Chapter 14
Gwen entered the lab her boyfriend maintained under the house and saw him standing next to Susan and Janet looking at a chamber where a reddish organism similar to what she had just faced earlier was contained within. Gwen shivered as she came closer.
"It appears to have an unstable DNA matrix...and it needs to devour the DNA of other beings to stabilize its own matrix," Susan noted after examining the latest scans.
"Is that the same creature that attacked me earlier?" Gwen questioned.
"No. That creature is still running around somewhere but it will be back. I think it needs Harry's DNA to stabilize its own," Janet suggested. "This is a clone of that creature. We call the organism Carnage."
"How strong is that containment chamber?" Gwen asked.
Gwen didn't know why but she was pretty sure if she didn't have her mutant powers earlier or her enhancements due to her boyfriend she would have died earlier that day.
Harry sensed the fear in Gwen's tone and looked up from his analysis. He stepped closer to her and pulled her into a hug.
"You don't have to worry. This thing isn't getting out of the containment chamber. I would have trouble breaking free," Harry admitted.
"Thanks," Gwen said as they parted. "Have you figured out where it came from?"
"The only thing we know is that it has the DNA of Venom and Spider-Man and we suspect it came from space," Susan answered.
"I am scanning the space surrounding Earth for any trace of Venom but space is pretty vast and there is no guarantee my technology can detect Venom. If some alien species picked him up after I knocked him into orbit I may not be able to penetrate that species' cloaking technology for example," Harry explained.
Harry was unaware that in the state Venom was currently in the creature wouldn't be easily noticed by a standard scan.
"Alright...but how will you kill it when it does come back assuming your logic is correct?" Gwen queried. "We don't need to kill it," Janet answered. "Harry can trap it somewhere far away from Earth." "Won't it just die when its DNA breaks down?" Gwen asked. "Maybe. But Harry has access to time dilation field generator technology," Susan pointed out.
"So you want to slow down time for this Carnage. To what end?" Gwen said.
"Carnage is a new form of life. We shouldn't just snuff that life out," Janet explained. "Harry has been thinking about building a prison planet anyway to trap those beings who are too dangerous to humans to remain on Earth yet which shouldn't be killed."
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"As long as it doesn't get back to Earth that is fine with me," Gwen said.
"I can set up gateways which utilize wormholes to step between here and the prison world. But I can set up protections on them to ensure only those who are authorized can get from the prison planet back to Earth. I can slow down time on that planet as an additional precaution. I can make sure thousands of years pass on Earth before a single day passes on the prison planet," Harry explained.
"Nice," Gwen said. "So before they could even get adjusted let alone form an escape plan human civilization will have evolved much further."
"Exactly," Harry agreed.
Carnage's return to the Parker House resulted in a lot less fanfare than the creature's first visit. This time Carnage stepped within the house's ward radius. And the wards were now targeted to distinguish between their creator and Carnage. Carnage shared Peter Parker's DNA after all. "It's like watching a bug hitting a bug zapper," Gwen noted as she and her friends watched Carnage scream and thrash in the ward generated lightning.
"Yes...except bugs just explode," MJ replied.
"You have to admire its resilience to not be charred crispy bits on the ground by this point," Susan noted.
"How long are you going to leave it writhing like that?" Janet questioned.
"That depends on how long it intends to suck the life out of me," Harry answered.
"That mental imagery is so wrong," Gwen declared with a grin.
Harry sent a whipped cream pie into the side of her face. There was silence in the living room as everyone gaped at the whipped cream pie.
"You did not just do that," MJ said before letting out a giggle.
"Money Shot makes an appearance!" Jean's amused thoughts drifted through the minds of those present.
"What do you mean, Jean?" Susan replied.
Jean's memories of the scene where Harry was nicknamed Money Shot were sent to the minds of his mates present.
"Money Shot...Money Shot...Money Shot," All the ladies in the room began chanting.
Harry conjured more Cool Whip pies and sent them at his lovers. The ladies showed just how much of his other type of cream they had ingested by dodging the pies.
"Wait...why are we dodging?" MJ asked. "It's Cool Whip!"
MJ caught the next pie and began inhaling the creamy goodness. The other ladies followed suit. Harry idly banished Carnage to the prison planet he had set up while watching the beauties eat cool whip pies.
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"How do we know that other samples of your blood weren't taken from this one?" Janet questioned her boyfriend as she continued running the scanning equipment he had given her over Connor's lab at the university.
Janet still marveled at the small device that looked a lot like a tricorder from Star Trek.
"We don't know for sure," Harry replied. "And so far we still haven't found many new sources here after we cleaned it out last time. But Carnage did make a trip here probably because he wanted to come someplace familiar."
"Your DNA can be so dangerous in the wrong hands," Susan said. "It's quite surprising just how dangerous."
"Susan, you have no idea how much more dangerous it is now than it used to be. After I came to this universe my DNA became absolutely lethal if used by the wrong people. Fortunately it takes a level of technology beyond most races in this region of space to utilize the full lethal nature of my genetics," Harry explained.
"I would love to learn more about this true power," Susan admitted. "In time you will, love," Harry assured.
Harry sat down in the love-seat in his room and was immediately joined by Gwen. "Ok...what did you want to talk about?" Harry asked. Gwen took his right hand in hers and played with his fingers. She was silent for a while.
"I am in no way complaining. But I would like to know why you have been so much more attentive to me of late," Gwen explained. "Does it have to do with the attack by Carnage? That is when things really seemed to change."
