Chapter 180: Across the Spider-Verse (5)

Location: Brooklyn Visions Academy

Ms. Weber, the counselor at Brooklyn Visions Academy, sat at her desk, reviewing the file in front of her. Rio Morales and Jefferson Davis, Miles' parents, sat across from her. The room was filled with an air of anticipation mixed with a bit of tension.

Rio spoke up first, her voice carrying a tone of determined optimism. "I know he's just a sophomore, but we want to get a jump on the college conversation, so..." She glanced at Jefferson, giving him a pointed look.

Jefferson, feeling the pressure, coughed nervously and adjusted his posture. "Hehehe," he chuckled, trying to ease the tension.

Rio turned her attention back to Ms. Weber. "I'm sure he's gonna be here any minute. He's very serious about his future."

Jefferson added, "Yeah, very serious." He nodded, though his voice betrayed his nervousness.

Ms. Weber smiled kindly, understanding the anxiety that parents often felt during these meetings. "I'm sure he is. We just want to make sure he's on the right track."

.....

Meanwhile, in a convenience store across town, chaos was brewing. The store owner, Lenny, was behind the counter when Spot entered. Spot, with his strange, shifting black spots, looked around nervously.

"Excuse me, do you have an ATM machine?" Spot asked, his voice slightly shaky.

Lenny, not suspecting anything unusual, pointed towards the back of the store. "Around there in the back."

Spot nodded. "Preferably not chained."

"What?" Lenny asked, confused by the odd request.

"Nothing!" Spot replied quickly, moving towards the ATM machine.

As he approached the ATM, Spot murmured to himself, "Time to steal it."

Spot, concentrating hard, said, "This should be simple enough." He removed one of the black circles from his arm and placed it on the ATM, creating a small black hole.

"Just make a hole... grab the money," he muttered, focusing on his task. But his hand just went through the black hole and out the other side, touching a can of beans on the shelf.

"Nope. That's not right," Spot said, frustration creeping into his voice. He tried again, this time more determined. "Uh... Give me your money. Where are you, money? Where are you?"

Finally, his hand touched the money inside the ATM. "Come here! Come to papa." Spot said, a grin spreading across his face.

Just as he was about to pull the money out, the ATM itself began to distort, creating another black hole on the ground. "Oh!" Spot exclaimed, losing his balance and stumbling.

Outside the store, a man in a suit was walking by when he suddenly tripped over the ATM, which now had a black hole underneath it. "Hey, who left this ATM on the sidewalk?" he yelled in confusion.

Back inside, Lenny noticed the commotion and turned his attention to Spot. Realizing what was happening, Lenny slowly walked towards Spot, grabbing a baseball bat from under the counter for protection.

"Yo, what you doing back there, man?" Lenny called out, his voice tense.

Spot, trying to hide his panic, replied, "Nothing. Everything's cool, man. It's all good." He tried to act nonchalant, but his nervous movements betrayed him.

Lenny, now just a few feet away, tightened his grip on the bat. "Yo, what's going on?"

Spot, still fumbling with the ATM and his powers, tried to act nonchalant. "Just a little technical difficulty. I'll be out of here in a sec."

Lenny, now just a few feet away, tightened his grip on the bat. "Are you sure?" His eyes narrowed with suspicion.

Spot said, "Yep, just forgot my PIN number."

Lenny, closer now, suddenly swung his baseball bat. "Get out of here!"

Spot dodged, escaping through a black hole and reappearing behind Lenny. "No! Sir! Let me rob you!"

Lenny, furious, shouted, "I'm going to rob your spotted face." swinging the bat again with more force.

Spot dodged and retorted, "No reason to bring wood into this."

As the store turned into a mess of upturned shelves and scattered items, Spot evaded another swing, reappearing behind Lenny. "I've never robbed anybody in my life. Please don't make this a bad experience."

Lenny, determined, yelled, "'Bad experience'? I run a business here!" swinging wildly. The bat smashed into a display of canned goods, sending them clattering to the floor.

Spot evaded, spotting a can of curry powder. "Oh, wow, is this curry powder?" He looked at Lenny. "See, I'm a scientist. Or I was... I am. Anyway, you've heard of Alchemax? I used to work there."

