Margo leaned back in her chair and sighed.
It was weird being there. It would always feel weird. She had spent so much time hiding in her room, interacting with the world through her computer. To actually be there…
"Hey," Pete said with a smile. "Ready to take a break?"
"…yeah, I think I am," Margo said, getting up and grabbing her purse.
Sometimes Margo wondered at how different her life was. Just 2 years ago everything that mattered to her could be found within her room. Her life as Spider-Byte centered around her computer. Even working with the Society had seen her never leave her room, instead using the tech Miguel gave her that allowed her to create her hard light avatar to do the work she needed to do.
But Chris had forced her out. He and Madame Webb had both agreed that she needed to explore the world outside of her room.
"You don't want to find yourself old, with a body that can no longer allow you to do what you wanted to do, time dibbled away into almost nothing, and a mind full of regrets."
Chris had been more blunt.
"You went along with all that happened because it wasn't real. You didn't have to interact with Miles or Miguel or anyone like that. So you truly didn't see them as real people. They were NPCs and if you failed a speech check you though it was fine, you could try again later. But there are no save spots. No prior files. This was real life. And I wonder if you would have made the same choices if you had actually known them as people."
And… he was right.
So Margo had begun commuting to Nuevea York. She had worked on the Hard Light system so that it could form an actual suit around her. Oh, she could be separate from it but now she was in there with the action, if she so chose. And she did find that her interactions with people changed now that she actually could touch them.
"What do you want to get?" Margo asked.
"They have this new Christmas themed bake shop down the street. Always selling Christmas cookies and the like."
"Huh," Margo said.
"Too on the nose?"
"No. Not at all." She thought it over. "Yeah… I could go for a sugar cookie the size of my head!"
That made Pete laugh. "You Spiders… I'm never going to get over your metabolism."
"You are one to talk," she said. "I've seen you wolf down entire pizzas all by yourself."
"Jonah says I'm a growing boy and its perfectly fine," Pete said.
Margo was glad that Pete was joking about what had happened to him. When the Alliance had been contacted by Jonah in a panic about Pete being kidnapped and experimented on by the Russians in order to create their new Winter Warlock, they had feared the worse. Only it had turned out that their fears were tame compared to what the Crimson Widows sought to do. They had used their mysticism and magics to warp Pete's body, seeking to turn him into a mindless weapon.
Thankfully it had been Spider-Ham, of all Spiders, to save the day, using a few well placed mirrors to bounce and reverse the spell. As a result small and awkward Pete had gained about 7 inches in heigh, doubled his body mass with raw muscle, AND gained all the magical abilities of Crimson Widows. He was still learning to use his powers but it was hoped in time that he would become a hero much like Headline himself.
'That also got Jonah to get his head out of his ass,' Margo though with a smile as they made their way to the elevator. After the attack Jonah had finally come to Pete and asked if he would consider allowing Jonah to officially adopt him after months of waffling on the subject. Pete had said yes and thus had become Pete Parker-Jameson.
The elevator only took a moment to reach the lobby and when it did Margo smiled as she saw all the different people moving about. The multiverse was opening up again and many Spiders that had been exiled back to their worlds (put on a 'Time Out' as Chris had called it) were returning to them to see the changes they had made.
Oh… and what changes they were.
"Hey Peni!" Margo called out as she spotted one such new arrival.
The young Japanese girl (though, Margo supposed she shouldn't say that as Peni was now an adult) beamed and ran up to Margo, giving her a hug. Behind her the latest version of SP/DER followed after her, coming to a stop and giving a friendly wave to Pete.
"It is so good to see you!" Peni declared happily. "And this place… it is so bright and cheerful!" She threw her arms out wide. "Before… well, Miguel tried… but it always felt soulless. Empty and hollow. But not now. Now it is full of life!"
"We worked hard to fix the place up," Margo stated. "Come on, we're getting Christmas cookies. Join us."
"Of course."
They made their way out to the street, Margo nodding to several Wongs that were stationed at the doors. Peni clearly noticed that new additions and Margo smiled. "Cassie Strange and her Wongs have been working to find more of their brothers and sisters and bring them to an… understanding. The original group is still with her but these new ones have gone through their trials and proven themselves."