It was Harry's turn to be silent as he thought about his response.
"You know I have access to some really advanced technology," Harry said.
"Of course," Gwen confirmed.
"Well I have access to several classes of AI tech, artificial intelligences," Harry explained.
"Wicked," Gwen declared with a grin.
"Yes. Wicked," Harry agreed. "Well one of my AIs has been analyzing what the environment around me would be like had part of me never merged with the Peter Parker of this universe."
"That's...that's really wild," Gwen mused. "What did it find out?"
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"There are many variables. But you have to remember that Venom got the DNA sample from before part of me ever arrived in this universe. It seems Carnage could have been created many other ways and may have evolved on his own. But from what my AI could simulate your mutant powers would not have emerged in enough time to save your life without my special intervention," Harry explained.
"And I wouldn't have had the strength, agility, and durability enhancements your seed grants your lovers for sure," Gwen concluded. "So Carnage killed me in the simulation."
"Yes," Harry confirmed quietly.
"Oh...ok...that explains a lot," Gwen said. "I bet my dad didn't take that so well."
"Your dad was dead by that point already," Harry said.
"That incendiary bomb you rescued him from?" Gwen asked.
"Yes. That would have killed him," Harry confirmed.
"I am so lucky to have you here," Gwen said in a whisper before pulling his arm around her shoulders and snuggling into him.
"I am the one who feels lucky," Harry assured. "I get to spend more time with you."
"I love you, Harry," Gwen whispered while turning her head enough to look up at his face.
"And I love you, Gwen Stacy," Harry assured before capturing her lips in a chaste kiss.
The two lovers had kissed for a while before they needed to breathe.
"Even if Carnage had gotten me...would you have been able to reverse the effects?" Gwen questioned. "You have some pretty amazing powers and tech."
"It depends on the stage of the attack. If your soul had left your body...things would have gotten a lot harder," Harry answered. "I could probably bring your soul back from the afterlife...but if you are in heaven...that isn't such a good thing."
"Does all of that really exist...heaven and hell and all that?" Gwen queried.
"It did in my home universe. But it all depended upon faith and belief. There were different versions of the after-life for different belief systems. Faith and belief have power," Harry explained.
"That's fascinating," Gwen admitted.
Gwen and her boyfriend continued to discuss the afterlife of various religions and existence beyond the veil for some time.
Harry looked up as MJ returned to the bedroom after having gotten dressed for the day. Harry had built each of his ladies rooms in the subterranean portion of the house for them to store their belongings, use their own private bathroom, and to get changed. All they had to do was step through a specially enchanted door in the
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upper portion of the house thinking where they wanted to go and they would appear in the desired room. The women just shared Harry's bedroom for sleeping and other fun activities.
"You look absolutely delicious," Harry told MJ as he gazed at her beauty.
The redhead was dressed in a pair of form fitting light blue jeans which emphasized her developing hips nicely, a pair of orange flip-flop sandals, an orange belly shirt which showed off her toned tummy nicely, and sported a yellow flower attached above her left breast, yellow bracelets, and a yellow Spider-Man style hair clip.
MJ stepped closer to her boyfriend while smiling and drew him into a happy kiss.
"Thank you, Tiger," MJ said, trying out a recently invented pet name for him. "So is this a school type day or not?"
"Hmm...decisions decisions," Harry mused. "I meant what I said about you being delicious looking. I'd rather stay here and taste you."
MJ laughed and pointed out, "We can't stay in bed all day, lover. How about this. Let's go to school and have some fun time in some interesting places while the teachers think we are in class."
"Deal," Harry agreed.
Just then Gwen came into the room looking quite delicious herself.
"What deal are you two making?" Gwen queried.
"Harry just agreed to come to school if I let him bend me over some teacher's desk and do all sorts of interesting things to me," MJ explained.
"Sounds like a blast. Sign me up," Gwen declared with an eager grin. "Let's go." The trio left the house heading towards their high school.
"It's such a beautiful day out. It seems a shame to be spending it in school," MJ mused. "You should really think about releasing that knowledge transfer tech to the public so school can be done away with."
"Well it wouldn't be done away with. It would just require less time to reinforce the memories. Remember that I wouldn't be releasing the most advanced versions of the tech right away. The earlier versions still required reinforcement of any transferred knowledge," Harry pointed out.
"Still...less school would be better," Gwen said.
"Look at you two...I give you a taste of better living through technology and already you are growing bored with your old lives," Harry teased.
"Only because that taste was so good," MJ pointed out.
"You have a point," Harry agreed. "Humanity has spent so much time having to struggle to survive... technology will make that requirement obsolete. They will have to find new ways to live their lives. Pleasure and entertainment will become more important."
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"I like the sound of that," Gwen declared with a wide grin. "Me too," MJ agreed.
The trio proved how much they enjoyed pleasure for the rest of the day at the school in various places and on various pieces of furniture.
"So what did you think of the movie?" Harry asked as he walked out of the theater arm in arm with MJ.
Harry glanced at his girlfriend and admired her beautiful features. The sunlight caught her fiery red hair and seemed to make it glow. He found her thoughtful expression adorable. The couple had just emerged from watching the third hobbit movie which Harry's film division had just released years before its time relative to his native reality.
"I'm kind of sad that Thorin died," MJ mused. "But not that Kili died?" Harry asked.
