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Miguel O'Hara was a right and ungrateful twat. He expected a group of barely adults, no, fucking child soilders for the most part to chase down and willingly bring a fifteen year old in?
Hobie Brown was everything and nothing, but the one thing he sure fucking wasn't, was a sheep.
And here they are.
The multiverse didn't collapse after Miles saved his dad, Hobie got enough materials from Spyder Byte to make a whole crew worth of watches and bands, and Miguel O'Hara lost almost all support and Spiders on his side? That about sums it up.
Hobie decided it was about time for his mates to meet his Spider mates and show off his own crew. He really didn't expect things to turn so sour.
&
"The Rec Room!! Hurry up, wil' ya?" Hobie closed the portal behind the other three spiders and his own Earth shouted at them in color, magazine clips, and headlines. Every word and surface was seeking attention and it moved vibrantly along with Hobies outline.
The punk pulled off his mask, letting his wicks move fluidly around his face.
Each spider looked around expectantly. "I thought you guys would've been here?" Miles peaked up, and shot a glance to Gwen and Pav. Gwen shook her head, "I've just used Hobies room before," while Pav nodded, "I only met Riri and she's amazing ooo, you guys will love her, she is so smart the equivalent of 616 Peter for sure!" Pav beamed and slung an arm around Hobie.
"I liked to keep the whole, ya know Spider thing and revolution thing separate, wasn't willing to find out about something that was supposed to happen and then have Miguel pull the shit that bloke just did with Miles." Hobie hummed, and crossed his arms as he seemed to wait for something.
"Um… What exactly are we-"
"BROWN YOU FUCKING TWAT!"
A word bubble seemed to appear with %$&@ING censored from a hallway and all of their Spidey senses went off.
An older guy, maybe just a year or two older than Hobie, with black hair, burst in and was locking eyes with him. Pav jumped back and was pulled back by Gwen with a web, while Hobie stood still and let himself be tackled by the other man.
"You brain-dead collar and cuff* asshole!! We thought you were going rouge again!" The other man seemed to be hugging Hobie as he let out a laugh, "I'm not though, cut and carried* dimwit." Hobie seemed to hug him back with one arm, and used the other to shoot a web up and help pull them both off the ground.
The other man pulled away and seemed to finally notice the three other Spider people. "I thought you were-"
"We've got a lot to talk about but first I need me a Riri." Hobie hummed away as he walked towards the other hall, glancing back, before stopping to stare at the others, "Well c'mon, we haven't got all day."
&
"Nine days." The shorter woman glared at him from her chair. The other three spiders stood there awkwardly as the previous man joined the girl at her desk. "All we ask is that you give us some signal that you aren't six feet deep. And for nine days you can't even do that." Hobie seemed to shrug, coolly, even while being scolded, and tossed a multiversal watch to her.
"This better be good or you're doing the dishes for a fucking millenia."
"Three months?"
"Five."
"Three and a half?"
She was about as scary as Mrs. Morales to the other spiders.
"Three months and a month of laundry duty, plus two weeks of kitchen duty for the kids. That's final." She grumbled, looking down at the new device in her hands and started taking apart the extra watch. "You better not have stolen any of my stuff for this."
"Nah, none of your stuff, luv." He put emphasis on your.
"I'll gut you in your sleep."
"You love me too much."
"Not enough to hold me back."
She glanced over at the trio now and seemed to brighten up significantly, even smiling, "Pav, golly, how are you? I've been bugging him to bring you around. Whose that with you?" Her attention was fully back on the watch, as she fiddled with her tools.
"Ri!! Hi, this is Miles and Gwen, two amazing people you got to meet." Pav grabbed both of them by the arm, and pulled them over, causing both mentioned spiders to freeze. Gwen was usually, and even easily sociable, but she felt so out of her element here. Miles' social anxiety just couldn't stop chasing him, so he defaulted to the auntie and uncle tone, “Pleasure to meet you.” He stiffened.
“Gwen. Stacy. Nice to meet you,” Gwen smiled nervously and looked around, seeing the screens, microscope, and all, but stopped when she spotted the suit, “Whoah.” She looked the suit up and down, a punk version of the regular Ironheart, and a text box faded into view. “Riotheart Model 4”
“Did you… make that?” Gwen was in pure aw. “Hm?” Ri glanced back, “Yeah, that’s the new one. Shoulder pads and leg covers courtesy of Hobie.” She ticked and for a moment frowned, “Hobie you… made this? Where did you even get your hands on this kind of tech?” She looked up at him, expectantly.
