That night:
It was around eleven at night when I pulled into the driveway. I opened the door and Tandy and I walked in. The dining room lights were still on.
I walked in, motioning Tandy to wait back. I found Ben and Richard awake — the former doing his taxes, which I would eventually have to redo, and the latter reading a book on economics.
"Hey, guys," I called out, getting their attention.
"Oh, Peter — you're back early," Richard noted, "don't parties usually last till the early morning?"
"Yeah, well, something came up," I shrugged, stepping aside to let Tandy come forward, "this is Tandy. She's a runaway and I'm helping her get away from her parents. Would it be alright if she stayed here for a couple of days? She can use my room — I'll sleep on the couch."
Ben and Richard were speechless.
At midnight:
It didn't take long to convince Ben. And, as usual, Richard was a sticking point. But I suppose he could be forgiven — it was an odd request. It actually got so bad that Richard and I started yelling at each other. Tandy immediately offered to leave just to stop the arguing.
That caused Richard to eventually give in and accept her, though he told me she could only stay for a week, and no longer.
I got my room ready for Tandy and prompted her to take a shower and change. Since she didn't have her own clothes, she wore a set of mine — a black, red and brown plaid shirt a size too big for her frame and a pair of black shorts left over from when Peter Parker still had full control of this body.
After getting her settled in bed and the rest of the house tucking in as well, I changed into my costume and took off, swinging through the city to meet Matt.
I found him waiting on the roof of his building, suited up. I landed before him, "hey, sorry I'm late."
"Only by ten minutes — it's fine," the Devil of Hell's Kitchen shrugged, "how is the girl doing?"
"She's fed and has a bed. I took her to the hospital and had her checked over," I shrugged.
"How did you...she knows your real face?"
"Yes," I blinked, "oh right — you don't work that way, do you? But then again, I doubt a man like you puts much stock in faces."
"True," Matt nodded, "did you get her personal details?"
I handed him a flash drive, "it's all in there. Birthday, name, address — everything she could tell me, and everything I could find out after I had someone hack into the government database. She's also willing to go to court and testify against her stepfather if she has to...though convincing her of that last part took some time."
"I see," Daredevil nodded, pocketing the drive, "good work, Spider. I'm surprised you're taking such an interest in this girl...is she someone you know?"
I shook my head, "nope. Oh, and before I forget — here," I took out a wad of hundreds and placed them in his hands.
Matt counted the notes by feel and immediately identified them, "Spider, you just handed me ten thousand dollars."
I whistled, "damn — you should be an accountant. A blind accountant. Now wouldn't that be something."
"Spider..."
"Relax — I didn't steal it, if that's what you're wondering. I do have a day job, you know. I actually do pretty well for myself." Not half a billion dollars well, but well enough.
"And this money is for...?"
"Her case fees," I told him.
"That isn't necessary — I'm more than willing to do this pro bono."
"That's very noble, Matt, and it's one of the reasons I respect you. You're willing to do the right thing even when it costs you. But I don't need you to do this for free. Call it pro bono if you want, but take the money. You do good work, and I want to make sure that keeps happening."
Matt sighed, "fine...how do I contact you?"
"My number's in the flash drive," I smiled, "by the way — when you do meet me without our masks for the first time, don't freak out, okay?"
Matt smirked, "why? Are you disfigured?"
"No. I'm younger than you'd expect," I shrugged.
"How much younger?"
"Sixteen," I replied.
"S-sixteen?" Matt hissed, "you're just a kid!"
"A kid who stopped an alien invasion and fought off six of the deadliest villains New York has ever faced. Oh, and let's not forget I saved the president of the United States from a terrorist organisation of fire-breathing veterans. Am I missing anything, my visually impaired friend?"
Matt was quiet for a moment before he shrugged, "fine. I'll handle it."
"Right...hey, do you know anything about the gang called the Street Rats?" I asked.
"Yes. They operate just southeast of Hell's Kitchen. Why?"
"They made an enemy of me tonight. I'd like to pay their operations a visit. Do you happen to know where they're based?"
Matt smirked, "yes. I'll show you."
"You want to come along?" I asked, surprised.
"Of course," he stepped to the edge of the roof, "I've been itching to let off some steam myself."
