[TG] The Amazing Spider (Wo)man

The moment of truth.

Curiosity sparked in Gwen's eyes as she asked, "Hey, Peni, do you have any friends here in your universe?"

Peni's expression grew more serious as she considered the question. "My best friend is SP//DR," she confessed, glancing affectionately at the small spider perched on her arm, "but aside from that, not really. Iguess I don't really fit in."

Her words carried a weight that seemed far beyond her years. Miles and Gwen exchanged concerned glances.

Peni continued, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness, "Ever since they recruited me to pilot my father's armor with SP//DR and later gave me my own workshop, it's been hard to connect with other kids. It's like we live in different worlds now."

A somber atmosphere settled over the table as Peni's words hung in the air. It was clear that she had faced challenges and isolation that most kids her age couldn't even imagine.

But then, she abruptly switched back to her usual cheerful attitude. She grinned and added, "But you know what? I found other ways to have fun!"

It didn't feel quite honest, but it wasn't a complete lie either. Miles and Gwen didn't quite know how to respond to that.

***

The time had come. Miles stood before the mirror in Penny's bathroom, dressed in the morph-suit without the mask, and Gwen's Spider Woman costume draped over it. His reflection stared back at him. His old body with Gwen's costume wasn't something he'd have ever expected to see, and now he had done it twice. It wasn't particularly comfortable —it was rather small for his size— but it wasn't unpleasant either.

As he gazed at his reflection, he couldn't help but reflect on how strange this all had felt at the beginning. Wearing Gwen's clothes had been an odd sensation, to say the least. But now, after spending time in her shoes, he realized that girl's clothes don't bite, and it all started to seem rather ordinary to him. Clothes, after all, were just pieces of cloth, and no matter what he wore, he was still himself underneath.

But also, in a way, they weren't just pieces of cloth, since wearing them allowed him to interact with the world as someone completely different, and the world did treat him back in a completely different way. He realized it was kind of the same thing that happened every time he put on the Spider Man suit back home.

But now, the real transformation was about to take place. Miles took a deep breath and murmured to himself, "Okay, here we go."

With deliberate movements, he closed his eyes and slipped on the gray mask of the morph-suit. The moment it made contact with his skin, an electric sensation surged through his body, and his form began to shift and change. Miles focused on his breath, the rise and fall of his chest and the rhythm of his heart, as the fabric melded with his body and reshaped it.

As Gwen's hair fell on his shoulders, Miles opened his eyes. There, in the mirror, he saw her. For a brief moment, his mind struggled to reconcile the reality of the situation – the reflection was his own, but it also was Gwen's. All the muscles and every single pore in his body felt slightly different, but it was a familiar kind of different. The Spider Woman costume fitted him like a glove now.

A confident smile spread across his lips, and he regarded the mirror with determination, thinking that he looked like a spy ready for a mission.

***

Miles stepped out of the bathroom, fully transformed into Gwen. He struck a pose and declared, "Ta-daaaa!"

Gwen greeted him with a playful smile, playing along with the act. "Welcome back, Gwen," she said with a smirk, eyeing her counterpart up and down. "Nice haircut. Where did you get it?"