Discover Top Posts Tagged with #tasm fics

In the Scheme of the Multiverse - Pt. 2

· Part 1 ·

Characters: Maribel (OFC), Tom, Andrew & Tobey!Spidermans, MJ, Ned, Strange

Summary: Three Peter Parkers are united to help cure their enemies to save one world. Maribel Jenavid, a Multiverse expert, aids them in their quest despite growing weaker as the multiverse cracks. In the process, she learns about her other doppelgangers, more specifically Peter 3’s best friend “Mar” who inexplicably cut ties with him. Maribel then reveals the secret her doppelganger kept that could change Peter’s entire perspective.

taglist: @ocappreciationtag @arrthurpendragon @anotherunreadblog @maaaaarveeeeel @stareyedplanet @foxesandmagic

Maribel’s Masterlist

If you’d like to be a part of this OC’s work/edits, let me know!

Part 2

Maribel couldn't take it. She really couldn't. Sitting around with MJ and Ned in the lab waiting for the other Peters to handle the misfits just wasn't on Maribel's to-do list. When they least expected it, Maribel teleported out of the lab…but she didn't teleport into the scaffolding either. She had other plans to finally put a stop to the nonsense.

"Where the hell did she go!?" MJ helplessly looked around the lab and even peered out the portal into the scaffolding. Maribel wasn't in sight.

They soon grew distracted when Ned discovered that he couldn't close the portal he opened up. They had the Machina de Kadavus in their possession so the portal needed to be closed immediately. It wasn't happening…

And soon their mistake was noticed by one misfit and were forced into a run out of the portal onto the scaffolding. Ned managed to open up a few more portals to evade getting struck but none of them were shut again.

With one last effort, Ned tried opening up one more portal only for someone else to create one right behind them. As he and MJ whirled around, they saw Dr. Strange emerging from the newly created portal.

"Uh-oh," Ned's eyes widened to the brim. MJ gripped the box in her hands tighter.

"Where is he!?" Strange all but yelled in the teenagers' faces.

"Don't yell please…" Maribel came out of the portal after him, looking worse for wear.

MJ lowered the box in her hands, her eyes widening like Ned's but not out of shock. "Oh my God, Maribel, what happened to you?"

Maribel was white as a ghost. MJ swore she could hear the woman's raggedy breathing from her spot.

"What do you think happened to her!?" Strange snapped. He was beyond furious as it was and now they wanted to play dumb about things? "The Multiverse is cracking!" He took the Sling Ring from Ned, along with the box. "Dying! Which means so is she!"

"Am…not…" Maribel's intentions to sound strong were sadly put on hold when her two words made her gasp for air.

Strange took no pity for the situation. He had one thing to do and he was going to do it. "See!?"

"Don't listen to him," Maribel waved the man off, "I went to find him—"

"And in opening so many other portals—"

"Shut up, Strange," Maribel sighed. She leaned against the rail and wrapped an arm around her stomach. "I brought you back to help…"

"And I am." Strange motioned to the box now in his possession.

"Wait, wait, wait!" MJ begged him.

"Before you do anything, Mister... Doctor Strange, sir, well... Peter's plan is working," Ned said, frantically flapping an arm to his right.

"What plan?" Strange said, frowning.

"He's curing them."

Strange followed Ned's gesture and saw the last of a green smoke clearing a little below where they stood. They had just cured Dr. Connors.

"Well, I'll be damned…" Strange said, taking a moment to look at the sight. Suddenly, his head flipped in Ned's direction. "Were you opening portals?"

"Yes…" Ned said slowly, "Yes, sir, I did."

"Help them," Maribel said to Strange, leaning her head back for a second, "That's why you're here."

"No," Strange snapped, "I am not here for any of you. I'm not a babysitter — that's your self-proclaimed job!"

Peter 1 dropped in beside them, yanking off his mask. "Strange, wait, we're so close—!"

"Skip it! I've been dangling over the Grand Canyon for twelve hours!" Strange exclaimed.

"I know, I know, I, uh, um, uh…" Peter certainly had no argument against that point. It was another of his mistakes.