The next day:
"So what did you think of the fall catalogue?" Liz asked, passing over a fashion magazine.
"I think the designer finally found her groove back. Maria Buscemi is a genius, but she's so inconsistent," Tandy sighed.
"Totally!" MJ replied enthusiastically, "and like, she doesn't even realise how much time she wastes! Like—"
I groaned, "come on! Can we please talk about something else?! Anything else?!"
"Shut up, Peter," Liz glared, "we're having girl time. If you can't handle it, you should just leave."
"But it's my room!"
"For the past two days Tandy's been living in it, so technically it's her room now," MJ argued.
Tandy chuckled, "yeah, Peter — she's right."
"Argh, this blows," I grumbled. But just then my phone began to vibrate. I picked it up and saw a text message on the screen: 'The quantum field has been stabilized.' I grinned, "sweet."
I jumped up and grabbed my hoodie and bag immediately. "Where are you going?" MJ asked.
"Work. Reed finally made some progress on a project we've been working on together," I grinned, "and if this works, my own project will be one step closer to being complete."
"Wait — job? You have a job?" Tandy asked, curious.
I chuckled, "yeah — did you think my car just came out of nowhere? I told you I built it, right?"
"O-oh, right," Tandy nodded, "where do you work?"
"Oh, you're going to love this," Liz giggled, "Peter works with the Fantastic Four."
Tandy's eyes went wide as she stared at me with something close to awe. "Y-you work for superheroes?!"
"Not for — with," MJ and I said at the same time. People kept treating me like an employee instead of a partner. The pattern was really obvious now.
"That's amazing," Tandy gasped, "you're so cool, Peter..." she said quietly.
I shrugged, "it's nothing. Listen — I may be gone for a few days. Don't worry. Matt and May will take care of everything, okay?"
"D-days? Where are you going?" Tandy asked.
I shrugged, "nowhere far, but when I get deep into a project like this I usually don't come out of the lab for a few days. This whole week was actually just me taking a break from my work. Once it's done I should be home soon."
"Okay," Tandy blinked, not quite sure what to say.
"Relax, Peter," MJ said, "we'll look after her. She'll be fine with us."
I nodded, "thanks, MJ. Alright, you three — I'll see you later!" And with that I rushed out the door, excited to finally be making some progress toward the Antimatter universe.
Three days later:
Reed and I stared at the gateway with heavy, tired eyes. Reed had stubble growing on his face, and so did I, though not quite to the same extent.
His lab had been thoroughly trashed. There were coffee cups everywhere — we had just kept refilling over and over again. Papers upon papers of calculations and specifications were scattered all over the surfaces.
Is it ready? I asked — no, wait, I thought that. I didn't actually open my mouth. Damn it. I wished I were psychic.
"Is it ready?" There — that time I actually spoke.
"Yeah," Reed sighed, "the generator is fixed. Any and all matter that enters through the portal will gain a negative charge, allowing us to travel between the worlds." He yawned hard, and thanks to his powers his jaw stretched open so wide you could fit a coconut inside.
"Alright then," I moved to a computer and looked at the readings, "the portal looks stable enough...it's time to see if this works."
Reed nodded as he pressed the blinking red button on the terminal, causing the space inside the gateway to shimmer before suddenly flashing blue. And then, the portal stabilised. On the other side I could see a familiar barren landscape — dying stars burning dimly in the distance.
"It's beautiful," Reed whispered.
"Yes...it is," I replied, before shutting the machine off, causing the portal to collapse.
Reed sighed as we both dropped into our chairs, leaning back in exhaustion. Reed groaned, "does this really matter, Peter?"
I blinked away the sleepiness, "what do you mean?"
"Well, if I already discovered this world in another reality, then...doesn't that mean anything and everything I do will just be a copy? Aren't I just repeating what has already happened? Does any of this matter?"
I thought about that for a while before I replied, "Reed...it does. Because yes, while in the grand scheme of things nothing truly 'matters,' right now, right here — we're making the world a better place for our people. For the people living in our dimension."
I got up and stretched, "think of it like two famine-struck villages, identical in every way. One eventually invents a new form of irrigation to bring in a harvest — but does that mean the other should just give up? We are still in a world of famine, Reed Richards. We mustn't forget that. This is our reality — its people and ideas made us, so we shouldn't compare ourselves to anyone else, lest we forget what really happened and what could still happen."