"No," MJ answered after a thoughtful moment. "While the idea of star-crossed lovers such as Kili and Tauriel working out might be romantic in some sense it would also end in tragedy. He would die and she would live on. From his perspective that might not matter but it would hurt her terribly."
"I am glad to hear you say that," Harry mused. "I was worried the romanticism would overshadow all other concerns. So what are you in the mood to eat?"
"Chinese," MJ replied. "Chinese it is," Harry answered as he ducked into an alley and took them to China.
"Share an order of fried dumplings with me and a roast pork egg roll," MJ suggested as she sat down at the front of one of the restaurant stalls.
Harry ordered the food in flawless Chinese as he sat beside his girlfriend. He had the same thing as her. He glanced around briefly after ordering.
"I love the food but this place reminds me of my old world in the bad aspects before humanity licked overpopulation," Harry mused.
"Maybe next time we could find a less crowded part of China?" MJ suggested. "One of the rural villages might be better for that."
"That could work," Harry agreed.
"Thanks," MJ said as Harry handed her the food. After taking her first bite and swallowing she said, "I love the food too but this is going to go straight to my hips."
Harry snorted and pointed out, "MJ...you haven't hit 20 yet. Your hips are supposed to fill out. And I have to say I like it. Besides...with all the working out we do you'll lose anything you gain swiftly enough."
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MJ pouted at her boyfriend for a moment before she leaned over quickly and licked his right ear. "What was that for?" Harry queried. "For not letting me focus on my weight like other normal teenage girls," MJ said teasingly.
"There is nothing normal about the weight issues facing teenage girls your age. They either allow themselves to get morbidly obese or they focus on their weight so much they become unhealthily thin. Very few have a happy medium. I like a healthy weight on my women which you have. You can even stand to eat a bit more," Harry admitted. "But in any case you are beautiful to me as you are."
"You should do something about the weight issue if you are that concerned," MJ suggested.
"I have been considering it. The issue is very complex. The biggest factor in the obesity issue is the fact that so much food is produced with high fructose corn syrup combined with a lack of exercise," Harry explained.
"Do you have any ideas what to do about it?" MJ queried. The couple spent the rest of their date talking about issues of interest to both.
Harry was walking down the hall with MJ and Liz. Gwen was in the bathroom. Harry neatly avoided the foot stuck out to trip him and stopped to look intently at Kong.
"Dude...what the fuck," Harry said. Kong eyed Harry just as intently with an unreadable expression. Kong's face twisted into a grin. "I just felt the urge and had to do it," Kong admitted. "Try to control your urges," Harry replied. "Or what," Flash said. Then he started chanting, "Fight, fight, fight!"
A crowd gathered which picked up the chant. That was when Harry noticed Johnny Storm standing nearby watching the potential fight. Johnny was in plain clothes. Just then a teacher came out and broke up the group chanting to fight.
"Kong...you hate it when Flash picks on you. Don't do it to Peter," MJ pointed out. "Kong likes it," Flash replied. "Nobody likes your show, Flash," Liz interjected as Gwen caught up with the group. "No girl thinks it's cute," MJ assured.
"I get plenty," Flash assured. MJ got into Flash's face and said, "Peter gets more."
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"Yeah...well I'm more into quality, Watson," Flash rebutted.
The silence was deafening at this. Harry passed MJ a small cylinder about the size of a flashlight.
"You asked for this, Flash," Harry stated.
MJ pointed the cylinder at Flash and pressed a button. A purple beam shot out and hit Flash in the crotch before cutting out.
"Hey...what was that?!" Flash demanded.
"My genius boyfriend has invented an Impotence Beam. The name is self-explanatory. If I hit you too many times it will become permanent. Right now it is temporary. Learn to behave," MJ stated.
"You little bitch," Flash growled before making to leap at MJ.
Gwen delivered a swift side kick at Flash's side that knocked him into a locker followed by a chop to the back of his head which saw him unconscious. Liz, Kong, and Johnny (who had been observing the confrontation) were stunned. Harry, MJ, and Gwen started walking away. Liz and Johnny followed.
"Hey," Johnny said as he jogged and caught up. "The name is Johnny. That was awesome. Does that thing really make people impotent?"
"I'm Peter but people like to call me Harry a lot," Harry said. "This is MJ, Gwen, and Liz. And yeah...it works."
"Wicked," Johnny declared with a grin while noticing how attractive all three females were. "So what do you guys do for fun around here?"
"We were going to the beach on Friday," MJ answered. "You are welcome to come along." "That sounds like fun," Johnny agreed. "Where at exactly?" Gwen told Johnny. Johnny shared lunch with the group. "Is it weird befriending him when you are bedding his sister?" MJ sent.
"A little," Harry confirmed. "But then again I'm also sleeping with quite a few gorgeous women so I am not even close to being normal."
"Speaking of that...Liz has finally worked up the nerve to ask me to tell you she wants to go out on a date with you," MJ informed her lover.
"That sounds great," Harry replied. "What do you think finally prompted her to agree to a date? I know she and you already talked about her dating me and you made the offer."
"Well she has liked you ever since you came to this universe. I think she was trying to reconcile your new level of hotness with the nerdy kid we grew up with. When she saw Johnny today she also had the hots for him. But I haven't exactly left out your amazing skills in bed from our girl talk. She wants you more. And she wants to see if things will work out between you now rather than wait until later. She doesn't want to
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waste anymore time. If you two work out in a relationship then that is great. If you don't she wants to move on with hotties like Johnny," MJ explained.
