chapter 2

On the bustling, energetic streets of New York City, heroes walk through the crowds, ready to defend the city from any threat that may arise. Skyscrapers rise into the sky, forming a jungle of concrete and glass that reflects sunlight and the bright lights of the night.

Atop buildings, Spider-woman swings back and forth with her web, watching over the city from above and ready to intervene in case of emergency. Her red and blue suit stands out from the crowd, and her agility and dexterity make her an iconic figure in the city.

Meanwhile, in the heart of the city, the Fantastic Four patrol the skies in their Fantasti-Car, ready to respond to any call for help. With their individual powers and teamwork, they are an unstoppable force against any threat that may arise in the city.

On the streets, Luke Cage and Daredevil walk among the common people, keeping a watchful eye on their neighborhood and ready to act in case of trouble. His comforting presence provides security to the citizens of New York, knowing that there are always heroes ready to protect them.

And on the horizon, the glow of Stark Tower and the Oscorp Building illuminates the city, reminding everyone that even the most powerful among them are vigilant, ready to act in defense of the city they love. Together, these heroes form a protective network over New York, ensuring that the city is always safe, no matter what threats may arise.

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Peter Parker lay on the cold, dirty floor of the school gym, exhausted and defeated. The cold of the floor seeped through his clothes, but it was nothing compared to the cold he felt in his heart every time he remembered his Uncle Ben. The sciences had always been his passion, his safe haven where equations and theories offered clear and precise answers. But sports and any physical activity painfully reminded her of his vulnerability.

"He wishes he'd never been away from home that day," he murmured, a mix of regret and desperation in his voice. That trivial, meaningless argument had driven him to leave, leaving his Uncle Ben alone, vulnerable. If only he had been there, maybe he could have done something, maybe he could have stopped the thief before it was too late.

With a tired sigh, he rose from the ground, his hands still shaking from effort and excitement. His was the last to leave the gym, as if prolonging his departure might delay her confrontation with the outside world, a world that now seemed unpredictably dangerous.

As he walked home, the spider bite he had recently received bothered him more and more. His skin was red and hot to the touch, a stinging reminder of another moment in his life that he wished he could forget. Absorbed in his thoughts and his discomfort, he barely noticed when Flash Thompson threw a basketball at him in an attempt to taunt him. Not wanting to respond or even acknowledge the insult, he continued on his way home.

Upon arrival, the somber atmosphere of his home seemed to reflect his mood. He went straight up to his room, hoping that sleep might offer her a brief respite from his pain and confusion. But as soon as his head touched the pillow, an intense fever overwhelmed him. His body, hot and trembling, fought against something unknown, something that made him delirious and babble incoherently. In one last conscious effort before succumbing to unconsciousness, Peter dropped to the ground, the world darkening around him as night fell.

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In the heart of the East Coast of the United States lies the bustling metropolis of New York, a city that pulses with a unique and vibrant energy even in the absence of its famous heroes. Towering skyscrapers rise into the sky, forming an unmistakable skyline that dominates the cityscape. The streets are filled with constant activity: congested traffic weaves its way between buildings, while crowds of pedestrians traverse the packed sidewalks.

In the financial district, the bustle of commercial activity never stops. Top executives and white-collar workers rush from skyscraper to skyscraper, conducting business in the towering office buildings that dominate the area. The constant sound of taxi sirens and flashing neon lights add a touch of urban frenzy to the atmosphere.

In the residential neighborhoods, daily life continues. The neighborhoods are full of cultural diversity, with ethnic shops, restaurants and markets offering a wide range of flavors and culinary experiences. Urban parks offer an oasis of tranquility in the midst of the bustle of the city, where residents can enjoy a moment of peace and relaxation.

However, despite the city's vitality, there is a slight air of unease in the absence of the new heroine who often patrols its streets. Without the presence of vigilantes like Spider Woman and other crazy people, some residents may feel a slight fear of the stranger, wondering who will protect the city in case of emergency as the advance of criminal gangs alerts people. Still, New York remains a resilient and lively city, ready to face any challenge that comes its way.

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At this moment Peter Parker lay motionless on the cold, dirty floor of a dark alley, his body bruised by the physical demands he had never managed to master. Despite his brilliance in the sciences, athletic abilities had always been his weak point. The night breeze blew his hair as he closed his eyes, allowing himself a moment of painful introspection. His mind, usually so full of theories and equations, was now plagued by memories of Gwen Stacy.

Gwen, with her radiant smile and unwavering determination, had been her beacon during the darkest days at school. Peter had always admired how she stood up to any injustice with a mix of grace and firmness. However, despite the closeness they had shared, he never found the courage to open up about the physical and mental abuse he suffered at the hands of his peers. Fear paralyzed him, and fear of rejection and humiliation kept him silent.

Trapped in this vicious cycle of intimidation and isolation, Peter had made a desperate decision: create a formula that would transform him, that would give him the power to take revenge. But instead of easing his burden, that decision had led him to an even darker place. He had become something he didn't even recognize, a monster guided by anger and resentment, far from the noble path that Gwen always chose.

"He wishes it had never come to this," Peter murmured, his voice barely audible over the sounds of the police siren surrounding the place. Tears began to gather in his eyes as he thought about Gwen, about how his friendship could have been her salvation if he had only spoken up, if he had only asked for help instead of resorting to revenge.

With every thought of his, the weight of regret grew, crushing him further into the cold concrete. "Please, Gwen, forgive me," he whispered into the wind, a plea for a friend he had wanted to protect, but whom he had ultimately failed. In that moment of deep regret, Peter understood that with great power comes great responsibility.

