Hello, and welcome to my new series, Parallel! It deals with heroes from Marvel and DC being dumped in alternate realities, for an unknown reason. While you don’t know at first, the answer becomes more and more clear throughout the series, and so does the threat the heroes must deal with. So, enjoy!
“God, what happened?”
Spider-Man got up slowly, rubbing his head. It hurt like crazy.
SM: “What happened last night? I can’t remember. I can’t even remember last week.”
He looked around, and saw that he was on a New York sidewalk. An empty New York sidewalk. That was strange. He started to walk, quickly having it become a run, and was soon swinging through the air.
SM: “Woo-hoo!”
He landed on a rooftop, and looked around.
SM: “Sure looks like New York. But why can’t I remember...?”
“Remember what?”
He turns around, and sees a woman, wearing an outfit just like his, standing there. Long, blond hair falls down perfectly.
SM: “Who are you?”
“Who are you?”
SM: “Can you answer my question first? I mean, there’s this Yankees game, plus Aunt May gets worried when I’m not-”
“Cute. I’m Spider-Woman.”
SM: “No way! Oh my god, I’m Spider-Man! This is so cool! But I’ve never seen you before. And that name is taken.”
SW: “I was using it long before Jessica Drew came. Now seriously, who are you?”
SM: “Um... Spider-Man.”
SW: “There is no Spider-Man. Now who are you?”
SM: “Where are we?”
SW: “New York, you idiot.”
SM: “But not my New York. There was never a hero that looked like you, except for me. Whatever happened to me somehow transported me to-”
SW: “Do you realize how crazy you sound?”
SM: “Take off your mask.”
SW: “Why the hell would I do that?”
SM: “We’re... duplicates. Different versions of each other. That’s my best guess. Now, you can help me get back to wherever I need to go, or you could be a jerk. Now take off your mask, or just leave me here.”
SW: “... Fine. On three. One... two... three!”
They both ripped off their masks.
SW: “Peter?”
SM: “Gwen?”
EARTH-616
A wasteland is seen. Skulls and bones cover the ground.
We see a throne, with a golden gauntlet resting on one of the arms.
ALTERNATE REALITY 1
Spider-Man leans against a water.
SM: “Oh god. Gwen, you should be dead! You died!”
SW: “You died! You died in front of me! Osborn killed you!”
SM: “Then this a different reality. Pym always said that they existed, but-”
Gwen rushed forwards, and kissed him. Peter pushed her away.
SM: “Gwen, I can’t. You aren’t the Gwen that I knew, this isn’t my Earth, and... and I can’t lose you again.”
SW: “How? I’m not powerless, like I was in your reality, if that is true.”
SM: “I can’t, okay? Let’s leave it at that. Can you at least try to get me back?”
SW: “I’m not sure. There might be some tech at Oscorp, but I could never do it. Unless some mad scientist creates an inter-dimensional portal, you’re stuck here.”
SM: “What about Reed Richards?”
SW: “Maybe, but it could take weeks.”
SM: “Then I’m stuck. Is there a place I could stay?”
SW: “I have an apartment.”
NEW YORK
A construction site is shown.
“Hey Jim, where’s the hammer!?!”
Jim: “I thought you knew!”
“Well I don’t!”
Jim: “Check the truck!”
“Got it!”
Suddenly, the ground starts to rumble.
Jim: “Is it an earthquake?”
“I don’t know, but move!”
The sand started to rise, making an almost human shape. Bars of steel were sucked into the ground. The truck sunk into the ground, leaving the two workers trapped. The sand started to make a more human shape. Colors appeared on the sand. Flint Marko smiled, and drowned the two workers with sand. Their lifeless bodies were sucked into the ground, as Flint continued walking.
GWEN’S APARTMENT
Peter walked in, Gwen behind him.
Gwen: “It’s not much, but it’s enough. Your bed is over there.”
Peter: “Is it the one with the pink sheets?”
Gwen: “No. It isn’t. Peter, I know that you don’t want to... well, I don’t know what you want. But...”
Peter: “Gwen, I get it. You loved me, and I died. Well, he died. The same thing happened to me. Okay? Good.”
Gwen: “It’s not that. It’s just... should you go back?”
Peter: “You know how I feel, but-”
Gwen: “It’s not that. I’m just thinking... well, you have no idea what happened, right?”
