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Chapter Text

Peter groaned in his bed, the mattress uncomfortable.  Opening his eyes he let out a heavy sigh.  Getting up he moved towards his rickety table where his suit laid torn from his most recent battle with Kraven.  The light from the streets, the only actual reliable source of light for his apartment, shined on his shirtless form.  Grabbing a needle and thread he got to work fixing it up.  With everything that's been going on recently, from everything involving Paul and Mary Jane to everyone hating him, he had hit rock bottom for the umpteenth time in his life.  Why was he surprised that this happened?  That Mary Jane moved on from him?  "Doesn't matter.  I still have a responsibility."

"Maybe, but you still have so much left to learn."

Peter jumped and turned around in surprise, for a split second wondering why his Spider-Sense hadn't gone off.  His eyes widened when he didn't see his apartment, but a massive web connected to an even larger web.  "What the- oh come on!  Who'd I piss off this time?  Was it Emma?  Jean wouldn't be too much of a surprise I guess?"  Looking around he saw some distant shapes, but nothing else.  "Don't tell me I pissed off Xavier enough he used Cerebro on me.  Did I make too many bald jokes?"

"Nah, I'd say you need to do way more," The voice spoke again with a laugh.  "The guy has done so many downright devious things, give him that good old spider annoyance."

"Yup, I've taken one too many blows to the head from Rhino," Peter nodded, "Or Scorpion's poison, or any of my enemies really.  I am hearing a web talk to me, and it's not Madame Web."

"No, not her," A piece of the web stretched out into a humanoid shape, "But I am an observer like her.  I've just ascended to being one with the web of our dimension, able to peer into the Multiversal Web and even beyond.  It is always my pleasure to speak with a Spider Warrior, although I haven't done that in quite some time."  The Web Observer hummed in thought for a moment, "Now, may we speak with each other?  Or do you have further questions?"

Peter was sadly too used to situations regarding the Web of Life and Destiny.  "No, this tracks.  So who is attacking the Web this time?"

"No one," The Observer answered with ease, "It's more what is coming to attack you."

"My dimension?  Great, like anyone will actually listen to me right now," Peter sighed, already figuring out how to convince them that he was telling the truth.

"No, not your dimension, just you," The Observer corrected.  "The Web of each dimension, each a small part of the Web of Life and Destiny, will always have such rich history of their own," The Observer's attention had gotten caught by a strand.  Tapping it revealed the Fantastic Four, Sue playing with Franklin and Valeria, "A shame what happened between you and them, such potential there.  Family and love, something you so greatly need."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm pathetically alone," Peter rolled his eyes, "Can we get back to whoever I pissed off this time in the multiverse?  Or is it another vampire situation?"

"Not quite," The Observer shook their head, "Each Dimensional Web of Life and Destiny have monsters.  Their influence on their webs are so great that monsters sharing their name and having similar appearances appear within the dimension.  Many have tried to tame them, but none ever succeed.  But never have they gone within their dimension, until now.  Something has angered them, and it centers upon you, Peter Parker the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man."

"Is that like my official title?  What about Miles?  He's the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man too?"

The Observer let out a loud laugh, "Of course you would focus on that, especially with those who insult Morales saying he is not Spider-Man.  He is the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man of Lightning, denoted as one of your students even if there have been struggles with you fulfilling your role as a teacher."

Peter ignored the slight jab, "Okay then.  Back to the monsters, will they attack any civilians?"

"Given that you are their target, it will vary from monster to monster.  They aim to kill you."

"They can get in line with all of my villains, JJ, most of New York, the X-Men, the Avengers, the Defenders, the Fantastic Four, and everyone else really."

The Observer sighed, shaking their head sadly, "It matters not what you believe.  There is something you must understand, if you allow the monsters to live after your first encounter with them, they will become far more dangerous.  If it goes too far then your dimension will be torn asunder."

"You want me to kill them!?"  Peter yelled.

"I understand your stance and personal rules, but it is necessary," The Observer held up their hands placatingly, "The moment they enter into a dimension they grow in power, that power must be released lest it allows them to reach the point where they will be able to gain acolytes.  The moment that happens, the dimension is doomed.  The only time where it can be done safely, will be your first encounter with them.  Will you save or doom your dimension, Peter Parker?"

Peter awoke, his head slamming up from his table with a gasp.  Looking around, seeing his apartment again, better took several deep breaths.  "I just want a normal nap, just once would be nice."  He quickly finished patching his suit up, just in time for Vulture to fly by his apartment's window.  "I'll be having a lot of coffee today it seems!"  He snapped as he quickly got his suit on and swung out into the streets after Vulture.  "Hey Vultie!  How about you fly yourself back to prison for the sake of my sleep?"

Chapter Text

Peter slammed into a car, gasping for air as he fell to the ground.  "What's the matter little spider?"  Rhino sarcastically asked with a laugh.

Getting back to his feet Peter grabbed some rubble with his webs and threw them at Rhino.  Running at his villain Peter webbed Rhino's shoulder and used it to pull himself through the air.  Spinning he kicked Rhino hard in the head, just the latest in this fight, but Peter finally hit his mark.  Rhino lost consciousness and fell to the ground, "TIMBER!!!"  Peter held his hands up in faux cheer, before promptly letting out a heavy breath, "With all the robberies, car chases, and these guys breaking out, when was the last time I ate?  Hey Rhino?  You got any money?  Nah, you don't got any pockets on you, one of the great drawbacks of modern fashion."  Peter swung away as he heard the police arriving.

Swinging through the city still calmed his nerves, even with his paranoia of the coming monsters.  'I still need to find someone who will listen to me about them.  Should I try Strange?  Is he even on this plane of existence right now?'  Peter thought as he absentmindedly stopped a purse snatcher.  Taking a quick stop on top of the Empire State Building he surveyed the city.  'The Fantastic Four definitely won't hear me out, the Avengers is a no go with Cap leading them, would the Defenders listen to me?  Maybe I could try SHIELD... no, Hill is still a big supporter for the Registration Act and she might try to pull something to drum up support for it again.  Always trying to get as many advantages as possible with one action.  Maybe... maybe I should try asking Wanda?  She's been on her own for the most part, and she's well skilled in the mystic arts alongside her mutant abilities she'd be a good ally to have for this.  But I don't know where she is.  Shit.'

Taking a step, he fell off the Empire State Building and free fell to the street below.  The feeling of weightlessness, of only the force of gravity on his body, was one of the greatest feelings.  Snapping a web out he swung back onto his patrol.  Hearing police sirens and the telltale sounds of Shocker he swung towards the bank.  "Heya Shocky!"  Peter greeted as he swung through one of the bank's broken windows.  "Is rent for the costume due?  Or are you finally upgrading to something that actually looks nice?"

"Spider-Man!"  Shocker yelled, immediately sending a shockwave at Peter.  Firing them off as Peter dodged out of the way, he quickly ended up destroying the money he had just stolen.  "God dammit!!!  Why do you always have to stop me just when I'm about to make a big payday!?  Don't you have anything better to do!?  Like a girlfriend, boyfriend, or whatever the fuck a freak like you is attracted to!!!"

"Well you guys just keep me so busy I thought you were flirting with me," Peter's smirk was audible.  As Shocker sent out another shockwave, Peter dodged and then shot a web and launched himself at Shocker, sucker punching him in the face and sending the thief staggering back.  Spinning Peter delivered three quick kicks to his chest and then delivered an uppercut.

Shocker landed on his back with a grunt.  "You broke my nose again," He let out a sigh.  "I give up, just hand me over to the cops.  Without any money to win this is just pointless."

"Wow, way to bring down the mood," Peter tried to joke.

"You try doing anything in this economy," Shocker shot back, "I need to find a sponsor for this shit."

"You and me both," Peter muttered as he got Shocker back to his feet and quickly handed him off to the police.  Immediately heading back onto patrol, he gave a quick wave to Miles as they passed each other.  The strain of his arms as he swung, most would find it painful but for him it was a comfort he needed.  "Finding a sponsor, yeah I'm not getting tied to that."

Stopping several minor crimes, as well as two kidnapping attempts, he landed on a building for a quick break.  Panting he looked up at the bleeding sky as the sun sank.  "What are you doing here?"  Peter held back a sigh at Paul's voice.

"I'm not here for MJ or anything-"

"Good, Mary doesn't want you," Paul interrupted him.

Peter popped his knuckles, "I just was taking a quick breath, didn't realize where I was landing.  I'll," Peter noticed the garden, "Leave you to your gardening.  Have a good night Paul."

"Make sure you don't come back here, I don't want you spooking the kids or Mary," Paul coldly told him.

"Yeah... sure," Peter softly said as he swung away.  'I definitely didn't handle everything with him well.  MJ and I was still so fresh, just a week.  Yet for her it was four years.  Difficult to... did she ever learn there was a time difference between the dimensions before I got back to her?  Who pushed me into the portal?'  Peter's thoughts briefly turned down a familiar path.  'No, if I start thinking like that again it'll just make it more painful.'

Peter found a perch near Central Park to give a quick survey.  "It's been a bit of a rowdy day, but when isn't it in the Big Apple?"

"Heya Spider~" Black Cat purred as she rolled onto the roof, "Did you find out about my latest heist?"

Peter looked at Felicia in brief thought, 'I should try and just move on.  I'll ask her out after I deal with the monsters, try and see if we could actually work as a couple.'  "No, do I need to stop you or are you getting information against one of city's empires?"

"The latter for today," Felicia shrugged, strutting over and joining him on the edge of the building.  "Maybe after I finish the job and my client pays me, we could go have some fun, just the Spider and the Cat."  She leaned against Peter's shoulder and let out a content sigh.