Peter 2 and 3 soon joined them, both easily getting the gist that Strange wasn't exactly the invited guest to their battle either.

Peter 3 then took notice of Maribel's appearance and almost forgot about Strange altogether. "Mar…what's wrong—"

"Strange, you need to help them," Maribel told the other man again, swallowing hard. She didn't want to alert anyone but she really felt like she would collapse soon. "That's why I found you."

"Look, I am really impressed that you've managed to give them all a second chance, kid," Strange said, looking directly at Peter 1, "But this has to end, now. She—" he jerked a thumb over his shoulder towards Maribel, "—is a firsthand visual of what's happening to the Multiverse right now. It's dying, Peter."

"I-I know that—"

"No, you really don't," Strange cut Peter 1 off, his voice sharp, "Because I swear if there's one more crack, or if she uses her powers one more time, it's game over."

"Don't listen to h-im," Maribel said, her voice unintentionally cracking. She cleared her throat but even that had grown weaker. "I'll be okay."

"Quit lying," Strange reprimanded her, "This needs to—"

Peter 2 stiffened all of a sudden. There was a brief second where his body felt the familiar tingle he long ago felt the first moment he showed up. He turned around, his face full of dread as the Green Goblin's voice called from somewhere unknown.

"Can the Spider-Man come out to play?"

Suddenly, the Green Goblin swooped in on his glider with a swarm of pumpkin bombs behind him. Dr. Octopus stepped in to crush various of the bombs but it still was not enough. The Green Goblin stole the box right out of Strange's hands. One last attempt of Dr. Octopus had his tentacle catch the last bit of the infamous glider.

Strange acted fast with a makeshift whip and snatched the box from the Green Goblin. Instead of fighting for the box, the Green goblin spun his glider and crushed the tentacle keeping him in place then flew off.

"That was too easy…" Maribel mumbled just before all three Peters felt their spider-senses go off.

There was another pumpkin bomb lodged on the box.

"STRANGE, NO!" Peter 1 lunged towards Strange but it was too late. The bomb went off and pushed everyone away from the spot. Ned slipped over the scaffolding and managed to latch onto a rivet. MJ and Maribel both fell from the scaffold along with the debris around them.

Seeing Peter 1 go after MJ, Maribel summoned all her willpower to produce another portal for herself. In one of her lucky streaks, she managed to do it and fell right into it. The same portal opened up somewhere else on the scaffold but much too far from the floor to land comfortably. She fell hard on her back and head, letting out a strained gasp. At the same time, she heard a sharp cry in the air.

"NO!"

Maribel felt so tired; she couldn't move anymore. She hoped whoever had cried was okay because then she wouldn't have to fight her own body to lift herself up.

Somewhere else, Strange had gotten the box back and did what he had to. He raised in the air to start the spell only since too much time had passed since it was cast, it was far harder to keep it restrained.

"Where's Ned!? Where's Maribel!?" MJ cried from the ground beside Peter 3. They both looked up and saw Ned still hanging from the rivet but Maribel was nowhere in sight.

Suddenly, a wave of energy blasted from above. It rocked the ground, and quite possibly the whole city. Ned fell from the rivet with energy but thankfully the cloak of levitation came to his aid. It helped it land safely on the ground.

"Ned!" MJ ran up to him, throwing her arms around him.

"I'm okay! I'm good! I'm good!" Ned exclaimed, soon feeling the cloak unlatch from his body and fly back up to Strange. "Thank you, Mister Cape, sir."

The half finished shield could no longer sustain itself under the energy. It crashed down on the scaffolding, absolutely destroying what was left of it. In the midst of it, Peter 2 was able to help Dr. Connors off the scaffold before it hit the ground. The shield fell to the ground and rolled onto the surface of the Liberty Island, stopping on the water. Up above, the sky was literally ripping apart as interdimensional portals opened up for more uninvited guests to crossover. Even as he tried sealing them, more kept opening up — the numbers made it impossible to beat them all.

"MJ! NED!" Peter 1 cried for his friends.

MJ jumped into action trying to find her Peter. "Peter!?"

"MJ!" Peter found them first and hugged them both. "Are you okay!?"

