubled Peter 'Would it even matter if I was late? It's only the rest of my life on the line…'
Peter almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity of his situation, but instead he simply replied, "Just coming!"
As he exited the changing room, fully suited, he looked Dick up and down. The other man had also changed into, what Peter could only assume was, his own costume. He wore a black body suit made from a similar material to Batgirl's with a blue bird symbol covering his chest. The blue from top of the wings carried on down his arms and ended with his middle and ring finger on each hand. His eyes were also now covered by a black domino mask.
Dick smiled at Peter, unable to read the other man's expression now due to his mask, instead he could only see his own grinning face reflected to him by the mask's lenses, "Nice suit!" Dick responded.
"Ditto! I like the blue…" Peter replied. His voice chipper. His attitude also worryingly chipper. 'I should be more nervous, right? Why aren't I nervous?"
"Thanks… Well, you ready?" Dick asked as the two of them stood opposite each other dangerously close to finding themselves in an awkward silence.
"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." Peter replied.
At that, Dick led them both to a metal pod. It had a small monitor attached to it next to its curved door. Peter watched as Dick tapped several keys on the monitor before opening the door and ushering both himself and Peter into the small pod.
They stood there in the steel chamber for a moment before Peter spoke, "Is this an elevator? don't tell me there's another cave below this one."
"It's slightly fancier than that…" Dick responded, fixing Peter with a smile "Hold onto your molecules!"
"What's that supposed to-" Before Peter could finish his sentence a wash of bright white light came over the two of them as they both found themselves transported, to somewhere else entirely. The dark enclosed walls of the pod replace by a large open space. "- mean… Woah."
Rapidly whipping his head about, him like an overexcited puppy, Peter's lensed eyes widened in astonishment. Peter, still wholly unadjusted to his sudden transposition, surveyed his newfound surroundings with an unyielding fervour.
Nightwing and himself were standing in the middle of a circular metallic platform, sizeable enough to fit several people, even a couple of larger specimens such as the Hulk or Thing would find themselves with ample room to spare should they stand on the platform. Peter's scientific instinct was battering him with excitement, he theorised that this platform must be a teleporter pad linked to the pod in the Batcave.
The large room that they now found themselves in was intricately designed and all the same simplistic. Silver and white metallic surfaces formed the curved walls, of the rounded open space. Gargantuan, hopefully thick, transparent windows similarly curved themselves around sections of the room, assaulting Peter's wondered eyes with the spectacularly, and mildly worrying, view of unending space: A deep black backdrop dotted with bright, flickering stars filling Peter with a sense of melancholic calm as it reminded him of how small he truly was.
Although he was aware of the Watchtower and its orbital nature thanks to Dick's quick history lesson, the realisation that he was no longer on the surface of earth hit Peter like a truck. An apprehensive sense of hope filled his soul as he continued to gawk at the scale of the engineering marvel, he found himself suddenly thrust into.
At very first glance, the level of technology at the disposal of the Justic League appeared to be at least comparable to, perhaps even better than, that of the Avenger's. Peter could only hope that this was merely a taste of the League's scientific power and not its utmost peak.
Dick's voice jolted Peter out of his wonder-induced stupor, "Welcome to the Watchtower… What do you think?"
"W… We're in space… I mean I knew we would be, but... We're in space!" Was the only response Peter's dazed brain could conjure.
"Ha! Nothing gets passed you, does it? Come on, Sherlock… Your first appointment is just ahead…" His arm extended forward as he gestured to the two most prominent figures ahead from them.
Dick's voice was coated in a sickly-sweet syrup of soft sarcasm. He was clearly finding immense entertainment from Peter's shock and awe. This enjoyment remained unhindered as Peter stayed silent, unable to vocalise the rush of thoughts which continued to bounce rapidly around his head.
Straight forward from the circular platform, up a shallow slope, appeared to be the bridge of the space station. It was impressively wide and populated with a myriad of high-tech monitors atop thick-based computers. Several of which were manned by various individuals in purple jumpsuits; whom Peter could only assume were 'civilian' staff/volunteers working for the Justice League.
Alongside the assumed 'staff', were the two, noticeably less civilian attired, individuals that Dick was gesturing to. One of the pair was a shorthaired African American man wearing a black, red and white leather jacket over top a, similarly coloured, jumpsuit. A black mask in the shape of a 'T' was fixed to his face through a yet undetermined method. His lips were curved in a smile as his red-lensed eyes looked between Nightwing and Spider-Man before he turned to the other man Dick was gesturing to.