"You know, I bet the Defenders would be willing to take you on, and they give good salaries from what I hear so long as you remember to ask about that," Peter suggested, "Or maybe work by commission with them.  Would be good money for you."

"Oh my, are you really trying to get me onto the straight and narrow again Spider?"  Felicia chuckled at their old game.

"Just a thought I guess," Peter huffed.  "Play it safe Felicia, see ya around," Peter gave a quick two-finger salute to her and swung off.  'I won't treat her as some sort of rebound.  She deserves better than that.'  Peter found himself swinging towards the graveyard soon after, stopping what crimes he saw along the way to it.  Looking around he didn't see anyone looking at him and knelt before the grave.  "Hey Uncle Ben.  I don't know if you're able to see me from up there, but I'm scared.  More scared than I usually am.  I've never heard any mention of these monsters of the Web, and now they're coming after me for whatever reason... and I'm all alone.  My hero friends all hate me, MJ married some guy, I'm pretty sure Aunt May is disappointed in me, I don't know who I can turn to."

Peter lowered his head, "Death has always been a risk since I decided to become a vigilante.  I've understood that since I lost you.  But I don't want to die with the people that matter to me hating me.  So long as I'm on good standing with them... feels like it's okay if I leave this world behind.  Sometimes I think I should just end it all already.  I've considered grabbing a gun and just pulling the trigger, hanging myself, a myriad of ways to die.  I've thought of it so many times throughout my career, but then I remember what you taught me, and I keep pushing forward.  But I'm reaching my breaking point Uncle Ben, and what happens when I reach that terrifies me more than the monsters coming after my keister."

Peter sighed, "I know I shouldn't think like that.  Life is precious.  But what's the point of my life at this point?  I start getting to someplace good, having a good relationship, balance between me and Spider-Man, hell I even start making money to be able to support myself.  But then it all comes crashing down.  I had an entire company after Ock took over my body, and I lost and ended up back to struggling to pay rent.  No matter how high I reach, I end up right back at rock bottom.  I can't take this endless cycle of struggle anymore."  Peter slowly stood up and ran a hand over Ben's tombstone, "Maybe I'll see you again soon.  I love you Uncle Ben."  Peter quickly swung away, not noticing the spectral hand trying to reach out to him.

Chapter Text

Peter quickly got out of his suit and stashed it away.  Hopping into civilian clothing he ignored his phone with the lack of texts from any of the places he had tried getting a job at.  Going to his apartment's door he opened it, only to see an eviction notice.  "Shit," Peter cursed.  Knowing his landlord he wouldn't be able to do anything about this.  'I just need to go talk to Madame Web... but if everything get's thrown out my identity could be compromised.'  Peter let out a sigh and went back into his apartment.  He didn't have many possessions in there, never having an opportunity to make the apartment into his home.  "It's late, I won't make Aunt May get up just because I couldn't keep up with the rent."  Suddenly the glowing from his window brightened.  Peter hit his head against the wall in frustration before heading over to it and opening it again.  "What do you need Johnny?"

Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, glared at Peter.  It certainly hurt to have one of his closest friends look at him like that, but Peter couldn't do anything about it.  "You've been busy lately.  Trying to make people like you again?  After what you did?"

Peter rolled his eyes and went back into his apartment to get back to packing.  "You know that I don't do the work to get people to like me.  And could you just go flame off?  I'd rather not have anyone asking why the Human Torch is floating outside of my former apartment."

"You don't get to make dem-"

"Johnny," Peter looked at his former friend, "I'm not in the fucking mood.  If I wanted to get yelled at I'd go to JJ and tell him I'm Spider-Man or go into a thirty mile radius of your building or Avengers Tower.  Hell maybe the Defenders or X-men would like to give me some ideas on how much of a screwup I am!  Next time you want to tell me how much you hate me do it when I'm in uniform!  I've got things to deal with and I'm sorry if it doesn't involve the stupid fucking machine I stole from you guys because someone that I thought loved me as much as I loved her was stuck in an apocalyptic dimension and despite telling you guys that you thought it wasn't a emergency!"

Johnny flinched back in the air at Peter yelling, looking at him in shock, "You can't ju-"

"Fuck off!!!"  Peter slammed the window shut.  Johnny raised his hand for a moment, as though he was going to knock before just flying off.  Peter panted as he fell to his knees, and broke down into tears.  "What am I doing?  What's the point of any of this?"  Forcing himself to stop crying, bottling his emotions down into the already filled beyond the brim jar, he got back to his feet.  Finishing packing he shouldered his bag and left the apartment, dropping the key off at the landlord's mailbox.  Heading out into New York he already knew where he'd have to sleep tonight.

~Five Hours Later, Morning~

"Are you going to tell me why you're in my safehouse Webhead?"

Peter's eyes opened with a start.  Looking up he saw Frank Castle, The Punisher, looking down at him with a raised eyebrow.  "Got evicted, needed a place to crash at for a few days and didn't want to bother my aunt."  Peter answered as he got up and grabbed one of the cans of food.  "You don't usually come to this one, what are you doing Frank?"

"Tracking some traffickers, some of the kidnappings you've been stopping are linked to them," Frank responded, grabbing a can of food for himself.  "Just don't touch my weapons and you can stay here."

"Then move them somewhere else, you know how I feel about what you do Frank," Peter mumbled.  'I don't know what the monsters are.  If I tell Frank about them he might go on a rampage trying to find them, kill so many people.'  "Is that a new skull design?"

"Yeah, some people were using the old one as some sort of symbol.  Been going after them in my free time," Frank answered.

"I think I've fought some of them.  Seen some of them working with some of those anti-mutant organizations," Peter nodded as he ate some of the beans.  "Still going to keep killing people despite people seeing you like you're a good person?"

"Yup.  Going to keep getting in my way?"

"Obviously, gotta keep trying to give your skull a black eye," The two of them shared a laugh.

"Just don't stay here too long Spider," Frank patted him on the shoulder, "I change out the locations of my safehouses when I hit an area for a reason.  Don't want you getting caught in the crossfire."

"You got it Frank, I'll try to hit you like a hundredth of a bit less next time we fight."  Peter made himself some coffee and drank it black, cringing at the taste.

An hour later he was swinging through the city.  The usual crimes of the day were simple to stop, and for once none of his villains were active.  "It's time to end this Spider-Man!"  Electro suddenly yelled, firing electricity at him.

"Why do I even bother thinking things are quiet?"  Peter bemoaned as he dodged out of the way and entered the fight.

~At the Baxter Building~

Johnny ate some cereal as he watched the news.  Franklin and Valeria were only just waking up, he could still hear them taking their showers.  Suddenly the news turned to the fight between Peter and Electro in Times Square.  Johnny scowled, his anger at what was said last night rising.  He moved to turn the channel to something else but Franklin nabbed the remote.  "Val!  Uncle Peter is on the news!"  Valeria ran into the living room, grabbing Johnny's box of cereal along the way.

"Hey!"

"Ooh, he's fighting Electro today," Valeria sat next to her big brother, putting the cereal box between them.  "Did you see his fight with Rhino a few days ago?"

"Yeah, that final hit was really cool," Franklin grinned.

"Can't believe they still like him despite what Peter did," Johnny muttered as Susan Storm, The Invisible Woman, walked into the kitchen.

"Feelings are complicated Johnny," Sue shrugged her shoulders, "I saw you went to talk to him.  How'd it go?"

Johnny pursed his lips, "He said... it was like he and MJ aren't together anymore.  And that he got evicted from his apartment."

"He and MJ were just about to move in together before that villain Rabin appeared," Sue muttered.  "That day was such a mess, I just hope Peter's able to land on his feet."

"...I hope he breaks a leg," Johnny muttered darkly, "He betrayed our trust, stole from us and... and..."  Johnny moved his bowl out of the way and then promptly hit his head on the countertop, "I'm an idiot."

"I mean I could tell you that easily," Sue joked, "But why are you one in this case?"

"We didn't listen to him properly when he tried asking for our help first, we just followed Reed's lead and brushed him aside," Johnny groaned.  "He said MJ was stuck in an apocalyptic dimension, of course he'd try and get her out as fast as possible.  And we didn't listen."  Johnny leaned back and ran his hands down his face in frustration as Reed and Ben walked into the kitchen.

~With Peter~

Peter panted as he finally restrained Electro.  "Damn, what sent you into a temper tantrum?"  Peter asked rhetorically since Electro was currently gagged.  "Anyways, I've gotta get back to patrol.  So I'll leave you for the-"  The ground suddenly shook.  "Please tell me you did a team-up with Rhino?"  Peter looked at Electro who shook his head.  Looking around he saw a massive portal appear in the middle of Times Square.  "Oh no."  Peter knew what this meant, his Spider-Sense wouldn't let him think otherwise.  A deep, menacing growl echoed out of the portal.  The first monster had arrived.

Chapter Text

Mary Jane smiled at Paul playing with Romi and Owen.  She ignored the small feeling of emptiness that had been there since she got back to her home dimension, since she rejected Peter.  "Alright kids, Dad needs to go check on his garden.  Don't want the pigeons eating all of our food," She laughed.  Looking out at the city, her mind briefly turned back to Peter and her anger rose a bit.  'He just couldn't accept that I moved on.  I never realized how... selfish he was.'  The thought felt wrong to her for a brief moment but that feeling immediately faded away.  'He just doesn't understand that people can actually move on from things instead of putting themselves in danger for it.'

"BREAKING NEWS!!!"  The kids show that had been on was interrupted.  It turned to a reporter at Times Square, a massive portal behind them.

"Hope Rabin isn't back," MJ murmured, not noticing the side-eye Paul gave her at the mention of the villain.  "Is that-"

"A massive portal has opened in the middle of Times Square," The reporter began, just as Peter landed in front of the portal, "Uh, Spider-Man has just approached the portal!"