"That makes sense," Harry mused.
"Why is he hanging out with a bunch of sophomores like us?" Kong asked as he, Harry, Gwen, MJ, and Liz sat on the beach watching Johnny swim.
"Well I think he is hoping to hook up with one of us," Liz said before letting out a pleased moan as Harry's hands worked magic on her back.
Harry was giving the blonde a massage. "And he is new and was attracted by Peter's Impotence Beam," Gwen added. "Flash is super pissed about that. He has been threatening to kill you all," Kong admitted. "How was the water," Liz asked Johnny as Johnny came ashore dripping wet. "It kind of smelled," Johnny admitted. "There is a reason none of us went into the water," Gwen teased. "Is there any food?" Kong asked. "What are we doing for food?" Johnny asked after actually growing hungry himself due to swimming.
Harry picked up some pizzas and brought them back to the beach. After it grew dark Liz started to tell Johnny and some other beach-goers that had joined the group about the Green Goblin attack on their high school.
"Here...you can just watch it," Harry suggested as he projected a hologram from what the others had thought was his watch.
"How are you doing that?" Johnny asked.
"Harry works for Spider-Man in the R&D applications development department," MJ proudly stated.
"You actually work for him. Have you ever gotten to meet him?" Johnny asked.
"Sure. He's my direct boss. He records all of his fights. I'm streaming this from the company's database. He wouldn't mind me showing it," Harry explained.
"I love that guy. He stands for something. He just goes out there and helps people and doesn't ask for anything in return," Johnny said while standing up and waving his arms for emphasis. "He used to get such crap for it too."
"Johnny," Liz screamed in alarm as Johnny's arm caught fire.
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"Crap," Johnny said when he noticed. His whole body caught fire and he lifted into the air. "I can totally explain this."
Despite Johnny's assurances everybody present except Harry, MJ, Gwen, and Liz bolted as Johnny lifted into the air slightly. Liz looked like she wanted to bolt but instead just held onto Harry's hand tighter.
"No need," Harry explained. "You have abilities."
"You aren't the only one, little brother," Susan said as she appeared.
"Susan, what are you doing here?" Johnny asked as he touched down.
Susan looked questioningly at her boyfriend. He gave a nod of ascent while his form shifted into that of Spider-Man.
"He is my boyfriend," Susan explained while pointing at Harry.
Liz was stunned for a moment before saying, "Everything makes a lot more sense. Why you have so many girlfriends and are so smart. But Spider-Man came from another universe. How is Peter who we have known for years been him? Did you come here when you were a baby?"
"I would like to know that too," Johnny said as he touched down and turned his flame powers off.
"You won't be able to talk about this with anyone who isn't already in the know about his history and true identity," Susan informed Liz and Johnny. "His technology assures that."
"When I came to this universe I was drawn to Peter Parker as a compatible being. I decided to merge with him," Harry explained before going into more detail.
"That is amazing," Johnny admitted.
"No wonder you've been so happy recently," Liz said to MJ.
Everyone present noticed Liz didn't take her hand away from Harry's.
"Yeah...having him for my boyfriend can have that effect," MJ said.
"True that, sister," Gwen added.
"I am a really big fan," Johnny told Harry after a lull in the conversation.
"I gathered," Harry agreed. "I take it you want to use your powers to help people?"
"Yeah...but Sue and Reed are taking the slow and cautious approach," Johnny admitted. "You will be revealed in your own time," Susan assured.
"This sucks...there is no way I can come back to Midtown now that those people have seen my powers," Johnny lamented. "And I've really enjoyed hanging out with you guys."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that. I'll make sure the others don't remember the power incident. As far as they will recall they will think they had a great time," Harry announced.
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"You can do that?" Johnny said with surprise. "It would be better to ask what he can't do," Susan said while fondly glancing at her boyfriend.
The group spent a little more time getting to know each other before they decided it was time to call it a night.
Before he left Johnny asked, "Susan, could I talk to you for a minute?" "Sure," Susan answered as she walked away from the re-lit bonfire with her brother out of hearing range.
Johnny looked uncomfortable for a moment before he said, "I was wondering if I could have your phone number or email. You may be from another universe but you are still my sister and I am your brother. Family should stick together."
Susan touched a holographic interface that she called up with a gesture and said, "The info is in your phone under the name Susan. Even Reed won't be able to see it."
"How did you do that?" Johnny asked. "Holographic interface coded to me. Only I can see it. Harry gives us some wicked toys," Susan explained. "Sweet. And thanks," Johnny said before stepping forward and pulling Susan into a hug. "Don't tell the others at the Baxter Building you have my info," Susan cautioned. "I won't," Johnny assured before they rejoined the group and then said their goodbyes.
When Jameson assigned Ben Ulrich to interview the claimed sorcerer Steven Strange and directed Peter Parker to go along Harry decided to actually attend in person.
"How is school?" Ben asked Harry as Ben wrung the doorbell beside the large door of Strange's mansion. The mansion was a large stone affair and Harry could feel the wards quite strongly throughout the property. "I am only there for the females, my friend," Harry answered. "Just for the females." "Yeah...good reason to go to school," Ben mused knowing Peter was a super smart teen.
"Yes?" Wong said as he answered the door. Harry sensed limited magical capabilities in the bald Asian man who answered the door.
"Hello. I am Ben Ulrich from the Daily Bugle. We had an appointment with Dr. Strange for an interview," Ben said.