"And it is safe?" Peni asked. "I know in many worlds…"
"In many worlds were are villains," Pete commented. "The multiverse… it is full of literally every possibility. You can't judge people based solely on what you've encountered."
Peni blushed and ducked her head and Margo forced herself not to sigh. It was a hard lesson, one that Peni HAD to learn, but that didn't mean that she was heartless when it came to the woman before her. No one liked to be made a fool or embarrassed.
'But I also can't let her think that such thoughts are alright,' Margo thought to herself. 'That is where the Society failed… they let prior knowledge color their thought process. It had led to so many headaches for the Alliance…'
Peni, willing herself to be brave, glanced back at SP/DR before turning her attention once more to Pete and Margo. "Why do you have the Wongs then? They looked to be guards."
"Nueva York is safe," Margo stated.
"Well, for the citizens," Pete said. "Its all of you they are guarding."
Margo didn't hold back her sigh this time. "Pete, come on…" His adopted father had gotten Pete into the VERY bad habit of being blunt with his thoughts and opinions. He didn't bother to be careful with how he said things, choosing his words carefully. No, he openly mocked "sugar coating things". That people didn't learn and grow when that happened. It was better to be upfront and honest when it came to such things, that was his opinion on the matter. It was utterly frustrating for Margo but she had grown used to it.
But looking at Peni she could tell she hadn't been prepared for it.
"Us?" Peni whispered. "You think we'll… go on a rampage or-"
"Well, not you," Pete assured her with the casual air one might use when informing someone that they didn't believe that the mail had arrived yet. "We already know that you are better than that. Its why you are one of the first people that has been allowed back here. But there are others who aren't going to react well to all that has happened and who are going to think the bad ol' days are still upon us. And we are trying to make sure they don't disrupt the peace."
"What Pete is trying to say," Margo said, glaring at the man who merely shrugged and smiled at her, damn him, "is that a lot has changed from what happened when the Society was around and we want to make sure that things are running smoothly when they come back and KEEP running smoothly."
"What do you mean?" Peni pressed as they turned a corner and head towards the Christmas Shop, Pete leading the way.
"Okay," Margo said slowly, knowing that Peni wouldn't let anything go until they gave her an explanation. Which she did deserve… it was just… it was going to hurt. Had hurt Margo but that was nearly 2 years ago. "The big thing is the people we captured."
"…they weren't all villains, were they?" she said in a soft voice.
'She's smarter than people realize,' Margo thought to herself. 'Everyone just saw what she looked like and assumed she was this air headed Japanese school girl. That she was only a hero thanks to her father's suit but no… Peni is a genius. Most Spiders are. Of course she would see it… and I bet most of the returnees will too.'
Margo wasn't looking forward to that.
"Plenty of them were," Pete told her. "They ended up on a new world and saw it as a chance to make a name for themselves so you guys being there did stop a lot of chaos and mayhem." But before Peni could feel good about that Pete said, "But just as many were scared and confused and suddenly people that looked like their allies were attacking them. They thought the Society were evil doppelgangers of their loved ones and fought back and… yeah." He finally seemed to sense Margo glaring at the back of his head and decided to just shut up.
Peni swallowed at that as Pete quietly moved them towards the shop. It was… well, it was pretty much exactly what Margo had envisioned. Santa's Cupboard was decorated with Christmas decorations even though Christmas was still months away and the windows boasted the different frosted sugar cookies, peppermint chip treats, and things like hot and iced coco that one could purchase. The people running the store weren't forced to dress like elves or the like, which was a relief for Margo as that was just cringe, but they were wearing festive uniforms and were rather cheerful to all the customers. Of which there were many.
"I always wondered," Peni said softly. "Back then. I always wondered about the prisoners. Perhaps… perhaps that is why I never went to see any of them. I knew I couldn't save them and I worried-"
"Hey, so you never did get to tell us how things are on your world," Margo said, cutting off Peni before she could go into a depression spiral.
"What? Oh… yes, things are going quite well. Quite well." She smiled at that. "My aunt is back."
"The…one who died?" Margo asked.
Peni bobbed her head. "Oh yes! Though, it turns out she never actually died!"
Pete frowned at that. "Okay so what happened then? Because obviously you DID think she was dead…"
"Ah, yes," Peni stated. "It turns out the one that I saw be consumed by VEN#M wasn't my aunt at all. She was a clone-"
Pete and Margo both let out groans at that.
