We landed in what looked like a field of darkness. I held Tandy tight as we landed on the ground, hard. I got the full force of the landing while Tandy sat safe in my arms.
I groaned and looked around, we were...nowhere. This doesn't make any sense, it was like darkness was the only thing that ruled this world. Darkness forever, except the place immediately around us. And that was because Tandy was glowing like the sun.
I looked down at her, the crescent moon around her right eye glowed brightly. I think that was a representation of her power.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
She looked up and looked around, "w-where are we?"
"I think it's another dimension," I replied as I let her go, "can you stand up on your own?"
She looked down and nodded, "yes, I," she stopped as she looked at me, "oh my God, you're Spider-man!"
I chuckled, "ah yeah, I am. Hi."
"Ep! I'm actually talking to you! The real Spider-man!" Tandy cried out, sounding very very excited.
"Yeah well if you want maybe we can chat afterwards," I got on my feet and offered her a hand, "after we find a way out of here yeah?"
Tandy nodded, "r-right," she got up and looked around, "b-but how are we going to leave? I-I can't see any exit."
I was about to speak up when I spotted some of the shadows slowly move. It came creeping forward and suddenly it shot out, grabbing onto Tandy's legs.
"KYA!" she cried out in terror as suddenly the tendril pulled her off her feet and dragged her away.
"I got you," I yelled as I grabbed her hand and pulled her back. I then released my stingers and swiped at the shadow, somehow this time they managed to actually hurt the damn shadow. It immediately coiled and ran away, rushing back into the darkness behind.
I looked at my hand, I felt energy seep into it. I looked at Tandy, "are you okay?"
She looked shaken, but she nodded, "y-yes. Thank you."
I nodded and looked around, there was nothing around, and yet...this entire place felt off. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to focus.
"H-hey, are you okay?" Tandy asked.
"Yes...just give me a second," I replied as I focused and slowly I felt my eyes gather energy into them. I opened them up and viewed the world as webs. I looked out into the darkness and found none. No webs, nothing. And then, I looked at Tandy. And I gasped.
Glowing white threads seeping out of her body, it was like she was making them. They seeped out of her body in droves, the light she produced — it was a part of her. And I looked at our hands joined together, the white webs slowly moved from her to me, surrounding me and my claws.
I realised immediately that this was why I could cut the shadows. Tandy's light, it made them vulnerable. Of course, light and dark, a balance...and I broke it.
I felt guilt hit me. Tyrone...he went mad because Dagger wasn't there to help him...oh my God...I did this. I caused all of this. I have to fix this, I just had to.
"Hey," Tandy suddenly spoke, startling me out of my thoughts, "are you okay?"
I blinked, "ah...yeah. Yes, I'm fine...we have to figure out a way out of here. Can you...are you able to control your powers?"
"Powers? What powers?" Tandy asked confused.
"Ah...you know...those light dagger things?"
"Wait...I made those?!" Tandy gasped, "but I thought that just came out from him!"
"Ah...you do know you're technically glowing right?" I pointed at her body and for the first time ever Tandy looked down at herself and gasped.
"What the hell?!" she cried out, "how is this happening?!"
"I'm not really sure," I replied, humming, "but for now we have to focus on one thing, getting the hell out of here. And we can't do that without your abilities. So you in?"
She looked conflicted but slowly nodded, "y-yeah. But...where do we go? I can't see anything."
I held up a finger and focused, using Web Sight to look around, hoping to see something, anything that could help us. And then, I noticed it. A small thin line traveling from us, to the darkness outside. It was small, so small I wouldn't have noticed it, if Tandy's light hadn't been there to shine on it.
"This way," I told her as I squeezed her hand, guiding her by following the thread. Of course there wasn't a guarantee there would be anything at the end of this thread, but then again something that existed where nothing exists should be something, right?
We walked in silence, I could smell Tandy getting nervous. "So..." she began, "do you like...know where we are?"
I hummed, "I'm not sure but...I think it's someplace called the Darkforce," I remembered what Cloak called it before he consumed us, "I think it's another dimension but...I'm not sure...it feels like...nothing to be honest."
"I see...but what was that thing that tried to take me?" Tandy asked, "it looked alive to me."