"I am sorry but this is not a good time," Wong replied. Harry's spider-sense went off. "I'm sorry the Doctor is ill and I must attend to him."
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Wong closed the door. "That's just freaking great," Ben groaned. "You want to go grab some dinner?" "Normally I would say yes but I have a ton of homework to do tonight," Harry replied. "Are you ok to get home? Where do you even live?" Ben asked. "Queens," Harry answered. "And I can get home. Thanks for asking." Ben nodded and said, "See you later, Peter."
Harry sensed the magical energies in the mansion roiling and quickly changed into his costume. He leapt up towards the large window with a frame shaped like a magical sigil. Violet light was pouring out of the window. Harry sensed the runes carved into the frame. Stephen Strange lay on the floor writhing in quite a bit of discomfort. Wong was crouched over Strange clutching a large jewel pouring out magical light and energy.
"What am I looking at, Lily?" Harry asked his bio-net AI.
"Most probably Wong is attempting to help Strange fight off some demonic entity trying to possess the sorcerer. Wong does not appear to be successful. The demonic entity comes from outside this reality," Lily answered.
"Get me through these wards without taking them out," Harry directed.
Lily used senses which Harry couldn't perceive on a conscious level but which he possessed to analyze the ward scheme and then twisted his phasing abilities to phase through the wards. When Harry was inside he leapt down to stand in front of a very surprised Wong. Harry reached out with his hand and with Lily's help projected a suppression field which weakened the demonic entity's conduit into this universe enough that Strange could fight it off. Within moments strange woke up. He was sweating. Harry analyzed Strange's mental defensive barriers. The barriers were weakened but would grow stronger because of the survived attack.
"Well that was really unpleasant," Stephen declared emphatically. "What just happened?"
Wong was staring at Harry suspiciously Stephen noted. Stephen also noted that the wards were still up and intact. If this was the real Spider-Man then they were in the presence of a great hero and perhaps the most powerful being on the planet Earth. Stephen would be cautious though in case this wasn't the real Spider- Man.
"What is the last thing you remember, Master Stephen?" Wong asked. "We were meditating...just you and I," Stephen answered. "Yes," Wong prompted. "And then-umm...," Stephen trailed off.
"Did you create your astral defense spells before your meditation?" Wong questioned.
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"I...um," Stephen answered.
"Do you recall what your father's notes say can occur if you do not create astral defense spells before you commence meditation?" Wong queried.
"I can accidentally create astral plane dimensional doorways," Stephen answered.
"Yes...and you open yourself to possession by beings of unearthly energies and demonic nature," Wong explained. "As far as I could tell you were being held in a nightmare state against your will. I tried using the D'nura crystals to wake you but I was not being very successful. Spider-Man stepped in to assist."
"Why does my face hurt?" Stephen asked. "And does that mean you have magical powers?" Stephen said to Harry.
"I was not very successful in waking you so I panicked. I tried slapping you," Wong admitted. "My apologies."
Harry replied, "Where I come from technology has reached the point where it is indistinguishable from magic."
Harry didn't actually answer the question but Stephen didn't realize that.
"Thank you for helping me, Spider-Man," Stephen said gratefully. "My nightmare was quite horrible. My mother was trying to kill me."
"Call me, Harry," Harry suggested.
"Please call me Stephen. And this is Wong," Stephen answered in kind.
"The wards you have on this place are pretty impressive," Harry noted.
Stephen perked up at hearing this observation.
"My father crafted many of them himself," Stephen said with pride. "Before he went missing."
"How did you get through our wards without disturbing them?" Wong asked.
"That would be my secret. If I tell you then you might be able to develop a counter. I don't like displaying most of my secrets out in the open," Harry replied.
"But you have written books and made movies about your abilities," Stephen pointed out.
It was obvious this Stephen Strange was still very young and inexperienced. Wong had a lot more life experience.
"But those are only a small fraction of your true abilities," Wong observed with certainty.
Harry's only confirmation was a slight nod of his head. Stephen was rather stunned. The powers Spider-Man had displayed to the public would allow the superhero to go toe-to-toe with gods. If he could do more...the implications were astonishing.
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"You seem to be in need of a sparring partner if you want to learn magical combat," Harry noted. "Would you be able to help me?" Stephen asked. "Yes," Harry replied. "Why would you help us?" Wong asked.
"He has power," Harry said while pointing at Stephen. "With that power if he doesn't learn to defend himself if he gets taken over he could become a serious threat. He could also become a great force for good. Let's see what you can do. I'm assuming that specially warded room upstairs is for practicing combat?"
"Yes," Wong confirmed.
"I'll show you the way," Stephen replied while trying not to show his eagerness at being able to show what he could do. Stephen would not be so eager after his first humbling lesson. But he would work to get better.
Roxxon Laboratories...
"What's the story on this guy?" MJ asked as she and her lover invisibly crawled into Roxxon laboratories where an attempted robbery was in progress.
"He's a thug who fancies himself a super-villain going by the name Shock Master," Harry answered. "The technology in those bladed gauntlets he is wearing is projecting the lightning blasts you are seeing."
"Right...so if the gauntlets are taken out he is pretty powerless," MJ confirmed. "Other than him rocking steroids," Harry replied. "Yes...he would be powerless. But those gauntlets are
encased in an Adamantium shell."
MJ winced.
"Alright...watch my back," MJ urged.
