Chapter 608: Awkward Goodbye


    *Klck* *Thud*


    Gwen turned silent as she stood outside her apartment with the door standing in her way. Right now, she didn''t care if Nik saw her butt. Her shame had whittled down in the matter of minutes after walking down the streets of an empty New York. And, there was also the fact that


    "The door is locked."


    Gwen uttered, slowly turning back. Her b.r.e.a.s.ts still lovely and perky with soft pink a.r.e.o.l.as and her eyes a little dazed. Hearing her, everyone turned surprised. "Say what, now?" Spider crossed her arms. It was one thing if Poole acted weirdly. She had basically established herself as the weirdo of the group. But it waspletely another thing for Gwen to do such a thing. Clearly feeling Spider''s annoyance since they both were the same, Gwen gave her an equally fierce stare, "Oh, well, sorry. I guess I forgot to bring my house''s spiritual key. But if I did have it, I now know where to shove it!" She hissed.


    Maybe, and this was purely Nik''s spection, Gwen might not have enjoyed this little side-quest as much as Nik had. And seeing Gwen''s eyelids twitch the moment her gaze identally traveled south of his face, Nik knew for sure that it was the tension of being n.a.k.e.d that itself caused Gwen to feel so frustrated. Well, in all honesty, Nik had based that particr opinion from the very beginning. Not everyone enjoyed walking around n.a.k.e.d. Some were just not into this. Still, Spider wasn''t having any of it. "How do you think we will travel back to our homes?"


    "And since when did I became the expert of such stuff?" Gwen snapped back.


    "Guys," Poole sighed, her hands tracing her waist as she shook her head. "You are embarrassing us as a ''group''. And angry n.a.k.e.ddies don''t make sense at all. Why would our guests," pointing at Anna and Nik, she continued, "Would enjoy an argument instead of a mean ''cat'' fight? C''mon! Have at each other. w each other hair. Maybe bite, too."


    "Oh, yeah. Common enemy always diffuses a situation like this," Nik mumbled with the duo Gwens turning their head towards Poole''s direction. "You know magic, right? Open this door," Spider and Gwen stated at the same time. ''What do you know? This ''is'' better. It''s like a walking mirror, except Spider''s and Gwen''s hairstyle do not match.''


    "Woah!" Clearly feeling offended, or acting as such, Poole pouted and crossed her arms. Now all three of the Gwens had their arms crossed, clearly arousing Nik as Anna butted her head against Nik''s shoulder, clearly envious of theck of attention. "Don''t feel that, Hon," Nik whispered, "You are clearly the one getting most of me. Every night. More than Mary, in fact."


    "Yeah, but I''m clearly at a disadvantage. They''re three. Triplets..." Anna stated sadly. It didn''t take a genius to understand after knowing about Nik''s past that he will continue in his actions. At the very least, Nik didn''t force the mother-daughter duo to stay with him. Clearly, his level of persuasion had reached a level far higher than expected. "So? And it''s not like they''ll stay here. They have their own worlds," pulling Anna closer by her waist and gazing at the trio''s staredown, Nik whispered, "Let''s just enjoy the show while we can."


    "Fine," Anna leaned her head against Nik''s shoulder, still feeling a little sad, now by the fact that Poole and Spider might leave. She didn''t want that.


    "If you want me to do something, then clearly, you need to be sincere," Poole scoffed, "I''ll open the door once you be more polite in your approach. I haven''t done anything to get such treatment."


    "You took my clothes!" Spider snorted.


    "Anything aside from that"


    "You also pushed me down from the bedst night," Spider continued, "Pinched my nose when I was reading a book, threw a phantom pie at me while I closed my eyes to think"


    "I get it!" Poole squeaked, "Anything besides my pranks, I haven''t done anything aggravating. Now, restate your request with a ''please''," she huffed.


    Both Gwen and Spider looked at each other. Realization struck them that one ''please'' could forever get rid of Poole and with a determined expression, they nodded at each other.


    "Fine," Gwen said with Spider trailing on, "Will you open the door," and with unnerving sync, both of them m.o.a.ned, "Please!"


    "Well," Poole scratched the back of her head, "Wasn''t expecting such a duet..." smirking, Poole continued, "Alright. I''ll try. Mind you, I only know one spiritual spell, and that happened to be a stripping one... my friend was an odd gal."


    Both the Gwens looked surprised as they spoke up, "You forgot to tell us that," Spider groaned with Gwen finishing it off, "Exactly! Give us our politeness back!"


    "Rx," Poole walked past them and stood in front of the door with her legs slightly spread. Instantly, Spider red towards Nik and Gwen stood behind Poole with another re to add as Nik turned and looked towards Anna, "See? Nothing to be envious of."


    Meanwhile, Poole banged on the door loudly, it didn''t open. The situation made her reach out for her chin as she muttered, "Oh, yeah. I can''t open the door after all. It''s locked. If I know anything about games, we need to kill a spawn and loot the key from it. Hey! Maybe that old man"


    With a knuckle striking on top of her head, making Poole yelp in surprise and almost lose her bnce, Spider now blew against her fist and sighed, "It''s no use. We are stuck. I say that we go back to Strange''s ce and then ask for his help personally."