Reed thought about that for a moment before nodding, "you're right...as always."
I snorted, "I know...anyway," I sniffed myself, "oh God, we reek! How long has it been since we showered?!"
"Around seventy-two hours I think," Reed groaned, "I don't think we've eaten anything other than coffee and some donuts."
And at that exact realisation my stomach growled loudly. I sighed, "fine. Let's go take a shower and eat something before anything else."
"We also need to sleep," Reed noted with a yawn.
"Right," I nodded, "I'll see you tomorrow then. I'll just swing home and...oh damn," I sighed, "I skipped the last three days of school."
"I'll write you a note," Reed shrugged.
"Not going to help with my aunt and uncle...or my dad," I sighed, rubbing the crust from my eyes, "I'm really not in the mood for a lecture right now."
"Then stay here," Reed shrugged as we walked out of his lab — not before putting security on high alert, naturally. No way was Doom getting in here again. "I'm sure there's a spare bed you could use."
"Maybe," I sighed, rolling my shoulders. We walked to the lounge where we found Ben, as ever, seated on the industrial bench-lifter he used as a chair.
"Oh, you're both alive — that's nice," Ben chuckled, "had an important breakthrough or what?"
Reed smiled, "something like that. Where is everyone?"
"They're asleep, Stretch," Ben snorted, pointing at the night sky outside the windows. Damn — how late was it? I noticed a wall clock in the distance. Four in the morning.
"And what are you doing up so late, Ben?" I asked with a yawn.
"Can't sleep much these days," Ben grunted as he turned to his personal extra-large screen, "decided to catch up on some reading."
Reed and I exchanged a similar look of quiet sympathy. We moved to the counter, took bagels from the pantry and began eating our first proper meal in three days.
"Reed," I spoke softly, "I've got a new project in mind."
"What's that?" he asked.
"Curing Ben, once and for all," I replied, "we know your powers are interdimensional. Maybe, with data we collect from the antimatter universe and...my own particular understanding of interdimensional energies, we could make some real progress reversing his condition."
"When do we start?" Reed asked.
"First we finish with the antimatter universe," I said as I buttered my bagel, "I'll get in contact with a few experts on dimensional energies." It was about time I paid the Ancient One a visit anyway. "We'll begin soon. Sound good?"
"Perfect," Reed nodded, "wait — you know people who are experts in dimensional energies? Who?"
I smiled, "you wouldn't believe me if I told you."
The next day:
Sure enough, I got an earful for disappearing for three days. But by now May and the others were somewhat used to this, so it was mostly for show. Though Tandy seemed genuinely worried for my safety and insisted that something terrible must have happened to me.
I slept for about twelve hours. Then, at around seven in the evening, I put on my costume and swung into the city.
I had the address memorised, of course: 177A Bleecker Street. Kind of hard to forget the place where you first learned magic. I swung over and landed in a tree across the road. It was getting dark — time to change. I took off my costume, beneath which I wore my apprentice robes, and stuffed my metal backpack into my bag of infinite storage.
I jumped down and looked around. Nobody paid any attention to me. I walked up to the Sanctum and knocked on the door.
I stood and waited. Two minutes later the door swung open and a tall Black man in orange and yellow robes stood before me, his bearing large and imposing.
He looked down at me, his eyes registering surprise at my clothes. "Who are you? Where did you get those robes?" he demanded.
"My name is of no concern," I shrugged, "but I am here to use this Sanctum's portal to Kamar-Taj. May I?" I smiled.
He narrowed his eyes, "I don't know who you are, boy, but I will not tolerate your games," he reached behind him to grip the staff attached to his back.
I quickly spun my hand clockwise, forming a magical circle before me, "relax, Master Grumpy — I'm one of you."
He narrowed his eyes, then slowly relaxed, "what do you want?"
"I told you — I need to use the portal to Kamar-Taj."
"Why?"
"To speak to the Ancient One," I replied.
"Why?"
"That's between her and me," I smiled. That was a small test — most people would assume the Ancient One was a man.
"How do you know all this? Who is your master?" the man demanded.
I smiled, "that's a little difficult to explain. You see, he's in another dimension."
