Chapter 13: Influencer/Great Weaver
(Want to read ahead of what I've posted so far? Go to my patreòn and get early access chapters.
As of this chapter, the patreòn is 7 chapters ahead at chapter 20. Took a day off yesterday, but I'll be writing 2 more chapters today as usual.
https://www.patreón.com/AlienWarlord
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Peter's idea is to pretty much make Spider-Man an influencer on YouTube and other social media platforms. It literally has what he's trying to do in the name, Influence people. Well, influence those that are being poisoned by J Jonah Jameson's constant anti Spider-Man propaganda.
Peter knows he won't be able to get all of Jonahs followers to turn sides, but most people are logical and level-headed. They would hopefully make up their own minds after seeing for themselves.
He already knew what to do. Peter would record videos of his nightly duties as Spider-Man and post them to YouTube after some quick editing. It would be an easy way to show the full context of the situations which Jonah is constantly spinning into some conspiracy perpetrated by Spider-Man or some other craziness.
As for the other social media platforms, Peter thought it would be best to use Twitter and Instagram. Instagram only just came out this year, so it was still new and not very popular. The only reason he has an Instagram account is that Peter knows it will be popular in the years to come. Though that popularity may come sooner rather than later. After all, Spider-man would be on it soon enough.
On the other hand, Twitter has been around for almost 4 years and was starting to gain some traction.Peter chose these three things for specific reasons and not just out of random thought.
YouTube would showcase the good he does in video format. Twitter can be used to speak his mind or send warnings during future emergencies. The only one that he doesn't necessarily need is Instagram. It's more of a want than a need. Peter liked the idea of posting cool pictures as Spider-Man. Kind of like how Toby Maguire Spider-Man would take photos of himself and sell them to The Daily Bugle to make a living.
The only obstacle to his new plan is the fact that these accounts could be linked back to him. This problem would need to be taken care of beforehand, as people like Stark, Shield, Hydra, and anyone with a bit of skill and brains would be able to find him easily.
He would have to engineer a way to encrypt these accounts, which shouldn't be too hard. Peter just needs to pick up some books on Cryptography, Network Security, and anything else related. After reading up on these subjects, Peter could start brainstorming and put something together.
Though even with all of his accounts encrypted and secured from any nosy people and organizations, Peter still wouldn't be able to make any money from anything related to this. For example, the second he pulled out any amount of money from his YouTube account, that transaction would be easily traceable. Especially for government agencies, like Shield and Hydra by extension. Hell, the IRS could probably track it.
The money just wouldn't be worth it, especially since Peter is already working on a project that would make a lot more money. Pay-to-win games are a much more lucrative business after all.
Knowing he had to get to work, Peter started scouring libraries, book stores, and college campuses for the things he needed. His schedule just got a bit more crowded, but he could handle it. He's Spider-Man after all.
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-One Week Later-
After a week of studying Cryptography, Network Security, and other similar subjects, Peter already had a few ideas on how to secure his online activities as Spider-Man. He just needed to narrow it down to one solid plan and then Peter could get to work.
Other than that, his schedule moved as usual. Everything was advancing steadily, including the development of Candy Crush. Peter started to become very skilled in every area of Game Development. His art and musical skills were astronomically better than they were before.
Though not everything happened as usual.
-Flashback-
At the beginning of the week, Peter went to Kamar Taj after school let out and was surprised to find the Ancient One waiting for him.
"Are you ready for your training to begin?" She says as soon as he steps out of the portal.
"God, yes!" Peter exclaims happily.
He's been cooped up in the library for far too long. All of the knowledge he's packed into his brain needed to be used. He was dying to start doing any magic other than portal creation.
"Good, let's start with a small introduction, shall we?" She says and places her thumb on Peter's forehead.
'Oh, no...' Peter thought but it was too late for him to act.
Suddenly, Peter was sucked out of the Earth at lightning speed. Staring down at the planet below, he saw some things that shouldn't be there. Orbiting around the planet were glowing butterflies, which shined in every color of the rainbow.
"Okay, this isn't too bad." Peter says but soon regrets his statement.
Before he could get too comfortable, Peter was once again sucked to another place. He appeared in a wormhole-type portal that flashed in different indescribable hues. Without getting a moment's rest, the scenes changed as Peter was thrown through many odd, beautiful, and dangerous dimensions.
