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

Who would have thought a day beginning so well could make a complete one-eighty? If anything, Miss Watson knew such a question would be rhetorical. While her friend’s aunt and the physician shared a meal with the Regal Sisters at the local diner, once she had finished her own meal, the peach pony excused herself. She decided to explore the local area, so as to familiarize herself with whatever this world had to offer. Upon hearing the situation explained to them by Celestia and Luna, MJ could detect an air of uncertainty among the inhabitants, despite carrying out their regular tasks and occupations. However, nothing seemed to be indicating a severe disaster waiting to occur, but simply an anxiety of what may happen next. Something that did not hinder anypony from doing what they can to ensure a beautiful day was not wasted.

Sympathizing with the crowds in that regard, Mary Jane took a brief pause after offering a pair of passing foals a kind smile, and viewed the adorned spectacle behind a shop’s windows. The building’s structure resembled that of a great carousel, the glass viewing ports offering a vast array of pony mannequins that were ornate with various colors of fabric. The young mare slightly gleamed with intrigue, finding the place to be an adequate possibility for finding work here. Given her experience on the stage, she grasped and developed a greater sense of fashion than before. Knowing a thing or two about designing costumes and sets, the Earth Pony believed this could be a perfect fit, at least temporarily.

Then she caught a glimpse of a pony approaching the doorway nearby, and noted a white Unicorn mare with a well-groomed, violet mane and tail levitating a set of keys toward it.

“You own this place,” MJ asked.

“Yes, indeed,” she cordially answered, “This is my Carousel Boutique, as well as my abode. I’m simply popping in to check on a few things before returning to the Castle.” Catching a peak of the towering palace behind the town houses and shops, MJ nodded in reply. She then took second look at the gowns on display, and asked further, “You made these?”

“Oh, yes. I design and craft all my shop’s products personally, using my three rules of time, love and couture.”

“Got to say, I never thought the colors on some of these dolls would pull together this nicely. But it looks like you’ve got a good eye for that kind of thing. Though I’m not too sure about that third one from the right.”

“Really,” the Unicorn said, following the redhead’s gaze through the window to view the gown in question, “In what way?”

“Well, don’t get me wrong, that rose texture is a good choice of thread. Reds have their benefits. But it’s probably not the best kind to offer in this case.” Widening her blue eyes greatly, the white coated mare cleared her throat to contain her impressed demeanor, and said, “I most certainly am open to suggestions and positive critique from peers. I also admit that I wasn’t entirely keen on the final work of that dress either. What would you have in mind?”

“I was thinking,” she pondered upon further inspection, “Maybe bright olive, or lime to go better with that whole, spring garden theme you got going on.” Clink.

Such earnest opinions and knowledgeable input was greatly offered in modest, that the jaw-dropped mare lost the blue glow of her grip on the keychain, causing it to drop on the ground. Regaining her composure quickly, she restored her blue aura's hold on them, and cleared her throat once more saying, “I must confess, darling, this is quite an unexpected surprise. Meeting somepony with the taste and sensibility for such an art is not an everyday occurrence in Ponyville. And given that you inquired about my boutique and asked if I managed it, I imagine you’re not from here at all.”

“Try…not from Equestria, in general," shrugged Mary Jane in honest, "I think that’s what you ponies call this place, right?”

“Oh my,” shuddered the Unicorn in response. Clink. “You must be one of the others who traveled here, along with Spider Bite.” Though slightly puzzled at first, MJ said with a smirk, “So that’s what the web-head’s calling himself around here?”

“You know him?”

“I’ve had a few run-ins with the guy before. But mostly heard about him through the news. He’s called Spider-Man where we’re from. Hyphenated. But judging by my latest look, I’m guessing you don’t have humans around here, huh?”

“Only in myths and legends I’m afraid, darling.”

“Ironic.” The Unicorn mare levitated her keys back up to the door again, and was just about to place the correct one into the lock. Until Whoosh! Clink! The door swung wildly outward in a teal glow, as a smaller white Unicorn darted out of the shop with a mad gallop. “Hey! Sorry, Rarity! Can’t talk right now! Heading over to the clubhouse! See you! Hi, Rarity’s new friend!” Kl-lopkl-lopkl-lopkl-lopkl-lop.

