Spiderling

“Hi, Loki,” Peter greets.

Loki looks up, setting his book aside. “Hello, Peter.”

As they chat, Peter occasionally steps away to attend to customers, but Loki remains, content to observe the bustling café. After a couple of hours, Loki rises from his seat, signaling the end of their conversation. Peter bids him farewell before returning to his duties. This routine continues once a week, solidifying their unlikely friendship.

______________________

As Loki closes his book, Peter hesitates before speaking up.

“Mr. Loki, can you help me?” Peter asks, his tone uncertain.

Loki arches an eyebrow. “With what exactly?”

Peter places a small chocolate dessert on the table, along with a fork. “We want to add this to our menu, but we need a taste tester. Would you mind giving it a try?”

Loki regards the dessert with mild interest before taking a bite. His eyes widen ever so slightly in surprise.

“It’s… fine, I suppose,” Loki remarks casually.

Peter’s face lights up. “Really? Could you try something else?” he asks eagerly, gesturing to another dessert.

Loki chuckles, amused by Peter’s enthusiasm. “Of course.”

As Loki continues to sample the desserts, Peter watches with a mixture of anticipation and delight, grateful for Loki’s unexpected willingness to assist.

—————————

One day, as Loki lingered longer than usual, the duo strolled through the city streets. The street lights shone brightly as the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the empty street. Unable to contain his curiosity, Peter spoke up. “Mr. Loki?”

“Yes, spiderling?” Loki replied, glancing at Peter with mild interest.

“Why did you stay longer today?” Peter asked, his brow furrowing.

Loki paused, looking thoughtful. “I suppose I simply lost track of time,” he admitted with a casual shrug.

“Huh… well, thanks for the piggyback ride, Mr. Loki,” Peter said, breaking into a wide smile.

“You’re welcome, spiderling. Although, you really should be more careful. Most people don’t jump off seven stories and expect to be fine,” Loki teased, a smirk playing on his lips.

“I know i tough with my "abilities" i would be okay… but couldn’t you just use your magic?” Peter asked, tilting his head.

“I’ve told you, I prefer not to waste my magic on trivial matters,” Loki explained, sounding slightly amused.

“Oh, okay!” Peter replied, nodding as if it all made perfect sense.

___

One day, after weeks of playful banter and growing camaraderie, Peter finally convinced Loki to take him on an adventure across the multiverse.

With a mischievous glint in his eye, Loki relented, deciding to show Peter the wonders and dangers that lay beyond their own dimension. Standing in the back room of Parker’s Web Café, Loki began to weave his magic. Emerald sparks danced around his fingers as he traced intricate patterns in the air. Peter watched in awe, his excitement barely contained.

“Ready, Spiderling?” Loki asked, a smirk tugging at his lips.

“Absolutely,” Peter replied, his voice brimming with anticipation.

With a flourish, Loki completed the spell, and a shimmering portal materialized before them. The swirling vortex of colors seemed to pulse with energy, beckoning them to step through.

“Where does it lead?” Peter asked, eyes wide with curiosity.

Loki grinned. “To a place both familiar and strange. Welcome to Gotham City.”

Taking a deep breath, Peter followed Loki through the portal. As they emerged on the other side, the air grew colder and the sky darker. Gotham City sprawled before them, its towering skyscrapers casting long shadows over the gritty streets below. The distant wail of sirens and the hum of city life filled the air.

Peter looked around, his senses heightened. “This place… it’s like something out of a comic book.”

“Indeed,” Loki replied, his eyes scanning their surroundings. “This city has its own share of heroes and villains. Keep your wits about you, Spiderling. Gotham is not for the faint of heart.”

As they ventured deeper into the city, Peter couldn’t help but marvel at the towering architecture and the sense of foreboding that hung in the air. They had only just begun their adventure, but Peter knew that with Loki by his side, the possibilities were endless.

And so, their journey through the multiverse started, with Gotham City as the first of many strange and wondrous destinations.

___

As Loki and Peter strolled the night streets, Peter’s ears pricked up at an unusual sound.

