Arthur walked calmly through the brightly lit streets of New York, balancing several bags full of ingredients in his arms. The smell of food from diners mixed with the city's ever-present aroma of fuel and smoke, but his mind was elsewhere. That night, he had promised to prepare a banquet for those two, Gwen and Aurora. Nothing fancy, but full of care.
It was strange to think that, amidst all the chaos of universes, battles, and villains, he could still have such simple moments as cooking. It made him feel more human, more grounded—less like a foreigner lost in worlds that weren't his.
Suddenly, something darted across his field of vision. Arthur instinctively turned his head.
And then, the most absurd scene possible unfolded before him: Miles Morales sprinting desperately alongside a Peter Parker… except this Peter was much older, with a noticeable belly. Both of them were being dragged by a runaway train, while police cars chased them down the avenue.
Arthur blinked, paused for a moment, and then let out a low chuckle.
"Seeing this live is way funnier than in a movie…" he muttered, resuming his walk as if nothing had happened, completely ignoring the surreal spectacle before him.
---
The next morning.
Arthur, Gwen, and Aurora were on their way to the Alchemax complex, located in Hudson Valley. The road stretched between green hills and tall trees, and with every mile the horizon seemed broader, more distant from the chaos of the city.
"This is… amazing," Gwen said, stunned by the view. Her eyes sparkled as if it were the first time she had seen something so vast and beautiful.
Aurora, ever impatient and full of tricks, pulled a small metallic capsule from her pocket. With a mischievous smile, she threw it to the ground. The capsule burst open with a small explosion of steam and sparks and, in the blink of an eye, a sleek and modern motorcycle appeared before them.
"Tadaa!" Aurora laughed, clapping her hands. "My daddy gave me this! My dad's amazing!"
Arthur sighed but couldn't help a faint smile. Gwen just stared, half impressed, half worried.
"This girl's going to give me gray hair way too early…" she muttered.
The three climbed onto the motorcycle. Arthur turned the key, the engine roared, and soon they were cutting through the wind toward the valley.
---
As they entered Hudson Valley, the unexpected happened: Peter and Miles, clearly on the run, were being chased by Doctor Octopus, who advanced with her mechanical tentacles, tearing apart everything in her path.
Arthur calmly parked the bike and observed.
"She really doesn't look anything like Otto from our world…" he remarked, intrigued.
He was already in his outfit. The tight black shirt outlined his muscles, contrasting with his loose white pants. A yellow sash around his waist hinted at martial tradition, while his Tai Chi sandals added an exotic simplicity. The white mask completed the figure, turning Arthur into something that looked more legend than man.
Gwen eyed him and let out a long sigh.
"I still wish you had worn the Spider-Man suit I made for you…"
Arthur didn't take his eyes off the two fugitives.
"I told you: under no circumstances am I wearing that thing again."
She shook her head and tapped him lightly on the shoulder.
"Fine. We'll argue later. Right now, it's time to move."
And she charged forward. Arthur and Aurora followed close behind.
---
Peter and Miles were running with a black CPU, almost the size of a shoebox. But suddenly, Peter stumbled. His body seemed to lose stability, and he crashed heavily to the ground, groaning in pain. The CPU rolled to the side, nearly slipping away.
Miles rushed to help him, but Doctor Octopus's tentacles were already stretching toward them.
Then—thwip! thwip!
Webs stuck Miles and Peter to nearby trees, yanking them away from danger.
"What the—?!" Miles's eyes widened in confusion.
Three figures stood before him. Gwen at the front, ready to fight; Aurora, buzzing with energy; and Arthur, standing calmly like a spectator amid the chaos.
"Have fun, Spider-Woman," Arthur said, crossing his arms. He preferred to let Gwen handle Doctor Octopus.
While Gwen leapt at the villain, Arthur strolled over to Miles and Peter with a light smile.
"Hey, Miles. Peter." He pulled off his mask.
"OH MY GOD! ARTHUR?!" they both shouted in unison.
Arthur laughed inwardly.
(Judging by this Peter's reaction… there's probably a version of me in his world too.)
Moments later, Gwen returned with the CPU in hand.
"Got it. Let's get out of here."
Miles, still dizzy from it all, asked:
"Wait… how many of us are there?!"
Arthur shrugged.
"Go to a Comic Con and find out."
"What's a Comic Con?" Miles frowned, but before he could press further, Peter tugged at his arm and hurried them away.
---
Inside the bus, minutes later.
Peter stared at Aurora, who was peacefully napping in Gwen's lap. His eyes were wide, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"Oh my God… is she really your daughter? She's so cute…" His heart skipped. For a brief moment, he thought of MJ, and what it would be like to have a child with her.
Arthur took a deep breath.
"Yes and no. Technically, she's the daughter of another me."
Peter blinked several times, trying to process that.
Arthur then asked:
"So… what am I like in your world?"
Peter hesitated, glanced him up and down, and finally replied:
"Simply put? A jerk. Last time we met, you had… five wives."
Arthur nearly choked. Gwen just hid a smile behind her hand.
"Five…?" Arthur repeated, trying to keep a neutral expression. "How is that even possible?"
Aurora, oblivious to the conversation, pointed at Peter's round belly and asked innocently:
"How did Uncle Peter get fat?"
All eyes turned to him. Peter gave an awkward laugh.
"Ahaha… I was skinny before I came here. I swear."
Arthur crossed his arms.
"It's because of Mary Jane, isn't it?"
Peter hesitated, then admitted:
"Yes…"
"But why? MJ is amazing," Gwen said sincerely.
Peter sighed, finally revealing what he had been holding back.
"She wants to have a baby… and I'm terrified of that. Afraid of failing. Afraid I won't be good enough."
Aurora, still half-asleep, opened a sweet smile.
"My parents always say the day I was born was the happiest day of their lives."
Peter went silent. Her words hit him straight in the heart, cracking his wall of insecurity. Slowly, a genuine smile spread across his face.
"Thank you… I think that's what I needed to hear."
The bus rode in silence for a few minutes, until Miles, who had been quietly watching, finally asked:
"So… you three are from another universe?"
Arthur, Gwen, and Aurora answered together:
"Uh-huh."
---
End of chapter.
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."