Ultimate Spiders and Magic: Episode VII "Sting of the Scorpion"

Prologue “Corporate Hierarchy”

Deep within the walls of Oscorp, Cinch stood behind a protective glass wall, as rain poured from the night sky. Her steely gaze remained fixed on the clipboard in her grasp, scrolling through the walls of text. Soon, a group of individuals walked into the room behind her position, with one strapped to a traction table. Upon coming to a stop, they paused to tighten the belts on the prone person. The indoor lighting reflected off of his violet armor. While the team continued to assemble a metallic prehensile tail next to his position, another man stomped into the vicinity with a cigar in his mouth.

He inhaled deeply, before releasing a cloud of smoke from his breath, smirking. “I’m telling you, Gargan. That armor looks good on you!” Pausing, he glanced to the side and grumbled. “It’s costing me an arm and leg. It’d better look good and be effective!”

“We assure you, Mr. Jameson. Project Scorpion will yield astronomical results,” Cinch declared, walking forward until she stood over the individual strapped to the table. She monitored the device next to his position, eyeing the numbers projected onto the screen. Pursing her lips, the woman hummed under her breath. “How do you feel, Mr. Gargan?”

“N-Nervous. I-I feel a little funny. Is that n-normal?” the man questioned, shifting his gaze around the room wildly, before momentarily settling his sight on the woman. His eyes fell, narrowing on the armor over his frame. “H-How long do I have to wear this suit? I can’t say I’m crazy about it.”

“Is he okay? Gargan’s not usually so… twitchy,” Jameson asked, rubbing the underside of his chin.

Brushing a free strand of her violet hair behind her ear, Cinch simply huffed. “I assure you that is simply a side effect of the medications we used to prep Mister Gargan for the final surgery. Once completed, he will return to normal. Right now, he must adjust to the cybernetic enhancements and cross-gene splicing first.”

Gargan’s eyes widened. “S-Splicing?! I thought it was just the suit!”

Before Abacus could respond, Jameson waved his hand dismissively and stepped between them. “Oh, don’t be such a baby, Gargan. Doctor’s orders. You could use some enhancements. Anyway, once you stomp that menace, Spider-Man, into the ground, you’ll get paid and be out of that suit in no time!” Puffing, Jameson’s face twisted, as his grizzled features used every muscle to form what appeared to be a smile. “We’ll show them that an officially licensed hero is always better than some hotshot vigilante! You’ll be famous, and the Scorpion will be praised throughout the streets! All that good publicity will give my stock rise! “Just the Facts”, by Jay Jonah Jameson, will be recognized as the greatest news outlook in the world!”

Cinch arched a brow, shaking her head while pecking away at the buttons on the console. “You certainly have… ambitions, Mr. Jameson.” After a brief duration, the woman stood from her seat and approached Gargan. Soon, she placed a plastic mask over his mouth and held it in place. The man’s eyes steadily rolled into the back of his head, as unconsciousness settled in. “On behalf of Norman Osborn and Oscorp Industries, we will be covering the entirety of the cost for Project Scorpion,” Cinch declared, pausing before sharing a brief glance with Jameson. “Consider it our gratitude for your providing a suitable candidate and sharing our vision for a brighter tomorrow.”

Jonah paused, furrowing his brow at the statement, but he dismissed the thought, chuckling loudly. “I like the way you think! Give Norman my regards!”

Exchanging nods, Cinch watched as Jameson exited the room. Once certain he was a fair distance away, she rolled her eyes and exhaled. “That man is insufferable. He thinks far too small.”

“But, he does have his uses. Jonah did provide us with a suitable host,” a voice declared from behind. As Cinch turned towards the source, a dark figure stepped out of the shadows and stood tall. His steely gaze narrowed onto Gargan, before he extended a small microchip to the woman. “Ensure that we implement the mental suggestions and proper programming.”

Nodding, Cinch accepted the item, but she soon paused, furrowing her brow. “Are you certain, Norman? The subject’s psyche is already fractured from the procedures. This could break what little sanity he has left.”

