Chapter 198: Across the Spider-Verse (23)  

As the massive door swung open, Miles Morales, Hobie Brown, and Gwen Stacy were greeted by a breathtaking sight—hundreds, if not thousands, of Spider-People, each unique in their own way, moving around the central hub of the Spider Society's base. Some swung from webs, while others walked on walls, creating a bustling yet strangely coordinated chaos.

Miles couldn't help but let his mouth drop open slightly as he took in the scene. "This is... insane. There are so many of us!"

Hobie, with his laid-back demeanor, casually scanned the crowd, nodding in approval. "Power in numbers, bruv. Just remember, don't let the system get to ya."

Miles couldn't help but be overwhelmed as they continued walking through the massive lobby of Spider-Society. Spider-People of every kind filled the space—swinging from webs, discussing missions, and simply hanging out. But amidst all the excitement, one thing lingered in his mind.

Miles looked over at Gwen, raising an eyebrow as he asked, "What happened to that small, elite strike team? You know, the one you said only the best could join?"

Gwen gave a playful shrug. "A lot of these are part-time..." she replied casually.

As Miles glanced around, still dazzled by everything around him, Hobie leaned in toward Gwen, his voice low and serious. "Gwendy, how much have you told him, hm? About his place in all this?"

Gwen hesitated for a moment before answering, "A little."

Hobie's expression turned serious. "Maybe not enough.." he muttered, just as Miles suddenly glitched, his body flickering in and out of reality. The glitching caused Gwen to immediately rush over in concern.

Jessica Drew, ever prepared, quickly tossed a temporary watch to Miles. "Here." she said.

Miles caught the watch mid-air and his eyes lit up. "My own watch!" he exclaimed with excitement.

Jessica shook her head. "It's a day pass," she clarified.

Miles's shoulders slumped in disappointment. "Oh, man…"

"This just keeps you from…" Jessica began, but before she could finish, Miles glitched again.

"…doing that," she finished with a knowing look.

Relieved, Miles quickly strapped the watch onto his wrist, the glitching instantly stopping as the watch stabilized his connection to the dimension. As they continued walking, several Spider-People called out to Gwen, waving and greeting her as she passed by. Gwen smiled back, giving casual hellos in return.

Feeling proud of his new status, Miles looked around at the other Spider-Men and said with a grin, "I'm a new recruit." He puffed his chest out slightly, proud to be included.

Jessica, however, was all business. She addressed one of the Peters nearby, "Peter, take a team to the transport deck to help deal with this Spot mess."

A car horn honked loudly, and Miles looked in disbelief as a literal Spider-Man car—Peter Parkedcar from Earth-53931—rolled forward to join the mission. Without missing a beat, a group of other Spider-Men lunged onto the car: Spider-Cide from Earth-616, Last Stand Spider-Man from Earth-312500, Peter of Earth-13122, and Tarantula from Earth-1610A. They all spoke in unison, "On it!" as they zoomed off, controlling the Spider-Car to head toward the transport deck.

Miles watched the scene unfold, shaking his head with a grin. "I wouldn't call it a mess. More like a success in progress..." he said optimistically.

Jessica, unimpressed, simply ignored him.

Just then, Jessica turned her attention to Ben Reilly, the Scarlet Spider from Earth-94, who was brooding dramatically near a wall. "Ben, I need—" she started.

But Ben cut her off with a dramatic flair. "Sorry, I can't talk right now. I'm thinking about my past..." he said, lost in his thoughts.

Jessica sighed, trying to stay patient. "Actually, we need you here for some reason."

Ben didn't seem to hear her as he continued, lost in his own narration. "That was a particularly harrowing memory." he muttered to himself.

Miles leaned over to Gwen, whispering, "Is he okay?"

Gwen shrugged with a small smile. "Beats me.." she replied.

The group continued moving through the headquarters, the atmosphere filled with the constant buzz of activity. Miles, though still a bit confused, felt a sense of belonging despite the chaos, knowing he was surrounded by others who were just as unique as he was.

