The wormhole spat us out with a rough jolt, depositing us onto the bustling streets of New York City. The familiar skyline stretched above us, and for a fleeting moment, relief coursed through my veins. We were home—or so it seemed. Spider-Man and I exchanged weary glances, ready to put this exhausting multiverse adventure behind us.

That fleeting peace shattered with the sharp, grating sound of J. Jonah Jameson's voice blaring from a nearby screen. "Spider-Menaces, crawling all over this city like roaches!" his angry tirade carried over the noise of the city. My stomach sank, and Spider-Man let out a groan. "That's not right," I muttered, scanning the area.

As we walked closer to one of the larger screens mounted on a nearby building, my attention snagged on a new figure on display. A woman clad in a sleek, black-and-white suit was addressing the camera. "Spider-Woman?" I mumbled, turning to Spider-Man. He shrugged, his confusion mirroring mine.

Suddenly, a sharp thwip pierced the air. Before I could react, a web snagged around us, yanking us off our feet and slamming us onto the ledge of a nearby building. Pain exploded in my side, and I clenched my jaw against it, instinctively curling into a defensive stance. "What the—?" I snarled through gritted teeth.

Spider-Man raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Hey, hey! We're not enemies here!"

A slender figure leapt onto the ledge before us, moving with precision and control. The woman from the broadcast now stood in front of us, her black-and-white suit gleaming under the city lights. Her stance was tense, ready for battle, and her mask obscured her expression. She was thinner and leaner than Peter but radiated the same unmistakable Spider-energy.

"What did you do that for?" I hissed, my voice sharp with irritation. I felt the ache in my ribs as I stood, squaring my shoulders against the confrontation.

She tilted her head, her tone clipped as she replied, "Well, aren't you Venom? You've got his suit."

I bristled at her accusation, my fists tightening at my sides. "Look closer, lady. This isn't Venom," I spat, my anger barely contained. But her words struck a chord deep inside. Memories of Venom's bond, the power, and the chaos it wrought flashed through my mind like a storm.

Spider-Man stepped forward, raising his hands again in an attempt to diffuse the tension. "Let's all just calm down, alright? We've had a long day, and we're definitely not the bad guys here."

The woman's masked eyes narrowed, her silence heavy with doubt. It was clear this was going to take some convincing.

Spider-Woman sighed, dragging a hand across her face with an exasperated groan. "Oh, whatever," she muttered, begrudgingly freeing us with a flick of her wrist. The webs unraveled, releasing us from their sticky grip. "You two better get out of here. As if Jonah doesn't have enough material stirring up my business, I don't need you two making it worse."

Without waiting for a reply, she launched herself off the ledge, swinging away with fluid grace. But just as she gained momentum, Spider-Man's hand shot out, webbing her ankle. With a powerful tug, he yanked her back toward the rooftop, slamming her into the ground.

"Hey!" she yelped, startled and more than a little annoyed.

Before she could recover, I lunged forward, pinning her to the ground. My mask slipped slightly, revealing just enough of my face—and the sharp glint of my bared fangs—to send a chill through her. Her wide eyes locked on mine, a flicker of fear and confusion crossing her features.

"We aren't your enemies, kid," I growled, my voice low and dangerous. "But you're in big trouble. The Goblin is going to come for you—and take your blood."

The girl froze beneath me, her shock palpable. "What? But I already defeated her," she stammered, her voice tinged with disbelief.

I raised an eyebrow beneath my mask, straightening as I released her. "There's another one," I said simply, my tone grave.

She pushed herself up cautiously, brushing off her suit. "Another Goblin?" she echoed, her voice faltering as the weight of my words sank in.

Spider-Man crossed his arms, nodding. "And she's not just after you. She's after all of us. This is bigger than your corner of the city."

The girl hesitated, her determination warring with uncertainty. Whatever bravado she had moments ago seemed to waver as the reality of the situation hit her. Finally, she stood, brushing off her hands and squaring her shoulders.

"Alright," she said, her voice firm. "Tell me everything you know."

SCENEBREAK

We filled Spider-Woman—Petra, as she introduced herself—in on everything we knew. She listened intently, her brows furrowing as we explained that in our world, the Goblin was male. The revelation clearly unsettled her, but she masked it with a determined nod. "Guess some things don't change across dimensions," she muttered.

Together, we made our way to Oscorp, the ominous silhouette of the tower looming against the evening sky. The building buzzed with a faint hum of energy, an unspoken warning of the horrors that lay within. When we breached the upper floors, the scene that greeted us was grim. Norman Osborn was slumped against his desk, his face twisted in terror, his once-imposing presence reduced to lifeless silence.

The Goblin—this world's version—stood before him, her wicked grin stretching unnaturally wide as she turned her gaze on us. The air seemed to crackle with her madness, and without hesitation, she launched herself at us, shrieking like a banshee.

The fight was brutal and chaotic, a flurry of webs, claws, and desperate maneuvers. The Goblin was faster and stronger than I anticipated, her attacks relentless and almost feral. At one point, she sent me hurtling toward the edge of the rooftop. I barely managed to grab hold of the ledge, my fingers clutching the cold, slippery metal as the wind whipped around me.

For a moment, I hung there, the city lights a dizzying blur below me. My muscles screamed in protest, and the throbbing in my head from the earlier fight threatened to drag me into unconsciousness.

"Hang on!" Spider-Man shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos as he fought to reach me. Petra was right beside him, her movements fluid as she tangled the Goblin in a webbing trap, buying just enough time for Peter to grab my arm and pull me back to safety.

"Thanks," I gasped, my chest heaving as I scrambled to regain my footing.

Peter nodded, offering a wry smile. "You're not getting rid of me that easily."

But the reprieve was short-lived. The Goblin broke free with a feral roar, her eyes blazing with unhinged fury. The battle was far from over.

The realization hit me like a freight train as I spotted it—black goo creeping through a crack in the wall. It slithered unnaturally, its movements eerily familiar. My breath caught as I felt a tug in my mind, that same invasive pull I had once known all too well. My heart raced as I froze, unable to process the memories flooding back.

Before I could even reach for the symbiote or try to stop it, a massive force yanked me away. Godzilla's grip was unrelenting, his claws digging into my arm as he pulled me back with brutal strength. You aren't getting rid of me that easily, you rat, she hissed in my mind, her voice venomous and filled with malice. My head throbbed with pain as I struggled against the mental invasion, her presence more oppressive than ever.

In the chaos, Norman Osborn's eyes gleamed with twisted opportunity. He moved swiftly, his boot connecting with my abdomen in a calculated, forceful kick. Pain erupted through my body, and I was sent hurtling backward, the world spinning as I careened off the rooftop.

Everything blurred. The sharp wind whipped past me as I fell, and my vision swam with the image of Spider-Man's desperate hand reaching out, his masked face a picture of panic and helplessness. But he was too far, too slow.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw it—the black goo lunging toward me like a predator pouncing on prey. It surged forward, wrapping around me with terrifying speed. The world around me vanished as darkness consumed my vision, dragging me into its void.

And then, there was nothing.