35 Meeting the Characters of NWH

""""Peter Parker?""""

The man in the fox mask leaned forward and nodded to them. Michelle Jones approached him, assessing him with her gaze. Apart from the ridiculous cowboy hat and the normal color of his hair and eyes, he didn't exude the nerdy vibe her boyfriend did.

Dr. Octavius fixed his intense gaze on Peter, his curiosity evident as he inquired, "So, how did you end up here?"

Peter looked back at the bitter scientist and cleared his throat, replying, "I was on my way to prom with my soon-to-be girlfriend... Perhaps you guys should find one too... maybe it will help with not wanting to burn or kill people."

The portly man scoffed and glanced at his robotic tentacles before speaking sharply, "Women, nothing but trouble."

Michelle crossed her arms, tilted her head, and looked at him intently, "So, was she... me? Uh, Peter Parker of this world is my boyfriend." She followed up with a quirky gesture, scrunching her lips in curiosity.

Peter looked at her for a moment, then shook his head to deny her assumption. "No, but the version of you in my world is gay and..." he hesitated, unsure how to continue.

MJ was taken aback but nodded slightly with an upside-down smile. "Okay... alright... I guess that's acceptable," she replied, trying to process the unexpected information.

Peter waited for a moment, then continued,

"I'm actually going to prom with the girl she has a crush on."

MJ looked at Peter with a thoughtful frown, and an "Oh" escaped from her lips. She crossed her arms even further, expressing her disappointment. "Yeah, you definitely aren't anything like Peter,"

Peter raised his eyebrows but he did not deny, in a longshot what she said was undeniably the truth. Probably in the multiverse, there was not a single Peter similar to him... then again, the multiverse has infinite possibilities.

"You mean fake Peter? Cuz I'm definitely the og."

Michelle rolled her eyes while Ned, the lovable plump Asian boy, squealed in excitement as he crept closer to the glass. His smile widened as he asked,

"And me?! What about me?"

Peter chuckled darkly at Ned's enthusiasm and replied,

"Well, you've always been the funny Ned I know in my world. No walking naked, sexually harassing students and teachers or beating up anyone... then getting expelled for it, that's for sure."

Ned blushed, looking a bit embarrassed. "Oh, phew! I'm glad to hear that," he said with a relieved smile. "But why do I feel like, there is something wrong with your description?"

Norman Osborn stayed silent from his cage, a small smile crossing his face. "Fascinating," he whispered aloud to himself. "I wonder what different versions of me are like."

Peter remained silent not answering either men, indicating that this was a topic he preferred not to discuss in depth. To him, the Green Goblin was undoubtedly the most classic and terrifying villain of Spider-Man.

The dynamic between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin seemed reminiscent of the complex relationship shared by Batman and the Joker.

'I think there is no version where Norman is not evil or not the Green Goblin. Poor guy...'

Suddenly the humanoid lizard monster with a menacing green appearance addressed Peter. Its yellow teeth gnashed as it spoke

"I can sense the Lizard in you... and for some inexplicable reason, I find myself feeling afraid. Interesting."

Peter chuckled the answer for this very simple. He looked at the reptile monster and shrugged.

"Skill issue."

"....."

"I am back! I am back!"

Tom Holland suited up as Spider-Man and hurriedly dashed inside, making his arrival known to everyone present. He quickly scanned the area, taking in the sight of people trapped behind cages.

His gaze then shifted to MJ and Ned, who seemed to be in the vicinity. However, he noticed that the atmosphere was eerily silent and emotionless, which puzzled him.

"What's going on?"

Michelle Jones pointed towards Peter, raising her eyebrows in emphasis, and spoke in her typical nonchalant tone.

"Just a little bit of existential crisis for everyone,"

~

"Hey... erm Peter do you wanna help us?" Tom Holland asked with Norman beside him.

Peter looked at him and chuckled, "Sure, Tom Parker, I'll be there. However, first, I'd like to catch up with 'our' beautiful Aunt May here."

Tom looked at Peter and then at his aunt, clearly perplexed. He nodded hesitantly.

"Uh... okay. Cool. Wait... Why am I, Tom?"

Peter sized him up before raising an eyebrow.

"You don't think it suits you?

Tom complained slightly before realization dawned upon him. He looked at the Peter from a different universe, covering his mouth with his palm in surprise.

"I... I... love it."

He looked at Norman, who was calling to him, and then back at Peter.

"Catch you later,"

Tom Parker then quickly disappeared into the other room to brainstorm a solution with Mr. Green Goblin. Peter shook his head, glancing at May from the corner of his eyes.

"So... May, are you single?" he asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

Aunt May was a little taken aback, and she stared at the Peter from another dimension. After a moment of contemplation, she nodded slowly.

"Yes, at the moment,"

Peter released a sigh of relief, gently grasping her palms in his. He spoke in a soft voice, filled with sincerity.

"I am very glad that you are. Truthfully speaking, I doubt there is anyone who deserves you in this world. Thank you for taking care of Peter in this world, you are the best May."

Aunt May was rendered speechless at that moment, feeling a mix of emotions from appreciation to warmth. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out, overcome by the unexpected depth of the moment.

Just as she was about to, Peter suddenly hugged her tightly, sneakily feeling the Hollywood superstar Aunt May... showing his appreciation for the emotional moment. He quickly released her, a little fake teary-eyed.

"I-I am sorry. It's just that these moments that you get with your loved ones are precious..."

Aunt May's eyes widened with empathy as she pulled Peter into a deeper warm embrace. She gently patted his back and whispered comforting words into his ear.

"You must have gone through a lot, Peter. Sometimes winning, sometimes losing. However, always remember that there are people supporting you, even from across dimensions,"

Peter smiled and nodded gratefully at Aunt May, the living embodiment of Marisa Tomei.

"I should go and help them,"

He put a hand near his lower part, hiding the tent that was beginning to form as he released himself from her warm embrace.

May smiled and warmly nodded at him, offering a small wave as he prepared to leave.

"You go and do that... and when you feel hungry, come back here. The burritos are in the making,"

Peter smiled at Aunt May and lightly kissed her cheek to express his gratitude. He then walked toward the room, where he came across Electro and Sandman who were bonding over their shared experiences of falling and gaining powers.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Peter walked toward the innermost room where Tom Parker and Norman Osborn were working tirelessly to find a cure for Dr. Octavius, and also to help Electro, Sandman, and Green Goblin.

Peter took a step back from the door, reigning in the smile that had unintentionally curled onto his lips. A subconscious feeling of wanting to nudge his glasses came over him.

"This will be one great harvest."