"I always do. Watching your backside is my favorite pastime," Harry sent teasingly.
MJ smirked at her boyfriend and then leapt off the ceiling straight at Shock Master's head.
"Give me the Adamantium," Shock Master was yelling just as he saw the eyes of one of the scientists widen while looking behind him.
Shock Master spun already bringing his shock gauntlets to aim and released dual blasts of electrical energy at the descending redhead. MJ grunted as she was blasted back but absorbed the energy hitting her body pretty quickly. Her grunt was more from surprise than pain. She leapt forward and dodged two more blasts along the way. While rushing Shock Master she released his blasts right back at him. He danced aside but this didn't allow him to aim. She may not have been as strong as her boyfriend but MJ's flying kick to the side of Shock Master's head saw the wannabe super-villain out cold. MJ used one of the web-shooters her boyfriend
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had given her to restrain Shock Master before shooting a web-line to the ceiling and climbing back up to Harry.
"Good work," Harry praised. "Thank you," MJ replied and inwardly pleased at the praise.
The couple touched down on top of the school a short while later and quickly changed out of their costumes. MJ stepped up and gave her boyfriend a sweet kiss on the lips. She always loved doing that right after taking off her mask. She then took his hand and walked down into the school with him. Gwen came around the corner of the stairwell next to the duplicates of Harry and MJ. The duplicates vanished.
"Heads up...Osborn Jr. is back from his sabbatical in Europe," Gwen said while pointing down the hall.
Harry had ordered the golem he had impersonating Norman Osborn to take Osborn Jr. on a tour of Europe. Harry figured Jr. could use the relaxation.
"You're looking good Parker," Osborn Jr. informed his friend as he walked up to the trio. "Though your companions look better," he added.
"He has a point," Gwen said while leaning on Harry's left shoulder. "That he does," MJ added leaning on the other shoulder. "So tell us about your trip," Harry suggested. "Alright," Osborn Jr. agreed before telling the trio a little about his vacation.
"Peter," Osborn Jr. called as he ran up to the superhero after school. "Wait for me in the car," Harry said to Gwen and MJ who both nodded agreement.
When the girls had left Osborn Jr. said, "Peter, I've been thinking about you and our lives a lot. I know you are Spider-Man. I thought back on all of our past interactions and you getting bitten by that spider at Oscorp. I know my dad was the Green Goblin. I know all of this. Every time my father had an occurrence of his monstrosity you were there. I came back to Queens and find you dating my girlfriend."
With that statement Osborn Jr. walked away leaving Harry quite surprised behind. When Harry reached the car the girls knew something was wrong. Liz was with them. She had started dating Harry and already knew he was Spider-Man. He regularly gave her a ride home though sometimes she came home with them and hung out at the Parker residence.
"What's wrong?" MJ asked. Harry got into the driver's seat.
"Our resident Osborn has figured out that I am Spider-Man. He also mentioned that I am dating his girlfriend," Harry answered.
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"What?!" MJ shouted. "We dated briefly before I started dating you."
"And how did he figure out you were Spider-Man?" Gwen asked.
"MJ, I don't mind that you dated other guys. Hell...you can still date other guys if you want. It would be hypocritical of me to restrict you from that given how many women I am with," Harry explained. "As for how he figured my secret out...he knew me before I came to this universe and merged with Peter Parker. I probably slipped up back then."
Liz found her boyfriend's viewpoint on relationships interesting and unique. Most boys would want to be able to date many different women but wouldn't let those women date any other men. She wondered how Harry's viewpoint would fair if one of them actually did go date other men. But from what she had heard among his other girlfriends none of them were even contemplating dating other men. Harry kept them perfectly satisfied sexually and emotionally. Whenever they wanted someone to talk to, to hold, to give them a back rub, to cry to, or if they just wanted to be alone Harry always knew. Liz had wondered how one man could be so perfect for so many women. Last weekend she had gotten a chance to talk to Jean Grey. The redhead had explained the situation pretty easily.
Harry apparently had access to technology which analyzed both the subconscious and conscious thoughts of his women. The analysis tech then told him on a subconscious level what they wanted. He wasn't consciously constantly reading their thoughts. That was too much data for his mind to process. But his tech was analyzing it all. Through his technology Harry actually knew what his ladies wanted before they did because his tech analyzed the thoughts in the subconscious mind before those thoughts filtered to the conscious mind in one form or another. And the conscious mind actually had a harder time understanding the results of subconscious analyses than Harry's tech did. Such technology awed Liz when she had heard of it. But she was grateful for it as were all of his ladies. She had only been dating Harry Potter for a short while but already she was glad to call him her boyfriend.
"Harry, we don't need other men," MJ assured. "You are plenty man enough for us and it takes all of us to sate you."
"You tell him," Gwen added.
"What do you think Osborn Jr. is going to do with what he knows?" Liz asked.
"I'm not sure. We will just have to wait and see," Harry answered. "So how did everyone's day go?"
The change of subject was clearly felt and everyone did their best to put their worries aside about Osborn Jr.'s knowledge.
"I just had a very disturbing conversation with Osborn Jr.," MJ informed her boyfriend and friends after she got into the car after school the next day.
"What was the conversation about?" Harry asked.
"He tried manipulating me," MJ said angrily. "I feel like he totally just insulted my intelligence. He tried playing off the conversation where he told you we used to date like it was nothing...like he was making a joke. He is trying to cause friction between us."
