Pacific Ocean, Monster Islands.
"BUZZ~"
On the coastal reefs, a circle of magical sparks flared, and Charlie arrived with Peni Parker.
"Your magic portals are super convenient, but kinda common," Peni remarked, thinking of the mysterious figure from the other night. "That guy's portal was gold."
Charlie pretended not to hear.
He glanced at the endless ocean, then turned toward the central island.
"This is the Monster Prison in the Pacific?" he asked.
Peni nodded. "Yeah, all the defeated monsters are locked up here."
Charlie thought for a moment. "What about the Atlantic?"
"What?"
"Is there a Monster Prison in the Atlantic?"
"No, there's only one Monster Prison."
"Alright, so this is the real deal."
Charlie looked at Peni. "No one can know we were here. Can you keep it secret?"
"Not even Aunt May and Uncle Ben?"
"No, it's for their own good."
"Got it."
"Good. Let's move."
"Alright."
Peni mimicked Charlie, slapping the Pym Disc onto her palm. Light flashed, and the world around her expanded visibly.
Blue sky, white clouds, earth, reefs, waves, sand…
In an instant, Peni snapped back to reality, finding herself on a massive, craggy boulder.
The sky was gray, the air thick with moisture and dust. Sand and grit whipped by the wind pelted down, the scene overwhelming Peni with awe.
"What's this?"
"Pym Tech. We've shrunk to ant size. In this state, no one will notice us sneaking into the Monster Prison," Charlie explained.
Peni's big eyes blinked, her face lighting up with excitement.
"So cool!"
She couldn't stop marveling.
A strange noise came from behind the boulder, and a menacing giant claw slowly emerged from a crevice.
"CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH~"
Peni turned slowly, meeting the greedy, bloodthirsty gaze of a massive crab monster.
Sure, these things were cute at normal size.
But as a "monster," it was a different story.
Peni's scalp tingled, her smile frozen.
"Uncle Charlie, can I still pilot my mech like this?"
"I told you, don't call me uncle."
Charlie shrugged, then waved a hand.
"BOOM!!"
The "earth" shook as the red-and-blue spider grew massive, landing with a thunderous crash. Dazzling red-and-blue magic erupted, a radiant web streaking across the sky like a magical rainbow.
As the rainbow flashed, the crab, rivaling a monster in size, was shredded into fragments by a terrifying, nuclear-like energy blast.
"KABOOM!!"
The explosion scattered floating dust, hurling boulders from the epicenter. Peni's mind reeled with the illusion that the world itself might collapse.
Before she could process it, Charlie yanked her into a crevice.
"WHOOSH~~"
A violent gust tore across the ground, howling through the valley. Peni curled up in a corner, face full of fear.
Charlie offered no comfort.
"How's that for thrilling?"
Peni realized it wasn't the apocalypse.
"That was too thrilling."
She exhaled slowly. "Even a tiny crab can become a monster and cause trouble. At this size, it'll take days to reach the Monster Prison, and any random creature could eat us."
"You forgot—invincible Spider-Man knows magic."
Charlie grinned, drawing a circle of sparking magic.
"What're you standing there for? Let's go!"
"Right, right."
Through the portal, they landed on a massive leaf.
On this tree, vast as a mythical World Tree, giant webs obscured the sky. A monstrous spider lurked nearby.
"BUZZ~"
A mosquito, like a fighter jet, buzzed overhead, crashing into the web. The spider monster mercilessly claimed its life.
Peni adjusted to this microscopic world.
She pointed at a towering structure in the distance. "That's the Monster Prison's entrance. Portal in?"
Charlie shook his head. "Never been there. Can't open a portal to a place I don't know."
"Then how'd you portal near the Monster Prison?"
"I saw it. Got a mental image."
"Alright, how do we get in?"
Peni spread her hands. "I can't shoot webs, so are you carrying me?"
"You're calling me uncle, so carrying you would be inappropriate. People might get the wrong idea."
Charlie beckoned, and the small spider dropped from the sky.
"Get on."
Charlie leaped onto the spider's back, pulling Peni up.
"Wow, no spider hair on its back," Peni marveled.
Charlie grinned. "It's got even better tricks."
The spider's usual "chitter chitter" had become a "GAH GAH GAH."
"BOOM~"
The spider lunged to the ground, darting through the jungle.
Peni clung to Charlie to avoid being flung off.
"Its trick is parkour?" she shouted over the wind.
"No, web-swinging."
"What?"
As Peni yelped, the spider, nearing the tower, leaped. With a flick of its rear, it shot a web, swinging effortlessly into the tower.
"CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH~~"
On the weathered stone walls, the spider raced, dodging patrolling "giants," and soon found the underground passage entrance.
In the elevator, the spider crawled onto a giant's pant leg, hitching a ride downward.
"THUD~"
The elevator jolted, the world trembling.
On the spider's back, Peni's tension turned to excitement.
"This is awesome. I wanna do this again."
"Peni, with great power comes great responsibility," Charlie said sternly. "If you're gonna play, play big."
Peni: "…"
She thought she was in for a lecture.
"Right, I'll play big," she said, flashing a bright smile.
From childhood, everyone told her to be exceptional, to save the world, to defeat evil monsters, to never let anyone down.