Hobie shrugged, “Stole ‘oobers from Miguel until I had enough to make one for each of us. Speaking of which,” he rummaged in his pockets and tossed out another one for the other man in the room to catch, “I had enough for two extras to make sure that at least two of you could reach me in case I’m on some ginger and beer.” Ri looked up at him, “Are you sure these are all safe?” Hobie sighed, “Yes, mum. I’m sure you won't get disintegrated up entry of another Earth.” he smiled down at her, “Anyway, I’m giving these three the grand tour-”
“Robbies’ back.”
“Oh.”
“Apologize to him, Karl can continue your tour, then we need to talk KingPin plans. I’ll give you the details later,” glancing to the spider trio behind him, “He sent the Kravens and Goblins on another hit and run, to keep it brief.” her eyes glistened with something, grief, but this strong wall, holding her back.
Hobie stiffened, the usual cool exterior was there, but something was layered behind his face that made him look solemn, “How many?”
Ri paused, and kept her graze down as she cracked open the watch and started tinkering with the internal wires, “Six. Three kids, one mother, two unidentifiable.”
Hobbies breath stopped completely, “ ‘Ight then.” He glanced back at the other man, Karl, the trio could guess, “Keep them warm until I get back?” Hobie hummed, and then seemed to put on his usual self, finally seeming to see his friends, “If any of these tea leafs bother ya, I’ll set ‘em straight. Don’t be a stranger.” He winked and strutted off into the opposite hall.
Ri and Pav seemed to chat away, like they’ve known each other their entire life. It was an effect that Pav seemed to have on everyone, in this case however, Gwen and Miles just stood their awkwardly.
Karl cleared his throat and the four remaining in the room looked over, “Well, um. Let me show you around I guess?”
&
“Sorry for you getting stuck with me, Hobie just has to handle some shit.”
“So… Whose Robbie?” Miles turned to look up at Karl.
“He’s our Hulk. He uh… Some of the stuff we were doing was too much for him, so he left and abandoned the whole Hulk and anarchy thing. They aren’t exactly, not friends but they got some issues to work through.” Karl shrugged, “If you guys got any question or anything, just say so. Hobbies friends are friends of ours.”
“What do you mean it was too much? Based on what Hobie has said, you all were laying low.” Pav tilted his head.
“It got, a lot worse towards the end. Hobie kinda, scared him off, and everyone got worried for Hobies safety, I guess. He said he need some space. You could say we were scared for him, but also of him at the time, I guess. He can be a scary guy s’all.” Karl laughed like it was an inside joke the two shared.
“I mean, he could be intimidating but scary?” Gwen smiled, glancing at Miles, who just nodded.
“I take it Hobie didn’t tell you then? About Osborn?”
“He has a Norman Osborn?”
“Had.” Karl hummed, grimly. “Look, Hobbies, my bro, if he wants to tell you, he will.” Karl tilted his head up and offered a kind smile, Hobbies room is up the stairs, yall know your way, me and Ri gotta start planning what to do with the KingPin.” Karl started heading back to RiRis lab.
Miles looked over, and glanced between the other two spiders. Yeah, they all were thinking the same thing.
“I mean, do you guys need help?” Gwen peaked up and shot a web up to the ceiling, swinging around to Karls front.
Karl looked down at her, and back to Pav and Miles. He had a gut feeling that he wasn’t getting out of this one. “I mean… We could always use the help. This is kind of Hobies territory but if he’s willing to bring you into this, by all means.”
At that, two pairs of footsteps were heard.
“...mean no offense Hobs, I’ll believe seeing a couple more spiders when I-”
“Yeah, Robbie?”
“No shit.”
&
“So there’s a dimension of Spider people? Because of something called the web of life and spider totems?
“Yup.”
“This shit got so weird so fast.” Robbie laughed and fidgeted with his ear buds, “Listen you have my back up number now, so just… If you get some rougher shit, call me. I’m retired, that’s that.”
Hobie and Robbie gave each other a handshake and Robbie headed out, “Keep these webs down, I’ll call ahead next time.”
Hobie smiled, “So, good ol’ Cap told me you three were wanting to join the cause. Listen,” he moved very animatedly and put his arms around Gwen and Miles shoulders, “It’s not… the same with how you lot handle your problems and you three… Well, okay I know the other folks, but you three are my mates, closest buds out of all them. I’m sure Cap told you I scared off robbie on accident, I don’t wanna scare you three either, ya know?” Hobie hummed, “No hard feelings?”
