Twilight, Spidey & Friends: Series 1, Ep. 2: In Your Hooves Part II

"Easy now, May. Remember, this is your very first experience."

"Oh please, Nicolas. I may seem like a small babe taking her first steps, but I am actually enjoying myself." With Mary Jane on the opposite side, the Zebra escorted the mare Pegasus with his left front hoof, taking her to the nearest elevator after checking out. Seeing the warm smile and beaming, though cautious blue irises from May Parker was a clear indication to Doctor Bromwell that nothing about this particular situation seemed to bother her. He knew, however, it was not the case for another. From what he learned about this world, everything was precisely what the cardio doctor ordered, and not only physically: a peaceful, calm environment, fresh air, leisure activity, and most importantly, a friendly smile and helping hoof.

"Well, here's hoping you don't get too excited to try out your wings also, Ace." The smirk from MJ prompted a light chuckle from both the physician and the brown Pegasus. Both friends of May, after learning the nature of a pony's mark, according to those whom Nicolas inquired, were not surprised to find two the icons bestowed upon her. The fire of a warming hearth, as well as the gleaming, spring sunlight, seemed to fit Mrs. Parker's homely, nurturing love and care most perfectly. As for the Zebra, he saw the spiraling image of a pulsating heart, portrayed in the format of some indigenous pattern in jagged lines. The Earth Pony mare's mark, itself, was also fitting for Miss Watson, given her blooming career, which he and May had grown fond of hearing about from Peter.

"Just where exactly are we going," the warmhearted mare spoke up, "It's not as if there's a cab, or limousine waiting for us in front of the reception. And who's taking the tab for our hospital visit?"

"You wait and see," Nicolas answered the Pegasus with a small grin, "You're definitely in for a surprise."

"Now, you two better not try to punk me."

"Don't worry," warmly said MJ, "It's the good kind, this time."

They had stepped into the elevator, which was diligently lowered by the Unicorn attendant, whose magic held the mode of transportation they were now inside. After asking him for the ground floor, the attendant kindly nodded, and closed the doors when other passengers have entered or departed. As soon as they had reached their destination, they had noticed two royal escorts moving from either side of their elevator, and vigilantly continued out through the hospital doors with them.

"Well, this is certainly flattering," May chuckled, "But unless you somehow found a way for me to see the one person I want to see, then I'm afraid I'll be disappointing you both tremendously."

"I believe that is an issue to be addressed at another time," a firm, but gentle voice stated vibrantly above them. They looked up, and more especially May, and watched with awed admiration for the towering figure before them, whose bright lavender eyes soothed their minds and hearts with a simple gaze. The tall Princess of the Sun went even further to astonish the three ponies, by offering a light smile, and kindly stated, "But for now, it has come to my attention that you need a place during your stay in Equestria. You may call me Celestia, and I most gladly welcome you here."

May Parker simply stared in disbelief at the magnificent radiance and wonder she was beholden to, but quickly recovered, and courtly asked, "I'm sorry, weren't you expecting someone else? I'm afraid there must be some misunderstanding, because I seriously doubt such attention is meant for us."

"We tried to tell you," Nicolas smirked, though he, himself was dumbstruck alongside the mares, for the corresponding messages he and Mary Jane received did not prepare them for this marvelous spectacle who was their benefactor, and now hostess. "But, holy mackerel…"

"May Parker, Nicolas Bromwell, and Mary Jane Watson," announced Celestia, with such captivating, familial charisma, "It is a privilege to welcome such kind hearts and good souls to this world, surely. Please accept from me safe passage to Ponyville, or any destination you wish, and whatever aid my sister and I can offer you, to ensure your stay is safe and welcoming."

"No misunderstanding, Mrs. P." The softly spoken remark from the redhead pony fell on deaf, equine ears, for the cocoa brown Pegasus was left even more befuddled by the simple fact that this greatly esteemed figure of the highest order, of dignity and grace, knew their names, as well as presented herself before them. The pony's blue orbs were blankly fixed open, until her friends gently recovered her from the shock of this unexpectedly pleasant, though incomplete, turn of events.

Although the yellow Pegasus and young Alicorn mares struggled to remain vigilant throughout the spell's duration, the spectacle recollected, and what was spoken truly left a remarkable impression upon all present minds, including Spike. Simply watching what Twilight witnessed yesterday offered more than satisfactory answers to a few of the other ponies' own enquiries, though it also raised many different questions.

