Shattered! Avengers Disassembled!
Chapter One “Shattered! Avengers Disassembled!”
A decade and a half had passed since that day. She was once a respected leader before being humiliated within her own village. Years of research, excavating, and training led her to this moment. Her thoughts ran, attempting to settle the butterflies churning in her gut. Narrowing her blue gaze on the stone tablet sitting on her table, the violet-maned mare scrolled through the pages of a book.
“Starswirl the Bearded’s time travel spell,” she whispered as particles of energy from the atmosphere channeled into her horn before the tablet levitated slightly. The clear blue skies outside darkened as many clouds spread about. The surrounding gusts intensified, generating multiple whirlwinds. “Combined with the power of the Tablet of Order and Chaos, my power should be astronomical.” A coy smirk graced her features. “I believe now is as good a time as any for a field test.”
Emerald energies spiraled across the airwaves outside. Bolts of lightning quickly raced through the sky and struck multiple areas along the outskirts of the village. Tremors coursed through the earth, causing even the surrounding mountains to shake violently. Suddenly, the space within the area distorted, tearing asunder as the very fabric of reality came undone.
However, the mare’s eyes shot open before the energy emitting from her horn dissipated. The magic enveloping the tablet vanished instantly, prompting the object to fall back onto the table. The effects spreading across the land also ceased as a result, with the skies clearing and the cracks in space sealed back together. Once the after effects of her spell fully stopped, the mare laughed confidently before easing back into her seat.
“Just as I suspected! I can shape all of reality with a mere thought!” she mused, smirking.
The mare inhaled deeply before sighing, stealing a glance across the room. An array of photos were spread along a wall, each depicting the stallion formerly known as Spider-Mane. Now, he was declared the Spirit of Order and Harmony, leading a band of exceptionally powerful individuals. His so-called ‘Avengers’ were not to be trifled with, and with such accumulated power at their disposal, nopony could hope to stop them single-hoofedly.
The mare frowned at his image with disdain. “It’s because of you that I was ostracized. It took time, but I managed to draw some backup to my cause. Even your son is proving to be invaluable as a student, but I know you’ll just rise up to stop me again. You have a vast history of doing such things, Peter Parker. So, to ensure my success, I’ll erase you from the plains of existence by wiping out your very history.” She returned her attention to the tablet and opened book on the table. “I just need a little more time to perfect the spell. Soon, everypony will know of Starlight Glimmer and her benevolent views.”
Meanwhile, back within the castle along the outskirts of Ponyville, Mayday held a hoof over her mouth and furrowed her brow at the computer screen before her. “This doesn’t make any sense. One moment, the rifts were spreading seemingly out of control, and the next, poof. Gone without a trace.” The mare straightened her glasses before turning to the side, sharing a glance with her father as he stared intently at the screen. “So, what’s the call, Daddy?”
Peter shook his head. “There’s clearly something going on. We’d better check it out before things turn south. In my life, it usually does.
Eris nodded, holding an unreadable expression while pursing her lips. “I concur. The energies in the air are still sporadic. I suggest that we make haste if we’re to find the cause.”
“So, what are we waiting for, exactly?” Trixie questioned, folding her hooves.
Peter frowned. “The whole team. Everypony’s here except for one, and we have to play this smart.” The stallion returned his gaze towards his daughter. “You did page Laura, right?”
Mayday nodded before tapping the button on the watch over her hoof. “I have a few times, but she keeps cutting me off. I don’t know if it’s Laura doing that or a radio disturbance.” Suddenly, the static erupting from the device cleared, prompting Mayday’s ears to perk. “Laura! Come in! Where are you?”
The voice on the other side growled under her breath. “Stupid energy wave must’ve shorted the watch. What do you want?”
Peter leaned forward, frowning. “We need you to come to Ponyville. Something’s come up. The computer says something big is brewing in Our Town. We’re sending in the whole team to investigate.”
“Don’t bother. I’m already outside of the village,” Laura bluntly declared, furrowing her brow on the town in the near distance. “I smelled something odd in the air and followed it here. Next thing I know, a storm picks up. It cleared after a couple of minutes, but I can see the source at the center of town. It all came from the house in the middle. I’m about to check it out.”
