Chapters Ultimate Spiders and Magic: Episode III "Genetic Conscription"
Ultimate Spiders and Magic: Episode 3 “Genetic Conscription”
Tags: Adventure, Romance, Comedy, and Crossover
Summary: A student’s x-gene activates, sending Canterlot High into yet another whirlwind of chaos. To make matters worse, several parties seem interested in her abilities. Spider-Man wants to help Eris amidst the chaos, but he has to find out who is trustworthy between Nick Fury and the gruff Wolverine… all while trying not to be flattened by the Juggernaut and avoiding the stern gaze of one Doctor Strange.
Prologue “Growing Pains”
Peter stretched his limbs overhead as he entered the homeless shelter, gesturing a wave to those waiting inside. Everyone seemingly greeted the young man with knowing smiles as he passed by. Strangely enough, this was usually the most welcoming the outside world got other than his own home, seeing that life at school and in the city was bittersweet at best. He reached the kitchen eventually, managing a smile upon spotting May behind the counter. She sorted through a box, organizing the canned goods within.
May soon peeked up, smiling sweetly. “Oh, Peter! What brings you here?”
“Had some free time once classes ended. Figured I’d stop by before heading to the lab,” Peter replied, grabbing the nearest box once May set her eyes on it. She pointed at the empty space on the counter, prompting the young man to place it there. Peter soon folded his arms, sharing a gaze with the woman. “How are things here?”
Opening the box, May began to sort through the canned goods. “Very well. We have taken in quite a few homeless from New York and brought them here. Resources are fair, and the city approved of a new grant. They seem to be quite supportive of our cause.”
Peter grinned. “It’s because everyone likes you, Aunt May. Who can say ‘no’ to you?”
May shook her head, managing a smirk before leaning over to plant a kiss on Peter’s cheek. “Ever the charmer, just like Ben.”
“Miss May!” a voice cheerfully called from behind. Both May and Peter turned as a pair of girls walked into the room with a box in hand respectively. “Where do you want these?”
“Oh, girls! Just place them on the floor by the counter,” May stated, pointing to the side.
Once the pair reached their destination, they lowered their items and revealed their identities. Sonata bounced in place and clapped happily, all while Aria exhaled and shrugged. However, they both glanced to the side at Peter after a duration, having finally noticed him, and each’s jaw dropped, with Aria and Sonata pointing in his direction.
“Hey! It’s the Spider-Gu–!” Sonata blurted out before Aria delivered a swift slap to the back of her cranium.
Aria stared blankly at her sibling, pausing to ensure nobody had heard her outburst. “We’re keeping that a secret you idiot. Don’t go blabbing to the world.” Once Sonata obliviously nodded with a smile, Aria exhaled before mildly glaring at Peter. “What are you doing here?”
Peter placed a hand over May’s shoulder, never freeing his gaze from the pair of sirens. “I’m visiting my Aunt. What about you?”
“We live here,” Aria bluntly declared, blinking as if a realization came to mind. “Wait. Your aunt ?”
May glanced at her nephew, ceasing her counting momentarily. “Peter, you know these girls?” She paused, narrowing her gaze, “Hold on. How do they know about… that ?”
Peter stammered about, scratching the back of his head. “You know about those magical singing seahorses I told you about earlier this week? This is them. Well, two of them, anyway.”
“So, that’s what you three have been arguing about. Now, I understand,” May stated, humming lightly.
Aria rolled her eyes, placing a hand over her forehead. “It makes sense. She’s always talked about her nephew, Peter, but I didn’t think it’d be you . She even showed us your old pictures. You don’t look anything like you used to,” Aria snorted, smirking, “God, you were such a poindexter, with your bowl cut and glasses.”
“May!” Peter whined, his face flushing to a shade of pink.
The older woman chuckled, waving a hand dismissively. “I couldn’t resist. You were so cute back then.”
Ever oblivious, Sonata emerged between the pair and smiled widely. “Your aunt’s the coolest! When we first made it here, she took us in without a second thought.”
“That’s May for you. She’d give anyone the shirt off her back if it helped them,” Peter grinned, holding up a peace sign behind May’s head as she held her hands together in a heart symbol over her chest. “She’s the best!”
“Sweetie, you flatter me,” May grinned, brushing her elbow against Peter’s torso gently.
Aria shook her head, turning to the side in an effort to hide the smile creeping onto her face. “At least now I see where you get your capacity for kindness from.”
He paused, retrieving his phone once it began to vibrate loudly. He soon nodded, before placing it back into his pocket. “We’ll talk more later. I have to make it to the lab.”
May walked up to the young man, smiling as she caressed the side of his face affectionately. “Be careful, son.”
Peter returned her smile with one of his own, placing his hand over hers briefly. He readied to depart, sharing a glance with Aria. “See you at school tomorrow.”
“Whatever,” Aria huffed, shrugging.
Sonata seemingly waved in a friendly manner, prompting Peter to do the same. However, once he reached the door, Adagio walked into the fray. The girl paused, as if her mind had to consider he was real, but she frowned, glaring intently at the young man. She glanced at everyone else in the room, dismissing May and Sonata’s presence, but shifted her glare away from Aria rather swiftly before returning her focus on Peter. Eventually, Aria scoffed while leaving the room entirely.
Eventually, Peter cleared his throat awkwardly, after what seemed like an eternity. “So, uh, no hard feelings?”
Adagio’s brow twitched at the mere sound of Peter’s voice, but she inhaled deeply before exhaling harshly, stomping past the young man. “Go choke on a pipe.”
“That… wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be,” Peter whispered, shrugging before departing, “Lord knows I’ve been told worse.”
Spitfire strained, gritting her teeth as she pulled herself to a standing position. The woman took in bated breaths, gripping her handlebars. Her legs wobbled under her weight, threatening to collapse, but the bracers she wore whirred, tightening over her joints. Peter alternated his gaze between the woman and his computer, typing in commands as numbers filled the screen. Suddenly, Spitfire’s limbs straightened, allowing her to stand firmly.
Octavious narrowed his gaze, placing a hand over Peter’s shoulder. “Good eye, my boy. It seems your suggestion is giving new fruit to our labor.”
Nodding, Peter managed a smile. “Yeah. Looks like the carbon fiber alloy alternative is just as supportive and doesn’t strain the muscle. Long term, it won’t do any damage.”
Folding his arms, Octavious approached the woman with a firm yet supportive gaze. “How are you feeling, Miss Spitfire?”
Spitfire exhaled, collapsing into the nearest seat as sweat poured from her forehead. “Not as good as I wanted. I can’t even stand without needing your bracers.”
Peter walked to the woman with a towel in hand before offering the item. “You’re practically learning how to walk again. It’s going to take time. All things considered, you’re still making great progress.”
Accepting the gesture, Spitfire shook her head as she wiped the sweat from her person. “I guess you’re right. I just hate how slow this feels.”
“Learning patience can be a difficult experience, but once conquered, you will find life is easier,” Octavious stated, sharing a nod with the pair. Pausing, the older man glanced at the watch on his wrist before huffing. “I believe today’s session is complete. My wife and I have dinner tonight. If I’m late, she’ll have my head. Spitfire, feel free to continue your rehabilitation. Peter, I shall see you in class tomorrow.”
Peter smiled, gesturing a thumbs up. “You got it, Doc.”
Just as he readied to depart, Octavious paused, before turning back to his younger cohort. “Oh, Peter. I almost forgot! I have a new inquiry that will be joining us soon. She’s quite talented, with a gift for mechanics and prosthetics. Her resumé is as impressive as yours. I’ll introduce you two to her, once she completes her transfer process.”
Chuckling, Peter smirked. “A new transfer? Sounds awesome.”
“Round up another member for the geek squad,” Spitfire snorted, waving a hand innocently upon receiving a playful glare from Peter.
Octavious straightened his glasses with a finger. “She’s quite stern and takes her work very seriously. I’m actually hoping she can help keep you on your toes, Parker. We must work on your tardiness.” Clearing his throat, the older man waved before departing. “But that’s a discussion for another day. See you later, and remember to lock the lab.”
Peter could only shrug, chuckling sheepishly until Octavious had exited the vicinity. He pondered, rubbing the underside of his chin. “I wonder who the new girl is?”
Spitfire huffed. “If Octavious is eyeing her, she’s as big of a dork as you.”
Blinking, Peter was slow to respond before letting out an empty laugh. “Says the pseudo dork. You’re just a dork in sheep’s clothing.”
Sobering, Spitfire’s brow furrowed. “Off topic, did you hear what happened in the gymnasium today? The basketball rim fell from its foundation. No one was hurt. I can’t tell what caused it though. That was after the fire alarm was tripped.”
Slow to respond, Peter folded his arms. “Did they find out who did it?”
Shaking her head, Spitfire scoffed. “We checked the cameras. From what they found, it was just a glitch in the system.”
Peter hummed under his breath. “Today was pretty weird. I heard most of the bathrooms’ plumbing backed up. Most of the east hallways were flooded. I feel for the janitors who have to clean it up.”
“Our faculties are usually kept up and maintained. It just feels like everything’s falling apart at once,” Spitfire responded, pursing her lip.
Waving his hand dismissively, Peter chuckled. “Sounds like my life. I’m sure it’s just one big inconvenience.”
“I wouldn’t count on it,” a voice declared from behind, causing Peter to stagger back while Spitfire glanced in its direction. A dark man emerged from the shadows with a firm glare, managing a smirk once Peter gathered his bearings. “It’s been a while, kid.”
Slack-jawed, Peter sharply pointed at the older man. “Yeah! Like over a week! Not long enough! How long have you been here? Why do you insist on stalking me in the most creepy way possible?!”
“Because you’re my business. That’s all you need to know,” Fury blankly responded, folding his arms.
Exasperated, Peter just blankly stared at the man, as his brow twitched involuntarily. “Keep talking like that, and they’ll make a documentary out of you.”
Spitfire cleared her throat. “What brings you by, Colonel Fury?”
Nick Fury huffed before taking a seat across the room. “Giving you a lead. We have Canterlot City on radar, and our energy readings spiked hard at the center of your school. We couldn’t pinpoint exactly, but there’s a student at your school who activated a ton of energy in one sitting.”
“A student did that?” Peter questioned, tilting his head to the side.
Nick Fury nodded. “A mutant to be exact. More than likely, their x-gene is activated, because they’re of age. This happens a lot.” Narrowing his gaze, the older man frowned. “I want you to find whoever is responsible and take them down. Bring them into SHIELD custody.”
Peter frowned. “Isn’t this more of an X-Men dilemma? Why do you want me to bring them in?”
“The potential of this one is far too dangerous. Based on the energy reading we got, they could level the city. Whoever is responsible may not respond well to a SHIELD agent, but they may open up to a fellow student, without incident,” Fury replied without a hint of hesitation, standing from his seat. He huffed, smiling coyly. “Pour on the charm. You’ve managed to make friends with most of your enemies so far.”
“Yeah. Now, I’m on parole for life,” Spitfire muttered under her breath. However, she quickly glanced to the side, nervously avoiding eye contact with Fury once he glared in her direction. “N-Not that I mind. It’s better than the alternative.”
Nick Fury returned his stern gaze towards Peter. “The X-Men have enough firepower as is, and right now, you’re our best chance to avoid a $#!*-ton of collateral. You can spot whoever is responsible early. Bring this mutant in peacefully. It’s a matter of national security.” Walking out of the room, Fury gave a final glance and nod. “I’ll be watching you.”
Once certain the older man had departed, Spitfire inhaled deeply before sighing. “Man, that guy sure is intense.”
Peter frowned, never averting his gaze from the direction Fury left. “He was as vague as ever.”
“What are you going to do?” Spitfire asked, arching a brow.
Slow to respond, Peter managed to share a glance with Spitfire. “Either way, he does have a point. I have to keep an eye out. It sounds like this person could be a ticking time bomb, if someone approaches them carelessly. I’ll try to find them and talk. Hopefully, we can solve this peacefully.”
"Are you going to bring them into SHIELD custody?" Spitfire questioned, furrowing her brow.
Peter frowned, scratching the back of his head. "I don't know. It doesn't seem fair to do that, if it was an accident. It doesn't help that I don't know what Fury intends to do." Tapping his foot against the floor, the young man retrieved his phone and tapped a finger against its screen. “I’ll cross that bridge when I get there. First, I'll talk with my friends tomorrow and see if they’ve noticed anything weird lately.”
Nodding, Spitfire huffed. “Good idea. I’ll keep you posted if I see or hear anything tomorrow.”
Peter’s eyes widened before he slipped the phone back into his pocket. “I’m going to check on my aunt first. I’ll catch you later.” Slipping into the back, the young man reemerged in costume with his mask in hand. "If anything turns up, call me."
"Oh, Parker! I almost forgot!" Octavious called out, walking back into the room before anyone could react. He peeked up, pausing as his words fell into his throat.
Usually quick enough to evade bullets at point blank range, Peter stood as still as a log in molasses. "Um, Doc! I, uh, was just…" he trailed off, his mouth failing to keep up with his flying thoughts. "There's a cosplay convention in town, and…!"
Spitfire cleared her throat, clapping her hands. "Pete was just showing off his costume and wanted some input."
Octavious huffed, staring intently at the pair. "I thought it was peculiar that the Great Vulture returned, and even more so that Spider-Man did the same." Blinking, Octavious eyed Peter sternly, but a small smile surfaced on his face. "Brilliant, but lazy. This certainly explains your excessive tardiness."
Peter scratched the back of his head, frowning. “I’m sorry, Doctor Octavious. I know this doesn’t look good.”
“Oh, please. Don’t apologize, dear boy. I’m thrilled, if anything!” Octavious grinned, closing the gap between himself and the young man. He traced a finger over the surface of the white spider emblem, narrowing his gaze. “Remarkable craftsmanship. The emblem looks to be made of a firm yet flexible alloy, providing protection without hindering your movement. If I had a guess, the material on your heels is made of a similar component.”
Blinking, Peter furrowed his brow. “Seriously? You seem to be taking this well. Spider-Man isn’t really popular.”
Scoffing, Octavious shook his head. “Mere propaganda from the media. I prefer reading the facts before accepting rumors,” Sobering at a thought, the older man inhaled deeply before sighing, “I was worried. I thought you were a brilliant mind that was simply lackadaisical, but I see you are already trying to lend your mind to the world. I’m proud that you are willing to make such a sacrifice at your age.”
Peter let out a relieved sigh. “So, I’m not fired?”
“Absolutely not!” Octavious quickly responded, placing both hands over Peter’s shoulders. “Your secret is safe with me! We must exchange theories! How did this come to be?”
Blinking, Peter chuckled. “Well, I was bitten by a spider at an Oscorp convention.”
“Genetically-engineered or radioactive?” Octavious questioned, pacing in place before retrieving a syringe from the nearest counter. “Mind if we extract a blood sample and find out? The possibilities are endless!”
Spitfire chuckled under her breath, shaking her head as Octavious and Peter dove deeper into their conversation. “Oh, yeah. This is exactly how I pictured the day going.”
The next day, students filled the hallways as normal. The janitor, garbed in a full-body blue jumpsuit, swept at the floor, pausing to pull the hair of his long snow-white goatee on his chin before resuming. Once the bell rang, many students began to head towards the first class. The gray-skinned man chuckled, placing his broom down momentarily. However, a tanned girl approached the man from behind, tugging at his sleeve.
He turned, peeking down at the culprit, and his bright crimson and yellow eyes widened before softening. “Oh, Eris! I thought you would have been in class by now,” the man stated, grabbing a cloth and spray bottle from his cart. He brushed the wrinkles out of his blue uniform before beginning his task. “What’s the matter? You’ll be late, if you don’t hurry.”
The girl shifted her crimson gaze to the side, holding out her trembling hand as white energy sparkled from her palm, her snow-white and black hair whipping back wildly. “It’s happening again. I’m so nervous that I can’t think straight.”
The surrounding lockers shook as tremors coursed through the walls. However, the man gripped the girl’s hand, exhaling while the energies she emitted dissipated. The tremors quickly ceased, allowing the pair to let out a conjoined sigh of relief.
Eris looked at her hand with a furrowed brow, biting down on her lip with a lone sharp fang. “You always told me to just be myself! Now, I have to keep myself contained? That’s not fair!”
The man exhaled, turning to spray the nearest set of lockers. “I know, sweetheart, but that’s changed, now that your powers are activating. Until we get control, you have to keep things under wraps.” He began to wipe away at the surface, kneeling. “We knew this day was coming, but your powers are far more potent than I anticipated. The last thing we need is for everyone to find out what’s going on. You’ll quickly become the talk of the town.”
Eris snorted, folding her arms while her body began to levitate from the ground. “Isn’t that the whole reason we moved here? Wasn’t it because the people here are more understanding of the unusual than everywhere else?”
“More or less, but it’s still unusual,” the man stated, reaching out with his free hand before pulling the girl back to the ground by her leg. He narrowed his gaze, exhaling. “Plus, if your powers are active, there’s a chance that he might show, and I warned you about what would happen if we crossed paths,” Pausing, his brow furrowed, “Where are your mother’s gloves?”