Lenny, exasperated, swung again. "Aurg!" His face was red with exertion and anger.

Spot continued, dodging. "I was considered handsome by scientists' standards. I had a little accident." He tried to grab the ATM but got his foot stuck in the black hole.

Lenny saw his chance and lunged. Spot, struggling, shouted, "Give me my foot!"

Spot finally freed his foot, and Lenny, swinging his bat, accidentally went into the black hole. The bat reappeared from another hole, hitting Lenny in the head and knocking him to the ground.

Lenny, dazed, found his legs stuck in a black hole beneath him. He struggled to free himself, his face a mask of frustration and pain.

Spot finally freed his foot, and Lenny, swinging his bat, accidentally went into the black hole. The bat reappeared from another hole, hitting Lenny in the head and knocking him to the ground. Lenny then dazed, found his legs stuck in a black hole beneath him.

"I'm so sorry," Spot said, his voice filled with guilt. He genuinely felt bad for Lenny, whose legs were stuck in the black hole.

Spot approached the ATM, scattering cans to clear the way. "First of all, I'm not even robbing you. This machine doesn't even belong to you."

Lenny, still stuck, protested, "You're the criminal. You're robbing me."

Spot, rolling the ATM towards the exit, said, "Belongs to the bank, the real criminals." He paused to look at Lenny. "You know, I can't really get a job anywhere anymore, being like this. So I've turned to a life of crime."

The convenience store, now a chaotic mess, echoed with the sounds of Spot's hurried movements and Lenny's frustrated grunts. Shelves were knocked over, cans and boxes scattered everywhere, and the flickering fluorescent lights cast eerie shadows on the walls.

Suddenly, Miles Morales, in his Spider-Man suit, appeared on the ceiling, his presence unnoticed by the other two.

"Why do people say 'ATM machine'?" Miles asked, his voice light and curious.

Spot, startled, looked around frantically. "Huh? Who said that?"

Miles, still hanging upside down, continued, "The M stands for 'Machine.'"

With a graceful flip, Miles dropped to the ground, casually munching on a beef patty. Spot, now visibly anxious, exclaimed, "Spider-Man!" In his panic, Spot and the ATM got swept into a black hole and reappeared on the other side of the convenience store. "Ow!" Spot yelped as he collided with the ground.

Miles shook his head, amused by the scene. He turned to Lenny, who was still stuck in the black hole. "Hey, Lenny, how much do I owe you for this beef patty, man?"

Miles approached Lenny and effortlessly pulled him free from the black hole. Lenny, now standing, looked at Miles with gratitude and said, "Spidey, if you catch him, it's on the house, brother."

Miles nodded in acknowledgment and turned his attention back to Spot. He walked over, his steps casual yet purposeful.

Spot, still reeling from the encounter, looked at Miles with a mix of awe and fear. "Oh, Spider-Man. Wow. This is real!"

Miles, taking another bite of his beef patty, asked with a smirk, "So are you, like, a cow or a Dalmatian?"

Spot, attempting a dramatic introduction, declared, "I am... the Spot."

Miles couldn't help but burst into laughter, the sound filling the cluttered store. Spot, flustered, said, "We meet again, Spider-Man."

As Spot spoke, a piece of bread from a nearby shelf passed through one of the black holes on his body, making the scene even more absurd. Miles laughed even harder, doubling over.

"That's funny to you?" Spot asked, a hint of indignation in his voice.

Miles, trying to stifle his laughter, replied, "Of course not. No."

Regaining his composure, Miles examined Spot's peculiar skin. "So, is that a costume?"

Spot sighed, his tone resigned. "Unfortunately for both of us, this is skin."

Miles winced sympathetically. "Oh, dang."

The store, once again, became a battleground of words and movements as the two adversaries faced off. Miles, with his easy confidence and humor, and Spot, with his desperate determination, stood amidst the disarray of the convenience store.

....

Meanwhile, inside another dimension, high atop a tower, Michael Wilson, known as the Legendary Spider-Man, and his disciple, Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man Red, took a much-needed break from their spider duties. The two were seated on the edge of the tower, overlooking the bustling city below, as they shared a pizza.

