✧─── ･ ｡ﾟ★: *.✦ .* :★. ───✧
MAY DROVE THEM back to the Sanctum in a borrowed truck, parking on the side of the building to allow (Y/N), Norman and Peter to walk down to the door without any problem.
Norman opened the door and climbed down. "Thanks, May. Hope to see you again."
(Y/N) followed after him and waited on the sidewalk to walk besides Peter when May stops him before he gets off, calling back to him.
"Hey. He trusts you. So do I," she said.
"Thanks for cleaning my suit," Peter thanked her and jumped down the truck, instantly grabbing onto (Y/N)'s hand. "See you later!"
(Y/N) and Peter guided Norman into the Sanctum and down to the undercroft with the rest of the villains and their friends, who were sitting by the table with their eyes fixed on the laptop's screen.
"Guys, this is Mr. Osborn," Peter presented and this caused Ned and MJ to stand up.
"Hey, it's 'doctor'," Norman corrected.
"Sorry, Dr. Osborn, these are our friends," (Y/N) stepped in. "Ned and MJ."
"Mary Jane?" Norman squinted his eyes in confusion, staring down at MJ.
"It's Michelle Jones, actually," MJ slowly replied, and it was evident that she was slightly nervous.
Norman looked around. "Fascinating."
He walked ahead of the group and didn't get to see the weird glances that he was receiving from four different pairs of eyes. (Y/N) exchanged a look with Peter and he shrugged in response, not believing any of this.
"Do you think there are other Ned Leedses?" Ned questioned and didn't receive an answer.
Norman walked down to the crypt where the rest of the villains were standing, all being in complete silence, while Norman's steps grew louder as he approached, tilting his head to check if he was seeing properly. "Octavius?"
At the sound of his last name, Otto turned around and he seemed to have the same reaction. "Osborn?"
"What happened to you?" Norman asked.
"What happened to — ?" Otto paused his own words. "You're the walking corpse."
"What do you mean?"
"You died, Norman," Otto explained. "Years ago."
(Y/N)'s ears perked up and she realized what was happening, not needing to say anything to get Peter, Ned and MJ to join her side and try to stop them from saying anything that would confuse them even further.
Norman didn't believe any of it. "You're insane."
"God, I love it here," the guy from the transmission towers, who's name was Max, muttered under his breath as he flicked his eyes from one man to the other.
"What are you talking about? He's standing right there," Peter intervened. "He's not — "
"Dead," Flint cut him off, and everyone's eyes turned to him. "They both died, fighting Spider-Man."
The atmosphere grew tense within a second, and the confusion was seen in Norman's eyes, looking back at Peter for an explanation that he clearly didn't have. (Y/N) swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to say something, but she was cut off.
"It was all over the news," Flint continued. "Green Goblin, impaled by the glider you flew around on. And a couple of years later, you, Doc Ock, drowned in the river with your machine."
"That's nonsense," Otto snapped. "Spider-Man was trying to stop my fusion reactor, so I stopped him. I had him by the throat, and then I. . ."
The realization slowly hit him. "And then I was here."
"Oh, please. Let me tell you something. I was whupping Spider-Man's ass," Max scoffed. "He'll tell you. And then he caused an overload. Then Silk — his partner came up. I was stuck in the grid, absorbing data. I was about to turn into pure energy. And then. . .And then. . .And then — Oh, shit. I was about to die."
"Max, do you know? Do I die?" the Lizard spoke up and (Y/N) had to hide the surprise in her face when she realized it could talk.
An orange spark shimmered and revealed Stephen, who was sitting criss-crossed in midair before he sat up and noticed the scene. "Oh, great. You caught another one."
"No, wait, Strange. He's not dangerous," Peter tried to stop him but the orange portal had already wrapped around Norman and took him to his own place. "It's okay."
(Y/N) noticed a glowing, golden cube shaped object in the center of a rock table by Stephen's side and gestured towards it. "And that is?"
"It's an ancient relic. The Macchina di Kadavus," Stephen explained. "I've trapped your corrupted spell inside, and once I finish the proper ritual, it'll reverse the spell and send these guys back to their universes."
"And then what? We perish?" Otto inquired.
"No. No, thanks. I'll pass on that," Max protested.
"Let me out of here. Peter! (Y/N)!"
"Strange, we can't send them back. Not yet," Peter spoke up, eyes on the box.
"Why?"
His eyes drifted off to the villains trapped in the crypt. "Well, some of these guys are gonna die."
"Parker. It's their fate."
"Come on, Strange. Have a heart.
"In the grand calculus of the multiverse, their sacrifice means infinitely more than their lives.
"I'm sorry, kid," Stephen said. "If they die, they die."
Stephen raised his palms and the box in the table began to click and turn loudly, all while Peter's attention drifted off to the side where (Y/N) was debating internally what to do. Ned and MJ stood side by side, looking at the two in doubt.
The gears in the box adjusted as Stephen closed his eyes and prepared to open it, and everyone's eyes were nervous at what was going to happen, but Norman had his hands on the barrier and tried to break free. "Peter!"
The spell was ready to break free but Peter shot a web directly at the box, and the action widened Stephen's eyes in surprise, looking back at Peter. "Don't."
Peter tugged on the web and removed the box out of Stephen's hands and shot an orange rope directly at him, transporting him to one of the cages in the crypt.
"Dude, what are you doing?" Ned panicked.
"Peter, you gotta go. Go!" MJ told him.
(Y/N)'s hands glowed blue as two balls of energy shimmered in her hands. "I'll buy you time. Go!"
Peter rushed through the staircase and Stephen only let out an annoyed sigh before he walked through the barrier without much difficulty. "This is why I never had kids."