Smirking, Osborn folded his arms. “All the more reason that we simply point Scorpion in the right direction, Abacus. So long as he accomplishes that goal, we are one step closer to completing and perfecting Project Oz,” Norman’s expression stiffened, before he pointed forward, “Now, let’s proceed.”

“Peter! May I inquire with you about a matter?” Doctor Octavious questioned, stepping into the room. He paused, arching a brow upon his younger cohort standing over a desk. “Parker? Did you hear me?” he asked again, receiving no response. Otto shrugged, his eyes narrowing as the boy continued to sort through a pile of disassembled pieces of tech and electronic devices. Once inches apart, the older man reached out and attempted to place his hand onto his shoulder. “You’re really focused, my boy. That’s so unlike you–” he trailed off, inhaling sharply once his hand phased through Peter’s image, causing his entire form to distort. Octavious staggered back, nearly stumbling over the chair behind him. “Egad!”

The boy spun around, levitating from the ground, before hovering over to the man. “I’m sorry, Doc. I have become a ghost! You’ve worked me to death!” he wooed, stretching out his tongue while babbling wildly. Suddenly, his image distorted before static buzzed wildly around him. The boy sheepishly chuckled, as he slowly faded from existence. “Oops! Technical difficulties! We’ll be right back, after a word from our sponsor!”

That second, his image retreated within a light, before sinking into a small cube. Otto blinked at the sight, lowering to a knee next to the device. “What in the name-? A hologram?”

The door behind his position swung open, allowing Peter to enter the room. “Whoa! Sorry about that, Doc! Looks like my project could use a bit of fine tuning!” He took hold of the cube once close enough, frowning while sorting through the wiring within after opening its underside.”Looks like the circuit board is fried. I’ll have to find a substitute for a substantial power source. Maybe I can find something in the dump on the way home.”

Otto’s eyes widened behind his goggles. “How did you come up with such a design?! I haven’t seen anything like that since Quentin Beck’s holographic prototypes, back during our days at Oscorp.”

Peter’s face burned to a shade of pink as his cheeks flushed, prompting the boy to scratch the back of his head sheepishly. “Sorry. I may have borrowed a sample from one of Mysterio’s bots during our scuffle. I made some modifications from his specs, but it’s a little tricky to maintain without the proper resources. I can see why Beck must have been struggling with his finances. He had no choice but to spend everything into maintaining this high end technology. He was working with filet mignon, while I’m trying to replicate it with anchovies.”

“Nobody likes anchovies, my boy,” Otto blankly stated, using a finger to straighten his goggles.

Throwing his hands over his head, Peter scoffed. “Exactly!”

Octavious managed a smirk. “Analogy aside, you have created a piece of cutting edge technology. It took Quentin years to perfect that technology, and you’ve managed to replicate it with little resources! Your skills in guerrilla science certainly continue to impress me!”

Before Peter could respond, a light shone from the cube, while his image materialized back into existence. “Oh, Doctor Octavious! You’re so sweet!” the copy stated, placing his hands over his own cheeks, “Please notice me, senpai!”

Exhaling, Peter rolled his eyes and flipped the switch with the cube. Once the hologram faded from sight, the boy murmured under his breath.“Aaaaand, the personality matrix is on the fritz. I’ll have to make some modifications. It’d be embarrassing if I got cancelled because not me said something stupid.”

Rubbing his chin, Otto pondered the boy’s statement, before eventually giving an affirming nod. “Ah, you intend to use this during your heroic endeavors. I’m sure Quentin would appreciate the homage.”

A low sigh escaped from the boy’s mouth, while his eyes softened. “Yeah. I want some good to come out of the whole Mysterio debacle. I mean, Beck wasn’t a bad guy. Sure, he made a bad choice. By the end of the day, he was just a guy trying to provide for his family, and I ruined Trixie’s life because of it.” Peter glanced to the side, pursing his lips. “Doctor Octavious. Did I do the right thing?”

