Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, in the beating heart of Stark Industries…
Pepper hung up the phone with a tired sigh. Her usually serene expression was marked by the exhaustion of someone who had been trying for far too long to bring order to the chaos known as Tony Stark.
She turned and found the very cause of her headache sitting on the couch, holding a small hand mirror and examining his face. Small reddish marks dotted his skin.
"Tony," she said in the tone of someone already expecting an absurd answer. "He agreed, but he warned me it'll be the last time."
Tony grumbled, tilting the mirror. "These reporters are completely insane, Pepper. One of them nearly shoved a microphone into my mouth. Trust me, it wasn't pleasant."
Pepper crossed her arms. "And what does that have to do with turning your best friend into a bartender every time you throw a party?"
Tony looked at her with that signature half-smile. "Oh, please. He's the only one who can make a decent martini while discussing quantum physics. You know I like people who understand what they're talking about."
"Or people who can tolerate you," Pepper shot back, raising an eyebrow.
Tony let out a short laugh. "Yeah, that too. And don't worry about Arthur—he always shows up in the end. He likes to pretend he doesn't, but deep down, he loves those parties."
Pepper sighed, shaking her head. "You two are polar opposites and, at the same time, incredibly alike. Sometimes I think that's why you get along so well. Maybe that's also why you never got that so-called 'punch' he keeps promising."
"That—and because he doesn't judge me," Tony replied, more serious now. "Arthur knows what it's like to carry something heavy on his back. He understands better than anyone."
For a brief moment, silence lingered. Tony's gaze drifted to the small reactor in his chest—the blue glow reflecting in his eyes.
"Tony…" Pepper began, but he gently raised a hand to stop her.
"It's okay, Pep. You don't have to say anything."
She sighed again and started walking away. "I'll finish up my work. I need time for makeup before your party turns into a circus."
"Sure, sure. I'll wait," he replied, forcing a smile. "And… hey, can you help me pick out a suit later?"
Pepper paused at the door, glanced at him over her shoulder, and smiled faintly. "Be grateful I still bother."
When she left, Tony tried to laugh—but the sound died in his throat.
"JARVIS?" he called, setting the mirror down on the table.
[Yes, sir.]
"Any progress on the alternative element experiment?"
[Unfortunately not, sir. I have yet to identify an element capable of replacing palladium.]
Tony looked at the small core glowing inside the arc reactor in his chest. He approached the workbench and retrieved a small scanner from underneath it. He pressed his thumb against the opening and waited.
A set of numbers appeared on the screen.
[9%.]
"Good news, JARVIS," he muttered with irony. "We still have some time to enjoy."
The AI's voice replied, calm and cold as always: [Sir, if you continue using the suit, the palladium poisoning process will accelerate.]
"I know."
[Unfortunately, what keeps you alive is also killing you.]
Tony closed his eyes for a moment, the weight of those words echoing in his mind.
"Okay, enough of that," he finally said. "Where's my chlorophyll, JARVIS?"
[On the table, sir.]
Tony picked up the bottle and stared at it for a few seconds before drinking it in one go. The bitter taste made him grimace.
"Wonderful. Tastes like grass and death."
[An excellent name for a cologne, sir.]
Tony chuckled softly, without joy. "You're getting too sarcastic, JARVIS."
[I learned from you.]
For a moment, the genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist stood in silence, staring at the reactor's reflection in his glass.
Behind the mask of arrogance and humor was a tired man.
---
Empire State University
Empire State University. The leading and most renowned university in New York. A symbol of prestige, tradition, and academic excellence. Its red-brick towers, surrounded by impeccably maintained gardens, contrasted with the city's relentless noise, creating the feeling of an intellectual refuge amid urban chaos.
Gwen walked across the vast campus with hurried yet energetic steps. Her eyes sparkled as she observed groups of students scattered along the outdoor corridors—laughing, debating theories, or simply enjoying the rays of sunlight filtering through the trees. She seemed animated, almost electric, as if the rush of her life had become fuel.
Soon, she reached the university's sports building. From inside came the muffled sounds of voices and instruments being packed away. When she pushed the door open, she was greeted by the familiar echo of laughter across the gym.
Her rock bandmates were already dismantling the equipment—guitars returning to their cases, amplifiers being switched off, cables carefully coiled. Gwen took a deep breath, embarrassed, and raised her hand apologetically.
"Sorry, girls… I'm too late."
They looked at her—some with small smiles, others shaking their heads—but none seemed truly upset.
"Relax, Gwen," said Felicia, adjusting her messy bun. "We just did a light rehearsal today. No drama."
Glory leaned against the drum set and gave her a playful look. "But if you're late again, you'll have to rehearse alone, missy."
The comment made them all laugh, including Gwen, who raised her hands in surrender.
"I promise it won't happen again."
"If I had a dollar for every time you said that…" MJ muttered with a grin while storing her guitar. "We could play one more now that you're here—but the cheerleaders' practice is about to start. And if we delay the basketball team because of that, we'll never hear the end of it."
