The powerful Sinister Sixteen did not launch an immediate attack on the entire city. Their memories reminded them that if they separated, it would be all too easy for them to be picked off one by one. Consequently, they chose to eliminate their enemy first. They gave Spider-Man three hours to arrive at the Daily Bugle. Otherwise, they would start killing the hostages one by one, beginning with J. Jonah Jameson, and they would broadcast it live.
Peter knew that the Spider-Man of this universe would eventually go. The villains might make Jonah suffer a bit, but Spider-Man would definitely show up. Just to be safe, however, Peter located Gwen first. "Gwen, if possible, could you infiltrate the Daily Bugle ahead of time? Though I think it's unlikely the enemy will harm the hostages before Spider-Man shows up, I need you to keep an eye on things just in case."
"No problem, leave it to me. I guarantee no one will notice me. In fact, no one will even remember me."
Peter watched Gwen leave and then turned to walk toward the attic. The clone Spider-Man was currently squatting at the edge of the building, squinting his eyes as he looked into the distance. Peter walked up to his side. "I believe he will go in the end, just as I believe you will go too."
"Yeah, I'll definitely go... at least this time."
The clone sighed deeply as he spoke. "Can you imagine? I woke up today still remembering that I was that friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. I didn't feel like anything was wrong. I didn't realize that despite fighting for twenty-two years, I only possessed seventeen years of specific memories. Nor did I realize that Miles Warren had completely vanished from my head. I didn't notice a single thing."
"Many people say that what truly defines a person isn't your origin, nor is it your bloodline, but what you have done and what you choose to do. That is what determines what kind of person you are." The clone smiled rather miserably. "But when you wake up one day and discover that your memories, the things you did in the past, and the things that defined who you are were all fake... then who am I?"
This was exactly what the clone was silently struggling with. He was simply staying here, wishing for some peace and quiet to sort through his thoughts. He would set out when the three-hour mark drew close, and by the looks of it, he didn't seem to plan on returning alive.
Peter just stood there beside him.
"Maybe he would actually envy you? A friendly neighborhood hero who is still full of vitality, a Spider-Man who can protect everyone, a Spider-Man who can face anything with a smile." Peter looked at the clone. "Look at the state he's in. If he sees you, he might think... you are the better Spider-Man. He might even believe you are the one who truly deserves MJ. As for him? He's just a washed-up, out-of-shape shut-in. Maybe dying at the Daily Bugle would be a better end for him."
"He... we are the same person, at least our memories are." The clone hesitated for a moment, then actually began to make excuses for the out-of-shape Peter. "After all, you know too... uh, his life before this wasn't exactly smooth sailing. I think—no, he thinks he wasn't ready yet. Ready to become a father."
"He has failed at too many things in his life. Aside from being Spider-Man, he accomplished nothing. He couldn't prevent the death of one teacher, nor could he stop another teacher from turning into a monster. He couldn't explain to his best friend why his father died, and he was even powerless to stop his best friend from becoming the next villain... Aunt May died, his investments failed, and every single job fell through because of his duties as Spider-Man..."
"The classic Peter Parker luck."
The clone laughed. "Yeah, the classic Peter Parker luck. And MJ said she wanted a child, but what can Peter Parker give his child? Even if he intends to go and die, what can I give MJ? We are the same. We know we can give nothing. We are afraid... afraid that we will only lose more."
After the two of them fell silent again for a while, Peter suddenly spoke up. "If he really does have a child, if they really plan on having a baby, do you think the child's uncle would take great care of them? Just like... Uncle Ben did."
"Uncle Ben... if he really does have a child..."
The clone murmured to himself upon hearing these words. "Just like Uncle Ben... Since there's already a Peter Parker, I can't go by the name Peter Parker anymore, can I?"
"I don't know, but if I were away from home and couldn't use my own name, I would combine Uncle Ben's first name with Aunt May's maiden name to create an alias."
"Benjamin Reilly."
The clone stood up, a smile appearing on his face. "That's a good name. It looks like there are still an hour or two left. Maybe I still have some time. Can you spare me some cash? I plan to get my hair dyed. Oh, and also, buy some spray paint. I intend to give my suit... a fresh coat of paint."
Peter pulled out his wallet. To be honest, he wasn't entirely sure if his money could be used in this universe or if it would cause other issues, but this was all the cash he had on hand. As for the out-of-shape Peter, he didn't look like someone who could produce four hundred dollars.
Watching the clone web-swing away, Peter nodded and then returned inside the attic. In the small attic, the out-of-shape Peter was desperately pulling up his pants, looking incredibly strained as he squeezed into his uniform. He then looked at Peter. "See that? Haha, I am still that Spider-Man. I can do this."
"I'm glad to see you're still willing to step up."
The out-of-shape Peter fell silent. He pondered for quite a while, ultimately deciding to say nothing. "Where is my brother? Where did he go?"
"He felt he shouldn't go by Peter Parker anymore, so he changed his name to 'Ben Reilly.' When your child is born, they will have an Uncle Ben too. To fit the new identity, he plans to get a trendy hairstyle."
The out-of-shape Peter chewed on the name for a moment. "Uncle Ben's first name and Aunt May's maiden name... What did he say? When my child is born? But I... ah, you must have said something to him, didn't you, kid?"
"If I hadn't said anything, he intended to fight to the death just to resolve his identity crisis. It turns out he wants to live, exactly the same way you are still delivering pizzas and keeping your Spider-Man suit around. Furthermore, regarding the matter of the child, he believes in you too."
The out-of-shape Peter fell silent once more, then gave a chuckle, preparing to head out. However, Peter took one look at his belly, stopped him, and handed over the nano-suit to him. "Wear this instead, old-timer."