"That was the world itself," I told her, "it seems this world wants the light you produce. Remember? He said he was hungry...I'm guessing he wanted to feed on you."
"Ep," she squeaked, squeezing my hand harder.
I chuckled, "relax, you're safe. Apparently, you're also the only one who can hurt these things. So even if something happens to me, you'll be safe."
"Don't say that!" Tandy snapped, "if something happens to you then I'll be all alone!"
"I just meant-"
"-No, if we get out of here we're doing it together!" She said with a steel in her voice I didn't expect.
I chuckled, "alright light girl, have it your way."
"T-Tandy," she spoke.
"Hmm?"
"My name, it's Tandy. Tandy Bowen."
No, your name is Dagger...why didn't I know this? Why? How could I forget? "Hi Tandy, I'm Spider-man," I nodded, "now, let's focus on getting out of here yeah?"
"Yeah," she nodded.
We continued to walk for some time, but slowly Tandy began to get tired. At first she didn't mention anything, just kept quiet. But soon enough the silence got to her and she spoke, "how do you even know where to go?"
"I'm able to see some form of energy in here," I told her, "it's the only kind in here other than you, so I'm hoping it'll lead somewhere."
"Ah...right," she replied. Once again silence, we kept walking for a while. And then, after ten minutes she spoke again, "so...do you think the guy who took us is around here somewhere? Waiting for us?"
"Hm, possible," I replied, "but I doubt that."
"I see...I hope Harry's okay," Tandy whispered.
I chuckled, "don't worry, I'm sure your boyfriend is just fine."
"He's not my boyfriend," she replied.
"Oh? You both were in the park at Valentine's Day in the evening. And you aren't dating?"
"It's-it's not like that!" she replied, "it's just...he's a friend."
"I see…." I hummed, "well why were you spending the most romantic day of the year with a friend?"
"Because the guy who I wanted to ask out is a total coward," Tandy spat.
I did a double take, "WHAT?!" she flinched in shock. I quickly cleared my throat, "I-I mean, what?"
"Ah...well, it's just that I'm pretty sure he skipped an entire week of school just because he didn't want to talk to me," she sighed, "I'm sure he knows I like him...he's not that stupid. But...I mean, he just left...for an entire week, just because he didn't want anyone to ask him out."
"That's kind of arrogant don't you think?" I suggested as we continued to walk, "I mean, are you sure that's the case? There was no other reason he left?"
"Well, he did say something about a conference but I think he lied," Tandy grumbled, "I actually spoke to a couple of his friends, apparently his ex and him were close and he's still hung up over her. They think he's just not ready to move on."
I blinked. Liz and MJ thought I was still hung up on Felicia? Well...I am, but not that much...nowadays Jean is more likely to be in my dreams than Felicia...damn...I never realised that until now.
I sighed, "well...whatever it is, maybe you should just ask him?"
Tandy huffed, "as if. That guy..." she growled, "he's impossible! He's like the sweetest kindest person in the world, but the moment you try to get close to him, he shuts you out. No argument, no debate, he just stops. I actually lived in his house, and then after I moved out he just stopped talking to me, you know?! Just like that, one moment it's 'here, you can use my bed' and the next it's, 'bye! See you forever!'. It's impossible!"
I gave a nervous laugh, "sounds like a complex guy."
We continued to walk and talk and then, slowly, the web thread we were following began to grow bigger and bigger until it began to move upwards into the air.
Immediately I stopped. "Why did you stop?" Tandy asked. I followed the thread and sure enough, high above us, was a tear in space which displayed New York, or rather Central Park.
"There," I said, pointing at the portal.
"That's New York!" Tandy said excitedly, "we have to get there! But...it's too far!" It was at least 40 feet above us.
"I can do it," I told her, "all you have to do is climb on and-" my spider sense blared, "-duck!" I grabbed her and rolled, just as a tendril of darkness came crashing down like a whip on where we were just standing.
We rolled and quickly got to our feet. I had one hand on Tandy and spun my other hand, creating a magical circle that shot out several whips of Vastha that struck the darkness and sliced off pieces of it.
But soon more tendrils began to form. I held onto Tandy and threw my hand forward, using the whips to cut away the darkness, cutting off pieces, but they just kept coming faster and faster.