The other was a bald, red eyed, green skinned man. He wore blue trunks, boots, cloak and little else. His bare green chest covered only by a red 'X' which extended up from the red belt around his waist, towards each of his shoulders, seemingly holding his cloak in place. He looked back at the other man before turning himself to face Nightwing, and subsequently, Spider-Man. An expression of neutrality fixed to his face, yet somehow laced with a coat of kindness.
Peter's body, disregarding his mind's overwhelmed state, took control of itself and carried him forward, following Nightwing who was a step ahead of the other hero.
"Spider-Man, allow me to introduce Mr. Terrific, the third smartest person alive, and J'onn Jonzz, The Martian Manhunter. J'onn, Mr. Terrific, this is Spider-Man..." Dick was gesturing between everyone as Peter and himself finally came a stop in front of the other pair.
Before Peter's overwhelmed brain could instruct his mouth to speak a greeting, the human man had already reached his hand out in a flash, grabbed Peter's own and began shaking it. Interrupting Peter's thoughts of potential introductions by seizing the initiative and snatching the chance from him.
"It's an honour to meet you Spider-Man, your story is fascinatingly unbelievable…" He spoke, a friendly smile on his face. Although his eyes were concealed behind a deep red, Peter could still swear they were glimmering with excitement at the prospect of unravelling the mystery of Peter's arrival.
"Errr… Thanks, I guess. Nice to meet you, too. Also, can I just say this place is awesome! You guys definitely know how to make a good first impression on wayward Spiders…" Peter spoke as he gripped Mr. Terrific's hand in turn and shook it.
Letting go of Spider-Man's hand, Mr. Terrific pulled a small metallic ball out of his jacket pocket before replying, "Thanks! I wish I could take the credit, but this beauty was a member of the league long before me… Still though, the view on the observation deck is unbeatable… Hold still a moment."
Before Peter could question the instruction, the small ball circled him as a red laser traced its way up, down and all around his body, scanning him.
"Ummm… Why the scan?"
"Nothing major, just checking your atoms… I'm going to run the data through the computer in my lab to see if we can find your world…"
"Wow! You guys don't mess around, huh?"
Mr. Terrific simply chuckled before responding, "When it comes to someone in need? Never. Although… There may also be a couple wagers going on here as to whether you're telling the truth. So, the sooner I find out, the sooner I get paid."
"Ha… Good one. That's a joke, right? Right?"
Mr. Terrific simply smiled before walking away, delivering one last message as he departed, "I'll be in my lab, it was good to meet you Spider-Man, I'll see you later. Nightwing will show you to my lab in a bit."
Peter waved him off, unsure of himself for a moment, before turning to the green skinned man and likewise offering his hand to him.
The Martian shook it in response, fixing Peter with a gentle expression as he spoke, "It is good to meet you Spider-Man, if your story is true, then you have certainly gone through a lot. If we can, we will do everything in our power to help send you home."
"Thank you. It's nice to meet you too."
The green skinned man let go of Peter's hand before motioning for him and Dick to follow, leading them down the winding metallic hallways as he spoke, "No thanks needed. As Mr. Terrific said, we take helping people in need very seriously…"
"And the bet?"
"I believe that was indeed a joke, I have heard nothing of any wager…"
"Speak for yourself, I have fifty riding on all this being some kind of experimental performance piece…" Dick spoke with a massive grin as he looked at Spider-Man.
"How did you know?!" Peter replied in mock surprise as the three of them found themselves entering a room in what appeared to be the medical wing of the Justice League headquarters.
The room was small and unremarkable, a twin bed with railings lay adjacent to a small metallic chest-of-drawers. There was a chair in the corner for visitors and a slim door next to the entrance, behind which Peter assumed must be a small bathroom.
Aside from the view into unending space, the room was comprised entirely of sanitised simplicity, ubiquitous uniformity and all-encompassing accessibility. The kind that would be found in nearly every hospital across the globe, it's familiarity oddly comforting to Peter as J'onn ushered him to sit on the bed. The only stand out feature to Peter was the view beyond its window, with the all-to-common city skyline or concrete parking lot replaced with a never-ending black punctuated with shimmering stars.
Peter did so, offering little resistance as he looked to Dick for reassurance, to which the other man simply nodded. Pete found himself staring back up at the now towering figure of the Martian hero as he sat on the bed.
"Sooo, am I here for a medical evaluation, or what? Cause I feel mostly fine…" Peter asked, a soft sense of wariness creeping its way into his mind.
"Not unless you feel you need one. No, we are here to check that you are telling the truth among other things… If you'll allow me." Martian Manhunter spoke.
Peter felt the need to protest, but that intent was subdued by J'onn who fixed Peter with a reassuring look, one that implied he was seeking permission to continue his explanation.
