Across The Spider-Verse Part-4

I followed Gwen's portal, my excitement and nerves mingling as I stepped into a place filled with almost surrealism—a kaleidoscope of many colours.

When I stepped out of the other end of the portal, my sight was filled with countless Spider-Men and Spider-Women from various dimensions, each with their own unique twist on the classic Spider-Man design. I stayed in my quantum cloaking, but soon enough, the familiar sensation of glitching from Alice's memory hit me, and I stumbled, becoming visible.

My quantum cloaking kept me hidden, but the intense environment caused my disguise to flicker. I then felt Before I knew it, I was yanked out of my cloaked state by a Spider-Man dressed in punk attire.

"Hey, Lad. Fancy seeing you here," he said with a smirk, his British accent evident.

"Where the f*ck am I?" I asked, bewildered.

"It's Earth-928. This place is called the Spider Society," he explained nonchalantly.

"Woah, this place is amazing, just as Gwen said," I muttered, taking in the sprawling high-tech headquarters.

"Kid, you should take precautions. Make sure you don't get caught by Miguel or others who know you," he warned, his tone shifting to one of concern.

"Can't I enjoy my time here? I am also Spider-Man," I retorted, trying to mask my growing anxiety.

"Not registered yet," he pointed out, arching an eyebrow.

"Can we just ignore what I said?" I suggested it sheepishly.

"Here, you might need this," he said, tossing a watch towards me.

Upon catching it, I realised it was a dimension-hopping watch similar to Gwen's but with a unique design. "You should know where to go in the multiverse."

"I don't really understand this multiversal thing," I admitted, too busy examining the watch.

"So you are the other one," he mused, shaking his head slightly.

"I don't know your name," I said, finally looking up.

"Alright, my name's Hobie. Hobie Brown. I was bitten by a—wouldn't you like to know, get what I mean? And for the last three years, I've been the one and only—you should have already guessed it. I hate the AM, I hate the PM, and I hate labels. I'm not a hero because calling yourself a hero makes you a self-mythologizing narcissistic autocrat."

"I didn't ask for your whole biography. Anyway, I'm Alice Lewis," I replied, rolling my eyes.

Suddenly, a siren blared through the headquarters.

"It looks like they found you," Hobie said, quickly switching on the portal.

He shoved me towards it and slipped a small box into my pocket. "Next time, introduce yourself with your own name. And remember, open the box when you feel you completely need it."

Before I could respond, I was pushed through the portal, and it closed behind me.

"At least you should have told me, Where the hell did you send me?"

Jessica called me over and showed me the footage where Alice's image was captured. "Gwen, do you know her?" she asked, her tone serious.

"She is Alice. I didn't expect her to follow me here," I admitted, feeling a mix of surprise and worry.

"You can't be blamed. We have to take some measures against her," Jessica said, her expression thoughtful.

"Please go easy on her. And please make sure Miguel doesn't do anything insane," I pleaded, explaining that Alice might have mistakenly come here and asking for leniency. "She might have come here by accident. Please just send her back to her dimension."

Jessica considered my request and finally nodded. "Alright. I'll go after Alice myself. You continue investigating the Spot tomorrow."

As Jessica walked away, I recalled what Miguel had told me—Alice was never meant to be a Spider-Man. She wasn't even meant to be alive. The thought of revealing this harsh truth to Alice pained me. I didn't want her to know that she was never supposed to exist.

I refocused on my current mission. My next assignment was to investigate a dimension that housed Miles Morales.

Should I meet and say hello to Miles? Given the recent complications with Alice, I decided to keep a low profile and avoid meeting Miles directly. I couldn't risk another unexpected visitor to this world. And knowing Miles personality, I am sure he would follow me here.

The ruins of the particle collider sprawled before me, a testament to the chaotic battle that had taken place here. It really brings back memories of how we, the spider gang, fought against King Pin and went to our own dimension. I was busy yoinking out useful material. I really overestimated myself, thinking I could build a particle collider from the ruin. All my knowledge is acquired, and I am not a genius with a high IQ.