She reached into her pants pocket, retrieving a pair of yellow gloves before sliding them over her hands. “I know. You sure it’s even going to be the same guy? That was so long ago.”
The man shuddered as a dismayed expression formed on his face. “Considering what happened the last time, I’d rather not chance it. The mere thought of you sharing such a fate troubles me so.” Clearing his throat, the man stood before sharing a glance with the girl. “Go to class, sweetheart. We’ll talk later. Try not to bring attention to yourself. Remember to think calm thoughts.”
Inhaling deeply before sighing, Eris brushed the wrinkles from her vest and pants before shrugging haplessly. “Sure thing, Dad, but where’s the fun in that?”
Watching the girl depart, the man shook his head. “One of us has to be the responsible one. I just hate that it has to be me.”
Within the parking lot of Canterlot High, a man rode to a stop on a dark motorcycle with dog tags around his neck. He stood from the vehicle, narrowing his gaze at the school. His gruff exterior stiffened as he sniffed the air, growling under his breath. He straightened his leather jacket and frowned.
“Looks like the place. Chuck was on the money again,” he gruffily muttered, arching a brow as a pair of colorful individuals walked past. Huffing, he straightened his posture. “Better find the kid, before trouble gets here.”
To be continued…
Ultimate Spiders and Magic: Episode III "Genetic Conscription"
Chapter One “In the Zone”
Peter sat at a lone table in the school courtyard with a furrowed brow, stealing a glance at every student within his vicinity. However, he could only tap a foot against the ground impatiently, after what seemed like an eternity. Exasperated, Peter let out a groan before falling back into his seat.
“I’m not getting anywhere at this rate,” he groaned, alternating his gaze about. Frowning, he exhaled. “I’m not in danger, so I can’t follow my tingle. Plus, Fury really didn’t give me much to go on. I don’t even know if I’m looking for a boy or a girl. I may as well be blindfolded.”
Aria soon took a seat next to Peter, freeing him from his inner monologue. “Oh, great. You're talking to yourself. This can’t be good.” Folding her arms, the girl rolled her eyes. “What’s going on? You said you wanted to ask everyone something?”
“I’ll wait for the others to show up. Saves me the trouble of having to ask the same thing multiple times,” Peter replied, pausing as some students passed by while chuckling at Aria. The girl ignored the looks with a scoff. Once out of hearing range, Peter arched a brow at his friend. “I wasn’t expecting you to be first. I figured you’d want to avoid the attention.”
Slow to respond, Aria sighed inwardly. “I just had to get out. Ever since your aunt found out that we’re friends, she’s been pestering me nonstop, like a mother hen looking for its chick.”
Peter shrugged, chuckling lightly. “That’s just May being May. She’s just being friendly. I think she just wants to make sure you’re okay.”
“I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. It’s just… different from what I’m used to,” Aria huffed, glancing to the side. “I’ve always been an outcast. Your aunt doesn’t even seem to care that I’m not from this world to begin with. It’s actually kind of refreshing.”
“You’ll get used to it,” Peter reaffirmed, earning a dismissive scoff from the girl. Once another group of students passed by while snickering, the young man stole a glance at Aria. “What’s that about? Why’s everyone laughing at you? I didn’t really stick around for the aftermath of the concert.”
Grumbling under her breath, Aria frowned. “Everyone may not know we were controlling them, but we still looked pretty bad after you stopped us. Without our gems, we lost our ability to sing. It was pretty embarrassing. All the more reason Adagio hates your guts right now.”
“So, what are you three doing? I get that you and Adagio aren’t on speaking terms,” Peter questioned, tilting his head to the side.
Aria huffed. “Sonata’s practically forgotten about the whole thing. She just applied for a job to be your aunt’s assistant. As for Adagio, we haven’t spoken to each other since the incident, but Sonata told me that she’s hanging at the school with your friend, Flash Thompson.” She shrugged before shaking her head. “Apparently, he’s really good at shielding her from embarrassment. Plus, she gets her rocks off seeing him smack you around. It’s as close to any form of revenge she can get.”
“That’s unbelievably petty,” Peter muttered, scratching the back of his head. With a dumb shrug, the young man chuckled lightly. “It just shows you girls aren't really evil. Just misguided. Hopefully, we can be friends one day.”
Aria snorted involuntarily before shaking her head. “The moment Adagio changes her ways is the day I eat my hat. I can say the same for that Flash guy.”
“Eugene’s not the worst. He actually used to be a cool guy before…” Peter stated, pausing once Sunset and Trixie approached the pair. As everyone exchanged pleasantries briefly, Ditzy stumbled into the scene and nearly collided into the table. However, Peter nonchalantly held out an arm and caught the girl before she could reach the ground. “You’ve got to work on your entrance there, Ditz.”
Ditzy giggled sheepishly, feeling the temperature in her face rise. “Sorry! I would have been here sooner, but I wanted to make sure these were done!” Upon taking a seat at the table, Ditzy retrieved her lunchbox from the confines of her backpack before opening it, bubbles decorated across its slick surface. A fresh batch of blueberry muffins were revealed, their fresh scent entering everyone’s senses. Ditzy extended the box to Peter, smiling warmly. “I made extras just for you. I hope you like them.”
Peter inhaled deeply, taking in the treats’ sweet scent before a wide smile formed on his face. “All’s forgiven,” he muttered, quickly tossing a pair of muffins into his mouth. He chewed intensively, devouring the treats within seconds. “Those are so good.”
Trixie’s face twisted with disgust as she groaned. “You’re such a glutton. You practically inhaled those! I can’t for the life of me figure out where it all goes.”
Oblivious, Peter shrugged. “What can I say? I’m a growing boy.”
Sunset chuckled. “I wish you’d share that metabolism. I gain weight so easily if I’m not careful.”
Inhaling before scoffing, Aria rolled her eyes. “This is great and all, but is there a reason you asked us all to be here? You made it sound so urgent.” She glanced to the side, holding a bemused expression towards Sunset. “What are you looking at?”
Sunset paused, blinking at Aria. “...I still have to get used to you being here. Not that I can say anything.”
Just as Aria scowled and opened her mouth, ready to respond, Peter stepped between both girls with his hands raised defensively. “Remember, the first rule of Loser Brigade protocol is to embrace your cohorts.”
Ditzy nodded feverishly while her mouth was stuffed with a muffin. “Yeah! Be nice!”
“I agree! You all make Trixie look bad when there is no cohesin,” Trixie chortled, throwing a hand over her mouth in a faint attempt to stifle her laughter. “Although I must admit, I am not used to seeing Bumpkins show any urgency. He’s so aloof, it’s like he lives in his own little world most of the time.”
Peter stared blankly at Trixie with a bemused glare. “Maybe I go there to get away from you? There’s a thought.”
Trixie waved a hand dismissively, smirking. “Hardly. We know how irresistible Trixie is.”
“More like detestable,” Aria mumbled, folding her arms.
Peter huffed, scratching the back of his head momentarily. “Anyway. There’s some weird things going on in the school.” He paused, pursing his lips as a realization came to mind. “Well, weirder than usual.”
Sunset furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”
“Apparently, a lot of the accidents in the school lately weren’t natural. The fire alarm going off, and some pipes bursting in the gym. I’m told a student is behind it,” Peter declared, folding his arms.
Arching a brow, Trixie huffed. “A student? That seems like a bit of a stretch, don’t you think?”
Peter blinked, staring at the girl with a bemused glare. “Seriously? Most of the school was mesmerized by a band of teenage sirens just a few days ago.” He paused before waving his hand apologetically towards Aria. “No offense.”
Aria snorted, shrugging. “None taken.”
“You just saw Sunset and her friends blast them away with the power of music and a rainbow horse– which I still have questions about!” Peter raved, raising a finger as Sunset sheepishly shrugged. “Plus, she turned into a magical demon once! Not to mention, Aria was a magical, singing seahorse.”
Aria scoffed as her face scrunched into one of disgust. “It sounds so lame when you say it out loud.”
Eventually, the young man could only shake his head and groan. “The point is that someone is causing trouble, and I wanted to know if any of you noticed anything odd lately. Besides, weird things happen at this school all the time. I’ve only been here for two weeks, and I can see that. Why is this suddenly a stretch for you ?”
Frowning, Trixie narrowed her gaze. “You are comparing freak accidents to the supernatural. If anything, it makes you seem paranoid. You are new here, so I can forgive your aloofness. Just don’t become a conspiracy theorist. People already think you’re crazy.”
Peter stared blankly at the girl. “I bet you can’t even spell conspiracy.”
“Even if I were to humor you, why do you even care? It doesn’t have anything to do with you,” Trixie huffed, tapping a finger impatiently against her forearm.
Peter stammered before straightening his posture. “If it is a student, maybe we can talk to them? I don’t know if they’re doing this on purpose or if they can’t control what’s going on. We’ll never know if we don’t ask.”
Sunset smiled, placing a hand over Peter’s shoulder. “That’s very considerate of you. If it is a person, I’m all for helping them.”
Aria rolled her eyes, groaning. “You’re just looking for an excuse to add to our hopeless bunch of losers.”
Flash walked by the group, pausing to point a finger before bursting into guffaws. “Hey, look! It’s the Loser Brigade!”
Slack-jawed, Aria’s brow twitched involuntarily. “Wait. We’re really called that?! Why the fu–?!” she glanced to the side as Ditzy obliviously waved in her direction, prompting Aria to slam a hand over her forehead. “This is the absolute worst…”
Trixie snorted harshly before standing from her seat. “I still personally believe you are reaching. As far as I’m concerned, the school is faulty and falling apart.” She walked off, waving a hand dismissively. “Call Trixie when it is important, bumpkins.”
Ditzy slowly stood as well, brushing wrinkles from her skirt. “I have to head to class, too, but if I see anything odd, I’ll let you know!”
The pair shared a wave as the blonde departed before Peter turned his attention towards Aria, furrowing his brow. “What about you? Can you, like, sense them or something?”
Aria rolled her eyes and scoffed. “My powers don’t work like that, dipstick.”
Peter blinked, exhaling. “I know. You sense emotions. I want to believe that this is new for whoever might be the cause. There’s no telling what they’re feeling. Maybe when their powers activate, you can feel something out.” Crossing his arms, Peter pursed his lips. “It’s a long shot, but it’s all I’ve got for now.”
Slow to respond, Aria tilted her head to the side before huffing lightly. “That’s actually not a terrible idea.” Standing from her seat, Aria shrugged before slowly departing. “I’ve got nothing better to do. If something feels off, I’ll find you.”
“How?” Peter questioned, furrowing his brow.
Aria waved a hand dismissively, never turning to face the young man as she continued to walk away. “You’re still a complete sad-sack compared to everyone else. It’ll be easy.”
Bemused, Peter sat with a blank stare for what seemed like an eternity and raised a finger, as if ready to retort. However, he could only let out a defeated groan. “Wow. Maybe I do need therapy.”
Sunset closed the gap between herself and Peter, clearing her throat. “Speaking of which, we need to talk.”
“Is something wrong?” Peter whispered, his voice softening. The corner of his lips curled into a smile, and his eyes brightened, as if a thought came to mind. “Oh! There was this really old movie called ‘Aliens’ that I thought we should watch!”
Sunset inhaled deeply before letting out a low sigh. “Sorry. I would like that, but I think we should slow down a little. It’s not you. It’s me. There’s still a lot of things I need to figure out.”
Frowning, Peter was slow to respond, before nodding inwardly. “Sure. Of course. Take your time.” Shrugging, Peter cleared his throat and slowly departed while his demeanor shrank. “Maybe you and your friends can help spot whoever is causing the issues. Let me know what you find.”
Taken aback, Sunset inhaled sharply before placing a hand over her chest. “Oh! Um, okay. I… uh… will talk to you later. Maybe after a while, we can try it again. Just give me some time to figure things out.” Shaking her head, Sunset sank before sobering, and she made her exit, never freeing her gaze from the ground. “Sorry. I’ll see what I can find.”
Peter watched as the girl hurried off, his expression faltering once she was out of sight. “Try again? We didn’t even get started.” He folded his arms, shifting his gaze skyward. “That was weird. I wonder if it was something I did? She was really vague about it. Maybe she’ll let me know what’s going on. Probably not. I should have known it was too good to be true. What are the odds of me getting with a redhead?” Blinking, Peter finally exhaled, before rolling his eyes. He walked off as his brow began to twitch madly. “This day just got started, and it’s already stupid!”
“Okay, class,” Spitfire duly stated, alternating her gaze about through the class before pointing a finger at the lone rope hanging from the ceiling. “Today, we are rope climbing. It is an excellent conditioning exercise. It enables you to develop endurance, as well as the ability to master your weight. Wrestlers, martial artists, and gymnasts,” she stated, pausing to smirk, “we have all made rope climbing a stable part of our workout.”
Rainbow Dash smiled, clenching her fists eagerly. “Back when you were a Wonderbolt, was it part of your routine, Coach?”
“It was back then, and it’s part of my rehabilitation now. It’s all about building your core strength,” Spitfire retorted before retrieving her clipboard and rolling next to the rope. “Okay. When I call your name, come forward. This is a test to see how well you perform. Don’t compare your results to others. Bon-Bon, you’re up.”
As a girl walked up for her attempt, Eris stood near the back of the group and stared at her hands intently. “Come on. Calm down,” she whispered, straining as traces of white and black energy sparkled from her palms briefly before dissipating. She peeked up, letting out a relieved sigh upon realizing nobody had noticed her dilemma. The girl closed her eyes and exhaled. “It’s just a stupid rope. I can do this without causing a scene.”
Meanwhile, Rainbow stretched in place, pulling an arm across her chest before alternating. “Oh, hey. I’m going to crush it today!” She glanced to the side, furrowing her brow as Sunset stood with a saddened gaze. The girl exhaled, rolling her eyes. “What’s wrong? You look like someone stole your dog.”
Sunset’s eyes widened at the comment. “Oh! Sorry! I was just thinking.” She shook her head and pursed her lips. “Twilight came back and fixed everything. Then, Spider-Man shows up. I don’t feel like I really contributed. If not for them, we probably would have…”
“Still smoked the bad guys! It was my song that saved the day!” Rainbow Dash interjected, flexing her arm. “Twilight came up with the plan, and you helped, too! Way more than that Spider-Guy.” As if uncertain, Sunset’s gaze fell to the ground, and Rainbow furrowed her brow, leaning closer to the girl. “You sure that’s all that’s on your mind?”
Slow to respond, Sunset rubbed her forearm and glanced to the side. “No. There’s more. I’m still trying to find my place, and I can’t help but feel I don’t belong yet. I know you and the girls have gone out of your way to make me feel welcomed, in spite of what I’ve done.” Biting down on her lip, Sunset exhaled harshly. “I’m homesick. I feel useless, and I even broke it off with Peter. To make matters worse, I couldn’t tell him why.”
Rainbow Dash smirked, huffing before placing a hand over Sunset’s shoulder. “You’re overthinking it. You two weren’t even a thing, and thank God for that. It’ll just take time for everyone to see you’re a good person now. I’m just glad you broke it off with the dweeb before any real damage was done. We both know there’s just something off about him, and I’m never wrong when it comes to this sort of thing. So, how’d he take it?”
“That’s the problem. I don’t know! He looked more disappointed than upset,” Sunset murmured, readying herself for a response. “I really feel like I should have handled it better. I–”
Rainbow Dash snorted. “If he can’t take the hint, that’s on him, not you. Don’t let that guy get under your skin. You can do way better anyway.”
“Eris! You’re up!” Spitfire exclaimed, eyeing her clipboard as she checked another name from the list. Inching forth, Eris stepped onto the mat with a look of concern and alternated her gaze between the rope and her coach. Spitfire blinked, staring intently at the girl before clearing her throat. “Lose the fake teeth. I don’t need you accidentally swallowing anything doing this.”
Eris tilted her head to the side and chuckled nervously. “W-Whatever do you mean?” Suddenly, her bright crimson eyes widened at a realization as she threw a hand over her mouth. “Oh, crap!” she blurted out, turning to the side sharply. She pursed her lips over her lone upper fang in a futile attempt to hide it before clutching at the rope. “Okay. Okay, okay. I’m ready.”
Spitfire continued to stare at the girl, calmly motioning her hands. “Just relax, kid. Try your best and see how you do.”
“Okay. Sure! No problem,” Eris muttered, slamming her eyes shut as thoughts raced through her mind. Her breathing grew erratic, and as she reached for the rope, a hissing sound could be heard. “Stop thinking. Stop thinking. The hissing almost sounds like a snake,” she whispered, opening her eyes once the students around her began to exclaim. Eris looked toward the rope, only to find a large snake hanging in its place. Eris’s complexion grew pale as she staggered back, falling onto her bottom. “Snake?!”
“Holy crap!” Spitfire yelled while the snake dropped from the ceiling, its length stretching across the entire gymnasium. All of the students, in a panic, scattered for the exits. Spitfire quickly reached for her cell, pecking away at its screen. “Gym. Now! ” it read before the snake sharply turned its attention in her direction. Spitfire managed to thrust her body to the side, narrowly managing to avoid the serpent’s bite as it lunged at her, but the woman fell to the ground, only able to crawl afterward. Spitfire’s eyes grew wide while she raised a hand helplessly. “Oh, God. Please.”