"What do you need to do?" Peter asked. Not entirely dissuaded but still uncertain of the implication.
"I wish- We wish, that is, the League wishes, to verify your story by reading your mind. But more than that, Batman said that you claim to have little memory of the events that led to your arrival in this dimension, is that correct?" Jo'nn's face was kind, his voice was soft, and Peter couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort from him.
J'onn carried himself as a man of unwavering severity and commitment, but unlike Batman, he did not project this into an intimidating façade. It appeared simply to be his nature, there was also deep kindness to his voice and eyes, one that was infinitely sincere and altogether painful to witness. The weight of his voice was undeniable, and Peter had the overwhelming feeling that J'onn, much like himself, had encountered great pain in his life.
Peter nodded in response to the question.
"I hope to be able to explore the moments just before your sudden appearance in Gotham, to gain a full picture of how and why you were sent here. There was also the matter of your adversaries…"
"Right. They could have been sent here too…" Spider-Man's masked eyes fell on J'onn's "Okay. If you really think it will help… I will let you read my mind. But just the last day or two. No further!"
"I promise. I will only look at what is necessary… Nightwing, the door, please."
Nightwing looked to Spider-Man his expression expectant, as if searching for affirmation that Peter was okay with him remaining in the room. His unspoken question was unanswered by a small nod from Peter. Dick closed the door as instructed by J'onn before leaning back on its solid metallic frame and crossing his arms as he looked on curiously.
Peter watched as J'onn grabbed the chair and brought it opposite where he was sitting on the bed. The green skinned man sat opposite Spider-Man and stared into his lensed eyes before speaking.
"Would you be more comfortable with or without your mask?"
"Errr… With, I think. No offence to you but I'd rather not be too liberal with the whole 'secret identity' thing…"
"Understandable, I will do my best to avoid any aspect of your non-heroic life while searching your mind." J'onn replied as he reached his hands out and placed them on either side of Peter's head, "Now, I need you to relax and think of what you can last remember before you arrived here…"
Peter's eyelids became steel weights and came crashing down, drowning his vision in darkness as his eyes found themselves encased in their warm embrace. His thoughts went to the last lucid memory he had of his adventures at Fisk Tower, and as though he were dreaming the events played in his mind as flashes. He felt the barrier of his Spider-Sense soften as he invited J'onn into his broken memories.
Images flew through past his 'vision' at near incomprehensible speeds as J'onn connected his own mind to Peter's, taking control of the flow and directing his memories to the information they needed.
Peter saw Miles and himself battling the three villains in the basement of Fisk tower. Doc Ock's metallic tentacles throwing computer monitors, desks and even the odd snow globe at both the Spider-Men. Then just as quick as the visions appeared, they were gone.
Screaming scientists in lab cloaks, cowering and attempting to escape the chaos all while being berated and threatened by Doc Ock. A few finding their way to the elevator before being grabbed by a metallic claw, before it was ripped off from the harness controlling it by Spider-Man. Then the images were gone again.
Replaced by images of Peter dangling upside down as Vulture carried him through the collider by the leg before dropping him after a well-placed web to his face. Peter catching himself in a swing only to be blasted by yellow lighting as Electro entered the collider, an explosion of debris and static behind him.
J'onn could feel the familiarity of these figures, though he himself didn't know their names, he wasn't prying into Spider-Man's mind further than necessary. Nonetheless he felt the tension and severity of the situation that the hero and his young protégé were in.
Peter's mind began to ache as the images and the cacophony of mismatched and distant sounds kept battering through his conscious. J'onn too felt the strain, it was peculiar, he could not manage to get either himself or Spider-Man to focus on a clear image, it was as if something was blocking them.
"Is it normally this... Nnggh- Painful?" Peter managed to ask, though he wasn't quite sure if the question was spoken or thought.
"No. Something is disrupting our connection…" J'onns reply was ethereal.
"Can you un-disrupt it…? I feel like my mind is being torn in two!"
"As do I. Can you focus more? Try to expand on a singular point."
"I can't do anything, I don't feel in control here, these memories are just… happening!"
A piercing yell came from Dr. Octavius as Electro missed his mark as he attempted to fire a lightning bolt at the older Spider-Man, hitting the console behind him. The machine below them whirring violently as sparks flew from the collider, bright lights and egregious alarms assaulting all in the collider.
As J'onn and Peter landed on Pete's memory of staring into the erupting mouth of hell that was the erratic collider below him, they saw visions of other worlds: strange alien worlds, familiar mundane worlds. Ones that defied all physics, others that followed such strict laws of physics that they were remarkable in their unremarkability.