Miles frowned and gently lifted up Hobies arm, pushing himself away and turning to him, “You helped me with the Spot, how is this any different? And Hobs, we don’t get scared easily. I don’t get scared easily.”
“Listen I… My Earth is rougher and how we handle things is a lot rougher. Miles, just drop it, ai’ght bloke?” Hobie shrugged, trying to play it off.
“Nah. Every Spider has at least once tried to take on more than they can chew, including you right now. Share the burden, right?” Miles narrowed his eyes and stepped up, looking up at Hobie, shooting the words that Karl and even RiRi told him.
“You really don’t be listening eh, Hobie? Remember what I said about letting us shoulder that burden?”
“I’m sharing the burden with them, Miles, I’m all for helping other people fight and share in others battles, but this battle could do you lot a lot more harm than good. Ya all got alot on your plate as it is.” Hobie crossed his arms and stared down at Miles, with a neutral expression.
“Since when did Hobie Brown want people to listen to someone telling them what to do?” Gwen puffed and flung over next to Miles, “You need help, our Earths aren’t in desperate need of a Spider-Man. We can help.” Hobie look conflicted.
Karl laughed, “Looks like they’ll be hanging around a bit more. I’ll let you… say what you gotta say man. Me and Ri are heading down to the shelter.” Karl gently punched Hobies shoulder and walked off. At that playful punch, Hobbies color seemed to fade to a staccato black and white, most of the magazine pop color that his body and form held, was gone, replaced with a newspaper cut out, meshed together.
Similar to Gwens world that melded together with colors and feelings, Hobbies moved in shapes and articles, like a pin board that's filled to the brim and overflowing with character and expression, like an anarchy zine stitched together that's marked as free. Rarely, was he devoid of color completely.
When Gwens make-shift Spider Band helped stop the Prowler from tearing Miles apart and then subsequently the Spot from opening a Schwarzschild Radius on the entire multiverse, Hobie would noticeably be a more muted tone or intentionally fall back when he wasn’t involved in the conversations.
But this… lack of color, added a more serious note to whatever conversation Hobie was about to start.
Hobbies eyes glanced to the side, then a playful smirk popped up and his exterior brightened noticeably, “ ‘Ight, let’s go for a swing? I’ve got a spot that I go to… I’m not dropping this and I don’t expect any of you buggers to eitha’.” He huffed playfully before wrapping an arm around Pavs shoulder, and led him towards the nearest window, opposite of them, “So c’mon on, don’t be a slob.” He punched Pav’s arm and quickly was off, pulling down his mask over his face.
The other three followed suit, having their suits under their casual clothes and ready to go, and slung across his London, that popped in noise, color, and paper. Hobbies body seemed to mesh with it as he swung.
&
After following around Hobie, shooting quips and webs back and forth, they made their way to.
A white house.
A seemingly London-ified version of it, but still. The White House. A decrepit, broken down, and abandoned version of it, too. Hobies White House.
Hobie seemed to slow and once again lost his color, his guitar holding red strings, but also fading to a black and white monochrome.
Half of the roof was still standing, where Hobie let go of his web and rolled, shooting up at the edge and sitting on the remnants of an old pillar. He pulled off his mask and ran his thumb over the studs, as a familiar pattern of feet landing behind him hit the cement.
Hobie Brown was not a coward, but he also wasn’t consistent.
Miles' intuition was kicking in and concern was taking over. He strutted over and hopped on the ledge next to Hobie, with Pav and Gwen standing behind looking at this… grave.
Shit.
Prime Minister President Norman Osborn
19XX-20XX
May God Kill Spider-Punk
Osborn Reigns
There was a statue looming over the remnants of the White House, with a disgusting square figure, with a smug and grimacing smirk. His face oozed an execrable aura of malice yet fatuous. The kind of arrogance you get after a dictatorship, you could guess.
Hobie tilted just slightly and his muted tone changed to stark white and grays, with headlines buzzing about him.
“Look, I didn’t,” He tch’ed and look down at the statue, “I wanted to wait for this ‘nd just take the piss, but… yo’ all deserve to know.” Hobie rubbed the stubs of his mask again. “After Miguel starting processing all those canon events and whatnot… I assumed every one of us had an event lined up, where we kill someone.”
The air turned tense, and dead quiet. Mutated grasshoppers were heard by the riverbed.
