chasing waterfalls [Peter Parker]

~66~

Ladies and gentlemen, the Bugle tip line has just received a call from none other than the fugitive known as Spider-Man fresh from his rampage in Queens. So, Peter Parker? What pernicious propaganda are you peddling?

"Just the truth."

Oh, sure. 

"The truth is, that this is all my fault. I accidentally brought those dangerous people here."

Well. He admits it.

"And if those people are watching... just know that I really did try to help you. I mean, I could have killed you at any given moment, but I didn't. Because my Aunt May taught me that everyone deserves a second chance. That's why I'm here."

And where is here, exactly?

"A place that represents second chances."

The Statue of Liberty? Good God folks. He's about to destroy another national landmark.

"World, if you're watching..."

Believe me, the world is watching.

"Wish me luck. Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man could use some." Peter turned off his phone and turned around to look at me. "I really hope this is going to work." I grabbed his hand. 

"This is going to work." I was half reassuring him and half reassuring myself. "We're gonna cure these guys, send them home, and then you're gonna go to MIT." Peter smiled, sighing. He looked over at the two other Spider-Men. 

"Okay, guys. It could be any minute now." I heard a swinging noise coming from the level below us, followed by older Peter's voice. 

"Yep, almost done." He watched the device go up to the top. Meanwhile, taller Peter was stretching. 

"You know, Max was like the sweetest guy ever before he fell into a pool full of electric eels." I raised an eyebrow. Electric eels can give you superpowers? Older Peter chuckled.

"That'll do it." As the Spider-Men continued their conversation, I walked around the Statue of Liberty. Mainly to keep an eye out for any bad guys. And since we were literally surrounded by water, I wasn't going to be electrocuted again by Max. As I circled around the Statue of Liberty's head, I could see the three getting into fighting position. I assumed that they could sense something. 

Thunder started rumbling, and I could hear a voice. 

"What's up, Peter?" Out of nowhere, Max materialized. "How you like the new new?" He looked at the box in Peter's hand. "Look, you give it to me, I'm gonna destroy it." He chuckled. "But I'll let you live. Don't make me a murderer again, Peter." Peter put on his mask and leapt off the head of the Statue. 

"Okay, guys. Here he comes." Max chased Peter through the construction. I sighed, closing my eyes. I could feel the water around me, and I needed to use it now more than ever to get Max in the right spot to cure him. Opening my eyes, I held out my hands palms up, slowly lifting them. A spout of water started to rise out of the water. As soon as I saw Max fly by, I moved one hand in a sharp motion. 

"Don't worry about me. I'll save myse-" Max got cut off by a clump of water wrapping around his leg. Before he got a chance to turn back into energy, I whipped my hand down and he went flying. I then used my powers to fly so I could aim better. Max came up to my eye level. "Well, well, well. I thought I fried you." 

"Yeah, well I'm pretty hard to fry." Max shot a blast of energy at me, which I deflected with a blast of water. I then turned around and flew into the construction, Max now following me. While flying, I yelled out to Peter. "I got him following me, get the cure." After a few seconds, Max turned around and started attacking Peter. "Damn it." I cursed under my breath and flew out. 

"Sad to tell you, Sandman, nobody's going home." He shot a blast at a crane, which sent it down with older Peter and the lizard still on it. Luckily, older Peter was able to swing off. Marko started forming a cloud of sand that surrounded the Statue of Liberty. Immediately, all three Peters started yelling at each other, confused as to what they should refer to each other as. They settled on older Peter being Peter 2, taller Peter being Peter 3, and my Peter being Peter 1. 

"Let's pick one target." Peter 2 started. 

"We take them off the board. One at a time." Peter 3 finished. This sounded like a solid plan. 

"Now you got it. Peter 1, Peter 2, Peter 3. Alright let's do this." We all started to go, but then Peter 3 called out. 

"Wait, wait, wait!" We all turned around. "I love you guys." I chuckled, assuming he was talking to Peters 1 and 2. Both Peters said thank you at the same time. They then put their masks back on and swung towards the bad guys. I sighed, flying to follow them. 

"Okay Spider-Mans and Nixie. Sandman's first." I nodded, gathering water. I was going to need a lot of water to keep Sandman in one area. 

"I'm gonna lead him inside the statue." Peter 2 responded. 

"I'll meet you at the top." Peter 3 agreed. He grabbed the cure, but was trampled by the lizard. He tossed the cure to Peter 1, who was immediately blasted by Max. The cure fell out of his hands as he fell. I swooped in to grab the cure and flew it up to Peter 2, who was drowning in sand. As soon as he caught it, a bright light emanated from the crown. I flew closer to see if it had worked, and it did. Now I could focus on Max. 

"How do we stop him?" Peter 2 asked. Peter 3 shrugged. 

"I've never seen him this powerful." Peter 1 noticed Tony's arc reactor on Max's chest. 

"It's the arc reactor. We gotta get it off him." Max shook his head. 

"You're not gonna take this from me." I narrowed my eyes, flicking my wrist. Water rose up and sort of wrapped around him. Peter shot a web at it, which Max caught. "That's not gonna work." He shot out a blast of energy at all 3 Peters, which exploded the Statue of Liberty's head. I shot out a blast of water to make sure he didn't do any more damage. The three Peters tried to go up close, but they kept getting shot. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the portal to the school was still open. 

"Peter 1!" I shouted, and he turned to look at me. I pointed to the portal, and he immediately swung up there. I went back to helping the other two. Peter 3 had dropped the device, and Peter 2 grabbed it with his web, only to be grabbed by a metal claw. Octavius appeared behind Max. 

"Leave them. They're mine." Max shook his head, aiming at me for another blast. 

"I don't need your help. I got it just fine." Peter 3 clung to the claw. 

"Dr. Octavius, no." Octavius smiled, then reached back with another claw to grab Max. 

"What are you doing? Get it off of me." Octavius turned to Max. He dropped both Peters, and grabbed the device. With one swift movement, he removed the arc reactor and put the device in its place. The device immediately turned green, and Max sunk to the ground. 

I flew up to the next level to help Ned and MJ, and I saw the lizard getting pummeled by water. I looked over to see an open Portal. I chuckled. Ned was getting pretty good at this. MJ grabbed the lizard's cure, and threw it to Peter 1. He grabbed it, and shoved it in the lizard's mouth. As soon as the lizard chomped down on it, green smoke came out, and the lizard turned into a man. I turned around to see Ned opening another portal. 

Out of the portal came Strange. He did not look happy. 

This was not good.