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"Something definitely sounds like it is wrong with him," Gwen said. "Would he do this do you think before this whole Green Goblin incident?"
"No," Liz answered easily. "The Harry Osborn we knew growing up wouldn't do these things."
"But he isn't that Harry Osborn anymore," Harry pointed out. "People change as they age."
"How did you handle him?" Gwen asked MJ.
"I played along like I didn't realize he was trying to manipulate me and he bought my ignorance act," MJ replied.
"Sweet," Liz commented. "We will continue to keep an eye on him," Harry stated.
"Harry, you have a call from Osborn Jr.," Aunt May told her nephew as she handed him the phone later that night.
"Thanks," Harry said while taking the phone from May. "Hello."
"Peter, it's time for you to help me. And I will help you," Osborn Jr. said from the phone. "Bring the costume."
The line went dead as Osborn Jr. hung up. There had been a slight tinge of insanity in Osborn Jr.'s tone. "What did he want?" MJ asked as she stood in the nearest doorway with Gwen and May. "He wants me to come over," Harry answered. "In my costume," he added. "So whatever he has been building towards is here," Gwen suggested.
"I don't like it," May stated. "I don't think you should go."
Gwen threw a grin at Harry at this typical response from May. May Parker would worry about her nephew despite his immense power level.
"May, the last time Spider-Man faced off against a goblin Spider-Man was nowhere near as powerful as he is now. And Osborn Jr. doesn't have his father's powers," MJ pointed out.
"Stop with the logic," May replied. "I don't like it when you lot use logic on me."
Harry sat down on the couch in the living room. Gwen and MJ sat on either side of him and snuggled up to him. Harry could just teleport to Osborn Jr.'s residence so didn't need to rush.
"Because you can't fight logic," Harry teased. "Too true," May mused. "Any idea what Osborn Jr. is really up to?"
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"I have ideas," Harry replied. "Care to share," May prompted.
"I am a little worried that his father may have driven Osborn Jr. slightly insane," Harry answered. "Of course he could simply be motivated out of revenge."
"Either way we will kick his ass," Gwen declared. "We?" Harry said. "Yes, I said we," MJ asserted. "We are going with you even if you have us cloaked." "Sounds fine to me," Harry said. "I love having two of my favorite women around me." "Smooth," Gwen observed. The group chatted for a while longer before they suited up and headed out.
Harry entered Osborn Jr.'s apartment silently with MJ and Gwen following behind under cloak. The trio quickly located Osborn Jr. by the sounds of shouting. Osborn Jr. appeared to be arguing with nobody.
"Lily, perform a multi-spectral and multi-dimensional scan of the environment," Harry directed. "I want to know if there is some entity here we can't see."
"There is not," Lily answered seconds later. "He is arguing with himself unless he is acting." "Harry, who are you talking to?" Harry asked Osborn Junior from the ceiling. "Um...nobody," Osborn Junior replied as he looked up at Spider-Man. Spider-Man dropped to the floor and stood upright facing Osborn Junior.
"Why did you want me to come here, Harry?" Spider-Man questioned.
"Umm," Harry began before glancing off to his side. As if speaking to someone else Osborn Junior said, "No. No, that's not true."
"Harry, you told MJ I killed your dad. Why do you think that?" Spider-Man asked.
"No," Osborn Junior answered Harry. Then in rage he glanced to the side and shouted, "Shut Up!" Osborn Junior backed up to a nearby couch as if he was being pushed back. "LEAVE ME ALONE! ALL OF YOU! LEAVE ME ALONE!" There was a pause and then another shouted, "No!" Several times Osborn Junior shouted, "You can't make me!"
"Harry, can you figure out what he is seeing?" MJ sent to her boyfriend from where she still clung to the ceiling invisibly next to Gwen.
MJ was concerned for Osborn Junior. Despite his lying and manipulative ways Osborn Junior had once been
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someone she had cared about. Old habits died hard and this situation might not be Osborn Junior's fault. "Yes," Harry sent back before thinking to Lily. "Lily, please discern what Osborn Junior is seeing and
project it to MJ, Gwen, and I." Within moments a balding man loomed over Osborn Junior and shouted, "YOU WERE THERE!"
The scene at Oscorp where Norman Osborn turned himself into the Green Goblin played out before the eyes of all present. Osborn Junior had been present that fateful day. Osborn Junior's clothing began smoldering as flames started licking across his body.
"But he wasn't exposed," MJ rebutted, referencing the original serum which had turned Norman into a monster.
"She is right," Lily confirmed. "Harry Osborn wasn't exposed that day. He was exposed recently in a hidden bunker Harry's vision led him to. The vision caused Harry to expose himself."
S.H.I.E.L.D. had been regularly checking Osborn Junior's blood to make sure the youth hadn't contracted his father's monstrosity.
"What is causing these visions?" Harry queried.
"I am still trying to determine that," Lily answered. "His psyche is very fragmented. There it is...I have found it. It would appear Norman Osborn put his son through hypnotic therapy for years to program many fail-safes into his mind. Norman wanted to control his son thoroughly. The fail-safe to dose himself with the Green Goblin serum was just the latest contingency Norman programmed in."
"Can the damage be undone?" Harry asked grimly. "Yes. But it will take time or I will permanently break his mind," Lily answered. "The level of psionic
damage here is astonishing. This cannot be rushed."
Harry did not need to tell his bio-net AI to hurry for Osborn Junior chose that moment to shift into a goblin creature.