~Times Square~

Peter observed the portal; it looked almost like a black hole.  There was a faint blue and red tint around its edges, and some other shape that almost looked like a spider's web.  "Okay, what's going to come out?"

"Are we seriously going to let Spider-Man be the one making first contact?"  He heard a civilian say from the crowd growing around the portal.

"We'd be better off with the Avengers or the Fantastic Four, they actually know what they're doing," Another said.

"Hell, I'd even take those stupid mutants from the X-Men rather than this stupid menace," Peter listened to more of these statements echo from the crowd.

Peter held back a sigh, "For all I know it's not one of them," He muttered.  'Besides, they're right.  I'm-' Peter's thoughts were cut off by a massive hoof slamming out of the portal, aimed right at him.  He jumped back just in time and crouched, ready to launch forward.

A low, rumbling growl echoed out of the portal as another hoof came out of the portal.  Then a massive cow head leered out, except that it had eight eyes like a spider.  Its horns were sharp, terrifyingly sharp.  The rest of its body came out of the portal, looking more like a spider's than a cow's.  Only it's front two legs were hooved; the rest were pointed.  With a few red lines running along the body, it was massive, three times Hulk's height.  It's eyes looked around Times Square, observing the new environment as the portal closed.  Letting out a rumble, the creature's sight zeroed in on Peter.  "A Tsuchigumo," Doctor Strange named as he stepped out of a portal, "Haven't seen one that looks like this though.  I will take over Spider-Man."

"No," the Tsuchigumo spoke, surprising Strange.  "I am here for him.  Spider-Man, a title you have become unworthy of."  The monster's voice sounded male, with an echo to it and a certain gruffness that spoke of just how long it had been around.  "It is nice I will not have to hunt you down, now I will carry out your execution."  He slammed both of his hooves down on the ground and a dome grew out from the impact point.  It passed over Peter but pushed everyone else back until it had forced all of Times Square to be cleared.  "I am Rengoku, and I have found you failing in your responsibilities Spider-Man.  A Spider Totem who has fallen stagnant, content with how things are instead of striving for further results, your crimes are numerable to the point I shall only name them after I have extinguished your soul!  Kneel and I shall grant you a quick death before I seek out the other Spider Warriors to give them judgement and execute them."

'He's going to go after Miles, Cindy, and Gwen?  What did they do?'  Peter thought as he stepped forward.  "Yeah sorry, I'm not one much for kneeling before someone threatening to kill people.  Plus, I may be Bi but you are definitely not my type."  He reverted to joking to try and steel his nerves.

Everyone looked at him, clearly judging him for what he just said.  Then to their surprise, Rengoku chuckled before going into a full laugh, "If I was flirting with you, I'd offer my tongue, or maybe I believe the humans call it cowstyle?  I'd offer to show how a cow spider has fun."  Rengoku huffed, "Apologies, this is an execution, but it has been an age since I met one who shared my sense of humor.  Oh, it is a shame I have to kill you."

"Well maybe we could go with death by laughter?"  Peter joked, "Do I get to pick how I die?  I promise I won't say old age, I'll just say wisened age."

Rengoku chuckled again before he let out a growl, "This blasted vessel's humor," He muttered, except there was a slight echo to it.

Peter barely heard what was said, 'Vessel?'  Before he could think further on it, Rengoku slammed one his hooves down at him.  Peter used a web to dodge out of the way and put distance between them, getting to the edge of the dome.  "What can you tell me Doc?"  Peter asked Strange.

"There's not much I can tell you," Strange said, various spell circles glowing around him, "I've never seen a Tsuchigumo act like this, let alone talk or have a power such as this.  I am unfamiliar with the magic of the dome; it will take me some time to get past it.  Do you know this Rengoku?"

Rengoku opened his mouth, his lower jaw splitting in two as a heavy web strand shot out at Peter.  He dodged to the side with a yelp, "Do I look like I know this guy!?"  Rengoku flexed his lower jaw, and he was pulled towards Peter, twisting through the air so his legs slammed into the dome.  He crawled along it, now firing several web balls at Peter from his mouth.  Two massive strands of web shot out from Rengoku, one attached to each half of his lower jaw, attaching to a large billboard.  Rengoku wrenched his head back and ripped it out of the building with a shock of electricity and slammed it into the ground at Peter, cracking the cement all through the dome.  "Woah!"  Peter grabbed some of the rubble and with a spin threw it at Rengoku, "I know soda can be bad for you, but you don't need to go wrecking its ads like that."

"Just stay still and accept your execution!"  Rengoku yelled, once more with an echo.  He jumped from the top of the dome and slammed his hooves first into the ground, creating a small crater.  Playing a balancing game on his hooves, he lashed his spider legs out at Peter, trying to strike him.  Peter relied on his Spider-Sense to avoid them, currently planning to wait until Strange could get into the dome and help him.  But then Rengoku's left hoof suddenly struck, hitting Peter so hard in the gut the crack of his ribs could be heard with ease.  He slammed into dome's wall, blood coughing out through his mask.

"Spider-Man!"  Strange yelled in concern, but then lightning lashed out from the dome and struck him.  He let out a yell of pain as he was sent flying back, "A defense mechanism.  It will take me longer to get within then.  Spider-Man, do not rely on my aid to arrive soon!"

"If the so-called mystic arts will not work, then perhaps you should try science," Reed Richards, Mister Fantastic, stated as he stepped out of the Fantasti-car with the rest of the Fantastic Four.

Strange held back from rolling his eyes, instead keeping them on Peter.  "We can have our regular debate another time Reed."

Peter coughed up some more blood through his mask, using the dome as support to get back to his feet, 'Spider-Sense didn't work, but I was sensing all the other attacks with ease.  How did he hit me?  Did I fall into a pattern?'

Rengoku let out a sinister chuckle, "You are wondering why your sixth sense did not work."  Peter stiffened in fear at the reveal that Rengoku knew of his Spider-Sense.  "You are not the first one I have executed who possessed a sixth sense.  Such a perfect defense, but I have created millions of means to circumvent it, trick it, and kill those who possess it."  Rengoku stalked forward, a terrifying smile stretched over his maw.

'Can't play defense, can't expect any help, none of this is new.  Shouldn't have expected anything different.'  "What responsibility of mine did I fail that warrants my execution?  I just gotta ask you know?  Since you're going to kill me because of it and everything.  Did I leave the toilet seat up too many times?"  Peter stalled as he worked to steady his breathing.  "Or did I have to say some sort of prayer before I ate?"

"You left your enemies alive," Rengoku said, "When with your power you should've snuffed their life from existence."

"You cannot be serious?"  Peter looked at Rengoku incredulously, "Is that it?  That's why you're trying to kill me!?"  Peter's yell echoed, the weight behind it actually scaring Rengoku enough to step back slightly.  "My job is to protect people!  That's my responsibility!  Not deciding if a criminal should live or die!  Why am I alone the one you are angry at about that!?  I can name ten other heroes who by your stupid logic should be killed!"

"I am judge, jury, and executioner for Spider Warriors.  That is the simple fact, nothing more.  I alone know best how your powers should be used, and those who do not use them properly shall be removed from the Web of this dimension," Rengoku spat at him.  His lower jaw clicked open and shut a few times in frustration, "You know nothing!"  He let out a bellowing roar and charged horns first at Peter.  Peter quickly shot a web and swung out of the way, then quickly attached a web to Rengoku's back and used to pull himself back and slam both of his feet hard into his abdomen.  Rengoku let out a quick yell of pain before rolling over the ground, almost catching Peter and crushing him if Peter hadn't let go of the web.  Peter landed and threw a few pieces of rubble at Rengoku and followed them close behind while firing a web off to the side.

Rengoku used his hooves to knock the rubble away, and with the small opening as he began to put his hooves back on the ground not noticing Peter as his attention was pulled towards where the web was fired.  Peter delivered a devastating haymaker to Rengoku's head, followed up by two kicks.  For the brief moment he was focused on attacking he did not focus on Rengoku's spider legs until one shot out from beneath his body and struck Peter.  He flew back slightly, but then Rengoku jumped after him and rained dozens of stomps with his hooves on Peter.  "Spidey!"  Human Torch yelled in fear as blood arced around the crater that was being made deeper the longer Peter was beaten to a pulp.

Rengoku ceased his beatdown, stepping away with a huff.  Peter coughed, struggling to breathe.  He ripped the part of his mask around his mouth and nose, needing to get the damp fabric away.  He gasped loudly, taking in as much air with every pant he could.  He wouldn't be surprised if all of his ribs were broken, at the very least fractured.  He struggled to find his balance, stumbling to his feet.  He slipped on something wet, looking back he saw it was drool.  Looking back up, he saw that Rengoku was drooling whilst he stared at him, like he was a meal.  "I am glad you fought back," Rengoku smiled, "Because you did I was able to tenderize you properly.  To execute a Spider, they must be eaten.  But their muscles can be so coarse and difficult to eat, so I hope they fight back against their execution so I can properly tenderize the meat.  It's reached the point where I tell small lies to get them to fight.  Now I can end your irresponsibility with ease instead of having to chew too much."

Peter grit his teeth, looking at Rengoku in anger at the reveal of the lie.  He lashed out, jumping right at him and punching him in the snout, bringing some blood from Rengoku's nose.  Rengoku only chuckled though and then open his mouth wide.  Peter wasn't able to get out of the way as Rengoku used his hooves and spider legs to trap him.  So instead, Peter used his left arm to keep the upper jaw away and his legs to keep both halves of the lower jaw away.  He delivered several punches to the inside of the mouth, trying to punch out some of the teeth but only ending up cutting his hand on them.  Suddenly, a long tongue punched him in the gut, launching him out of Rengoku's jaw as it closed.  He skipped across the ground like a stone over water before slamming into the dome's wall.  His breathing had only become more labored, each breath hurting more than the last.  His vision was blurry for a few moments before he saw Susan's horrified face.  Then he looked down at his left arm.  Where it had been.