“I found out, nah. Not only that very few have, but all the ones that have, hated themselves for it, or felt all this guilt and this shitty shame for themselves as Spider people, for stooping so low as to take a life and to never do it again. Or for not pulling their punches for once… But, if I’m being honest…”
Pav's eyes darted between all of them.
“What I regret, really, is not killing more of those bastards.” Hobie huffed and pocketed his mask, as he stared at the statue in front of him. The ground began to shake, with small vibrations shaking the pillars gently, causing one to sway as a portal hummed to life. Light but small feet pattered back. The portal closed shut.
“I killed him, twice technically. And if he came back I’d do it a third. I need you all to understand what kind of person I am.” Hobie kept his tone neutral, but under it, was something desperate.
Gwen slung to the opposite side that Miles was on and scooted close to Hobie. “I wouldn’t…” She started, but stopped. This wasn’t the time to take a holier than thou stance, this was one of her closest friends, someone that shouldn’t have to be in fear of people leaving him, just for one bad streak in his book.
“Would it… Help if you talk about it?” Miles hummed, scooting a bit closer. He was reserved about this, and his stomach churned at the idea of the person who supported him the most, doing something that most would see as unforgivable. But right here, right now, wasn’t a murderer, it was Hobie Brown, his friend.
Hobie ran his hand over his hair to push back his wicks and sighed, looking down at his boots, as he kicked them gently back and forth. His staccato black and white, shifted to a vulnerable red and blue, with his skin turning to a regular shade.
“There was… This weird spider shit going on, my first mission… A lot happened, but my Osborn, the bitch he was, was growing stronger, had stepped over a few too many lines… I snapped and took his head with it.” Hobie played with the loops of his blue laces, “I never regretted it, until I found out he was still alive and these fascist fucks preserved his head in this weird jar machine. He was also my Venom.”
Miles glanced down at where Hobies hand was and noticed he was just moving it to try and hide his shaking, his nervousness. “That wasn’t the first time you killed someone though… Was it?” Miles' intuitive nature read Hobie like a book some days and left it blank on some, today he was spot on.
“You are too smart sometimes, Peter Pan.” Hobie chuckled and paused, his staccato black and white returning, giving off the image of Noir for a split second as he was truly reminiscing.
“I was… Twelve, yeah,” Hobie looked down at his hand that was on his laces and realized it was being gently grabbed by Miles, and his shoulder being rubbed by Gwen. If he hadn’t put up such a hardened, cool exterior, Hobie knows damn well, he’d be crying, “My mum had just died, my pop was already long gone… I was just trying to get some food for some other kids around the shelter I stayed at, when this…” Hobie had to stop. He saw it as a point of being too vulnerable. “ ‘M sorry, ‘m not…”
The two other spiders hugged him tight, and both held him close, as Hobies exterior broke, he curled in on himself, only being supported by the two.
For a moment, Gwen and Miles glanced up and over at each other, they both held an understanding. Regardless of what Hobie did, regardless why he did it, they were going to be here for him.
And lecture Pav later for ditching Hobie.
“We’ve got you, we aren’t leaving.” Miles whispered. Hobbies colors cracked together, like a puzzle piece, now flippantly changing shades, clippings, and words. “You’re okay, Hobs. You’re right to not regret any of it.” Gwen hummed, lightly.
Spider Pile Mode Engaged.
After a while of the quiet night air, Hobie adjusted and lightly pulled out of the two grasps, “Well, I don’t wanna send Karl into another tizzy.” He smirked, trying to lighten the mood.
“They care about you like we do… If you want me and Gwen could talk to Pav. He’s still… Fresher than a lot of us when it comes to this stuff.” Miles met Hobies eyes.
Hobie hummed and stood, walking backwards to the middle of the roof, “Mmm, nah. I’ll let him mule it over for a bit.” Hobie grabbed and pulled over his mask, “No faffing now, c’mon.” He shot a web towards the nearest building and flung off.
Gwen and Miles shared a look.
“Slingshot? It would be a little funny to beat Hobs to his own homes.”
“After you.” Miles smiled.
&
Hobie ‘Hobart’ Brown hates consistency. And is everything yet nothing at once. But the one thing he isn’t, is a sheep.
He won’t listen to anyone about how they feel about him or what he’s had to do, but he still cares. He’s still at his core, just a kid.
And he’ll have to continue his revolution and fight and, hell, maybe even kill again, but at least now;
He’s finally sharing his burden.