"Everything you said, down there. To Queen Chrysalis. Did you really mean it?"

"Well, I kind of had to, because I knew the only way she could even get that energy from me, and react that way, is if I were actually genuine in my words and thoughts, in the first place. You know, that reminds me. I need to get her mailing address, when all of this blows over."

"No way," gawked the colorful Pegasus, "He figured out a way to get to Chrysalis, while also making sure he meant every word of it, in that short amount of time?"

"That shoves 'level-headed pony' into the ground," chuckled the orange mare with the Studson, "like a rabbit stuck in his burrow."

"The fact that he displayed such etiquette towards the Changeling," the Unicorn mare added, "without prejudice is also admirable."

From the story of that fateful field trip and his humble, bright, though incomplete, background, to the summation of the Spider's abilities and skills, there was no muzzle nor jaw that was not gaping, especially during the moments in which he enacted incredible feats to demonstrate them, including his proportionately arachnid strength, flexibility, speed and sense of danger.

"Wow! That is sooo much like my Pinkie Sense!"

"I also recall him speaking to Starlight, as we came here, of his highly enhanced endurance and healing properties, which he noted failure of mentioning also."

"That's just…I can't belie- I mean, wow," Rainbow Dash stammered in utter amazement after Rarity's comment, "No wonder that guy can take so many big hits!"

"Probably too many, at least for my taste," gently remarked Fluttershy, recalling the numerous scars atop one another, underneath that scarlet hoody.

Then came the moment when Captain Flash Sentry asked about the Spider's inspiration to use his abilities for such a life, in five years' time, without having been given proper training or discipline. They heard him sharply reply, "Hey, I hate to be rude, but since everypony's been asking questions, why don't I have a turn?"

"Wow," Spike huffed, "Subtle, much?"

"I can't believe I missed that," gasped Twilight in realization, "Everything was happening so fast, I never knew he was actually avoiding the question."

"Seems to me it ain't just his face and name that he has tah hide," Applejack remarked, but more with concern, than suspicion, "Just what exactly is he ashamed of, if he was inspired to do so many great things like this? And for this long, all bah his lonesome?"

"It must be something dreadful," softly commented the tired Pegasus, "if he chose to respond in such a way, so quickly. He also seemed greatly troubled this morning, after I gave him the 'Stare' to keep him from leaving, but said it was nothing to worry about right away."

"I can only imagine what sort of world he's from, considering such lack of information," Rarity responded, "Especially the length of time he has been tolerating such brutal treatment, only a sample of which we witnessed yesterday, I am sure."

"Shh!" Both the colorful Pegasus and rosy Earth Pony hoarsely hushed the audience, then Rainbow added in whisper, "The best part's coming!"

"They'll land, but you'll fall. Besides, how do you even expect to carry-" F'dissh! Snort!

"Thank you, Highness. Also, gesundheit." After a rowdy snicker from Pinkie and Rainbow, and a scowl from Twilight, they all returned their focus onto the projection, when Captain Sentry lifted the arachnid Unicorn, wearing his mask again, and pulled him even further from the flagpoles onto which he was tethered. They noticed the brief, unheard exchange between the two stallions, before the final stretch, and the emerald on his line glowed with Twilight's spell.

"Yee-hah!" AJ shook her head with a smirk, as the Spider vanished with a strong whoosh and a stretched blur of beige, red and blue, having the emerald still attached to his web, and sailing through the air behind him. "I still can't believe I said no to that."

"I'm just wondering what he and the Captain were saying before," Pinkie asked after Rainbow Dash, "Do you think you can crank up the volume, or at least zoom in? I am super good at lip reading!"

"Sorry, everypony," the lavender Princess sighed in exhaustion as the memory faded, "That's the extent of the spell's capacity. Even if that were possible, it would still require more energy to do so. Besides, that was strictly between the two ponies, as I believe Captain Sentry and the Spider intended."

"Okay, what is it with stallions and keeping secrets," the Pegasus hoarsely huffed in response, "I mean, you don't see us keeping things from each other, do you?"

"Well," AJ lowly countered, after a brief moment of silent contemplation, "Ah'd be lyin' if I said I told y'all everything about mah folks. Ah recon Ah never said diddly squat about 'em, neither. Matter of fact that was the main reason Ah left for Manehatten as a young'n."

"And I never told you girls anything about having a brother, until receiving Shining's and Cadence's royal wedding announcement."

"Yeah, but," Rainbow snorted, "Only because you forgot to mention it."