Nearly all of his left arm had been bitten off as he was launched out of Rengoku's mouth, the bite incredibly close to his shoulder.  There were a few cuts from the teeth along his side as well.  He couldn't feel the pain from the injury, it still felt like he had his arm.  Peter shakily got to his feet, reaching to just below the stump of his left arm, trying to feel his missing limb.  "These things don't normally fall off like an old toy.  Did anyone see where my arm ended up?"  Peter looked around, the answer obvious but his delirious mind wasn't able to think properly.  He stumbled forward, turning to look around for his arm, not noticing Rengoku charging at him.  Until a sharp pain in his gut brought everything back to clarity.  "Fffuck!"  He cursed, his vision finally clearing.  Looking down he saw one of Rengoku's horns stabbed through him.

"Spider!"  Ben Grimm, The Thing, yelled out in terror as he continued his efforts to punch through the dome while Johnny tried to burn through it.  Neither of them were making even a scratch.

Rengoku moved his head up and down, causing Peter to hop up and down on his horn.  Peter grit his teeth in extreme pain, grasping at the horn put it had become too slick with his blood for him to get a proper grip on it.  The constant movement as well made it impossible for him to be able to try and lift himself off of the horn.  In desperation, his need for survival eliminating his habits as Spider-Man, Peter reached behind himself and grabbed the horn tightly, holding fiercely to it.  Struggling to concentrate, Peter crushed part of the horn.  He was sent flying up into the air and came crashing back down.  "You dare to shatter one of my horns!?"  Rengoku yelled at him.

Peter shakily got to his feet and ripped the horn out, letting out a yell of pain.  Panting, he held up his blood covered hand, every part of his costume felt like it was soaked with his blood.  His vision kept going in and out of focus, he couldn't tell which way he was looking or what he was standing on.  'Is this, what's the point of fighting?  No matter what I do... I never win anything.  I don't have anything worth fighting for anymore.  He said he lied about going after the other Spiders, it'll just be me that dies then.  That's for the best.  Everything hurts, I just want it to be over with.'  Peter fell to his knees; his head bowed as Rengoku's shadow blotted out the sun from him.

"Finally, you accept your fate," Rengoku smirked.  He opened his mouth wide, ready to consume Peter in one bite.

"Get up Spidey!"  Johnny yelled, slamming his fist against the dome.  Peter looked up at him, his eyes shining with acceptance.  "No, no please, don't give up.  I was an idiot, I don't want you to- get up, please."

"I'm sorry I was such a failure everyone," Peter said softly, "Things will be better without me."

As Rengoku's mouth enveloped him, Peter heard a single voice through everything.  A pair of young voices in fact, one boy one girl.  "Uncle Spider!!!"  Franklin and Valeria yelled out, running out of their hiding spot in the Fantasti-car.

Rengoku's eyes widened in shock when he couldn't move his mouth closed.  Peter was using his shoulders to lift the upper jaw this time, while using his kneeling legs to have a better hold over the lower jaws.  "As if I'd let you get away with what you've done to Spiders in the past!"  Peter yelled with such ferocity one would assume he was part beast.  Rengoku's tongue lashed out again, but Peter brutally bit into it.  Rengoku let out a roar of pain, lashing his head around to knock him loose.  Peter wrapped the tongue around his arm a few times, then finally saw what he was looking for.  The opening in the mouth that let out the webs.  Using his Spider-Touch, the same power that let him be able to Wall Crawl, he grabbed it and pulled.  Blood poured out as he forced Rengoku's mouth to open wider, deepening his bite into the tongue.  With a feral growl he jumped out, ripping out the incredibly longue tongue and biological mouth web shooter.

Rengoku whined in pain, blood pouring out of his mouth as he glared fiercely at Peter.  "Yoush shtupid idiosh!!!"  He struggled to speak.

Peter spit the tongue out and crush the web shooter in his hand, "No matter how many you've killed, there will always be one who will beat you.  If you actually knew anything you'd know that fact, but you only claim you know anything at all."  Rengoku let out a garbled roar and charged at him.  Peter shot a web up and jumped, but as Rengoku jumped after him he let go of the web and fired another one midair right at Rengoku.  With a quick pull the two were pulled towards each other.  Peter twisted his body through the air, landing on Rengoku's back.  Grabbing one of the spider legs on the right side and he twisted it back, causing it to break off of Rengoku's body.  Rengoku let out another roar of pain and Peter jumped up while still holding the spider leg and stabbed it down at Rengoku's head.

Noticing the incoming attack Rengoku jerked his head back, but not fast enough.  The leg was stabbed through his mouth, stabbing the top half and left half of the lower jaws.  Peter shot a web at the ground and pulled, slamming his feet into Rengoku's mouth and forcing it to slam into the ground brutally.  The jaws were forced closed by the impact, deepening the wounds.  Peter kicked the part of the spider leg still sticking out, severing it from the rest.  Rengoku rolled over, shaking Peter off but only for a moment.  Landing on the dome's walls he immediately jumped off of it and dropkicked Rengoku into the opposite side of the dome.  He stepped back, panting and vision getting blurrier.  Rengoku immediately struck, headbutting Peter into the ground and then stabbing one of his spider legs into Peter's remaining hand to prevent him from being able to properly fire any webs.  Peter grunted in pain, looking around for anything nearby he could try to use.  He could see people on the other side of the dome, yelling at him, the Fantastic Four looking at him, 'I know I'm failing right now but could you focus on getting the dome down please?'  He cringed away as Rengoku lowered his head to stare Peter directly in the eyes.

"Reed!  What do you have?"  Susan yelled, trying to find some edge of the dome she could slip one of her barriers into to try and weaken.

Reed shook his head, "Nothing.  I don't understand, what kind of science created this dome?"

Strange's eyes widened, staring at the energies of the dome he had been analyzing since he triggered the defenses, "We won't be able to take it down."

"What do you mean we can't get it down!?"  Ben yelled at him, slamming his fist so hard into the dome he created a shockwave.

"The spell that created it requires that only one life can continue within for it to be lowered.  One of them must die," Strange grit his teeth in anger.

Peter's vision finally cleared enough he saw the only thing that seemed could work for him.  Rengoku's torn off horn, resting on the ground amongst the rubble.  But it was out of his reach, and because he couldn't fire any webs, he only had one choice.  "Hey Rengoku," Peter's voice rasped, looking up at the upside-down vision of his current enemy, "You're still not getting the point!"  Peter jumped up, ripping his hand and part of his forearm off, leaving a piece of broken bone where it had once been on his arm.  Bolting towards the horn he kicked it up into the air and jumped after it.  Before Rengoku could react to anything he had just done, Peter kicked the horn with everything he had at Rengoku.  It stabbed through his body, causing Rengoku's mouth to snap the spider leg in half and let out a massive roar.  Peter jumped off the top of the dome and slammed down once more into Rengoku, right on top of the horn stabbing it in even deeper.

The red lines over Rengoku glowed and bled onto the ground, forming into a red human.  "Dammit!  Rengoku was the perfect vessel, and you just had to break him!"  He yelled at Peter.

Rengoku let out a weak roar, struggling back to his feet and then trying to strike Peter with one of his hooves.  Peter grabbed it with his mouth and tore the leg off.  "You... are... a... good... Spider..." Rengoku spoke slowly, nodding at Peter, almost bowing his head to him, "Now... we... finish... fight... claim... victory..."  He launched himself at Peter, only to receive a harsh high kick that tore off both halves of his lower jaw.  Peter then spun around and stabbed the piece of bone on his arm through one of Rengoku's eyes, going deep until he pierced into the brain.

"CLAIM YOUR PRIZE!!!"  A voice yelled out as Peter yelled and lifted, ripping Rengoku's skull and part of his spine out.  It fell to the ground, Peter panting over it.  But around him was massive spectral spider, injured with four of its limbs missing, and several gashes across the left side.  It stood over Peter protectively, it's mandibles clicking softly as it looked at him almost lovingly, like a parent.  "My vessel, my Spider-Man."

"Arachnis," The red human growled, "You should've died a long time ago."

"Torchbearer," Arachnis growled but did not turn his gaze from Peter, "You will not best my Spider-Man.  Not this time.  I've done my best to prepare him, to teach him, to protect him.  You won't win this time."

Torchbearer let out a malicious laugh, "Please!  I am judge, jury, and executioner of all Spiders!  Once I carry out his execution, I'll finally carry out yours!  Flame on!"  He was wreathed in red flames and flew into the air.  He shot out a stream of fire at Peter, but in the blink of an eye he disappeared from where he had been.  "What!?"  Torchbearer could barely say before Peter kicked him in the back, sending him spinning through the air.

"That's- that's my catchphrase," Johnny looked at Torchbearer in shock.  Looking closely, if not for the red skin the two of them would've been twins.  "He's... he's me?"

"An alternate version of you.  Learn from his existence once he is no longer a threat," Strange advised, speaking from experience.  He looked closely at Arachnis, trying to understand anything he could when he finally noticed a detail he had been missing.  "He reflects Spider's injuries... Spider-Man has gone blind."

"What!?"  Susan yelled at him.

"Arachnis' eyes have changed color, becoming white," Strange pointed out, "Given the state of the rest of him and his reflection with Spider-Man, that means Spider-Man has gone blind."  Peter kept jumping around the dome at a speed none of them had seen from him.  "We are witnessing a Spider-Man who has abandoned his self-imposed limiters, his instincts and brain's now sole goal is survival."  Peter struck Torchbearer several times, becoming a blur to the normal naked eye.  "His brain now answers solely to his instincts, and it has been determined that his sight must be abandoned to supplement the other senses.  I've read stories of mystical warriors doing such things, but only gaining the skill through rigorous training that nearly killed them.  It would not surprise me if his sense of taste has also been abandoned."

