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Ceres sat on a bench next to the refueling station, letting out a breath. They scratched at their arm, knowing that underneath, their veins were a bright purple. The venom was spreading faster than it had in their younger years. They needed to make a stop back at Knowhere soon; Loki would have something to fend it off for a little while longer there.
They kept an eye on their ship. This outpost was fairly out of the way, but that didn't mean it didn't attract criminals and bandits. The last thing they needed was to get stranded here.
…They wouldn't stay stranded. Ceres rolled Loki's bracelet around in their hands. All it would take was a few words, and the enchantment the sorcerer had placed on it would alert him that they were in danger. But that would mean letting Loki know they were stupid enough to get shipjacked, and Loki would not be happy. The last time they did something so stupid—
Their spider sense went off.
Ceres spun around, mask on, shooting out a bright blue web at the perpetrator.
The individual, a tall, muscular man in a blue and red suit with a spider pattern resembling a skull on the front, stepped to the side, missing the web entirely. Ceres growled, baring their teeth.
"Who are you and what do you want?" Please don't let it be a bounty hunter they prayed as they glanced around, making sure it was just him attacking. Their gaze rested back on him, noting a metallic cuff he held in his left hand.
The man looked them up and down. "Ceres Parker," he spoke. "The Star-Spider."
They flinched. "...How do you know that name?" The only person they trusted with their given name was several galaxies away, back in Knowhere.
He took a step forward. Ceres took a step back.
"My name is Miguel O'Hara. I'm putting together an organization. I'd like you to join."
Ceres kept their wrists aimed towards the stranger, noting his avoidance of the question. "Why the hell would you invite some random stranger to your organization?" They paused. "Unless it's, like, some criminal thing? Because if it is, I'm not interested. The crime is more of a side hobby than anything."
Miguel shook his head. "A spider organization. The Spider Society, for spider people across the multiverse. People like you, like me."
Ceres laughed. "Yeah, right. C'mon, man, just pull the mask off. Let's see which hunter is going after my reward this time."
Miguel did just that, tugging the fabric off. Underneath his mask was a human face, dark hair and eyes with a well-defined jawline. Ceres froze.
"…Okay. Okay, you're human. Interesting. Very interesting ." They look back to the ship. Maybe someone was playing a prank on them. Loki could do illusions. Maybe he finally got fed up with their lack of self preservation skills and was screwing with them to get back.
Miguel held his wrist out to the side, shooting out a web of his own. "I'm Spider-Man. So are you." He lowered his arm, letting go of the web. "You can come with me, meet the rest of us. There's an entire multiverse of spider people out there, and an entire multiverse that needs our protection."
Ceres stared at the discarded web. "Protection from what, exactly?"
Miguel shook his head. "I can give you a deeper debrief when you agree." He held up the cuff Ceres noticed earlier, tossing it to them. They caught it with ease.
"When you're ready, put on that gizmo and press that red button. We'll be waiting for you, Star-Spider."
Ceres looked down at the cuff, frowning. They looked up to ask Miguel what it was, only to find him gone, a portal closing behind him.
Their gaze wandered from the spot Miguel once was to the cuff, then to their ship. They let out a heavy sigh.
"Knowhere first," they decided, "then we'll figure… this out."
☆
Loki grabbed Ceres by the shoulders, cursing under his breath in Norse.
"Foolish child!" He hissed. "I told you, come to me before the venom's effects make you ill. And what do you do? Wait! Wait until you have the highest fever I've ever seen in any patient, wait until you cannot walk! How you still live, I'll never know."
They let him drag them back into his makeshift infirmary, collapsing onto the bed kept made just for them.
Loki swore a few more times as he walked around the room, gathering various herbs and medicines. "17 years old and still no more responsible than a toddler left alone with a bag of sweets —
"'S not—" they cringed, the words painful. "'S not my fault. Bandits—"
"I've told you you don't have to go out there." Loki returned to their side, his hands hovering over their midsection and glowing a soft green. "You would be safe here. The people of this place respect me. They dare not hurt a healer who doesn't ask questions, and since you're under my protection, they dare not hurt you, either. "
They frowned. "The people of the universe—"
Loki held up a finger to shush them. "They need you, yes. I know." He placed an ice pack over their head. "Norns, you're as stubborn as my brother."
Ceres grinned. "But you still love me."
Loki sighed. "Unfortunately."
☆
The people of the universe need me.
Ceres let that thought linger for a few moments. The universe needed them.
An entire multiverse that needs our protection.
The cuff was still in their bag. In the weeks since they received it, Ceres had yet to stop thinking about it, about what it meant. A thousand of their universes. Maybe millions. All in need of help.
They had to help. They wanted to, needed to. Help everyone, because they knew what it was like to be stuck in a place where you can't help yourself, where people who can help won't.
They rolled over on their bed, curling into a ball and burying their head in a pillow.
They needed to help everyone. Everyone. It's why they traveled, even with their venom slowly killing them, even when their body wanted nothing more than to give out.
But they were stretched so thin. Could they manage anything else?
They screamed into the pillow.
A few moments later, a voice sounded above them. "Do that any louder and someone might think I'm killing you in here."
Ceres didn't look up as they felt the mattress dip beside them. Loki patted their back. "What's happened this time? Dictator you couldn't overthrow? Planet explode in front of your eyes?"
Ceres shook their head. "I… I met this guy?"
Loki's hand recoiled. "Oh— Boy problems? I thought you only had interest in women—"
"No!" Ceres rolled over, swatting Loki on the arm. "Stars, Loki, I wouldn't go to you for relationship advice."