"When something like that shouldn't have been," Twilight said with a lowered head.

"You were busy studying the Magic of Friendship," offered Fluttershy as well, "Your mind was clearly focused on that, and you shouldn't be blamed for it, either. You were still learning, and still are. And so are we."

"I suppose we've just learned, also, how many ponies have something they desire to conceal. Certain things about themselves they deliberately wish to keep from the public eye, for one reason or another," Rarity joined, carefully considering her diction, as she observed Rainbow's silent response to this current discourse, "Perhaps we are only coming to acknowledge that about ourselves as well. But with the utmost sincerity, the same could never be said about you, Twilight."

"Thank you," she softly said to her companions, then evenly continued, "Now, I think it's time we discussed what further action we should take. It is clear to us that there is so much more about the Spider that we would like to know, but he also clearly has no immediate desire to share that information with us, or anypony."

"Anypony except the Captain, anyway."

"Well, as Rainbow Dash pointed out with such zeal earlier," began the white Unicorn, after the adolescent Dragon's remark, "He has definitely done more than offered his services for the good of all Equestria, a place he is completely unfamiliar with. He even went out of his way to ensure Applejack's safety, who is essentially a stranger to him as he is to us, along with his weakened compatriots. We may not know exactly what drives him to do so, due to his adamant silence (terrible choice of words, ladies, I know). However he clearly possesses certain virtue that should be taken into account, as well as valued deeply, despite his deliberation to maintain a certain distance from us."

"And like Applejack and Rarity said earlier, too," the pink Earth Pony added, "We should at least give him a chance to be a good friend to us, by us being good friends to him, so that way, he can be sure that it's okay for him to tell us whatever's been bothering him, because he'll know that he can be comfortable about doing that with us, because we became his friends."

"And by being his friends," the soft-spoken Pegasus concluded, "We won't judge him for whatever happened in his past, but show that we will always be there to help him be better, just as he would surely be there for us, to help make us better, as true friends do for each other."

"Well, since Rarity, Pinkie and Fluttershy are on a roll," said Spike, who sighed with reluctance, "then I guess I should do the same thing."

"Well then," the orange farm pony stated, "Ah recon we've got ourselves a unanimous vote. What d'yah think, Twah?"

"I think it is time to let him in."

The ponies who sat in waiting heard the sound of a firm click, then creak from the door beside them, to which they responded with a rise, or fall, from their seated positions. They all turned to see the small Dragon widening the door's gap, then quietly raised his paw in a beckoning motion for entry. Noticing Spider Bite raise a passive brow, Starlight heard him say, "Well, here goes absolutely nothing."

"Don't worry, you'll be fine," the mare softly stated, placing a brief hoof of consolation onto his shoulder, "Just hear what they have to say, tell them whatever's on your mind, and more importantly, be you."

"Gee, never actually thought I'd hear something so, sentimentally cliché from you."

"Okay, maybe just tone it down a smidge," she said with a squint, as she shoved him with the same hoof, prompting a relaxing chuckle from the wall-crawler in response. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it." She shared a smile of comfort for him, alongside those of the others, as he took a deep breath, tilted his head, and pressed onward. They were about to return to their places on the various pieces of furniture, when they heard a gleaming voice call out, "Shining! Cadence! Come right in! In fact, you all can come."

"Aw, isn't it bad enough I have to get the third degree from you seven, already?" The light violet Unicorn simply rolled her eyes at his remark.

"Don't think you're off the hook that easy, Web-head." Hearing the mischievous chuckle from Rainbow Dash, the royal couple, Starlight, and the others strolled into the Map Chamber, to see the six mares and reseated Dragon viewing the stallion before them.

"First of all, I would like to speak for all of us here by saying 'Thank you, for all that you've done for us,'" began the lavender Alicorn, "Secondly, however, we know you have many secrets you intend to keep, along with whatever reasons you have for doing so."

"There is no telling if you are willing to share such things with us at all," added Rarity.

"Maybe, if we know more about you," Fluttershy continued, "it would really help us to better understand you."

"Bottom line is, partner, we don't, so we can't."