Ember’s eyes widened before she stepped forward alongside Peter. “Wait! Don’t go in yet. We need to form a plan of attack before we engage the enemy.”
Laura huffed, unsheathing a pair of claws from her hoof with a snikt. “I’ve already got a plan: attack.”
Suddenly, the radio shorted out, prompting the dragon to shake her head in a bemused manner. “There always has to be a renegade in the chain of command.”
Umbra blinked, glancing to the side. “Such insubordination. Perhaps I should have killed her.”
Deep within the confines of Peter’s mind, Dream folded her arms and sighed. “You can’t be surprised. It’s pretty clear that she can barely tolerate you, let alone listen.”
Peter shrugged. “She’s cloned from *Wolverine*. He made it a hobby to act like that. If anything, it just confirms that Laura is her father’s daughter. Clone. Sister. Whatever. She’s basically Logan 2.0.” Pausing, he shook his head and leaned closer to the entity. “That reminds me. You know that thing that we’ve been talking about?”
Pausing, Dream blankly stared at her host. "You’re bringing that up again *now*? Why?”
Peter wrapped an arm around Dream’s shoulder and held out an open hand. “I need a superhero name, and I can’t use Spider-Mane anymore. I mean, I love Pinkie and get the pun, but that name was always kind of stupid.”
“...yet that never prompted you to change your name sooner? Stupid is what stupid does,” Dream coldly interjected with a blank gaze.
“We’re updating and upgrading! Now, we just need something that’s cool and rolls off the tongue!” Ignoring the woman’s exasperated glare, Peter obliviously hummed. “Order-Spider? Spider-Sentinel?”
“I’m not doing this. It’s stupid,” Dream groaned, glancing to the side with a bemused glare.
Poking his lip out in a pout, Peter walked away from the woman. “Fine! I’m sure my other teammates will be happy to help!”
Dream paused, laughing haughtily as a coy smirk surfaced on her face. “Now, that’s something I would like to see.”
Back within the real world, Ember sighed before sharing a glance with the stallion. “So, what now?”
Exhaling, Peter placed a hoof over Ember’s shoulder. “We hurry and get to the village before Laura does something rash. We don’t even know if Starlight’s really the cause.”
Eris vanished from sight, materializing into existence behind the stallion. “I’m coming with you all. The air is thick with chaos and… something else. It feels faintly familiar, but wrong.”
Just before Peter could hope to respond, Mayday reached out and placed her hoof over his own. “I’m coming, too. The energy readings are off the charts. I’m still trying to figure out the cause and how to fix it. I’d stay here, but the energy near the town keeps causing radio disturbances. If I find something important, I’d like to be able to tell you.”
Slow to respond, Peter’s expression softened as his brow furrowed. “I don’t like it. It’s much safer if you stay behind… but you do have a point. If anypony can figure out what’s going on, it’s you. Plus, you’re an adult, and you’ve made your decision.” Once Mayday nodded her appreciation, Peter turned to face the dark mare standing nearby. “Umbra. No matter what happens, stay close to Mayday.”
Umbra simply nodded. “Understood.”
Everypony gathered around the draconequus as she raised a glowing paw. “We’ve no time to waste. Hopefully, Laura hasn’t reached the source yet,” Eris whispered before the entire group, including herself, vanished from sight in a burst of light.
-u-
Starlight continued to read through the pages of the book, never averting her gaze from the walls of text. A soft set of knocks tapped against the door, causing the mare to glance back sharply. Furrowing her brow, Starlight levitated both the tablet and book via telekinesis. Suddenly, the door flew off its hinges and crashed into the nearest wall. A lone mare walked into the room in an upright stance, garbed in a yellow and black costume. She simply scoffed upon sharing a glance with the pony inside.
“You look like you have something to hide,” Laura muttered, unsheathing her claws. “Give me a reason not to take a limb to find out what it is.”