    "We already tried that," Nik sighed and walked forward. This time, he had enough of teasing the duo, since Poole clearly wasn''t put off by his erection, and with his still impressive tool hanging low, Nik made his way towards the door and touched it. "This is a ce filled with spiritual energy. Goddamn, the best location for cultivation, I''d say," Nik mumbled to himself, "So, to destroy physical construct of spiritual energy, you must..." with a glowing violet pulse passing through his palm as the violet dragon itself gave off a slight glimmer in the wavy green surrounding, he concluded, "... simply destroy it with greater potency of spiritual energy. That''s justmon sense."


    "But nothing has happened," Anna pointed out as Nik took his hand back and smiled at the brte, "Oh, I didn''t mean to destroy the door. It''s a brute''s choice. I destroyed the locks," with a grin, Nik pushed the door open, making the four girls impress. "So you ''are'' a magician. A real one," Gwen muttered, "Poole spected it at first but I couldn''t believe it. Say, is that why you always get such good grades despite yourpleteck of interest in the sses?"


    "Really not important," Nik chuckled as he entered the apartment, "Actually, never thought I''d get to see the room of Gwen Stacy. Your father is really the end boss for most of the guys in our school. Did you know that Jenkins wanted to ask you out but he just had to be the ''good'' guy and ask your dad first? Came backter saying that he''s gay. Never knew what your father did to him."


    "Maybe he suc" Before Poole couldment with a snicker, Spider helpfully reminded, "You should know that we all have the same dad. With the same upation, in fact. And the same temper. So really you would just he insulting your own father." Those words really quietened Poole for good. Meanwhile, Gwen seemed to be the most surprised. "Jenkins, really? He never spoke to me after... oh, I get it now. Maybe I should go bald,pletely. That should stop dad from interfering. As the two personas other than Gwen broke into a sweat, Nik chuckled and leaned against the back of the couch. "You really don''t need to. That''ll be punishing yourself cause... well, I don''t have all the ''ball'' jokes ready but highschool is a big ce. I am sure there are plenty of corners to be made fun at."


    As Gwen puckered her lips in annoyance, Nik gestured for her to move forward, "I''ve never been to your ce. And n.a.k.e.d to the boot. So lead us to your bedroom. y your cards right and we might"


    "Not another word!" Gwen squeaked instantly while Poole''s shoulder slumped down. Gwen didn''t know how to y cards after all. As she walked forward and brought the group to her room, they found two swirling gateways of light blue color erected near Gwen''s study as it continued to give off a whirring sound. "This is it," Spider whispered, "And I just know that the left one is mine," she took a step forward and while she pushed her hand within the portal, Spider looked back with a smile, "Gwen, sorry. I haven''t been the best ''Gwen'' to you but I kept on being worried for myself despite my decision of staying with you. Nik, and Anna, you are good friends. I would really like to meet the two of you in my world" suddenly, Spider turned silent, her pleasant expression turning cloudier by the moment as Poole snickered, "Taking a long time to appreciate me here, girlfriend."


    However, Spider snapped back, "I''m dead. Heck! Venom actually ate me and then found another host!" she shouted, "And I can''t push through!"


    "What?" Poole mumbled, "And after that heartfelt goodbye, too. This is awkward."


    "For real," Spider looked at Poole, "Push your hand into the whirlpool. You''ll be able to understand what your body went through in your world."


    As Gwen, Anna, and Nik silently looked at Poole while the woman pushed her hand into the right portal, she waited for a few minutes. She just had to be sure that she is safe to leave before saying a long goodbye or it would be awkward in the end. "Huh," Poole muttered, "I guess my entire body melted. Good thing I was here and didn''t feel the pain."


    "What are you talking about?" Gwen inquired.


    "The aliens," Poole took her hand back, "They destroyed the. Good thing I wasn''t originally from that world but normal earth so Pops and Mum are probably safe. Even my brother... but... damn, talk about a sudden big bang... poof, I mean."


    "So..." Nik looked at the two dispirited girls, "You both are officially ghosts?"


    "What should we do?" Spider inquired as Poole shrugged, "Rx, superheroes get new bodies all the time. Most of them are just recreated in new issues but... I don''t know how it works in the literary world."


    "Alright, I''m really not in the mood to hear your rantings!" Spider shouted.


    "Calm down, we should go back to Strange''s home. He might have a solution," Gwen proposed while getting in between the two. "Then, I suppose you all don''t wish to be n.a.k.e.d when he brings us back, right?" Nik smiled as he pped his hands and their usual outfits slowly materialized on each of them.


    "You could do that?" Poole looked surprised as Nik nodded, "Just understood the basics a few minutes back. I''ll try to find Newton next time, I guess. Let''s go back and see if there''s a way for you two to actually survive without a body." Closing his eyes, Nik decided to cut short the adventure and finally used the spirit energy to shorten the space and bring the entire group right back within the Strange''s living room where it all began.


    Meanwhile, the mirror hovering near Strange''s clone in the real world grew bright again as Nik''s and Anna''s body appeared from the location where it disappeared from.