"SUPERNOVA!!!" Torchbearer yelled out, his flames growing even more intense, "Burn to ashes failed Spider Warrior!"  He covered the dome in flames, preventing Peter from being able to continue using it as a jump pad.  Peter landed on the ground, his head bowed, and knees bent.  Torchbearer kneed him in the face, using his flames to go faster than Peter could react.  He delivered several strikes, delivering a final strike to Peter's throat.

Peter coughed, spitting out blood alongside a small piece of flesh.  He breathed, letting everything wash over him.  His Spider-Sense became his whole world, his brain turning off all other senses and leaving only the Spider-Sense.  As Torchbearer flew up, getting ready to completely engulf the inside of the dome in flames, something moved in Peter's neck.  Licking the inside of his cheek, his thoughts wouldn't let him wonder how it had happened just yet.  Opening his mouth, a web shot out from it and grabbed Torchbearer by the neck.  As the flames began to burn through the web, a newly elongated tongue pulled on the web and pulled Torchbearer towards Peter.  Jumping up, Peter caught Torchbearer's neck between his teeth.  Before anything could be said, he closed his jaw and destroyed the neck.  Torchbearer fell to the ground with an expression of shock and terror made immortal upon his visage.

Peter spit the chunk of flesh out and panted.  He tried to take a step towards where he thought someone was, but the bones of his legs finally gave out and broke.  He fell to the ground, body broken and near death.  "SPIDEY!!!"  Johnny yelled, flying towards him only to be knocked away by one of Arachnis' legs.

"I won't let you hurt my vessel again!"  He yelled, crouched over Peter's still form protectively.

Strange carefully stepped forward, his hands up in surrender.  "Lord Arachnis, I hold no grudges with Spider-Man.  I swear upon my magic, my goal is only to help him."

"Gwen?"  Peter's voice was painfully soft, "I'm sorry.  I'm so sorry.  Please, please don't hate me.  Not you too."

Arachnis' mandibles clicked in fear at Peter's words; his blind gaze turned towards Strange's direction.  His head tilted, before turning back to Rengoku and Torchbearer's corpses.  Both began to dissolve into ash, swirling into the wind around Peter.  "I am your master Rengoku!  You will hee-" Rengoku's head appeared, Torchbearer's spirit trapped in his jaws before being crushed.

Rengoku looked down at Peter, letting out a sound that was almost like a purr.  The rest of his body formed his spirit floating down to bow before Peter.  His head slowly nudged forward, gently going within Peter's chest.  When it came out, a crimson chain was trapped within his jaws that he then shattered.  "I pledge myself to you, you who has bested me.  I name myself tamed, and give myself to you, Vessel of Arachnis, Spider-Man, Spider Warrior, Spider Totem."  Rengoku's ashes swirled around Peter, creating a fierce tornado that would let no one within and preventing any from being able to hear within.  "I pledge myself to you, Peter Benjamin Parker.  I shatter the chain that held your spirit back and give you all of myself."  The ashes from the top of the tornado shot down into Peter's heart, making him float into the air as Rengoku disappeared from sight.

Peter's bones were audibly cracked back into place and repaired.  Then the missing bones of his arms began to reform first.  Then his veins, his muscles, and finally his skin regenerated.  Even his suit was repaired, Rengoku completely healed him.  He fell back to the ground, his breathing finally level and steady.  Arachnis carefully nudged Peter with one of his legs, his own body healed now that his vessel was healed.  His mandibles clicked a few more times before looking back at Strange, this time in the eyes.  Strange almost stepped back in fear at what he saw.  A hunter who has succeeded hundreds of times, who has killed hundreds and would kill him without a second thought in that moment if it would help Peter.  "I leave him only in the care of your Sanctum Santorum, should any of those who hurt him approach I will not hesitate."

"Of course, Lord Arachnis," Strange bowed his head.  He knew this was not an entity who could be bargained with or tricked.  To offer surrender was the best chance to help Peter, and for now that was all that mattered to him.  He created a portal to his Sanctum Santorum and then carefully picked Peter up.  Stepping through the portal, letting it close before the Fantastic Four could do anything to anger Arachnis against them more than he already was, he called out for Wong to prepare the infirmary.  "You've done good Peter; you have always done good.  I wish you could accept that truth."

Chapter Text

Stephen sighed as he checked over the various monitors Peter was hooked up to again.  "I just don't understand, he's completely healed.  There are signs of minor malnutrition, but that's the most of it.  He doesn't even have any concussions despite his recent fight with Rhino."

Wong hummed, "The fight against Rengoku and Torchbearer was unlike any fight he has ever faced.  Even when he faced Morlun, while a similar sort of challenge, was still vastly different from this."  He changed out Peter's saline bag.  Walking out of the room he heard a knock at the Sanctum's front door.  Opening it he was greeted by Frank, "Castle.  This is a surprise.  If you are here to try and use the artifacts we guard on your monstrous crusade, come back another time when we are not operating as a hospital."

Frank rolled his eyes, "I'm just here to give Webhead his things."  He held up the bag to Wong, "Don't know when he'd be able to pick it all up and didn't want some scum using his tech or uncovering his identity.  How's he doing?"

"He has gone into a coma.  Despite his miraculous healing, the trauma has taken its toll," Wong said as he took the bag from Frank.  Frank let out a huff and with a wave walked away from the Sanctum.  Wong closed the door and walked back to the infirmary.  "I would recommend we increase security, especially against Castle and his... stubbornness to do the impossible."

"Noted," Stephen nodded as he stepped back.  "Lord Arachnis?  May we have the honor of speaking with you?"

"I apologize for not responding to your previous attempts Strange," Arachnis appeared around Peter, "But I had to heal myself and ensure Peter's safety the past three days.  Rengoku and Torchbearer may have been the first, but they are far from the last.  And please drop the honorifics, I am no Lord and have no intention of ever being called as such."

"Of course," Stephen bowed his head, "Can you explain Rengoku and Torchbearer?  What were they?  And what do you mean they are not the last?"

Before Arachnis could answer the Sanctum's doors were slammed open and Felicia ran in.  "Peter!"  She immediately ran to his side, Arachnis crawling out of the way.  "Peter, hey, I'm here.  Can you wake up for me?  Please?"

"It would seem Miss Hardy is familiar with the layout of the Sanctum.  I will go bolster the defenses," Wong left, giving Stephen a knowing look as he did.

"Peter?"  Felicia shook him gently, "Please, this isn't funny.  Look at me, please, just look at me.  Tell me you're okay.  I'm sorry I didn't come sooner, I was so- you looked- I thought- please say something."

"Miss Hardy, Peter is in a coma.  Currently, all we can do is let him rest," He advised but Felicia shot him a fierce glare.

"You just let him fight that monster all on his own!  How could you... what did he..." Felicia's emotions finally just collapsed on her and she broke down.  "Peter, I'm sorry for everything, I'm sorry for acting like I just wanted Spider-Man.  I want to do better," Her tears fell as she fought back the sobs that shook her body, "I want to be better for you.  Seeing you- you almost let- wake up please."

Stephen looked over as the doors slammed open again and after a few minutes in came Miles, Cindy, and Gwen.  "Pete!"  Miles ran over to him, Cindy and Gwen hanging back.  "Pete, hey man, I'm sorry I didn't come by sooner.  Been making sure our villains aren't making any trouble.  Pete?"

"He's in a coma kid," Felicia said softly, "The Doc isn't explaining much."

Stephen sighed, "I have been trying to learn what is wrong.  The most that I can tell is his soul won't let him wake up."

"His soul?  Why would his soul keep him in a coma?"  Cindy asked, wanting to go to Peter but she didn't trust Stephen to be vulnerable around him.

"Because he wishes to die."  Arachnis' statement echoed in the room.  The drop of dust could be heard it had become so silent.  "The jar has shattered and now he feels everything he has ignored.  It has only made the existing wish all the worse, and not even the greatest telepath can fix this.  The only one who can wake my Vessel is himself, and he doesn't want to."

"Why?  Peter wouldn't just abandon-"

Arachnis let out a low hiss, interrupting Gwen, "Abandon?  How many times has he been abandoned?  Tossed aside and cursed.  Blamed for actions not his own.  Warnings he gives, information he shares, ignored and called idiotic.  I will not force him to choose when he has for so long felt he has never felt he could choose.  Feeling he had no choice but to be Spider-Man, not one of those who know him in both faces tried to help him find a balance, to learn to ask others for help.  I will let him have this selfish need, let him learn what he wants, and whatever decision he makes I will support my Vessel.  Should any of you try to take the choice from him, you will never step in this room again."

Felicia looked back at Peter, "Why did that monster hate him so much?"

"Rengoku held no hatred, but Torchbearer was fueled by it."

Stephen moved over, putting himself between Arachnis and the Spider Warriors and Black Cat.  "What were they?"

"Who are you?"  Miles asked Arachnis, "Pete described the Spider he's a Totem Avatar for, you don't look like that."

Arachnis' mandibles clicked, "You speak of the Totem God The Other.  I am no Totem.  Torchbearer was an Observer of the Web who believed that he knew better than the Spider Warriors, coming to kill them in rage when they would not kill.  He twisted his gift as an Observer and took control of Rengoku."  Arachnis' legs hit the floor with a thud as he walked through Stephen and kneeled at the foot of Peter's bed.  "Rengoku originated from this dimension.  You ask what we are, we are the Predators of the Web of Life and Destiny that the Inheritors such as Morlun believe themselves to be."