“Of course. Quentin made his choice. You are not the one who led him astray. Miss Lulumoon is wounded, but I believe she will come around, with time. For now, just give her some space,” Otto declared, his voice firm, yet gentle. He reached out, patting the boy’s shoulder before straightening his own posture. “Now then, young Twilight should be returning to town today. Hopefully, I can introduce her to Doctor Curt Connors, before she can return to her station. Why don’t you take the rest of the day off? Find the piece to your holographic device. If you need assistance, I’ll do what I can.”

The corner of Peter’s mouth managed to curl into a smile. “Thanks, Doc. I’ll do that.” Removing his lab coat from his shoulders, the boy gestured a wave to his older cohort, while making his way towards the exit, “Maybe things around here will be normal for a change.”

For what seemed like an eternity, the sun eventually pierced through the clouds blanketing the sky. The land dried, allowing the residents of Canterlot City to finally exit their homes. Some congregated in their respective social settings. The ice cream parlor seemed to be a popular spot, with several students of both Canterlot and Crystal Prep attending the setting.

Within the corner of the shop, Ditzy stared lovingly at her bowl with a crossed yet focused glare. The cold treat stood firm, with sprinkles showered over its chocolate frame. With a spoon in hand, the blonde girl dug into the dish, pausing momentarily once a cold snap seared through her cranium. Aria simply stared at the girl with a blank expression, blinking once Ditzy rubbed the soreness from her forehead.

“You know you don’t have to eat it all at once, you dingus,” Aria muttered, exhaling once Ditzy seemingly ignored her statement and continued to scarf away at the treat. The girl could only let out a defeated sigh, before throwing a palm over her face. “Why do I even try? Just let natural selection run its course.”

Soon, Trixie left the counter with a bowl in hand and steadily approached the table. Her gaze remained fixated on the ground. However, before she could make any progress, a group of girls stepped in her path, with their arms crossed. Trixie bit down on her lips, walking around the blockade with an unusual silence.

Once she placed the bowl down onto the table, one of the females chuckled mischievously. “Oh, look who it is! The Dumb and Pitiful Fraud’s daughter!”

“Don’t worry, Trixie! I hear that between an escaped prisoner and an orphan, only one of them is wanted!” another girl laughed, causing the others to join in.

Trixie winced at the comment, slamming her eyes shut. Ditzy and Aria shared a glance with each other. Fortunately, a hand slammed onto the table behind their position. The group turned to the source, finding Peter standing firm, with a glare in his eyes. The group grinned before eventually departing the scene. Ditzy’s smile resurfaced as she returned to her bowl, taking a scoop into her mouth, and Aria simply shrugged, letting out a sigh of relief. As soon as Peter turned, Trixie brushed past him without saying a word and avoided his gaze. Aria watched with a furrowed brow, alternating her gaze between the two, and she inhaled sharply, shivering as a sensation coursed through her body.

“Are you okay, Trixie?” Aria questioned, brushing away at the clear energies seeping into her arm. “Did you want to talk about–?”

Brushing her thoughts to the side, Trixie cleared her throat before anyone could comment and took the available seat on the opposite side of the table, adjacent from Peter. “There’s nothing to talk about, Aria! It’s all water under the bridge for the Great and Powerful Trixie!” she exclaimed, waving her hand dismissively. An awkward silence filled the space, making the simple act of breathing difficult, but Trixie forced a nod, glancing to the side. “But thank you for asking. I’m glad to see that someone actually cares about my plight.”

Though indirect, Trixie’s brow lowered until her gaze resembled a glare, and her violet line of sight pierced through Peter at the corner. The boy frowned at the comment, but withheld his silence, crossing his arms in a defeated manner. Aria continued to hold her gaze onto Trixie, blinking as she clutched onto her untouched bowl of ice cream. However, the siren simply turned her attention to the blonde.

“Whatever. So, how was your stupid camping trip?” Aria huffed, sliding her own full bowl of vanilla cream towards Peter. She watched as the boy paused, shrugging before eventually accepting the gesture with a gleeful smile on his face and spoon in hand. “It’s been over a week. So, it must have been fun, right? Anything happen?”