"Yeah, yeah," MJ nodded, "But Maribel — she-she was falling too. Where is she!? We can't — we can't find her!" Even now, MJ frantically searched the immediate area for their friend.

Peter looked around as well, his stomach churning all over again. Too much debris had fallen, covering most of the ground around them.

"I'll find her!" Peter 3 said in a rushed manner as he dashed past them towards the debris. It didn't take much thinking to realize what had probably happened.

Peter 1, MJ and Ned were right behind them when Peter skidded to a stop, letting the others go ahead of him. His senses were going off again. The Green Goblin was getting up from where he landed. He couldn't let that maniac get even an inch away from there.

No one else noticed when Peter 1 ran in the opposite direction. Between the others, along with Peter 2 who had come to help, they pulled off any and every debris in their way.

"Hey, wait!" Ned exclaimed suddenly. "Help me! Help me!" He pushed a chunk of debris with all his might.

Peter 2 and 3 used their webs to yank it right off the ground. Underneath was an unconscious Maribel.

"Oh my God!" MJ beat all three men to Maribel and landed on her knees beside the older woman. "Maribel!? Maribel!?" She gently shook Maribel, repeating her name over and over to no avail.

"Let me see!" Peter 3 practically yanked MJ back to see Maribel for himself. "Maribel!?" He patted her cheek gently then cradled her head. "Mar? Mar, hey?" She wouldn't move nor wake up. "Mar!"

Maribel's head lulled instead.

Peter 2 bent down and pressed two fingers on the side of Maribel's neck. He looked at the others solemnly.

"N-o," MJ's voice cracked, her eyes filling with tears. "Don't…"

"The energy…" Ned looked up at the sky. The cracks were getting wider, the silhouettes of uninvited guests becoming more and more clear. "If she was connected to the multiverse…"

"Mar! Mar!" Peter 3 exclaimed, holding Maribel's body to his. It couldn't be happening again.

"Oh my God, what do we do?" Ned helplessly looked over at MJ. The latter had tears streaming down her face. "Maribel — she's…" Ned couldn't even finish the sentence.

Peter 2 rose up to his feet, straightening his entire body up and looked at the teens. "There's nothing we can do," he said quietly, his jaw clenched tight. The sight was unbearable; he missed home so much.

"Where's Peter?" MJ sniffed. "He should — we can't leave her…"

Peter 2 looked beyond MJ and Ned and saw exactly what was going on behind their backs. "We have to go!" He said urgently.

Knowing Peter 2 was talking now to him, Peter 3 looked up at his counterpart, his own face stained with tears. Peter 2 nodded up ahead. The sight was also unbearable and so familiar. They couldn't let that happened either. Maribel from this world had helped them reach their youngest doppelganger and even though she was gone, they would make sure that Peter 1 got out okay from this. As hard as it was, Peter 3 tore himself away from Maribel, entrusting her body to MJ and Ned, and followed his older doppelganger away.

~ 0 ~

Although it was a hard fight, and a close one, the Green Goblin received the last of the cures and thus finished Peter 1's task. Now all that was left was to deal with the never ending cracks in the sky and the uninvited guests…as well as the heartbreaking news.

Peter 1 could only gaze over his fallen friend's body. Maribel paid the price of his endeavors, just like his aunt May. He would fix what was left no matter what, even if the price was everyone forgetting him in the process. Dr. Strange made it very clear that even though he could potentially cast another spell to make everyone forget Peter Parker, it would not bring back Maribel. The multiverse had weakened exponentially and once cracked, it could never be put back together the way it was before.

Peter would still take it. Because in the end, he would at least be making the world safer which was what Maribel always urged him to do. Even if it was just one person he could save, he should do it.

And so when he left Strange to perform the spell that would make everyone forget who Peter Parker was, Peter 1 returned to his two doppelgangers to explain the situation. "You're going to go home now," he told them, "Thank you. I just wanted... I wanna tell you that... I really don't know how to say this, like…"

"Peter," Peter 3 tried to intervene.

"I want you to know that I…"

"You know. It's what we do," Peter 2' smile was strained on account of the stab wound on his back, but nonetheless a genuine one.