The man glared at me. I smiled back. He sighed, "every day it's something new. Fine — follow me." He stepped back and allowed me inside.
I looked around. The house was different from the one I was accustomed to, obviously, since that one was in another dimension. This one looked exactly like the Sanctum in the MCU. The Master of this place led me to the back, where there was a giant thirty-foot door bearing the sigil of the New York Sanctum.
He walked forward and pushed the doors open. There was a yellow shimmer before us, but the moment we stepped through it vanished. The doors closed behind us and I found myself in the crossroads room beneath the library of Kamar-Taj. Sitting on a pedestal before me was the Eye of Agamotto — and inside it, the Time Infinity Stone.
"Come — don't dawdle," the man grunted as he motioned me forward.
I had to force myself to look away from the amulet. All that power...just sitting there. What a waste. I looked away and followed the man, walking through the great stacks of books on either side. I spotted the Book of Time to my left — it glowed with contained power. That's right...the events of Doctor Strange had yet to come.
I followed him out of the library and into a courtyard where several students in white were practising. At their head was a Black man in green robes — Baron Mordo. I think he felt me looking, because he immediately locked eyes with me. For a moment I wondered if he was going to try to stop me.
But that moment passed as the Master of the New York Sanctum and I entered the largest building and were guided into the main hall, just as Strange once was.
I found the Ancient One pouring tea into two cups. The old, one-armed Chinese master whom Strange had once mistaken for her sat relaxed on a seat before her. The Master of the New York Sanctum stepped back and motioned me forward.
I nodded and stepped up behind her, "you were expecting me?" The Ancient One placed a cup in my hands. I smiled as I sipped it, "hm...honey?"
She smiled, "very good. You have quite a palate."
I shrugged, "my master used to put honey in his tea too — a habit he picked up from his master. From you."
She raised a single eyebrow. She turned to the old Chinese man, "that will be all, Master Hamera, Master Bendu — thank you." The two men bowed before leaving, closing the door behind them.
"So do you keep him around just to see how many people look past you and assume him to be the Ancient One?"
"Well...it never gets old," she smiled as she motioned to a low table on the floor, "shall we?"
I nodded as we sat down on cushions before the table, our cups of tea placed before us. I cleared my throat, "you never answered my question. Were you expecting me?"
"Does it matter if I was?" she asked.
"Yes. If you were, it would mean you have some understanding of this whole situation, and it would save me the time of explaining it to you," I leaned forward, sipping my tea.
"I see...well then, yes — I do know who you are, Peter Parker. Or should I say, Spider-man?"
"Ah, so you do know," I nodded, "how, may I ask?"
"When the scientific group — the Baxter Foundation — first discovered dimensional travel, I had a few of my agents keep watch on them. And when you joined, naturally I learned everything about you as well. I was...surprised to learn of your heroic activities. Impressive, to say the least."
"I see," I nodded, "we'll need to step up our security then."
"Yes, you will."
"So, can I assume you also know about my little trip in the days before Christmas?"
"Yes. That was one of the reasons I had my people keep watch on you. Tampering with the barriers that separate our realities is delicate work — if your group had damaged them...well, that would have been a serious problem."
"You wanted to make sure we didn't mess it up," I put it plainly.
She smiled, "yes, in a few words."
"Right...well, what you don't know, however, is that the portal sent me to a world that is a reflection of our own. I saw a version of my future self there, and in an effort to find a way back — and among other things — the Sorcerer Supreme of that world took me on as his apprentice."
"Oh...I see," she sipped her drink, "show me."
I held out my hand and immediately a disk of magic formed in it — perfectly circular, with a spider's web within it.
The Ancient One's eyes went wide, "t-the Web of Life."
I sighed, "so you do recognise it."
"H-how is this...oh...of course, yes. It would make sense. Do you know what this means?"
I nodded, "that was one of the reasons my master chose to train me. He said that as a totem of the Web of Life, I was one of the few beings in existence who could actually draw on its power. He said that becoming a Sorcerer of the Web was my destiny...whatever that means."
She placed her cup on the table and extended her arms, summoning a dozen magical circles that she spun slowly around me. I waited patiently for her to finish, sipping my tea. Hm — this really was very good. Just honey, huh?
