After pulverizing Electro with a single blow, Peter pressed his hand against the edge of the massive crater he had created.
As he used his powers to rapidly reconstruct the shattered pavement and repair the nearby structural damage, he sifted through the blue-tinged debris to collect two specific items.
[Detected Sacrificable Deep Green Item: Electro's Transformer Core]The specialized transformer developed by Electro to better control and output his internal electricity. It is the most valuable component of his physiology.
[Sacrifice for: 800 Points]
[Sacrifice now?]
Sacrifice!
After liquidating the core, Peter plucked a small fragment of Electro's residual biological tissue and sealed it in a test tube within his multi-functional utility belt.
While Electro's raw output couldn't touch a god like Thor, the genetic ability to absorb and discharge electricity was immensely valuable for research.
By combining this trait with the "Wheel of Fortune"—which provided infinite energy—Peter's potential combat output would dwarf the original "useless" Max Dillon.
Furthermore, he could potentially fuse this energy with his Chakra to develop a high-level Lightning Style ... an "Instant-Cast" version that required no hand signs.
With the cleanup finished, Peter turned to Gwen and Felicia. "Grab that guy. Let's find somewhere quiet to talk."
Neither girl objected. Gwen swung through the skyscrapers on her silk lines, while Felicia rode with Peter on the Glider, towing the still-imprisoned Sandman in his rotating water sphere.
Shortly after, the quartet landed at a spot high enough to avoid prying eyes and quiet enough for a confession: the spire of the Empire State Building.
With a nod from Peter, Felicia released her hold on the water. William Baker tumbled onto the cold metal, coughing violently.
As a sand-being, he didn't technically need to breathe, but his obsession with being a "human" father was so strong that he instinctively reformed his lungs and throat at the first opportunity.
Peter appreciated that about him. William was purer than Herman (Shocker). While Herman wanted to rob banks to live the high life, William was just a desperate man pushed to the brink by a society that offered no help for his dying daughter.
Capitalism turning a man into a ghost, Peter thought.
He was willing to give William the same path he gave Herman: a chance at redemption.
"William Baker, I'm offering you a clean slate," Peter said. "Work for me, and I will cure your daughter, wipe your criminal record, and reunite you with your family."
William, who had expected to be dragged to a lab for vivisection, froze. His entire body trembled. Without hesitation, he lunged forward and grabbed Peter's leg. "Is that true?! If you save my daughter, I'll do anything! Anything!"
"Of course." Peter glanced back at Gwen and Felicia with a knowing smile. "I, Peter Parker, am a man of my word."
"WHAT?!"
The exclamation came from Gwen and Felicia simultaneously. Gwen had suspected the Arbiter might be Peter, but she had been terrified of the awkwardness if she was wrong. Felicia, however, was in a state of total shock.
The night had already been a whirlwind: her idol appearing, becoming a superhero herself, fighting alongside legends... and now, she finds out the man she was busy crushing on—the man who just made her "favorability meter" go off the charts—is actually her close friend... and her best friend's "not-quite-yet" boyfriend?!
Her mind was a chaotic mess of lyrics: My heart is too cluttered, I need some white space.
But Gwen added fuel to the fire. "Peter? It's really you?" she blurted out, before instantly covering her mouth in horror.
Wait, if I react like that, I'm basically outting myself! Did he know it was me all along? Were those 'timely rescues' just coincidences, or... and who is this new girl? Are they...
Before Gwen could spiral further, Felicia's voice cut through the air: "Wait, why do you know Peter? And why are you calling him that so familiarly?"
Felicia had a sinking suspicion, but she was afraid to open her eyes and confirm the "hallucination."
Sandman, looking back and forth between the Ghost-Spider and the "Singing Girl," was equally confused. Wait, wasn't Sir Peter here to recruit me? Why are these two having a meltdown?
Seeing the three "question marks" standing before him, Peter cleared his throat to suppress a laugh. "Allow me to introduce everyone properly..."
With a swift, fluid motion, Peter reached out. He grabbed Gwen's hood and Felicia's mask at the same time, pulling them back to reveal their faces.
"This is Gwen Stacy. And this is Felicia Hardy. So... how's that for a surprise? Pretty exciting, right?"
Gwen and Felicia locked eyes. Their expressions were priceless, and for the second time that night, they spoke in perfect, stunned unison:
"Gwen/Felicia?! How can it be you?!"
"I'll leave you two to catch up," Peter said, deciding they needed time to process the revelation. He grabbed William and stepped onto the Glider. "I'm going to drop Mr. Baker off and take care of that medical issue."
Under William's direction, they quickly reached the trailer park. With a touch of the Horse Talisman, Peter purged the illness from the girl's body. William immediately fell to his knees in a vow of eternal loyalty.
Peter gave him the address for "Parker Tech" and told him to show up for work tomorrow, then zipped back into the night sky.
Watching a grown man cry with gratitude is fine and all, but explaining my 'Superhero Initiative' to Gwen and Felicia? That's the real priority.
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