"He's almost as big as the Hulk," MJ noted in alarm. "But he is no Hulk. Our man can take him," Gwen stated.
Flames licked across the goblins back as the creature turned and roared at Spider-Man. Spider-Man shot webbing around the goblin. The enchanted material held for all of twenty seconds against a struggling and straining goblin before the flame the goblin was putting off started burning too hot. The goblin would burn down the building and kill everyone inside. Spider-Man drug the goblin out the side of the building and lowered the creature to the road below. Traffic got out of the way and people ran screaming. MJ and Gwen revealed themselves and started getting the civilians back. The goblin's fire continued to burn hotter and brighter so Harry released the creature from the webbing. Immediately the flames died down in intensity.
When Spider-Man settled onto the roadway the goblin rushed forward and threw a jab at the superhero's face. Harry caught the thrown fist and held it. The goblin reached forward with a clawed hand and gripped Spider-Man's other shoulder. The goblin tried lifting Spider-Man up but grew confused when the superhero didn't budge. Harry was anchoring himself in spacetime. The goblin changed tactics and tried slashing his
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claws across Spider-Man's chest. Nothing happened. The claws glanced off of Spider-Man's chest as if the superhero was harder than diamond. In frustration the goblin picked up a nearby abandoned taxi-cab and smashed it down upon Spider-Man. The sound of tearing metal was heard for a mile around along with the explosion that occurred when the taxi's fuel tank was ruptured and met the flame from the goblin.
When the explosion cleared the goblin found Spider-Man unharmed and unmoving. This time when the creature threw a jab at Spider-Man the superhero caught the goblin by the wrist and arm-dragged the goblin over his shoulder. The sound of the goblin hitting the pavement hard was like thunder. The battle drug on for minute after minute with Harry countering the goblin's attacks using perfect martial arts techniques. Harry thought he did a superb job of keeping the fight contained with minimum property damage.
"Is he ever going to tire out?" MJ sent to her boyfriend.
"Yeah...I mean I know you have super-stamina, lover...but shouldn't he be exhausted by now?" Gwen added. "His bio-energy levels still have a ways to go yet before he is tired out," Harry assured. "I can go a lot longer than he can."
"You don't have to assure us, tiger," MJ assured her man.
"Ain't nobody complaining about your staying power," Gwen stated.
It was a testament to Harry's skill that he could maintain a conversation with two women and still toss the goblin around. He wasn't even tapping into Lily's abilities to do it. Harry wasn't aiming to actually even seriously harm Goblin-Osborn but more to tax the goblin's endurance. Spider-Man was relentless in his continued hits, throws, and occasional temporary bindings of the goblin. This tactic was so effective that Osborn Junior didn't have time to think up a counter. This all served to let Lily do her thing. Everything was going great until Fury flew in with a Hulk-Buster-Unit (HBU). The HBU was comprised of a team of individuals in flight-capable powered armor with some really big guns.
"Harold Osborn, stand down," Fury called over the volume enhancer of his suit. "This is a fully trained Hulk Buster Unit. You kiddo are no Hulk."
Harry used the teleporter network to transport Janet onto the scene in her Wasp uniform. "What's up, lover?" Janet asked.
Janet among Harry's lovers was one of the only women with the most experience with dealing with Nick Fury.
"I am working to disable Osborn in a way Fury cannot see. I need Nick to back off," Harry explained. "Gotcha, stud. I'll talk with him," Janet said while flying towards Fury.
MJ and Gwen were doing a wonderful job in keeping the collateral damage to a minimum. Gwen was actually repairing damaged structures already. Harry wasn't sure if Janet would have been successful in convincing Nick Fury to back off but the point became moot as Lily's efforts resulted in the goblin reverting to human form.
"Is he cured?" Nick asked as he touched down nearby. "No," Harry answered while binding Osborn Junior with webbing. "His father had him in years of hypno-
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therapy programming as a fail-safe. Norman had a fail-safe so that his son would self-dose with the serum which caused Norman to go goblin."
"Where did he get the serum?" Nick demanded.
"There is a bunker but the location is kind of scrambled in his thoughts. I can get it with time but right now I'm trying to undo the mental harm Norman has done without causing further damage," Harry explained.
"Which I imagine is quite hard to do and maintain a conversation," Janet pointed out. "Right," Fury said and stepped back.
Fury directed his HBU to maintain their aim on Osborn Junior. Janet had to suppress a smirk when she noticed that the members of the HBU were very careful not to point their weapons at Spider-Man. The entire world knew a lot of what Janet's boyfriend was capable of. Even if they didn't know everything what they did know was enough to make any sane or intelligent person fear him. Unfortunately most criminals were not intelligent and some weren't even sane.
"Talk to Federal and local and let them know what happened here. There is no need for a cover," Fury told one of his men.
"Can you give Osborn Junior control over the goblin within him?" Janet inquired, knowing her boyfriend didn't actually need to concentrate while doing his thing with telepathy.
"I could," Harry said. "But I am not sure if that is the best thing for him. Reverting him to base-line human might be better for his future."
"Fury will just try to recruit him as an operative if Osborn Junior is given control," Gwen pointed out. "True," Janet agreed.
In the end Spider-Man and company transported a sleeping Osborn Junior back to a cell at the Triskelion. The worst of the damage was cleaned up in Osborn Junior's mind and further time would be needed to clean up the rest. Nothing was going to get fixed completely that day.