As I scavenged for materials, my senses were on high alert. It wasn't long before I spotted him—the Spot, moving stealthily among the debris.

Determined to catch him, I activated my invisibility and prepared to zap him. However, he seemed aware of my presence, despite my efforts to remain hidden.

"You have something more than your spider powers," he said, his voice dripping with curiosity and menace.

I realised he might have sensed my mutant abilities or could detect the quantum fluctuations I generated. My control over quantum manipulation wasn't perfect yet, and this encounter was proving it. Without wasting time on words, we engaged in a fierce battle.

The Spot immediately opened several black portals around him, using them to teleport unpredictably. I launched a volley of web shots, but they vanished into the portals, emerging from different angles and nearly hitting me. The precision of his attacks was unnerving.

I decided to switch tactics. Using my enhanced agility, I leaped onto a piece of rubble and sprang towards him, aiming a punch at his head. He opened a portal just in time, my fist passing through it harmlessly. Before I could react, another portal opened beside me, and his foot emerged, kicking me squarely in the ribs and sending me flying.

Pain radiated through my side, but I couldn't afford to let it slow me down. Rolling to my feet, I focused on the bioelectricity coursing through my veins. With a burst of speed, I charged at the Spot, sending a jolt of electricity his way. He dodged, but the charge disrupted his concentration, causing the portals to flicker.

Taking advantage of his momentary distraction, I shot a web at his feet, attempting to immobilise him. The webbing connected, but the Spot swiftly opened another portal, severing the web and freeing himself.

"Is that all you've got?" he taunted, his voice echoing from all directions.

I gritted my teeth, refusing to let his words rattle me. I needed to outthink him, not just outfight him. Spot was too elusive for brute force alone. I began to study his movements, noting the patterns in his teleportation. He was using the portals to create a shield, always keeping one step ahead of me.

I decided to try a different approach. I launched a series of rapid web shots, not at him but around him, creating a network of webbing that covered the area. Spot smirked, thinking I had missed him, but I had a plan.

"Nice try, but you'll have to do better than that!" he sneered.

With the webbing in place, I activated my quantum manipulation, causing the web strands to vibrate at different frequencies. As Spot teleported, he inadvertently touched one of the vibrating strands, causing a ripple that revealed his position. I seized the opportunity and aimed a precise bioelectric shot at the spot where he reappeared.

The jolt hit him squarely in the chest, causing him to stagger. "You're not bad," he admitted, a grudging respect in his voice.

I pressed the advantage, closing the distance between us. Spot opened a portal directly in front of me, but I anticipated the move. Using my enhanced reflexes, I dove and rolled, avoiding the portal and coming up behind him. I aimed a kick at his back, but he vanished again, reappearing a few feet away.

We circled each other, both of us breathing heavily. The fight was taking its toll, but I couldn't afford to let up. Spot opened multiple portals, launching debris and pieces of machinery at me. I dodged and weaved, using my agility to avoid the projectiles.

One particularly large piece of rubble hurtled towards me, and I knew I couldn't dodge it in time. Instead, I activated my intangibility, allowing the debris to pass through me harmlessly. Spot's eyes widened in surprise at my ability.

"You're full of surprises, aren't you?" he remarked, a hint of admiration in his tone.

"I'm just getting started," I retorted, charging at him again.

This time, I feinted a punch, causing Spot to open a portal to dodge. As my fist passed through the portal, I quickly shot a web line through it, latching onto his arm. With a swift yank, I pulled him towards me and delivered a powerful bioelectric punch to his jaw.

The impact sent a shockwave through both of us. Pain seared through my body, more intense than anything I had felt before. It was as if my very soul was being torn apart. The Spot seemed equally affected, his expression twisted in agony.

Before I could regain control of the situation, Spot opened another portal and pushed me through it. I tumbled through the multiverse, disoriented and struggling to maintain my bearings. The portal closed behind me, leaving me stranded in an unfamiliar dimension.