Miguel O'Hara: Epilogue - Man of the Future, Back in Time
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Fwip!
While Miguel had half expected to find himself transported back to his native time of the year 2099, a part of him was admittedly a bit relieved to find himself back in the primitive time of 2014 instead, where he had been stranded previously. He couldn't exactly explain why, but perhaps he didn't really need to. He just plainly had unfinished business here with the people of this time, and he couldn't just disappear back to the future without any warning.
Of course, this meant that he'd have to find his own way back to his native time, short of another chance encounter with the Doctor, but the way things go in this world, the hero was sure that wouldn't take too long, whether by his own doing or by the greater fates that be.
But... as Miguel swung through the streets of the Big Apple, it didn't take long for him to realize something was just
off.
At first, it was just the little things, but they quickly built up into bigger things. People and places were different. The reactions people had to Miguel swinging around felt off, different. Companies and corporations had slightly different names, or simply didn't exist at all. At first, he had to wonder if the entire timeline had been disrupted by his absence or whatnot, but that wouldn't have accounted for everything.
With an uneasy breath, Miguel landed on a rooftop, perching over the edge to look over the city. He needed a moment to process everything, but just before the answer could dawn on him, it slapped him in the face instead, in the form of an unfamiliar voice behind him.
"You lost or something, my man?"
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Gwen Stacy, also known as Spider-Woman, clung onto a nearby wall not too far from Miguel's position, looking down toward him with a furrowed brow underneath her mask.
Miguel turned around, his body tensing up as if about to spring into action, until instead freezing up as he saw the unfamiliar woman before him. Miguel was no stranger to the sight of another spider superhero; after all, last thing he knew, he
was stranded in the Age of Heroes with his own namesake, Peter Parker, but... this woman was obviously not him.
"Uh... Yeah. I think I am," Miguel said dryly, standing up to face her.
"Not to sound, uh... chauvinistic or anything, but I take it there's no Spider-Man in town?"
"Wow, okay. Amazing. That's literally the first thing you say to me?"
"No, no, I mean that's how it was here last time I checked! You know, guy who doesn't really stop talking, dripped in red and blue, that guy. Or did he get a new sidekick while I was gone?"
Gwen clicked her tongue in audible irritation, before hopping off the wall onto her feet.
"Okay, first off, I'm no one's sidekick. I'll have you know I've fought baddies from other dimensions on like, three separate occasions! I'm a pretty big deal here, you know!"
"Hey, so have I. Just got back from another dimension myself! Doesn't seem like you've got much to brag about," Miguel remarked half facetiously.
"Second," Gwen continued, deciding to ignore Miguel's slight, but also taking note of his casual giveaway that he has allegedly been to another dimension and back now,
"... Okay, I think I see what the problem is now. That Spider-Man you're talking about. Are you thinking of Peter Parker by any chance?"
Miguel froze for a moment. He didn't want to spill Parker's secret identity so fast, but then again, there was no need for pretense if she already knew the truth.
"Uh... Yeah, that's right. What's the deal?"
Gwen let out a soft sigh, a twinge of sadness laced in her voice.
"Well, sorry to say, but... In this dimension, Peter's long gone. I'm the only spider hero here," she said with a wide shrug.
"So if you recognize Peter as a Spider-Man, then... I'm pretty sure you're actually looking for the dimension next door. Sorry."
"Oh..." Miguel put his masked face in his hands, letting out a long exhale as the dots were connected for him. The Doctor had taken him back to the right time, but the entirely wrong dimension!
"Shock it all to Hell!"
Hopefully, it wouldn't take half as long to get back to his dimension as it was taking to get back to his time. But knowing the luck of Spider-Man, no matter who it was, things never went as planned.
