C619 Spider-Man (Patreon)
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Galactus's admission of defeat reverberated through the aftermath of their battle. The cosmic entity, once towering and imposing, now knelt before Peter with a palpable resignation.
The reason behind this easy surrender lay in the cosmic contract, a binding force that echoed within Galactus's very soul, telling him that he simply had no choice in the matter. Even if he used every fiber of his being to go against the contract, it wouldn’t work.
Floating in the emptiness of space, Peter gazed at the subdued Galactus with a triumphant smirk. "Oh, relax and stand up. It’s just three promises. It’s not like I’m going to make you sell me your souls or anything..." He says jokingly, a devilish smile flashing across his face.
Galactus, aware of the gravity of his situation, didn’t believe that Peter wouldn’t take advantage of him. He hesitated for a moment before getting straight to the point and asking, "What do you want?" His words carried an underlying tension, as he prepared himself for the potential eternal enslavement that a single one of these promises could entail.
Peter, however, surprised the cosmic entity by leaning back and crossing his arms. “You know what? I don't need anything right now. I think that I’ll save my promises for a rainy day."
Galactus's eyes widened in disbelief. The concept of leaving such powerful promises unclaimed seemed unfathomable to him. "You... you're not going to use them? You could control me for eternity, kill me, or even set me against your worst enemies with just a single promise!"
Peter chuckled, reveling in the unexpected turn of events. "I've got no use for that kind of power right now." He shrugged uncaringly, his expression turning more serious. "But, I'm willing to make a separate deal with you."
Galactus raised an inquisitive brow, curiosity mingling with caution. "A separate deal?"
Peter held up his hand, displaying the six rings adorned with the shimmering infinity stones. "These bad boys can do wonders… Didn’t you want to use them?"
Galactus, taken aback, voiced his astonishment. "You'd give me the Infinity stones?"
Peter couldn't help but burst into laughter at the sheer audacity of Galactus's question. "Give you the Infinity stones? Hell no! These beautiful babies belong to me. But, I'd be willing to use them to help you with that little hunger problem of yours," he replied, his eyes gleaming with a hint of mischievousness. "For a fee, of course."
Galactus stared at Peter in a mix of shock and uncertainty. The cosmic entity struggled to discern whether Peter was an unexpectedly kind soul, genuinely offering assistance, or a cunning devil, hiding his true intentions while exploiting Galactus's hunger issues for further gain.
After a prolonged moment of silence, Galactus, in his booming voice, finally asked, "What do you want in return?"
Peter, a devilish grin still lingering on his face, casually moved his hand up to his chin, cupping it as he pondered. "Simple, big guy. I want a couple of promises from you. First, no more hurting or killing innocent people. That means no more snacking on inhabited planets."
Galactus, surprisingly amenable, found himself nodding. If Peter could provide a solution to his unending hunger, then the need to consume planets would become obsolete. He had no reason to refuse such an easy and simple ultimatum.
"Secondly," Peter continued, "I want you to take Earth as your new home and join the Avengers."
Galactus, raising a confused brow, admitted his ignorance about Earth and the Avengers. “Is Earth a Galaxy? And what is an Avenger?”
Seeing Galactus’s obvious confusion, Peter decided that it would be better to just show him. With a nonchalant wave of his hand, he conjured a golden portal. Urging Galactus to follow, he stepped through the shimmering gateway, and seconds later, the cosmic entity reluctantly followed suit.
The two emerged on the desolate surface of the moon, overlooking Earth and all of its inhabitants. The portal snapped shut behind them, and Peter gestured towards the captivating blue and green planet below.
"This," Peter declared, his voice carrying a sense of pride and nostalgia, "is my home planet, Earth."
Galactus, towering over Peter, observed the distant planet with a hint of curiosity. He couldn’t help but wonder how powerful the other people of Earth were. Because if a Peter was the standard, then the planet before him must be very strong.
Little did he know that Peter was just a freak of nature. The Earth may be strong compared to most planets, thanks to the Avengers, but technologically and militarily, the many countries of Earth were extremely far behind.
Galactus, peering down at the planet below, couldn't help but express his curiosity. "Why would you want me to live here?" His deep voice resonated with genuine interest.
Peter, standing confidently on the moon's surface, responded with a casual yet thoughtful demeanor. "Well, If you couldn’t already tell, I'm the strongest person on this planet, but I can't always be here to protect it. Sometimes, I have to leave to take care of business, and I'd feel a lot safer with someone of your caliber around, protecting the place and its people while I'm gone."
Galactus considered Peter's words, acknowledging the practicality of having a powerful guardian in his absence.
