dear_mun | On the mun's readthrough of the Clone Saga

Why don't you ever call me?

No, seriously, you need to call me. I think you're the only person that might possibly be able grasp that Otto's using my body as a meatsuit right now. Everyone else is tossing around the idiot ball.

I've been--wait. Otto as in Doctor Octopus? So that's why "you" tried to kill me back in New York. And why you accused me of killing you. [Sorry, Pete, he's been preoccupied with his own problems down in Houston... that and his latest chat with "you" ended in a fight with the Jackal and a crapton of clones, so join him to the list of people tossing around the idiot ball. ~~Really, blame Slott and Yost--he would have noticed otherwise.~~]

How the hell did you let that happen!?

You don't have to be a monster. It would help if you didn't bring people here that make the telepaths scream and fall over.

So I've been told. I'll believe it when I no longer feel like one.

[Runs a hand through his hair.] I didn't know Aracely would do that. I brought her to be a decoy and to bring the telepaths up to speed, not send them all into convulsions.

That and I wanted to find out what the hell she is.

I know a lot of good people who've done bad things. So long as you work at it, you can be someone's hero.

[His hero is Deadpool. Just saying.]

Okay, I believe you. It just kind of freaks us out because it's never a good sign. But Aracely seems nice.

It was the Octobot's hivemind. Accessing it let Otto get into my brain, and he used that to swap our minds.

I tried getting it back, but it didn't work, so before Otto's body died with me in it I forced him to relive pretty much everything I've ever been through as a last ditch effort. Figured if I couldn't live I could at least make him try to turn over a new leaf.

It sort of worked, in that he's apparently attempting to be a hero, but he's still the same selfish twisted manipulative jerk who's only out for himself he ever was, just on the right side of the law

[Snorts] I've been trying the whole "superhero" thing. [He can barely say the word superhero.] I'm still trying to figure out why.

[Please don't say that out loud. He won't take that as a compliment.]

She's a good kid.

...I'm sorry, by the way. For murdering your headmaster.

Even if I knew it would only be temporary. [Well, he thought it would be, anyway. Either way he figured it would be a win-win for him.]

Because you can help people! And you won't feel bad anymore.

[Evan does not look happy at that reminder.] I wish people would stop trying to kill Mr. Logan. And that he'd stop killing people. But it doesn't seem like that's going to happen.

Heh, and here I thought you were finally realizing what had to be done with those idiots that continually terrorize you. [Shakes his head. Who'd have thought that his belief at the height of his insanity that Doctor Octopus would one day harm the Parker family actually came true?] How much time did I spend harassing you and Reilly, trying to "protect" you and the one time your life gets fucked up beyond repair, I'm too busy with my own problems to notice.

Figures. I inherited your awful luck, after all.

So what do you want me to do? Kill him again?

Well, seeing as that's my body, no. Tell someone who can actually do something about it. Like Dr. Strange. And let the Avengers know what's going on.

I've been helping people. But the scales just aren't balancing.

Sorry kid, I can tell you from experience that's never gonna happen. People like us, like me and Mr. Logan, pissed off too many people in the past... and the past always catches up to you. Even if you have the best of intentions in the here and now.

But he seems like a nice enough guy now... so focus on that. [Yes, he's aware he's a hypocrite for saying that.]

[What? You're asking your evil clone to take care of a problem. You should know by now what his definition of "taking care of" is!] Right, let me just go walk into the Avengers mansion or tower or what-the-fuck-ever building they're in right now --[Makes a mental note to put a dollar in the swear jar later.]-- and say "Hi, my name is Kaine, Spider-Man's evil clone. You might remember me as the fake Spider-Man who killed the Spider Queen, or the guy who's still a wanted fugitive. I've just stopped by to borrow a cup of sugar and more importantly to let you know that the guy parading around as Spider-Man right now isn't actually my idiot brother, but Doctor Octopus possessing his body. Yeah, as a matter of fact I have been in Houston since Spider-Island, so don't ask me how I know this."

[He glares.] And then they all try to kill me at once.

It might not balance, but you're still making a difference. The people you save don't know what you've done in the past, they just know that you were there for them.

I know ... but I don't have to like it. It would be nice if everything were simpler.

They wouldn't try to kill you. Beat the hell out of you, possibly. And at least some of them are suspecting something is up. It's not entirely out of the question that they'd listen after they finished beating the snot out of you. Weirder things have happened

But I know.

Don't we all. Unfortunately, life isn't simple. You're better off learning to accept the parts of life that suck rather than trying to fight them... all it is is a waste of time. Holding on to innocence will only get you hurt, or worse, killed.

Forgive me if I'm not as trusting of your friends as you are.

[He's just going to skip right over the next part of "why would I do something like this for you anyway?" because he damn well knows the reason.] So let's say they believe me. They're not going to let me walk out of there.

[Evan can't really argue with that.]

I think I don't want to accept too much of it or give up too much innocence. The teachers fight hard and sacrifice a lot so we don't have to.

You're telling me you can't hold your own against multiple superpowered opponents and be able to escape? Because that's Spider-Man 101!

But in all seriousness. I know I'm asking a lot. Honestly, I don't really care if I don't really come back top life somehow. It's just the fact that he's been in close quarters with Aunt May and MJ without them knowing what's going on is driving me insane.

Then they're fools.

[His eyes narrow.] I'm. not. Spider-Man.

And I know that taking on all of the Avengers, at once, in their own home is suicide. That's smart supervillain 101. [He adds the "smart" because he doesn't doubt some dumbass had tried to do just that in the past.]

Peter I... For the first time in my life, I'm not dying, and it's because of you. I owe you more than you could ever know. [Rubs at his temples as he tries to think about how he could take care of his own responsibilities while keeping an eye on Peter's friends and family.] Maybe I can bring Aracely back to New York for a bit, lie low and keep an eye on the two. I know how Mary Jane feels about clones, more specifically me [Not that he can really blame her...], so I don't think I could tell her directly.

They just want to protect us. We're kids. We shouldn't have to ... it's no good growing up all at once.

[He takes a deep breath.] I've never been a kid. I wouldn't know.

Oh. I'm sorry.

But you know, um, Aracely seems pretty innocent too. Isn't that nice? For her?

Don't be. I've made my peace with what I am a long time ago.

Aracely... [Snorts.] That's all Aracely. I hide nothing from her [Even if that wasn't his personal policy, attempting to do so would be an exercise in futility.], and she already knows the worst society has to offer. And she still acts like that.

Well ... I don't think that any of us are ignorant about what the world is like. So I don't think it's bad to be a bit innocent, like that.

And I kind of miss being innocent.

On the mun's readthrough of the Clone Saga

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