Slow to respond, Starlight managed a chuckle. “Ah, I’ve heard of you. The brute with the claws. I suppose my lightshow gave me away. Oh, well. I’ll just have to move my plan ahead of schedule.” Starlight huffed afterward, frowning. “Are you lost, little dog? Don’t have your friends or master holding your leash?”
Laura’s brow lowered into a glare before a snarl escaped from her mouth. “I’ve got your leash right here!”
Suddenly, Laura unsheathed the remainder of her claws from her hooves and leaped across the room toward the mare. However, Starlight’s horn glowed momentarily before a wave of energy raced out. The magical energies collided into Laura’s airborne form, launching her through the nearest wall. Shards of stone, glass, and debris scattered from the blast as Wolverine spiraled from the second floor of Starlight’s home before she eventually crashed to the ground. A cloud of dust rose from the point of impact, and tremors coursed through the ground as a crater spread.
The citizens of Our Town rushed out at the commotion, eyeing the damaged landscape. Once Starlight’s glowing form levitated from the air and landed several yards away from the crater, the entirety of the village retreated upon seeing the mare wave a hoof to the side. Slowly, but surely, Laura pulled herself from the hole, growling under her breath. Wide gashes across her forehead and cheek sewed themselves shut, healing before the mare stood back upright.
Starlight’s eyes widened momentarily before she scoffed dismissively. “Resilient. I’m almost impressed, but it doesn’t matter. Your abilities still pale when compared to mine.”
The surrounding clouds darkened while whirlwinds generated around the vicinity. Suddenly, a trail of electricity spiraled around Starlight’s body like a whip before it sped toward Laura. However, a dark figure dashed in front of Wolverine, deflecting the lightning bolt with a firm swing of a sword. Starlight’s brow furrowed once she settled her gaze on Umbra, who sheathed her blade. Sonata, Ember, and Eris immediately soared into the vicinity, landing behind Umbra and Laura. Peter swung across the air on a strand of webbing with his daughter’s hooves wrapped behind his neck, and once everypony landed alongside each other, a cloud of smoke rose from the ground, revealing Mysterio.
Ember rolled her eyes upon sharing a glance with Laura. “This is why we have team protocol. Learn to listen to those around you.”
“I can take care of myself,” Laura spat, stretching her neck until a crack was heard. She lowered into a defensive stance, snarling. “Just stay out of my way.”
Umbra frowned, glaring at the mare from the corner of her eye. “Try anything clever, and I will kill you.”
The two mares held venomous glares at each other, snarling without falter. Sonata obliviously stood between them and nervously grinned. “Are we a little tense? How about a song to lighten the mood?” Clearing her throat, the siren closed her eyes before humming in an off-key tone, “I know a song that gets on everypony’s nerves~!”
Laura cringed at the wailing, raising her claws mere inches from the siren’s face before her singing could commence. “Open your mouth again, and I will rip out your voice box and eat it in front of you.”
“Karaoke! I should’ve known! We’ll try that instead!” Sonata chimed, earning blank gazes from the majority of her teammates.
“Oh, this teamup is off to a wonderful start,” Trixie dryly groaned under her breath, straightening out her mask. “We’re certainly the gold standard for group morale.”
Mayday lowered herself from her father’s shoulders, standing in front of the group. “Guys! We need to be a little less counterproductive!” She paused, pointing a hoof at the mare levitating overhead. “Focus on the bad guy!”
While Ember, Umbra, and Laura huffed under their breath respectively, Dream folded her arms and huffed in the back of Peter’s mind. “The fight hasn’t even started, and we’re already breaking at the seams.”
Starlight blinked, narrowing her gaze on the lone pegasus of the group. “Ah, Mayday Parker Sparkle. You’ve grown.”
Mayday’s ears perked upon hearing her name. She turned and lifted her gaze, furrowing her brow at the airborne mare. “So, it is you, Starlight Glimmer.”
Peter huffed, folding his hooves. “Okay. You’ve been putting on quite a light show. We normally wouldn’t mind a good rave party with some good beats and techno, but you’re putting out some serious volatile energies. What’s going on here?”
