Journal Entry #5
It wasn't hard to get to the warehouse. It also wasn't hard to get into the warehouse. The doors and entryways were barricaded, but there were plenty of broken windows big enough for me to squeeze through. Once I was in I just had to listen closely for the sounds of his panicked footsteps and his cursing.
Eventually I found him on the top floor, taking peeks out the window at the perimeter the cops had set up while nervously holding his gun. "Shit. I need to get out of here."
I growled. "Not gonna happen, murderer!"
He turned and saw me, but in the dim light I couldn't make out his face. If his voice was anything to go by, he was clearly surprised by my appearance. "You!"
I was on him before he could even bring his gun up, slamming my fist into his face and knocking him on his ass. He then tried to shoot me, but a quick yank with my webbing and it was out of his hands. "No, please don't hurt me!"
Grabbing him by the front of his coat and slammed him up against the wall. "That man you murdered! The one whose car you stole? You remember him?" When he didn't answer I pulled him back and slammed him again, this time with a bit more force this time. "ANSWER ME!"
He nodded. "I swear, I didn't mean to kill him. The gun just-"
"SHUT UP!" I got up in his face and said "That man. The one you murdered in cold blood? THAT WAS MY UNCLE!"
"Oh god. Oh god, I-"
I brought my fist back and socked him in the stomach, then motioned my head up to the sky. "God's up there. You're down here. With me."
It was at that moment one of the police searchlights flipped on and illuminated the room. And I saw the man's face.
...
......
Remember when I said in the last journal entry that what you guys were about to read, WAS my fault? Some of your were probably a little confused. After all, how could my Uncle's death be MY fault?
Well the guy who murdered my Uncle, the guy I was now holding against the wall, was the robber.
The same robber who stole all the money from that sleazeball who operated that wrestling ring.
The same guy I let run when I could've stopped him.
The moment I saw his face the realization of all of this hit me like a freight train.
The guy started crying, eventually saying "I'll turn myself in. I'll confess to everything. Just please, please don't kill me."
I looked him right in the eyes, before raising up my fist. "I could kill you. I should kill you. Take away everything you took from Benjamin Sentry!"
He closed his eyes, probably expecting me to make good on my statement.
And I'm not gonna lie, I DID consider it.
Finally, I sighed and finished "But he'd never approve. With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility." I set him on the floor and webbed his hands together. "You'll confess to every crime you've ever committed. You'll spend the rest of your miserable life in prison. And if you ever, and I mean EVER, set foot in the outside world, I will know. I will find you. And I will break you. Got it." He nodded, and I webbed him up to the wall, just to make sure he didn't
As I turned to leave I heard him say "I'm sorry."
Not even bothering to turn around, I replied "Not as sorry as I am."
I managed to get out of the warehouse without anyone seeing me. Once I was far enough away, the weight of everything that happened finally came down on me. I tore my mask off, collapsed against the wall, and just sobbed. I don't know how long I was crying, but by the time I stopped I noticed that it had started raining. Almost like the heavens were mirroring how I felt.
My phone buzzed, and once I pulled it out of the pocket I had in my suit I saw that I missed about seven calls. All from Aunt May. Oh God.
Sighing, I answered the phone. "Hey Aunt May," I said, surprising myself at how hoarse my voice was. "Uncle Ben... he's-"
"I know," she replied, and I could tell that she's been crying this whole time. "I tried to call you, but-"
"I know. I'm sorry I didn't pick up. I was at the grocery store."
"Oh no."
"And I saw... I saw..." Fresh tears welled up, but I choked back my sobs and said "I'm on my way home. I'll... I'll be there soon."
"I love you, Flash."
"I love you too, Aunt May."
After I hung up I whirled around and slammed my fist into the wall behind me; partly out of grief but mostly out of anger.
My Uncle was dead because of me.
My Aunt was a sobbing mess because of me.
My Aunt was a widow because of me.
All of this... all of it was because of me.
Because of me.
Because of me.
The first week after his death was the worst. I barely left my room except to go to the bathroom. I couldn't sleep. I could barely eat. Finally I realized that what I was doing was no doubt hurting Aunt May, so I had to get help. Four days after Uncle Ben's death, Aunt May and I went to see a counselor. It didn't help much, but it did make us feel a little better.
Even then the start of the second week, when I went back to school, wasn't much better. Everyone treaded around me like the ground around me was made of glass or really thin ice. And then there was the constant uttering of "I'm sorry for your loss."
Yeah, to anyone who has a friend who loses a loved one, do us all a favor. Don't say that. It doesn't help. We know you're trying to help but it doesn't make us feel any better.*
I was barely able to focus on school. My mind kept drifting back to that night. To seeing the dead body of Uncle Ben and knowing that it was my fault.