Ditzy blinked obliviously, swirling the sweet substance around in her mouth, before eventually swallowing. “It was fun. I made smores!” she cheered, causing Aria to exhale in an exasperated tone. Eventually swallowing, the blonde waved a spoon about. “Oh! Someone started attacking everyone with giant plants and vines.”

“Wait? What? Giant plants again? Like the ones at the Friendship Games? Who is this chick? Poison Ivy?” Peter blurted out, holding his spoon over the treat, while holding eye contact with the blonde.

Stammering, Ditzy hummed while pursing her lips, before her thoughts eventually settled. “Oh! Her name was Gloriosa Daisy.”

Peter slurped the entirety of the contents in his bowl in what seemed like an instant, leaving no evidence of the endeavor. “How is that name even less subtle? I swear, the parents in this region must have had field days when naming their kids.”

Agitated, Aria glared at the boy. “Disgusting pig!” Grumbling under her breath, the girl gathered herself before easing into her seat. “So, that means our merry band of losers should be back together soon. I can’t say that I miss Bacon Hair or your girlfriend.”

“Fluttershy? She’s not my girlfriend,” Peter simply stated, unable to contain the rising temperature in his face, “She’s just very nice to me. That’s all!”

Trixie watched with a furrowed brow, opening her mouth in hopes of responding, but a loud crash erupted from outside the building. Peter stood from his seat, approaching the window, while many of the patrons within the shop did the same. A pair of police vehicles skidded to a halt by an armored truck across the street. However, a pair of men leapt from the confines of the bank close by, with high technological guns in hand. One aimed the weapon at the closest vehicle, sending out a pulsating wave, and the impact launched the police car into an aerial spiral, until it crashed into the nearest wall.

The officers on scene leapt to the side, finding cover behind dumpsters as the second armed assailant fired at the concrete, causing the ground to erupt with shards of rock flying about. Meanwhile, Peter stepped back and eyed the back door. Just as he readied to leave, Ditzy grabbed his arm with a concerned gaze. The boy cursed under his breath, unable to leave his friend, and Aria shared a glance with him, shaking her head, while Trixie fumbled through her purse in an attempt to locate her phone. Once able, she held out the device and began recording the incident transpiring outside.

However, that same second, a force collided with one of the armed men and sent him careening into a lamppost. The second paused, tilting his head to the side, but a small explosion erupted by his hand, causing him to let out a yelp as he momentarily dropped his firearm. Shaking feeling back into his hands, blue energies materialized into existence around his being. Before long, a giant diamond took shape, and the man punched at the hardened material in a panicked state.

Suddenly, a being lifted the diamond high over their head. They spun around, tossing the rock into the nearest wall, and the diamond shattered upon impact, leaving the man embedded in the stone. Lastly, the first gunman surveyed the damage, his eyes widening at the sight of his unconscious cohort. He quickly retrieved his gun, aiming it at the group surrounding him, but a force pulled away at his weapon until it levitated harmlessly out of his reach. Slackjawed, the man could only watch helplessly, as his only means of defense left him.

Out of nowhere, a hand fell over his shoulder, and just as he turned towards the source, his frame vanished behind a rainbow-patterned blur, while it sped around the vicinity. A silence filled the vicinity, prompting the officers to share a glance with each other, before lifting their gazes from behind the dumpster. Their jaws dropped upon noticing both previously armed assailants rendered unconscious in the back of the squadron car. The surrounding citizens finally managed to locate their colorful rescuers, cheering as the girls gestured waves to the public.

Within the ice cream parlor, many of the patrons rushed outside to do the same. Many took pictures and videos of the group of girls. “Oh! It’s the Rainbooms!”

Meanwhile, Peter stayed in place with a vacant expression. His complexion paled, while horrifying thoughts clouded his mind. The same group of girls that partially hated his guts now had superpowers. Logically, the boy responded in the only matter that made sense to him.

Inhaling deeply, Peter gathered his thoughts and yelled, “Ah, fu–!”

To be continued…