Rated M, all characters owned by Marvel, based on the below image and the possible divirgent timeline coming from that...essentially a what if? Read, comment, critique and enjoy
Sunday
“Needing a career change?” the voice cut through the rain, it wasn’t harsh but the statement startled Peter who instinctively cocked his hands to spray webbing in the direction of the voice. Standing under a street light in a blue high collared trench coat was a man in his late 40’s, moustache with black hair that was greying at the sides
“Who are you?” snapped Peter “I’ve had just about enough...”
“Peter” the man smiled “I’m here to...”
“Mister I got enough problems without weirdos...hey you’re not getting wet”
“Very true. And it’s not Mister...its Doctor. Doctor Strange”
“That’s real nice but I’ve...”
“Peter Benjamin Parker. Only child of Richard and Mary Parker. Currently resides in Forest Hills Queens with your Aunt May and still guilty over the death of your uncle Ben Parker. Employed at the Daily Bugle selling photos of Spiderman to pay rent and your tuition at Empire State University. Currently dating Gwen...”
With blinding speed Peter grabbed Dr Strange by the collar and slammed him into the lamppost
“Who are you?!?” demanded Peter
“I am not your enemy Peter” the doctors voice was all around him and Peter was standing there under the street light holding his old Spiderman costume
“How do you know so much about me?”
“I am Dr Stephen Strange. I am this dimension’s Sorcerer Supreme. I am the current wielder of the Eye of Agamotto, Cloak of Levitation and the wand of Watoomb. With my powers your life is an open book to me” Dr Strange materialized in front of Peter in his traditional garb “But seeing your name in the paper so often, I did merely look you up in the public record for I wanted to offer you a job”
“Job? Look Mister Doctor my life is a mess right now and you also know that I’m... Spiderman”
“Were Spiderman. You quit remember”
“Ummm yeah”
“Peter I am merely offering you a job. Whether you accept it is your business. Let’s go have a coffee and discuss it”
“Okay. Can I go home and get changed first?”
“No need Peter...we’re already there”
Peter and Dr Strange are standing on Aunt May’s porch “How?” stammered Peter
“Magic” smirked Dr Strange
**
“So let me get this clear” Peter gripped his coffee mug “You want me to go to Ghana for a totem, then Tibet to study magic and then become your apprentice to eventually take over from you as the Sorcerer Supreme?”
“Yes” Dr Strange blew the steam from his coffee “Your Aunt makes a lovely cup”
“Why isn’t she freaked out by all this again?”
“A simple spell of audio rearrangement, meaning she can hear us but it sounds like we’re talking about baseball”
“Another biscuit Stephen?” Aunt May held out a tray
“Why thank you May. My apologies I came over so late”
“Pish. Any friend of Peter’s is a friend of mine even if he does like the Brewers. Now not too late boys, it’s a school night”
“Night Aunt May”
“Good night Peter. I love you” She bent down and gently kissed her nephew on the forehead “Good night Stephen”
“Good night May, a pleasure to meet you” Dr Strange rose and charmingly kissed her hand and Aunt May shuffled off to bed.
“Magic isn’t real!” stated Peter bluntly
“Oh” Stephen relaxed back into his chair
“I’m a science guy”
“Which is why you are perfect to be my apprentice Peter. You think things in a way I never could. I have a surgeons mind, I see a problem I amputate the problem. You are a scientist. You want to know why and how?”
“But magic is impossible”
“Nothing is impossible. You yourself a living testament to that. What normally happens to people who get bitten by spiders?”
“They get sick, they die”
“They don’t manifest abilities do they? Otherwise there’d be hundreds if not thousands of people just like you slinging their way around the country not to mention the world”
“True but...”
“Magic is just unexplained science Peter. I teleported us here. How does teleportation work?”
“Well in theory there’s the wormhole which is a hypothetical shortcut through space and time or recently the idea of a parallel dimension...”
Dr Strange calmly watched Peter Parker half ramble, half lecture about the theory of teleportation as he sipped his coffee and nibbled on his biscuit. Peter was the perfect choice for the days ahead. It wouldn’t be easy for him. It wouldn’t be easy for anyone.
“...that physical travel is not possible! Then there’s the gravity” Peter stopped. “I was rambling wasn’t I?”
“A little, but that is all part of you. Now I must bid you a goodnight as you have much to think about”
“Traipsing across the globe to become David Copperfield. Hey Gwen guess where we’re going?”