Loki faked hurt. "Just because I have no interest in such trivial matters doesn't mean I don't have excellent advice. For one, protection—"
"Ew!" Ceres groaned. "No, it's not— not romantic. He was, like, way older than me. I have zero interest in him."
Loki nodded, making a go on gesture.
"He said he was Spider-Man? But, like, a version of one, and that I was one, too. There's a multiverse of us out there, apparently."
Ceres glanced at Loki's expression, but it was unreadable. They continued. "Apparently this guy — Miguel — is putting together an organization for spider people, so we can protect the multiverse. I got an invite, and I just — I don't know. I want to join, but…"
Loki shook his head, sighing. "But there's so much on your plate already?" Ceres nodded.
The god looked down at them, through them, deep in thought.
"Ceres," he finally said. "You have a very strong sense of morals. It's a noble trait, really, but it can be detrimental. It's up to you to decide where your limits lie. How many lives do you have to save before you can quit? How many people can you help before its enough?"
"All of them," they answered. "I have to save all of them."
Loki sighs. "But you can't."
They knew that. They had lost before. Couldn't save the people on a dying planet; watched them all die when it was sucked into a black hole. Couldn't stop a wave of soldiers from advancing into a protesting crowd; saw people get shot down, children and adults. Couldn't convince her her life was worth living, watched her plummet off the bridge, webs too slow to save her.
People died. They let people die.
"I have to try," they mumbled, hugging their pillow close to their chest. To make up for those I failed.
"Well," Loki hummed, "I think that's your answer then."
Ceres laughed bitterly. "You make it sound so simple."
Loki hummed. "It's not, really. But, with a great power like yours comes a great responsibility. It's unfortunate that responsibility fell on you, though. You're far too young for this. I wouldn't blame you if you quit." He sounded almost hopeful when he said it. Ceres sent him a sad smile.
"I won't, though."
Loki shook his head, sighing. "No, you won't."
☆
They stood in front of Miguel O'Hara once more, looking around his little multiverse observatory.
"Peter already showed you the place?"
"Peter B, yeah. You know, a lot of spider people seem to have the same name? That's gotta get confusing."
Miguel didn't respond, instead turning to face the various scenes playing out on the holograms in front of him. "I think it's time, then. Do you want to know what we're protecting the multiverse against?" There was a beat of silence. "Anomalies."
Ceres tilted their head, letting Miguel continue. "Each universe has its own canon, and to alter the canon can and will destroy it. There are set events that have to happen in a timeline. Usually the death of a close family member or friend for spider people." He turned his head, looking at Ceres from the corner of his eye. "For you and me, it was an experiment."
Ceres flinched at the memory.
Miguel looked back at the holograms. "A few weeks ago, a massive catastrophe in Earth-1610 caused rips all over the multiverse. Now we're the ones cleaning up the mess."
Miguel turned to face Ceres completely. "Your life in your timeline will continue as normal. Every once in a while, you'll get called in for a mission, and if you see any anomalies, you report it. The multiverse is at stake, Ceres. Are you absolutely sure you can handle this?"
Ceres blinked at him. A few things stood out; people have to die? How much does he know about them, if he knows about the lab? Is he just… watching people?
That's weird. All of this was weird.
But, if it was for the good of the people…
"Yeah," Ceres lied. "I'm sure."
"Good, then—"
"Actually!" Ceres interrupted. "One question."
Miguel scowled at them. "Yes?"
The teen rocked back and forth on their heels. A test, they decided. "So, like… all these spider people seem pretty smart, right? And I have this medical condition—"
"No."
Ceres blinked, frowning. "I didn't even finish, man."
Miguel only shook his head. "It's in your canon. If you fix it yourself, that's one thing, but to get others involved… Your universe could collapse. I'm sorry."
His expression remained unreadable. Ceres was pretty sure he wasn't all that sorry.
"…Yeah, okay. Nothing else, then." They faked a grin. "I'm a member now?"
Miguel nodded.
"Star-Spider, reporting for duty!" They turned around, towards the door. "Unfortunately, I have to get home now. Loki has some new meds he wants me to try. Call me if you need me!"
They didn't bother to wait for a response, speed walking away as fast as possible.
Miguel could help them.
For you and me, an experiment.
He had to know. Know what it was like to be surrounded by people who could help, but who wouldn't.
So why wasn't he helping?
There was a way. Spider-Man saves people.
I have to save them all.
But you can't.
Loki was right. They couldn't save them all. People would die no matter what choices they made.
I wouldn't blame you if you quit.
But they wouldn't. Miguel had to be wrong. No one had to die. They could save them. They could save them all.
"Hey, mate!"
Ceres turned to see a tall teenaged boy approaching them. His body seemed to flicker, never staying one color. He held out a hand.
"Heard there was a new kid around, wanted to introduce myself. Name's Hobie."
Ceres took his hand. "Star-Spider, Ceres Parker."
Hobbies grinned. "Got ya. Say, Starry, what do you think of the Spider Society so far?"
Ceres opened their mouth, ready to lie, but they saw something. A glimpse in Hobie's eyes, something that told them that he had similar doubts. They glanced at the anarchist pin on his vest.
What was Miguel, really, other than a dictator of the Spider-Verse? He was so focused on his own narrowed world view he couldn't look for a newer, better solution.
Ceres had dealt with dictators before. They couldn't be reasoned with.
It's in your canon.
But did it have to be?
"Well…"