Video | UN: Spidey

[keepitgoing]

[The easiest introduction in the world! Being that it's a, uh, re-introduction. Peter Parker Spider-Man has already confirmed he'd vanished for months — which is totally crazy, because he feels like he hasn't been gone all that long — but here he is! In all of his 'confused but has spirit' energy that had gotten him through his time in Etraya before.]

Hey guys, I'm back!

Just gone long enough to apply to, like, fifty barista and pizza guy jobs back home.

... Swinging around doesn't pay rent, y'know.

What'd I miss?

[He's perched on his tippy-toes, on top of one of the tallest buildings in Etraya.

As you do.]

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[keepitgoing]

I'll be there.

[Man, he's getting the jitters; it's so weird to meet people who know you from other universes, especially when they know the person under the mask. He'd even met someone who had been his ex. That was awkward, even if she laughed it off and metaphorically pinched his baby cheeks. (He's not beating the youngster allegations with a voice like his, but dammit, he'll try.)

He arrives in fifteen minutes, and proceeds to kick a small gravel pebble around the roof absently as he waits.]

[catsclaws]

[ He's going to be kicking that pebble for an extra five minutes, since Felicia keeps him waiting just a little longer. She's actually observing him from afar. He might be Spider-Man, but his behavior paints another picture, too. Cute.

Black Cat swings in and lands silently a comfortable distance behind him. Were it not for those Spider senses, he would not have heard her arrive. The black catsuit blends with the shadows far better than his red and blue suit does, but he can't miss that shock of white hair and the white fur on her outfit. ]

Hello, Spider.

[keepitgoing]

[Man, so rude. That five minutes could have been used ordering a burger at a diner or something.

Spider-Man turns toward her, only a smidge suspicious. Like, a spoonful suspicious. He probably should be moreso, especially with how many villains of Spider-Man have tried to kill him lately.]

First thing's first: What's my real name?

[catsclaws]

[ If he went to get a burger, he had better bring one back for her, too.

His real name? She said there were three possibilities, but she's also been watching him. There's something adorable and awkward about him that brings one name to mind. ]

Peter Parker.

[ Of course, she could be wrong, but she's willing to gamble, and luck is her super power. ]

1/2

[keepitgoing]

[He gives her an assessing look for a moment...]

[keepitgoing]

[... then pulls off his mask, huffing.

Ah, yes, the Youngster (tm).]

Man, how are we so bad at keeping our identities under wraps?

[catsclaws]

[ She was right, he is young. And so cute! She can see the resemblance. Too bad he's not ten years older. ]

Because you're too good, Spider. I keep telling you that.

[ Well, telling the 'other' him, but if he wasn't so good, she would not have liked him. ]

Is there really a point to keeping a secret identity in a place like this?

[keepitgoing]

[He's not sure if that's a bad thing in the long run, but... being good has always been on the forefront of his mind, as a hero. He'd nearly done some things he wasn't proud of back home just recently -- maybe he was allowed that kind of slip-up, considering what he'd lost (and sometimes... sometimes he wonders what would have happened, if he gave in to his anger and pain and finished the Green Goblin).

It's good to be good. It is.

He snaps out of his thoughts, wincing.]

That's something I've been trying to figure out myself.

There's only so long a person can keep that kind of thing under wraps here, I guess...

[catsclaws]

[ Maybe somewhere in the multiverse there's a version of him that did go through with it. Would that version of him be happier? Would it have changed him? They can only wonder. ]

If it's true that we won't remember any of this when we leave, there's probably no harm in making your life a little easier. For once.

[ Keeping up the whole secret identity thing is such a waste of energy, in her opinion. ]

1/2

[keepitgoing]

[He breathes out a deep sigh.]

It would be really nice. For life to be easier for a sec.

[Bless her for trying to relax a little, because he has been agonizing over the idea of revealing his identity -- for, uh, reasons obvious if you knew what situation he'd come from back home. But anyway.]

Your Spider-Man -- what's he like? I've actually met some of... uh... me.

So maybe I've met your Peter Parker, before.

[keepitgoing]

... Man, that sounds so weird still.

[catsclaws]

[ In a place like this, keeping a secret identity isn't practical, but it's not like Felicia has to agonize over it. She doesn't keep her identity a secret. ]

Maybe you have.

[ She wouldn't be surprised if the two of them had met somehow. But what's he like?]

He's about ten years older than you, I think. He's ... good. Smart. Too self-sacrificing. It got him into some trouble recently, but trouble follows him everywhere.

[ Maybe this description sounds familiar. ]

[keepitgoing]

[Awww, she says he's smart.

In all seriousness, it's totally easy to feel embarrassed by the description -- those are mostly good things, at least?]

Yeaaah... We're good at getting into trouble.

I met one that was like, forty-something? And he was super cool. And the other Peter, he was... thirty-something? And he was also super cool. And funny. Wait -- does yours have organic webs that come out of his wrists? That was something older Peter had, and it freaked me and other younger Peter out.

