chapter thirty-one:
❛ the vulture ❜

PLEASE DONT BE A GHOST READER!!!!
COMMENT AND VOTE! IT HELPS US WRITERS STAY MOTIVATED:)

✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸

Gwen perched silently atop a gargoyle, the cool night air brushing against her Spider-Woman suit as the city of New York spread out below her like a sprawling, chaotic map of lights. The streets were unusually quiet tonight, save for the occasional honk of a car horn or the muffled buzz of distant conversations. It was the kind of peace that always felt unnerving-like the calm before a storm. Her senses were sharp, her eyes scanning every shadow, every movement, waiting for something to disrupt the fragile stillness.

Then, it happened.

A deafening screech tore through the air, followed by the mechanical whir of wings slicing through the night. Gwen's head snapped toward the sound, her heart leaping in her chest as she spotted a hulking figure gliding above the rooftops. The wings-metallic and menacing-reflected the city's glow, and the sight of them made her stomach tighten.

The Vulture? Her mind raced. That's impossible. Adrian Toomes is in prison. I-how is he alive?

But as the figure swooped closer, her confusion only deepened. This Vulture wasn't the one she knew. His suit looked different-more elaborate, more alien-and his movements were faster, more aggressive. Gwen narrowed her eyes behind her mask, her pulse quickening as she realized she wasn't dealing with the Toomes from her world. This one was something else. Something worse.

She leapt into action, her web-shooters firing with precision as she swung toward him, her body moving instinctively. "Hey, Birdman! Long way from the nest, aren't you?" she called out, her voice steady despite the nervous energy buzzing through her veins.

The Vulture turned sharply, his glowing eyes locking onto her. "Spider-Woman," he growled, his voice distorted by his helmet. "I was hoping for someone else."

Gwen's brow furrowed beneath her mask. "Oh, sorry to disappoint," she quipped, flipping mid-air to dodge a talon-tipped swipe from his wings. "But I'm the only Spider-Woman around here, and I don't do autographs."

But the Vulture was faster than she anticipated. With a sudden burst of speed, he lunged at her, his talons snapping. Gwen twisted, firing another web to pull herself out of range, but he was relentless. Before she could react, he caught her mid-swing, his mechanical claws clamping around her waist like a vice.

"Not so fast," he sneered, dragging her into a nearby alley and slamming her against the wall. Gwen gasped, the impact knocking the air from her lungs. His clawed hand wrapped around her neck, lifting her off the ground as she struggled against his grip.

Her vision blurred, and her thoughts raced. This isn't Toomes. This guy is stronger, faster... and way more dangerous.

The Vulture tilted his head, studying her with a twisted curiosity. Then, with a sharp motion, he reached up and ripped her mask off, revealing her face. Gwen gasped, her dark brown hair spilling free as her caramel-toned skin caught the faint glow of the city lights.

The Vulture froze, his grip loosening slightly as confusion crossed his features. "You're not her," he muttered, his voice low and disbelieving. "You're not the Gwen Stacy I'm looking for."

Gwen's chest heaved as she caught her breath, her mind racing. He's looking for a Gwen Stacy? Why? She noticed the way his expression faltered, the momentary lapse in his focus. It was all the opening she needed.

With a sharp twist, she brought her leg up, slamming her knee into his chest. He stumbled back, and she fired a web at his face, momentarily blinding him. "Guess what, Birdman?" she said, her voice sharp as she swung her leg around, kicking him hard into a nearby tree. "I don't care who you're looking for. Stay out of my city."

The Vulture crashed into the trunk with a thunderous crack, his wings flailing as he tried to recover. Gwen didn't wait to see if he'd get back up. She grabbed her mask, pulling it back on as she swung into the night, her heart pounding in her chest.

Her thoughts swirled as she soared through the air, putting as much distance as she could between herself and the strange, terrifying version of the Vulture. He's from another world. He has to be. And he's looking for... me? No, not me. Her. Blonde, shaved head...

She shook her head, focusing on her web-slinging as the city blurred beneath her. Whoever this alternate Gwen Stacy was, she was trouble. And Gwen had a feeling this wasn't the last time she'd see the Vulture.

Gwen sat on the edge of a rooftop, her legs dangling over the side as the city buzzed far below her. The air was cool, her Spider-Woman suit offering little warmth against the biting breeze. She adjusted her mask, pulling it off to let her messy, short brown hair breathe. Her eyes scanned the skyline, the vibrant city lights casting a surreal glow on her face.