And then one got me. It came flying from my blind spot, my spidey senses warned me, but if I had moved then Tandy would have gotten hurt. So I stayed, instead I pushed Tandy away, just as the darkness collided into my side like a car.
I was sent flying through the air, "Spider-man!" I heard Tandy cry out. I landed on my side hard, but I managed to flip over and land on my feet. I looked up and saw the darkness coming for me, I swiped at it, but my claws didn't cut it. Without Tandy's light, the darkness was unstoppable.
"Fuck!" I cried out as it grabbed onto my legs. I created a magic circle to form a shield, but the darkness just ate the magic whole. I kept struggling, but like quicksand, the more I struggled, the faster it swallowed me.
I was on my knees, the darkness was covering my entire body. I turned to Tandy, she was frozen still. I could see the portal above her, I knew I had to make a choice. I could die, but I had to save that girl.
"Sexy, detach suit! I give Tandy Bowen access to all its functions!" I brought my claws on myself and cut the material just above my hips where the darkness had yet to absorb. The top half, now free, expanded itself. I lifted it over my head and removed the helmet. I threw them both at Tandy.
"Put them on!" I cried out as slowly the darkness began to swallow me, seeping over my naked abdomen and chest.
"P-Peter?!" Tandy gasped in shock at seeing my face.
"Tandy! Put the damn suit on!" I cried out, the darkness now grabbed my arms and immobilized them, "put it on and fly! Use the repulsors on the palms! The helmet will teach you! Do it!"
Tandy looked shaken, stunned, "Peter!"
"Fly! Leave me!" I felt the darkness around me swallow my head. I felt my life slowly being drained away. I see, the darkness...it had a symbiotic nature to it. I suppose I deserve this...I...I was such a fool...I caused all of this….I deserve-
"PETER!" And there was light.
The darkness exploded off of my body. It had been melted off, and standing before me like an angel of light was Tandy, once more fully embracing the light, in her hands my torn suit and helmet.
And then, she collapsed onto the ground.
"Tandy," I whispered as I ran to her side, picking her up and holding her in my arms, "are you okay?"
"I-I think so," she muttered as her eyes began to focus again. She looked at me, "Peter...is that really you?"
I sighed, "yeah...it's me," I looked around, the darkness was seeping away, "I think we're safe for now, can you stand?"
"I-I think," she replied. I helped her up and slowly her eyes went down, fixed on my abs, "wow."
"Excuse me?" I raised an eyebrow.
"I mean-ah..." she blinked and then suddenly, I saw realization strike her, "you're Spider-man?"
I sighed, "yeah, I am," I grabbed the top half of my costume and slipped it on. The costume shrunk and squeezed me tight, though there was an obvious separation between my top half and bottom. I sighed, damn...looks like it's time for a new suit.
"You're Spider-man?!" Tandy said again, as if only by repeating it could it become real.
I nodded, "yes...and I told you to run," I picked up the helmet and put it on.
"I wasn't going to leave you!" Tandy cried out.
I was silent, I then sighed, "you should have." 'I deserve this…'
"No, she shouldn't have...this is not a fate anyone deserves," a new voice called out. Immediately Tandy and I were on alert. I grabbed her hand and drew out my claws. Immediately we spotted a guy walking towards us, a guy very familiar.
"He's back!" Tandy cried out. I grew worried, this wasn't good, he had the home field advantage. I jumped in front of Tandy to protect her, my hand holding hers tightly, afraid to let go, or else we were both dead.
Tyrone however didn't move or say anything. He just stood there, observing us, and in turn I observed him. He wore a brown hoodie and torn jeans. He looked...tired, and unwell. He looked nothing like the monster that brought us here...something was off.
"You're the real one aren't you?" I asked in realisation, "that thing out there...it took over your body somehow...you're the real one."
"What?" Tandy blinked, clearly confused.
Tyrone just nodded, "you're right...my name is...I...I'm not sure….I think it was T...T something...Tyson? No...that's not it…" he stared off into the distance, thinking to himself.
I gulped, "what happened to you?"