Peter: “Right.”
Gwen: “So what happened? Maybe you were sent off. Maybe there were Skrull, or Kree, or Annihilus. Maybe Galactus came, and you couldn’t stop him.”
Peter: “Are you saying I shouldn’t try to find out what happened?”
Gwen: “I’m saying that you should stay here! You don’t know what happened in your reality.”
Peter: “That’s what I’m saying Gwen. I need to find out.”
Gwen: “Okay. Okay. It’s just... I don’t want you to die again.”
Peter: “I won’t. Promise.”
The Next Day
Spider-Man swings through Manhattan. Spider-Woman swings next to him.
SM: “So, do you use web shooters?”
SW: “Yeah, but not always. You, well, Peter, invented them after I told him was Spider-Woman.”
SM: “You told him? That’s ironic.”
SW: “Why?”
SM: “You have more balls than me.”
They laughed. Then Gwen was hit by a blast of sand. She rocketed into the side of a building. Peter shot a web towards Gwen, through instinct, but she swung away.
SW: “Forgot I could do that?”
SM: “Little bit.”
They swung onto the building where the blast came from.
SM: “Was it Sandman?”
SW: “It would have to be. I mean, who else can control sand?”
Peter crouched over a pile of sand.
SM: “Yeah, it was him.”
A fist popped up from the sand, and punched Spidey. He was knocked onto his back. The sand morphed into the shape of a man. Sandman. He punched Spider-Man.
Sandman: “Who are you? Spider-Girl’s boyfriend?”
SM: “You know, we actually have a very complicated relationship. I’m from an alternate reality, she’s from an alternate reality. We tried getting together, but it just didn’t work out.”
Spidey pushed himself off the ground, kicking Sandman. Spider-Woman pulled Sandman towards her, let go, webbed two water towers, backed up, let go, and rocketed towards him. Sandman grabbed her feet, and threw her into a tower. Spider-Man punched Flint right through the back, his hand coming out through his stomach. Flint grabbed Spidey, and flipped him. His hand became a hammer. He raised it, and was pulled towards Spider-Woman, who uppercutted him. She kicked him towards Spider-Man, who grabbed Flint’s shoulders, and tossed him off the building.
SM: “See ya.”
He jumped off the building, Gwen behind him. On the street, there was nothing. Not a single grain of sand.
SW: “Well, that sucks.”
SM: “You get used to it.”
SW: “I’m not a rookie.”
SM: “Yeah. Sorta getting used to this too.”
NEW EARTH
A wasteland is seen. Skulls and bones cover the ground.
We see a throne, with a dark blue gauntlet resting on one of the arms.
ALTERNATE REALITY 1
GWEN’S APARTMENT
Gwen: “Peter, I was thinking, and... well, you should go.”
Peter: “Gwen, thanks. But I have no way of getting back, remember?”
Gwen: “I know. I was just saying that I think you should.”
Peter: “Oh. Well, that makes much more sense.”
A sandstorm burst through the window, swirling around the apartment.
Gwen: “Costumes, now!”
Peter: “No time! Run!”
They ducked out of the apartment, and ran.
Gwen: “What do we do?”
Peter: “I was hoping you knew.”
Gwen: “Um... act natural?”
Peter: “Yeah, let’s go with that.”
They walked past people on the sidewalk.
Peter: “This isn’t working.”
Gwen: “Agreed. We should find water. Make him the mud man.”
Peter: “Might want costumes.”
Gwen: “You wanted to leave.”
Peter: “I wanted to live.”
Gwen: “Don’t talk about life and death.”
Peter: “Not over him dying?”
Gwen: “Are you?”
Peter: “Well, no but... you get my point.”
Sand flew down in front of them, forming into Sandman.
Sandman: “Didn’t figure that the Spider would be someone ordinary. Or her boyfriend.”
Peter: “How many times man? Alternate realities!”
He blasted sand into both of them. They landed on the sidewalk, quickly getting up.
Gwen: “I guess costumes don’t matter now.”
Peter: “Nope.”
Civilians were running through the streets, screaming. Cars were coming to a halt. Sandman rushed at Peter and Gwen. He punched Peter, and was webbed by Gwen, who slammed her fists into him, knocking him down. Sandman got up.
Peter: “He looks pissed.”