With a huff, and raising the keys up from the ground a third time, she said, “You must forgive my little sister’s hasty departure. Sweetie Bell is always in a rush to meet with her friends.”

“It’s alright,” MJ chuckled, “No harm done. Anyway, the reason I asked you about your place is because I’m sort of looking for somewhere to get set up. You know. Find some solid ground to help me get on my own…four hooves around here.”

“Rarity,” she offered the peach Earth Pony her front hoof with a gentle gleam. Taking it in kind, she answered Rarity, “Mary Jane Watson.”

It was then Rarity offered the guest room that was available, as well as a position at her boutique while she reached out to other ponies she knew abroad. After finding out a friend of Rarity’s, Applejack, had family who offered Mrs. Parker and the Doc a place at their farm, Mary Jane felt more than comfortable with how well situated they were, while she also found a firm foothold in this world.

With May and Nick, MJ grew warmly acquainted with Apple Bloom, Granny Smith and Big Mac. After finding out he was a doctor, they immediately settled for a fair arrangement in which they earned their keep by simply allowing for the Zebra to treat any of them for injuries or ailments, as well as sharing a few recipes with the Pegasus mare. Apple Bloom in particular grew greatly fond of May and MJ, finding some similarities that they shared with her grandmother and big sister, including MJ's sensible and nurturing nature. She especially noticed how the redhead easily spoke with her brother, and with very little need for clarity, like AJ.

“So, Big Macintosh, right?”

“Eeeyup,” nodded the red plough pony.

“You prefer that, or just Big Mac?”

“Eeeyup.”

“The shorter then?”

“Eeeyup.”

“You always say this much, or just when girls are around,” she smirked.

“N-nope,” he chuckled back.

“The former then.”

“Eeeyup.”

“I like a guy with simple tastes.” Mary Jane could not resist a snigger after viewing the blushed response, while Big Mac cleared his throat from her slight tease.

“Take it easy, tough lug,” she lightly knocked him with her elbow, helping him relax, “Nothing like that. We’re good, right?”

“Eeeyup.”

The little Earth Pony with the red mane and bow was so excited, that when Miss Watson mentioned running into Rarity’s own sibling, she rushed out to the clubhouse after the sudden reminder. “Oh, no! Ah can’t believe Ah furgot! Gotta hurry an’ see if they’re still there! Bah, May, Nick an’ Mare Jane! Nice tah meet yah!” Kl-lopkl-lopkl-lop.

The peach Earth Pony could only snigger again at the slip the yellow filly made, then continued to speak with the eldest sibling, as Granny, Bromwell and Mrs. P conversed for further lengths of time. POW! A massive quake brought everypony shaking violently onto the floor. The rumbling continued rhythmically, as MJ, Big Mac and the Doc gradually rose and aided May and Granny back up as well. Just as soon as they had done so, she noted a flickering orange light was casting their shadows from behind. Looking out the window to see what may be the source, the Earth Pony mare witnessed the edge of the orchard beginning to catch alight from the blazing forest nearby.

“Please tell me that’s not an apple orchard. Anything but apples. Maybe peaches. I like peaches.” Without awaiting any response from the lavender Princess, Spidey casted twin web lines onto two pillars of the Castle roof. As soon as he joined them behind his back, he placed his blue-lensed shades back on and raised his hood. It was then that Rainbow Dash flew hastily up to the rooftop, with Celestia and Luna teleporting themselves there as well.

"Oh, man," she gasped, "That fire's just reaching Sweet Apple Acres. It's huge! And didn't we just take care of that boulder freak yesterday?"

The winged Unicorn then turned to see the approaching monster again. Noting the spontaneous shift of various colors from the menace’s eyes, instead of its singular, green glow, Twilight spoke under her breath, “It’s even worse than before.”

“Chrysalis has obtained the Elements of Harmony,” the Sun Princess said, “and is using them to resurrect and manipulate the stone giant.”