Eris blinked, her eyes widening as she narrowed her gaze on the tablet in Starlight’s possession. “I thought I recognized those energies. That’s the Tablet of Order and Chaos!” The draconequus pointed a talon at the mare. “You shouldn’t have such a powerful artifact in your possession!”
Slow to respond, Peter blinked at a realization. “Did you say the Tablet of Order and Chaos? That thing caused me enough grief the last time I saw it!” He shifted his widened gaze to the airborne mare. “How did you get your hooves on that? I thought Madame Web hid it away somewhere on Earth.”
“Why, yes. It certainly wasn’t easy to locate. Your friend seemed to have hidden this relic in a pocket dimension,” Starlight mused, chuckling under her breath. “Fortunately, I am a patient mare, and my magic eventually allowed me passage. I’ve spent years studying its power along with Starswirl the Bearded’s time travel spells. Now, I am above anything you could hope to become.”
Eris furrowed her brow and shook her head. “You are gravely mistaken. The power of the tablet is not meant to be abused, and time travel should not be trifled with. You’re threatening to disrupt the balance of the cosmos, not just this world.”
Peter held his hooves out defensively. “Starlight, just what exactly are you trying to do?”
Starlight huffed. “All I wanted to do was help restore balance to the social chain of Equestria, but you cast me out without a second thought. I’ve watched your means of justice, and it only leads to destruction.” The mare’s horn glowed momentarily, causing a fissure to spread through the earth between the Avengers. “I was going to quietly erase you from history, Peter Parker, but you’re forcing me to improvise.” A wicked grin formed on the mare’s face. “I’ll destroy the lot of you here and now first!”
Several bolts of lightning struck the ground around the group, narrowly missing their bodies. Peter lifted Mayday into his hooves bridal style. “Take her down, girls! We can’t let her get away with the Tablet!” Once the others jumped into the fray, Peter leapt behind a building before placing his daughter down. “See if you can find a weak point in her magical output. We’ll do what we can.”
“R-right. Be careful, Daddy,” Mayday lightly whispered, hesitantly nodding while watching her father swing toward Starlight. She held out a hoof before pulling back her sleeve, revealing a mounted device. She pecked away at its screen, furrowing her brow once the readings spiked haphazardly. Mayday bit down on her lip, shrieking as a bolt of lightning struck the ground mere hoof-lengths away and staggered her. “I’m already beginning to regret my career choice! I could’ve been a librarian, or a doctor, but nooo! I just had to be with Daddy because I hate dealing with other ponies, and I love him more than anypony in the world, despite him having the most dangerous job in the world! Gah! What am I even saying!? I’m starting to talk to myself like he does!”
Ember soared toward Starlight from the side. However, thunder rumbled through the skies before a bolt of lightning crackled from the heavens. The dragon raised her scepter, blocking the attack, but its trajectory pushed her into the side of a building, shattering the stone. Suddenly, Wolverine’s image split into two identical copies, both lunging at Starlight simultaneously.
Starlight huffed as her horn glowed, unleashing a wave of energy at both ponies. The area around them slowed to a halt while one of the images distorted, shattering into particles of energy. Starlight turned to the Wolverine that remained before catching a glance at Mysterio in the distance, concealed behind the fountain. She fired two bolts of magic, one directly into Laura’s chest and the other at the ground beneath Trixie’s hooves.
The force of the blow sent Wolverine careening into the earth, rupturing the stone upon impact. A chain reaction triggered underneath Mysterio before a small explosion knocked the mare to the side. Eris pointed the tip of her talon, shooting a beam at Starlight, but the mare raised her tablet, deflecting the projectile effortlessly as it ricocheted. The draconequus inhaled sharply, unable to react in time as her own beam struck her, and her body faded in a burst of light, materializing into existence within a glass sphere.
Sonata sped through the village in a blur, closing the gap between herself and the unicorn. However, Starlight’s horn glowed momentarily once more, stopping time around her and the motionless siren. A stone levitated into position directly in front of Sonata’s hoof. The unicorn’s horn sparked, causing time to resume instantly, and the siren immediately tumbled over the stone, her momentum carrying her form into a violent roll until she crashed into the side of a stone wall with a crack.