Peter saw towering figures with immeasurable power, and glimpses of the universe that no man was meant to look upon. One dimension that scared him the most was dead. Nothing existed and everything was gone, decayed to nothing but dust which floated in the air as little specks. This dimension was killed by the battle of two titanic figures, who were still fighting to this day.
As an attack from one of the titans was about to strike Peter, he was about to be sucked up into another wormhole, but an old feminine-looking hand grabs him.
"Huh?" Peter grunted as the hand pulls him through a spider-web crack which floated above him.
Appearing in an odd dimension made up of spider-webs, similar to how the mirror dimension looks, except it was separated by webs and not cracks. Peter breathed heavily as he collapsed onto the floor with an enlightened and slightly scared look on his face.
In between the web-like structure of this dimension, horrible outcomes and frightening dimensional entities were playing over and over. As if he was watching multiple televisions, Peter fully realizes that he has been treating this new life as a fun new beginning, which it is, but that doesn't make the many dangers in this new world just disappear. Especially the universe-ending entities that he just saw.
Although the giant titans seemed to be preoccupied with their battle, what would they do once that fight concluded? They wouldn't want to stay in a dead universe, would they? Peter was too afraid to continue that train of thought.
This experience was a sort of wake-up call for him, as Peter saw the dangers that exist in the vast dimensions.
"Do you understand now?" A voice of an old woman fills the spider-like dimension.
Following the sound, Peter turns to see an old decrepit-looking woman with spider-like appendages sitting on a stone throne. Not only does she have eight black spider legs coming out of her back, but also multiple beady black eyes.
"Uhh, I think so?" Peter says in confusion.
"Good, you've been going down a path that leads to nothing but death. Stay alert and be ready for any situation. That's the spider's way after all." She says as she snaps her fingers and the many images that played along this dimension's webs turned into an image of the vast universe.
"Umm, who are you?" Peter asks respectfully.
He's learned through the many books he's read in the library of Kamar Taj that it's best to be courteous when dealing with the less threatening dimensional entities.
"That doesn't matter. Just know that I'm the one that bestowed you the powers you cherish so much." She says in her old and weak-sounding voice.
"I thought that was..." Peter speaks but the spider granny interrupts him with a scoff.
"The spider?" She says with a roll of her eyes. "Do you really think a radioactive spider bite can truly give you anything but radiation poisoning?"
"Uhh, I guess not..." Peter nods as that makes a lot of sense.
"Of course not, Stupid Boy!" She says with a cackle-like laugh.
"Umm, thanks for the powers I guess?" Peter thanks her awkwardly.
"You're welcome I suppose." She says with a dismissive wave of her hand.
As they're speaking, a golden portal appears, and in walks the Ancient One in all her baldness.
"Oh, I understand now." The Sorcerer Supreme mutters as she waltzed into the dimension casually. "Hello, Peter. You had me worried there for a moment."
"So, this wasn't planned?" Peter asks.
"No, only your consciousness was to be sent across the many dimensions, but your body disappeared not long after. Thankfully, you were taken here." The Ancient One says in relief as she turns toward the spider granny. "Greetings, Great Weaver. It's been a while since we've last met."
"Yao, It's certainly been long, hasn't it? I see you're still connected to that vile place..." The Great Weaver says, showing a brief moment of disgust.
"I would appreciate it if we didn't speak of that in front of my student." The Ancient One says, giving the Great Weaver a stern look.
"Oh relax, he'll find out sooner or later. The Patternmaker said as much. Though I'll respect your wishes and not speak on the subject any further." The granny says with a shrug.
"I see..." The Ancient One goes quiet for a moment.
"Umm, who's the pattern maker?" Peter asked in confusion.
"You don't need to worry about that. At least not for a while yet." The Great Weaver says and turns back to the Ancient One. "I'm done with your student. You may take him back now."
"Let's go, Peter." The Ancient One says as she walks back to her open portal without another word.
"Y-Yeah..." Peter follows behind her but turns to look over his shoulder for a moment. "It was nice meeting you."
The Great Weaver doesn't reply, but when the portal closes and she's left alone, a small smile creeps onto her face.
"I hope you survive and meet my expectations, Peter."
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As Peter returns to Kamar Taj with the Ancient One, he turns to her and smiles evilly.
"So... Yao, Huh?"
A/N: 1757 words
[DONT FORGET MY STONES! Or I may wither into a husk of my former self. Empty and stone-less until the end of time...]