Gwen: “You don’t say.”
A blast of sand knocked back Gwen. Peter ducked under another, and punched Flint. He kicked him in the face, causing it to burst into sand. Peter ran over to Gwen.
Peter: “Are you okay?”
Gwen: “Of course I am.”
She got up, as Peter was hit by a blast of sand. Sandman grabbed Gwen’s neck, holding her against a building. He walked towards Peter, standing on him. His fist molded into a hammer. He slammed it into Peter, laughing. Then again. Then again. Gwen webbed Flint in the head, pulling him towards her. He let go of Gwen, and Peter punched him from behind. Sandman punched Gwen, turned around, and grabbed one of Peter’s arms. He threw him into a building. He grabbed Gwen, and morphed his hand into a giant mace. He slammed it into her. Then again. And again. And again. And again. Peter got up, and webbed a water tower. He pulled it down, and it crashed onto the street, dousing him, Gwen, and Sandman in water. Sandman dropped to his knees, and turned into mud, breaking up. Peter rushed to Gwen, who was on her back, covered in water.
Peter: “Gwen? Gwen? Wake up! Come on! Gwen!”
He checked her pulse. A few beats. Then less. Then nothing.
Peter: “Gwen, I’m sorry. I let you die twice now. I’m sorry Gwen. And... and I did love you. I just didn’t want to lose you again. And now I did. I can’t I’m sorry enough. Oh Gwen...”
He checked her pulse again. There was something. It started up again.
Gwen: “Peter... that was so cheesy.”
Peter: “Oh my god. Gwen, you’re alive. You’re alive!”
Gwen: “Is Marko...?”
Peter: “Yes.”
Gwen: “Oh, that’s good.”
She closed her eyes. Peter checked her pulse. It was fine. He got up, and walked away as medical teams and police came.
Peter walked down a sidewalk, hands in pockets.
He looked behind him, and ducked into an ally. A blinding white light appeared, and an unseen figure stepped out.
Peter: “Woah. Who are you.”
“You know who I am. Or at least know. I know what happened to you, but first, you must step through the portal. All will be explained in time.”
Peter: “And why should I trust you?”
“Because I am your only chance for survival. Peter Parker, you are being hunted, by the minions of the two greatest villains in the two greatest universes.”
Peter: “Um, at least say what happened.”
“All I will say is that you were right. You have been thrown into alternate realities. The three greatest heroes from each of the greatest universes, who survived the Onslaught, have been thrust through the deepest depths of the universe, and into another. Now, step through the portal, or perish.”
Peter took a step forward, closed his eyes, and ran through the portal. When he opened his eyes, Gwen Stacy was staring at him, along with himself.
So, that was episode one of Parallels! I hope you enjoyed! More are on the way. And don’t forget to check out my Green Lantern fan fic! Plus, here’s a little bit of background on this universe!
INFO:
Gwen Stacy had transferred to Midtown High halfway through her 12th grade education. She had arrived just in time for a field trip to a laboratory. Not noticing a spider just above her, it went down as she was talking. The spider bit her, however, she didn’t notice. The next day, she discovered she had superpowers. Having been taught responsibility, and justice by her father, police captain George Stacy, she decided to help people. After a few fights with supervillains, she decided to tell her now friend, Peter Parker. After a few days, he creates web shooters for her.
Later into her career, she encountered the Green Goblin, who had kidnapped Peter. He threw him off. Gwen webbed him, as the Goblin was impaled by his own glider. But, sadly, Peter had been killed. Gwen debated for years wether or not it was the Goblin, or her web that had killed Peter.
Gwen grew closer to her classmate Mary Jane Watson. They soon became friends, but Gwen feared if she would die too. She also grew close to Flash Thompson, who had become noticeably more quiet since Peter’s death. They soon became close.
After college, Gwen and Flash married. Because of Gwen, Flash had decided not to join the military, and kept both his legs. Gwen later told him that she was Spider-Woman. He responded by saying that he had already known.
After the Civil War, where she had sided with Cap, Flash decided to go to war. He never returned. Gwen was heartbroken. Now two of her loves had died. A year later, Gwen swung onto a rooftop, and saw a man wearing a costume almost exactly like hers.
UP NEXT:
A new reality, plus, Batman!
Until next time,
Comiccow6.