Then they felt past-Peter's focus shift as he watched the younger Spider-Man desperately attempting to absorb the energy spewing from the collider's main generator. Screaming as red, white, yellow and blue electricity sparked from his body, tearing through his suit and even burning parts of his flesh.
The name 'Peter' was yelled in panic by the younger Spider-Man as he took a hit from an enraged electro, J'onn felt the name's familiarity and both himself and Spider-Man knew exactly what it meant. Past-Peter's body became a human sponge, absorbing the current of electricity that was meant for the other Spider-Man tampering with the collider.
Then the image faded. One of calm, came over the scene, the villains' unconscious forms splayed throughout the collider in which the younger Spider-Man was kneeling, frantically trying to regain control of his breathing. The older Spider-Man swinging back into the office and viewing the now calm screen of the computer.
A flash and the images were gone replaced with visions of past-Peter swinging the few remaining scientists down the collider, leading them to the abandoned subway tunnels, directing them to the other Spider-Man who was instructing them how to escape.
A flicker and the alarm returned, the sensation of past-Peter's spider-sense was so strong that even now as they attempted to revisit the events, both J'onn and Peter felt the buzz as strongly as if it were happening now.
They watched as past-Peter grabbed the final scientist from the collider, a long-haired bearded man whose name rang through Peter's memory as Dr. Johnathan Ohnn. They saw as he threw him up to the arms of the other Spider-Man.
Words played as phantom tones and the images became more transparent, beginning to fade into each other…
"Miles! Take him - Tunnels! Now!" Peter's own voice rang through the air, distorted and incomplete.
"What? I can do it - I need to - I - Absorb the - Nuform!" The protests by Miles were heard by all three of the beings experiencing the memory, past-Peter, J'onn and Peter.
The young Spider-Man's complaints clearly weren't headed as they saw past-Peter frantically typing on the monitor in the office, turning away briefly as he watched Miles and Dr. Ohnn disappear into the dark of the tunnels opposite.
Then the visions slowed, the alarm stopped as the monitor ceased its visual assault of warnings and pop-ups urging to abort. The growing mass of anti-matter in the collider fell into itself and the tears into the fabric of reality appeared to be stitching itself back together.
As the crack into the multiverse itself closed, the world's beyond still shifted, visions of colour and infinite nothingness flashed by. The building blocks of creation constantly changing as they moulded different realities. Different beings looked out of the void of everchanging worlds.
One being seemed to recognise Peter as he too saw nothing but familiarity in the flaming face who was yelling his name, the voice ringing through both of their minds. J'onn and Peter saw as his past self-attempted to reach out at grab his friend and reason with the shock at seeing someone he thought was dead. Then the crack closed.
Silence fell, both over the now calm visage of the past and the two present minds who watched over it. That was until, as if sharing one thought between time, the voice of Peter and past-Peter spoke simultaneously.
"Johnny?"
As quickly as the chaos had ended, it began again several times faster. An eruption from the middle of the collider, and Peter could feel himself being drawn back into the sensation he had once felt before as his body was torn apart and reassembled countless times over. The images that assaulted both his and J'onn's senses were wholly unexplainable, both the men screaming within their minds, their physical bodies replicating the act.
Their screams pierced the air of the Watchtower's medical room, much to the distress of Dick who had been desperately trying to grab their attention for the past hour. J'onn's own niece M'gann kneeling beside them, as she had been anxiously seeking an entrance to their connection for over half of that hour. Dick calling her after the two men began straining, twitching and muttering in pained voices twenty minutes into their psychic link.
J'onn felt his niece's voice calling to them but he couldn't talk back. He felt himself in Peter's body and he lived his days, he saw the pain that his days as Spider-Man had brought him, and he felt every happy birthday of his childhood. He felt the love of his aunt and uncle, and he saw the watery image of his parents in the babe's eyes when he was only a few weeks old.
Peter, likewise, saw as H'ronmeer's Curse burned through his people, his family. He felt the loss of his planet and finding his place on earth. He saw as he celebrated Christmas with his friend Clark, and he felt Jonn's joy when he met his niece who had survived the death of the Martians.
And they both felt the overwhelming, crushing weight of all possible realities and realities beyond even them pressing down on them as it tore them apart. They both heard the voice of M'Gann hopelessly trying to pull them out of the collapsing mindscape before they were lost forever.
The cascading waves of psychic energy crashed violently against the insurmountable wall of Peter's spider-sense as it pulsed in agony. Repelling all that threatened him, which at this moment was everything. The images of past-Peter's vision into the abyss of all things constantly fighting for dominance of the soup that had once been two separate consciousnesses.
