Chapter Text
The city of New York had seen many nights of chaos, but tonight felt different. The air was thick with an ominous tension as Peter Parker, donning his Spider-Man suit, swung through the towering skyscrapers. The glimmering lights of the city blurred into streaks of gold and white, but Peter's mind was focused on one thing:
Doctor Octopus.
The notorious villain, known for his mechanical appendages and devious intellect, had recently been sighted entering an abandoned facility on the outskirts of the city. Whispers on the street spoke of a weapon so powerful it could alter the very fabric of time.
Peter's thoughts raced as he approached the facility, its decrepit exterior standing in stark contrast to the vibrant cityscape behind him. "Can't let Doc Ock have his way," he muttered, his voice barely audible over the rush of wind.
He landed silently on the rooftop, his eyes scanning the surroundings. The eerie silence was unsettling, a stark departure from the usual cacophony of city noise. His spider-sense tingled, a persistent reminder of the danger lurking below.
Peering through a grimy skylight, Peter saw Doctor Octopus surrounded by his sinister six: Vulture, Electro, Sandman, Mysterio, and Rhino. They stood in a circle around a strange, glowing contraption. It hummed with energy, casting an otherworldly light across the room.
"Great, it's a party and I wasn't invited," Peter quipped under his breath.
He watched as Doctor Octopus manipulated the machine with a manic gleam in his eyes. "This weapon will turn back time," Doc Ock declared, his voice dripping with malicious glee. "We'll erase Spider-Man before he ever existed!"
Peter's heart skipped a beat. If the sinister six succeeded, his life as Spider-Man would be over before it began. He couldn’t let that happen. Without another thought, he crashed through the skylight, landing in the midst of the villains.
"Hey, fellas! Is this a private gathering, or can anyone join?" Spider-Man's cheerful sarcasm masked his deep-seated anxiety.
The villains turned, surprised but quickly recovering. "Spider-Man!" they growled in unison.
"Miss me?" Peter taunted, launching into action. He dodged Electro's bolts, tangled Rhino in webs, and sent Sandman crashing into a pile of crates. All the while, his eyes remained on Doc Ock and the menacing machine.
Doc Ock smirked, his mechanical arms moving with deadly precision. "You can't stop us, Spider-Man! This ends now!"
He activated the machine, and a blinding light filled the room. Peter's spider-sense screamed as he shot a web at Doc Ock, yanking him away from the portal just as it opened. The machine began to overheat, sparks flying.
"Doc, you can't go through! You don't know where it leads!" Peter shouted, his voice desperate.
But Doc Ock was relentless, driven by his hatred for Spider-Man. In a final, desperate bid, Spider-Man tackled Doc Ock away from the machine, just as it reached critical mass. The portal's gravitational pull intensified, and before Peter could react, he was sucked into the vortex
.
Pain seared through his body, as if he was being torn apart molecule by molecule. The world around him dissolved into a chaotic swirl of colors and light. He fought to stay conscious, but the agony was overwhelming.
Peter awoke with a start, gasping for breath. The first thing he noticed was the cold, damp ground beneath him. He blinked, trying to clear the fog from his mind, and found himself in a dark alleyway, the air thick with the stench of garbage and decay.
"Where... am I?" he murmured, staggering to his feet.
The skyline was different, the buildings taller and more oppressive, casting long shadows that seemed to swallow the light. The city felt... darker, more sinister than New York.
Before he could gather his thoughts, his spider-sense tingled, warning him of imminent danger. He turned just in time to see a group of thugs in clown masks approaching, their weapons drawn.
"Well, this is new," Peter quipped, instinctively reaching for his web-shooters.
To his dismay, they were empty. "Great. Just great." He felt vulnerable without his webs, his usual means of navigation and defense rendered useless in this unfamiliar city.
Then he heard it—a maniacal laugh that sent shivers down his spine. A figure stepped forward, with green hair and a sickly white face with a purple suit approaching him. Peter had never seen a villain like him before.
"Well, it seems we have an uninvited guest in our little circus," the Joker said, his voice dripping with malice. "Do you have a ticket, little—what even are you? A new Robin? A spider?"
Spider-Man's eyes narrowed. "Well, duh, what else could I be? Haven't you heard of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man?"
"No, never heard of you, kid." The Joker yawned, then snapped his fingers.
"Kill the kid."
The clowns lunged at Spider-Man. He flipped and dodged, thankful for his spider-sense guiding his movements. He knocked out clown after clown, his acrobatic skills keeping him just out of their reach.
