RIPPLE ( peter parker.. ) ✔

002. The Question Mark..

Earth is pretty bad, but it shouldn't be that bad.

Peter has never been further from the truth in his entire life. Not only was this not the right universe, making his whole mind spiral with worry for the other Peter who got sent home and even for their newly rescued people about to re-enter their new life with a new chance, but it was also, quite like Wendy put it: a shitty place to live in apparently. It was NYC, which by default shouldn't have raised too many high hopes on hygiene or genuine overall kindness, surely, but this NYC was placed in a world without heroes, corrupted with far more danger than anything he has senses before. And, there was also the fact that this universe's Spider-Man had somehow already died which simply did not sit right with him.

On top of everything else it was Wendy Weber. Peter Parker has been trying to figure her out for the first long minutes of existing in this Universe consciously. Not much made sense though about her apart from the fact that she might have something to do with why he didn't get home. Seeing how she doesn't seem happy that I am here, Peter noted along in his thoughts, while his face remained with a friendly smile in the flattening of his lips, I will guess she did it by mistake.

It was all such an obvious mistake that the second it truly dawned on Wendy she had a true game changing issue to solve, she took a seat on the ground. Being uncomfortable with remaining as the only one standing  while the silence prolonged in the havoc which seemed to have paused outside, in the city, Peter also returned himself to siting on that carpet, across from the woman.

Careful now, Peter, he told himself. She may be angry.

"So you're a wizard?" he asked as innocently as he could. Taking a seat reinstated all the pains of the battle he was supposed to retire from. His back ached just about enough to hug one knee to his chest and lean there, forward, until a comfortable arch stretched his spine and his weary head placed its right cheek on top of the knee.

"I'm Wendy Weber," she repeated her name, quite devoted to an absenteeism from the conversation. Wendy was lost in her own thoughts and whatever details they were running, Peter only saw her forming glare.

"Yes, but I meant..." It was hard to form questions out of a void. There were classes back in high school, outside of the science programme which would have him sitting impatiently for the period to end; those were the times he would compare this annoyance to. That very second in which the teacher asks the class if there are any questions and the brain freezes, because it understood nothing and therefore, it could not ask any question at all.

Get yourself together, Peter mustered himself and for that second, he too glared at nothing in particular. Multiverse travel should be within your understanding.

"You see," Peter cleared his throat with a clearer cough, "I was just wondering how you know so much about the Multiverse."

"I travel it," Wendy sighed. Her hands reached back to hold on the carpet her weight while she stretched.

"What? Like because you want to?" He couldn't imagine anyone ever wanting to go through what he just did back there, travelling in the backbone of reality itself.

"Not because I want to. I lost my homeworld and I am just trying to find it again."

"I am looking for my own universe too!" Peter exclaimed and immediately, it dawned on him that there may have been a little lie snuk into his words.

They managed though to catch Wendy's attention and pull her completely out of the trance of disbelief she was into. She scurried forward and stop to sit much closer in front of Peter. She tilted her head, studied his face, then his arms, "So you are like me? I never met another Multiverse traveller before. Where is your watch?"