“Utilizing their forces against their very nature in the world is now bringing forth a great perversion,” her Sister of the Moon joined, “She is destroying the pillars of the world from its very base. All Tartarus shall be unleashed, beginning with the Everfree Forest.”

“Hope we don’t find out if that’s actually literal,” Peter remarked, as his frame leaned back further into his latest web sling, both hind legs used to stretch it as far as possible.

“Me and Fluttershy will get every Pegasus to the reservoir,” said Rainbow, “Don’t you still need a spotter first, Overw-” Poing! Whoosh! “Right. Sure. Got both legs working now.”

No time for playful banter right now. Got to get to Aunt May and the others, and fast. Perhaps he was not traveling as far, nor as fast as he did yesterday. But it was more than enough for the web-head to sail across the sky and reach the Apple family’s farm, able to control his momentum from his webbing with ease. Having both pasterns free of any holding object, he could alternate web shot, after web shot onto treetops then farm roof more readily. With a great tug from the line attached to the barn, the wall-crawler brought his curled-up form into a somersault, then soundly landed onto the stem of an apple tree. Then he turned to see the fire reaching the house and barn, after crossing through many of the scorching trees in the orchard.

Leaping off the tree he was perched on, Pete began to run in the direction of the house, until a sudden cry caught wind of his pony ears. “Hey! Anypony out there?! Help!”

That sounded pretty close. He turned to see an elevated hut of sorts, placed at the edge of the burning forest. Caught ablaze was the front side and ramp, and coughs and wheezes he could make out emanated from inside. He shifted his focus from that, to the burning house further away, as he quickly pondered, Can’t tell for sure in anyone’s inside. But there’s definitely somebody in that hut. Can’t let them down too. Ugh, this is the last decision I ever wanted to make.

Thwip! He made the split decision to rush over to the nearest structure instead, and sent a quick line onto a distant tree trunk to zip hastily towards the clubhouse. Then he jumped and dove directly through the flames, breaking down the door and sliding across the wooden floor inside. Pam! Fwoosh! Through his blue lenses, the reflection of three foals huddled in a corner was seen, who were coughing and choking from the smoke throughout the hut. Quickly, he tossed the orange one with wings onto his back, instinctively using the arch of his neck, then lifted the other two, carrying them with his front hooves. Sensing a looming threat about to occur, he mustered all his energy and focus onto his coiled legs, then jumped as hard as he could.

Don’t think I can clear the blast in time. Still… He shut his eyes in anticipation, as alarms bells constantly clang throughout his cranium. Poof!

Spider Bite then found himself engulfed in a blazing light of scarlet, before he suddenly spotted a webbed-up tree nearby. One that he used to slow himself down upon arrival, a fair distance away from where he originally was. Okay. Well that just happened. Just what, exactly?

As he reached the ground, Pete turned to notice that the one on his back had slipped off in midair. However, before he could respond, he witnessed the Pegasus foal then caught by a peach Earth Pony close by. Mary Jane?! It took everything in him to temper his outburst of wonderment, so as not to show her how well he knew her, which prompted him to gulp.

“Got to hand it to you, Spidey,” MJ shouted through the roaring flames behind them, “You sure know how to learn new tricks! Coming out of nowhere in a flash like that would give Houdini a run for his money!”

“Uh, yeah,” he called back, as both carried the fillies further away from the fire, “But around here, I guess it’d be Hoofdini, huh?!” Did my spider sense just help me do that? Guess I concentrated enough to clear away from the danger to pull off that stunt. Those tips from Starlight and Cadence helped me out more than I thought.

Just then, he noticed May and Nick close by, along with the Apples. He lowered the foals in his grip towards the others, along with Mary Jane, and surmised that they were able to make it out of the burning building in time. Then afterward, MJ hastened over to the hut and help the fillies in trouble before watching him teleport. Looks like I made the right call too.

It was then, also, they all witnessed a massive whirlpool looming overhead. But sensing no lethal threat from it, the web-head simply stood still to view the spectacle. Led by Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Captain Sentry, the Pegasi assembled to create the great vortex from the local reservoir. They sent the swirling water directly onto the burning trees, dousing a vast amount of flames from the forest and orchard, and causing steam to suddenly rise in outburst. Pwushhhhhhsssssssssssss. The flying ponies then dove down unto the smoldering leaves and branches throughout, smothering the few patches of fire with their hooves, and accumulated the steam to make rainclouds over the house and barn, putting out the blaze where the waterspout could not reach.