"About Maribel…" Peter 1's entire (beaten) face fell grim, "I don't…I never meant…"

"We know," Peter 3 nodded at him, his eyes shining with new tears. "Do me a favor and tell her family about everything that she did."

"Her family?" Peter 1 blinked. It only occurred to him now that Maribel had never mentioned her family before. As far as he knew, Maribel ran alone and was merely an honorary Avenger.

"They didn't know about anything. You gotta tell 'em what happened, what she did for us…tell them, please," Peter 3 urged frantically, "They have to know!"

"Yeah, yeah!" Peter 1 nodded fervently. "I will! But hey, you're going to go home and you're going to find your Maribel and…and you're going to make sure she's okay, alright man?"

Surprised etched across Peter 3's face. "What?"

"He's right," Peter 2 said. He would have shrugged if it didn't hurt his back. "Always keep your wife safe."

"What?" Peter 1 and 3 looked at their oldest doppelganger with the same wide eyed face.

Peter 2 just smiled lightly. He'd been waiting to drop that one and was more than satisfied with their stupefied reactions.

"I…I gotta go…" Peter 1 said slowly, the shock of such a news was hard to process when so many things were about to happen. "But, um, thank you…again…seriously." He hugged them both tightly. "Thank you!" He pulled away from them. "I, um, I guess I'll see you."

"Keep safe," Peter 2 and 3 offered their youngest doppelganger a smile.

"Find her family," Peter 3 reiterated, "Please."

"I will," Peter 1 promised.

Now all that was left was to say his goodbyes.

~ 0 ~

Maribel Jenavid

June 7, 1994 - June 24, 2024

Teacher. Mentor.

Multiverse Hero.

Peter 1 had no idea how to manage these kinds of visits. With everyone's minds altered, he couldn't attend his own aunt's funerals, much less Maribel's. He had to resign to come afterwards, so he did. He placed a bright sunflower in front of the gravestone — Maribel's favorite kind of flower.

Strange had been right. Even with the multiverse set back into place, it hadn't been enough to bring Maribel back. Once something was broken, it could never be what it was before.

Aunt May was gone, Maribel was gone, and no one else in the world remembered him. He felt alone and yet a strange feeling of liberty now that he could go as he pleased. His only lament was that his family was practically gone.

"I'm sorry, Maribel," Peter sighed. There was nothing else he could say to her now. What was done was done. He did at least get to Maribel's family — as Spiderman — to explain what Maribel had been up to. She would at least have them visiting her every now and then. There was no reason that both of them should be alone.

Peter could take his solitude so long as everyone else was okay. He just hoped the same extended to his doppelgangers in their respective worlds.

~ 0 ~

It took Peter 3 a while to get a handle on himself and the circumstances that led him back home. He presumed that he and Peter 2 had been allowed to remember what happened with the multiverse because they were already Peter Parker, but now Peter wasn't sure if that was a gift or a curse. Remembering meant that, yes, now he knew there were other doppelgangers of his…but it also meant he remembered that somewhere else, Maribel Jenavid had died. She was dead and buried somewhere, never to see daylight again.

He couldn't take it.

He told Harry Osborn, his only remaining friend in his world. It was a lot to take in but it did help having someone to vent to.

"I don't know, seeing Mar — that Maribel — and learning why our Mar did what she did…it makes me feel stupid," Peter said with a heavy sigh. He leaned back in his seat, meeting Harry's gaze across the table. "What?"

Harry was smiling knowingly. "I never bought the 'she just hates us' bit you started."

Peter rolled his eyes. "What else was I supposed to think?"

Harry shrugged. "Dunno. So, what are you going to do now? You are going to finally face her, right?"

The mere idea had Peter straightening in his chair in a second, eyes blinking fast. "I mean…" He had promised that he would go find Maribel. He sighed. "I mean, yeah…I guess…just don't know how to start…or what to say to her."

Harry had an answer to one of Peter's troubles. "You can figure out what to tell her on the way. She works in a diner in the Bronx. Think she gets off at seven today."

"How the hell do you know her schedule?" Peter said warily.

"Just because Mar doesn't want to talk to us doesn't mean I won't make sure she's okay," Harry said, "And I always make sure my friends are okay, even from a distance."