M'Gann's voice faded as her already weak connection to their minds became increasingly tangential. A fourth voice claimed control of all of them, absorbing Peter's pain and banishing his consciousness to somewhere safer. Deleting all memory of the events as it did so.
The thing did not know what it was, it only knew one thing, it loved Peter. It must protect him, them, at all costs, and so amidst the calamity of psychic energy it found itself able to replicate the mental powers of the two Martians. And it thought, for the first time ever since its birth within Peter.
As it thought, its voice oozed out of Peter's subconscious, where it had been lying dormant for years, ever since the seperation. It's own, fragile, yet strong, consciousness slipped effortlessly into the degrading mindscape of himself and J'onn.
"III WILLLL SAVVVEE USSSSS… PETERRR…"
And as suddenly as a TV screen goes dark after its cable is wrenched from the wall, the connection was ended, and a violent wave of psychic force exploded from between J'onn and Peter's bodies sending all four of the room's occupants flying backwards several feet.
As the only one whose mind had remained entirely within his own body, Dick was the first one to pull himself to his feet, looking over the room he saw as M'Gann was similarly trying to bring herself into a vertical position. Rushing over to her and offering his hand, which she took with one hand as the other clutched her head.
"Nnngh… Thanks…"
Dick didn't reply as his eyes remained fixed on Peter's suspended body. Seeing his distraction M'Gann turned her gaze to where Dick was looking and they both watched with morbid fascination at the black tentacles that were protruding from Peter's back. They had somehow managed to claw into the metallic ceiling, and they began slowly stretching lower down and softly placed Peter's unconscious form on the bed before suddenly retracting back into his body with a wet 'flap!'.
The two of them shared a look of confusion and bewilderment before looking down and proceeding to help, the slowly awakening, J'onn to his feet. J'onn gripped his head in anguish as he thanked the two of them before turning to Peter who was likewise being pulled back into consciousness.
"Ugh… Ow- Jeez my head kills. What the hell happened…?" Peter asked as his eyes adjusted to the light of the room.
"I was hoping you could tell me. It has been many an age since I had felt psychic resistance that strong…"
"Oh, sorry. I thought my Spider-Sense would have been quiet since I let you go poking in my mind."
"No. It was not your Spider-Sense, that was no doubt strong, but what I felt was more than that, when we saw into the explosion… I- I have never felt power like that before…"
"When we…? I—I have no idea what you're talking about."
M'Gann and Dick looked to each other once more as the other two spoke.
"What do you remember?" J'onn continued.
"I remember you grabbing my head, closing my eyes, and then… Nothing."
"Hmmm… I- What you saw... In the collider. I do not believe any mortal being was ever supposed to see that. The sheer enormity of it all- I… It hurts to even think of."
"I don't remember any of it…"
"Who is Johnny, Peter?"
Although Peter did not remember telling J'onn he felt no aversion to the Martian saying his name, as if he simply accepted the man knew his identity, most likely a result of the mind meld of which he had no recollection. He did feel an intense disdain at hearing Johnny's name, however.
"Johnny?" Peter felt the hairs on his body stand on end as he felt a sharp stab in his heart, "I- Why?"
"You said that name, as the collider was closing… Before the chaos."
"Johnny… He- Johnny's dead… I don't know why I would've-"
He looked to the floor as he felt his eyes begin to wet, an overwhelming surge of emotions pulsed over him as if the pain was fresh.
"I apologise… I didn't realise…"
"No. It's not your fault, I don't know why I would've said that…"
"Alright, but do you remember the… Other? The voice in your subconscious…"
"That who-what now?"
J'onn looked at Peter with curiosity, he knew the young man wasn't lying, but there was clearly more to the story than initially thought.
"There was something- or some one else in there with you… Its energy was in here too, it… caught you, put you back on the bed. Before you hit the window." M'Gann spoke, capitalising on her uncle's momentary loss for words.
"What do you mean it caught me? Also, sorry, who are you?" Peter's confusion was reaching yet unseen heights, struggling to understand what they meant while wrestling with the realisation that there was another person in the room with them. A young woman about Dick or his age with jet white skin and red hair and orange eyes. She was wearing a suit with a similar logo to J'onnz.
"M'Gann M'orzz, J'onnz's niece. Nice to meet you, I think. Despite you nearly killing us…"
Dick interjected, "I called her in for help when you two started being all creepy and I couldn't wake you up. And I mean like, exorcist levels creepy…"
Peter nodded as he rubbed his head, "Right. Sorry about that, nice to meet you too, I guess… Thanks for pulling us out of that…"
"That's the thing… I didn't, I couldn't. You were both on the verge of dying, and I couldn't do anything to stop it. But that Other did. And it also did that." She pointed to the ceiling.