She sighed, her shoulders slumping. The world felt impossibly big tonight. With nowhere to go and everyone knowing her identity, she felt like a stranger in her own city. Kicked out of her apartment, estranged from the few people she cared about, and branded a vigilante by the public-this wasn't how she imagined her hero story unfolding.

Her solitude was broken by the sound of approaching webs. The distinct thwip-thwip reached her ears before she turned her head, spotting Peter Parker-Spider-Man-swinging toward her.

"Great," Gwen muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes.

Peter landed gracefully a few feet away, his mask off, his expression panicked and breathless. "Gwen! Thank god I found you."

She raised an eyebrow, leaning back on her hands. "Wow, Peter Parker needs my help. That's new."

Peter ignored her jab, pacing in a circle as he spoke quickly. "Listen, there's no time to argue. I messed up-big time. Like, universal-level messed up."

Gwen sat up straighter, a small frown crossing her face. "What do you mean by universal-level?"

Peter stopped, running a hand through his messy hair. "I... accidentally opened the multiverse."

"Seriously?!" Gwen snapped, standing abruptly. "Seriously, Peter? Do you ever not screw things up?"

Peter winced. "I know, I know! But we've got a bigger problem. Other villains-ones from other dimensions-are here. And some of them aren't just after me."

Gwen crossed her arms, her brows furrowing. "Wait. Let me get this straight. You opened the multiverse, other Spider-Men's villains are here, and they're coming after me?"

Peter hesitated. "Well, yeah. One of them is."

Her eyes narrowed. "Wait. Spider-Women? You fought that Doctor Octopus guy on the news, right? Don't tell me-"

"Gwen!" Peter interrupted, his voice rising. "This isn't the time to play detective. I need your help, okay? There's one villain here who's looking for you. Or, not you, but someone like you."

Gwen's stomach twisted. She immediately thought of her encounter with the Vulture. "Yeah, I know. I had a run-in with some version of the Vulture from another dimension. He thought I was someone else-some blonde Gwen Stacy."

Peter's eyes widened. "That's what I'm talking about. That guy is bad news, Gwen. We need to stop this before it gets worse."

Gwen rolled her eyes but nodded, pulling her mask back on. "Fine. Let's go fix your mess. Again." She fired her web-shooter and swung off the rooftop, Peter following close behind.

"Wait!" he called, suddenly grabbing her arm mid-swing and pulling her to a stop on a nearby building.

"What now?" she asked impatiently.

Peter hesitated, his expression softening as he stepped closer. "Before we do this... I just need to say something."

Gwen tilted her head, confused. "Peter, we don't have time-"

"I made a mistake," he blurted out. "A huge mistake. And it wasn't just the multiverse thing. It was letting you go."

She blinked, her breath catching.

"I miss you, Gwen," Peter said, his voice low and sincere. "I miss us. And I don't care if the whole world knows you're Spider-Woman. I just... I want us to try again."

For a moment, Gwen was stunned. Then she scoffed, pulling her arm out of his grasp. "Now you want to do this? Now that I've decided to tell everyone who I am because I was tired of hiding?"

Peter frowned. "Gwen, it's not like that-"

"Isn't it?" she snapped, her tone sharp. "Where were you when I needed someone to have my back? Do you have any idea how hard it's been, Peter? How alone I've felt? And now, when it's convenient for you, you want to come crawling back?"

"It's not like that," Peter protested, his voice breaking slightly. "I was scared, okay? Scared for you. For us."

Gwen shook her head, her voice quieter now but still firm. "You don't get to pick and choose when you care about me, Peter. I'm not some damsel in distress who needs saving. I've been through hell, and I'm still standing. But I can't do this with you-not like this."

Peter's shoulders slumped, guilt washing over his face. "Gwen, I'm sorry-"

"Save it," she interrupted, firing her web again. "We have bigger problems to deal with. Let's go."

She swung off without looking back, her heart heavy but her resolve unshaken. Peter lingered for a moment, watching her go, before following silently. The city needed saving, but it seemed their relationship wasn't something even two Spider-heroes could fix.

ASH SPEAKS!!!

this is gonna be interesting... especially since she is about to meet her dads doubleganger!

PLEASE DONT BE A GHOST READER!!!!
COMMENT AND VOTE! IT HELPS US WRITERS STAY MOTIVATED:)