Dr Strange furrowed his brow
‘What? Gwen can’t come?” Peter asked honestly
“That is for you to decide Peter. I hope to hear an answer to my proposition by Friday. You have a lovely home and please thank your Aunt again for her hospitality”
“Are you gonna vanish in a puff of smoke?”
“In a fashion” Dr Strange walked out of the Parker home and hailed a passing taxi “Good night Peter”
Peter Parker watched as the doctor named Strange got into the taxi and drove off down the street.
**
Monday
“No way!” Gwen’s voice ripped through the Empire State University library like a freight train
“Sssshh” came the reply from the elderly librarian
“Oh sshh yourself!” she snapped “Are you serious?”
“As a broken neck!” laughed Peter “Ghana, then Tibet, all expenses paid”
“That is so awesome!” Gwen wrapped her arms around Peter’s neck “How long will we be gone?”
“Not sure”
“What do you mean not sure?”
“Well the doc never said”
“Peter” Gwen locked eyes “What kind of job is this?”
“I’m not really sure”
“Do you know anything about it?”
“All expenses...I think.”
“So you know nothing about the job really?”
Well I’m Spiderman Gwen. Yes Peter Parker is your friendly neighbourhood Spiderman. The guy you think killed your father. I didn’t but you think that. Anyways the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth wants me to be his apprentice which I think means slave in magic talk. But I have no idea how long we’ll be in Ghana or Tibet...actually I have no idea how long at all...I also have no idea how much I’m getting paid but it feels like the right thing to do. Oh god she’s staring and you got lost in your thoughts again. Say something not stupid
“I hit the jackpot” came Peter’s sheepish reply
“How about you get some concrete details” Gwen gathered her books and walked off through the library “Call me”
“Just tell her you’re Spiderman at least I got concrete details” moaned Peter
“Hey Spiderman! Sshh” snapped the elderly librarian before returning to her book
**
Peter got out of the cab and gazed up at the Daily Bugle building. It was an impressive 46 storey building made gaudy by J Jonah Jameson’s giant visage leering off the billboard declaring Spider Man to be a menace or an alien or a mutant or whatever was going to sell papers that week
“One day it’ll say Spider Man I love you”. Peter turned to see reporter Ben Urich sucking down the last of his cigarette
“Ha that’ll be the day Ben” laughed Peter
“For a while I thought Jonah was Spiderman” said Ben as the pair walked into the lobby “What a perfect cover playing hero and villain. Very Freudian. But Spiderman doesn’t have a cigar pouch. 40 please. Then I thought you were Spiderman Peter”
“What!?!” Peter tried not to die as they crammed into the lift “Me?”
“All your absences, the odd bruising at times, your Johnny on the spot photos”
“Ben; if I was Spiderman, why would I work for the Daily Bugle?”
“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer”
“I’m not Spiderman” muttered Peter. The two copygirls in the lift chuckled at the overheard comment.
“I know!” said Ben “I have no idea who Spiderman is. I have no idea who Daredevil is either. But if Jonah approved some more expenses I could probably find out. But I don’t really care. I’d rather see the Kingpin behind bars. See you around Peter”
Peter watched his mentor, friend and teacher walk into the bullpen. The world needed more Ben Urich’s.
Peter got out of the lift and headed to “The Rage Cage” also known as J Jonah Jameson’s office. Someone had scrawled that on the toilet door and it stuck mainly because it was true. The glass in that office had been replaced so many times that there was a dedicated glazier onsite. Jonah’s temper and his inflammatory opinions had everyone from janitors to Captain America bursting into or out of his office to confront him...more often than not to kill him. Peter knocked on the door
‘WHAT!?!”
Sitting at his desk like some feudal lord was J Jonah Jameson. Cigar in one hand, phone in the other and several half drunk cups of coffee scattered about. Robbie Robertson stood patiently at the end of the desk waiting for the telephonic rant to end
“No I will not print a retraction! I never print retractions!” the words seethed through his teeth along with his cigar smoke
“Hi Robbie”
“Morning Peter. He’s just about done”
“And another thing if your school is legitimate then why all the secrecy? Are you running a terrorist camp up in Westchester Professor? The American people have a right to know! Bah!” Jonah slammed down the phone “What?”
“You need to sign these Jonah and Peter is here” said Robbie calmly
“I can see he’s here” snarled Jonah “What?”
“Jonah” they locked eyes and Peter felt like he was sixteen again “Um Mr Jameson I’m handing in my notice”
“Fine, get out!”
