Chapter 7: Spider-talk and Stan-TheMan

"spiderlings, tell me. ain't it boring? patrolling the city, no crime to fight? being blamed for the death of innocents that you had nothing to do with because you had such tunnel vision that you decided to focus on chasing a thieve that only steals from the crooked? I mean Black Cat ain't robin hood, but sure as hell does not target the innocent" I say as I pop another Goat jerky into my hand.

"She was training me, and we were not even in the neighborhood," said the kid next to Gwen.

"shut the hell up, because you sound like you are 12 years old, kid. let the adults talk" I chastise Spider-man. "So tell me, Ghost-Hatchling. is this some kind of grooming agenda you got going on? I'm tempted to call the FBI, I mean last time I checked you got no kids that I know off"

Gwen looked annoyed, and quite uncomfortable as she takes an awkward step away from who I assume is Peter.

"You know who I am?" she asks cautiously.

"Your first name starts with a G." I casually comment as I throw a piece of jerky into the mouth of Umbra.

"Tell me something. Does he remind you of him that much?" She looked down, in shame, as she grabbed her forearm, showing discomfort.

"I… How do you know? I left that world behind" SpiderGwen whispers as in talking to herself.

"so you have not told him?" If I was a bad person I would have just laughed at how crazy this whole thing was.

If I was correct, Gwen is in this universe after she somehow ended here, here she found a young Peter, who she killed in her own universe as a neophyte spider token, and was training him.

Holly God/ess of drama, throw a bit of unresolved romance in the mix and you would have the perfect recipe for her dying in his arms before Pete confesses his crush on her or some shit.

"Follow me, let's grab something to eat" I just dive from the side of the building and decelerate by using a Webb as a repelling rope.

While slowly descending u buy some baggy clothes from the System shop for a few 100 bucks, just two pairs of hoodies and some sweats, one white and the other one black.

As we land I just throw them at the pair. "put them on and take off your masks"

"but, you would see my…" Spiderman tried to protest before I cut him off.

"I'll just teleport and tell Aunt May about your little extracurricular activities Peter" He flinched and gulped. before sighting defeated.

They took off their masks and put on the sports wear. Gwen looked to be in her mid 20s, quite more mature, not only in her height and body but a far more refined face than her younger cute version from the Spiderverse movie. She also had a different haircut, no longer having that modern buzzcut on the sides but a natural long hair that just reached her shoulders. I truly liked this version of her as a sophisticated beauty.

While Peter looked like Tom, Only a bit younger. not 12 but definitely 13 or 14.

"All right," I said as I energetically clapped my hands with a smile on my face while my domino mas faded away and Umbra hid inside of me" You can call me Alucard, Nice to meet you Gwendy, and Pete" I offered my hand for a handshake but neither took it.

"bummer, and here I thought I could help train you, so you wouldn't just throw punches and kicks away as if it was a circus" To be honest both of them looked like they knew jack shit about fighting, especially by the fact that they struggled that much vs Stinger.

"Who are you?" Asked Gwen with her brows furrowed.

Let's just fuck around with them a bit, I take on a somber face and my voice gets dark, I look with the 1000-yard stare at nothing and say with a poker face.

"I go by many names. I am Known as Alucard, The undying, The Destroyer, I have been named Tiamat by some, Abbadon by others, I'm the End and the Beginning, I am a force of nature, an agent of destruction, and a harbinger of doom. My power is unmatched, and my will is unbreakable. I am the bringer of chaos and the catalyst for change. To some, I am a savior, to others, a demon. But to all, I am a symbol of the inevitable, the unstoppable, and the ultimate end. And yet, in the same breath, I am also the beginning, the genesis of a new era, and the architect of a better tomorrow. For I am not just a destroyer, but also a creator, a visionary, and a prophet. I am Alucard, Tiamat, Abaddon, and so much more. I am the alpha and the omega, the first and the last, the end and the beginning."

"they both look at me as if I'm just some deranged lunatic. until I can't hold it anymore and burst out laughing.

"You should see your faces" I can barely contain it as I'm laughing so hard I almost fall on the floor, have to hold myself against the wall with my spide powers while Im cracking up like no tomorrow.

