𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 | 𝐏. 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐄𝐑

chapter twenty-four: two peter parkers

"Tragedy." Michelle and Ned listened to the television as Jameson broadcast just outside the building where May had died. "What else can I call it? What more needs to be said? The damage... the destruction... you saw it with your own eyes."

Michelle clenched her fists as she tried to contact you and Peter. "When will people wake up and realize that everywhere Spider-Man goes... chaos and calamity ensue. Everything Spider-Man touches come to ruin. And we, the innocents, are left to pick up the pieces."

Ned shook his head as Jameson continued talking. "J. Jonah Jameson, reporting. Good night. And God helps us all."

Ned's grandmother offered Ned a drink and hugged her grandson in comfort. Thunder roared outside as rain poured down heavily. Michelle looked at Ned for any confirmation. "Still nothing?"

"No." Ned sighed, setting his phone down when he couldn't contact Peter. Michelle sat next to the ancient relic entrusted to her by you. She stared at it and huffed. "I'm gonna press it."

Ned snapped his head at Michelle. "What? No!" He protested.

"Peter and (Y/n) told me to wait, but... I'm gonna do it."

"I just wish... I just wish that we could see him." Ned sighed as he flailed his arms around in desperation. The two friends saw what happened in front of them when something sparked. "Ned?"

"Yeah?"

"Do that again."

"Yeah." Ned nodded before repeating the same actions he had made a while ago. "I just wish we could see him."

He managed to open a small portal briefly before disappearing again. Michelle and Ned stood up as Ned began to circle his hand around to form a portal. "Okay... I just wish we could see Peter."

A portal opened that led to an alleyway, and Ned's grandmother saw it. "Salamangkero!" Ned's grandmother whispered to Ned.

Ned glanced at his grandmother before looking down at his hands. "Lola, you're right. I am magic."

Michelle squinted her eyes in the darkness to see if she was seeing Peter. "Is that him?" She asked as she tapped on Ned's arm.

"Yeah, yeah. It has to be."

"Peter." Michelle started calling the guy out in the distance. "Peter!"

"Hey, Peter!" Ned called out as well.

"Peter!"

The man in the Spider-Man suit began to run towards the portal and jumped inside. Michelle and Ned realized the man was wearing a different kind of Spider-Man suit. "Oh, woah!" Ned's grandmother began to scream in terror. "Hi. Hi!" In his calming voice, the man waved at the elderly woman to assure her that he meant no harm nor was he dangerous. The grandmother began throwing pillows at the man. "No, no, no. It's okay. It's okay. I'm a nice guy."

The man removed his mask, revealing a different and unfamiliar face instead of the Peter that Michelle and Ned were looking for. "Okay..." He exhaled deeply, and the grandmother hid.

The man was taller than Peter, and his hair was slightly ruffled. "Who the hell are you?" Michelle asked.

"I'm Peter Parker." The man introduced.

"That's not possible," Michelle complained.

"I am Spider-Man." The man continued. "In my world. But then, yesterday? I was... I was just here."

The man, who introduced himself as Peter, looked back at the portal and gasped. "Wow." He breathed out. "String theory... multidimensional reality... and matter displacement—all real?" He asked Michelle and Ned.