Peter saw several holes in the metal above the bed, the result of something piercing partially into the thick steel.
"Riiiight," Peter's anxiety grew as he felt something bubble in the back of his mind, "What did this 'Other' look like exactly?"
"Black/Gooey" Dick and M'gann spoke at once.
Peter froze, he had no idea how that could possibly be, the symbiote was gone, it had been for years now, it was on Eddie… so how? His mind began racing with possibilities as his breathing grew impossibly quick and he stood up from the bed before pacing, turning around promptly and sitting back down again.
"Peter… Are you okay?" Dick spoke, softly, carefully as if trying not to drop a delicate vase full of eggshells.
Dick looked to both J'onn and M'Gann as the three of them all stepped back partially to allow the clearly anguished Peter space.
"Me? Sure! I'm Great! Ha! No… I don't think I am actually… Nope! Not at all! Hahaha! I- I'm gonna' take my mask of real quick, is that okay? What am I saying, of course it is! I- I umm… I just need- Air! Air, yeah I need to breath… I umm. Think I just might be- Yeah, I think I might be having a panic attack, sorry! Hah! How embarrassing!"
Peter's words shot from his mouth like bullets from an automatic weapon, as his breaths grew shallower and shallower with each passing nano second. They were interspersed with episodes of hysterics and laboured chuckles of panic. He began reaching his shaking hands to his head and he scrunched his hand into a violent, white-knuckled ball as he pulled the mask of his face.
Dick slowly took a step forward, "Peter. Breathe. Slowly. Deep breaths. You're okay, you're with friends…"
"Hah. Friends! I just met you guys… I'll never see my friends again, probably. And now. It can't be back, can it? I'm sorry you all seem very nice! I- This can't be happening..." Peter's head whipped to the window behind him, the stars beyond offering no comfort as he gazed into the endless dark dotted with lights millions of miles away, "I can't be here! I want to go home, now! Please can I go home?"
His panic-stricken ranting ceased as his face grew red and tears filled his eyes, he felt his chest fighting his lungs as the air desperately escaped his body every second only to be violently sucked back in the next. He had lost all control over his body and surrendered himself to the constant assault of his sucking lung, feeding hungrily yet completely ineffectually at the bottled air that was being pumped into the room hundreds of miles above an earth that wasn't his.
Dick looked to M'Gann who had already began slowly approaching Peter, reaching out into his mind, slipping past the defence of his Spider-Sense that had once been keeping her locked out of the maze of fractured memories that J'onn and Peter were earlier trapped in.
"Shhh… It's okay. You're safe, Peter… Breathe…" She spoke, slowly.
She said the words aloud as she also quietly, gently pressed them into his mind. She felt his barriers fall and his eyes fell shut once more before he began to fall forward off the bed. J'onn catching his flaccid body as it grew heavy, lying him softly back down on the covers.
J'onn stood back up and stepped away from the bed before turning back to his niece, "That was dangerous… You shouldn't have gone back into his mind like that."
"I just sent him to sleep, uncle J'onn. You know I wouldn't go past the first the layer of his outer conscious without his consent… Besides, what were we supposed to do? Just let him have a panic attack in a space station, above an earth that he has no connection to, surrounded by people he doesn't know?"
J'onn sighed, she was right, "Still. We don't know what could have happened… His mind, it isn't just fractured, nor do I think it is only his… That Other, it seemed to save us, but… His reaction, the panic and dread he felt, it was so powerful."
"I know, I felt it too…"
"Even I felt it…" Dick spoke, "What could it be to make him just… breakdown like that?"
"Nothing good." J'onn spoke.
"Are we sure? I mean it didn't feel malicious, it seemed to want to protect him… And it did, it saved both of you… You would have been destroyed in there, I could see your minds breaking…"
"She has a point, J'onn. Neither of us could wake you but whatever that thing was, it did, maybe a bit violently but you're still here because of it… What did you even see in there anyway?"
"I… I saw everything, or parts of it at least… Flashes across his entire life… He has been through so much, especially for someone so young… He has felt such pain. But more than that, when he was pulled into the collider…" He paused, thinking deeply, "The sheer scale of it, of all things, everything, across countless universes, the horror… The beauty. If I live a thousand years, I would still not be able to even grasp the slightest understanding of what I saw."
"Okay. Wow... Existential crises aside, this confirms that he's telling the truth, right. The multiverse is infinite, not finite like we believed?"