Even with the counselling and with some support from Thorax and Aunt May, I still couldn't seem to break out of this funk of self-loathing and depression I fell into. Or rather, I caused.
But surprisingly what finally snapped me out of it was my ex-girlfriend, Sunset Shimmer.
She tracked me down after school one day to talk to me. We talked back and forth for a bit, just small stuff, but eventually she got to the point.
"I don't know what this is like," she said. "What it's like to lose a member of your family."
I looked at her confused. "Why wouldn't you?"
Then I realized that even when we were "dating" (Air quotes because we never held hands or kissed, it was more of a hang-out-with-me-and-act-like-we're-together thing.) I never really asked her or found out about her past. She never talked about it. Then again considering what I found during the Fall Formal, I'd probably never believe her anyway.
And then the pieces started clicking together. "You don't have a family?"
She shook her head sadly. "I grew up on the streets of Canterlot, the capital city of Equestria. I didn't have a mom, or a dad, or anything close to a family. The closest I got was when Princess Celestia took me off the streets when I became her personal student. I got a room, a bed, pretty much anything I wanted. But then I became a power-obsessed bitch who wanted to be a princess without earning it, ran away through the mirror into this world, went back and stole a crown from the actual princess, and you know where the story goes from there."
I nodded. "Yeah. Not everyday your ex-girlfriend pulls the Devil Trigger."
She giggled. "Devil May Cry. Really?"
"What? It's a good game. The original, anyway. The remake's kinda meh."
She nodded, and then said "After the Fall Formal I was broke. I had hit rock bottom and pretty much everyone saw me as a pathetic wretch who had just gotten her ass kicked. And I hated it. I hated myself. I tried my best to close myself off from everyone and everything. Just forget the world and try and survive."
I nodded, knowing how she felt. "That sounds familiar."
"But my friends didn't let me. No matter how hard I tried to keep them out, the managed to worm their way in and get me to open up. To see that I was wrong and that I couldn't just close myself off from the world. That really I was hurting myself by doing so." Looking at me she added "If it weren't for them, I probably wouldn't be here."
"You were thinking of going back home?"
She shook her head. "No." She then pulled back the sleeve of her jacket-
-and to my horror there were three scars on her right wrist. "Sunset. You actually-?"
She nodded. "That's how low I fell. Turns out, closing yourself off from the rest of the world only makes you feel worse." Pulling her sleeve back down she continued "Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie somehow knew I was going to do this. They found me, broke down my door, and managed to stop me before I went too far." A few tears fell from her eyes. "They saved me from myself." Wiping her eyes she continued "After that, I started opening up. I started hanging out with them more. Soon enough I ended up actually being their friends."
"And then you saved all of our asses at the Battle of the Bands, and the rest is history," I finished.
She smiled. "Yeah." She put a hand on my shoulder and said "Don't make the same mistake I did. It may seem to make the pain go away; but trust me, closing yourself off is just going to make it hurt worse. For you and the people who care about you."
I had to fight the urge to slap myself across the face once she finished. I was so caught up in my self-loathing that I never bothered to think about how Aunt May was feeling. It hurt for me because Uncle Ben was the closest thing to a father I ever had. But Aunt May? Uncle Ben was her husband for twenty-five years, more than likely her best friend for years beforehand. She's probably feeling worse than I could ever feel.
And me just moping around, brooding? That's probably hurting her far worse than Uncle Ben's death ever could.
"Thanks Sunset," I said, giving her a quick hug and avoiding the spikes on her jacket. "For getting me to get my head out of my ass."
She smiled. "Anytime."
As I turned to leave she said "Hey." I turned around and she continued "I'm sorry. For using you like I did. You're a great guy and you definitely didn't deserve to be used as a tool."
I shrugged. "It's fine. Believe it or not, you're not the first to pull something like that."
"That doesn't make me feel better."
"Look, it's high school. You're not the only girl to date a guy simply for popularity. Trust me on that one. Besides, you saved the world and turned your life around, so I'd say you more than made up for it."
She smiled. "Thanks."
As I started to walk out the door, I said "If it makes you feel any better, I always thought you were a good person. You just needed someone to help you see the light."
"Well, Princess Twilight and the Rainbooms definitely made me see it."
"Probably could've done without the 'blasting you into a crater' part though."
We both laughed at that, and for the first time in a long time, I felt happy. A weight had been... not lifted per se, but lessened.
We held Uncle Ben's funeral at the end of the second week. The Rainbooms, Thorax, my Uncle's co-workers, some of our friends, and me and Aunt May were all in attendance. It was small, but Uncle Ben wouldn't have cared. He used to joke that he'd be happy if people just showed up at his funeral. Well, he's certainly happy now.