When Peni stared at them Margo sighed and waved her hand, like she was trying to sweep away the moaning she had just done. "Sorry… clones are just a massive headache for every Spider. I'm just glad the worst I had to deal with was people hacking their avatars to create duplicates of me to try and 'help'."
Margo's own Clone Saga had been far too close to the Spider-Society and what had happened to it. Hundreds of users, thinking they were helping out, had used a program by the Jackalope to turn their avatars into duplicates of Spider-Byte. They had then tried to clean up cyber space on their own, eventually forming a Spider-Collective ruled by a small few, which naturally had basically become a protection racket. Margo had been forced to spend 2 weeks cleaning up that mess; honestly, if the Jackalope hadn't activated his virus to take over all the avatars using his program she'd still have been dealing with the mess the clones had created.
"Go on," Margo finally said.
"Well, a rival of my father had wanted to take down SP/DR and had created a clone of my aunt to do it; that was why Abby was chosen for the program even though her psych evaluation should have ruled her out. My uncle and I found her though and… yes, it is good now." She bobbed her head. "Very good."
"I'm glad," Margo said and the conversation ended as they stepped up and put in their orders.
15 minutes later they walked out with a bag full of different cookies, each one having already snagged one to munch on as they headed back to the Tower. Peni was looking a bit better so Margo decided it was time to broach what would be happening next.
"So… right now, until you are fully cleared, you can't leave the tower without a guide. That's what the Wongs are for."
"I won't try and capture anyone, even if they resemble a villain," Peni said.
"Not just that," Pete stated. "You have to also realize that a lot has changed in Nueva York. With the Chaos Avengers invasion there was a lot of damage so there has been a ton of rebuilding. Easy to get lost."
"And there are more portals to other worlds," Margo said. "You don't have to worry about glitching because we already fixed that little problem but still, it is something you need to worry about because we don't want you ending up on some random world. Even if they should be prepared for your arrival."
"That makes sense," Peni stated with a nod. "It makes a lot of-"
"Well… look at this fine glass of water."
Peni let out a laugh and then SP/DR was lifting her up and carrying her over to Noir and Ham, the two all laughs and smiles as they greeted their friend. Margo and Pete watched on, knowing that the three needed a few moments to themselves, but finally Pete pushed for them to continue back and soon they were in one of the brightly lit lounges that were found throughout the tower, swapping cookies and stories.
"You two have been working for the Alliance?" Peni asked.
"Of course we have!" Ham declared. "They finally recognized our genius! Not like the Society."
"The Society asked me to join them, remember?" Noir pointed out. "I turned them down-"
"Didn't recognize our genius!" Ham declared, ignoring his best friend. "So Pete, how is Jameson doing…"
As Ham dragged Pete into a conversation about the press and its duties to be fair and balanced but also not so worried about 'Both Sides' that they allowed maniacs to be sane-washed (he was very passionate about that) Margo found herself alone with Peni and Noir, the older Spider looking at the two of them before nodding his head.
"You both seem to be doing well," he commented.
"I am," Peni said. "I… my uncle and I… we talked things over when I returned to my Earth. He wasn't pleased I had run off like I did, so upset. Said it didn't help solve my problems if I fled from them." She let out a sad little sigh. "I wish… I truly wish… I had thought of that before all this happened. Perhaps… perhaps Miles wouldn't hate me then."
"Now listen here," Noir said sternly, his words alone forcing Peni to look up at him. "Miles is mad at you, yes. He feels betrayed. But that doesn't mean he hates you. And if he does me and him are going to have words. He knows you were bamboozled into getting in league with the Society. If the timing had been different its entirely possible you would have been the one on the run and he would have been the one pounding his soles against the pavement trying to slap some silver collars on your wrists. He knows that. He can be mad about the situation but he can't be mad at you."
"Even though I did nothing to help him?" Peni pressed.
"But how much did you do to hinder him?" Noir asked him. "That's the key, Pretty Penny. That's the key." He patted her on the shoulder and walked off.
Peni though didn't look convinced. Margo, honestly, wasn't either.
'There are some things we simply can't come back from,' she thought to herself. 'Some wrongs that can never be healed.'