She'd sacrificed all her time, rarely having fun.
But now, someone told her Spider-Man could have personal time.
Having another Spider-Man to play with was the best thing ever.
"Want some?" She pulled bubblegum from her pocket, offering it to Charlie.
Her way of making friends.
Charlie popped it in his mouth. "Orange flavor, nice. Eating this since you were a kid, no cavities?"
Peni sighed. "Only candy makes me happy."
Charlie smacked her head.
"No getting sappy."
Peni: "…"
"Got it," she said, rubbing her head. After a second of sulking, she smiled again.
"Uncle Charlie, you're even cooler than before."
"What?"
"I said you're cooler than before."
"What's that mean?"
"Uh, just that I'm happy hanging out with you."
Charlie's mind drifted.
After school, on the way home.
"Stop following me, alright? I'm pissed, and if you keep it up, I'll deck you!" young Charlie snapped, glaring at young Mary Jane, raising a fist.
Mary Jane shrank back but grabbed his sleeve tightly.
"No, I'm sticking with you. I don't have other friends."
"Ugh!"
Charlie shook her off, face dark. "Stop bugging me. I really will hit you."
He raised a newspaper, wailing to the sky.
"Why, God, why? My allowance!"
He was frantic.
As a transmigrator, the Marvel world differed from reality, but buying Stark Industries stock was a sure bet.
When Stark Industries became an industry leader, even his small allowance could make a fortune.
Not enough for financial freedom, but a nice chunk.
But fate was cruel.
He'd hustled at school to scrape together some cash, planning to break into the stock market while Tony hadn't yet turned Stark Industries around.
But Uncle Ben caught him using Aunt May's identity to trade stocks.
His allowance was halved, crushing his financial dreams.
The Wolf of Wall Street was leashed like a Shiba Inu.
Being a minor was his harshest punishment.
Worse, his allowance never lasted past a day.
Unspent money vanished the next day in bizarre ways.
A tragic tale.
Now, the newspaper announced Stark Industries' military contract, stocks soaring—none of it his.
Charlie was livid.
He decided: tomorrow, he'd set up a stall selling herbal pills!
With his innocent look, no one would doubt their "potency."
His mood lightened, a smile creeping in.
Seeing him smile, Mary Jane's nervous face relaxed.
She grabbed his sleeve again. "I'm hungry."
"Alright, let's eat at home."
Charlie didn't shake her off this time, leading her home.
"Stop following me all the time. Make friends with other kids."
"No, I don't wanna play with them. It's fun with you."
"Haha, can't blame you. I'm too awesome. Even a kid like you can see it and worship me. Extra chicken leg for you tonight."
At the door, Charlie knocked.
Aunt May, cooking, opened it.
"Oh, my sweet Charlie's back, and Mary too. Come in, dinner's almost ready."
"May, her name's Mary Jane, not Mary," Charlie corrected.
Aunt May pinched his cheek. "Little Charlie, Mary's more friendly."
"No, that makes it harder to shake her off."
"Why?"
"Just a feeling."
—
"THUD~"
The elevator jolted again, snapping Charlie out of his reverie.
"Weird, only old folks reminisce. What's my deal?"
He shook his head. As the elevator doors opened, he patted the spider's back.
"Keep going."
"GAH GAH GAH"
"SWOOSH~"
In the underground base, the spider swung through. Massive monster bodies, bound by special mechanical arms, were scanned by instruments.
"This is the Monster Prison. These monsters are Osborn's research subjects. Uncle Norman says they'll benefit humanity," Peni said.
She caught Charlie's gaze and turned. Charlie quickly looked at the monsters.
"Big monsters," he remarked.
Peni narrowed her eyes. "You were staring at me."
"Nope," Charlie shook his head.
"You totally were."
"I said no."
Charlie said seriously, "Overconfidence is a disease. You need a hospital."
"Was it my imagination?" Peni's confidence wavered.
"Of course. Ever heard of the three great illusions?"
"No."
"Good, me neither."
Charlie signaled the spider to climb the nearest monster.
He'd almost suspected Mary Jane's soul was in Peni based on one phrase.
Too hasty.
Mephisto's smoke screen, for sure.
Noticing Peni grabbing his sleeve, Charlie's face darkened.
"What're you doing?"
"I'm nervous," Peni said, taking a deep breath.
Charlie rubbed his brow. "Keep this up, and I'll smack you."
"Hmph, stingy."
As the spider climbed the monster's body, each green scale triggered Peni's memories.
"This is the Lizard Monster. Three years ago, I defeated it, and it was sent here. Didn't expect its severed arm to grow back."
Charlie jumped off the spider, kneeling and pressing his palm to a rough scale.
"BUZZ~"
Red-and-blue magic flared, totem power surging. A vast, ethereal figure rose, majestic like an ancient god.
Charlie: "…"
What a huge soul.
"What're you doing?" Peni asked curiously.
She couldn't see the soul but felt the air grow cold.
Charlie shook his head. "Nothing."
He gazed at the massive human soul, thoughtful.
As expected, like Otto's soul in the Octopus Monster, the Lizard Monster held Professor Connors' soul.
These monsters were mutated humans!