“Alright! Looks like you managed to get here just the nick of time!” Dash, Sentry and Fluttershy landed nearby Spidey, upon viewing the current state of the foals and clubhouse. “Thanks, Web-head.”

“Hey, couldn't have done it all without some help,” he replied, tilting his head toward the peach mare standing by, after the fillies were taken back by the Apple family, May and the Doc to be cared for. “But I think we’ve still got a situation.”

“Twilight, the Princesses and the others went to keep the stone giant from reaching Ponyville,” the orange Captain said. Then Fluttershy added, “While the ponies are moving quickly away from the village. You know, in case it…does.”

“Then I’m guessing the rest of us should do the same while you’re busy,” the redhead, “Just another day at the office right, Spidey?”

“Nothing like this one, though. Thanks for the assist.”

“No problem,” she smiled with a nod, then turned to leave saying, “Now go get ‘em.”

You got it, MJ. Sort of wish she said Tiger at the end.

“You’ve dealt with things like this on a daily basis?” Turning back to face the startled, yellow Pegasus, Peter answered, “Nah. Nothing this big of scale. Just annually. Five years ago, Doc Ock and his Master Plan was my first. Anyway, where were the Elements kept before Chrysalis installed them to Rocky Two-point-oh?”

“They came from the Tree of Harmony,” responded the rainbow mare, “in a cave close by the ancient palace.”

“Yes,” Fluttershy brought up, “Chrysalis must have went straight to the cave when she escaped.”

“Pinkie said she knew where she stood,” nodded the beige Unicorn.

“What are you getting at, Spider Bite,” inquired Sentry.

“Think about it. Where’s the last place you’d look, you know, to find a crook?” I told Zecora that’s contagious.

“Scene of the crime,” both Rainbow and the Captain spoke in realization. Then Fluttershy asked in turn, “You think maybe she’s hiding in the Tree’s cave?”

“Only one way to find out. And since our other pals are busy, we should head over there and take down two birds with one stone.”

“Ha! Can’t wait to see you sweet-talk her to a beauty sleep.” In response to Rainbow Dash’s remark, Pete said, “I was thinking maybe a lullaby, this go around.”

She, Fluttershy and Captain Sentry then took off, with Unicorn arachnid zipping through the trees on a quick web line after the racing Pegasi.

Boing! Swat! “Missed me!”

Boing! Smash! “Missed me!”

Boing! Roar! “Now you gotta...”

Boing! Poom! “Kiss me!” Bouncing through the air with great ease, Pinkie continued to place herself directly before the behemoth’s sneering, growling face. It attempted several times to swat and smash her pony frame, to which she responded with evasive maneuvers that were deemed only possible by imagination, irritating it even further. Applejack continued to buck the rosy Earth Pony high up, towards the creature’s face, so as to divert its attention, while the Unicorns and Alicorn Princesses began to do their part.

Twilight, Cadence, Luna and Celestia glided over the massive creature, as Shining, Rarity and Starlight stationed themselves on the ground. Having everypony in position, they formed a great force field around the giant, encircling it from both the ground and the sky. It was then the farm and pink ponies backed away from the colossus, keeping themselves outside of the growing barricade. Once it was complete, with even a barrier on the ground as well, they had all gathered in front of the giant to inspect its venomous attacks against it.

“That shall only lend us a few moments of time,” spoke the lunar Regent.

“The destructive force from within will soon overcome our own magic,” her sister added, “We must act swiftly in formulating a plan to remove the Elements.”

“Just how much time, exactly,” panted Starlight. Smash! Crick. Crack.

The brutal titan slammed its giant fist onto the barrier encompassing it, causing cracks to appear and grow throughout it like glass. This forced the magic wielding ponies to summon more of their energy again, and reinforce the shield before anything else could be done.

“I believe,” huffed Rarity in exhaustion, “That answered your question, darling.”