“Jonah! That’s great Peter” Robbie shook his hand “Where are you off to?”
“If it’s another paper you can’t!” added Jonah “Part of your contract”
“He’s a freelancer Jonah!”
“I’m going to see the world and maybe try to do some good helping people” said Peter
“Well that’s all the sentimentality I can handle. Lunch time” Jonah got up from his desk
Peter walked up to Jonah “You’re a petty, self obsessed bigot who would sell his mother for a bad story! Since day one you’ve treated me like something you stepped in. I’m thankful for my time here, because you are one of the best in the business, but you Jonah, you’re a little, soulless man!” Peter put out his hand
“Parker...” Jonah locked eyes again and this time was taken aback by the strength he saw in them for the first time “You’re...an okay photographer.” He took Peter’s hand and was shocked by the grip “Good luck son”
Peter released Jonah and gave Robbie a hug “Thanks Robbie”
“It’s been a pleasure Peter. Don’t be a stranger”
“Robbie I think my life is nothing but strange”
**
Peter got out of the cab and walked up to Dr Strange’s house at 177A Bleecker St in Greenwich Village. Peter knocks on the door and as the door slowly opens Peter’s spider sense goes nuts. Standing in the doorway was a giant green furred Minotaur
“Aaahhhhhh!” Peter did a series of flips and crouched upside-down on the awning. His hand instinctively goes for his web shooters. “Ah dammit!”
“You’ll cast no spell at me!” the minotaur grabbed Peter by the hand and flung him into the hard porch floor. Peter lay dazed amongst the broken boards, his spider sense wailing as a great green hoof hovered over his head
“Rintrah! What are you doing to my guest?” snapped Dr Strange
The minotaur looked puzzled “He tried to cast a spell on me”
“I did not” slurred Peter as Dr Strange helped him out of the rubble
“He made magical gestures. I defended myself” Rintrah sounded like a child trying to explain
“Why are you answering the door?” demanded Dr Strange
“I was passing when there was a knock”
“Where’s Wong?”
“Who’s Wong?” mumbled Peter “Maybe I’m Wong. I feel Wong”
Stephen gestured his hand and the wooden porch reset itself. “Rintrah, please take my guest inside. Peter this is Rintrah”
“I’d shake your hand again but look what happened the first time” laughed Peter through the pain “You’re like if the Hulk was a cow”
Rintrah scratched his head in bemusement and carried the woozy Peter Parker inside.
Peter sat on the couch rubbing his aching wrist, cautious of the green minotaur behind him. Dr Strange handed a pile of scrolls to a bald Asian man wearing a green and yellow oriental suit “That will be all Wong thank you. You too Rintrah”
The minotaur snorted and left the room
“You’re early Peter. This doesn’t bode well” Dr Strange sat in his high back chair
“It’s all good” said Peter “But I have some concerns and questions now that I quit from the Bugle”
“Money?”
“Pretty much”
“How much did being Spiderman pay?”
“Nothing”
“Then why did you do it?”
Peter sat quietly for a moment “It was, is the right thing to do. My uncle once told me with great power comes great responsibility. I wanted to make a difference”
“Your uncle sounds like he was very wise” commented Dr Strange as he got up. “Will this ease your fears?” Dr Strange muttered an incantation and on the coffee table appeared several large stack of $100 bills
“You made money out of thin air?” exclaimed Peter
“No, I borrowed it from some now, very angry and confused Columbian drug dealers. It’s about five million dollars. You can have that”
“It’s not mine, though it’s very tempting” said Peter “Look Doc I’m concerned about money but it doesn’t motivate me. If it did, I’d still be a wrestler. I just want to look after my aunt”
“A normal magical apprenticeship means I provide food, lodging and knowledge”
“I haven’t accepted yet Doc and though she likes you, I doubt my aunt would move in here with the big green cow man”
“Any other concerns?”
“My girlfriend Gwen”
“Hmmmmmm”
“I love her. One day I want to marry her. But there’s that look on your face and that tone in your voice”
“Peter” Dr Strange wandered over to a stone font “What if I told you that in a future...you would kill Gwen Stacey?”
“No way! I’d never hurt Gwen. You’re lying!” yelled Peter
“Look at how narrow minded you are about protecting and never hurting her. I merely mentioned a possibility, a what if scenario. What if after three years of marriage you divorce?”
“I...never thought about that. But we love each other”
“Does she know you’re Spider Man?”