Finally, she was done. She sighed, "this is...remarkable."
I nodded, "your tea isn't half bad either."
"Do you understand what you are? Did he explain it to you?"
"Yes, he did. He warned me of the consequences of tapping into the Web's power, and he also warned me that if I were to die at the hands of someone wielding all six Infinity Stones, all of reality could potentially unravel. Is that about the gist of it?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
She nodded, "yes — just about. Has he trained you in any form? Do you understand your true potential?"
"No. He hasn't trained me in using the Web itself. He's just...trained me in the basics. The Whips of Vastha, things like that."
"I see...very well then. I suppose you leave me little choice. Apprentice Parker — would you like to be trained in the mystical arts?"
I sighed, "that is...a difficult question to answer, Sorcerer Supreme."
"Why so?"
"As you know, I have other responsibilities. And school, and a job where I do what I can to protect the world in my own way. I have so much to manage already, and I know that training in magic is nearly a full-time commitment. Is there any form of exception I might apply for?"
She hummed, "sadly...no. But...perhaps your training need not be as rigorous as others'." She got up and motioned for me to follow.
I followed her back out and down into the basement of the library. The librarian didn't even raise an eyebrow as the Ancient One began searching through several shelves before finally selecting two in particular — a blue book and a red one.
"These are the personal journals of an old friend — Master Kal Cole, an American, like yourself, born in the year 1843 and dead two decades later. In them he describes the process he undertook in attempting to tap into the Web of Life for power," she passed them into my hands, "they may prove useful."
I groaned, "I've never heard of this man. Was he a totem as well?"
"No, he was not. He was ambitious. I was present when he attempted the process and...I saw what it did to him. I banned its use from that day forward. It was far too dangerous."
"What happened?"
"He was not a spider — he was a fly. And so the web consumed him," she replied, a faraway sadness crossing her face, "a shame, really...I had hoped that one day he might have taken on my role in all of this. Either way, since you cannot train here in the traditional manner, you will simply have to make do."
"Wait a moment...I walk in here, and you trust me with books capable of breaking reality without a second thought?"
"You were tested and trained by someone who once held the title of Sorcerer Supreme, yes?"
I nodded, "yes."
"Then I will trust in his judgement," she smiled knowingly, "after all, I have come to learn that Stephen Strange is a very good judge of character."
I paused, "how did you know?"
She smiled and looked over my shoulder. Sure enough, hunched over a book in the corner, was this world's version of my master. He wore white robes, which technically made me his senior in the mystical arts. He was so absorbed in whatever he was reading that he hadn't even noticed us.
"I knew Strange's destiny the moment he was born into this world," she said softly.
"Do you know mine?" I asked.
She looked at me, "most people do not walk a clear path. Strange's destiny was always to become my replacement, so his was clear. But you...you are far more...difficult to read. It's hard to tell with you."
I sighed, "just what I need — more uncertainty about the future." I glanced over at Strange, working so intently. It was genuinely inspiring. I sighed, "right — thanks for these books. They should prove useful. But that isn't actually the main reason I came."
"Oh? And why are you here, then?"
Twenty minutes later:
"Who is she again?" Reed whispered in my ear.
"An expert in dimensional energies," I responded, "now hush." Reed rolled his eyes but nodded. The entire FF and I stood back as the Ancient One examined the portal we had created into the Negative Zone. Johnny and Sue eyed her with suspicion while Ben just looked bored as ever.
I had invited her over, and she had agreed — curious to see mankind's first ever science-based dimensional portal. Getting Reed to agree to let her have a look had taken some convincing, but he did owe me one.
For the last five minutes, the Ancient One had done nothing but study the portal and the readings it produced.
"Dude, you're wearing robes," Johnny leaned in and whispered.
"Shut up, Johnny," I hissed back.
"Why are you wearing robes?" Sue asked.
I sighed, "it's...it's a long story, okay?"
And then, finally, she spoke, "you have done an extraordinary job here, Apprentice Parker. The filtration system is remarkable — it should provide an adequate window of time to explore this antimatter universe. Thirty minutes, if my calculations are accurate."
Reed was thrown off entirely, "how could you possibly know that?"
"Experience," she smiled before turning to me, "you have created something remarkable here, Peter. You should be proud."