“Loki, do you hear that?” Peter asked.

“No, actually… in the alley, are you referring to that?” Loki replied.

“Yeah…” Peter began to move toward the alley when a distressed furry blob leaped out. It was a furry, with black eyes. The blob landed on Peter’s head, gazing back into the alley.

Out of the shadows emerged a large, muscular bat-like creature, its prominent wings flaring menacingly. With sharp claws, fangs, and glowing eyes, its dark fur-covered body was an imposing sight. A man clad in a black cloak pursued it, oblivious to Loki and Peter’s presence. The two stepped aside as the man finally ensnared the bat creature in a net.

As Batman departed with the captured creature, Peter couldn’t help but voice his confusion. “Well, that was weird,” he said.

“I was thinking the same thing,” Loki replied, his tone reflecting their shared bewilderment.

Exchanging glances, Peter and Loki remained momentarily speechless, the surreal encounter with Batman leaving them in stunned silence.

“What do you suppose that was about?” Peter finally broke the silence, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Loki shrugged, his expression contemplative. “Gotham’s nightlife has always been peculiar. But even for this city, that was strange.”

“Well, I guess he has it covered. Wanna go to the mall?” Peter suggested, eager to move on from the bizarre encounter.

“Sure,” Loki agreed, falling into step beside Peter as they began to walk away.

___

Before they could make much headway, an explosion followed by maniacal laughter pierced the night, reigniting their curiosity. Without hesitation, they pivoted towards the source, drawn once more by Gotham’s unpredictable allure.

Arriving on the scene, they beheld a fierce clash between Batman and his allies against the Joker, Harley Quinn, and a cadre of villains. Peter’s anticipation bubbled up as he observed the chaos unfolding. “This is going to be interesting,” he murmured, his eyes fixed on the tumultuous spectacle.

“Indeed,” Loki concurred, a sly smile playing on his lips.

From the concealment of shadows, Peter and Loki watched as the battle escalated. Batman executed precise strikes, swiftly neutralizing foes, while the bat-like allies provided crucial backup. The Joker’s unmistakable laughter cut through the chaos, a chilling reminder of his twisted nature.

Peter’s spider-sense tingled with urgency as he surveyed the scene. “We should lend a hand.”

Loki raised an eyebrow, his skepticism evident. “And how do you propose we do that without revealing ourselves?”

Peter’s grin widened beneath his mask. “Simple. We stay in the shadows.”

With resolve, Peter shot a web towards a nearby rooftop, propelling himself into action. Not to be outdone, Loki tapped into his magic, shrouding himself in an illusion that seamlessly melded with the darkness.

Peter moved with agility, methodically incapacitating thugs and removing them from the fray. His movements flowed like a graceful dance, evading detection with ease. Meanwhile, Loki utilized his magic to sow chaos among the villains, diverting their attention and causing disarray. Harley swung her mallet at what appeared to be Batman, only for it to pass through thin air as Loki’s illusion dissolved.

The Joker, sensing the tide of the battle shifting against him, snarled in frustration. “What’s going on here?!” he bellowed, his frantic gaze darting around in search of the elusive adversaries lurking in the shadows.

Batman, momentarily puzzled by the unexpected aid, wasted no time capitalizing on the opportunity. With the villains thrown off balance, he swiftly subdued Harley with a precisely aimed Batarang before focusing his attention on the Joker.

Sensing the shift in momentum, Loki and Peter exchanged a subtle nod from their concealed positions. Their intervention had served its purpose, and it was prudent to depart before attracting unwanted scrutiny.

As the last of the villains were brought to heel, Peter rejoined Loki’s side. “Do you think he noticed us?” Peter whispered, barely audible over the chaos.

Loki’s smirk hinted at his confidence. “most likely, I doubt he’ll begrudge us the assistance.”

They observed in silence as Batman efficiently bound the Joker. The distant wail of sirens heralded the imminent arrival of Gotham PD.

“We should make ourselves scarce,” Peter suggested. “Before we become the center of attention.”