Chapter 223: Antarctica (2)

[Third Person's PoV] 

"Can I drive?" Gwen asked eagerly, brushing a stray strand of her platinum blonde hair aside as they finished packing the essentials for their mission. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation, her excitement impossible to miss.

Peter shrugged, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "Sure, go ahead," he said casually.

"Yes!" Gwen cheered, pumping her fist in triumph. She had been itching for a chance to pilot the jet, and now her wish was coming true.

The sleek jet sat waiting for them, its matte-red surface shimmering faintly under the dim lights of the hangar. The rear hatch was already lowered, the glowing interior inviting them inside. One by one, the group filed in.

MJ immediately claimed the co-pilot seat beside Gwen, grinning as she adjusted her headset. The others settled into the passenger seats—Peter and Felicia on one side, while Harry and Lizzy took the opposite row. Each clicked their seatbelts into place as Gwen and MJ began flipping switches on the control panel.

"Everyone buckled up?" Gwen asked, her voice calm yet commanding as she adjusted the oversized headphones on her head.

MJ grabbed the microphone attached to her headset and grinned mischievously. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Please keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times. Enjoy the ride!" she quipped, her tone playful.

Gwen rolled her eyes but smiled as she activated the jet's cloaking system. The exterior shimmered briefly before vanishing entirely. With a steady hand, she eased the throttle forward. The jet glided silently out of the hangar, its engines humming softly. As it ascended into the sky, it pierced through the cloud cover with precision, finally igniting its thrusters in a controlled burst of energy.

"Would... would we be able to keep one?" Harry asked, his voice almost sheepish as he broke the tranquil silence.

Lizzy turned to him with a puzzled expression. "Keep what?"

"A dinosaur," Harry said matter-of-factly. "You know, if we find one we really like."

Peter grinned immediately. "Absolutely. Who wouldn't want a pet dinosaur?"

Gwen groaned audibly from the cockpit. "We are not getting a dinosaur."

"What? Why not?" Peter whined, his voice taking on a childish tone as he leaned forward in his seat.

"Because you won't take care of it, and I'll end up having to," Gwen said with an exaggerated eye roll. "Plus, we already have enough responsibilities as it is."

"BOOOOO!!" Both Harry and Peter shouted towards Gwen, they both had a thumbs down while their other hand cupped around their mouths, "BOOOOO!" They continued. 

"I swear to go if you two don't shut up I will turn this plane back around then we wouldn't be going anywhere!" Gwen exclaimed looking back towards them. 

They both pouted as they shut up but still looked displeased, Felicia and Lizzy were chuckling seeing how their boyfriends were behaving.

---

Thirty minutes later...

"We're nearing the entrance," Gwen announced. She scanned the holographic navigation map. "We'll need to proceed on foot from here. The terrain is too unpredictable for the jet, and being on the ground will allow us to respond to threats more effectively."

"Agreed," Peter said, unbuckling his seatbelt. The others followed suit, MJ switching the jet to hover mode.

They pressed their watches, transforming into their superhero suits in flashes of vibrant light. As the hatch opened, a blast of icy wind swept through the cabin, carrying a flurry of snowflakes.

Spider-Man was the first to act. With a playful salute, he sprinted to the edge and leaped out, twisting midair to snap his fingers dramatically at the others before diving headfirst into the white abyss.

Nightwing sauntered to the edge, flashing Lizzy a confident wink before falling backward, his form graceful as he disappeared into the clouds.

Spider-Kat darted forward, laughing wildly as she performed a cannonball, her silver hair streaming behind her like a comet's tail.

Firestar followed, her arms spread wide as she leaped, a trail of fire illuminating her descent in a dazzling, almost ethereal display.

Ghost-Spider shook her head, exasperated. "What a bunch of children..."

Before she could move, Scarlet-Spider wrapped her arms around her from behind and lifted her effortlessly off the floor.

"W-W-What are you doing?!" Ghost-Spider shrieked, flailing in protest.

Scarlet-Spider only grinned wickedly. Without answering, she strode to the edge and fell backward, dragging Ghost-Spider with her.

"I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS!" Ghost-Spider screeched, her voice echoing as they tumbled. "I WANTED A DRAMATIC SOLO DROP!"

The group stabilized their freefall, tucking their arms to accelerate toward the ground. One by one, they deployed their wingsuits, performing flips before landing in the snow with practiced ease. Firestar floated down last, steam hissing from the ground beneath her fiery aura.

Immediately, the freezing cold bit into their skin, save for Ghost-Spider and Firestar, who seemed unaffected. Nightwing didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around Firestar and let out a content sigh, "Much better" He said affectionately 

Firestar was just smiling as Nightwing hugged her. 

Spider-Kat didn't care that Nightwing was also hugging Lizzy and went and hugged her as well, pressing her face next to hers.

"I feel so loved!" Firestar giggled, squeezing both of them affectionately. "Come on, everyone—group hug! I'll warm you all up!"

"S-Star," Scarlet-Spider stammered through chattering teeth, "c-could you just... m-make a warm breeze or something?"

Firestar sighed dramatically. "Fine, ruin my moment."

With a small flourish, she unleashed a gentle wave of heat, melting the snow beneath her feet and filling the air with steam.

Satisfied sighs followed as the group basked in the warmth. After thanking Firestar, Spider-Man called out, "Aria, show us the way to the entrance."

A holographic figure appeared, pointing northeast. "Coordinates indicate the entrance lies near 69º 30' S, 68º 30' W," Aria said crisply.

The group set off, their suits blending seamlessly into the icy terrain as they approached the volcanic region that hid the gateway to the prehistoric realm.

…

As they moved closer to the entrance to the Savage Lands, the air seemed to change. The biting cold of the Antarctic region began to dissipate, replaced by a humid warmth that carried the scent of vegetation and life. It was almost as though they had stepped through an invisible barrier, leaving the icy tundra behind.

The first sight of the Savage Lands left everyone utterly speechless. Towering trees with lush, green canopies stretched endlessly into the sky. Giant ferns blanketed the ground, their vibrant green hues contrasting sharply against the red and black volcanic rocks scattered about. Rivers of molten lava flowed sluggishly in the distance, their glowing streams casting a surreal orange glow against the jungle's thick mist.

And then, there were the dinosaurs.

A herd of towering Brachiosaurus moved slowly through the clearing ahead, their massive necks swaying as they plucked leaves from the treetops. A group of smaller Velociraptors darted between the bushes, chirping and chattering to one another. Farther away, the unmistakable silhouette of a Tyrannosaurus Rex roared, its thunderous call shaking the very ground beneath their feet.

Spider-Kat was the first to break the silence. "No. Freaking. Way."

"It's like Jurassic Park on steroids," Harry said, his voice filled with awe.

They all walked through the prehistoric lands for a few miles, observing everything around them. Ghost-Spider took a cautious step forward, her gaze fixed on the Brachiosaurus as one of them bent its head down to drink from a crystalline lake. "This is… beautiful. How does a place like this even exist?"

Spider-Man took the lead and began walking ahead of everyone as he looked all around him, "I honestly don't know how to answer your question… I'm effectively speechless–" 

Spider-Man quickly moved his hand to the side of his face and caught the spear that was thrown at him. Spider-Man slowly moved his head to find a man with long blond hair standing on top of one of the trees. 

He wasn't wearing much expected for a fur pelt that was around his waist. 

All of their heads snapped towards the man, and stared at him with their mouths agape. Lizzy let out a mutter that was heard due to how quiet everyone was, "Is that Tarzan?"

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