Electricity crackled in Miles' hands as he glared at Arachnis, "If you think-"

"You will not be able to best me, unless you wish to hurt my Vessel.  Even if you separated us, we Predators hunted the first life of each dimension, a unique group given to every dimension.  Predators instill the different needs for survival into each dimension, leading them to develop as they do.  Your original dimension Miles, Gwen, were shaped by Predators like me and Rengoku into what they were.  Even the Mirror Dimension and Dark Dimension was shaped by Predators.  Do you wish to know what my contributions were, little Electric Spider?"  Arachnis' eight eyes looked at Miles.  Despite the lack of emotions, there was an intensity behind them, "I ensured that when you were brought to this dimension from your original it would not erase you from existence, both you and Spider-Ghost.  The reason that the Fantastic Four had the opportunity that gave them their powers.  That Gamma research progressed to the point that allowed the Hulks to exist.  The Super Soldier Serum.  Discovery of certain aspects of the mystic arts.  Unlike most of the others, I laid the groundwork for the chance that this world would be given heroes.  And yet, none of us did a thing that led to his creation."  Arachnis looked back at Peter.  "In nearly every dimension where a version of my Vessel is, they exist not by the manipulations of the Predators but by pure chance.  And every instance where they were created by a Predator, something always goes wrong, they are not the hero he almost always is.  They become a villain, a murderer, a monster.  His soul cannot be created like others; it must be allowed to come to be all on its own.  Just the same as Lady Neith."

"How common is a soul like Peter's?"  Stephen asked, keeping his voice level despite this massive reveal.

Arachnis' clicked his mandibles for a few moments.  "Rare.  For every nine hundred trillion souls that come to be in a dimension there is a point one percent chance of a soul like his coming to be.  And a near constant repeat of his soul's existence in other dimensions is even rarer."

"What does it mean that Peter is your vessel?"  Felicia asked, threading her fingers through Peter's hair.

"There is no record of a Predator ever taking a vessel, officially speaking given the rules that restrict Predators.  I have had a few, all of them we united with the goal of stopping Torchbearer and his crusade.  Failure after failure, Torchbearer's mastered use of Rengoku ensured his victories.  After the fourth Vessel, I tried to fight Torchbearer directly.  I lost, horribly."  Arachnis used one of his legs and gently patted Peter's chest, right over his heart.  "I was near death, stuck in that state for millions of years.  I went into hiding, trying to lick my wounds.  One day I slipped off of the Web and returned to this dimension, something Predators are banned from doing after we have laid the initial groundworks.  Right into the backyard of a little boy living with his parents a few days before they would die.  I was ready to be attacked out of fear, knowing my appearance was always meant to terrify others.  Yet Peter looked in worry, seeing not a monster but a living being injured and in pain.  The memory would fade to not even believed to be a dream, the loss of his parents helping that.  But in the moment, he tried to stop my bleeding, a gate was opened between us, and I witnessed his soul for the first time.  It was a soul similar to one I had only witnessed once before, at the moment of my birth.  I saw the soul of my parent, I do not know their identity, but I never forgot.  In my injured state, somehow instead of naming myself Tamed to him, I bound myself to him, making him my Vessel.

"His subconscious has always suppressed parts of his powers he earned from the Spider Bite, but what he gains as my Vessel cannot be suppressed, only left sleeping beneath the surface.  As my Vessel, he has the power to evolve his body, so long as there is a sample of some kind given.  The Spider Bite already gave him powers without my gift’s aid, but there are aspects of the powers that have not been awakened due to him unknowingly suppressing his powers."  Arachnis stood back up and turned to look at Cindy and Gwen.  His gaze felt like it was both piercing into them and looking through them as though they were invisible.  "You can come out little ones, I have no ill will to you unlike the other members of your family."  Franklin and Valeria stepped out of their hiding spots hesitantly.  "I must thank you two.  Your voices ensured my Vessel continued fighting, despite his wishes for death.  It is alright, go to him."

That was all the two pre-teens needed to run to Peter's side.  Stephen gestured to Arachnis and to his surprise the Predator agreed to step out of the room with him.  "Is there a chance more Predators will be coming after Peter?"

"They are already within the dimension.  I cannot for anything know what reason they have to target Peter; it is a mystery that must be uncovered.  They are waiting, plotting, learning.  Since he became my Vessel, I have done my best to teach Peter, to prepare him to face.  But that was for Torchbearer and Rengoku.  I only ever knew two other Predators, including Rengoku.  I cannot name the others, what they may be capable of, how they will act, nothing.  I recommend as high security as possible whilst Peter remains within his coma."

Stephen nodded, "Of course.  I understand it expends effort to keep this projection active.  Should anything come up, I will call.  Thank you for teaching me, Arachnis."  With a bow of his head Arachnis vanished.  "Just who is your newest enemy Peter?  And what was that chain Rengoku broke?  Arachnis made an effort to avoid talking about it."

~Somewhere in New York City~

"Please!  Let me go, let me live!"  A man begged as a woman stalked after him through an alleyway.

The woman's clawed hand stabbed through his chest, a glowing circle appearing around them.  "We'll see if you are worthy of life, but none have ever been found as such at my hands," The woman smirked, her lip ring glinting in the light alongside the rest of her piercings.  "Now show me your true worth, trash."  Pulling her hand out a glowing orb came out of the man's chest.  "Not even a hum, pathetic," The woman gripped the orb, causing the man to experience pain unlike anything he had experienced.  Then she ate it, her mouth stretching to an inhuman to degree to swallow it in one bite.  "A shame I have yet to find any souls that taste worthwhile.  What does a Succubus have to do get some proper food around here?"  She stretched as she stepped out of the alleyway, her dark skin glinting like a gem in the afternoon light.  With a swipe of her long ruby red hair, she left the corpse of the man in the alleyway.

Walking through New York City, she basked in the sun's rays.  Her leather clothes accentuated her curves, helping to draw attention to her from most people she walked past.  A pale man joined her on her walk, aside from the difference in skin tone and gender they were near matching twins.  "How did it go Damara?"  He asked with smirk, licking his lips as he gave a passing couple a flirtatious wink.

"Another boring prey Nightshade," Damara shrugged, "But another boost to our power is another boost.  Still nothing close to Mom and Pops, never anything close."

Nightshade sighed, "How long has our hunt been?  We haven't found them yet, why haven't we found them?  We've consumed thousands of souls and yet we have been led nowhere."

"But none from this era," Damara reminded him, "I'm certain Spider-Man will give us the lead we need to find Mom and Pops, why else would Arachnis make him a Vessel.  He fought our parents twice, he must know something about what happened to them."  The two walked into a warehouse district and into an open one.  "We're here, we had to feed real quick before coming here."

"It matters not Damara," A voice spoke out from the shadows as the warehouse clothes were closed behind the twins.  "Before we begin, were any you aware of what Torchbearer had done to Rengoku?"

Many voices rang out, denying any knowledge.  "Your friendship with Rengoku is known by us all, had we known of the possession we would've told you," Another voice rang out.

"Now to the matter of our prey Peter Parker," Another of the monsters refocused the discussion, "With all of us here, do we fight for the right to kill him?"

Damara scoffed, "None of us wish to risk death before our grudges with Parker are settled.  A pact between us all, we shall not sabotage or attack each other."  Nightshade nodded beside her in agreement.

"A first come first served in who takes Parker's life," A voice laughed, "Yes, the Succubus is correct.  Do you have anything to add, Incubus?"

Nightshade jerked up at being asked for his thoughts.  While he was a more skilled hunter than his sister, she was a far greater manipulator than he.  When talking was had she was in command and when it was time to hunt, he was in control.  A system that worked for both of them and they hated it when it was disrupted.  "Oh, um, should any of us lay claim to specific individuals for whatever reason or, um, if we claim an area as territory it is respected, if that's okay?"

Damara stepped in front of her brother, "We need to return to gathering our strength.  Is there anything else we must speak or is this meeting over?"

"Yes, yes, let us all bind ourselves to the pact and then be on our ways.  Our hunt for Peter Parker begins now," The voice let out a long laugh, joined by others.  The City of New York, the Country of the United States, the Continent of North America, the Planet Earth, the Solar System, the Milky Way Galaxy, the Universe, all of this dimension has become a hunting ground.  May a quick death be granted to those the Predators place their sights on.

Chapter Text

Felicia Hardy had always struggled with finding herself as a hero, often finding herself ending up back as a criminal instead of staying a vigilante.  And despite everything she's done, Peter still ended up being there for her.  Frequently she ended up abusing and betraying Peter's trust, one time even stealing his DNA to sell.  Yet Peter kept forgiving her.  She wasn't surprised when she fell in love with him the first time, and the time after that, falling back in love with him after he got control of his body back from Octavius, she kept finding new reasons.  She tried to keep her love to only Spider-Man, that she only wanted the mask not the man beneath.  For so long she'd managed to make herself believe that lie.  Then she saw Peter almost let himself be killed by that monster.  In that moment she could no longer continue to lie to herself.

Felicia landed on a rooftop, looking at her target.  A large emerald statue carved into the shape of a warrior in attire that looked like a spider.  There had been rumors of it having mystical properties, that it held the power of a Spider God.  'Might be just what he needs,' She thought to herself as she carefully stalked across the rooftop.  She wasn't here to steal something for herself; this was just her most recent robbery of trying to find something that could help Peter.  Some had been with the goal of just trying to be able to talk to him, others to force Arachnis to talk to her to get him to wake up.  Now she was hunting down artifacts that might just make Peter feel better while still in his coma.

