Peter (Earth-616) said goodbye to Aunt May early in the morning, holding the few dollar coins she gave him for bus fare and a bag of cookies and pastries she had rushed to bake as a gift for Miles's family. He boarded a public bus heading toward Brooklyn.
The coins were for the fare. The baked goods were a thoughtful gift from Aunt May after learning he was visiting Miles's family.
Before leaving, Peter had contacted Miles using the communication device on his web-shooter. Miles was delighted to hear from him. Last night, when Miles got home, his mother hadn't scolded him; she had simply talked to him. After the huge event, Miles had matured greatly, recognizing his parents' struggles and better understanding their worries. This was a welcome development.
Perhaps it was a matter of habit. Despite the chaos of yesterday—the dimensional warping, the earthquakes, and the massive explosions—the streets of Brooklyn were busy with people again today. Office workers rushed along with their morning coffee and bagels... likely driven by the pressure of mortgage payments.
Honestly, since starting his internship and moving to that Martian observation base in the Gobi Desert, Peter hadn't felt this kind of vibrant, everyday human life in a long time. At the Martian observation base, everyone ate in a communal cafeteria.
But there were very few people in the base to begin with, and even during mealtime, the cafeteria was sparsely populated—in short, it was terribly dull. The entire base just felt cold and sterile.
"Hey, Peter!" After Peter stepped off the bus, he hadn't stood long before he was spotted by Miles, who was waiting by the roadside. Miles waved vigorously and jumped high into the air. He was worried Peter wouldn't see him. —Of course, the "jumping high" was relative to a normal person; otherwise, he could easily jump several stories. The boy's jumping ability was stronger than the other Spider-People; the spider that bit him might have been a jumping spider. The silly kid is learning how to conceal himself. Peter was somewhat pleased.
"Here, these are little cookies and cakes baked by Aunt May herself. You're in for a treat," Peter handed the bag to Miles.
Miles grinned as he took it: "Uncle Aaron is coming today too!" "You invited him?" "Yep! Even though my mom isn't too fond of Uncle Aaron, Dad is always happy to see him. Besides, Uncle Aaron isn't working for Kingpin anymore, right?" Miles was clearly happy.
Peter nodded. Later, he met Miles's mother. As for his father, being a Police Captain after yesterday's massive incident, he couldn't take time off.
Peter spent the morning playing video games in Miles's room, and it wasn't until near noon that The Prowler (Aaron Davis) finally arrived.
After enjoying a hearty lunch, Peter prepared to leave. Miles, knowing Peter was about to leave this universe, asked to see him off. The Prowler also followed.
The trio arrived at a small alley. This was the location where Peter had arrived, and the spot he chose for his return.
Before leaving, Peter offered some final advice to The Prowler. Miles inheriting the Spider-Man mantle was inevitable. Aaron could, perhaps, use his high-tech armor to forge a new path for himself. After all, the Prowler in the other universe was eventually brought to the right side by Spider-Man, wasn't he?
The Prowler nodded. He did not possess the inherently altruistic nature of Spider-Man or Miles; he was an adult who had faced many setbacks. His moral framework wasn't as simple as Peter's (Earth-616). Peter, who grew up under the banner of altruism and immediately entered a secluded research base afterward, was almost "unworldly," making his worldview somewhat naive. So, regarding Peter's suggestion, The Prowler only said he would consider it.
But Peter knew he would eventually accept. For one reason only: Miles was his nephew!
Peter was excited about the future. For a Spider-Man, the "Uncle's Sacrifice" seemed to be a required rite of passage. But Miles's uncle had survived. And he was a powerful potential ally. Peter wondered how far Miles could grow with The Prowler's guidance.
Finally, Peter looked at Miles, extending his fist: "Miles, you are going to become everyone's friendly neighborhood hero."
Miles smiled broadly, recognizing the iconic image: "I will! And you're going to become an even greater Spider-Man!" Their fists gently touched.
The next moment, Peter activated his ability. His eyes suddenly lost focus. Miles, The Prowler, the alley... everything began to recede and blur. Points of light appeared before him—not real lights, but the visualized form of information. Each light represented a Parallel Universe. They dotted Peter's consciousness like stars. Several points resonated with Peter, seemingly inviting him to visit. But Peter ignored them. He used himself as the variable, compelling his power.
SHWOOM— From Miles and The Prowler's perspective, Peter's figure, after touching fists with Miles, instantly grew transparent. He seemed to turn into sand, or perhaps the liquid crystals of a television screen. The next moment, he completely vanished into the sunlight.
"He's gone," Miles said, feeling a sense of loss. He had come to regard Peter as a good friend.
The Prowler patted his nephew's shoulder: "Miles, we should go too. Peter has his mission, and you have yours."
"Okay!" Miles nodded. The uncle and nephew left the alley.
... On the other hand,
THUD! Peter felt as if he had just traveled through a kaleidoscopic tunnel. The next moment, his body registered the feeling of solid ground. He shook his head, and the objects before him quickly resolved into focus. It was his room! His room in the Martian Observation Base!
Peter jumped up suddenly, but used too much force and shot straight up to the ceiling. His head slammed into the ceiling with a loud cry of distress.
Peter rubbed his head. The very real pain told him everything was true. He had indeed traveled to a parallel universe, experienced a bizarre journey, and met Spider-Man Noir, Spider-Ham, Middle-Aged Peter, Peni Parker, Miles Morales, and... Gwen Stacy. And he had successfully returned!
Clenching his fists and feeling the power within his body, Peter took a deep breath to calm his excitement.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! His door rattled. "Peter, it's lunchtime. Want to come eat?"
Huh? Lunchtime? Something didn't seem right.