“No but I was, am going to tell her. Soon...I don’t know. In the future sometime”
“No future is set in stone. No relationship remains the same over time. You need to work out whether by becoming my apprentice is worth potentially losing the woman you love. It’s not an ultimatum. But the sacrifices and the secrets may be too much for the two of you to bear. How long do you think you’ll be in Tibet studying magic? Do you envision three, four weeks? It takes months to learn the basics, years to be skilled and a lifetime to master” Dr Strange poured some water into the font causing a plume of orange smoke to bellow forth “You have several tough decisions to make Peter Parker. I will see you on Friday for your answer” Dr Strange vanished amongst the smoke “Until then”
“Wait Doc...fine!” Peter got up and left angrily
**
Tuesday
Peter crouched on a rooftop looking down on the morning traffic. Everything looked smaller than normal. Everything felt off. His world was going topsy-turvy and there was no Mysterio! Oh what he’d give for a bad guy to punch in the face. But like cops there’s never one around when you really need one. Peter slid down the fire escape and joined the masses that wandered the city and just blended in.
**
Wednesday
Peter sat in the green space of Empire State University looking nervous as Gwen headed towards him “Are you okay? I haven’t seen you for a few days” asked Gwen pushing the hair from Peter’s forehead
“I love you” said Peter
“I love you too”
“I’m going away for a while”
“What? How long? Is this that weird job?”
“Yes”
“Peter what’s going on?”
“This is going to sound silly”
“Just tell me, please Peter”
“Gwen...I’ve decided to become the apprentice to the Sorceror Supreme. I use to be Spider Man. I’m going on a quest”
Gwen looked at him blankly then burst out laughing “Oh Peter you’re too much”
“I’m serious!”
“Peter I...” Gwen watched as Peter did a double flip in front of her and landed on one hand
“How did you?” Gwen was aghast
“Gwen; I’m Spiderman!” Peter flipped up to his feet and parted his shirt to reveal his Spiderman costume below. Gwen’s hand came up so quickly that Peter caught it square on the cheek.
“You’ve been lying to me for months, years! You’ve been living this double life! I’ve told you everything!”
“Gwen let me explain...”
“No Peter, Spider Man, whoever you are! I thought I knew you. But every date you’ve cancelled, every time you’ve been late you’re swinging about in your pyjamas! You’ve lied to me! Are you even human?”
“Please Gwen...”
“If you wanted to help you’d of joined the police force like my...oh god!” Gwen shuddered “You killed my dad!”
“I can explain” Peter put his arm up to comfort her.
“GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!” she shrieked as she fled away from Peter.
**
Friday
Peter sat on the porch of Dr Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum, duffel bag at his feet. Dr Strange came and sat down beside him.
“How are you?” asked Dr Strange
“Not bad; for a guy who got crushed yesterday by the girl he loves” Peter wiped the tears from his eyes “She thinks I’m a monster who killed her dad. She won’t take my calls. She won’t see me. She’s so furious she got on a plane to England this morning”
“I’m sorry Peter”
“So am I. But there was some good news”
“Really?”
“Yeah my aunt won $300,000 in the lottery”
“Congratul...”
“She doesn’t play the lottery doc. You know anything about that?”
“Another one of life’s little mysteries” smirked Dr Strange “How is May?”
“Excited about the money. Sad that I’m going but as she said ‘The world’s bigger than New York Peter’. She bought me a phone with global roaming”
“Peter your aunt is a very wise and practical woman”
“She’s great. Now am I flying magic carpet to Africa?”
“You could” laughed Stephen “But you get bugs in your teeth. Wong could you fetch Peter a cab?”
“Now boarding flight 811 non-stop to Accra” the nasally voice echoed through the terminal as Peter walked through the metal detectors towards his flight.
Peter looked longingly up at the arrivals and departures board, checking the flights to London. A brief fantasy of him winging it to England, reuniting with Gwen and living happily ever after flashed through his mind.
“Sir?”
“Oh sorry” Peter handed his ticket to the beautiful African stewardess
“Welcome to first class Mr Parker”
**
Greenwich
Dr Strange frowned. Slowly he wiped his goatee in deep contemplation. “This is most unfortunate” he sighed and played three kings and two aces “But I believe I win”
“By the hoary hosts of Hoggoth!’ exclaimed Dr Druid throwing his cards on the table in disgust
“Ha ha ha” chuckled the Scarlet Witch
“Well Patsy’s going to kill me, I lost the rent money” moaned Daimon Hellstrom
“What are worried about!? I bet my sword!” cried Dane Whitman
‘Well played Stephen” laughed Amanda Sefton as she crunched on a celery stick
“You were no help Daniel!” snapped Brother Voodoo at his spectral brother
“You threw out a jack for no reason Jericho!” yelled Daniel from the nether-realms.