Peter could only look at Harry for so long before the guilt started again. He really did take the "distancing" very seriously and now he regretted everything.

~ 0 ~

It took him a few more days after that conversation to work up the courage to find the diner. He arrived at 6:45 pm, fifteen minutes before her shift was supposed to end. He pulled the door open and walked right in, albeit with a cautious step. His eyes raked over the diner and found there weren't many people. It was a random Wednesday night after all.

He went up to the counter where a dark haired woman was chit chatting with the cook on the other side. When the cook saw Peter come up, he pointed the woman to him. She turned around with a professional waitress smile that dropped dead the moment she met Peter.

Peter gulped.

Maribel Jenavid lived.

Her long dark hair was tied up in a high ponytail, a few strands framing her face. Her dark eyes were wide, her lips pursed.

She was alive.

Peter wanted to hug her so badly, it was a miracle his feet were remained grounded. "Hey…" His greeting was raspy at best.

Maribel visibly swallowed hard. "Hi," she responded in a quiet voice. "So…you finally came…" She wasn't surprised in the least, Peter noted. "I know Harry keeps tabs on me — the price of being ex-friends with a rich person, right?" Maribel grabbed a notepad and a pen from underneath the counter. "What can I get you?"

"No, I'm…I'm not here to order," Peter said quietly, "Just want to talk to you."

Maribel waved her pen between her fingers. "I'm working," her voice turned sharp all of a sudden.

"Your shift ends in 15," Peter startled her with his knowledge, but she pushed it away almost immediately.

"Well, I don't want to talk to you," she declared, "In case you didn't get the memo in high school, I'm not interested in being friends anymore." She grabbed her notepad and moved around the counter.

"Yeah, I know that's a lie," Peter turned after her, watching her make way towards the tables. "I know why you did those things in high school. Why you pushed me, Gwen and Harry away…"

Maribel scoffed. "Please." She slipped her notepad inside her apron's pocket and stuck her pen in her ponytail. She stopped by a dirty table to collect the dishes. "Honestly, Peter, the simple truth was that I realized we had nothing in common. You, Gwen and Harry were all brilliant and I was just the local spanish geek. I cut ties for myself."

"Maybe," Peter nodded, "Or maybe you did it thinking you were going to keep us safe."

"Safe?" Maribel laughed softly. "Okay, sure. Safe from what, exactly?" She carried her stack of dirty dishes back to the counter to dump in the sink.

"From your powers," Peter said flatly and watched as Maribel almost dropped the last of the dirty dishes on the ground.

"The hell are you talking about?" Maribel gently placed the dish in the sink, much too gently. She was buying time before she had to face Peter.

"You know what I'm talking about," Peter said calmly, "Those powers you're hiding — the ones you thought you had to hide from us. From me."

"I don't have any powers," Maribel said, turning halfway around, "If I did, do you think I'd be working as a waitress?"

"Having powers doesn't mean you need to have a specific job," Peter said, smiling knowingly, "But it does mean you have to watch yourself. You shouldn't have to watch yourself on your own. We were your friends. We would have helped you out, we would have had your back, Mar."

The usage of her old nickname did have some effect on Maribel. She sucked in a breath and quickly grabbed a random rag left behind. She started wiping the counter. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she reiterated.

"Mar, please," Peter begged her to stop for a moment. His hand came over hers on the counter, freezing her. "You have no idea what I've been through lately." He lowered himself to try and catch Maribel's gaze. "I don't know what to do except that I really need you right now." He finally caught her eyes and revealed his desperate teary-eyed face.

Maribel pursed her lips. Oh, she could never say no to him. "I'll see you at seven," she mumbled and pulled her hand out from under his.

Peter swallowed the lump in his throat as he nodded. He stepped back from the counter and watched Maribel go back to work. He would wait for her outside the diner.

When Maribel finally did come out, she was dressed in a long coat to hide her uniform. The way she looked at Peter on the street made him believe she had hoped — even for a moment — that he wouldn't be there when she got out. That hurt.

"I have to get home," she told him warningly. "I don't like being out at night."