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Although plunged into desolation, somewhere within him, a strange energy began to germinate.

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In that moment of darkness and fever, something extraordinary began to happen in his body. Peter's very cells were changing, rewriting themselves at a fundamental level.

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A new consciousness was making its way inside him, revealing his memories of a parallel life where Peter Parker had become the Lizard.

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I woke up on a hospital stretcher, a cold and desolate place that seemed to embrace me with the coldness of death itself. My head was spinning and the nausea was unbearable. On impulse, my body reacted and I expelled the contents of my stomach onto the ground. The effort was too much, and I ended up collapsing, passed out on the cold linoleum.

As I floated in a semi-conscious state, a series of memories began to filter into my mind, images of a peaceful world, devoid of superheroes and supervillains, a place where mutants and supernatural powers simply did not exist. It perplexed me, but what really shook me was seeing myself in the mirror, a reflection of a pale, delicate child, crying for the loss of my parents. Even though I was a fragile and weak child, I was protected by a blonde girl who I recognized as my childhood friend in photographs and memories.

Memories of my adolescence began to emerge one after another. I remembered silently crying in the school bathroom, a victim of constant bullying. I remembered the solitary lunches, eating in the bathroom to escape Flash and his cruel torment. These memories led me to a personal laboratory, where in my desperation, I developed a formula intended to confront these abusers. But something went wrong, and I transformed into a reptilian creature, facing the only hero of that altered world, Spider-Woman. The battle was catastrophic, and I ended up falling, nearly dead, into the rubble of our devastated school.

"These memories don't belong to me," I muttered, struggling to understand the reality of those invading memories. Quickly, I got up, trying to find find a doctor who could take me to Aunt May. But seeing my reflection in a window, I stopped, horrified by my disgusting appearance. I headed to the bathroom, needing to clean myself, while my mind struggled to reconcile those foreign memories with my current identity. Who was he really? How could he feel a life in a world he didn't even recognize? With every drop of water that fell on my skin, I tried to wash away the confusion, searching for answers in the fogged-up mirror that stared back at me.

In the reflection of the bathroom mirror I can see my new appearance.

"This is not my body or my physical appearance, but my mind is that of Peter Parker and I have memories of another me. I think I have changed bodies."

"Does that mean I'm Peter Parker....

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...or am I living someone else's life? Could it be that there is more than one reality and somehow, I have crossed between them?" As he faced his reflection, a torrent of confusion and fear washed over him. It was Peter Parker, yes, but his body and his memories did not match. with what he had always known.

He tried to calm himself, breathing deeply as the cold water from the faucet ran over his hands. "I need to understand what's going on," he muttered to himself, drying his hands and leaving the bathroom. As he walked through the hospital hallways, he tried to put together the pieces of this complex puzzle.

His mind, which had always been his greatest asset, now seemed to be playing against him. Were these memories of an alternate life simply the result of some failed experiment or a psychological disorder induced by the trauma of becoming the Lizard? Or, perhaps even more disturbing, did another universe really exist where he had lived a completely different life?

In his search for answers, Peter decided to look for the one person who had always been there for him: Aunt May. If anyone could recognize him and confirm her identity, it was her. However, upon arriving at the address he remembered as his home, he found a completely different house. There were no signs of Aunt May's familiar and cozy residence; In its place was a cold, sterile office building.

Puzzled but not defeated, Peter pulled out his phone and dialed Aunt May's number. His heart was pounding in his chest as he waited for her to answer. Finally, a voice answered, but it was not the warm, comforting voice of his aunt, but that of a stranger.

"Sorry, I think you have the wrong number," the voice said before hanging up.

Peter felt like the ground was crumbling beneath him. "What's going on here? Where is my Aunt May? Where is my life?"

Spinning around, Peter found himself more lost than ever. He decided his only option was to track down Spider-Woman. If anyone else was involved in this chaos, it had to be her. Maybe she could offer him some answers, or at least confirm if she, too, remembered the life he remembered. With a new sense of purpose, Peter set out, determined to find Spider-Woman and uncover the truth behind her fractured memories and altered reality.

Beginning to stealthily leave the hospital Peter stopped dead when he heard the voice of Officer George Stacy, the father of his best friend in this altered world.

"Peter, what are you doing going out alone? You okay, boy?" the police chief asked with concern on his face.

"Gwen's dad? What are you doing here?" Peter responded, confused by his unexpected presence.

Officer Stacy frowned and walked over to Peter, placing a hand on his shoulder in concern. "Peter, you need to go back to the hospital. Spider-Woman attacked you along with the Lizard."

Peter gaped for a moment, processing the information. "Spider-Woman attacked me? What about her? Is she okay?"

Officer Stacy nodded grimly. "The Lizard has disappeared and I'll take care of imprisoning her as a vigilante, but you're not safe out here, Peter. Come on, I'll take you back to the hospital to get checked out."

Although Peter was baffled by the revelations, he decided to follow Officer Stacy back to the hospital. He had even more questions now, and he hoped someone at the hospital could give him answers.

"But Mr. Stacy, I understand, I have to tell you to wake up Aunt May and Uncle...!" Peter said trying to go out in search of his uncles but he is quickly stopped by the officer.

For now, he needed to find out what had really happened and how his memories fit into this strange puzzle of altered reality with the worry of whether his uncle Ben is still alive in this world or are they just altered memories?

"Don't worry Peter, my daughter told me that they will be back in a few weeks, she didn't want them to be upset because of this boy" the blonde said calmly as he called the nurses. The search for the arachnid heroine is postponed. Peter Parker's fate seems to be the same in both universes, apparently it is something constant in all of them.