After it was over Thorax and I decided to head over to the Testing Ground. We talked for a bit like normal people.
But finally, I had to say it.
"Let me get this straight," Thorax said after I told him my plan. "You want to become a superhero."
I nodded. "I know it sounds crazy-"
"Understatement of the century."
"-but yeah. I want to use these powers to help the people in this city."
Thorax was quiet for a moment, before finally asking "Why?"
I knew this was going to be asked, so I told him the truth. "I could've stopped that thief without any problems, but I didn't. I let him run free. And because of that, Uncle Ben died."
"You couldn't have known that was going to happen."
"Keep saying it for a few more years and I might believe it," I grumbled. "But it's not just about that. When Uncle Ben told me about responsibility, I thought he meant to my family. I was wrong." I looked at my hands, and subsequently at the Web Shooters around my wrists. "These powers; I don't know whether it was random or if someone up above decided to give them to me. But I know one thing." I looked out the window at the city. "The Avengers save the world. They focus on the big picture. But who's here in New York to look after the little guy? Who's here to stop wrestling ring robbers and carjackers? Who's here to stop muggers and purse-snatchers? Who's here to try and make sure there's no more uncles getting shot just because some asshole wants their car?"
"Well honestly I think Iron Man, the guy with enough weapons in his suit to take down entire armies, stopping purse-snatchers would be a bit overkill," Thorax joked. "But I see your point. This city needs help."
"And with these powers, I can help it. THAT, is my responsibility." I sighed. "I may not have Tony Stark's tech, or Captain America's years of experience. But that doesn't mean I can't help. Even if it's just stopping purse-snatchers."
Thorax seemed to be debating in his head for a few minutes, before finally saying "Okay then. Let's do it."
I smiled and we exchanged a fist bump. "Glad to see you're on board."
"Well I figured I can at least try and help make sure you don't get killed. Because you're my best friend and I care."
"Good to know."
"Besides, if you get killed out there who's gonna help me with my Biology homework?"
I laughed, knowing he was joking. He didn't really need help with his homework.
A few nights later I stood on the side of the Empire State Building, suited up and Web Shooter's loaded. I made sure the earpiece I made out of an old Bluetooth headset was firmly stuck in my ear. "Testing 1 2 3."
Thorax's voice, a little static-y, replied "I read you loud and clear, Spidey. Police scanner says there's a car chase on 7th street."
"I'm on my way."
I pulled the mask on over my head, looking out over the city. "Look out New York. Here's comes Spider-Man."
And with that I leaped off of the building...
That was how my story started.
But it's not over yet.
Sadly though, I'm out of paper in this journal so you'll have to wait for the next chapter of my life as Spider-Man.
When Tony Stark came and drafted me into the Avengers Civil War.
Ooooooh! I don't know why, but there's something extra hearthwrenching for me about Flash Sentry being in pain. I know he's a big boy, and he can take it, but gosh! It just hurts SO BAD! I just want to give him all the hugs.
"long sigh" I am such a girl.
Now that we know how we got here, we can focus on the more important stuff.
All I can say is great job on the action, exchanges, characterizations and overall resolution of the flashback chapter. Yeah. I can definitely relate to the whole "losing your loved ones" deal (based on experience concerning both my mother AND my maternal grandfather) and yeah, I DID like how Sunset managed to help get through to Flash. Though, yikes, I didn't know Sunset actually considered suicide. Flash's reasoning for becoming a crime fighter kind of reminds me a bit of what Green Arrow said in "Justice League Unlimited" about how the big name heroes focus so much on saving the planet and battling the major stuff that somebody needs to look out for the little guy.
This was a surprise, seeing another chapter so soon. But I welcome it!
Flash confronting his Uncle's killer was intense, and his breakdown afterwords when he realizes it was his fault was heartbreaking. The killer saying that his murder of Uncle Ben and apologizing for it was also inspired from the Spectacular Spider-Man cartoon wasn't it?
It was nice to see Sunset talk Flash out of his stump. Hearing how Sunset almost committed suicide was shocking, though honestly not the first time I had seen it done in a story. Though her having the scars from it definitely helped prove her point. I don't really think you need the suicide/self-harm tag if this is the only occurrence of it in the whole story and it isn't a constant them.
Flash's reasoning for being a hero, wanting to help the little guy, is definitely reasonable and what being a "Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man" is about. It also reminds me of why Green Arrow initially refused to join the Justice League in Justice League Unlimited, because he thought they, like the Avengers, focused too much on saving the world instead of petty crimes. Though like Batman said to Green Arrow, the big threats like to step on the little guy, and I can tell monsters like Thanos have stepped on more than a few.