"Maybe. It is possible his reality was destroyed along with countless others, and he was sent here before his reality ceased to be. But after seeing into that… abyss. I simply do not know…"
"Or there could be more multiverses out there, ones that weren't affected by whatever happened to ours…" M'Gann offered.
"Also possible… I believe I also saw parts of that Other, though I do not understand it. It was something alien, a symbiotic entity… It fed off his pain. But he expelled it I believe… And that Other, it felt, different… I cannot quite explain, nor, do I think, can Peter… Forgive me, I also need rest. Whatever happened in our mindscape, it has drained me, completely… I will inform Batman of all that transpired here and then retire for the day…"
"Sure thing, J'onn. Thanks for everything."
J'onn nodded to Dick in gratitude and acknowledgement before placing a paternal hand on his niece and smiling gravely at her. Leaving the room slowly, immense weight punctuating his every step.
"You go on too, M'Gann… I can take it from here."
"You sure? What if he has another episode?"
"Then I'll call you, I promise. Go home and rest, thanks for coming in, but you shouldn't have had to be here…"
"I'm fine, I didn't feel any of the strain my uncle went through…"
He looked at her and smiled softly, sincerely, "You know that's not what I'm talking about…"
She looked down shivering slightly at the ghost of fresh grief that passed through her, "… I know. I think- I think I'd rather stay busy for now… I'm not ready to go home just yet. It's so… Empty there."
Dick nodded with understanding before grimly chuckling to himself.
"What's so funny?" M'Gann asked.
"Oh nothing, just the irony of it. I've got two people to take care of today, now. One who desperately wants to go home, and one who doesn't…" His head nodded between Peter and M'Gann.
Her lips curved to a half smile, but her eyes remained dark, "I don't need you to take care of me, Dick."
"I know. But you can't stop me from trying, either. It's my job as your friend."
Her lips curved again, this time into a genuine full smile as she grabbed his upper arm and squeezed it in thanks.
The room grew silent and all that could be heard was the soft hum of the space station interspersed with Peter's soft breathing as he lay there unconscious beside them.
"I'm sorry, we haven't had time to talk about it all yet. It's just still so… Fresh, you know?" Dick's voice was uncharacteristically dark.
"I understand. I don't think I'm ready yet, anyway."
"Then we won't."
The two looked at each other for a moment before Dick began picking up and repositioning the furniture of the room that had been strewn about the place during the psychic explosion. M'Gann began to help Dick as he tried to return the room to its earlier layout.
Once they had reorganised the room as best they could, they both sat and watched Peter as he slept peacefully… Waiting for him to awake from his psychic induced slumber.
"How long will he be out?"
"Should only be a couple more minutes now… Hopefully he'll feel better after the rest. He hid it well, all things considered, but if uncle J'onn was mentally drained, well… I dread to think what that kind of strain would do to a human's mind. 'Spider-sense', or whatever he called it, or not."
"Then add on, the whole black goop thing… That shook him up real bad…"
"Yeah… I don't know how he'll be when he wakes up to be honest…"
Meanwhile,
Earth Prime - New York City
Queens
Outside of world threatening emergencies, it was extremely rare for Batman to be spotted outside of Gotham City. It was even less rare for him be spotted during the day. So, for the citizens of Queens who were going about their business in the early afternoon of the winter Sunday, it was very hard for them to tear their eyes aware from his form as he strolled through the suburban streets.
Many assumed he was simply a very dedicated cosplayer who had poured hours and far too much money into a convincing replica of the Dark Knight's uniform. They stared nonetheless at the impressive dedication of the assumed fan of the hero.
Those sceptics, however, soon had their suspicions, and weariness at the man's legitimacy, dispelled as they saw a red and blue blur appear in the sky above him. Slowly floating down to Batman's position and walking alongside him with a smile. The dark and brooding Bat only offering a curt nod as the man of steel spoke to him with an enthused inflection.
"You called?"
"Hmm…"
"Care to explain why? Don't get me wrong it's good to see you, Batman, but I would've appreciated a little context."
"I'm following up on a lead. You remember the young man I told you about?"
"Spider-Man, right? What about him?"
The two slowed their walk down as they approached a bench and Bruce ushered his friend to sit down.
Standing next to Superman, he asked, "Still reading in sub-second intervals, I assume?"
"You know I am. Can read the entire works of Shakespeare before you can even speak the 'W' in 'Will'…" Clark replied, matter-of-factly as he took the folder Bruce handed to him.
Both men knew Clark wasn't bragging, he was merely giving an example.
"I began looking into Spider-Man's story, and although J'onn appears to have confirmed he was telling the truth… There are… unintended discrepancies."