I smiled back, "thank you, Ancient One. I'm glad you think so. Also — there was something else. Would you be willing to take a look at these four?" I gestured to the FF, "they gained their powers through exposure to dimensional energies, but...they're difficult to classify."
"Hm, I'll certainly try," she waved her hand, causing a magical circle to appear before each of them, startling everyone.
"What the hell?!" Sue cried out, immediately forming an invisible barrier.
"Peter, what's going on?!" Johnny demanded as he began to heat up. Even Ben and Reed looked ready to intervene.
"Relax, everyone — she's just scanning you," I said, raising my hands in a gesture of peace, "trust me. She's the last person on Earth who would harm you."
"And why is that?" Reed asked.
"Because I am the Sorcerer Supreme, and it is my duty to protect all forms of life — not end it," she replied smoothly before snapping her fingers and pausing thoughtfully, "and you four...are odd, to say the least."
"I'm sorry — Sorcerer what?" Sue raised an eyebrow.
"She can perform magic," I supplied.
"Magic is real?" Ben asked with wide eyes.
"No way!" Johnny protested, "magic isn't—" I snapped my fingers, forming a magical circle the size of a car right in front of Johnny's face, "—real...damn."
"Peter...you can do magic?" Sue blinked.
I nodded, "yup."
"B-but how?" she asked.
I shrugged, "magic is just another way of manipulating energy, Sue. Our minds are complex quantum computers — they have the ability to shape reality by accessing energy through dimensions."
"But that's impossible!" Reed protested.
"Says the man who lives under the same roof as a living boulder, a walking fireball and a woman who can become invisible in a split second."
"And, more importantly, all four of you are already manipulating dimensional energies. Though admittedly in a far more indirect manner," the Ancient One said.
I blinked, "I'm sorry — what?"
"It's as you said, Peter. They all gained their abilities through exposure to dimensional energies — not entirely unlike what sorcerers do."
"Wait, are you saying you can do what we can, lady?" Johnny asked, sceptical.
In response, she simply smiled and snapped her fingers, causing her entire right arm to become covered in flames. Everyone flinched and moved to help her, before realising she was in no pain at all. If anything, she looked faintly cold.
She snapped her fingers again and the flames vanished, "your skills are rather rudimentary, Mr. Storm, though I'll admit flight is not easily acquired." She then turned to Sue and snapped her fingers, vanishing for a moment before reappearing, "your skills are also manageable to replicate...though it must be said that the telekinetic barriers you produce are not in the same category as simple invisibility."
"C-can you become like me?" Ben asked.
She turned to him with a sad smile, "you poor man," she reached out and touched his stone skin, "your condition is...far more complex. Unlike your companions, you cannot regulate your abilities, which is a great shame." She raised her right hand, her fingertips glowing gold. And then, she pressed them into his gut.
Ben doubled over.
"Ben!" Reed cried out as he lunged forward, swinging an enlarged fist at the Ancient One.
"No, Reed!" I cried out, stepping in front of her and quickly forming a shield with my magic circle that stopped his fist dead.
"Peter, you'd better get away from her right now!" Johnny cried out as he went full flame, ready to burn the Ancient One alive.
"W-no! Wait!" Ben suddenly said.
"Ben!" Reed rushed to his friend's side.
Ben slowly straightened up, and we all gasped at what we saw. Radiating outward from his gut was an aura of golden energy, chipping away at his stone skin. We watched as slowly — impossibly slowly — the stone seemed to melt from his body, sinking away to reveal a human form underneath.
He stood motionless and watched along with us as more and more of his rocky skin fell away.
"Oh my God, Ben..." Sue gasped.
And then, just as it began, it started to reverse. The golden glow faded as the stone flew back up onto Ben's body.
"W-what?! No! No!" Ben began tearing at the stones, trying to pull them off, but they wouldn't budge. And within moments, Ben was restored to his original form — not even a scratch on his rocky body.
Reed turned to the Ancient One and growled, "what happened? Why didn't it work?!"
She sighed sadly, "it is a spell known as the Armour of Gae. It was invented in ancient Greece, where a sorcerer would channel dimensional energy through their body, into the earth and back into themselves — creating a kind of armour that, over time, became a second skin."