(Y/N) flicked her wrist to avoid Stephen from moving any further but he saw it coming, forming a portal in an instant before walking through it, not looking behind his back.
Minutes passed, and (Y/N) kept an eye in the villains and yelled at herself for not following after Peter, trying to ignore the strange glances that the men in the crypt were still giving her. Then, portal opened up and Peter jumped out of it, which made everyone look up at the sudden noise and noticed how he had the box in his hands and he was nearly out of breath.
Ned reached him first. "What happened?"
"I just had a fight with Strange and I totally won," Peter breathed out with an enthusiastic tone.
"You did what?" (Y/N)'s eyes widened.
"Look, I stole his ring thing," Peter had a gold double ring between his fingers and Ned took it from him, inspecting it. Peter tried to remove his mask as he continued explaining. "I was swinging through the city, and then I went through this massive mirror thing — "
"The Mirror Dimension?" (Y/N) guessed.
"Yeah," Peter's curls jumped up when he finally removed the mask out of his face. "And then I was back — "
"Where is he? Where is he?" MJ asked.
"He's trapped, but I'm not sure for how long."
"You could have left us to die," Otto interrupted. "Why didn't you?"
"Because he isn't like that," (Y/N) responded, her face growing hot because of the glance that Peter gave her at her words before he walked ahead.
"I think I can help you guys. If I can fix what happened to you, then when you go back, things will be different, and you might not die fighting Spider-Man."
"What do you mean fix us?" Max raised an eyebrow.
"Our technology is advanced — "
"I can help you. You know, I'm something of a scientist myself," Norman smirked and his eyes trailed back to (Y/N), as if she knew what he meant by that. "Octavius knows what I can do."
"Fix? You mean, like a dog?" Otto scoffed and made a hand gesture. "I refuse."
"I can't promise you guys anything, but at least this way, you actually get to go home and have a chance," Peter tried to convince. "A second chance."
"Isn't that worth trying?" (Y/N) joined in, walking over to Peter's side to allow herself to be clearly seen by the men.
"Trust me, (Y/N), when you try to fix people, there are always consequences," the Lizard said.
"He was talking in general, you know? Also, I didn't know that you could talk until two minutes ago, so," (Y/N) shrugged. "But if you stay here, you're gonna have to deal with the wizard."
"Oh, so we go along or die. Not much of a choice, is it?" the Lizard continued, his sharp teeth being visible.
"I just wanna go home," Flint said with crossed arms.
"Well, I myself, don't wanna be killed, especially by two people dressed like Dungeons & Dragons, so what's your plan?" Max turned to the two.
"I have it all under control," Peter confidently said before he took a step backwards with (Y/N) on his side, turning to Ned and MJ.
The four gathered in a small circle to hear what they had to say and Peter lowered his voice, signaling to the box in his hands. "What are we gonna do about this thing?"
"Well, we need to find somewhere safe for it, right? MJ suggested.
"Yeah, sure. You gotta take it," Peter whirled on his heel to fix his attention towards MJ.
"Wait, what?"
"If something bad happens, I'll text you and you just push this and then it's over," Peter reasoned.
MJ shook her head frantically. "No, we're going with you. We're not gonna leave you."
"You can't come with us. It's too dangerous," (Y/N) protested. "You were of great help."
"Guys, we're in this together," Ned said.
"I know we're in this together, Ned, but I can't do this if I know that you're in danger," Peter whispered.
"Got it? MJ, please, do it for me and take this," (Y/N) locked eyes with her and nearly pleaded, gesturing towards the box. "Pretty please?"
"Fine, you're so annoying," MJ rolled her eyes in fake annoyance and took the box in her hands. "But, I swear, if I don't hear from any of you, I'm pressing the button."
"Got it," (Y/N) gestured a playful salute.
"Okay," MJ mumbled before raising her voice. "And I will do it."
"Yeah, we all believe you, Michelle," Max nodded.
MJ turned to (Y/N) and gestured to say something, knowing fully well that she had something under her skin. All (Y/N) did was take a step forward and a faint shade of blue was evident in her eye before she spoke up.
"And if you dare to make any sneaky move, I will peel your skin off your body and use it a coat," (Y/N) hissed.
Everyone could be seen taking a visible step back even though they were protected by the barrier.
"Especially you, giant Lizard man," (Y/N) pointed accusingly at him and this seemed to offend him. "I could use a pair of boots too."
"She'll do it."
"Absolutely, she will."
"Totally."
"No way that's his girlfriend. No way," the Lizard muttered under his breath.
(Y/N) dropped her confident stance and they all gathered around in the circle once again. Peter let out a nervous breath and grabbed Ned's hand to do their handshake. "Okay. see you later."
"Be safe," Ned said, referring to the two.
"You too," Peter replied.
MJ and (Y/N) hugged tightly and muttered quiet farewells, pulling back from the embrace just in time to see the last part of Peter and Ned's handshake, but an orange spark came out of Ned's fingers just as he pulled away.
The boys stared in awe. "Whoa."
"Okay," Ned whispered one last time before running back to grab his stuff.
MJ gave Peter a short side-hug for a good-bye and gave him a look, "Take care of each other." She reached out for her backpack and rushed behind Ned up the stairs of the undercroft.
Peter exchanged a look with (Y/N) and grabbed her hand out of instinct, placing a short kiss in her palm to calm the noticiable nerves in her eyes before turning back to the men in the crypt.
"So. . ." he said. "Who's coming with us?"
"Well, I'm in," Max said first. "But if this goes sideways. . .I'm gonna fry you from the inside out."
(Y/N) laughed loudly at the threat. "Oh, yeah. I'd like to see you try."