"There's just way too many things left blank for us to really make a clear choice," followed Rainbow shortly after AJ. Perceiving the slight unease emanating from the beige Unicorn's countenance, who lowered his head in modest submission, and sensing where this line of discourse might lead, Starlight continued to shift her focus between the two parties with concerned intrigue. She then heard Princess Twilight began, "So, in the meantime…"

POW! Wheeze! "Welcome to Ponyville!" Pinkie Pie's cannon blast, along with her wild exclamation, was enough to make even Starlight's ears cringe downward, though she was nowhere near its direct recipient. What nopony present anticipated, however, was the spontaneous response given by the wall-crawler. Immediately, his position was replaced by a momentary blur going upward, causing everypony to quickly shift their focus toward that direction as well. What they witnessed above them was Spider Bite clinging upside down, lowly crouched on all fours, onto a wide base root of the Library Tree Chandelier. His pupils had narrowed in utter shock, as he shivered uncontrollably.

"Please. Do not. Ever. Do that again." Noticing him take a few deep breaths to calm his clearly shaken nerves, they heard him continue, "At least a fair warning next time, okay? My spider sense doesn't pick up on those kind of surprises."

"Gee, you weren't kidding when you said you'd totally freak out," inquisitively spoke the rosy Earth Pony.

"I think 'freak out' wouldn't cut it," Rainbow muttered. Pinkie rapidly leapt onto the same root as he, hanging by her curly mane and tail beside him. She looked at him with a puzzled expression of concern, asking, "You really don't like surprises?"

"Haven't for a while, no." He then released his grip, somersaulting before he landed, having Pinkie follow closely behind. "Wheeeh!"

"This doesn't make sense," he then began, "After everything you just said about me, after knowing that there is so much I haven't told you, not even sure if I can be trusted, you still want me around? I mean, for all you know, I'm just the scout for some major, even worse invasion than you got from the Changelings."

"Trust me," Starlight kindly offered, then smirked, "There's a precedence for this kind of thing. So don't let this get to your head, alright?"

"We may not know anything substantial about who you are," said Twilight, "But from your actions, it's obvious where your heart is."

"So, you're just…going to let me stay here? A total stranger? With all of you? Just like that? Seriously, I thought you would have learned from you mothers better than that." Chuckles and smirks were made from a few members present in response, as Spike simply shrugged his shoulders, satisfied that the Unicorn in question, indeed, acknowledged his disposition fully.

"Until yah give us a mighty good reason to change our minds," the rugged Earth Pony replied, "We're willin' to give yah the benefit o'the doubt."

"So, you know," added the rainbow Pegasus, "Better watch yourself, Spidey."

"Says the mare with the mind-shuddering, dream job? Sure, I'll think about it." They both share a laugh after their playful exchange, which helped to ease the tension from the stallion substantially. "So, what now?"

"Now," the Alicorn began, rising from her seat as she did so, "I think it's time for all of us to actually get acquainted." She walked up to him, then raised her hoof. He kindly took it to shake with his own as he said, "Spider Bite."

"Twilight Sparkle, Element of Magic," she smiled, "Pleased to properly meet you, Spider Bite."

"Likewise, I'm sure, Princess."

"Applejack, Element of Honesty" the pony behind the lavender mare announced, as she approached him, shaking his hoof also, "Nice to make yur acquaintance, again."

"Same here."

"Um, hello. Fluttershy…oh, um, Kindness."

"Hi, Fluttershy."

"Rarity, darling. Generosity. A pleasure, Spider Bite, truly."

"Thanks, Rarity. And you also."

"Pinkie Pie! Laughter! But you already knew that, so I guess that means you get double the laughter and fun!"

"Not exactly sure where you got the math for that, but okay." His hoof still shaking profusely after the wild cordiality from the pink pony, the Pegasus that followed zoomed over to catch it, and maintain its momentum momentarily. "Rainbow Dash. Loyalty. Only the most super, amazing flyer, anywhere, ever, and member of the Wonderbolts! I'll tell you more about them later."

"Well, I'm looking forward to it, apparently."

"Hey!" She shoved him slightly, before adding, "Also, the Bite part you added there, makes you sound even more awesome! Don't let anypony tell you differently, alright?"

"Don't worry, I won't. Just wondering if I should hyphenate, though. Do you ponies even do that?"

"Only if you want to, after getting hitched," she shrugged in reply, "And no, don't even think about-"

"Too late," he tilted his head with a shifted brow, "Just did. I mean, I know we just met, and everything, but I can't help feeling like we've –whack! - ow." The swift motion of her hoof against his shoulder could only be seen in a haze, though he clearly seemed to have anticipated it, hence the meager response. Everypony in the room, including the two being viewed, shared a moment of great mirth from their witty chat.