As Miles, Gwen, Hobie, and Jessica Drew made their way through the Spider Society headquarters, the atmosphere buzzed with activity. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the sound of galloping hooves echoed through the corridor. A horse, complete with a masked rider, abruptly appeared in front of them, causing Miles to jump in surprise.

"Nyehhh!" the horse neighed.

Miles yelped, "Ah!"

The rider tipped his hat with a charming grin. "Howdy. Name's Web-Slinger," he said, introducing himself as the cowboy Spider-Man from Earth-31913. His horse, Widow, wore a matching mask.

Miles blinked in confusion before asking, "Why does the horse need a mask?"

Without missing a beat, Web-Slinger replied, "To conceal her face."

Widow, the horse, leaned down and licked Miles's face, leaving him even more bewildered.

"Giddy up!" Web-Slinger called out, and with a quick swing of his web, he and his horse were off, swinging to another part of the HQ.

As the group continued walking, Miles's eyes caught sight of something unsettling—a collection of laser cages holding notorious villains from various dimensions. He spotted Kraven the Hunter and other well-known foes trapped inside, glaring menacingly from their cells.

Miles, curious, asked, "Who's in these laser cages?"

Suddenly, an AI hologram popped up right in front of him. It was Lyla, Miguel O'Hara's sassy digital assistant. "Anomalies," she said casually, "Folks who wound up in the wrong dimension."

Miles jumped slightly at Lyla's sudden appearance. "Whoa! You just pop out like that?" he asked in surprise.

Lyla smirked. "Of course! This HQ's filled with gadgets, networks, and tech—I'm everywhere, duh."

Miles nodded, impressed. "Fair enough."

Jessica Drew pointed at the trapped villains and explained, "These anomalies? We kick their butts and send them back to where they belong."

Gwen nudged Miles with a smile. "They're not very interesting, though."

Lyla chimed in with her usual enthusiasm. "We got a bunch of Doc Ocks."

Miles's eyes lit up. "That's interesting."

Lyla then started listing the trapped villains as they walked past. "A Moosterio. Ms. Sterio. And check this out—video game guy."

Miles's face brightened even more. "I love video games!"

At that moment, Insomniac Spider-Man, Peter Parker from Earth-1048, appeared next to the trap box, watching over the villains. He raised an eyebrow at Lyla. "Are you talking to me? 'Cause clearly, you're talking to me."

Lyla just gave a playful shrug before continuing with her introductions, while Miles marveled at all the different versions of Spider-Men and the wild collection of villains in the HQ.

As they kept walking, the atmosphere buzzed with the excitement and tension of a place that held so many different realities together. Despite the oddities and chaos, Miles couldn't help but feel a growing sense of belonging and anticipation. He was truly part of something bigger than he'd ever imagined.

As Lyla continued introducing the villains, she announced, "An interesting Kraven, a boring Rhino."

Miles scanned the villains, his curiosity piqued. Lyla then pointed out, "A Prowler."

Miles's eyes widened as he recognized the name. "Prowler?" he asked, recalling his uncle Aaron from his own universe.

Gwen quickly clarified, "Not your Prowler."

Miles turned to look at the Prowler in the trap box. The Prowler glanced back and said, "Hey."

Miles continued to stare at him, a mix of curiosity and concern on his face. "Hey," he replied.

The Prowler, seemingly annoyed, said, "It's rude to stare."

Hobie, who had been walking beside Miles, interjected, "Caught that one myself."

The Prowler replied nonchalantly, "I slipped."

Gwen chimed in, "You? I did all the work."

The group continued their journey through the headquarters, and Miles, feeling a pang of jealousy, asked Gwen and Hobie, "How many missions have you been on together?"

Gwen shrugged. "Not that many."

Hobie added, "A couple dozen."

Miles's jealousy flared. "That's cool." Just then, he accidentally bumped into another Spider-Woman.