Eris shook her head frantically, mouth agape as she held out her glowing hands. “Stop! Please stop!”
Just as the snake opened its mouth, Rainbow rushed forward with a chair raised overhead. However, before she could attack the snake, part of its long body wrapped around her waist. Sunset pulled at the coil, only to slip into its grasp as well. Eris watched helplessly, with her hands pulling at her hair. Suddenly, the doors to the gymnasium burst open, while a gruff man ran towards the serpent before skidding to a halt.
He clenched his fists, prompting a trio of metallic claws to protrude from his knuckles. “Hey, bub. Mind if I cut in?”
The man rushed forth, taking a wild swipe at the snake’s head, and the creature swayed back, inching away from Spitfire as it relinquished its hold on Sunset and Rainbow Dash. The girls quickly recovered, taking the moment to help their coach to her feet. Meanwhile, the gruff man snarled as he held his ground and never averted his glare from the serpent. He lunged towards the snake in a flash, howling as he sliced his claws through the animal.
Eris watched with her mouth agape as the creature was torn to shreds before she ran out of the gymnasium. Once out of the vicinity, the snake slowly dissipated from existence, with the destroyed rope lying in its place, and the man ceased his attack, blinking as he alternated his gaze about. Sniffing the air, he paused before glancing in the direction Eris ran towards before following. Once he left through the door, Spider-Man walked through the doors on the other side of the room and leapt near where Spitfire stood.
“Is everyone okay? What happened?” he questioned, earning a bewildered gaze from Sunset and a sharp glare from Rainbow Dash, as they allowed Spitfire to lean on them for support.
Spitfire shared a glance with the man before nodding. “It was weird. We were just doing rope climbing exercises, and suddenly, the rope turned into a giant snake!” She was eased back into her wheelchair before shaking her head. “It happened so fast. Before I knew it, some guy with metal claws burst in and sliced it to ribbons. He just walked out.”
Spider-Man nodded. “Okay. He couldn’t have gotten far. I’m going after him. What’d he look like?”
“About your height but a lot of muscle. Rough and hairy. That’s all I got,” Spitfire responded, pointing at the door with her thumb. “You better hurry. I’ve got to make sure all my students are accounted for.”
Elsewhere, a man sat in the middle of a room while levitating from the ground. His head shot up from his self-induced trance before he glanced to the side. “That doesn’t feel good,” he muttered, narrowing his gaze before standing to his feet. Raising a hand, a cape whipped from across the room before resting over his shoulders. “There’s a surge in chaotic magic. If it’s what, or who, I think it is, I need to take care of this immediately.”
“Are you sure, Stephen?” another man questioned, frowning. “This can be dangerous. This was once the Ancient One’s arch rival.”
“All the more reason I take care of this now, Wong,” he replied, brushing his hands together while magical patterns materialized over his palms. “I can’t be the Sorcerer Supreme if I fail to handle our old master’s baggage.”
To be continued…
Ultimate Spiders and Magic: Episode III "Genetic Conscription"
Chapter Two “Snikt! Thwip!”
A few minutes passed since the incident in the gymnasium occurred. Spider-Man climbed onto the roof of Canterlot High before leaping towards the nearest flagpole, managing to perch himself on its top. Some students were out within the courtyard, while others were being escorted back inside. A small beep echoed within his ear, prompting the masked hero to tap the side of his mask.
“Hey, Spitfire,” he whispered, continuing to analyze the area beneath his position, “Everything okay?”
The woman let out a deep breath. “I’ll live. It feels like my heart is still in my stomach.” She cleared her throat. “Anyway. Don’t worry about me. Have you found the guy yet?”
Shaking his head, Spider-Man huffed while straightening his posture somewhat. “No. Looks like a normal day from my viewpoint, outside of a few stragglers being escorted back. I might be back to square one at this rate.”
“Maybe not. I’ve got a couple of leads that could help,” Spitfire responded, pausing as she rummaged through items on her desk. “Everything was normal until one of my students went near the rope. Something was clearly on her mind before the rope suddenly turned into a giant snake.”
Spider-Man’s bug-like lenses widened. “A girl, huh? That narrows it down. Maybe she’s a fan of Anaconda?”
“Too soon,” Spitfire dryly stated, shuddering under her breath.
Clearing his throat, Peter nodded. “Right. Sorry. Were you able to tell if the snake was real or an illusion? Was it real, particles brought to life by abstract constructs, or a hologram projected by thought?”
“I wasn’t standing still to find out, but I do know it grabbed hold of a couple of my students. It was real enough as far as I’m concerned,” Spitfire firmly replied, leaning back into her seat. “Listen, the kid you’re looking for is named Eris D. Cord. Everything was normal until she walked up to the rope.”
“What’s the “D’ stand for?” Peter asked, scratching the side of his cheek with a finger.
Spitfire groaned, tapping a finger against her desk impatiently. “Can we have a conversation for a few seconds without your mind falling into the gutter?!”
Placing a hand onto his knee, Spider-Man hummed. “Right. Anyway… so, Eris? What can you tell me about her? Anything helps.”
“She’s not a bad kid, but she’s far from popular. She has a habit of disagreeing with everyone around her and pulling pranks. Nothing malicious. Eris is just the class clown of the bunch. I personally think she does it for kicks. I’ll send you a picture of her,” Spitfire stated, swiping away at her phone before tapping its screen. Huffing, the woman narrowed her gaze. “She’s actually the kid of one of our janitors. Seth, I think.”
The image appeared within Peter’s scanner, and he nodded inwardly, smirking under his mask. “She’s cute and dresses the part. Was that the basic attire of photo op day?”
“What part? The girl looks like she’s cosplaying as Beetlejuice,” Spitfire dryly huffed. “No. She’s just a free spirit. From what I found in her transcripts, she has always been like that. Went to detention for a few weeks for putting a whoopie cushion in Vice-Principal Luna’s chair during the last parent-teacher conference.” Spitfire snorted, chuckling under her breath. “God. She was so pissed about that.”
“Wait. You watched Beetlejuice? I didn’t think you’d like slapstick,” Peter retorted, causing the woman to exhale. With a huff, the young man stood upright onto the flagpole before placing both hands over his hips. “Anyway, thanks. Now, I have a better idea of what to look for. I’ll keep you posted on what I find.”
“All right. Good luck,” Spitfire coolly declared, pausing momentarily. “And if you tell anyone about me liking Beetlejuice, you’re suspended,” she firmly added, closing the line.
Spider-Man hopped high into the air before firing a strand of webbing onto the side of the nearest roof, swinging into the distance. “Let’s just hope nothing else happens before I can find her.”
Eris ran through the hallway, passing by various students while still wearing a simple t-shirt and gym shorts. She knocked open a door to the outside, sprinting haplessly until reaching the football field. Fortunately, all the students were inside, and the girl found herself alone. Eris finally slid to a halt upon making it underneath the bleachers. Her heart raced, thumping against her chest. Inhaling deeply before sighing, the girl took in labored breaths while staring at her hands.
“It happened again. I don’t believe this. I took one look at the rope and thought of a snake. Who does that? I knew I shouldn’t have watched that stupid horror movie the other night,” she groaned, clenching her hands into fists. A gentle breeze brushed against her skin, causing the girl to shiver involuntarily. She eyed her exposed legs with a narrowed gaze before frowning. “Okay. Now’s as good a time as any to practice. Father always said to focus on what to create. I thought about a snake for a second and accidentally created it. Perhaps if I put my mind to it…”
Slamming her eyes shut, the girl held out her hands as sparkling energies began to emit from them. They slowly spread and enveloped her entire body in a blanket of clear particles. In a flash, the gym uniform on her frame vanished, while that of a maid’s outfit took its place. She paused, frowning as she tugged at the apron and skirt.
“Absolutely not. I don’t do windows,” Eris scoffed, closing her eyes before exhaling. The same energies retook her body before bursting in a bright light. This time, every piece of attire dissipated from sight and left the girl completely exposed. She glanced at her free state, yelping while pathetically attempting to cover herself. “Oh, come on. Focus !” Retaking her stance, Eris extended her glowing hands, and light materialized over her body. Suddenly, a striped suit and vest morphed into existence, and a pair of yellow gloves slid over her hands, allowing the girl to let out a relieved sigh. Eris straightened her pink tie before smiling briefly. “For once, something goes in my favor.”
As if the entire weight of the world came crashing down, the girl felt her chest tighten and heart sink. She could only lower her head before sitting on the ground with her knees pulled to her chest. The mere simplicities of life seemed like a distant memory as she stared longingly at the clear skies overhead. However, before she could hope to find some form of settlement, a man peeked his head around the corner. Eris inhaled sharply, jumping to her feet.
“Whoa! Kid! Don’t run! I just want to talk!” he stated, raising his hands defensively. His gruff exterior softened as he carefully approached the girl. “I know what’s going on. Your world just got turned upside down. I get it. It’s pretty scary.”
Eris blinked at the man, alternating her gaze between him and the nearest exit. “Who are you?” she questioned, frowning as her gaze lowered briefly. “Not that it matters. You wouldn’t get what I’m going through.”
“My friends call me ‘Logan’, and trust me, kid. I kinda have an idea of what you’re going through,” he calmly declared, slowly raising a clenched fist. A trio of claws rose from his knuckles, causing the girl’s eyes to widen at the sight. After a duration, he sheathed his claws back underneath his skin before raising his hands defensively. “I’m a mutant, just like you.”
“Holy smokes! Are you the Wolverine?” a voice questioned from behind, causing both Eris and Logan to glance to the side. They found Spider-Man perched above, hanging upside down from the top of the bleachers while gripping a strand of webbing. “You’re, like, my favorite X-Man! Think you can get me Storm’s autograph? I hear Ice Man’s a jerk though. Or was that Cyclops?”
Logan lowered into a defensive stance, clenching his hands into fists. “Can I help you, bub?” He paused momentarily, as if considering his question. “And it’s Cyclops. No question.”
Spider-Man shook his head. “Whoa, easy. I just want to help.”
Eris stared at the costumed man with her mouth agape, tilting her head to the side. “You’re that Spider-Guy. How’d you find me? Did you use radar to find me or something?”
“Wrong superhero. Kinda. He patrols Hell’s Kitchen. I’m the ultimate detective. Nothing gets past me,” Spider-Man responded before pointing to the side. “That, and the bleachers are levitating.”
Yelping involuntarily, Eris looked behind her position and found the bleachers she was currently hiding underneath were indeed hovering several feet from the ground. She glanced at her glowing hands, cursing under her breath. Tremors coursed through the bleachers before the stands fell to the ground. Spider-Man and Logan lost their footing, staggering helplessly while Eris stumbled to the floor.
The girl sniffled, shaking her head profusely. “I hate this! I’m always losing control!”
Logan straightened his posture before walking towards the girl. “That’s why I’m here, kid. What’s happening to you is pretty common when a mutant’s power activates.” He extended his hand, prompting Eris to accept the gesture. “I can take you back to the X-Mansion. It’s a school where Professor Xavior and others help kids like you learn to get control of your powers.”
Spider-Man walked towards the pair, nodding. “That sounds great. What do you think, Eris?”
Slow to respond, Eris glanced to the side. “I mean, I would like to learn how to control my powers, but I can’t just leave. I have to talk with my father.”
Logan smirked. “Of course. I’m not here to kidnap you.”
Raising a thumbs up, Spider-Man grinned. “This… actually ran a lot smoother than I thought it would. I was worried we’d fight over a misunderstanding or something. Let’s go find your dad, and–”
“Spider-Man !” a voice called out, causing all three individuals to pause. Light buzzing hummed on Spider-Man’s person before a holographic image of Nick Fury emitted from his belt. He alternated his gaze between him and Eris, nodding. “Good work. You found the target. Now, bring her to us. ”
Taken aback, Peter patted away at the belt. “What are you doing? Did you install a camera on me?! Have you been spying on me?!”
Ever stoic, Fury folded his arms. “How else am I supposed to keep track of you? You seriously didn’t think I had a plan in case you messed up? This is a matter of global security .” He paused, sharing a brief glance with Logan before centering his line of sight on Spider-Man. “Do not allow this girl to be taken away by anyone. Get this done. Now! Head to the coordinates. ”
The image dissipated from sight, leaving Spider-Man to continue patting away at the waist of his costume. “Fury! Seriously?! What are you getting at?!” He peeked up as a map popped up within his lenses, leaving a highlight on the city map. Spider-Man’s masked lenses furrowed to a bemused expression. “Oh, I see. I hate it when he does that.”
Eris blinked, frowning. “Who, or what , was that?”
Spider-Man shrugged, shaking his head. “A headache, but he’s a good guy. He can help. I guess we can head to the destination and see what happens.”
“Like hell,” Logan snarled, stepping between Spider-Man and Eris. The gruff man huffed, narrowing his gaze into a glare. “I’ve played this game before. Fury has you under his thumb. Drop the act. I’m not letting you or SHIELD take the girl.”
“SHIELD?” Eris questioned obliviously.
Spider-Man raised his hands defensively. “Whoa. Hang on, pal. I’m not the bad guy, and neither is Fury, even if he is weird and invasive.”
Logan gritted his teeth. “No dice. The girl is coming with me. You want to stay in one piece, stay out of my way.”
Spider-Man pointed a finger, edging closer to the man. “You’re real quick to pick a fight. Maybe Fury is onto something when it comes to you.”
Eris chuckled nervously. “Now, boys. I’m flattered you two are fighting over little old me, but maybe we can talk about this?”
“Trust me, kid. You don’t want anything to do with SHIELD. You won’t really get a second chance with them,” Logan stated, readying to walk past Spider-Man while roughly placing a hand over his shoulder. “Out of our way, bub.”
“I don’t think so,” Spider-Man growled under his breath. The moment Logan’s hand reached his shoulder, Peter yielded to his instincts. He grabbed the man’s wrist and hurled him high overhead. Logan twirled in midair, spiraling before crashing into a pack of trash cans. “I don’t know what your problem is, but you clearly can’t be trusted! I’ll make sure the girl is safe.”
Slack-jawed, Eris shook her head and reached out. “Boys! That’s enough! You don’t have to fight!”
Logan stood up, managing a smirk. “I thought you were going to be easy. Good. I’ve been aching to bust somebody up.” He lowered into a defensive stance, raising his fists while his claws unsheathed from his knuckles with a snikt . “Let’s dance!”
“Guys! Stop!” Eris blurted out.
Leaping high into the air, Logan lunged at Spider-Man with his claws drawn. Peter rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack as Wolverine’s claws sank into the ground where he previously stood. However, Wolverine sprang to his feet and tackled Spider-Man. Both men rolled in a heap with Peter gripping Logan’s wrists, holding every claw mere inches from his frame.
Lifting his feet, Spider-Man managed to kick Logan away and sent him into the air. Peter quickly fired a pair of web strands onto Wolverine’s chest before yanking downward. Logan crashed into the earth, causing a cloud of dust to erupt from the ground and spread. Wolverine howled, jumping from the crater, and he threw a wild slash, forcing Peter to duck underneath the attack. Logan quickly spun with his leg extended, driving a kick into his opponent’s chest.
The force of the blow sent Spider-Man careening into the nearest column, and a loud gong echoed throughout the vicinity while the bleachers shook violently. Wolverine charged towards Peter as he fell, but the younger man landed on his feet, firing a pair of web orbs. The gossamer struck Logan’s chest and expanded upon impact, leaving his entire upper body cocooned. Spider-Man began unleashing dozens of web strands, the sound of his shooters resembling that of a turret. In the span of a few seconds, Wolverine’s entire body was wrapped in a man sized ball of webbing.
It rolled to a halt, allowing Peter to let out a relieved sigh. “Maybe you should stick around for a bit.” Suddenly, a pair of claws slashed from within the cocoon, and Logan burst free, howling at the top of his lungs. With strands of webbing torn and ripped asunder, Wolverine quickly resumed his previous actions and chased after Spider-Man. Peter’s masked eyes narrowed. “Oh, come on . Don’t you get tired, pal?”
“I ain’t hear no bell!” Logan snarled, slashing rapidly at Spider-Man.
Peter swayed accordingly while backpedaling, narrowly avoiding each strike by mere inches. Eris watched this process repeat for what seemed like eons with a widened gaze, both men’s images fading in black and red blurs respectively. She yelped as a nearby column was sliced, its foundation slipping so slightly. It occurred again with another, repeating as Wolverine continued to pursue Spider-Man in a frenzy. The bleachers’ columns groaned in process as the stand teetered, threatening to collapse.
“Boys…” Eris whispered, alternating her gaze between the blurs and bleachers above.
“Stand still, will ya?!” Logan exclaimed, bearing his fangs.
“After you!” Spider-Man retorted, continuing to backpedal.