"I can walk you there," Peter immediately volunteered and watched Maribel struggle whether or not to accept his offer. She didn't want him to know where she lived. "Halfway," he compromised.

Maribel finally nodded and the two started walking together.

"Is Harry going to jump out any moment now?" she asked a few steps in.

"No," Peter shook his head, "It's just me."

"Well, what do you need?"

"Um…sort of complicated to explain…but I guess I can start with what I already told you. I know about your powers, Mar."

Maribel side glanced Peter with a flat expression. "There are no powers, Peter. I already told you that."

"Except I know that's not true," Peter said, his nose scrunching.

"Well I don't know who is feeding you those lies because it's not true. I'm just Maribel."

"With powers," Peter nodded.

"Peter."

"I know it, okay?" Peter stopped walking, leaving Maribel to walk a few steps ahead. "And if you would just admit it then I can tell you that I want to help you."

Maribel let out a sour chuckle as she turned around to him. "I don't need anyone's help, Peter. And I certainly don't know who is telling you that I do."

"So you want to be alone then?"

"Yes!"

"No, you don't," Peter shook his head, shrugging slowly, "Because I've been there, and being alone when you're hurting doesn't do you any well."

"Is this because of Gwen?" Maribel's brow furrowed. "Because rest assured I have dealt with my grief alone and I will continue to do it on my own, thank you so much." She turned around again and started walking.

"I met one of your doppelgangers!" Peter blurted, forcing Maribel to come to another stop. "I got trapped in a different universe and your doppelganger saved me. She told me everything about your powers, about you. That's how I know, because of her."

Maribel slowly turned back, staring at Peter oddly. "What?"

Peter sighed. "It's true, I swear."

"I think you finally watched too many sci-fi movies," Maribel said, licking her lips nervously, "Because none of this is true."

"It is," Peter insisted, nodding, "I would never lie to you. But you want to know why I got sent to a different world?"

"You didn't—"

"Because I'm Peter Parker — Spiderman."

"—get…" Maribel's mouth fell open. "Que!?"

Peter ducked his head. This was not how he intended the conversation to go but here they were now. "It's true…"

Maribel was speechless. She eventually had to close her mouth just to be able to swallow. What the fuck!? She couldn't fit those pieces together no matter how much she thought about it.

Peter Parker — Spiderman!? Maribel shook her head.

"I know everything, Mar," Peter insisted, taking the steps he needed to come up to her. He rested a hand on her shoulder. "I know about your powers and how scared you were. You didn't want to hurt us, you didn't want to hurt anyone. You were brave enough to put distance between us and I'm grateful but you don't need to do that anymore."

Maribel didn't say anything. She met Peter's gaze silently.

Peter let out a heavy sigh. "Mar, please. You have no idea what I…what I saw…"

"You keep saying that," Maribel said quietly, "What happened?"

"Your doppelganger…she died. She, um, she helped us and then she died. And I had to leave her in that world." Fresh tears rolled down Peter's face.

Maribel's eyes widened in a second. "My doppelganger died?" Peter nodded. "Oh my God…"

Peter couldn't help it. He pulled Maribel into his arms for a tight hug. He did have to leave the other Maribel but he wouldn't leave his Mar this time.

Maribel was taken aback by the action. It was true that she'd been on her own for a long time now, and she definitely didn't have friends who hugged her anymore…and she always did like Peter's hugs. He was so tall and so warm — how could anyone resist? Slowly, her arms came up around Peter. She let herself relish the moment before the emotions got to her. Before she knew it, tears blurred her vision.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"No—"

"I didn't know what else to do. My powers are tremendous and explosive and I didn't want them to explode around you, around Harry or Gwen—"

"It's alright," Peter rubbed her back comfortingly.

"—and my family. I'm sorry, Peter, I'm so sorry," Maribel sniffed. "I wanted you guys to be safe."

"I know," Peter nodded, "Trust me, I know. I let you go because I wanted you to be safe too. Safe away from Spiderman."

Maribel drew away to look up at him. "I can't believe it. You're Spiderman?"

"Yeah…"

"Oh my God," Maribel stepped back from Peter, "This is so insane. The world is that small, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Peter chuckled. "But listen, you don't have to be so far from us anymore. Let me help you, please."