"Sorry," he said, looking up at her. She was a Black African Spider-Woman around his age, with an aura of cool confidence.

She introduced herself with a hint of sarcasm, "I'm Margo Kess, aka Spider-Byte of Earth-22191."

Miles responded, "I'm Spider-Man."

Margo, unimpressed, replied, "Oh, no way! All of us are."

Gwen, feeling a bit jealous, said, "Can we just keep moving?"

Miles couldn't take his eyes off Margo, intrigued by her. Margo's arms stretched out, preparing to web up some equipment, and Miles asked, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. What are you?"

Margo explained, "I'm an avatar. My body is back in my parents' dimension, chilling in a gaming chair and eating Fritos."

To illustrate, Margo brought up a screen showing her real body lounging in a chair, munching on Fritos, while her parents argued in the background.

Her mother said to her father, "Right, because you don't listen."

Margo quickly shut off the screen, saying, "Here is better."

Miles, empathizing with her situation, said, "I hear that."

Gwen and Hobie exchanged glances, observing Miles's reaction. Despite the chaos of the Spider Society and the peculiarities of their new surroundings, there was a sense of camaraderie forming among them. Miles's empathy and the shared experiences seemed to bridge gaps and forge connections, even in the midst of the multi-dimensional whirlwind they found themselves in.

As Miles, Gwen, Hobie, and Jessica walked through the bustling Spider Society headquarters, Miles's curiosity led him to a large, intricate machine shaped like a spider, which seemed to be whirring and glowing with energy. The machine was busy transporting a villain back to their home dimension.

Miles pointed to the machine and asked, "What does that do?"

Hobie, with a smirk, replied, "Apart from having a great name?"

Gwen, rolling her eyes, said, "It's called the Go Home Machine."

Hobie nodded, "What'd I say, eh?"

Gwen added, "I voted against it, by the way."

Margo, who was busy typing on a console connected to the machine, explained, "It detects whatever dimension your DNA is from and sends you there." As she spoke, she pressed a few buttons, causing the machine to hum and glow brightly. The Rhino, trapped in the machine, started glitching and distorting as it prepared to send him back to his respective dimension.

Rhino shouted in frustration, "Aurg!!" as his form flickered and began to fade from sight.

Hobie commented dryly, "It's super humane and not creepy at all."

Margo gave a dismissive wave to the fading Rhino. "See you, dawg. Don't come back."

Jessica, glancing at the time, said, "We should go. We don't want to keep the boss waiting."

Miles looked at Margo, a hint of hope in his voice. "See you around?"

Gwen, slightly jealous and impatient, cut in, "Let's go!"

Margo responded with a warm smile, "Good luck out there, man."

Miles waved goodbye. "Okay, bye!"

As the group moved towards the exit, Lyla's AI voice chimed in, "Miguel sounds hangry."

Jessica chuckled and added, "He likes those empanadas from the cafeteria."

The group walked off, the sense of urgency heightened by the need to check in with Miguel O'Hara, while Miles took one last look at Margo and the bustling headquarters of the Spider Society, feeling both excitement and nervousness about the challenges ahead.

....

On Another Side Miguel O'hara

Miguel O'Hara, known as the Spider-Man of his dimension, stood in a high-tech control room filled with screens displaying various dimensions and Spider-Men. He was typing rapidly on a keyboard, his eyes scanning the data streams and images. Among the screens was a replay of recent scenes showing Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy talking and laughing—moments of camaraderie and lightness that contrasted sharply with Miguel's own grim demeanor.

Miguel's voice, a blend of resolute determination and underlying weariness, filled the room as he spoke aloud, "My name is Miguel O'Hara. I'm this dimension's one and only Spider-Man..." His words were punctuated by the clicking of keys and the hum of machinery.

He paused to take a serum injection, a liquid glistening in a small vial. As the serum entered his system, Miguel's eyes glowed a fierce red for a brief moment, signifying the powerful and often dangerous enhancements it provided. The change was subtle but significant, underscoring the weight of his responsibilities and the sacrifices he had made.