[catsclaws]

[ From her experience, most Spider-people are pretty smart. Well, maybe not Ben, which baffles Felicia since he's supposed to be a clone. Or maybe Felicia just likes Ben less than the others.

This Peter has met more Peter's than Felicia first thought. It's nice not having to explain the multi-verse.

Organic webs? That's a little too Spider for Felicia. He hopes that older Peter didn't resemble a spider in even more ways. ]

The one I know makes his web stuff from a formula he designed. How long have you been doing the hero gig?

[keepitgoing]

[Man, clones are not even something that have remotely ever crossed his mind. Not once. He'll have to ease himself into the crazy multiverse of Spider-People one foot at a time.]

Um, four years now. [Turns out, this Peter's timeline nudges him towards being a 14-year-old freshman when he'd gotten bit. They just make 'em younger and younger, these superhero types.] ... Sometimes it sure feels like a lot longer, though.

[catsclaws]

[ Four years? He was really young then for that kind of danger and responsibility. ]

It must've been hard. I'd say you deserve a little breather. No reason Peter Parker and Spider-Man can't just be the same guy in this world.

[ He wouldn't be the only masked superhero here, either. ]

How did you learn to be Spider-Man so young? Did someone train you?

[keepitgoing]

[He shrugs, trying to look nonchalant.

Truth be told, he's had a lot of crazy stuff happen. Scary stuff, depressing stuff. A lot of things that happened, he might need more time than he realizes to even try to process now -- but there was a lot of good, too. Lots of it. It's why he does ultimately smile a little at the thought of the past, despite all of the loss that had ultimately followed.]

At first, no. But then Mr. Stark found out about me,. helped me out. Got me off the ground and taught me a lot about being a hero.

[He holds up his hand--]

He wasn't the Stark you're probably familiar with, though. If you knew him, I mean. A lot of people from other universes didn't seem to like him as much, but... he was, like, a really awesome guy under all the dry jokes. And he helped me with equipment when I was totally broke and couldn't afford any of it.

[... After fucking up by involving a teenager in a battle in another country. But. Listen. We all know Tony Stark is great at making bad choices he regrets in hindsight.]

He was kinda the only superhero I knew personally, up until the Thanos situation.

[catsclaws]

[ Stark was the one? Interesting. She understands why, of course, but to think he got involved when this Peter was just starting out. She'll bet Stark gave the kid quite the technology boost, too.

When Peter quickly notes that the Stark he knows is a good guy, Felicia smiles, amused. ]

I can't speak about Tony Starks from other universes, but I've worked with him before.

[ Tony certainly wouldn't call them 'friends', and he probably finds Felicia annoying, since she's broken through his security more times than he'll want to admit, but they're not enemies, either. ]

Oh. You had a Thanos, too? It sounds like there are similarities between our worlds other than Spider-Man.

[keepitgoing]

[Tony Stark hired a big-time thief before? That's... well, no, actually, that isn't that crazy, after Thanos and all of the crazy stuff that followed. Maybe even before that. He always did enjoy being unorthodox about his hero business.

... Speaking of the Thanos thing.]

Yeah. Ours was... pretty bad. The Avengers had to undo his plan of wiping out half of all life in our universe.

We'd almost stopped him from doing it in the first place, but he was... real tough.

[catsclaws]

[ Stark. Avengers. Thanos. But he's never heard of her? Maybe one Felicia is enough. Or his universe has enough problems already. ]

I know.

[ There's empathy in her voice. She can only imagine how hard it was. ]

You said you were 'back', so you've been here before?

[keepitgoing]

[He points, eyebrows raising.]

Oh, right—! Yes, actually.

I vanished for a few months, but I was here for a while before that. So I'm definitely familiar with how things work here; been on missions... saw some pretty crazy stuff.

[catsclaws]

I see. Any tips for the new girl?

[ Felicia doesn't really know what to expect, but she's heard these missions are a regular thing. Not that they seem to make any sense or have anything to do with saving her world, from the way it sounds. ]

[keepitgoing]

Make friends with Aurora for sure.

She handles all the item requests, and she can bring in stuff for you as long as you don't give her too big of a headache. The faster you can get supplies you use from home, the better off you are for missions.

[catsclaws]

Good to know.

Some people don't seem to trust anything connected to Echo, but I guess we have no choice if we need supplies.

[ Felicia smiles, setting a hand on her hip. ]

You might not be my Spider-Man, but you're obviously one of the good ones, so if you ever need any help, you can call me, okay, Spider?

[keepitgoing]

[Peter's expression softens.

It's good to know that there are people out there who has Spider-Man's back.

... Mostly, anyway.]

Yeah... Thanks, Felicia. I think... if a Peter from another universe was a friend of yours, you've got a lot of good in you, too. So — if you need help, the feeling's mutual.