Umbra materialized directly over Starlight’s body with her sword drawn, ready to plunge it through the mare. However, a portal opened between the pair, and the swordsmare plummeted through, landing on top of a building several yards away. A second portal opened next to Starlight, prompting the unicorn to fire a magical beam directly into it. Before Umbra could hope to react, a portal opened behind her position, and a bolt slammed directly into her back, causing the mare to plummet a few stories until she crashed into the ground with enough force to generate a dust cloud.
Starlight grinned at the destruction she spread, nodding feverishly. “This is almost too easy. None of you stand a chance against me.”
Mayday’s eyes widened once her hoof device emitted a high-pitched beeping sound. “So that’s it.” She stared at Starlight intently before lowering back behind her cover, placing a hoof over her ear. “Daddy! The tablet! The energy in the space around us spikes like crazy whenever she uses it. Really bad things are going to happen if we don’t get it away from her soon!”
Suddenly, Peter materialized into existence mere inches from the mare in a burst of light. He swiftly threw a punch, prompting the mare to raise the tablet out of instinct. However, the stallion’s blow shattered the stone, and the tablet broke into ten fragments, scattering. Wild energies spread from the point of impact. The surrounding storm intensified before an explosion of energy detonated between Peter and Starlight. Time slowed briefly as a pair of fragments floated between them, and the stallion and mare retrieved one respectively before a shockwave erupted.
Peter crashed to the earth while several portals opened across the vicinity, one for each fragment spread. Ember pulled herself from the wreckage, unable to react as she was pulled into a portal. The same transpired for Sonata, whose dazed form soared into the nearest energy gateway. A portal spread open underneath Laura’s body, causing the mare to plummet into an energy whirlwind. Mayday’s eyes widened at the sight as each Avenger was pulled into a separate portal, but before she could react, a gateway ripped open behind her position, pulling her within.
The area distorted before the energies eventually settled. Peter pulled himself back to a standing position, staring bleakly at the surrounding area. He stood over a lone platform hovering over an empty space. Several portals were spread around him, but his teammates were gone, lost to the void. Peter glanced to the side as Starlight stood as well. The mare simply grinned, eyeing the fragment in her grasp before vanishing in a burst of light.
Blinking, Peter stammered about. “Uh, okay? First day with my new team, and it’s already gone bad.” The stallion walked over the edge of the platform, shaking his head upon seeing the bottomless pit before him. “Hey, Dream. What do you think of this?”
No response was given, causing the stallion to glance to the side. “Dream. Are you there?” Again, nothing was received, sending an unsettling and empty air through the stallion. Peter furrowed his brow. “Okay. This is definitely not good. What else can go wrong?”
“Spider-Man!” a woman’s voice called out from behind, causing the stallion to stammer about wildly. He quickly turned, catching sight of a redhead woman garbed in a long, crimson jacket with a black shirt underneath. She wore a pair of matching shades. Yet an air of familiarity filled the air, evident by her warm smile. “It’s been quite some time.”
Peter’s eyes widened as he matched her smile with one of his own. “Madame Web? Geez. It’s good to see you, too, but you always show up when things go south. My day is weird enough as it is.” His eyes widened at a realization. “Oh, and I’m not Spider-Man anymore. Now, I’m Spectrum-Spider! Or maybe Cosmic-Spider? I haven’t been able to figure a good name yet. How does Spider-Prime sound?”
“Stay focused!” Julia exclaimed, prompting Peter to cease his brief ramble. She shifted her head to the side. “As you know, the Tablet of Order and Chaos is an artifact of great power, able to bend time and reality…” she trailed off, straightening her glasses with a finger dismissively. “And you just shattered it. Again.”
Peter shrugged. “Yeah. They don’t make ancient tablets of doom like they used to. Someone should really put a warranty on that thing.” The stallion paused, tilting his head to the side. “Anyway, how did Starlight find the tablet? I thought the old M-Dubs hid it. Did you know where the tablet was?”