Eris held her hands out. “Boys! Stop!” Finally, one of the columns snapped, and the metal fell between the men, forcing Wolverine and Spider-Man to skid to a halt. All three individuals watched as the bleachers slipped, the entire foundation tumbling. Her eyes as wide as saucers, Eris raised a finger meekly. “Oh.”
Logan stared dumbly skyward. “Uh, oh.”
Spider-Man mirrored his actions. “Aw… applesauce.”
Everyone braced for impact, with Spider-Man leaping over Logan and taking hold of Eris. However, the blow never came, and the bleachers stood in place. Rather, they seemingly levitated in the air, in spite of all of its columns collapsing.
Logan lifted his head and gazed at the stand with a furrowed brow. “Kid? Is this you again?”
Slow to respond, Eris stared intently at her hands. Magical energies did not glow from her palms like before, leaving the girl to frown. “No. It’s not me this time.” She paused, feeling Spider-Man’s warm body temperature envelop her, and Eris smiled slyly in response, showing her fang amidst her grin. “I’m not one to complain about personal space, so please… intrude further.”
Clearing his throat, Spider-Man stepped back with his hands raised sheepishly. “Oh, sorry.” Sobering, Peter shared a glance with Logan before holding his gaze towards the bleachers. “If you aren’t holding these up, then what is…?”
Faster than anybody could react, the bleachers went soaring across the sky and glided the length of the football field before crashing into the parking lot. The metal stand erupted on impact, shattering into dozens of shards of metal, and the concrete cracked, while tremors coursed through the ground. Wolverine turned towards the source, his gruff facade faltering as a being towered over him. A large bulking man clad in red armor stomped towards them, his wide girth and shadow swallowing the entire trio. A helmet covered the entirety of his head, revealing a pair of blue eyes and his mouth.
Eris stepped behind both Spider-Man and Logan, her mouth dropping. “What is that ?!”
Spider-Man’s bug-like lenses widened, and his cranium rang desperately, blaring his senses. “Didn’t we see this guy at Wrestlemania? Or the monster truck rally?”
“Aw, $*#^. We might be in trouble,” Logan mumbled, raising his claws. “Why are you here?”
The wide man huffed. “I’m being paid by Eric a lot of gold to bring this little mutant to him. Apparently, he really wants her, something about turning the tide in the war or something long winded like that. I don’t get paid to ask questions.” He smirked, cracking his knuckles. “Allow me to introduce myself! I’m the Juggernaut , and once I get going, nothing can stop me! Now, are we going to do this the easy way or the hard way?” He stomped the ground, causing the ground to shake violently. “Please say the hard way.”
To be continued…
Ultimate Spiders and Magic: Episode III "Genetic Conscription"
Chapter Three “Strange Times”
“Just once I’d like for something to go off without a hitch,” Spider-Man whispered, leaping high into the air as Juggernaut smashed the ground where he previously stood with a stomp. A shockwave erupted, causing a dust cloud to spread from the impact. Landing next to Wolverine, Spider-Man huffed with a furrowed gaze. “What’s this guy’s deal? Why’s he after Eris?”
Logan rolled his eyes, scoffing. “What? Fury didn’t brief you about it?”
Just as Peter readied himself to respond, Juggernaut ripped a lamp post from the concrete before wielding the item like a club. He swung wildly, prompting Spider-Man to leap over the attack while Logan rolled underneath. Eris watched with her mouth agape, yelping as Peter scooped her into his arms bridal style, and the young man leapt across the field, eventually dropping the girl onto her feet near the parking lot. Wolverine leapt onto Juggernaut, swiftly climbing onto his shoulders.
However, as Logan unsheathed his claws and lifted them high overhead, Juggernaut dropped the lamp post before reaching his hand back. He grabbed hold of Wolverine by the collar before slamming him into the earth. Tremors coursed through the ground, while cracks spread across the field. Logan groaned, glancing up as Juggernaut lifted his foot, but two strands of webbing shot out, latching onto his attacker’s chest. Spider-Man strained, attempting to pull the massive man from his position, and his feet ruptured through the ground, sinking as neither budged. Juggernaut smirked, grabbing hold of the strands with a single hand.
With a swift jerk of the wrist, Peter was snatched from his stance and flew helplessly, all while a large chunk of the earth remained stuck to his feet. Juggernaut merely followed by lowering his shoulder, causing Spider-Man to crash into him like a wall. As both Peter and Logan lay prone, the Juggernaut lifted them both from the ground before chucking them high into the air towards the parking lot. Wolverine and Spider-Man crashed into the roof of a car, causing the vehicle to fold under their combined weight. Eris ran to their position as they stirred, each groaning while Juggernaut smirked.
“This isn’t working,” Spider-Man mumbled, shaking the cobwebs from his cranium while standing from the wreckage.
Wolverine growled, pausing to pull a stray piece of shrapnel from his shoulder. “Yeah, no $%6*.”
Eris winced, staring at the gaping wound. “Are you okay? You should get that looked…” she trailed off, blinking as Logan’s shoulder mended itself shut. Slack-jawed, the girl raised a finger, before simply shaking her head dismissively, “Never mind.”
“You’re out of your league, shortstack. You need your whole team to stand a chance against me. Go crawl back to my little brother, before you really get hurt,” Juggernaut spat, clenching his massive hands into fists.
“We can’t fight him here,” Peter declared, sharing a glance with the pair. “We’re too close to the school, and he’s already leveling the football field. The last thing we need is for this human wrecking ball to bulldoze any of the students. We need to fall back and come up with a plan.”
Wolverine frowned, stealing a glance at Canterlot High before nodding. “That’s the one smart thing you’ve said today, bub.” He sheathed his claws back into his arms before straightening his posture. “Any bright ideas?”
Spider-Man glanced at his wrist, adjusting the knob over the web-shooter. “Just one. Follow my lead.”
The Juggernaut leapt high into the air, forcing Logan to throw Eris over his shoulder, and everyone jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding him as he crashed through the car. An explosion erupted from the vehicle, while a cloud of smoke spread throughout the vicinity. Spider-Man held out an arm before shooting a massive ball of webbing, the gossamer spiraling across the vicinity with the intensity of a bullet. It collided with the Juggernaut’s helmet, covering the entirety of his face and head.
He clamored about, clutching at the sticky substance, but much of it had filled the inside of his armored head guard as it did the out. For what felt like minutes of struggling, the man managed to pry the webbing free from his face. However, he alternated his gaze about rapidly, failing to locate any of the trio. Gritting his teeth to the core, Juggernaut slid a massive hand under the nearest car before hurling the vehicle high into the sky. He released a roar while the car soared, eventually crashing into the side of a building several blocks away.
Meanwhile, underneath the streets of the city, Spider-Man, Eris, and Logan traversed through the sewers before pausing. The girl collapsed to her knees, placing a hand over her tightened chest. Logan held a stern gaze at the ceiling, holding fast as Juggernaut’s footsteps stomped away at the pavements and sent tremors through the area. Eventually, the tremors headed upward, lessening in the immediate vicinity.
The buzzing within Peter’s cranium also ceased, albeit momentarily. “Okay. I think we’re in the clear,” he murmured, shaking his head before chuckling weakly. Holding his wrist up, Spider-Man’s bug-like lenses narrowed on the device placed over it. “So that was the impact webbing. I’ll have to thank Doc for the upgrade.”
Logan frowned, walking to the girl with his hand extended. “You okay, kid?”
Eris nodded, accepting the gesture, but her concern steadily dissipated, allowing a smile to form on her face. “I mean, I should be worried. Everything is falling apart. I have a large maniac chasing me, and you two are fighting over me. For some reason, I’m having fun .”
Bemused, Logan grumbled under his breath while stretching out his neck. “Glad someone is.”
The girl’s fanged smile widened before it faded, and her crimson gaze fell to the side. “I just wish you two didn’t have to be in danger because of it.”
“It’s okay. We’ll get through it,” Spider-Man reassured, placing both hands over his hips.
Logan scoffed, folding his arms. “I still ain’t forgot that you’re working with Fury. What makes you think anything’s changed?”
“You can’t be serious right now. We both just got tossed like someone’s salad, and you’re still distrusting me? I don’t know what your problem with Fury is, but we don’t have time for it,” Spider-Man huffed, exasperated before shifting his gaze, “Now that you mention it though, I had no idea he placed a tracker in my suit. I should have guessed there’d be a string attached when he gave this to me.”
Chuckling under his breath, Wolverine smirked. “He’s got so many strings on you that he could put on a puppet show. You’ll learn that Fury always keeps his secrets.”
Spider-Man’s masked eyes narrowed. “I’m not a fan of this one. If you’ll trust me, I can find and disable the tracker. In return, I want to know why you don’t trust Fury or SHIELD. You clearly have a history, and we aren’t going to be able to protect Eris if we’re at each other’s throats.”
His shoulders lowered, as if relaxing, before Logan furrowed his brow. “Okay. I’ll bite. Get rid of the tracker, and we’ll talk.” His claws suddenly shot from his knuckles with a snikt, and Wolverine walked up to Spider-Man, holding them mere inches away from his face. “You try anything funny, and I’ll show you how sharp I can be.”
Exasperated, Peter nonchalantly reached out and grabbed the tip of one of the claws before lowering it slowly. “I can tell you’re a lot of fun at parties.”
Eris rose in between both men, placing her hands over their chest before easing them away. “Okay! Now that you boys are done trying to kill each other, how about we properly introduce ourselves? I’m Eris, and this is Logan,” she sweetly stated, sharing a glance with Wolverine as he rolled his eyes. As if a realization came to mind, she grabbed Logan’s arms before analyzing the hole in his jacket near his shoulder. “I know I saw a piece of metal embedded in your shoulder, but I’m not seeing any blood. Are you hurt?” Her attire morphed in a flash of light, matching that of a nurse’s uniform. “Do we need to take you to a doctor?”
Slow to respond, Logan shared a glance with the girl. “I heal. That’s my power.”
“Oh, good,” Eris grinned, unaware as her prior clothing materialized back over her frame. Leaning forward until her face was inches from Spider-Man’s, the girl furrowed her brow while holding a finger against her lower lip. “What about you? Who are you? I’ve only heard of you from the podcasts. Are you a mutant, too?”
“I’m, uh, your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man,” he replied, scratching the back of his head, “I’m more of a mutate than a mutant. I got bit by a spider, and this happened.”
Frowning, Eris shook her head. “No, I mean who are you really ? You said my name before I told you it. Do you know me somehow?”
Spider-Man raised his hands defensively. “I can’t tell you that. It defeats the whole purpose of the whole secret identity thing.”
Arching a brow, Eris stared intently at Spider-Man while tilting her head to the side. Clear sparkling energy briefly enveloped her hand before doing the same to Peter’s head. In a flash, Spider-Man’s mask vanished from sight before materializing into existence in the girl’s hand.
Peter clutched at his face in disbelief, resisting the urge to scream. “Oh, come on ! That’s illegal!”
Eris alternated her gaze between the mask in hand and the young man’s face. “Is that how it works? I just think, and it happens?”
Once Peter snatched the mask from her grasp, he proceeded to put it back over his face, all while cursing under his breath. “I don’t believe this. You’re like the fifth person to find out that I’m Peter Parker.”
Wolverine blankly stared at the young man. “We didn’t know your name. Now, we do.” An awkward silence filled the vicinity as both Eris and Logan simply stared at Spider-Man for what felt like an eternity. Wolverine eventually crossed his arms. “You’ve got to be kidding me. You’re just a kid. No wonder you suck at keeping your identity a secret.”
“Hey! I’m almost old enough to drive,” Spider-Man declared, pointing a thumb at his chest
“Almost? That means you’re my age. You go to Canterlot High, too? It explains why you were in the neighborhood,” Eris lightly questioned, brushing a hand through her long white and black hair, “I must say that you’re far cuter than I’d thought you’d be. I’m pleasantly surprised. I was afraid you’d look like an actual spider. Peter, was it?”
Sniffing the air, Logan frowned before rolling his eyes. “Damn teenagers. I can literally smell your hormones.” Wolverine let out a desolate groan, holding a hand over his forehead. “What the hell have I gotten myself into?” Shaking his head, Logan lifted his gaze. “Anyway. We’re wasting time. Let’s get that tracker off of you, so we can talk.”
Nodding, Spider-Man pointed skyward. “All right. I know the perfect place where we can lay low. Let’s go.”
Back within the halls of the school, several students conversed about recent events, while local law enforcement surveyed the damage done to the football field. Meanwhile, a pair of janitors stood away from the public. One with a head full of gray hair and glasses sorted through a cart, organizing several cleaning supplies. Meanwhile, the other sported snow-white hairstyle and a goatee, narrowing his red eyes on the phone in his hand.
“Try to relax, Seth. I’m sure Eris is fine,” the first man calmly assured, pausing to fill a spray bottle with disinfectant.
Seth inhaled deeply before sighing. “I wish I shared your endless optimism, Stan.” He continued pecking away at the phone’s screen, frowning. “I just know that girl has gotten herself into trouble again.”
Chuckling, Stan smirked. “She’s a chip off the old block and a teenager. I’m sure she’s just like how you were at her age. Best thing you can do is let her spread her wings and give her help if she needs it. Otherwise, you run the risk of smothering her.”
“It’s not just that, my friend. I fear puberty is striking her in more ways than one. I knew this day was coming, but I still feel unprepared,” Seth whispered, his eyes softening.
Stan placed a hand over Seth’s shoulder. “Congratulations. You are truly a father.” Both men shared a smile before Stan eased back, pushing his cart down the hall. “I’ll cover the east hall. See you at the end of our shift.”
Seth gestured a wave to his cohort, managing a brief smile. Just as he readied himself to depart, a portal spiraled into existence mere inches away from his position. Seth’s yellow eyes widened, as a man clad in a blue warlock garb walked through the opening, his crimson cape whipping mildly by the breeze. The energies emitting from the portal dissipated before the opening closed, and both men stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity.
“Discord,” he muttered, eyeing the man sternly before scoffing, “Yeah. You certainly look like a Discord.”
Seth cleared his throat, brushing the wrinkles from his janitor’s uniform. “I haven’t heard that name in over a millennia,” He paused, pulling at his goatee, “Who are you? A fan?”
The man huffed, folding his arms. “I am the master of the mystic arts and Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange. I believe you and my master are acquainted.”
Seth’s expression paled as a bead of sweat trickled down the side of his head. “The Eye of Agamotto. I knew your incantations felt familiar. So, you’re the Ancient One’s successor. How’d you find me?”
“I’ve kept tabs on you,” Doctor Strange declared, waving a hand slowly. Suddenly, the environment surrounding them morphed, shifting into that of a desert. Both men glanced to the side as a younger version of Discord walked across the sands, wearing a small apron. Strange narrowed his gaze. “You’re one of the oldest mutants in existence. Second only to Apocalypse. Your true name is Suetekh, and your followers referred to you as the God of Chaos.”
Discord smiled, straightening his posture. “Please, I prefer Seth. It rolls off the tongue easier. Discord will also suffice.”
“Chaos magic is dangerous. If allowed to run amok, it can throw all realms into disarray and destroy the multiverse,” Doctor Strange replied, folding his arms. “Which is why my master intervened.”
The environment dissipated, brightening before taking new form. Suddenly, a woman with fair skin garbed in long robes and a hood stood before Discord. “Stand down, Suetekh.”
“This old song and dance? Surely, you can do better,” Suetekh arrogantly stated, lifting his hand slowly.
The woman stood steadfast, taking a defensive stance while a magical circle materialized into existence over the palm of her hand. “Repetition is the key to improvement. I had hoped you would have learned that by now.”
The man snapped his fingers, causing the clouds above to blacken. Lightning crackled across the sky while the winds blew asunder, sending much of the sand in the desert airborne. The realm shifted, with the world and clouds spiraling into a conjoined vortex.
The woman slammed her glowing palms together, causing all effects of the brewing storm to dissolve instantly. The world itself snapped back into place instantaneously. Discord’s eyes shot open as the woman sped towards him, slamming her palm into his chest. An astral projection ejected from his body, floating helplessly as his physical form collapsed. The image steadily diminished, leaving Seth to stare at Strange with a widened gaze.
“Tales of your bouts with the Ancient One are well documented. She couldn’t destroy you, but she settled for the next best thing: banishment into the Crimson Circle of Cyttorak,” Doctor Strange stated, frowning.
Seth shuddered involuntarily. “Indeed. She locked me up and threw away the key. Yet, as merciless as she was, there was still kindness in her. There was a long rehabilitation period, but I finally was given my freedom thirty years ago.”
“Then, you know why I’m here,” Strange coldly warned, placing his hands together before raising them defensively. Magical circles hovered over his palms. “You vowed to never use your chaotic magic under any circumstance and broke the agreement. Old habits die hard, I suppose. So, it’s time you were put back in limbo for another three thousand years.”
Faster than he could react, Discord’s hands clamped together before magical energies snaked around his limbs. “Now, hold on a second!” he exclaimed, straining as the same energies looped across his ankles. He shook his head. “I did not break the vow! I swear to you!”
“Then, why is there a massive spike of chaotic magic in the air?” Doctor Strange questioned, lifting a finger.
