[ Previously ]
As Peter sighs and walks over to the table, he quickly pours himself another glass of punch.
- Well, it looks like you have a dance appointment, Peter. - It was Betty who was on the other side of the table. - Look, when I had the shy guy following me around at work, I wasn't expecting him to be a hot woman magnet.
- And you know that very well, don't you? - Peter smiled at his coworker, seeing how next to her was a wonderful blonde wrapped around his arm. - Hi, Felicia, how are you?
- Incredible. - Felicia smiled at the boy she met this afternoon. - That camera of yours has been a big hit with the police department. Mom is so happy that everyone is enjoying the dance.
- I'm glad. - Peter smiled, sipping his punch straight away. - I'm not used to balls or parties like that, but it's kind of nice... very nice, actually. - Peter grinned at Betty as he looked over to where his aunt was standing with two other women, making Brant laugh mischievously.
- I knew there was a naughty boy underneath that shy photographer. - Betty laughed along with Felicia. - All that muscle hidden under baggy T-shirts and sweatpants wasn't adding up.
- And how do you know I have that much muscle? - Peter turned the tables on her, knowing full well how, on his first day at the Daily Bugle, his colleague had dried him off while he wore his company suit.
- Ah, Peter... don't force me across this table to check it out myself. - She dried him off in his suit, showing how a well-fitted outfit was doing wonders for the teenager with a body defined like that of an athlete. - I don't know where you've been working out or what you've been taking, but it's best not to stop.
- Natural, chicken, egg, supplement and creatine diet. - Peter began, only to have his colleague skirt around the table, under the excited shout of Felicia dragging along.
- Fucking natural. - Betty stood in front of him. - Don't hide the game.
- I have no idea what you're talking about. - Peter laughed. - But since you're here, how about I buy you both a drink? - He asked, then poured two glasses of punch. - On our good boss.
- I knew the dynamics of the company were going to change when someone bumped into Jameson over the phone. - Betty accepted the punch.
- It's part of my charm. - Peter agreed, handing the second glass to the blonde. - How about some photos? I'm still working.
- We all are. - Felicia agreed, where, as much as she already had a target of interest that she had been chasing for a while, she couldn't help but feel the same way about the boy. - But first you'll have to show if you can dance as well as Miss Brant here. - She laughed excitedly when Betty allowed herself to be released to include her colleague.
- If holding a glass while you dance next to me to gain morale is any good, then yes. - Peter laughed when he feigned shyness, but he didn't deny dancing with this blonde, especially as the music was more lively than the slow dance he'd had with May and he really seemed to loosen up with most of the audience around him being adults.
It was doing his life wonders to stop thinking that any active attitude on his part was a reason to suspect him of being Spider-Man, because in reality no one was suspicious and it took him three lifetimes to reach this consensus that everyone was too busy to look at him in search of the identity of the neighborhood friend.
- Okay. - Felicia looked at Betty and saw her confirm excitedly. - Let me do all the work.
With Felicia pulling him into the middle of the crowd on the dance floor, Peter soon began his second dance of the night, this time with a specific person who would connect two sides of his life, little knowing how close they both were to knowing their identity, but at the same time so far away from it.
For Spider-Man's first obsessive villain had just been brought into his life, and little did they both know it.
[ Currently ]
- The element we use today can't stay stable for long. - That's what Peter was watching on the podcast in which Sérgio Sacani was explaining about a totally new change that the world has been paying attention to recently. - So we can't generate energy, that's basically it.
He was at Mary Jane's house when her father left for work that Sunday, and the redhead invited him and Gwen to spend the afternoon together.
And if the look on Watson's face meant anything, it was that she hadn't been thinking innocent thoughts at all since their recent dance together.
To his left was Gwen playing with her hair and to his right was Mary studying his arm in search of a tattoo that would look good on Peter.
- What is the element that stabilizes this process? - Sacani's voice on the podcast asked the presenters, to which he immediately replied. - It's Tralphium.
- The advantage of this is that grams of tTralphium will produce energy for a long time. The current focus that Space-X and Nasa are making in this space exploration is to travel to the moon, obtain Tralphium and then a little bit of this compound will be enough for all of humanity. - Peter listened attentively to the podcast where the presenters began to discuss this, making him watch as the television next door showed a live stream of a rocket leaving the planet.
He didn't know when it started, but just like the first time Gwen had taken sides, she did it again, giving Parker a short kiss on the neck, under Mary's attention, who, looking Stacy in the eye, repeated the same kiss on the other side of Peter's neck.