More laughter echoed. Gwen laughed along, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. That's when she felt a presence behind her—a familiar one.
She turned and saw a hand about to rest on her shoulder—and recognized its owner before he even spoke.
Peter Parker.
"Hey! Hi, Peter!" she said, her face lighting up with a natural and charming smile that made him hesitate for a moment.
"Hi, Gwen…" he replied, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "I… well, I was free today, so I thought I'd watch your rehearsal."
Her smile faded into surprise, then softened into remorse. "Oh no… I was so late I missed the whole thing! I'm sorry, Peter!"
"It's fine," he assured her, raising his hands calmly. "I showed up unannounced."
Gwen let out a nervous giggle and lightly nudged his arm to ease the mood. "So… how about I make it up to you with some coffee? Or are you in a hurry to get back to the lab, Mr. Scientist?"
Peter blinked a few times, as if seriously considering the offer, before replying: "Actually… not today. The lab can wait a bit."
"Great!" Gwen said enthusiastically. "Girls! Let's all grab something together. Arthur told me he opened a new café nearby!"
Felicia arched an eyebrow mischievously. "Ohhh~ speaking of him… when are you finally going to introduce your mysterious and, according to you, 'unbelievably handsome' boyfriend to us, huh?"
Gwen crossed her arms, feigning indignation. "As much as I'd like to, he's a very busy person, okay? But I promise—I'll convince him to come to one of our rehearsals."
"I sure hope so," MJ laughed. "Because so far he sounds more like an urban legend than a boyfriend."
"Yeah, you haven't even shown us a picture of him!" Felicia added, patting Gwen's shoulder.
"Well…" the blonde replied with a mysterious smile. "As they say, mysterious men are more attractive, aren't they?"
The girls laughed together, chatting about Gwen's mysterious boyfriend. But behind them, Peter fell silent. His smile slowly faded as he listened, and for a brief moment, his gaze turned distant… and a little sad.
"Hey, Peter!" Gwen called, snapping him out of his thoughts. "You spacing out? Let's go!"
"Right," he answered, forcing a smile.
The group began walking side by side down the corridor. Gwen, as lively as ever, started talking to Peter while her friends chatted among themselves.
"So, how are the experiments with Dr. Connors? Going well?"
"More or less," Peter sighed. "We're still kind of stuck on advancing the research. But after the Oscorp tour, I got a few new ideas. I want to test some things with him later today."
The mention of Oscorp made Gwen's heart race. An unsettling memory crossed her mind—the spider bite… and the nightmare from the previous night. She had seen herself transformed into something monstrous, a horrifying arachnid creature staring at her own reflection in terror. A chill ran down her spine.
And then… it happened.
A sudden sensation. As if invisible alarms exploded inside her mind. A pure, uncontrollable instinct.
"Gwen, look out!" MJ shouted suddenly.
Gwen turned her head and saw—too late—a baseball flying straight toward her at high speed. The impact against her face seemed inevitable.
But her body moved before she could think.
A dull, muffled poof echoed as her hand shot up on its own, catching the ball mere inches from her head.
The entire gym fell silent.
Gwen stood frozen, staring at the object in her palm. "W… what…?"
Her heart pounded. Her body had acted on its own. Too fast for her to process. Impossibly fast.
"Gwen, are you okay?!" Peter rushed to her side.
"Yeah, I… I think so," she replied, trying to mask the panic. "But… where the hell did that ball come from?"
"Probably an epic home run," Betty joked, pointing toward the adjacent field.
The girls laughed again, the tension quickly dissolving—but Gwen remained still, staring at her own hand, unable to shake the feeling that something inside her had changed forever.
---
Later, at the university gates…
The sun was already sinking below the horizon, painting the buildings in orange and gold. Gwen walked slowly, her steps heavy while her mind swirled in turmoil. She stared at her hands as if the answers were written there.
A soft honk broke the silence, startling her.
She looked up and saw a black car parked nearby. The driver's window rolled down slowly, revealing the familiar face of a blond man with firm features and warm eyes.
George Stacy.
"Dad!" she exclaimed, placing a hand on her chest. "You scared me."
"Sorry, kiddo," he replied with a calm smile. "Just wanted to get your attention. Everything okay? You seem distracted."
She hesitated, searching for a quick excuse. "Oh, nothing much. I just… thought my hands looked nice today."
George laughed heartily, shaking his head. "Of course. That comes from your mother's excellent genes. And a little bit from mine, of course."
"A little bit, huh?" Gwen teased as she got into the car.
As her father drove through the busy avenues, the city lights began to flicker on, reflecting in her eyes. Gwen rested her face against the window, watching the blurred reflections of lights and buildings rushing past.
A small smile formed on her lips.
Ahhh… I want to see Arthur… she thought, her heart beating faster, warmed by the mere thought of her beloved.
(End of Chapter)