“It’s my daughter, Eris!” Discord blurted out, holding his gaze at the man. He lowered his gaze momentarily. “Just a few weeks ago, her powers began to activate. I’ve shielded her as best as I can from having outbursts, but her power is far greater than I anticipated it to be. She’s lost control recently. I’m doing what I can to help her learn how to practice restraint. It’s been challenging, to say the least.”
Doctor Strange stared at Seth with a firm gaze. “That girl can literally flip the world onto its head if she isn’t careful.” He paused, holding out a glowing hand, and a portal opened underneath Discord’s body. Screaming as he dropped, Seth fell into an endless abyss, while Strange levitated next to him. “I don’t fault you for trying your best as a father, but this is bigger than you. I’ll take care of it myself. Stay here.”
“Wait! Please don’t hurt my daughter! She hasn’t done anything wrong!” Discord yelled, spiraling helplessly as he continued to plummet, “Give me time! I can teach her!”
“Maybe not intentionally, but she’s a ticking time bomb. It’s too late to go about this lightly,” Doctor Strange huffed, flying through the portal. He looked back, closing the opening before walking through the nearest door. “I’ll do what I must for the sake of the world.”
To be continued…
Ultimate Spiders and Magic: Episode III "Genetic Conscription"
Chapter Four “Oil and Water”
Within the walls of the prosthetics facility, Peter stood in only a pair of boxers while he stood over a table. His costume was pulled from the outside in, revealing an array of circuits and wiring. With his eyes narrowed, Peter carefully sorted through the mechanism with a tiny metallic pick. Logan stood at the other side of the room with his arms crossed, tapping a finger against his forearm.
“So, how’d Fury recruit you?” he questioned, glancing in Spider-Man’s direction, “You’re way too young to be a SHIELD agent.”
Peter furrowed his brow, never averting his gaze from the suit’s inner circuitry. “I wouldn’t say he recruited me. It was more like he gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse,” he paused, glancing to the side before shrugging, “Although when I say it out loud, it sounds pretty bad, but I screwed up back at home. Fury gave me a second chance. I’m here because of him.”
Logan huffed, straightening his posture. “You’ll learn that Nick never does anything out of the goodness of his heart. He helps you in any way, and you’ll learn there’s always a string attached.”
“You talk like there’s a history between you two,” Peter lightly declared, pausing to retrieve a pair of goggles before sliding them over his eyes. He pursed his lips before pulling his mask to the side, picking through the wiring behind the lenses. “It should be illegal to have this many firewalls. It’s as if someone doesn’t want me prying. It’s nothing a little bit of crossing can’t fix.”
Wolverine walked across the room, leaning his backside against the desk Peter worked at while keeping his arms crossed. “Fury and I go way back. There was a point where we were even friends. Hell, I’d like to think we still are,” he whispered, frowning as his shoulders fell. Rubbing at the hairs on his chin, Logan shrugged dismissively, “Fury has good intentions, but sometimes, he falls into dark places in order to see the job done. That’s where we’ve always had our disagreements.”
Peter blinked, arching a brow. “Dark places? Like what?”
“Weaponizing kids like you and Eris,” Logan bluntly stated, sobering while sharing a glance with Peter. The pair stood in silence for a few seconds, allowing the weight of the older man’s words to take precedent. Eventually, Wolverine placed a hand over his hip and huffed. “Just really think about that, kid. For your sake, as well as hers.”
Before Peter could hope to respond, Eris materialized into existence in a flash of light between him and Logan. “Hello, boys! I think I’m starting to get an idea of how my powers work,” she cheerfully chimed, raising a finger. She vanished before reappearing in midair, leaning back in a sitting position. “My father always said that my powers are tied to my imagination. So if I think hard enough, I can create it!”
“Sounds like your father’s a mutant, too,” Logan replied, furrowing his brow as he peered up at the girl while opening a canned beverage.
Eris nodded, twirling a glowing finger before a sea of fish floated by. “He is. My father’s one of the oldest mutants in history. He used to work with someone named Apocalypse.”
Logan spat out his drink, coughing while his face twisted. “What?! Apocalypse?!” Blinking, he stared at the girl for what seemed like an eternity. “Your dad’s that old? Was he a horseman?”
“I don’t think so. From what I remember, Father wasn’t a fan and thought Apocalypse was far too stuffy. They both simply agreed to stay out of each other’s way,” Eris declared, shaking her head while she continued to hover in a sitting position.
Rubbing a hand over his chin, Logan huffed. “Your dad must have been pretty powerful if Apocalypse didn’t want to deal with him.” He glanced back to the side, furrowing his brow. “You almost done, kid?”
Peter nodded, chuckling before removing a small circular object from the circuitry. “Yeah. It took a bit of work, but I managed to remove the firewall and leave a dummy signal in place.” He walked up to Logan, giving him the device. “All we have to do is get rid of this. Fury can chase this while we take care of Eris.”
Eris vanished from sight, reappearing next to Peter. She bit down on her lip, grinning devilishly as her crimson eyes thoroughly scanned the young man’s physique. “You certainly look the part. I can grate cheese on those abs.” The temperature in her face rose, evident by the pink flush staining her cheeks. Her eyes lowered, centering on the pair of boxer briefs Peter wore. “Are clothes an option? I can disrobe, if you allow me the thought…”
“No !” Peter and Logan blurted out, with the older man rolling his eyes while the other quickly grabbed his costume in an attempt to clothe himself.
Eris poked her lips out in a mock pout before smiling. “You two are such fun. I really don’t want this day to end.”
Logan frowned, ignoring the girl’s teasing as he glared intently at the object in his hand. “Hey, kid. Can you create a pigeon or something? It’ll be good practice.”
“Pigeon! That should be easy!” Eris cheered, closing her eyes before the school of fish floated near her direction. Soon, one sprouted wings and feet, still keeping its fishy form. The girl hummed, staring at the fish before shrugging. “Eh, close enough.”
Peter tilted his head to the side, giving the girl a bemused stare. “I take it you have a hard time staying focused?”
Eris poked out her lips, humming. “I’ve had ADHD since I was four, so concentration can be a bit cumbersome at times,” Oblivious, the girl shifted her gaze skyward, “Speaking of which, did I take my medication this morning?”
“Great. That’s like giving a chimp a gun,” Logan mumbled under his breath.
A string of bubbles materialized around them while pieces of chocolate floated aimlessly. Eris stared longingly at Peter, fluttering her eyes. “Has anyone ever told you that you have the prettiest eyes?”
“Not to my knowledge,” Peter stammered, straightening his costume while fumbling the mask in his hands. Eris vanished from sight before reappearing behind Peter, wrapping her arms around his neck affectionately. A lump swelled in his throat, making the simple act of breathing unusually difficult. Peter cleared his throat, shifting his gaze wildly. “You mind not telling anyone my secret identity?”
Eris grinned, tightening her hold. “I wouldn’t dare! You saved my life. It’s the least I can do.” She narrowed her gaze. “What grade are you in? You said you were almost old enough to drive, so I assume you’re fourteen or fifteen?”
“Sophomore and fifteen,” Peter simply replied, causing the girl to tighten her hold. She brushed the back of her gloved hand affectionately against his cheek. The young man furrowed his brow. “I hope you know I’m not popular. I’m what the cool guys call a dork. Or geek. Or dweeb.”
Waving a hand dismissively, Eris eased back before stretching her limbs high overhead. “That’s no issue. The popular kids are so stuffy and boring.”
Peter arched his brow. “Is that why you are always getting into trouble?”
“Certainly so,” Eris whispered, laying down while levitating. She crossed her arms before allowing her head to rest on top of them. “We fall into a rhythm and life grows boring. I just like to keep myself guessing.” Smiling, the girl chuckled as she traced her lower lip with her tongue. “If today is any indication, chaos just follows you wherever you go. You have such an irresistible aura.”
Alternating his gaze about as Eris inched closer, Peter scratched the back of his head sheepishly. “You sure that just isn’t my deodorant?”
While the students continued to converse, Wolverine grumbled under his breath. The fish cooed as Logan arched a brow, rolling his eyes before making the fish swallow the small tracking piece. Opening the nearest window, the man released the creature and watched as it awkwardly flapped its wings. Once it took flight, Logan watched as it soared for a few seconds before it plunged into the harbor with the grace of a brick.
Exasperated, Logan shook his head and took a seat at the nearest table afterward. Peter did the same, folding his arms. Both men glared at each other intently, never shifting their gazes. Logan growled under his breath while he narrowed his line of sight. However, Eris materialized into existence between both individuals, smiling widely while allowing her chin to rest in the palm of her hands. Seconds turned to minutes in what felt like an eternity.
Peter exhaled, glancing to the side momentarily. “I, uh, guess I was a little hot headed back there.”
Inhaling deeply before sighing, Logan frowned before nodding. “Don’t sweat it, kid. I’m more upset with Fury than anything else. It rubs me the wrong way that he’s willing to use kids as weapons now.”
Shaking his head, Peter raised a hand objectively. “I was doing this before I even met Fury. He’s just giving a helping hand… in his own super shady way.” Managing a brief smile, Peter extended his hand in a friendly gesture. “So… Friends?”
Logan turned in his seat away from the young man, snorting. “Don’t push your luck.”
Eris wiggled in her seat, grinning. “You two are adorable . You mix as well as oil and water.”
“Sounds hazardous,” Peter mumbled as a bead of sweat trickled down the side of his cheek
Brushing a hand through her hair, Eris beamed while leaning her head against Peter’s shoulder. “Exactly! That just makes it more fun.”
Sobering, Peter turned his attention back to Logan. “Speaking of which, who was tall, dark, and smashing? Any idea why he was after Eris?”
Wolverine straightened his posture, tapping a finger against the table. “Yeah. That was the Juggernaut. We’ve tangled with him a few times. He’s Professor Xavier’s big brother.”
Slack-jawed, Peter chuckled nervously. “Big brother is right. What’d he do? Eat all the Wheaties when they were kids? The dude’s built like a house! So, I take it that he’s a mutant, too?”
Nodding, Logan huffed under his breath. “No. He’s not. Juggernaut’s power comes from some mystical jewel, but he’s all muscle and no brains.” He paused, standing from his seat before walking to the nearest door. “It sounds like he was sent here by Magneto. Knowing Eric, he wants to recruit Eris into his Brotherhood of Mutants.”
“Sounds like an afterschool club,” Peter responded, sliding his mask back over his face. “Is that what he meant by tipping the scales of the war?”
“Yep. The Brotherhood of Mutants is Magneto’s answer to Professor Xavier’s X-Men. We fight to be accepted by humanity. Eric fights for superiority,” Logan declared, folding his arms. He paused, sobering as a thought came into mind. The man frowned. “So, what are you going to do now that you’ve heard my side of the story? Are you still going to report to Fury?”
Spider-Man shook his head. “It’s not my choice to make.” Logan’s eyes widened as Peter pointed his thumb at the girl by his side. “We’ve been going on about this entire thing without even asking Eris what she wanted to do.”
Eris blinked, her mouth falling agape. “You… care about what I think?”
“Well, yeah. This is your life and choice. I’m just protecting you from the bad guy,” Peter simply stated, shrugging, “You definitely have options. The X-Men? SHIELD? The Brotherhood? Or just go back home with your dad? By the end of the day, the choice is yours.” Peter trailed off, catching Logan staring intently in his direction. His masked eyes furrowed after an awkward amount of time. “W-What? Is there something on my mask?”
The corner of Logan’s lips curled into a smirk. “And here I thought you were just like Fury, but it turns out, you’re a naive kid.” Just as Peter readied himself to retort, Wolverine chuckled lightly. “I mean that in a good way. You remind me of Chuck. You both are about making sure everyone has a choice in what they do, a pair of idealists. It’s… refreshing. Please don’t let anyone snuff that out of you. The world needs realists to keep it alive, but it needs idealists to give it a soul.”
Spider-Man leaned up to Wolverine, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. “Wow. Under that gruff and hairy exterior, you’re just a big teddy bear.” A sharp snikt could be heard as Logan growled, raising his claws near his shoulder where Peter’s head rested. The younger man could only chuckle sheepishly. “A teddy bear with razor-sharp claws. Right.”
Exasperated, Logan rolled his eyes before retracting his claws. “He’s got a point though.” Sharing a glance with the girl, Wolverine’s eyes softened. “What do you want to do?”
Eris inhaled deeply, placing a hand over her chest. “I don’t know. It’s a lot to take in.” She let out a deep sigh, easing back to the ground before taking a seat in the nearest chair. “I don’t want to hurt anyone, and I don’t want to fight. I just want to learn how to control my powers and have fun again.”
“Then, that can be a problem,” a voice harshly declared as a magical circle spiraled into existence between everyone.
Faster than anyone could react, a caped man stepped through the opening with a small box in hand and tossed it towards Eris. The girl could only let out a shriek as her entire body was pulled into the gem at its center in a flash, causing the jewel to emit a glow afterwards. The box levitated back into the man’s grasp, and he eyed the item with an arched brow. Logan shot up with his mouth agape, and Spider-Man staggered back, his masked eyes as wide as saucers.
“Strange?! What the hell are you doing?!” Logan blurted out, unable to shake his visible shock.
Doctor Strange nodded dismissively, never averting his gaze from the jewel at the center of the box. “Nice to see you, too, Logan. I’ll handle everything from here.” He glanced to the side, double taking upon spotting Spider-Man before arching a brow at Wolverine. “Who’s the kid?”
Spider-Man raised both hands defensively, sharply alternating his gaze between both men. “Whoa, whoa, whoa! You can’t just pull a Ghostbusters move on my friend and act like nothing’s wrong! What the heck just happened?!”
Logan stepped in between Spider-Man and Doctor Strange, facing the younger of the two. “Hold on, kid. I’m with you, but hold your horses. This is Doctor Strange.”
Peter grumbled, straightening his posture while huffing. “Oh, so we’re using our made-up names? Okay. I’m Spider-Man.”
Slow to respond, Strange stared at the young man with a puzzled expression before shifting his gaze towards Logan. “What is he? Your ward?”
“Doesn’t matter. He’s a friend, and I am with him about Eris. What are you going to do with her?” Wolverine questioned, narrowing his gaze.
Doctor Strange held out the box, allowing it to levitate while magical circles glowed over his palms. “This girl is far too dangerous to leave unchecked. I’ll have to banish her in the Crimson Circle of Cyttorak until she gets a grip.”
Spider-Man raised a hand. “Wait! You’re just going to banish her without giving her a chance? How long is this supposed to last?”
“If she’s anything like her father, it could last as long as a few thousand years,” Strange nonchalantly stated, tracing a finger in a circular motion. A portal spiraled into existence behind the sorcerer. “Good day, gentlemen.”
Logan frowned, glancing to the side. “I don’t like this.”
Spider-Man shook his head defiantly. “This isn’t right! Eris needs help, and your best solution is locking her up?”
“It’s not as cut and dry as you think, kid. That girl possesses chaos magic, and with a mere thought, she could flip the world on its head or destroy the strands of reality,” Doctor Strange bluntly stated, inhaling deeply before letting out a low sigh, “I’m not the bad guy here. Try to understand.”
“Oh, I understand,” Spider-Man responded, his tone low. He turned his back, seemingly ready to depart. Just as Strange nodded, readying to do the same through his portal, a strand of webbing shot out and latched onto the box. Spider-Man narrowed his gaze and tightened his grip on the thread. “She won’t have a chance with you.”
Logan slowly raised a hand. “Kid…”
“Don’t…” Strange reaffirmed, holding a warning tone.
With a swift jerk of the wrist, Spider-Man pulled the box away from Strange’s grasp and caught the item with a single hand. He leapt out of the window, firing a strand of webbing onto the side of a building in the distance. Reaching a railing, Peter flipped through the sky briefly before a portal opened in his path. Unable to stop, Spider-Man entered before immediately exiting a second portal, and he glanced towards the street, spotting Doctor Strange staring in his direction with both arms crossed.
Just as Peter shot out another strand of webbing, he dove into a swing, but a pair of portals opened mere feet apart, causing the young man to become trapped in a loop as the thread latched onto his foot. Strange reared back, allowing a glowing magical rope to materialize in his hand, and he cracked the whip, managing to lasso it around Spider-Man’s waist before snatching him out of midair. The sorcerer stood firm and thrust his open palm forward, slamming it into Peter’s chest once he was within range. The outside world slowed to a halt as Peter’s astral spirit was ejected from his physical form.
Peter paused, eyeing his seemingly lifeless body before gazing upon his current ghostlike shape. “Oh, God! I’m dead!”
Bemused, Strange stood in front of Peter’s physical body while glaring at his spirit form. “Relax, kid. You’ve just been separated from your physical form. Think of it as an out of body experience.”
“You keep talking about this stuff like it’s normal!” Peter sharply interjected, floating haplessly.
“I’ll put everything back in place once I get the box back,” Strange declared, reaching for the item in Spider-Man’s physical possession. However, once fingertips away, Peter’s body pulled the box away out of the sorcerer’s range. “What? How ?” he blurted out, flabbergasted as he reached for the item again. Yet, the same result occurred with Spider-Man continuously shifting the box away from Strange’s many grasping attempts. “How are you doing that? This is impossible !”