"Clearly." Clark replied as he handed the folder back to Bruce, having read the contents in their entirety before Batman had even begun his sentence. "So, we've established why we're here. But you still haven't told me why I'm here…"
"Do I need to spell it out for you?" Bruce spoke as his friend stood back on his feet.
"No. But I wouldn't mind hearing it…" Clark smiled widely.
"You're… Better with people than I am…"
"Please. You're not that bad, Batman… You're nicer than you give yourself credit. You need to learn how to properly open-up one of these days…"
"Hmmm… Well then, I learn best by observing… I would appreciate your help."
"You already had it, I wouldn't be here otherwise… Let's try and make this quick, though… I'm on the clock, after all."
"Why? Is there a cat stuck in a tree somewhere?" Bruce responded a tone as close to friendly banter as he could muster.
"Something like that…" Clark replied as the two began walking again.
As the two continued their approach to their destination, their path was blocked by a small boy, roughly seven or so in age. He wore a thick coat that was opened over top a black shirt with a yellow oval, stamped with a black Bat symbol.
"Errr… Excuse me… Are you really Batman?" The kid stuttered out his question shyly.
Clark beamed joyfully, clearly languishing in both the wholesome display of the child, and the mild shuffling noise of Batman bristling in discomfort.
"He sure is, son." Superman spoke as he smiled brightly at the child, dispelling the boy's shyness and putting him at ease.
Excitement replaced the kid's shyness at near inhuman speed as he exclaimed, "Wow! Can I- Would it be okay if I got a picture with you?"
Before Batman could even open his mouth to voice a polite dismissal, Superman had already answered, "Of course you can! Want me to take it for you?
The kid simply nodded as he handed over a phone that clearly belonged to his mother who was standing just ahead of the trio, watching them with glee.
The boy immediately sidled up next to the Dark Knight whose expression remained a fix glare at Clark as he took several photos of the two of them. A wide, toothy grin never leaving the boy's face.
After the impromptu photo shoot had ended Clark handed the phone back to the boy who grabbed it carefully with both hands, before Superman asked happily, "Would you like a picture with me as well?"
"No thanks! My Daddy says you're boring." The kid replied, the smile never once leaving his face.
"Well okay, then…" Superman replied, slightly dejected by the rejection.
The boy then ran happily back to his mother who took the phone back and tried her best to match his excitement. As she stood back up, the woman mouthed the word 'sorry' to Superman who simply smiled back, chuckling slightly as he waved a dismissive hand at the child's unintended offence.
Superman turned back to his friend, smiling at the Batglare that he was currently receiving.
"What? You can't be that shocked to find out you have fans…" Clark replied.
"Hmm…" Batman's face shifted slightly into a thin smile, "Perhaps more than others…"
"Oh, he'll come around. I mean he was wearing a Batman shirt, clearly, he's going through his edgy phase early…" Clark spoke playfully.
"Or perhaps your shirts are just too… Boring." Bruce smiled back; the boys parting words had seemingly alleviated some of the discomfort of the Dark Knight.
Clark chuckled back as the two of the recommenced their stroll through suburbia, "Come on superstar, we're nearly there…"
After less than a minute the two of them were approaching the door of a simple detached house. They ascended the porch stairs before Batman pressed on the doorbell and a soft melodic chime could be heard playing within the house.
After a moment the door opened slowly, and the two heroes of titanic acclaim were stood face to face with the home's occupant.
Clearly surprised by the unexpected visitors, a ginger and uncertain voice came from the homeowner's mouth, "Ummm… Can I… Help you?"
"Ben Parker?" Batman replied.
"Yes?" The man, who was in his early fifties responded, still uncertain at the presence of the two heroes.
Superman continued speaking on behalf of the two costumed men, "Sorry to bother you Mr. Parker… We're here to talk to you about your nephew, Peter. May we come in?"
"My nephew?" The shock at hearing Peter's name had clearly only confused the man further, and before he could reply another voice was heard from within the house.
"Who is it, Uncle Ben? Oh... Wow…" The seventeen-year-old girl stopped in her tracks as she looked past her uncle into the eyes of the Man of Steel who smiled softly back at her.
Ben spoke, not answering his niece, "But… Peter… He…" unable to finish the sentence.
"We know, sir. We have a lot to talk about… This will be a lot easier if we could all sit and discuss this… May we?" Clark continued, nodding his head softly past the older man.
"I… Yes of course, come in…" Ben ushered the two heroes into the living room as he peered out into the street, looking left and right still unsure as to whether someone was playing a cruel prank.
The door softly closed shut, and the cold winter air continued to whistle through the streets of Queens…