"I got a good handle on my powers now," Maribel nodded, "I just…I don't use them so often because, well," she shrugged, "there's no need."

No sooner had she said that when the ground started shaking underneath them.

"Peter…?" Maribel looked around and saw everyone else on the block clinging for dear life, confused out of their minds.

Peter had no idea what was going on either. He looked up at the sky and saw a crack beginning to open up. Oh God no. His stomach twisted. "No, no, that can't be right…"

"What isn't?" Maribel followed his gaze up to the sky to see the same crack. "Oh por dios," she gasped. "Don't tell me…"

"You've seen those?" Peter looked down at Maribel.

"Dreams," Maribel whispered, "I-I had this nightmare that I was in New York and…and there were all these cracks in the sky…"

Peter did a double take at her. She couldn't be talking about…no. That was impossible.

The crack in the sky opened impossibly wide and suddenly a long leg plunged through, crashing down on the road. People screamed wildly as another leg came through. There were odd markings on the legs and when the creature — who resembled a demon from a horror story — came through, it revealed a body full of the same markings.

"Runes," Maribel drew in a sharp breath. "I-I saw those too in my dreams. Peter, what did you—"

Peter didn't think twice and shot a web up, latching onto a building. He reached for Maribel and pulled her body flush against his.

"What are you — AH!" Maribel cried as they raced up.

The creature went after them. It would end up chasing them throughout the blocks of the city, narrowly missing them.

"What the hell is that thing!?" Peter couldn't finish answering the question each time they got a moment to breathe in hiding.

"I-I think it's that multiverse thing you were talking about," Maribel pressed her back against the wall, "How ironic that the day you come and find me and start talking about doppelgangers and other worlds is the day that some demonic creature comes after us!"

Peter would have loved to argue that point but the truth was right there. It was uncanny which only led him to believe that maybe whatever problems Peter 1 had in his world weren't quite done with this world.

"PETER!" Maribel screamed when she saw the creature up above them.

"Gotta go!" Peter exclaimed and shot more webs to flee with her.

"Where are we going!?" Maribel cried as they literally flung from one building to the next.

"Well, um, off to see some worlds, you know…" Peter gulped.

"WHAT!? Put me down right now!"

Peter did put her down on the next rooftop they landed on. Maribel pushed all of her hair back which had come undone with all the web flinging.

"Remember when I said I had a good handle on my powers!?"

"Yeah…" Peter nodded slowly.

"Well I lied!" Maribel yelled. "I don't know diddly squat about my powers in a fight! I don't do the 'fighting' and I definitely don't do it against a stupid creature!"

"And yet that creature really seems to want you, explosive powers and all," Peter jerked a thumb behind him.

"It's chasing both of us, let me remind you!" Maribel groaned then looked up at the sky. "What the hell is happening?"

"I don't know," Peter said honestly, "But I think I know who can help us. We're just going to have to do some long distance traveling…"

Maribel looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"Mar," Peter grabbed her by the shoulders, "You're going to have to teleport us."

"Teleport us? Teleport us where?"

"To another world."

"Excuse me? I'm not—"

"Mar!" Peter gently shook Maribel. "Listen to me, okay? I saw you die because of these cracks and bad people, alright? I will not see you go through that too. Trust me, please. We have to do this. I'm not losing you again."

Maribel hated the way he used those big eyes of his, all full of emotion and pleading and— goddammit. "Okay," she gave in, "How the hell do we get to another world?"

Peter smiled. "Through you. We'll do it together, okay? Just trust me."

Maribel nodded. "I do." Even with all the time that had passed since she last saw Peter, she still felt like they were still those close friends they used to be. They could go back to bantering about the best movies or the best restaurant in town or just tease each other about something stupid and it could work. Things were always just so easy between them and she missed that the moment she stopped talking to him.

If she didn't end up dying, she would not let Peter go again.

A/N: Sue me but I thought it would be a cool place to end it here lmao. Loved Spiderman, love Multiverse of Madness — why the hell not combine them?

#tasm fics

Trending Tags

Recently Viewed Tags

#tasm fics