Peter tilted his head to the side, oblivious to the waves trembling around his head. “I don’t know, but it feels amazing !”
As Strange continued to swipe in many failed attempts to retrieve the box, Peter swam towards his physical form before rejoining the living world. Suddenly, Spider-Man’s eyes widened as he lowered his hand, unleashing a massive torpedo-shaped web ball. Strange’s entire body was jettisoned, flying at high velocity before colliding back-first into the nearest wall. The impact caused the gossamer to spread, leaving only his head, hands, and feet exposed. Stuck in place with no way to free his limbs, Strange strained as he attempted to pry himself free.
“Unless you have super strength, you’re not breaking out of this. Also, that may have been one of the coolest things to ever happen to me, but please don’t ever do that again,” Spider-Man firmly stated, perching himself on the wall by the sorcerer while shuddering involuntarily. He glanced to the side, chuckling at the device on his own wrist. “That’s two for two. I’ll have to thank Doc for the upgrade. Guess we’ll settle on calling it the Impact Web.”
Doctor Strange exhaled after a brief duration, narrowing his gaze into a glare. “You’re making a big mistake. It’s my job to protect all of reality. If you let that girl run rampant, she could destroy the entire multiverse with a thought !”
“Maybe she could , but that doesn’t mean she would ! You’re not even giving her a chance!” Peter exclaimed, shaking his head, “Try actually talking to her before you lock her up!”
Logan emerged from around the corner, pausing to alternate his gaze between both individuals. “You two ladies finished?”
“Oh, good. Wolverine! You can cut me free,” Doctor Strange huffed, staring at the older man intently.
Slow to respond, Logan frowned before unsheathing his claws with a snikt . “Good idea, Doc,” he chuckled, turning while cleanly slicing through the box and gem.
“What are you doing?!” the sorcerer spat, sharply glaring at the man. A light erupted from the sliced gem, and Eris materialized back into existence, landing roughly on her bottom. Straining, Strange gritted his teeth.“You’ve just doomed us all!”
As Spider-Man helped the girl back to a standing position, Wolverine smirked. “Sorry, Doc. I’m with the kid on this one. Caging a bird ain’t the answer. You have to let them fly first.” Logan pointed a thumb to the side, motioning for everyone to follow. “Let’s go. We’ve got another problem. I’ll explain it later. How long will this stuff hold him?”
“About an hour,” Spider-Man simply stated, turning to take his leave.
Doctor Strange’s complexion paled. “An hour ?! You can’t just leave me here like this!”
Spider-Man inhaled deeply before sighing. “I know you’ll come back after us. Maybe then, we can talk. Try to think it over while you have some time. Just stick around.”
Logan grumbled under his breath while pulling Spider-Man away by the shoulder. “That was bad, and you should feel bad.”
As both heroes walked, Eris readied to follow, but she paused, turning back to face Doctor Strange. Her eyes softened as she placed a hand over her chest. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt. I’ll learn to control my power. I promise.”
Strange could only watch as the trio ventured off before his gaze lowered shamefully, dryly exhaling. “This is why I hate teenagers.”
Elsewhere, Juggernaut snarled as he stomped through the streets of Canterlot City. “I don’t believe this! Those little half-pints have got to be around here somewhere! If I don’t find them soon, I won’t get paid!” he growled, kicking a nearby car out of frustration. The vehicle spun across the street before colliding with another parked car, both folding upon impact. As fire crackled to life from the metallic heaps, a smile formed on the giant’s face. “All right! If you won’t come out, I’ll smoke you out!”
To be continued…
Ultimate Spiders and Magic: Episode III "Genetic Conscription"
Ch. 5: Nothing Can Stop the Juggernaut!
Chapter Five “Nothing Can Stop the Juggernaut!”
Chuckling under his breath, Logan slowed to a halt before facing Spider-Man. “I still can’t believe that you actually got the better of Strange. That ain’t no small feat.” He folded his arms, nodding inwardly. “You’ve got potential. Now, I see why Fury’s so interested in you.”
“Nah… I just got lucky and caught him off guard. As weird as the whole ghost thing was, I can tell he wasn’t trying to hurt me, but I may be on his bad side now,” Spider-Man replied, perching himself onto the nearest wall. He glanced to the side, sharing a gaze with the girl. “How are you holding up, Eris? What was it like being boxed up like that?”
Eris brushed her hands over the goosebumps on her arms, shuddering involuntarily. “I don’t know how to explain it. There was just a void. A realm of emptiness.”
Logan smirked, poking the side of Spider-Man’s head with a finger. “Like the inside of his skull?”
Slow to respond, Eris shivered involuntarily. “I tried to scream, but found that I couldn’t. I was just alone in a cold white space. It was truly awful. I literally couldn’t do anything . Was that what my father went through for so long?” Her eyes widened as a realization came into mind. As if sobering, the girl bit down on her lip as her eyes softened. “Thank you, both of you. I’ve been a burden on you two all day.”
Logan shook his head dismissively before shifting his gaze to the side. “Forget it, kid. I know what it’s like when people try to cage you up. Everyone deserves a chance to make their own decisions.” Sniffing the air, Wolverine steadily stepped past the pair while pointing a thumb at Spider-Man. “Besides, thank him. He’s the one who saved you from Strange.”
Taken aback, Eris placed a hand over her chest as it tightened inwardly. “I don’t know what to say. I’ve only known you two for a few hours, and you’ve already done so much for me without hesitation.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s what I do,” Spider-Man lightly declared, leaping from the wall and landing next to the girl.
Eris furrowed her brow while staring intently at the masked man. “Such a simple answer. It hardly answers my question, and I suppose that’s what baffles me. If I may, why do you do this?” As Logan paused, glancing at Spider-Man from the corner of his eye, Eris leaned closer towards Spider-Man with a puzzled expression. “The podcasts and reports have nothing but bad things to say about you. I know it’s bologna simply from how much you’ve helped me, but why restrain yourself so much? You could do whatever you want, so why not use your powers for something more fun?”
“Someone needs to look out for the little guy. I may have power, but I want to use it to help those around me,” Spider-Man firmly stated with a simple nod, “Besides, helping those around me is a fun reward in itself. I got to meet you, right?”
Blinking, Eris felt the temperature in her face rise. “You devil. How am I supposed to respond to that?”
“However you feel,” Spider-Man whispered, shifting his gaze skyward, “By the end of the day, I know you’ll do what you think is right. It all starts with a leap of faith.”
Logan watched the pair silently, unable to stop the corner of his lip from shifting into a smirk. “Not bad, kid.” A set of thunderous booms echoed in the distance, snapping the trio from their conversation. Narrowing his gaze, Wolverine snarled. “I was ready to fetch the roses, but I knew this was going to happen sooner or later.”
Spider-Man shared a glance with the older man. “What’s going on?”
Opening his mouth, Logan readied to respond, but he stopped as a car soared through the air, crashing into the side of a building. “Juggernaut’s getting impatient,” he growled, pausing as another explosion roared from afar, “He’s making noise, trying to draw us out.”
“Seriously? That guy’s a walking tank! Anyone in his path is going to get flattened!” Spider-Man exclaimed, his masked eyes widening, “We have to get over there and stop him, before someone gets hurt!”
“You sure? Juggernaut’s borderline unstoppable, and you want to charge in without a plan?” Logan questioned, arching a brow.
Spider-Man huffed. “It wouldn’t be the first time, and I do have a plan: attack!”
Throwing a hand over his face, Logan burst into laughter for what seemed like minutes, but his smile remained intact as he cracked his knuckles. “Now you’re speaking my language, kid!” Sobering, the older man walked up to Eris and placed both hands over her shoulders. “Things are about to get ugly. Find someplace safe. We’ll find you when it’s over.”
Slack-jawed, Eris alternated her gaze between both men. “There’s a difference between being chaotic and just being stupid! You two are going to get killed if you fight him again!”
“We’re very stubborn. Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” Spider-Man reassured, sharing a nod with Logan.
Wolverine stepped back as another explosion erupted in the distance before sprinting towards its direction. “Let’s go!”
Just as Spider-Man readied to follow Wolverine, Eris reached out and grabbed hold of his forearm. “Please don’t do this! I don’t want you to get hurt,” she sweetly whispered, her voice wavering. She bit down on her lip while her gaze lowered. “I’ve only known you for a couple of hours, and the only people who have been nicer to me are my parents. Anyone else just gets fed up with me, but you’re different. I–”
“As far as I’m concerned, you’re my friend. It’s as simple as that,” Spider-Man stated, nodding. The girl’s eyes widened at the simple comment while she lost her grip. Shooting a strand onto the nearest street light, Spider-Man leapt into the air and swung into the distance. “Get somewhere safe!”
Eris watched as both men faded into the distance, running steadfast into danger. She turned in the opposite direction, as if contemplating their heeds of warning. Yet, she shook her head and scoffed before facing the direction Wolverine and Spider-Man ran towards. Nodding inwardly, Eris began to follow.
Several police vehicles stormed the scene as Juggernaut stampeded through the streets, knocking over every car in his path. He eyed a squadron of riot enforcers, all bearing shields and firearms. Cackling, the giant lowered his shoulders and knocked every individual into the air. Each crashed into the ground, landing in a heap, and Juggernaut huffed, catching a speeding rocket with a single hand before it could collide with his face.
With both massive hands, the man squeezed the item and contained the explosion while brushing the smoke off casually afterwards. The Juggernaut reached to the side, sliding a hand underneath a car, before flipping it high overhead. A lone officer watched as the vehicle careened towards him, bracing for impact. However, before the car could meet its target, a blue blur flew through the air and pinned itself to the roof of the car, halting its momentum instantaneously upon landing. The officer blinked upon spotting Spider-Man standing upright with the vehicle over his shoulders.
“Thank God you’re not one of those cops that rides a horse,” Spider-Man quipped, huffing before lightly tossing the car back onto the ground, wheels first. As Wolverine leapt onto the scene, landing on the roof of the car, Spider-Man motioned his hand at the officer. “Help your wounded. We’ll take care of things here.”
Many of the officers and enforcement heeded Spider-Man’s advice, pulling all injured away from the chaos. Logan stared intently at the Juggernaut, snarling. “We’re the ones you want, Cain. Leave these people out of it.”
Juggernaut smirked, cracking his knuckles. “I knew if I made enough noise, you’d come crawling from out of hiding, like the roaches you are.” The corner of his large mouth curled into a frown as he alternated his gaze between both heroes. “Where’s the girl?”
“Don’t worry about her. We’re your playdates for the day,” Logan growled, lowering into a defensive stance while unsheathing his claws with a snikt . “Got six reasons for you to walk away!”
Spider-Man perked up, raising a finger. “Playdate? We can read a book, play some board games, or watch a movie? I bet you are the type to cuddle.”
Gritting his teeth, Juggernaut slowly stomped towards the pair. “You know something? I wasn’t that mad at first. If you two just gave up the girl, I might have just broken one of your legs, but you made it personal by messing with my money.” Tremors coursed through the ground and nearby buildings as Juggernaut burst into a sprint. “Now, I’m going to smash you both until there’s nothing left! Time to bring the pain !”
Wolverine roared before lunging through the air towards Juggernaut. However, Marko swung his arm and swatted Logan out of midair, sending the man spiraling until he collided with the ground. Faster than anyone could react, Juggernaut grabbed Wolverine by the collar, tossing him through the nearest window. Glass shattered upon impact as Logan burst through a wall of concrete before skidding to a halt among shards of brick.
Spider-Man swung through the air on a strand of webbing, speeding towards his attacker. However, the Juggernaut quickly slid a hand under the nearest car before flinging it behind him. Flipping in midair, Peter managed to avoid the object, but he spun back, managing to latch a strand of webbing onto its front. The gossamer stretched as Spider-Man hurled the vehicle back. Juggernaut’s eyes widened as the car slammed over his body, folding into mangled steel.
Landing on his feet, Spider-Man’s eyes narrowed into the wreckage before his head rang profusely. Suddenly, the folded car shot out. Peter readied himself to dodge, lowering into a stance, but his eyes widened upon spotting a pair of spectators standing in the store directly behind his position with their phones in hand.
“Seriously? Is posting on social media worth dying for?!” Spider-Man exhaled as he planted his feet and raised his hands, bracing himself while the steel neared.
The car reached his grasp, generating a shockwave potent enough to shatter the glass within several meters. Yet, Spider-Man stood firm and held the vehicle in place, dropping it to the side after what felt like an eternity. He shook feeling back into his hands before turning back to be greeted by thankful waves from the spectators. Meanwhile, Logan stirred while his wounds healed, turning onto his stomach. Juggernaut stomped into the room before grabbing hold of his shoulder and tossing the man high behind his position.
Wolverine burst through the ceiling before gravity took its toll, causing the man to land back on the floor behind Marko. Just as he readied to stand, Juggernaut drove his foot into the smaller man’s ribs, punting his body through the nearest wall. Wolverine skidded across the ground for several meters before stopping. Juggernaut cracked his knuckles as he slowly approached the X-Man, but a shadow appeared from overhead, causing him to stop momentarily.
Juggernaut peeked up just as a large round object sped in his direction. Spider-Man spun its chain, revealing the object to be that of a wrecking ball, and he flipped forward with his grip intact, hurling the object into the ground where Cain stood. The earth shook violently, cracking upon impact as the ball embedded itself halfway into the ground. Large tremors coursed through the entire vicinity, causing the steel girders at the nearby construction site to tremble.
“You just got wrecked , dude!” Spider-Man exclaimed, landing on top of the cracked ball amidst the spreading dust. Kneeling in place, he exhaled under his breath. “Now, that’s what I call a Coup De Grace .”
Suddenly, a hand erupted from within the cracked opening of the ball before snatching Spider-Man by the collar. “I hate French food!” Juggernaut growled loudly, pushing the broken pieces of the wrecking ball to the side. He pulled Spider-Man closer until their faces were inches apart. “And I hate annoying little insects more.”
Spider-Man strained, attempting to pull himself free from Juggernaut’s grasp. “Technically, spiders aren’t insects. Common mistake. They’re arachnids, and Coup De Grace actually means…”
“IT MEANS YOU’RE OUTTA HERE! ” Juggernaut exclaimed, turning sharply before hurling Spider-Man with all of his might.
Peter cleared over several buildings, crashing through a window before eventually tumbling into what appeared to be a warehouse. He remained prone, groaning while rubbing the aches from his head. “It’s not often a guy gets straight yeeted across half a city, but here we are.”
Meanwhile, Logan flipped to his feet, while Juggernaut faced the opposite direction, and he lunged out, managing to land on the giant’s back. Driving all of his claws into Cain’s shoulders, Wolverine planted himself, while Juggernaut attempted to shake him off. In spite of being stabbed, no blood was drawn, even as Logan repeated the process multiple times. Juggernaut reached over his shoulder, attempting to grab the smaller man, but upon failing, he sprinted forward, into another building.
Shards of stone scattered upon impact as Juggernaut stomped through the main floor of the building, with Wolverine in tow. As they slowed to a halt near a wall, Logan eyed a circuit breaker before flipping from his position and landing in front of Marko. He slashed at Juggernaut’s helmet, managing to drive a pair of claws underneath the lid, but Marko used a hand to grab Wolverine’s forearm, lifting him from the ground.
Just as Juggernaut raised a clenched fist back, ready to strike the X-Man, Spider-Man swung into the room on a strand of webbing. “Good idea! Let’s take a look at that gorgeous mug!” Peter declared, sliding his hand underneath the mouth’s opening of the helmet before hurling it outside. Marko scowled at Spider-Man while a vein throbbed over his forehead, and Peter spun, kicking the side of his jaw with enough force to free Logan. “Hey! With a little makeup, you’ll go from ugly to… passable.”
Logan climbed back onto Juggernaut’s shoulder, before thrusting his claws into the back of his neck. Within that same second, Wolverine slammed his free hand and claws into the circuit box. Electricity erupted from the wall, surging through the metal in Logan’s body, and the energy channeled into Juggernaut, causing massive sparks to ignite within the vicinity. Soon, the electricity dissipated, leaving both men still, as smoke sizzled from their bodies. Wolverine staggered back before falling to a knee, while Juggernaut shook his head, grumbling weakly.
Spider-Man’s masked eyes furrowed as he watched Marko keep his footing. “Geez! We almost hit this guy with everything, but the– hang on,” he trailed off, firing a strand of webbing onto the kitchen sink across the room before yanking it from the wall. Once the object landed in his hand, Peter smashed the sink over Cain’s head, and the marble item shattered into pieces, while the giant remained unfazed. Spider-Man groaned inwardly. “Okay. Everything, including the kitchen sink, and he’s still not down.”
Marko grinned. “Don’t you know who I am? I’m the Juggernaut, *****!”
“Unstoppable ain’t an exaggeration,” Logan growled, managing to stand once his burn wounds faded. Yet, he lowered back into a defensive stance, with his claws drawn. “We’ll wear him down somehow.”