- That's it! To have Tralphium is to stop hydroelectric plants, to stop radioactive waste. - Sacani's voice on the podcast explained something that now matched what all the worldwide commotion had been about since Elon Musk made his rockets that land backwards available so that a team determined to return to the moon could finally be taken safely. - It's clean energy and efficient energy.
When he finally felt his concentration fade as Gwen pulled him in to plant a kiss on his mouth, which Mary then repeated, pretending to be competing with Stacy, Peter felt something in his body react as any heterosexual in his place would.
- Damn it, just do what you want. - Peter laughed mischievously as he grabbed Gwen and Mary by the back of the neck, pulling them against each other.
And it seemed that's what they wanted, because the blonde and the redhead immediately started tongue-kissing right in front of him, making Peter feel even more provoked by their hands rubbing his cock hidden by his sweatpants.
What these three did was something that once again pushed Peter's personality towards something he had never explored in his other lives, but more importantly, it was how it distracted him from what was so important, because when Jameson's son working at Nasa in support of Space-X aimed to get off the ground in the search for Tralphium on the moon, when the rocket flight finally succeeded, how something got in his way, something that the whole world saw and the only person who knew what it was, was too busy giving two of his best friends from school a treat.
[ ... ]
== Sidereal Space ==
- Really, this is the time to say "Houston, we have a problem". - A blond man in a space suit said on a rocket that had just left the Earth's atmosphere.
- Ventilation still working, Captain Jameson. - A black woman said, taking a co-pilot's seat next to her captain.
- Communication systems down, the meteorite had damaged the hull. - A dark-haired man in the background said as he pressed various buttons, controlling the alerts, but still frightened by the rocket losing its previous propulsion.
[ ... ]
- I still don't know how the biggest nerd in the class can be best friends with the captain of the soccer team. - Mary Jane said to Gwen, who looked back, seeing in the background Peter surrounded by the people from the back of the class and how this interaction of all of them around Parker didn't match at all.
- But wait, Parker Dick. - Flash said, not understanding a damn thing, to the laughter of his friends. - Why can't we synthesize this Tralphium ?
- So we did it, but it doesn't come out the way the compound should. - Peter tried to explain without getting too scientific and confusing Eugene even more.
- But what, is it gravity that influences that? - Flash's new girlfriend asked, being one of the school's biggest nerds, but who had been joining this strange group ever since her girlfriend turned out to be the class nerd's best friend. -
- No. - Peter denied it. - It's ultraviolet radiation hitting the lunar rock directly.
- I got it! - Flash raised his voice. - This radiation stuff takes a long time, and since the moon has been directly receiving it for who knows how many years, it forms the Tralphium right.
- That's it. - Peter agreed. - It's something natural that we haven't yet managed to reproduce in the laboratory.
- But now there's something else, on earth... there's Tralphium in one place. - This time, Peter even received attention from Professor Munroe, who was correcting some notebooks, waiting for the rest of the class to finish their activities. - In the core of the planet... and there's a place in Greenland where the Earth's core is leaking.
- Leaking, what do you mean? - Flash's girlfriend asked again, looking very similar but still very different from the version of Liz Allan he had met in one of his home universes.
- I knew it. - Flash shouted in victory. - The Earth is hollow. - He celebrated with his friends from his team, agreeing as he acted out the cliché of a brainless thug, to the laughter of the class.
- Fuck, no. - Peter punched his best friend in the shoulder. - Look, there's a place in Greenland that's a geological anomaly, a place that has a fissure through which Tralphium is leaking.
- There are a lot of companies eyeing this location, because what they want to do, instead of trying to invest absurdly like Nasa got sponsorship from Elon Musk, they want to install a mega power plant.
- If Tralphium is leaking, why didn't they choose this place in Greenland? - One of Flash's friends asked.
- NASA only got sponsorship from Elon Musk when it wanted to present its space projects and everything they've achieved since they were founded at the time of the Space Race. - Peter explained the obvious. - Few people, with so much money, are interested in investing in the planet's core and, above all, few are interested in taking the risk of going there.
- I still don't understand how the biggest nerd in the class gets all this attention and how he uses his tongue so well. - Mary teased Gwen excitedly, making Stacy blush in respect for what the trio had done the day before, barely noticing how some of the girls and the teacher herself were listening to what the two most beautiful girls in the class were whispering.
[ ... ]
- The armor is badly damaged, does anyone know a good repair shop nearby? - Jameson Junior pretended to joke, standing outside the rocket under the recording of his co-pilot.