Miguel continued his monologue, his voice carrying a tone of both resolve and regret. "At least, I was... But I'm not like the others." His gaze remained fixed on the screens, the flickering images reflecting in his intense eyes. "I don't always like what I have to do. But I know I have to be the one to do it."

His shoulders seemed to bear the weight of his burdens as he spoke, each word resonating with the sacrifices and struggles he had faced. "I've given up too much to stop now."

In this solitary moment of self-reflection, Miguel O'Hara embodied the essence of a hero burdened by his own choices and the heavy mantle of responsibility he had chosen to bear. His commitment to his role and the sacrifices he had made were etched in every decision he faced and every action he took.

.....

Meanwhile, in Another Universe...

On the rooftop, Peter Parker, a.k.a. Spider-Man Red, noticed the sudden change in Michael Wilson's demeanor. His mentor, the Legendary Spider-Man, was usually calm and composed, but now there was an intensity in his eyes that Peter rarely saw.

Peter tilted his head, curiosity mixed with concern. "Captain, what's wrong?" he asked, using the respectful title he always gave his teacher.

Michael's expression hardened as he glanced at Peter. "The Spider-Verse is in trouble, and it seems like we're about to be pulled into it."

Peter's confusion grew. "What do you mean by that, Captain?"

But Michael didn't immediately answer. His focus was elsewhere as he engaged in a mental conversation with his System.

Michael thought, "System, do you have access to the Spider Society's dimension?"

The AI System responded in a calm, robotic tone. "Yes, Host, but before proceeding, you need to be informed about the events depicted in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse."

Michael frowned slightly. "That's the sequel to the first Spider-Verse movie, right? I've seen a few clips—though they were spoiler-filled cam rips... Anyway, you're saying that's relevant?"

"Correct, Host," the System confirmed.

Michael's eyes narrowed. "Then show me everything—all the scenes and events from that movie."

"Understood. Initiating data upload…"

Peter watched his mentor in silence. Michael's eyes were unfocused, almost as if he were watching something only he could see. Peter raised a hand to tap Michael's shoulder but hesitated, realizing his teacher was deep in concentration.

As the System completed its upload, Michael's mind was filled with the key scenes from Across the Spider-Verse. He saw Miles Morales defying the Spider Society's rules, Miguel O'Hara's increasingly ruthless methods, and the impending threat to the stability of the multiverse.

Michael clenched his fists, his thoughts racing. "Damn, Miles is in real danger… Miguel and the Spider Society are going to hunt him down. I have to help him—I need to make sure he's safe!"

Determined, Michael asked the System, "How can you access the Spider Society's dimension?"

The System replied, "Host, I have omniscient knowledge of spider dimensions, but the process to access that specific one is costly."

Michael sighed. "Figures… How much?"

"10 million Shop Points."

Michael didn't hesitate. "Take it. Open the portal."

Instantly, his Shop Points were deducted, and the System responded, "Initiating… Opening Dimensional Portal."

In front of Michael, a swirling portal of blue and white energy materialized. The sudden appearance startled Peter, who took a step back in shock.

"What? What is this?" Peter exclaimed, his eyes wide as he stared at the portal.

Michael turned to Peter with a calm but serious expression. "Pete, remember what I told you a while back?"

Peter was still too shocked to immediately respond. "About that?"

Michael smirked slightly. "About the existence of multiple Spider-Men across different universes."

Peter's eyes widened in realization. "You mean—"

Michael nodded. "Yep, we're about to meet some of them. Get ready, Pete—we're going to save the Spider-Verse."

Peter quickly collected himself, tightening his web-shooters and standing by Michael's side. "I'm ready, Captain. Let's do this."

With that, Michael and Peter stepped into the portal, ready to dive into the heart of the Spider-Verse conflict. They were about to face powerful allies and dangerous enemies alike, all in a desperate effort to protect Miles Morales and the very fabric of reality itself. 

To be continue