Chapter Text
Midtown's science lab smelled recognizably of something crisp in the air, like the sharp scent after a thunderstorm, and hot plastic. MJ, passing the threshold of the lab, quirked an eyebrow at the boys idling by the far table near the window; Ned had opened one of his Batman comics, the Long Halloween, one of his go-to rereads. Peter braced himself on the desk with a hand, his other instinctively stirring the mixed chemicals before letting the liquid bubble.
"I-I think we should tell MJ," Peter blurted, too quick to almost miss, darting his eyes between Ned and his newest batch of web fluids.
Ned looked up from a panel, carefully setting his comic down as if one wrong move would shatter it.
MJ decided to speak up before Ned could've replied, "Tell me what?" she let her bag slip from her shoulder, dropping it to the ground beside her feet with a quiet plup.
She might've been a day of the week villain with the way Peter startled, turning around so fast he nearly knocked over his latest batch, fumbling to stabilize the glassware tube.
Ned, apparently unlocking the power of toon force, jumped up from his seat a good few feet. Realistically, impossible, but MJ, despite her reputation, had imagination and it was a fun scenario she kept to herself.
"MJ!" Peter swallowed and forced a laugh that sounded more like he was clearing a scratchy throat, "What-what are you, um, doing here…?" He immediately recoiled from the words, ducking his head.
MJ squinted her eyes, alternating between Peter and Ned. "Okay, spill."
Ned let out a breathless puff that barely left his lips, "What are you talking about?"
MJ crossed her arms, directing a look at Peter. Peter shrunk beneath her stare, mindlessly filling his cartridges just to busy his hands.
"Ned has been practicing magic without Stephen's supervision and I've been helping him for the last few days," Peter confessed without finishing his breath.
Ned twisted his neck at Peter, "Dude," he said as if he got stabbed in the back and to Ned, it might've been just that. "Not cool."
Peter quickly met Ned's eyes, "I'm sorry, Ned, but you know I don't like keeping secrets from MJ."
Ned sighed and a smile lit his face, "It's okay, Peter. I shouldn't have asked you to keep it a secret from MJ."
MJ steadily rocked her head in a controlled manner, "So, for the past few days you two have been practicing magic in secret without a wizard's supervision?"
"Pretty much." Ned grinned, lifting his bag off the floor and onto the table.
"No wonder you two would get really weird after school."
"Weird? I wouldn't—I didn't," Peter glanced at Ned, defensively raising his shoulders, "Pft, we didn't… you thought we were being weird?"
MJ placed a hand on Peter's shoulder, "Like the definition of weird."
"Oh…"
Ned picked up his comic with careful ease and like defusing a bomb, he lowered the Batman comic inside his backpack then pulled out a sling ring. "I've gotten really good!"
Peter, ever the supportive best friend, nodded his head, "He really has."
"Yeah! I mean I did accidentally turn Peter into a dog that one time—" catching the wide eyed look on Peter's face, Ned shut his mouth but it was too late, the words were out and the pieces clicked in place in MJ's mind.
She turned her full attention on Peter, yet her question was aimed at Ned. "By any chance, did you turn Peter into a terrier mix?"
"Uh… I don't think I have permission to answer that."
MJ bit back a smile, knowing that the cute little stray following her the other day was just her boyfriend magically turned into a dog. She had to push that aside for now, turning to look at Ned.
"Look, Ned, I'm glad you're passionate about learning magic but think about what would've happened if you weren't able to turn Peter back or worse—" She didn't have to say the rest for Ned to understand.
"Don't worry, MJ." But Ned just smiled like nothing could ever go wrong, "I'll prove it to you." He slipped the sling ring on like it was a pair of gloves and not a dangerous item that can be used as a weapon in the wrong hands or in this case, teenagers with good intentions and bad sense of responsibility.
"Ned, I seriously—"
"Just watch, MJ." Ned took a step back, pressing the side of his temple with a finger and his hand with the sling ring stretched out before him. He closed his eyes in concentration, rotating his arm in a circular motion she's seen Dr Strange do a million times.
It felt different this time.
A sharp crack like whip, a sizzle of liquidly gold and molten orange sparked in the air, then it fizzled like a dying candle. Relief rolled through MJ, releasing a breath.
"How about we don't play with magic in a public space where someone can see and, or, get hurt."
Ned, prying one eye open to stare at the empty space in front of him, slump his shoulders. "But I was able to create a portal yesterday." He muttered, the enthusiasm from before long gone.
Peter offered a gentle smile, "Sorry, buddy. Next time. Stephen said he'll teach you soon, remember?"
"I know, but I wish I could control my magic now." Ned flicked his wrist dismissively, the same hand with the sling ring, invoking the muscles in Peter's body to tense, eyes tightening with a predatory focus MJ's only seen when something bad's about to happen.
Uh-oh.
In a shudder of light, howling wind erupted, disorienting science equipment in a defiance of gravity, MJ's hair whipped violently against her face, obscuring her vision. "Peter!" She shouted, barely able to hear her own voice, heels digging into the tiles as she caught herself being drawn to the disarray of colors humming with something ancient.
"MJ!" Before she knew it, strong, familiar arms enveloped her body, pulling her to Peter's side, turning her away from the harsh pull of the portal that tore through reality.
An lacerating feeling proliferated from the back of Peter's neck into the deepest part of his stomach, static electricity impossible to shake off threaded through the webs of his nerve system, blaring incoherent warnings in his head. "Ned!" He yelled out, too late to thwip out a web when he saw his best friend get sucked into the portal first.
His body reacted before his mind could process the consequences, letting the gravitational pull of the portal vacuum in both MJ and himself, tucking her protectively under his chin.
Then everything went black.