“Any more dip?” asked Blade
“This is all well and good Stephen, but I assume you invited us all here for something more than a game of poker” the room turned to Agatha Harkness, an elderly woman sitting in the corner knitting as her cat Ebony chased the ball of yarn.
“Very true Agatha. I gathered you all here tonight to discuss my new apprentice” Stephen conjured a scrying portal showing Peter typing away on a plane “I believe Peter may be the next in line as this dimensions Sorcerer Supreme”
“What about me?” asked Brother Voodoo
“It could be you Jericho. Any of you could be. But I have a feeling about him”
“What would you like us to do?” asked Dr Druid
“When the time comes, help him”
Ghana
Peter looked up at the ancient temple that poked through the jungle like a compound fracture. Raising his camera he snapped off several shots as the sun rose. Robbie’s gonna love these mused Peter. Suddenly his spider sense warned him of trouble nearby. Peter turned to see four Ghanaian warriors in spider-like motif standing behind him.
“Hi” said Peter as he took pictures of them.
“Why are you here?” questioned the leader gruffly.
“I am here for my totem” replied Peter as he unbuttoned his shirt to reveal his Spiderman costume.
“Anansi” uttered the group in unison as they lowered their eyes and stepped back
“Follow me” said the leader walking towards the temple
“What is Anansi?” asked Peter
“Anansi is Akan. Akan is you. You are spider. Spider is Anansi. Anansi the spider god”
“I’m not a god”
“Perhaps. Perhaps you are testing me Anansi” the man smiled and took some leaves and berries from a pouch
“My name is Peter”
“Of course it is Anansi. All stories are yours, all names are yours. These are for you” he handed the leaves and berries to Peter “Take them. They will help you in your quest”
“What do I have to do?”
“Eat, enter and wait”
“That’s it?”
“I don’t know Anansi. The story is up to you”
“Could you be any more cryptic?”
The leader patted Peter on the shoulder and walked away. Peter looked at the leaf litter in his hand and shrugged as he stuffed them into his mouth. Oh gross mumbled Peter as he entered the temple and walked down a long corridor full of spider webs.
Peter finds a large circular room with an altar in the centre. Hieroglyphic symbols adorn the walls, dried blood cakes the altar with a silver knife lies upon it, millions of spiders litter the ceiling, several torches burn
“This is insane” Peter’s voice echoed in the chamber “What did you do today Peter? Well I think I took some drugs in an African temple and ended up on the reject set of Indiana Jones!”
Mysterio stood in front of Peter “This would make more sense wouldn’t it?”
Peter gasped and threw a punch which passed through the image before him
“Maybe since its Africa” snarled Kraven the Hunter. Peter whirled and threw another futile punch.
“It’s all in your head, I should know...I’m a doctor” sneered Dr Octopus
Peter screamed in rage. A plethora of enemies: past, present and future surrounded him. Each blow ineffective, another enemy taking its place.
“Why are you here?” asked Dr Doom
“I am here for my totem” replied an exhausted Peter
“Why?” asked a formless shadow
“It’s part of my quest”
“That is a silly and childish answer” replied the darkness
“ I wish to be...no, I want to be better. I want to accept responsibility and become a man who can change things and also accept that there are things I cannot. I want to help change the world”
“...Then embrace the spider”
A giant, ancient spider stood before Peter, its fangs dripping with poison "Embrace me"
“I take you as my totem” the words came of their own volition as the spider and Peter spoke them. Peter screamed as waves of energy surrounded him the cocconed him in a web.
Peter burst through his webbing hours later, surrounded by the tribesmen. “What? Who?”
“Welcome Anasi” said the leader cheerfully
“Please, call me Peter”
**
Greenwich Village
Dr Strange bolted upright in bed. His brow drenched in sweat. He mumbled an incantation and a celestial image of Peter hovered in the air
“He is the one” gasped Stephen who with a click of his fingers was fully dressed in his battle gear “Which means my time is drawing to an end”
“Who are you talking to?” mumbled a voice
“Sssh dearest Wanda, go back to sleep”
***
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