Carefully carving a hole into the ceiling window, she carefully lowered herself down.  Taking some powder out of one of the pouches on her belt she blew it into the air, revealing the various lasers that acted as the artifact's security.  She stepped away and traced where the lasers originated from, seeing several machines.  Finding the keypad she carefully dusted it, revealing the fingerprints.  Examining the four number code she went over the information she knew about the owner of the artifact.  'Has two kids, a wife half his age, is having a long-term affair with a maid that started since his marriage to his wife, the maid has a kid...' She tried the affair child's birthday, and the security system went down.  She quickly grabbed the artifact and left the building.  Hopping across the rooftops she came to a stop on another rooftop where her civilian clothes were and another bag for the artifact.

Quickly changing clothes and shouldered the two bags and looked out at the night life of Chicago.  She'd stolen any possible mystical artifact that was in New York City that Doctor Strange didn't have control over, bringing them all to the Sanctum.  She had convinced him to grant her a portal spell to use, offering to work for him to secure as many mystical artifacts as he wanted so long as they first prioritized the ones that could help Peter.  She'd honestly found herself enjoying these sorts of robberies, able to actually see all of her trophies displayed whenever she wanted to.  'Was this what you were trying to get me to do Spider?  Seems you were right again,' She wished she could actually tell him all about what she has been doing, that she was really trying to become the hero he saw she could be.  She wanted to just hear him say "I told you so" in that stupid sing song voice he'd always do when feeling slightly smug.  Then she wanted to kiss him.  She wanted to hold him close, to be happy with him.

Slipping into the small amount of foot traffic of the city she briefly wondered if she could convince Peter to start Webswinging for The Windy City instead of The Big Apple.  Walk away from all the pain and the two of them would just start over.  That's what she wanted, to just walk away from New York's insanity and go for Chicago's, any other city's insanity, with Peter.  Slipping into an alleyway, now a good distance away from the building she just robbed.  Holding up her hand a trio of small magic circles glowed around her hand and then a portal opened.  Stepping into the Sanctum Santorum, she tried to let her shoulder untense.  Walking into the infirmary, she felt the lump in her throat choke her as she saw Peter still in the coma, looking the same as he had been since she first saw him six days ago.

Carefully placing the artifact on the table, she'd leave it to Wong or Strange to figure it out.  She grabbed a blanket and carefully put it over the sleeping form of Valeria Richards, holding one of Peter's hands tightly.  Sitting opposite she took Peter's other hand and carefully threaded her fingers with his, holding tightly.  "Hey Spider... Peter.  Got another magic artifact to Strange.  I think I'm at thirty-seven successful robberies in a row, a new record.  I took your advice to work with a hero to help them with their goals, and you were right.  I actually find myself enjoying stealing with this new purpose than before.  I get to go and just look at my successes proudly displayed, but I also feel happy that these things won't get the chance to hurt anyone.  I've seen some really interesting things; it's a way more exciting life now.  Wish I could share it with you," She gently rubbed her thumb against Peter's, fighting back her tears.  "Peter... I love you so much.  I'm sorry I made you think I was in love with just Spider-Man, not the real you.  I wanted to push you away, to keep you at a distance, but I couldn't stop falling in love with you.  You are the best thing to ever happen to me and all I kept doing was hurting you.  I hate myself so much for doing that, for letting my fear get the better of me and say we never stood a chance as a couple.  I want to have a family in the future, and since I first fell for you it's always been you I've seen with me, our kids that I tuck in to bed before we go give hell to criminals."

She couldn't stop a few of her tears from falling, "I'm so sorry.  I... when I saw that you had just given up, that you were just going to let yourself be killed... I panicked and abandoned all of my plans to find you.  I want to give the two of us an actual shot, to be happy together.  Even if somehow, I ended up having to share you with others, I'd be happy with that.  I want you in my life, both sides of you.  I want Felicia and Peter to go on a date, Spider-Man and Black Cat to go on their own dates, I want both our lives to be together.  I'm sorry for ever trying to make you choose one or the other.  I want your love and I want to give you my love.  Please Peter, please wake up so I can tell you all of this."

"Well done, Miss Hardy," Wong said softly as he carefully examined the artifact, "Once Stephen returns from his trip to Kamar-Taj he'll get to work seeing if this will help Mister Parker.  He's been doing his best to research these Predators so we may properly defend against them.  When will you be next leaving for your next mark?"

"I'm going to slow down for a bit, let the list grow before I head back out."  Felicia gently cupped Peter's face, smiling softly at him.

Wong nodded, "I'll prepare one of the guest rooms for you then.  I'll put this artifact into one of the safes until it is properly identified and catalogued.  Have a good night," He walked out of the infirmary, carefully holding the artifact.

~The Next Day~

Felicia used her grapple hook to swing through the city, running across the rooftops.  After waking up she immediately looked to see if Peter had woken up, only to see him still asleep.  She couldn't keep thinking that he was in a coma, to her it sounded like he wouldn't open his eyes.  So long as she kept thinking he was just asleep, she could hold onto the hope that he would look at her again.  Coming to a stop on a rooftop, Felicia took a shaky breath, trying to keep her emotions at bay.  She couldn't break down crying right now, not while in uniform.  "Black Cat!"  Miles yelled out, landing on the same rooftop with a small stumble.

"You okay kid?"

Miles waved her concern away, "Yeah, just been working on college and juggling Spider-Man.  Pete always had the best advice for this stuff," He looked away in sadness.

"Sorry if any of my robberies have caused you any trouble," Felicia apologized, "Just... Strange has this list of artifacts he thinks could help Peter.  Made a contract with him to help steal all of these artifacts he hasn't been able to retrieve or send someone else to get them, haven't had any luck yet."

Miles sat down with a huff, "I keep catching myself saying I'll go ask Pete about stuff.  He was teaching me stuff about different kinds of webfluid, I was wanting to ask him to do an experiment marathon, see if we couldn't figure out anything new.  Ganke can't always keep up with what I'm thinking, although he is working on this app for me and Pete to be able to better keep track of ongoing crimes."

Felicia patted him on the shoulder, "You've got a good friend there.  That app sounds like a good idea, maybe invest some time to help him with it.  Might be the key you need to find some sort of balance."  She stamped the small bitterness in her heart down that Peter hadn't had anyone like that for him.

"There you two are," A familiar voice rang out as a third person landed on the rooftop.  A woman in a mostly red suit with a black v separating it from the white.  She had on some goggles and on her right forearm was a gauntlet that looked almost like a slots machine.  "Where's Peter hiding at, he owes New York some proper answers."

"Red?"  Felicia asked incredulously, trying to figure out why MJ was currently dressed as a superhero despite her repeated statement she would never be a hero.  That emotion however was immediately burned away when she registered MJ's question, replaced by anger.  "Hiding!?  He's not hiding!"

"He got healed after his fight, yet he hasn't been seen in over two week," MJ said it like it was obvious, "Obviously his ego got bruised again and he decided to hide away."

Felicia and Miles could only look at MJ in shock and anger.  "He's not hiding you bitch!"  Felicia lurched forward, her claws extended.  Miles was the only reason she didn't try to claw MJ's face off.  "He's in a fucking coma!  How can you say he has any sort of ego after everything you two went through!?"

"He's handled way worse fights, if he's in a coma then he really messed up."  MJ shook her head like she was the expert about heroics, "I knew him acting like he had accepted dying again would fail.  I mean he lost his arm the first try at that."  Now Miles wanted to hit her.  This didn't sound anything like the Mary Jane either of them knew.  "First he couldn't accept I moved on with Paul, now he can't accept he gets beat up in a fight," She sighed, "Well I'm heading back out on patrol.  I'm excited to work with you Miles, promise to teach you way more than Peter, which was probably nothing knowing him."  She walked over to the edge of the rood.  She gave a two fingered salute, "The name's Jackpot now, the luckiest hero there is with any power imaginable."  She then jumped off the rood, her gauntlet letting out a noise.  She then flew back up and off, having suddenly grown wings.

"Whatever is going on with her, don't take whatever she says seriously," Felicia advised.  She shook her head, "I'll see whenever you stop by the Sanctum again.  I can show you all the artifacts I've grabbed."

~The Day After~

Luke Cage rolled his shoulders as he walked up to the doors of the Sanctum Santorum.  It had actually been somewhat quiet since Spider-Man's fight with Rengoku, the criminals feeling fear after seeing just how much Peter was holding back.  After seeing Peter rip the monster's head and spine off Electro had literally walked into a police station and handed himself in, saying he did not want to be on the streets when Spider-Man woke up.  Knocking on the door he was let in by Wong, "Hey.  Sorry none of us have been by sooner, been working on a couple cases."

"It is better to arrive late than to never arrive at all, he is in the infirmary," Wong nodded as he quickly returned to moving a small case of artifacts Felicia had stolen yesterday.

"I'm seeing a lot of new stuff, you guys renovating?"  Luke asked as made his way to the infirmary.

"Merely having new additions to the collections which we give our all to protect," Wong stated, "We recently gained a new ally who has quickly shown her worth as a protector of the mystic arts."

Luke saw Black Cat sitting down next to Peter's bed, three artifacts sitting on a nearby table.  "Hey Black Cat, you've been really making the rounds recently," He greeted her.  She didn't immediately respond, not that he could blame her.  Walking up to the foot of the bed he looked at Peter's comatose form, pursing his lips he let out a heavy sigh.  "Hey Spider-Man, sorry none of the Defenders have been by.  There's been some serious cases that've been taking up our time, but the others will be by to see you soon.  Jessica and Danielle wish they could have come with me... I'm sorry we weren't there to help you.  You did good Spider; you did real good.  That fight- anyone who says you aren't a hero of New York is a damn idiot.  Matt's been worried about you, he doesn't like not hearing your webswinging during the days."  Luke shook his head, giving a quick look at the ceiling, "I'll be back soon to check on you, hope we can actually talk by then."

Luke started to leave, "Wait," But Felicia grabbed his arm to stop him.  "Peter- he said- I already talked with Wong and, would your group be open to another member?"