He seemingly understood that. He looked up at the portal, we cautiously followed his eyes and saw images flash by, the portal serving as a sort of viewing screen to Tyrone's memories.
I saw him walking inside an alley, I saw him starving, I saw him steal from someone to feed himself, and then I saw him lured into a shelter for the homeless. People offered him a place to sleep and something to eat. But one bite of the food they gave, and Tyrone was out.
"Tyrone..." he muttered, "that's it...that's my name..."
We continued to watch. We saw him wake up in a lab surrounded by people in white coats. He tried to escape, but he couldn't. He was stuck there. The place was dingy, creepy even. The people there pumped him full of drugs. I saw a familiar blue liquid being used on him, and then the image changed.
"This will activate whatever latent mutant gene you have stored up in your body," the man who said this had a British accent. The image cleared up, I saw a bald man with a strong jawline staring down at Tyrone, "this is going to hurt."
I recognised him, "Franchise," the guy Deadpool was trying to kill...Cloak was being experimented on by the same people! The ones who kidnapped people and turned them into weapons!
I saw Tyrone being tortured every day, electrocuted, drowned, cut apart. Tandy gasped, I saw tears in her eyes as she grabbed onto my shoulder, squeezing it tight.
And then the image changed. One day, when Tyrone was being taken for more of his special treatment...he snapped. He charged, angry, people tried to stop him, but they couldn't. And then, he changed.
He exploded into shadows, they came pouring out of him, slicing people apart, swallowing them whole. Almost instinctively he grabbed the sheet they used as his bedspread and wrapped it around himself, forming his namesake cloak.
The guards had to be called in, mutants with their own special powers. They managed to beat Tyrone into the ground, one with sharp talons moved to kill him.
"Stop!" I looked up to see Ajax smiling down at him, "he's perfect. Seal him up, we'll have a buyer ready for him soon."
And then, Tyrone did the impossible. He allowed the shadows to eat him, teleporting away. The next moment he was in New York, walking through it, staggering around. I saw him walk in the shadows, starving, hurting.
And then...one night, he couldn't take it anymore. His hunger grew too much. I looked over, Tyrone showed the first sign of emotion since I met him — regret. It flowed out of him like water. He felt sorry for what was about to happen.
A beggar came out, he saw the starving Tyrone and fed him scraps he managed to wrangle up. But it wasn't enough. Tyrone was still hungry, the shadows were still hungry. They exploded out and latched onto the beggar, the man was pulled kicking and screaming, before getting swallowed whole.
Soon more people followed. I counted each death, burning them into my mind. I caused this. Without Dagger to sate his hunger he just kept eating. Fifteen people died. He ate and ate until...he found her.
He was attracted to her scent, the light she gave off, even before her powers activated, it was like a beacon for him. And that is how we found ourselves here.
"You're a monster," Tandy gasped in shock.
Tyrone hung his head, "I know."
"No," I snapped, "he's not. He's not a monster. He's just...he can't control his powers, that's all."
"I killed fifteen people."
"Because you didn't know how to stop!" I cried out, "those men that turned you into this, they're to blame! Not you!"
"Why are you so adamant that I'm not the monster you see before you?" Tyrone asked.
"Because…." I spoke slowly, "if you are...then this world has no place for people like us. I'm not saying you're guiltless Tyrone...no, but...you deserve a chance at the very least to make things right."
He looked at me, sad eyes and a defeated smile, "you know...you're kind of a nice guy...it's sad, we might have been friends in another life."
My spidey senses hit me hard. I immediately grabbed Tandy and leaped, just in time to avoid a huge tendril of shadows that almost crushed us.
"Tandy, hold on!" I told her as I created a whip of Vastha and cut into the shadows, Tandy's light reinforcing my magic.
"Girl," Tyrone called out, "you can do it...your powers...it's like mine...but deadly. Please...stop me before I kill someone again," he whispered, though his voice carried out to us both.
"No Tyrone! There's still time! Let me help you! Please!" I begged, but just then, the entire world moved against us. Suddenly we were both wrapped around in an arm of darkness and raised into the air.
"Please...I don't want to die a monster," he begged as the arm shoved us out of his realm.
There was a flash of light as suddenly we found ourselves flying out of a cloak and landing in a heap in Central Park.