"What does that have to do with Ben?" Sue asked, her full attention on the Ancient One.
"Your friend is doing the very same thing," the Ancient One explained, "he is channelling dimensional energy, generating it from within his body and compelling the stone to adhere to him. I have never seen anything quite like it."
"Can you fix him?" Reed asked, "you reversed it just now — can't you do it again?"
She sighed, "no...the amount of energy he is producing cannot simply be dispersed. I tried with that strike, but...it is far too strong."
Suddenly, I had an idea, "wait...so what you're telling me is that Ben cannot control the energy flow in his body. Is that correct?"
She looked curious but nodded, "yes, that is correct."
"Then teach him," I turned to her, "teach him to be a sorcerer — not one like me or Strange, but someone capable of performing one spell...one spell, perfectly."
She considered this, "you're suggesting I teach him to use magic to control and regulate the dimensional energies within his body?"
I nodded, "yes...can it be done?"
She closed her eyes. We all waited in tense silence for her response. At last, she opened them and smiled, "yes...perhaps it can."
"Y-you can cure me?" Ben asked in shock.
"No, Mr. Grimm," she smiled, "you can cure yourself."
An hour later:
Ben went to his room and packed everything he would need. It took him twenty minutes, and another twenty to talk with Reed and convince him that this was something he needed to do. Reed wasn't happy about it, but he understood — if there was a real chance his friend could be normal again, Ben had to take it.
And now we stood in the lounge, each gathered around Ben while the Ancient One stood back, respecting our privacy.
"Did you pack everything?" Reed asked.
Ben grinned, "relax, Stretch — I've got this."
"Right...be safe. And remember — if you need anything, just use your SA and I'll be there immediately."
"I know, I know," Ben's smile was impossible to dim. The guy was just so full of hope.
"I'm going to miss you, big guy," Sue said as she wrapped her arms around his middle.
"I'm going to miss you too, Sue. Take care of them for me, will you?" Ben smiled, something sad beneath the warmth.
"I will."
Johnny stepped forward, looking uncharacteristically nervous. He looked up at Ben and sighed, "t-take care, okay? Don't do something stupid."
Ben grinned, "I promise, kid. I won't do something stupid...without you."
Johnny grinned, "hell yeah!"
Ben then turned to me and nodded, "thanks, kid. This means a lot to me, you know. A chance to be normal again."
"Don't thank me just yet, Ben," I smiled sadly, "the hard part is still ahead."
"I'll take your word for it," he grumbled before turning to the Ancient One, "I'm ready, ma'am."
"Wonderful," she nodded as she stepped forward and took out her Sling Ring. She spun her hands forward, creating a spinning disc of sparks that formed a gateway directly into the training courtyard of Kamar-Taj.
"Goodbye, everyone...take care and be safe," Ben said as he followed the Ancient One through the portal, leaving us for who knows how long.
I sighed as the portal collapsed, "damn, today was a long day."
"Who was she?" Reed asked.
"An immortal," I replied, "no one really knows how old she is. Or even her real name. We just call her the Ancient One...some say she's Celtic, but nobody's sure."
"Will she be able to help Ben?" Sue asked.
I looked at her and shrugged, "honestly? That part is up to Ben."
"Hey, Pete — how exactly did she do that sparks portal thing?" Johnny asked.
I shrugged, "magic, I guess."
"What? You don't know?"
"Dude, I'm literally a beginner — there's plenty I don't know!" I sighed, "besides, isn't that a good thing? It would be so sad if I knew everything there was to know about the world. Everything would lose its wonder."
Sue rolled her eyes, "right...anyway, you guys up for dinner?"
"Can we order takeout?" Johnny asked.
"No! We did that last time!"
"But sis!" As the two siblings began their familiar bickering, I turned to Reed, who hadn't said a word.
I walked up to him, "hey...he's going to be fine. You know that, right?"
Reed nodded, "yes...I do. But...it's just that I wanted to be the one to help him. And now...I suppose no one really needs me after all."
My heart grew heavy at that admission. I didn't want one of my best friends to feel that way — ever. "Reed—"
"—No," he snapped, "just...no...I can't," he walked away, "we'll talk later, Peter. Goodnight." He then slammed the door to his lab behind him.
And in my gut, something heavy settled and wouldn't move.