Despite being outnumbered, Peter's training and reflexes allowed him to hold his own, knocking out the thugs one by one.
"You will not get away with this, Joker," a voice called out. Peter turned to see an old man bound and bruised, struggling against the ropes above his head.
The Joker danced around, his maniacal laughter echoing through the alleyway.
"Oh, Commissioner," the Joker sneered, twirling a razor-sharp knife between his gloved fingers.
"It's just you and me tonight. No Batman to save the day. How liberating!" Just as the Joker raised the knife, ready to strike, a shadow darted across the alley.
A flicker of red and blue caught his eye, "What the—?"
The Joker squinted upwards, searching the darkness, and noticed that all his lackies were knocked out all over the alleyway. "What the hell" he states Spidey inched closer, eyes locked on the Joker. Timing was crucial. He watched as the clown's frustration grew, his search becoming more frantic.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are itsi bitsi!" the Joker sang, his voice tinged with annoyance. Spider-Man dropped down using the wall as a springboard to launch himself at the Joker. The Joker turned just in time to see Spider-Man's foot connect with his chest, sending him sprawling backward and quickly scrambles to his feet.
Peter stands protectively in front of the old man. The Joker's eyes gleamed with a twisted curiosity since the kid beat up his entire lackies in a few minutes. "Spiderkid, you're meddling in my fun!" The Joker lunged with his knife, but Spider-Man was quicker.
He ducked and rolled, evading the blade with feline grace. The fight was a whirlwind of motion—kicks, punches, and acrobatic flips as Spider-Man used the environment to his advantage, swinging from poles and leaping over obstacles.
The old man watched in awe, as he struggled to free himself. "I don’t know who you are, but you need to stop him!" he shouted. "I'm on it," Peter replied, landing a solid punch on the Joker's jaw.
The Joker staggered but didn't fall. Instead, he laughed, a high-pitched, grating sound. "You think you can stop me? You don't know who you're dealing with!"
Spider-Man's focus was unwavering. Don't get him wrong, he's very scared of this clown since he just got punched in the face and laughed like it was nothing to him. But one thing is certain, he will not let this crazy clown try to kill the old man.
He dodged another swipe of the knife, landing a roundhouse kick that sent the clown crashing into a pile of trash.
The clown's laughter echoed again, but it was laced with genuine interest. "You've got some moves, Spider-boy," the Joker said, wiping blood from his lips, He notices that his lackies are still breathing. He figured since the fight end so quickly the kid just killed them. He was wrong.
'So they are not dead but unconscious' he notes
"But let's see how far your no-kill policy gets you."
Spider-Man's eyes narrowed behind his mask. "I don't kill. Not now, not ever."
The Joker's smile widened. "Fascinating. You and Batsy have that in common. Very intriguing."
Spiderman looks at the clown in confusion, 'Batman? Who is that?'
Sirens wailed in the distance, and the Joker glanced toward the alleyway
"Looks like our time is up. But don't worry, we'll meet again, Spider-boy. And next time, I'll be ready."
"Wai-" With a swift, unexpected move, the Joker threw a smoke bomb to the ground, enveloping the area in a thick, choking fog. Spider-Man coughed, trying to see through the haze, but the Joker was gone.
As the smoke cleared, Spider-Man hurried to untie the old man. "Are you okay, sir?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.
The old man nodded, rubbing his wrists. "Thanks to you. That was impressive, young man. Spider-Man helped the old man to his feet, glancing around the now-empty alleyway.
"Just doing my job, sir," he replied modestly. He then noticed a gold badge on the ground and picked it up. "But the freaky clown is gone. I'm sorry I couldn't catch hi-"
He stopped short as he looked closer at the badge. It bore the emblem of a Police Department. Spider-Man tensed up.
Gotham Police Department...
Just then, the sound of sirens grew louder, and a rush of police officers ran towards them. "Commissioner, are you okay?" one of the officers asked, concern etched on his face. "Did the Joker hurt you?"
Commissioner Gordon sighed as he dusted himself off. "He's always one step ahea-" But as he looked up, he realized that Spider was no longer with him, shaking his head in disbelief. He couldn't believe how quickly the vigilante disappeared, leaving him alone.
"Damn it," he muttered under his breath, pocketing his badge. "They always do this."
A voice behind him made him jump. "Do what, Commissioner?"
Gordon spun around to see Batman and Nightwing standing there, their capes billowing in the wind. He let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank god you're here. The Joker... he got away. But he didn't get far, thanks to... one of your new recruits, I guess."