Spider-Man mirrored his action, taking a stance. “We can fight him all day, but there won’t be much of a city left, if we don't stop him soon.” Pausing, he clenched his fist tightly. “If he’s unstoppable, then we have to be unstoppable, too.”
The Juggernaut stood upright, towering over both Spider-Man and Wolverine. “You won’t last that long. Trust me, I’m just getting warmed up.” He steadily walked forward, while driving his fist into his palm. However, crimson energies began to spiral out of his body. Juggernaut’s mouth fell agape as he stared at his form. “What the heck is going on?”
“I thought something felt odd,” a girl’s voice stated from behind, causing all three men to turn to the source. Eris floated near the ceiling with her hands extended, straining while the sparkling energy spiraled into an orb. “Such chaos. You reek of magic, and your strength is drawn from it. Let’s see how strong you are without it!”
“With great power comes great vulnerability?” Spider-Man questioned as Juggernaut staggered to a kneeling stance.
Wolverine nodded. “Hell yeah, it does. Let’s take him down, while the kid’s draining him.” He faced Peter, smirking. “How’s your throwing arm? Familiar with the Fastball Special?”
The pair conversed briefly before Spider-Man nodded feverishly, firing a strand of webbing onto Wolverine’s back. Both men jumped high into the air, and Peter spun in midair, with Logan in tow, their images fading into blurs respectively. Juggernaut lifted his gaze just as Spider-Man relinquished his hold. Wolverine sped through the air with the force of a missile while his claws extended, roaring before ramming into Marko.
A shockwave generated at the point of impact, while a loud metallic clang echoed throughout the vicinity. A cloud of dust erupted from the ground, as tremors coursed through the earth. Once the dust settled, Juggernaut laid flat on his back, at the bottom of a crater. Wolverine pulled himself to his feet, climbing over Marko’s unconscious form. Spider-Man extended his hand, prompting Logan to accept the gesture, and he soon helped the man climb from the hole.
“Nice throw,” Logan affirmed, managing a smile.
Spider-Man nodded, chuckling weakly. “Nice form.”
Eris strained, her hands quivering as the energies steadily spiraled out of control. “I don’t know what to do with this!”
Just as the men readied to help, a portal materialized into existence behind their position. Doctor Strange stomped out of the opening, glaring intently at the pair. He levitated towards Eris, slamming his glowing hands together. Suddenly, the orb in the girl’s grasp vanished in a burst of light. Juggernaut’s body emitted a bright light before he shot up, alternating his gaze wildly.
“Come on, Strange!” Spider-Man exhaled, staring blankly at the giant while he climbed from the crater.
Strange nonchalantly waved his hand to the side, causing a portal to open in front of Juggernaut as he sprinted towards Spider-Man and Wolverine. He leapt through the portal, landing in a desolate environment. Juggernaut looked around, pausing upon spotting the Earth in the distance, and he eyed the ground, noticing he had been placed on the moon. Just as he turned around, the portal closed before he could hope to return.
Spider-Man’s masked eyes furrowed after an awkward amount of time passed. “Did you just open a portal to the moon?”
Logan simply nodded. “He did.”
“That is scientifically implausible !” Spider-Man spat out, pointing at Strange, “All of the oxygen in this vicinity should have been sucked out, or we should have vacuumed away, like that scene in Aliens! There are so many reasons that shouldn’t have worked! Can Juggernaut even breathe in space?!”
Wolverine shrugged. “It’s magic. It ain’t really supposed to make sense, and this ain’t Juggernaut’s first time being stranded on the moon. We’ll let Magneto know to pick him up later.”
Peter stared blankly at Wolverine, grumbling. “I really hate magic. The fact that you’re so casual about this is worrying.”
Strange frowned as he faced Spider-Man and Wolverine. “Don’t change the subject! You left me stuck to a wall for an hour !”
Spider-Man chuckled sheepishly, raising his hands defensively. “Okay! I’m very sorry about that, but you were rather hasty in wanting to seal my friend away!”
Eris placed a hand over Peter’s shoulder, shaking her head. “It’s okay. I don’t want to run.” She walked towards Strange with her hands held together. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me. I just want to learn how to control my powers. Could we please talk with my father, too?”
Strange’s eyes widened. “Oh! Speaking of,” he trailed off, waving a glowing hand.
A portal opened overhead, before Discord fell through, crashing to the ground. He bounced up immediately, raising a finger at the sorcerer while fuming. “I’ve been falling… for three hours !” Bearing his fangs, Seth paused upon catching a glimpse of his daughter, and his demeanor softened, before he cupped the girl’s cheeks in his hands affectionately. “Oh, cupcake. Are you hurt?”
“Cupcake?” Spider-Man whispered, tilting his head to the side.
Nodding, Eris placed her hands over Seth’s forearms before shifting her attention to the pair. “I’m okay, Father. These two have been protecting me. They’re friends.”
Discord smiled sweetly. “Thank you so much. My little girl means everything to me.” Inhaling deeply, the man relinquished his hold of Eris before facing Doctor Strange. He lowered his head politely. “What’s happened to Eris is not her fault. It’s mine. I thought I had prepared her for when her powers activated, but I underestimated how powerful she could be. Don’t banish her because of my mistake.”
Blinking, Strange stared at the father and daughter with a bewildered expression. “For embodiments of chaos, you’re being quite reasonable.” Holding a hand over his eyes, Stephen shook his head and sighed. “Damn it. I jumped the gun. I can’t believe the kid was right.”
“I’m sorry. Can you repeat that?” Spider-Man questioned, raising a finger. “I am almost never told that.”
Logan folded his arms and scoffed. “He said you were right. Don’t ruin it.”
“Let’s just say when you’re nailed shut to a wall for an hour, one is forced to reevaluate their circumstances that put them there in the first place,” Strange dryly retorted, his brow twitching. Inhaling deeply before sighing, the sorcerer waved his glowing hand and prompted a portal to open into existence. “Let’s go to my home. We can talk there.”
Meanwhile, back on the moon, Juggernaut sat on stone with a rock in hand. He tossed the item repeatedly before it inadvertently hit the top of his head. Exhaling, the Juggernaut frowned. “This sucks !”
To Be Concluded…
Ultimate Spiders and Magic: Episode III "Genetic Conscription"
Epilogue: Order and Control
Epilogue “Order and Control”
Spider-man eyed a glowing orb with a finger raised, inching it towards the smooth surface of the item. “What’s this?”
“Don’t touch,” Doctor Strange bluntly stated, smacking the top of Peter’s hand while walking past him. As everyone found a seat upon various sets of furniture, the sorcerer hovered from the ground before taking a seat in midair. “Welcome to the Sanctum Sanctorum. It is a house of mystical nature, where the Master of the Mystic Arts defends Earth against interdimensional threats. It is also my home.”
Eris eyed the interior of the building with her mouth agape, alternating her gaze between the countless artifacts laid throughout. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Are we in a pocket dimension in a void or the end of the universe?”
Peter stood by the nearest window with his masked eyes furrowed. “Nah, we’re in New York,” he paused, pointing outside, “We’re on Bleeker Street in Greenwich Village! I thought I recognized the area.”
Logan crossed his arms, arching a brow as he allowed a smirk to form on his face. “You’re a Yorkie?”
“Born and raised in Queens,” Spider-Man responded, chuckling under his breath. He tilted his head to the side. “What about you? You definitely have the attitude of someone from the Bronx.”
Huffing, Logan retrieved a cigar from his jacket pocket. “I’m a Canuck, ya’ knucklehead.” Just as he readied to light the item, it crumbled in his grasp with the upper half falling to the ground. His brow twitched involuntarily before he cursed under his breath. “The day can’t end soon enough.”
Doctor Strange inhaled deeply before sighing slowly, closing his eyes. The air within the room grew thick, making the simple act of breathing difficult. Discord sat with Eris, placing a hand over her own before squeezing it reassuringly. Spider-Man and Logan shared a brief glance with each other while standing across the room from the three. For what felt like eons, everyone sat in an uncomfortable silence, yet they patiently waited, hanging onto the sorcerer’s incoming verdict.
Eventually, Stephen opened his eyes and nodded. “I would like to apologize to you both,” he gently stated, holding a firm yet softened gaze at the father and daughter. “I was hasty in my approach. I attempted to banish you both without giving you a chance to even refute your case.” He frowned, glancing to the side. “As Sorcerer Supreme, it is my duty to protect not just this world but all of reality. I must prioritize saving all life, but I can’t do so if I start taking free will away. It’s funny that it took an annoying kid to remind me of such an obvious lesson.”
“And I thought protecting the neighborhood was hard,” Spider-Man whispered before his masked eyes widened at a realization, “Wait a second. You said kid. How do you know how young I am?”
Doctor Strange huffed, as the corner of his lips curled into a smile. “When you were separated from your physical form, I saw who you were under the mask.”
Seth furrowed his brow, raising a hand as it glowed with energy. “Speaking of which,” he whispered, snapping his fingers before Spider-Man’s mask materialized into his grasp in a burst of light. Chuckling under his breath, Seth nodded. “I recognize you. You’re the dumpster diving child in school.”
Peter clutched at his face before throwing his hands overhead in exasperated fashion. “Will you two stop doing that?! Didn’t the wizard just say that using chaos magic is bad?!”
Seth huffed. “Oh, come now. I’m well over two thousand years old. I know how to use normal magic. I had time to learn it while in timeout from the Ancient One. It was a nice way to pass the time.”
Peter’s brow twitched. “Normal magic? As far as I’m concerned, all magic is chaotic and it spits on the name of logic!” He paused, shaking the mask in his hand angrily. “I wear the mask because I don’t want people to know who I am!”
Logan stared blankly at Spider-Man. “Who said he knew your name?”
Doctor Strange shrugged his shoulders. “I could easily find out, but I don’t really care to.”
Seth smirked. “Plus, I know you go to the same school as Eris. It explains why I see you hanging near the rooftop sometimes. Very secluded there.”
Wolverine crossed his arms, holding a bemused glare. “Why are you dumpster diving in the first place?”
Shooting a strand of webbing across the room, Peter latched it to his mask, before retrieving it in a swift yank. “I’m not made of money. You’ll be surprised at the stuff people just casually throw away. One man’s trash is another’s supplies.”
Seth grinned widely, showing his fang. “Oh, I can tell you are such fun. You’re just a magnet for chaos. Individuals like you are quite rare, and there are special places for the right ones. It’s a shame that’s no longer my business. In my youth, I would have made assessing you a priority in my life. So it’s only fitting that my little Eris is drawn to you.”
“What’s this say about my life that two literal embodiments of chaos like me? I think Aria’s right. Maybe I really do need therapy,” Peter’s brow twitched, prompting Logan to hold a finger over his mouth and shush him.
Sobering, Eris redirected her attention to Doctor Strange while leaning forward in her seat. “Are we really a threat? I’ve always been told that chaos magic is powerful, but could it really disrupt all of reality?”
Discord placed a hand over her shoulder, nodding. “Yes, sweetie. We borrow power from a different plane than this dimension, and it conflicts with the fabric holding this dimension in place. It’s why I stressed that you learn to control your abilities once they awaken.”
“Every time you use your chaotic powers haphazardly, you undo a strand keeping this reality in check,” Doctor Strange stated, waving a glowing hand. A pair of round spheres materialized into existence overhead. “Do it enough, and the world begins to shift off balance. Alternate realities begin to merge.” Both spheres morphed before conjoining. Soon more orbs materialized into existence before doing the same, each fading into one another. “Then, a domino effect occurs. More worlds join together, but others will fade, taking prioritization.”
Logan blinked. “What does that mean?”
Spider-Man stared intently at the magical projections, watching as some crumbled away. “The law of exchange. It’s a theory, but time and space can bend. However, there has to be an exchange. Like, if we’re talking about alternate worlds and realities joining together, that means different versions of people will exist on the same plane, and that breaks a lot of rules in the space-time continuum.”
Doctor Strange blinked, holding his gaze on Spider-Man before eventually nodding. “That’s… actually accurate. How did you figure that out?”
“With math,” Peter blankly stated, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. “Run the variables enough, and the numbers start bleeding together.”
Strange stared at Peter intently. “You’re no ordinary kid. There’s much more to you than I thought.” Clearing his throat, the sorcerer returned his gaze to everyone else. “Regardless, It’s just as he says. More strands holding reality become undone, and eventually, everything unravels beyond repair. We cease to exist before the entire multiverse falls into shambles.”
Eris tilted her head to the side. “Is that why your master sealed away my father all those years ago?”
Seth nodded, pulling at his goatee. “It was not without merit. I was… reckless in my youth. I simply flaunted my power without a second thought. To be fair, I was just having fun, but it wasn’t until the Ancient One banished me into the void that I was forced to see the damage I was inflicting on the world.” Shrugging, the man patted the top of his daughter’s head. “My punishment was the length of time it took the Ancient One to repair the damage to the strands holding this reality in place. That is how damaging the power of chaos magic truly is.”
“So, what do we do?” Eris questioned, holding out her hands. “I don’t want to hurt anyone. I just want to learn how to control my powers, and I’m scared knowing that if I lose concentration for even a second, something terrible could happen.”
As if considering the girl’s words, Doctor Strange furrowed his brow and frowned. “Well, there are alternatives. We have magical barriers here in the Sanctum Sanctorum. I can help you learn how to use magic without resorting to that of the chaotic variety.”
Blinking, Eris pursed her lips. “That sounds like I have to stay here.”
“It does, at least until you learn proper control,” Doctor Strange bluntly responded, narrowing his gaze.
Logan took a step forward with a hand raised. “Hang on, Strange. We may be able to help with that.” The man alternated his gaze between the girl and sorcerer. “The X-Men are all about helping mutants learn to control their powers. Beast could give her a power inhibitor. Maybe she can wear that whenever she’s not with us or you.”
Spider-Man slid his mask back over his face before walking up to Eris. “Are you okay with all that?”
“Considering what the alternative almost was? Absolutely,” Eris stated matter-of-factly, nodding.
Stephen closed his eyes momentarily, humming momentarily before sharing a gaze with everyone in the room. “Okay. We’ll work out a schedule. I will tutor you in the ways of the mystic arts, and you have to attend classes with the X-Men. Should you return to your home, you must wear a power nullifier.” Frowning intently, Stephen straightened his posture. “I suggest you take it seriously. I’ll be watching you, and the second you lose control or decide to skip your responsibility, I’ll personally banish you on the spot. Is that understood?”
Eris nodded feverishly, unable to contain her smile. “Yes! Thank you!” She rushed over to Logan, wrapping her arms around his neck before relinquishing her hold to give the same gesture to Spider-Man. After a brief duration, the girl took a hold of both men’s hands into her own. “Thank you both. I don’t know what would have happened if not for you two.” She eased back, wiping a forearm over her wet eyes. “You risked your lives just to give me a chance. I don’t know if I could ever repay you for your kindness or heroics.”
“Don’t worry about it, kid,” Logan stated, allowing a smile to form on his gruff exterior.
Spider-Man gestured a thumbs up. “It’s what we do.” Glancing at everyone, Peter slowly turned before leaping towards the door. “It sounds like you guys have everything under control. I should head back. My Aunt’s probably worried sick about me.”
“Will I see you again?” Eris asked, leaning forward until their faces were inches apart.
Peter nodded, chuckling. “We go to the same school. I’m not hard to find. I’ll even introduce you to the rest of my friends.”
Grinning, Eris planted a soft kiss on the young man’s cheek before whispering into his ear, “Then, it’s a promise. I’ll see you again real soon… Peter.”
Spider-Man placed a hand over his warm cheek, laughing sheepishly. “Yeah. Sounds good.” He glanced to the side, sharing a nod with the X-Man before scratching the back of his head nervously. “It was fun teaming up, Wolverine.”
“You’re okay, kid. Let Fury know he can piss up a river,” he grinned, pausing before extending a hand to him. Just as Spider-Man accepted the gesture, Wolverine tightened his hand firmly yet gently while smiling. “Call me Logan.” Just before anything else could be said, Logan’s stomach growled heavily in protest. The gruff man growled under his breath, glancing to the side. “Damn it.”
Peter chuckled, only for his own stomach to do the same. He groaned under his breath. “Tell me about it. I haven’t eaten since breakfast.” His eyes widened as a realization came to mind, before he shifted his gaze towards Logan. “Hey. I have an idea.”
Aunt May walked out of the kitchen with a roast in hand, placing the dish over the table. A soft set of knocks were heard at the door as she readied to re-enter the kitchen, prompting the woman to pause momentarily. The door steadily opened, revealing Peter in his casual attire. May rushed to the young man, pulling him into a swift yet warm embrace.
“I’m so happy that you’re okay. I heard what happened on the news. Are you hurt? I saw you fighting that walking mountain of a man!” she quickly murmured, her words nearly conjoined. May cupped Peter’s face in her palms, shifting his head from one side to another. Nodding as if satisfied, the woman leaned forward before kissing her nephew’s cheek unapologetically. “It looks like you managed to avoid getting too bruised up for once.”