- Despite Captain John Jameson Junior keeping his sense of humor. - A journalist said live. - The question remains. Will the rocket be able to land safely? Here's Elon Musk in an emergency interview, answering all questions about his landing technology and how the damaged shielding and the loss of the navigation computer could be critical to the Tralphium mining mission.
Jameson paced nervously and anxiously around his office, watching his best employees and interns watch the story that featured his son.
- Any news on when my son will land? - Jameson asked, seeing how the whole office was making calls today and investigating everything they could.
- If it lands, of course. - One of the collaborators murmured, under the sharp gaze of Peter, who indicated to Betty something silent that only the two of them understood.
- We'll leave you alone, Mr. Jameson. - Betty dragged her colleagues away. - Shout if you need to.
Jameson, who had always kept a stoic and arrogant face, showed a worried expression for the first time when Peter came out last and saw how tense his boss really was about all this happening to his son.
[ ... ]
- Do you know that there are American heroes who don't support your idea? - An interviewer asked Elon Musk on an open network. - Neil Armstrong, Eugene Cernan. They both testified against commercial space flight the way you're developing it... and I wonder: what do you think of that?
In the background, the televisions showed both the lives of the astronauts who were going through the recent difficulties in the search for Tralphium, and the accidents that Space-X suffered with each rocket it developed.
- I was very sad to see that. - Elon replied. - Because these guys are... yes... these guys are my heroes.
- They inspired you to do it, didn't they? - The gray-haired interviewer asked.
- Yes. - Elon answered directly.
- When you had your third failure in a row. - The interviewer looked Elon in the eye. - Did you think "I have to stop this"?
- Never. - Elon answered again directly.
- Why not? - The interviewer smiled at the sight of one of the richest men in the world, already knowing how determined everyone was.
- I never give up. - Elon concluded. - Just like that whole team of new space heroes, they're trying at all costs to solve the problem and return home.
[ ... ]
It was late at night when Peter finished a quick patrol against bandits who had decided to show their courage in front of the entire population occupied with the television news.
But as the neighborhood friend never stops, Peter had his fourth bandit suffer some debilitating injuries from the intervention of society's trash, so he could go straight to the capital, taking advantage of all his speed and leaps over buildings, maneuvering quickly with webs in a way that would take too long to travel by car, thus exploring what it was like to be a genetically enhanced human.
Hearing a noise on his cell phone as he read the messages in his haste, Peter smiled:
"Tiger, come on, the whole gang's in the cafeteria."
It was a message from MJ, along with a selfie of her in a sexy astronaut outfit.
"Peter, come in costume, everyone's going crazy about the city suffering a blackout."
It was a message from Gwen, along with a selfie of her in her Oscorp Tower lab suit.
- I think a break is in order. - Peter sighed as he dropped his hidden backpack, wondering if he should take a chance with this new outfit. - Just one last thing to round off the evening.
[ ... ]
- They said that as soon as the rocket entered the Earth's atmosphere, Nasa would lose contact with the live feed that was being recorded and watched around the world. - An interviewer on television said that everyone at the Daily Bugle was watching, with Jameson further away on the phone. - It has been reported that the entire city will suffer a blackout so that the Space Ship troops can locate Nasa's only illuminated point.
- Whatever you know about my son, let me know immediately. - Jameson said seriously.
- Of course, Jonah, right away. - The voice on the other end of the line tried to reassure J.J.J.
[ ... ]
- Fasten your seat belts, people. - Jameson Junior said, alert to the exhaust jets finally losing control of the rocket, as they descended rapidly under the gravitational force pulling them towards the Earth. - May God keep us safe tonight.
With the captain's final announcement, the entire rocket descended towards the planet, its shielding affected by the entry into the atmosphere.
[ ... ]
With everyone in the campus cafeteria, even when classes weren't in session, even the teachers gathered to watch the space landing, on which the television showed a simulation of what Space-X had been working on with Nasa to land the rocket safely, bringing back the entire team of astronauts safe and sound.
Changing from a space mining mission on the moon, to an emergency rescue that was making the whole planet alert in the news this week.
- Thank you for supporting the school. - Liz Allan said to two costumed children with lanterns in their hands, who were buying sweets in front of her. - Our funds will go to the FEAST organization that the Jameson family sponsors.
In the center of the courtyard, the soccer team danced in cheerleader outfits and fake breast pads, singing a forced cheer for the return of the Space Ship.
- That's it! - Liz shouted at Mary Jane and Gwen, who were laughing as she shone a light on them and recorded the soccer team. - Get your asses right.