Batman's brow furrowed. "I don't have any new recruits, Commissioner. We've been working solo lately since the rest of our team is out of the city until tomorrow." Gordon's eyes widened in realization. "Wait, so the kid who saved me... he's not one of yours?"
Batman and Nightwing exchanged a glance before turning back to Gordon. "No, Commissioner." Gordon gave them a weird look, "Well if you find the kid. Let me know I still need to thank him."
The two nodded and disappeared into the night, Gordon couldn't help but chuckle to himself. "I'm sure he'll fit right in," he muttered, thinking of the mysterious young hero who had saved him.
.
Peter sprinted to the top of the nearest building, his heart pounding in his chest. The sight of the old man's police badge, emblazoned with the words "Gotham Police Department," sent a shiver down his spine. He'd never heard of a police station by that name in New York, and the realization filled him with dread.
As he climbed, he couldn't shake the feeling of unease that washed over him. The buildings around him were gothic, their architecture unfamiliar and foreboding. His spider-sense buzzed with warning, urging him to be cautious.
Reaching the rooftop, Peter surveyed the city below, hoping for some sign of familiarity. But what he saw only deepened his sense of disorientation. This wasn't New York. None of it looked right. Panic threatened to consume him as he struggled to make sense of his surroundings.
"Oh god, where the heck am I?" he muttered, his voice trembling with fear. He ripped off his mask, the cool breeze ruffling his hair as he tried to calm himself.
Then, he remembered his Stark tech suit.
I know who would forget such an asset for the fight earlier, but he just fell 1000 feet from the sky and immediately had to fight this sociopathy freak clown that made his skin crawl. Just remembering how the clown looked at him. Like he found a new toy to play with or something. Give the poor kid some slack.
With a quick press of the spider emblem on his chest, the mechanical suit enveloped his body.
"Friday," he called out, his voice desperate.
"Are you there?" Static crackled through the suit, and for a moment, Peter feared the worst.
But then, a faint voice cut through the noise. "Peter, give me a second," Friday said, her voice distorted but unmistakable.
Relief flooded through Peter. "Friday! Thank goodness. I don't know what's going on... I'm lost."
"Hi, Peter. How can I help you?" Friday's voice was steady, calming Peter's frayed nerves.
"I need to know where I am," Peter said urgently.
"Can you connect to anything, find out what time and era this is?"
"I'm sorry, Peter. My network is offline. I can't connect to anything right now," Friday replied, her tone apologetic. Peter's heart sank, but he refused to give up hope.
"Can you call anyone? Contact someone for help?"
"No, but if we can find a place with a computer or phone from this time, I might be able to reconnect," Friday suggested.
Peter nodded, determination fueling his actions. He leaped off the building, aiming for a swing with his web shooters, only to remember he had none.
"No webs," he muttered, grabbing onto the building with his hands to steady himself.
"Guess I'll have to go incognito," Peter said, spotting some clothes hanging from a nearby rack. He left money behind for the clothes, unwilling to steal even in his desperate situation.
Stuffing his suit into a backpack, he asked Friday if it could condense into something more portable.
The suit transformed into a pair of circle glasses, which Peter donned with a grin.
"These will do," he said, marveling at the convenience.
Examining his reflection in a nearby window, Peter couldn't help but chuckle. "Looks like I'm back to being a twelve-year-old kid without powers," he mused, feeling a wave of nostalgia wash over him.
"Alright, let's see what Gotham has to offer," Peter said, steeling himself for the unknown.
With a deep breath, he set off into the unfamiliar streets, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
.
Should we investigate the vigilante that helped Commissioner Gordon?" Nightwing asks as he and Batman sit on top of a building near the center of the city.
Batman continues to read the report that the commissioner created about what happened during his time being captured by Joker.
Batman thinks for a beat or two. "Yes, since he may be a metahuman from the report."
Nightwing's eyes widen as he looks at the report. "Should we tell the others about it, so they can keep an eye out as well?"
"Yes, tell them to be aware of a new possible meta. We still don't know his intentions even if he did save the commissioner's life. He could be pretending to be a hero just to gain the commissioner's trust."
Nightwing nods and begins to send out a text to the team.
"We have to be cautious of this spider kid until we know his true intentions," Batman states.
"From the report, it seems like he's still a kid, around 16 or 17. The same age as Damian," Nightwing states as he looks out into the city.
"Yes, but we still need to be on guard. We'll keep an eye out for this spider kid."