Peter simply grinned, taking a step back before holding a hand out by the door. “I had help.” The woman inhaled sharply as a gruff and muscular man slowly entered the abode, sharing a glance. Peter smiled, pointing a thumb at the man. “Logan, meet my Aunt May.”
“Oh, my. Hello,” May muttered, brushing a hand through her hair as the temperature in her face rose.
Logan smirked, politely nodding before winking playfully. “Ma’am. I can tell that your nephew keeps you busy.”
May waved her free hand over her face as a makeshift fan in a pitiful attempt to cool her rising temperature. “He does, but I… manage. Lord, is it hot in here?”
Peter blinked, glaring at Logan while standing behind his aunt. “Please stop making this weird.”
Logan smirked. “I’m only open to continue if the lady is.” However, a fresh scent entered his nostrils, causing the man to stop in his tracks before he could continue. He peered to the side, gazing at the roast sitting on the table. His stomach growled, unable to contain its expanding hunger, and the man twirled his fingers together before returning his gaze to May, his eyes as soft as that of a puppy. “It smells delicious, Miss.”
May’s eyes widened at the man’s sudden change in demeanor, but she couldn’t contain her glee, evident by her clapping hands and smile. “Please! Call me May, and I made plenty! Would you like to join us?” she suggested while turning to the side, pointing at the kitchen briefly. “I also have a pie in the oven!”
However, once she glanced back, Logan and Peter were gone. May shifted her gaze to the table, only to find both men already sitting at the table. This only seemed to have fueled the woman’s happiness further as she quickly cut chunks of the meat into two plates, sliding them to Peter and Logan respectively. Snatching the meat into their hands, both men chomped away at their pieces of roast.
May blinked as they quickly ingested their treats, turning their attention to the basket of rolls next. “I didn’t think anyone could eat as much as my nephew. I’m glad I decided to cook an extra roast.” Both men paused, alternating their gazes between the woman and the remaining roast. May grinned, walking into the kitchen. “Please eat to your heart’s content. I’ll get the pie!”
Logan unsheathed his claws with a snikt before slicing through the roast in a single motion, causing the meat to fall into a set of ribbons. “You weren’t kidding, Parker! I haven’t had a meal this good in years!”
Peter grabbed a slice of roast, tossing it into his opened mouth. “You know? It makes sense that you have a high metabolism… with your healing factor in all.”
“What fresh hell is this ?” a voice questioned from behind, causing everyone to shift their gazes towards the source. Aria walked into the kitchen with a bemused stare, taking a seat at the table. “Great. You found someone who eats as much as you do. Pardon me while I barf.”
Peter managed to swallow what was in his mouth, arching a brow. “Aria? What are you doing here?”
Aria folded her arms as she peeked at both men, her face twisting with disgust as they continued to devour the roast without pausing. “It’s complicated. May will tell you about it.” She paused, blinking at the sight of Wolverine as he chomped away at the meat before pointing a finger in his direction. “Who’s the hairy guy with the claws?”
Just before anyone could respond, Aria’s eyes shot open as magical energies emitted from Logan before rushing into her. A powerful sensation overtook her, causing the girl to stagger back. Her eyes tried to fall into the back of her head before she regained her footing. Both men glanced at her momentarily, prompting Aria to scoff and wave her hand dismissively.
“Whoa. I feel like I just ate a box of frosted doughnuts with sprinkles. What’s with this guy? I thought Peter’s negative energy was bad, but his energy is somehow even richer…” she whispered, her eyes softening as she focused on Logan. “What has he gone through? I feel a lifetime of pain and suffering.”
Peter glanced at Logan, arching a brow while chewing. “What’s with you? You're smiling really hard. It’s kind of weird.”
Logan’s gruff exterior lightened considerably as he grinned uncontrollably. “I don’t know! I haven’t felt this happy in a long time! It’s something about this roast!”
Chuckling, Peter nodded while raising a finger. “You think that’s good? Come back and try Aunt May’s world famous wheat cakes!” Shrugging, Peter glanced back at Aria. “Want a plate?”
Aria shook her head furiously, retching as her complexion paled. “No, trust me. I’ve had enough already. I’m going to lie down for a bit.”
Just as the girl stood from her seat, May stepped back into the kitchen with a large pie in hand. “Oh, Aria! Good timing,” she called out, placing the treat down at the center of the table. Both women shared a glance as Aria exited the room, immediately collapsing face-first on the sofa nearby. Fumes exuded from the pie as May slid a knife through its crust. “I’ll explain later, but Aria’s going to be staying with us for a while. Try to stay on your best behavior.”
Peter raised a finger, as if ready to protest. However, May slid a plate towards him with a slice of pie on it, causing the young man to simply shrug in response before accepting it. He chomped down on the treat, practically inhaling it in seconds while Logan did the same. Both men began to alternate eating pieces of the roast and pie simultaneously, prompting May to continuously refill their plates as quickly as they emptied them.
“You going to eat that?” Peter asked, snatching a roll away from Logan’s grasp.
Wolverine snarled, unsheathing his claws with a snikt while continuing to chew with his mouth full. “Reach for my plate again, and I’ll carve out your heart and eat it in front of you!”
This process repeated for minutes, and Aria remained prone on the sofa with a blank stare, exhaling loudly. “That boy is going to be the death of me.”
“So, that’s what happened?” Spitfire questioned, tilting her head to the side. The pair sat in her office, going over the events that had transpired the previous day. Once Peter nodded in affirment, Spitfire leaned back in her wheelchair and sighed. “That’s good. Sounds like Eris is in good care. Still crazy to believe Seth is actually a mutant. A really old one at that.”
Humming, Peter scarfed down an energy bar from his grasp in a single bite. “Please don’t tell anyone. He’s really gone out of his way to live a normal life to make things easier on him and his family.”
Smiling, Spitfire nodded. “I won’t. I promise. It’s so funny how unassuming he is.” She arched a brow, playfully poking an elbow into the young man’s side. “You could learn a thing or two from him about keeping secrets.”
Peter rolled his eyes before sitting on the edge of the desk next to the woman. “Think I’m in trouble?”
Spitfire shrugged, managing a smirk. “No idea. You went AWOL, and I’m sure the big cheese will give you a piece of his mind.” However, she reached out and placed a hand over his shoulder, squeezing it lightly. “But for me? I respect that you went with your gut. Everything worked out in the end, and that’s all that matters. I wouldn’t have liked her chances if she was solely in SHIELD custody.” Spitfire relinquished her hold before raising a finger and waving it. “But don’t be surprised if you’re demoted to clean up duty or something.”
“Like parole?” Peter chuckled, pointing at the monitor on her ankle.
Snorting, Spitfire rolled her eyes. “Only if you’re unlucky.” Suddenly, a soft set of knocks were heard at the door before the door crept open, revealing a light-skinned girl with poofy pink and blue hair. Spitfire’s eyes widened at a realization, her expression shifting to that of bemusement. “Oh, right. Uh… Bon-Bon come in.”
Peter stood from the desk, sliding the strap of his bag around his shoulder. “Guess that’s my cue. I’ll see you, Coach.”
“Stay right there, Peter Parker,” Bon Bon firmly declared, raising a hand. Her heavy tone betrayed her dainty appearance. She straightened her posture, pointing at the bag in the young man’s possession. “Unless you want me to blow the whistle on you, I’d advise you to listen to me… Spider-Man . Colonel Nick Fury sends his regards.”
Peter’s complexion paled as he stared at the girl with a fixed expression. “Say what? You said your name’s Bon Bon? You don’t look like you’re covered in chocolate. You look more like a Truffle. Is your center full of chocolate or peanut butter? Wouldn’t that make you more of a Reese’s though? Or am I looking into this too deeply?” He paused, pointing a thumb at the woman behind him in her wheelchair. “Why are you named Spitfire? Is it literal, or is it because you dropped a hot mixtape?”
Spitfire slammed a hand over her forehead, mumbling under her breath. “You’re doing that thing where you ramble. I notice you do that when you’re super nervous.” Inhaling deeply before sighing, the woman shook her head. “I’d tell you to stop, but I personally get it.”
Bon Bon ignored the young man’s rambling tirade, retrieving a silver badge from her back pocket. She held it, placing her free hand over her hip. “I’m Special Agent Sweetie Drops of SHIELD. I’ve been personally assigned by Director Fury to keep tabs on you and report on all of your activities, Spider-Man.”
“Why? Didn’t he already have Spitfire doing that?” Peter questioned, frowning.
Bon Bon huffed. “Spitfire is confined to a wheelchair. She couldn’t keep up with you even if she tried.”
Spitfire’s brow twitched at the comment as the corner of her lips cracked into a forced smile. “Sitting right here, you little bi–” she cleared her throat, “rapscallion.”
Sobering, Peter narrowed his gaze on the girl. “Hold on. You’re a student here.”
The girl placed her badge back into her pocket, remaining stoic. “Colonel Fury is exercising a little caution after your stunt yesterday. He wanted me to warn you that while I am watching you, he will still be doing the same. Colonel Fury has at least ten ways of tracking you. It just so happens you found one of them.” Sweetie Drops gave a small nod before walking out of the room, pausing momentarily. “Fair warning. You tell anyone about me, and I’m blowing the whistle on you. We’ll keep in touch.”
Once Bon Bon had completely exited the vicinity, Peter bit down on his lip, inhaling deeply while resisting the overwhelming urge to scream at the top of his lungs. “Damn you, Fury! Why can’t you just leave me alone?!” The images of Fury grew in his mind, even bearing fangs and devil horns. Exhaling, Peter rolled his eyes and scowled. “This day just can’t get any worse!”
“No!” Peter exclaimed, slack-jawed. He paced in place, never averting his gaze from Doctor Octavious, and his fingers clutched at his hair, threatening to pull most of it from the roots of his own skull. Peter rushed up to his professor, shaking his head profusely. “Doc! Please reconsider!”
Doctor Octavious remained poised, nodding. “I have thought about this for some time, and I believe this will be beneficial for not just you but this team.” He straightened his posture before sorting through an array of documents carefully placed over the nearest table. “You have a gift for intelligence, Peter, but due to your prior engagements, I’ve noticed you have trouble with maintaining your focus. Everything tends to fall into disarray and disorganization. While you still are able to make the most of it, I believe this inquiry can help you.”
“There’s one problem though, Doc,” Peter refuted, folding his arms before glancing to the side. A lavender-skinned girl in a lab coat with her purple and pink hair curled into a bun stood a few feet away, holding a stern glare at the young man from the corner of her eye. Peter pointed in her direction while sharing a gaze with Octavious. “This inquiry hates me!”
Scoffing, the girl’s frown deepened as her face twisted with anger. “I must admit, Doctor Octavious, that I was thrilled when you asked me to personally work with you. Your work with advanced prosthetics is extraordinary, and I am honored to join.” Scowling, she glared intently at Peter. “I just can’t believe you took him under your wing. He is lazy, inconsiderate, aloof, disorganized, and arrogant! There’s a reason he ran from Crystal Prep! He’ll only disappoint you!”
Peter frowned. “She seriously looks like a super villain staring me down right now.” Blinking, the young man tilted his head to the side. “What’s with you? Last time we met, you were super nice to me, but now you’re hating my guts again. You’re clearly going for the Jekyll and Hyde aura.”
“As always, you project through your stupid humor. You haven’t changed a bit,” Twilight scoffed, continuing to glare at Peter from the corner of her eye.
Straightening his dark glasses, Octavious murmured under his breath. “The stars have aligned to form a beautiful constellation. I had a feeling you two shared a brief history. That’s good. It saves us time with introductions.” He paused, sharing a glance with the girl. “Twilight, I chose you because of your strengths as well as your weaknesses. Your organizational skills are exceptional, and your knowledge with books is unmatched. You also have a magnificent gift with engineering, but I fear that you are too stringent, afraid to think outside of the box. Peter excels in guerrilla science, and I know his improvisational skills will only help. It’s good that you transferred to Canterlot High.”
“But why though?!” Peter whined, throwing his hands high over his head in protest.
Twilight hissed, pointing a finger sharply at the young man. “For once, we agree! If I knew you were here, I wouldn’t have considered it!”
Octavious could only groan under his breath while rubbing his eyes with his fingers. “Intelligence is a gift that can benefit all of mankind. Your individual strengths can bring out the best in each other and elevate your skills. With time, we will learn and persevere.” Just as both Peter and Twilight opened their mouths, ready to protest further, Octavious raised his hands in defeated fashion before shaking his head. “The decision is final. I will hear nothing else of it.”
Both winced at the good doctor’s firm tone, sharing a nod before lowering their heads shamefully. “Yes, Doctor Octavious.”
Nodding, Otto glanced to the side. “Twilight, you are welcomed to move your equipment into your station at your leisure. Peter, I trust you will help her accordingly.” Walking past both teenagers, he shook his head before slipping through the main exit. “I will see you both in the morning. Good day.”
Once Octavious had completely exited the vicinity, Twilight scowled at Peter before entering her station. “Keep your dirty hands off my equipment.”
Exasperated, Peter could only huff while he stared blankly at the ceiling. “I’m being punished, aren’t I?!”
“Today, on Just the Facts with J. Jonah Jameson, we discuss the damage done to our fair city. I know, it’s becoming a trend, but heed my warnings, people!” Jameson strongly declared, pausing to point at the screen.
An image of Spider-Man appeared as he was in midair, avoiding the clubbing blow of the Juggernaut. Jameson took back control of the camera, centering its focus back on himself.
“Spider-Man just had to get his rocks off and brawl in the city with that walking mass of humanity, Juggernaut. However, I can confirm that their fight actually started near Canterlot High before spilling into the city! It’s bad enough that the wall-crawling freak is willing to put everyone’s lives at risk, but he really seems to enjoy vandalizing schools! That’s three– Count them– three incidents with him destroying public property! Your tax dollars are practically being flushed down the drain!”
Jameson slammed his fist down onto his table repeatedly before his cup of coffee teetered over the edge, crashing to the floor.
Diamond Tiara shifted the camera to her position before pointing at a diagram. “What will it take before we regain control of our city? Our social media page has blown up with over three thousand new followers joining since yesterday’s incident! Continue to lend us your support! We accept all matters of payment!” She stood from her seat and stretched out her shirt, revealing an image of Spider-Man’s face within a red circle having a line crossed over it. “Join our Patreon, and you can get a free shirt as soon as tomorrow!”
Peter turned off his phone before allowing his head to fall onto the table with a smack. Aria paused, staring blankly at the young man as he repeated the process. Magical energies escaped from his body and rushed into her, causing the siren to inhale sharply at the sudden sensation.
“Mind giving me a warning next time before you fall into a pit of misery? You’re giving me nothing but junk food here,” Aria mumbled, retching outwardly. She peeked down and eyed her lower regions with a twitching brow, patting her hips. “I swear, if I gain another pound, I’m killing you.”
Blissfully unaware, Ditzy ate away at a muffin while Trixie stood on the table. “The Friendship Games are upon us! Should Canterlot High continue its winning ways, only the best are allowed to participate!” she boasted, waving her hand dismissively upon glancing at Peter. “Parker, that means you stay out of it. You can join Ditzy and cheerlead.”
“Noted,” Peter mumbled, pausing from smacking his head against the table (albeit briefly) before resuming.
Sunset crossed her arms, furrowing her brow at Trixie. “Oh, stop. Peter can participate if he wants. I know he’d do fine.” The red-haired girl paused, attempting to share a smile with Peter, but he turned his head away from her gaze, murmuring incoherently. Sunset’s eyes softened as she raised a hand, attempting to touch his shoulder, but she paused upon spotting a glare from Aria, who’s frown only seemed to deepen. Clearing her throat, Sunset shifted her gaze skyward and chuckled nervously. “I’m just glad everything’s back to normal.”
“Normal? This group looks anything but!” a voice declared from behind.
All of the girls shifted their gazes while Peter lifted his head, doing the same. Faster than anybody could react, a girl walked up to the table and wrapped her arms around the young man’s neck. Everyone stared at her long, flowing black and white hair as she tightened her hold, smothering Peter as he flailed his free arm about. Sunset stared with a widened gaze while Ditzy continued to chew her treat obliviously. Aria arched a brow, and Trixie cleared her throat, frowning.
The girl feinted a gasp, throwing a hand over her mouth in an exaggerated manner. “Oh, do excuse me! I just never had a chance to thank my friend here.” She relinquished her hold, grinning. “My name is Eris. I was being bullied yesterday by this ruffian before Peter stepped in to help.”
Peter chuckled under his breath. “It was nothing. Seriously.” Placing a hand over her shoulder, the young man shared a glance with everyone. “Meet the newest member of the Loser Brigade.”
Eris leaned to Peter and placed a hand over her mouth, hovering it by his ear. “Remind me to thank you later. I’d love to see how flexible you truly can be.” The young man’s entire face turned beet red as his mouth sank. Eris smiled evilly as she gently caressed his back, causing him to force the lump in his throat down with a swallow. “Oh, you’re going to be so much fun.”
“Chaos is inherent in all compound things. Strive on with diligence.”-Buddha
The End
Author's Note
Special thanks to Edcom02 and ameliacostanza for the artwork!
