Qué Maravilla

Ch.8 - The Point of No Return

As Miles followed closely behind his doppelganger through the city, he couldn't help but be fascinated with his suit. The engineering feats it displayed seemed to surpass even that of his own Uncle Aaron' suit. He was blown away by his sneakers, which seemed to possess some kind of jet propulsion mechanism which allowed him to leap unprecedented heights, the robotic neon-lit helmet he was able to control seemingly like it was just another muscle in his own body. And of course, those steel claws which were incredibly versatile in combat and travel. He thought back to their fight moments ago. How he blindsided him with that spray paint bomb. Were there any other features of his suit he hadn't seen yet?

"I like your shoes," Miles blurts out, "Are they pneumatic?"

The Prowler pauses for a moment on the corner edge of a skyscraper, posed in a low squat next to a gargoyle. If he had been in a better mood, Miles would have joked about the resemblance in demeanor between the two. 'Now probably isn't the time to poke fun at him.' He told himself, 'Doubt this is the type of guy that can take a joke.'

"Yeah.. And?" His voice is nothing like his own. The glowing mask obscuring his face was designed to distort it. It was lower, almost machine-like, in a way that was entirely unnerving.

"That's sick. They look pretty dope too. Better than the one Uncle Aaron used to wear,haha. " Prowler doesn't respond, instead blankly staring through him with that intimidating mask.

"Or..I guess my Uncle Aaron...I've neer seen...I mean...I'm sure your Unc's shoes are dope too.."

Silence.

Miles clears his throat in an awkward attempt to ease the tension. "Oh and those paint bombs you threw earlier. Are they activated based on a standard timer fuse or do you use an explode-on-impact type of trigger because-"

"-Do you ever shut up?"

'Ouch.'

"Um okay then..." Miles raises his palms defensively, slowing his pace so that Prowler was ahead of him. "....I'm sorry I guess?" Miles couldn't help the disgusted expression creeping in on his face. 'Bet he's a real hit at parties.'

"Also-"

"-What," Prowler responds curtly.

"...Your shoe is untied." Miles said with a grin, attempting to feign innocence for intentionally pestering him.

"I'm aware." Somehow the robotic tone seemed to emphasize his annoyance. Then he leaped off the building, almost like he was trying to get as far away from Miles as he could.

Miles shrugged, "Just thought you should know," he jested before following after him.

It was not long after when they reached the subway underneath Fitz Tower. Miles found the layout of this subway to be similar to his own Brooklyn. All the tracks, tunnel, the stairs, the overhead lights, even the benches. The difference was in the small details like the colors of the terminal signs or the horde of unfamiliar graffiti tags littering the walls. The advertisements (also covered in graffiti) were almost exclusively names that he recognized. Some of them being for villains he had defeated in his own dimension. Vulture Telecom? Rhino had a casino? Kraven was running for city mayor? The thought of these kinds of individuals holding substantial power made his blood run cold. It was like his own personal hell.

After what felt like ages (though probably only minutes) they reached a locked metal gate that wore a giant sign on the front that read, "RESTRICTED AREA AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY". Immediately Prowler breaks toward it. With the added momentum of his sneakers, he leaps in the air, grabs the top of the gate and pulls himself up and over the fence in one fell swoop. Upon landing with a thud, he turns around with a grimace of impatience that makes the unspoken message clear, 'You coming or not?'