- Yeah! - A blonde next to her celebrated along with her. - Wait, are you making fun of us?
[ ... ]
- Nothing yet, boss. - Jameson's contact spoke to him, being directly at the Nasa landing center. - Jonah, I'm so sorry. - He said to his father on the other end of the line, but something in his field of vision interrupted him, because with a distinctive launching sound, they all saw webs forming above them.
It was like a rocket launch, but the process was reversed, as the rocket, which had been gaining worldwide attention over the last few days, descended rapidly from the skies, crossing the entire country, and finally descended towards Earth, performing a maneuver that everyone saw taking place in the simulation.
In the midst of the darkness of the entire United States of America, it was the blooming webs that shone above several buildings, showing in the gloom that the center of everything was in Washington, D.C.
Huge webs in the shape of arrows that guided an entire flourishing route directly to Nasa's headquarters and thus had thrusters reducing their speed little by little.
It was then that the rocket landed safely, leaving all those watching flabbergasted that Space-X hadn't finally blown up a rocket, especially one manned by the new generation of astronauts in the midst of the darkness that an entire country had been left in, with a single hero available to guide the new generation of human heroes home, who, even if they failed in their mission, were still going to explore the vastness of the universe one day.
[ ... ]
- Jonah, everyone's safe. - Jameson listened on the other end of the line, having to rub his eyes as the whole city suddenly reconnected. - And you won't believe it, Spider-Man guided the rocket to us.
- He did it... my son did it. - Jameson said with a smile, disconnecting the call. - How did you do it so fast, kid? - Jameson muttered to himself, seeing how the only person who wasn't there in the office was his intern.
- HEY! - Jameson suddenly shouted to his team, who were celebrating in front of the television, which was turned on, showing a hastily made live recording with a view of the rocket landing amidst all the cobwebs around it. - I don't pay you to watch television. Give me an agenda in seventeen seconds or you'll all be fired.
- Miss Brant, where is my intern? - Jonah asked the girl roughly.
- It's his day off, boss. - Betty replied without giving it much thought. - He's probably going out with some girl, like any teenager would.
- That nerdy-looking brat, never in his life. - Jameson denied it vehemently, making the brunette laugh at how far from the truth that was.
[ ... ]
It was late in the afternoon when Peter arrived at his school campus, still wearing his urban outfit. He took off his mask and put it in his backpack, then finally put his skateboard on the ground and climbed onto it, entering the grounds full of students and teachers.
- Oh, shit. - Flash started laughing, even though he and his team were trying so hard to move. - Parker came in costume as Spider-Man. - He even continued to laugh, but they all fell over, making Mary, Gwen and Liz turn to look at him.
- I want you to know that you look great in this costume. - MJ reached over and touched Parker's red and black jacket.
- I told you Peter was a Spider fan, much more so than the Flash. - Gwen smiled with a knowing look at her best friend.
- Very nice. - Liz looked him up and down, seeing how the costume really showed that Peter wasn't skinny at all. - You can throw webs at me whenever you want, Pete.
- Soft Parker! - Flash suddenly stood up. - You don't look anything like Spider-Man, with that outfit you bought at Shopee... you look like a super, a poor super. - Flash laughed as he went around him. - I should be Spider-Man.
- Stay cool, Eugene. - Peter laughed when he saw the costume of his childhood friend, who became a bully and this year returned as his best friend. - You're kind of great when you decide to get those big tits. - He indicated the filler and make-up on Thompson. - Look, I don't judge, sex change is ideal for those who don't identify. - Peter finished off with Thompson pulling him over to give his nerdy friend, who was getting more and more audacious, a rough ride.
[ ... ]
A few days have passed since the blackout in New York, everything has returned to normal and, in Washington D.C., two people are walking in a Hangar.
- So Colonel Jameson, is it good to be home? - Elon Musk asked the captain of the astronaut fleet that has become known the world over.
- Yes! Back on dry land. - Jameson Junior replied when he saw where the impact responsible for the failure of the Tralphium collection mission had occurred. - Wait a minute! - He said alertly when he saw something stirring in the damaged area. - What the fuck is that? - He pointed to a black, gooey mass, stirring little by little.
And with that I end another chapter of Infinite Change.
-- Characters Introduced --
Peter Parker:
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Gwen Stacy:
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Mary Jane Watson:
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Eugene Thompson (Flash):
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Liz Allan:
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-- Costumes Presented --
Spider-Man (Urban Costume and Costume):
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