Michael, dressed in his sleek black suit adorned with a blue spider emblem and a blue eye mask, handed a slice of pizza to Peter. Peter, in his iconic red and blue suit, accepted it gratefully.

"Thanks, Mike." Peter said, taking a bite.

Michael smiled. "No problem, Pete."

Peter gazed at the city below, filled with people going about their lives. "Man, I'm glad that I have you." he said, his voice tinged with gratitude.

Michael looked at Peter, curious. "Why do you say that?"

Peter sighed, his eyes reflecting the weight of his responsibilities. "I mean, it's kinda lonely, you know? Being Spider-Man alone... the responsibility and all those things."

Peter turned to face his mentor. "If you weren't here, Mike, I'd probably be depressed and overwhelmed with everything. I feel like I'd be alone with no one to talk to about my predicaments and my situation."

Michael pondered Peter's words for a moment before responding. "Is that so... Hmm," he mused. Then, looking at Peter, he continued, "Well, even if I'm not here or you are the only Spider-Man... I know."

Peter looked at Michael, confused. "I know?"

Michael nodded. "I know that you can handle it. You can handle the responsibilities. After all, Pete, you embody Spider-Man more than me."

Peter raised an eyebrow, incredulous. "More than you? Are you joking?"

Michael shook his head. "No, I'm not. Remember that Spider-Verse I was telling you about?"

Peter nodded. "Oh, you mean the other me in the Spider-Verse you met?"

Michael nodded again, his thoughts drifting back to the time he met another Peter Parker from a different timeline. That Peter had fought his future self, embodying the essence of Spider-Man in a way that deeply resonated with Michael, reminding him of his childhood hero.

Peter interrupted Michael's reverie. "Do I really have what it takes to be what you said? To be that Peter Parker you met in the Spider-Verse?"

Michael looked at Peter warmly, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Yeah, you will... and you will surpass him and become an even better hero than him."

Peter nodded, determination shining in his eyes. "Then I'm counting on you to shape me up, teacher."

Michael smiled and nodded, his eyes filled with pride and determination. He placed a reassuring hand on Peter's shoulder and said, "You have my word, Peter."

As Michael smiled, he raised his fist for a fist bump with Peter. "Showtime?" he asked, grinning.

Peter met the fist bump with a smile. "Showtime," he echoed, ready to embrace the challenges ahead.

The two Spider-Men sat together, their bond stronger than ever, ready to face whatever the multiverse threw at them. With Michael's guidance and Peter's unwavering spirit, they knew they could overcome any obstacle and protect their world from any threat.

....

Meanwhile, in another dimension, Miguel O'Hara sat in front of many digital monitors, each displaying different scenes from across the multiverse. His attention was drawn to a specific monitor where he could see Michael Wilson and Peter Parker engaged in a conversation atop a tower."

On the monitor, Michael and Peter were sitting together, sharing a moment of camaraderie and mentorship. Michael, clad in his distinctive black suit with a blue spider emblem and mask, was guiding Peter, who wore his iconic red and blue Spider-Man suit. They were discussing the weight of responsibility and the essence of being Spider-Man.

As Miguel observed them, his mind was filled with mixed emotions. He knew Michael well, having fought alongside him and the other Peter in various battles across dimensions. Miguel respected Michael's unique abilities and his unwavering commitment to protecting the multiverse. Yet, Miguel also harbored concerns and reservations about the complexities of their roles as Spider-Men.

As the conversation between Michael and Peter continued on the monitor, Miguel sighed heavily. He knew that his role required tough decisions and sacrifices, sometimes at the expense of personal connections and friendships. Yet, Miguel also understood that every action he took was to safeguard the greater good, to protect the delicate balance of the multiverse.

Miguel watched intently, his expression conflicted. He muttered under his breath, almost to himself, "Michael... I'm sorry, man... It's not what you think it is." 

With a determined expression, Miguel refocused his attention on the monitors, monitoring the myriad realities and preparing for whatever challenges the multiverse might present next.

To be continue