Julia shook her head. “Cassandra did hide it, but as Starlight said, it was hidden within a pocket dimension. She found it. Simple as that.” The woman waved a hand to the side. “You must not fret on the past, for the present requires your attention. You’re familiar with the situation, but the circumstances have changed considerably. The tablet shattered into ten fragments. You and Starlight Glimmer are in possession of one each. The remaining eight scattered to various dimensions near this one through separate portals. Within the blast, your allies were lost in each portal alongside a piece of the tablet.” Julia tapped a finger against the side of her head. “That would include your other half.”
Peter’s eyes widened at the statement. “So, that’s why I can’t get in touch with Dream. And here I thought she was just ignoring me again.” Furrowing his brow, the stallion eyed the fragment in his possession while stealing glances at the surrounding portals. “Why wasn’t I affected? Everyone else was pulled into a portal, but Starlight and I were okay.”
“You two were at ground zero. By capturing pieces of the tablet, you secured your positions. That’s how you came to be within this pocket dimension,” Julia coolly interjected, pointing a finger at the fragment. “The surrounding energies spread from the tablet’s shattering resulted in this… distortion of time and space. However, that’s not the only reason. The tablet couldn’t affect you, seeing as you’re the Spirit of Order. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Dream. She was shot from your body and hurled into another dimension like the others.”
Peter titled his head to the side. “It couldn’t affect me? Why? Anyone who touches it is affected usually. Unless…” he trailed off, recollecting bits from his memory. Suddenly, the stallion’s eyes widened at a realization. “Order and Chaos. So, that’s why Eris’s attack was reflected. That tablet is order and chaos combined into one.”
Julia nodded. “Precisely. It’s quite peculiar how fate works. You’ve interacted with the tablet before, not knowing it was a precursor to your inevitable fate. Ironic, really.”
"Okay. So, my teammates are all lost in parallel dimensions, and I have to find them while also attempting to locate pieces of the tablet, right?” Peter mused, arching a brow at the woman. Once Julia nodded, the stallion exhaled. “Good grief. This is starting to sound like a bad comic book plot.”
Julia extended a hand to the stallion. “Wait. I’ll help you.” Peter walked toward the woman, only for her to rest a finger against his forehead. His sixth sense blared momentarily, causing Peter to stagger backwards. Julia soon inhaled deeply before sighing. “Your path will be treacherous and filled with many possibilities. Much like Cassandra did for you, I augmented your Spider Sense so that you can sense the fragments, but it will be up to you to locate your companions. Only the restoration of the tablet can restore balance to this reality, but should you restore it without finding your friends, they will be stranded in their respective dimensions.”
Peter stretched his hooves high over head. “Don’t worry. I’m a team player. I’ll find them. I can only do one dimension at a time, though, but I wish I knew where Mayday was. She’s the one I’m most worried about. It sounds biased, and yeah, it totally is, but that’s my kid. Anyway. Speaking of which...” The stallion offered the woman his fragment, nodding. “You’d better hang onto that.”
“Very wise. I’ll hold this for you until your mission is complete. Sadly, your friends will not be able to leave their dimensions due to the magical barriers surrounding us. Retrieve a fragment and leave it in their possession. Only then, once the others are gathered, can they return here,” Julia replied, nodding. “Be careful, Peter Parker. Starlight Glimmer is lurking about, and she’ll attempt to find the fragments before you do. Even with the one fragment in her possession, she’s dangerous. Enlist the help of the inhabitants of the worlds you visit as well as your teammates. Some dimensions you will recognize, but others hold alternate fates to the reality you know.” She nodded, holding a stern expression. “I’ll keep in touch with you via telepathy. Good luck.”
Peter simply shrugged a response. “Oh, good. I lose one woman’s voice in my head and get another. I’m literally becoming a genuine schizophrenic psycho.” Upon receiving a blank expression from the woman, the stallion cleared his throat. “Anyway, sounds like another day at the office, if you ask me.” The stallion alternated his hazel gaze between each portal before settling on the closest one. With a firm nod, he dove inside. “Geronimo…!”
Madame Web watched the stallion’s image fade behind the spiraling energies of the portal, nodding as Peter Parker’s next adventure began.
To be continued...
