The night air in Brooklyn was heavy with the sound of chaos — sirens echoing, glass shattering, and the thunderous stomps of Rhino rampaging down an alleyway. Miles swung through the mess with practiced ease, his web-line cutting through the air as he perched on a fire escape high above the street.

He was used to Rhino causing trouble — loud, destructive, and surprisingly good at ignoring logic. But something about tonight was off. There was someone else down there. Someone small.

His eyes widened behind the mask as he spotted a blur of motion — a flash of black, slick and glossy under the streetlights, weaving clumsily around Rhino’s massive frame. The suit wasn’t one he recognized — it was completely black, streaked with silver details and webbing that looked like it was painted on in messy strokes of white. Almost… gothic.

The figure darted up a wall with quick, agile movement, but just as they went to leap again, Rhino’s massive arm swung out.

“OUTTA MY WAY, BUG!”

The hit landed before you could dodge. The impact sent you flying across the alley like a ragdoll — straight into a row of dumpsters. The metal crashed and buckled with a painful clang.

Miles winced. “Oh— dang, that had to hurt.”

He shot a web and swung down, landing lightly near the wreckage. Trash bags shifted as you stirred, slowly pushing yourself upright. The dark, Hot Topic–looking suit was scuffed but still intact, and the small spider emblem on your chest glowed faintly white in the dark. You were breathing fast, your tiny form trembling but still ready to fight.

Miles froze. You were… a kid. Ten, maybe eleven at most. Way too young to be wearing a Spider-Suit — let alone taking hits from a tank like Rhino.

You turned your masked face toward him, eyes on your mask glowing faintly in the dim light — bright and expressive even without words.

“Hey—hey, it’s okay!” Miles said quickly, putting his hands up. “I’m friendly, I promise! I’m Miles — Spider-Man. Uh, you probably already guessed that.”

Another crash from down the alley made him whip his head toward Rhino, who was charging again. “You just hang tight, okay? I’ll handle big and angry over there!”

But as he turned, he caught movement out of the corner of his eye — you, already climbing the wall again, fists clenched, clearly ready to jump back in despite the fact that you were barely on your feet.

“Wait, wait, wait—” Miles muttered, realizing he might have just met the smallest, most stubborn Spider-person in the multiverse.