"Don't get me wrong," Peter continued, "I don't need you to patrol the planet at all times and work tirelessly for its security. You can relax and live your life however you please, as long as it doesn't hurt or negatively affect others. I only ask that if the need arises, you stand up and help defend the place, and my family if need be. Though they all live here, so as long as you protect the planet, they'll be safe."
Galactus, appreciating the nobility of Peter's request, found himself nodding in agreement. The notion of protecting a planet in exchange for having his hunger problem solved seemed like a reasonable and admirable trade.
Peering down at the blue and green orb below, Galactus turned back to Peter and simply stated, "I don't mind joining your planet."
Peter smirked, satisfied with the agreement. "Good. Now, as for the Avengers..." He proceeded to explain the nature of the Avengers, their role in protecting Earth, and his own position as a founding member and council member. "If you were to join, you'd be the second strongest member, second only to me."
Peter continued, “And like I said before, you won’t have to actually do anything. We’d probably just give you some form of contact, like a cellphone, which we’d use to call you should your assistance be required. Other than that, 99% of your time will be spent doing whatever you want.” He explained, making sure Galactus understood. “You’d be kind of like our secret weapon…”
While Galactus didn't seem overly excited by the idea of joining the Avengers, he didn't mind the prospect either. The idea of being a secret weapon, called in only during emergencies, appealed to the cosmic entity. The responsibilities were minimal, and it seemed like an easy way to fulfill his end of the bargain.
Galactus gazed at Peter, his eyes narrowing in contemplation. "Is this really all you want?"
The deal Peter was offering seemed almost too good to be true. In exchange for curing his insatiable hunger, which he’s been forced to endure for what feels like an eternity, Galactus would receive a new home and job, with the freedom to live as he pleased and protect the planet when necessary.
Peter, unfazed by Galactus's skepticism, just smirked and shrugged. "I don't need anything else. I've got the infinity stones. If I want something, I can just snap my fingers and make it happen."
The cosmic entity, still processing the enormity of the deal, found himself nodding in acknowledgment. The simplicity of Peter's desires contrasted sharply with the power he held, leaving Galactus intrigued and, in a way, grateful for the unexpected turn of events.
With the deal firmly agreed upon, Peter snapped his fingers, conjuring a magical contract that materialized before them. The parchment, adorned with mystical inscriptions, detailed the terms of their agreement in simple yet binding language.
In exchange for Peter's solution to Galactus's perpetual hunger, the cosmic entity vowed, to the best of his ability, to refrain from harming, killing, or negatively impacting innocent lives. He would make Earth his new home and join the Avengers, becoming the guardian of the planet and its people.
Peter also added a clause about Galactus doing his utmost to protect Peter's family in case of unforeseen dangers.
The enchanted pen, familiar from their previous dealings, appeared in Peter's hand. With a nonchalant grin, Peter signed his name in blood on the contract, sealing his commitment. He then handed the contract and pen to Galactus, who rolled his eyes at Peter's penchant for contracts before scrutinizing the document and signing it himself, blood extracted for the ink.
Once the blood had dried, Peter stashed the contract away. He turned to Galactus and asked, "Ready?"
Galactus nodded, expressing the anticipation he had harbored for this moment. The relentless hunger had gnawed at him for what felt like an eternity, and now, the promise of relief loomed before him.
Holding up his hand adorned with the shimmering infinity stones, Peter snapped his fingers. The rings emitted a blinding light that surged toward Galactus, enveloping his colossal figure. The cosmic energy penetrated his being, inducing alterations to satiate the insatiable hunger that had plagued him.
As the seconds passed, Galactus grunted in pain, and even Peter, the wielder of the mighty infinity stones, felt the strain. The process proved unexpectedly challenging and exhausting, considering Peter's previous use of the stones to bring life to countless planets across the universe.
‘How the hell is this harder than revitalizing millions of barren planets?!’ Peter shouted inwardly.
Eventually, Galactus collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain, while Peter found himself on his knees, beads of sweat tracing down his face. And soon enough, the glow of the stones dimmed, signaling the conclusion of the transformative process.
Breathing heavily, Peter turned to Galactus, “do you feel any different?” He asked, hoping the endeavor had succeeded.
Galactus, his entire body sore and aching, took a moment to assess himself. “?”
A split second later, the realization dawned upon him, the hunger was gone. He sat up, looking down at his body in astonishment. "It's gone... It's finally gone," he muttered, a lone tear trickling down his cheek, surprising even Peter, who refrained from commenting.
Expressing profound gratitude, Galactus looked down at Peter. “Thank you… You have no idea how long I’ve had to suffer…”
With a casual demeanor, Peter replied, "No problem. I’m happy to help.”
A/N: 1800 words :)