"come on, let's go, There is a nice Pizza place nearby." I just wave at them to follow as I turn around and walk.

I can hear Gwen sigh and then both of them follow me. Good. Good.

~~~

We arrive at Stan's Pizza.

"heyoo! Stan, give me 2 slices of pepperoni, and whatever these two want" I say as I walk in and wave at the old man with glasses behind the counter.

"Coming right up, young man!" A kind voice says from behind the counter, it's an older man in his 80s, who has glasses and a mustache. the avatar of One Above All smiles and starts to heat my order while I grab a bottle of sparkling water from the fridge.

I sit down in the end booth, Nod, and give the old man a wink. "Help me with these two" I just send him telepathically as I look at the two fidgeting youths and roll my eyes. Stan just smiles and keeps on working.

"So, tell me your story, I know who you are, well at least one of your versions. not you as you, a different you" Gwen Raises an eyebrow at my butchered explanation of knowing a different version of them from a different universe, after a few minutes of silence food comes, i put 100 bucks on the table and slide it towards Stan.

"Today it's on the house," He says and winks at me before walking away

"Thanks, Old man!" I say as he waves at me without turning back.

"Shoo?" I say as I bite into the scalding hot pizza.

"I'm Gwen, Also known as Ghost Spider, I have been displaced here, I can't go back to my Universe." she swallows her saliva and looks down "And I don't want to go back. I got nothing at home. everyone is gone" She says bitterly. before munching on her slice of Veggie Delight

"I'm Peter, but you already know that I got my spider powers not even two weeks ago, She has been training me for the past week, then yesterday all those shadow people started to appear, you work with them? I saw you controlling one of them" He asks, staring at me while he munches on his meatlovers slice.

"Your uncle still lives? or are you responsible for him croaking already?" This made his eyes bulge and choke on his food.

"Uncle Ben is in danger? how? when? I have to go save him" He says between coughs as he tries to get up, I reach over and force him to sit back down by pushing him back into the seat

"Calm down kid, if he is still out there then he should be fine." Peter sighs in relief. "either way, he almost always dies, Ether you let some robber get away and he shoots him, or you are too afraid to use your powers and get found out and he dies. ether that or cancer. cancer never fails." Peter looks like a deer in the headlight.

"Don't worry, kiddo, As long as he lives we can fix it… unless your Aunt is Marisa Tomei, if that is the case I don't know if I want to" I say the last part in a whisper only for Gwen to step on my foot. "Ouch, what was that for?" I pretend as if it hurt.

"I don't know what are you talking about but my gut tells me it's something bad." She says cheekily.

"Touche" I finish my pizza and chase it down with the water.

"Soo, how would you like me to train you? I have this… power, where you can fight and train against opponents, real combat, real danger, and real rewards." Of course, I would just invite them to a party, with Ciri, go dungeon diving, and kill some mobs, and since I can always take away their gains at will, it's never a disadvantage for me. Those essences are truly busted.

Why would I do that? well, I know they should be goody two shoes, probably would never backstab me, and I can always take away their powers, if I help them, I can just get their loyalty. am I being a bit of a manipulative A-hole? Probably. Do I care? nope. Its a means to an end. and it's not like They would not be getting something out of it (symbiotic relationship... *grins in evil while rubs hands*).

"Sounds too good to be true, what do you gain from it?" Gwen asked, suspicious is good.

"entertainment, sightseeing(*cough* can't tell her I want to see her bouncing around in her spandex suit *cough*), and making sure that you don't just croak when the Inheritors come back, would be a waste for you to die to those Vampire Freaks," I say as I just shrug.

"The inheritors are dead. Miles killed them with the Enigma force" She says with a frown.

I just scoff at that knowing that a few of them were turned into toddlers, truly a time-ticking bomb until they somehow recover their memories or some other shenanigans.

"Roaches like those, sooner or later always find a way to come back to life," I say as I wave my hand dismissively. "ether way, while I'm here, you can take a vacation, my Shadows will take care of the crime in the city so are you down for some training or not?"