Luke arched an eyebrow but nodded, "Plenty of information that's really difficult to get to.  Tell you what, come by our base tomorrow and I've got a case we've been struggling with.  Maybe you'll have something that can give us the lead we need."

Felicia gave a weak smirk, "Yeah.  You guys pay?"

Luke chuckled, "Yup.  We'll negotiate everything tomorrow.  He's lucky to have someone like you."  Luke gave her a quick handshake and left.

Felicia wrung her hands, "I wish I could do more for him."

Chapter Text

Damara leaned against a wall while Nightshade was carefully examining the room of the office building they were in.  "The meat that I interrogated didn't say anything about sightings of the Original Spider-Man, only Electric.  It does not fit his character for him to disappear like this, is it possible he is off planet?"  She gave a small look to the pile of bodies of their recent meals, "What did you find here?"

"Our prey has been evicted from his apartment," Nightshade said simply, "These debt collectors were hired to track him down and force him to pay what is owed.  However, a mysterious person paid off the debt, but the landlord wanted more money so did not clear the debt.  The unknown person smelled not of this dimension, most likely they have some grudge with our prey and hoped paying the debt would cause some form of trouble.  The landlord only had where these collectors were, and these fools know nothing of our prey's location."

"Then what are you searching for?"  Damara raised an eyebrow as she kicked one of the corpses out of boredom.

Nightshade held up a file, "A good hunt for us, The Kingpin Wilson Fisk has hired these collectors in the past and they took notes on his security should they ever need to flee his rage."  He gave his twin a small smile, mirrored by her wider and more feral smile.  "I have been searching for this information, in case of any mystical defenses.  Of the many notes I have found, there does not appear to be any."

Damara nodded as they walked out of the room, "Good to hear.  The other Predators outside of our group have agreed to the pact, even that annoying King and his subjects."  Walking out of the office building they began the walk to Fisk Tower, both Predators feeling excited for this side hunt.  "Every Predator of this dimension is gunning for our prey's life, and yet there has been word of any of them finding him.  We cannot even find his scent, as though someone has concealed it."

"Arachnis may be the most dangerous of us Seven Sinful Predators, but even he does not possess such a skill," Nightshade hummed, his observant thoughts turning to other possibilities.  "Could it be possible... Rengoku's spirit appeared briefly after Torchbearer was killed.  I had believed it was only to snuff out Torchbearer's soul and then give thanks by healing our prey from his injuries, but could it be possible- did he name himself Tamed?"

"Tamed!?"  Damara scoffed, a small hint of fear almost hidden in her voice, "No Predator in the multiverse has ever been Tamed, no one has proven themself capable of it.  No, it... it may seem like a possibility given Rengoku's skills of concealment but there would've been a sign if he named himself Tamed.  There would have to have been."

Nightshade shook his head, "Then some mage must know an incredibly powerful concealment spell that does not even leave behind the scent of mana.  After Fisk, we will need to hunt the heroes.  I'm certain you can get answers from one of them."

Damara tsked, "Given their experiences it will be more difficult, we'll need to establish a sanctuary for ourselves."  The two stopped at the entrance to Fisk Tower, "With his death it'll create a power vacuum that will invite chaos.  That will open up spaces for us to use as sanctuaries for my interrogations.  Let us begin little brother."

With a groan Nightshade bolted through the glass doors, shattering them as he ran into the lobby and leapt at the closest guard.  He bit the guard's throat out and then laid the final blow by ripping their soul out and consuming it.  "You're older by only five seconds," He said with a small laugh as Damara ripped out the souls of two more guards and consumed them.  "And I'm taller than you without our boots."

"By half a millimeter," Damara snapped the neck of a guard and ate their soul before it could escape to an afterlife.  With a chuckle her coat unfurled, revealing it to be her wings.  Using them as a shield against the gunfire unleashed from the reinforcements that came to the lobby from the elevators.  With a flap of her wings she flew faster than the normal eye could blink and her wings cut through the flesh of the reinforcements whilst netting the souls.  With two quick gulps she consumed them as her horns came out of her head.  Coming into her full Succubus form Damara gave a sultry smirk, her beauty bewitching the remaining guards and anchoring them to where they stood.  Nightshade quickly killed them, his wings unfurled and horns arced out of his head.  He gave her a nod as they stepped into the elevator and went up.  "Now that we have discarded our disguises individuals attuned to sensing the demonic presences similar to ours will be coming.  Whoever arrives will be the first ones we interrogate."

"Understood," Nightshade looked to the ceiling of the elevator and stretched his wing out over the two of them.  A rocket hit the elevator and destroyed it, but the twins were left unharmed.  Damara held onto her brother and flapped her wings to keep the two of them in the air as the remains of the elevator fell around them.  "Reloading, move," The two of them raced through the elevator shaft, creating powerful gusts of wind that held the strength of a tornado.  Slicing through the guard that had been holding the rocket launcher and the guards around him.  They landed on the floor and casually walked forward.

Damara used one of her wings to pick up a gun and channeled some of her power into it.  Taking aim at the guards taking position she fired seven times, each bullet exploding into a large ball of flames that engulfed the guards and burned them alongside their surroundings to ash, Nightshade quickly consuming their souls.  Kicking the doors to Fisk's office off their hinges they impaled in the wall just above where Fisk was sitting at his desk.  "Impressive strength girl," Fisk didn't even react to the action, continuing his work.  "If you are here for a job then you may have it, if you are here to fight me then wait over there while I finish what is more important."

Stepping in front of Nightshade, Damara let out a laugh, "Unfortunately that's not what is going to happen.  We're here for your soul."

Fisk sighed and put down his pen.  "It is not the first time I have heard that girl, if you manage to survive then try to be more creative."  Walking around his desk he cracked his knuckles, to anyone else it would've been an intimidating sight.  "I would prefer to get back to my work, so this will not be lasting long for you."  He rushed forward, moving faster than his size and shape would have one think, and tried to punch Damara.  She however caught his fist with her left hand and then with her right struck an open-palmed strike to his chest and sent him flying back, destroying his desk.  He embedded in the wall and coughed out blood, struggling to regain his breath.

"I did not expect him to be anything impressive," Damara shrugged at Nightshade.  "Go collect it quickly, I can feel a the soul of a hero closing in on us, three in fact."  With a quick nod Nightshade appeared in front of Fisk in a single step and stabbed his hand into the Kingpin's chest.  Taking his soul out, it let out a uniformed hum, drawing to mind the image of a well-organized and quiet business.  "First one to give any sort of tune, a good sign for us.  Now eat it quickly, they've arrived."

As Nightshade ate Wilson Fisk's soul the sound of a loud motorcycle echoed out as Johnny Blaze, the Ghost Rider, entered through one of the massive windows.  Miles swung through, and MJ flew in with the Human Torch's powers.  "Demons," Ghost Rider rumbled as he stepped off of his motorcycle, "You have interfered in mortal affairs and stolen souls.  You will return them and then face judgement."  He unwound his chain and snapped it against the floor, creating a line of hellfire.

Nightshade quickly rejoined his sister's side as Miles moved to check on Fisk.  "He's dead," The eyes of his mask widened in shock as he looked at the cooling corpse of the Kingpin of New York.

MJ shook her head, "Tell Spidey to get off wherever he is then and get back to work, the vacuum that's about to appear could destroy the city."

"Do not start right now Jackpot," Miles growled as he took up a battle position to help with surrounding the twins.  "You know why he's not here."

Damara raised an eyebrow at the animosity between the two, observing Miles' body language carefully.  "The Original Spider-Man is in a coma," She realized.  Miles jerked and looked at her in horror, confirming her observations.  "That explains why we have not seen him since his battle with Rengoku, and shall make our hunt for him easier."

"You're two of the Predators," Miles realized, "I won't let you get near him."

Damara laughed mockingly, "Oh please, what are any of you capable of?  Rengoku was weakened by Torchbearer's possession, that's the only reason he was bested."  Ghost Rider whipped his chain at Damara, but Nightshade caught and then pulled the Hellrider towards him and kicked him in the chest.  Keeping a tight grip on the chain he swung it up and slammed the owner into the ceiling and then into the floor, cracking both.  Miles and MJ rushed towards Damara, but she easily dodged out of the way of them.  Their shared power had reached a milestone with the consumption of Kingpin's soul, pushing their reflexes to the extreme even for Predators.  Nothing could hit them now unless they allowed it to.  Damara struck MJ in the throat, disrupting her flow, and then high-kicked Miles mid web jump.  She sniffed the both of them, looking at MJ in curiosity.  "Now that is interesting, your soul will be good food," She smirked and then ducked out of the way of Miles' Venom Punch.  "Now you, you have so many foreign scents to you.  You were once infected with vampirism..." Her eyes widened slightly as she recognized another scent, "And you were once a Vessel for Anansi.  Fascinating."

Nightshade let got of Ghost Rider's chain and started to box him, blocking various hits while hitting him in several points.  Blaze grabbed him by the neck and stared into his eyes, "Feel the pain of all you have wronged!"  After a few moments it was clear the penance stare hadn't worked, it hadn't even touched Nightshade.

"Souls linked... both at once..." Nightshade smirked and then headbutted Blaze, knocking him out of his transformation.  "King Hell once... perfect food."

Damara jumped back as MJ unleashed a new power, gaining the powers of a Ghost Rider, and breathed out a torrent of hellflame at her.  "Grab the rider and-" Finally she recognized the scent she had been trying to focus on, "Leave them, we need to go now."  Nightshade looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "I've found our prey, we can't let them put up any defenses or it will be more difficult to reach him.  To the Sanctum Santorum."

"No!"  Miles yelled out and rushed at them, but the twins had already flown out of the building.  Towards their prey, Peter Parker, still in his coma.