Still didn't find out who's reading this. Though if the flashbacks are going to restart much later from now....not sure who it could be. I'm guessing its someone we haven't met yet.
A very nice set of duel chapters.
Also, I'm calling it now. That burglar? Gonna show up again later.
9691219
You think this is bad. Wait until we get to the Snap.
9691277
Yep.
9691329
Thanks.
Sorry to hear about that. For me it was my Great-Grandma.
9691436
I missed the Green Arrow episode. I was actually basing it more on this scene from Civil War.
9691451
You'll just have to wait and see.
9691529
Maybe. Maybe not.
9691939 Same here. Also, has anyone noticed the spiderman films always have a green villain be Spidy's first opponent.
Great chapter, and cool to see it so quickly after the previous one. Damn, I really liked Peter and Sunset's talk there. And how he decided to start his career as a superhero. Well, calling? Destiny? Whatever. You did a great job. :)
A bit of a back story in this particular universe, :D, now let's see what is next.
9691607
Gotcha.
Anyway, for some reason, I can't help thinking of a few possible scenes seven years down the road (I say "seven years" due to "Infinity War" AND "Endgame"):
Flash: We already have a next Captain America, but now we need a next Iron Person.
Twilight: Person?
Flash: Well, yeah, it seems a bit more gender neutral and besides, you DO have the tech skills. Not to mention more experience against the big stuff. I mean, I'm more used to muggers, bank robbers, purse snatchers and the occasional super-powered nutjob. You and the other Rainbooms battle a few more of the "fate of the world" type baddies.
Or:
Flash: What about Thor?
Nick: Off planet.
Twilight: Hulk?
Nick: Still getting used to his new arm. Won't be ready in time to help.
Flash: Doctor Strange?
Twilight: Or Sunset?
Nick: They're both unavailable.
Flash: Captain Marvel?
Nick: DO NOT invoke that name.
Twilight: And I thought Flash and I had issues concerning Cinch.
Nick: Look, the point is that the two of you are all I've got right now and I am going to need you both to step up.
or
Flash: Great. ANOTHER Mysterio.
Quentin: ANOTHER?
Twilight: We've had some run-ins with a villain going by the name Mysterio who had a pretty similar costume. Though, in our case, the Mysterio we are used to is Trixie's father, Jack Pot.
Quentin: Well, I am nothing like THAT Mysterio. I'm trying to stop these elemental monsters from destroying this world as they've destroyed mine.
Flash/Twilight: This world? Yours?
Quentin: Believe it or not, I'm from another dimension. And am the only survivor other than those - creatures.
Okay. Sorry about that. Got so excited that I was thinking TOO FAR ahead.
9692636
These scenarios are good, save for one problem. I'm not having the five year time skip that was in Endgame. I'm going in a different direction than the movie.
And I'm going in a different direction for certain members of the Rainbooms getting powers. spoilers.
9692649
Fair enough.
9692655
That being said, Gaia Everfree will still be appearing sometime down the line. Trust me.
9692616
Hopefully you won't have to wait long.
9692655
Also, I do like the second and third ones. Mind if I use them?
Arrgghhhhh
I need moar
9694152
Working on the next chapter as we speak. Please be patient.
Also, Fluttershy doesn't scare me, so try again. :p
9694079
Go right ahead. Thanks for liking the ideas.
9694176
Your stories are just too good man
I can DEFINITELY be patient with good stories like this.
9694201
Thank you and you're welcome.
Based on what I'm seeing from the trailers and some leaked footage, it looks like the Mysterio in Far From Home may very well be a hero. But I've seen seasons 1 and 2 of the CW Flash, so I know that looks can be deceiving. Guess I'll just wait to see the movie.
Speaking of, I still need to get a copy of Into The Spider-Verse. It looks awesome!
9694267
Well, I find it's better to be Late and be Good, rather than to be Early and Be Bad. Or in the case of my earliest stories on DA, half-finished and never seeing the end credits.
9692636
Why would Fury have issues with Captain Marvel? I thought they were friends. Keep in mind that I have never read the comics.
9694383
I have yet to watch the Captain Marvel movie, so I wouldn't know.
9694400
I've seen it, and that's why I'm asking.
9694429
Then your guess is as good as mine.
9694383
To be completely honest, I don't know. I just remembered that scene from the more recent previews of "Spider-Man: Far From Home" and liked the scene enough to try to do a SLIGHTLY modified version.
9694938
Does he now? Is that in later chapters? Because I didn't see anything that invalidated any of the points I made in the author notes of either the first or second chapters.
Besides, no offence, but I'd probably like to see a response from Equestria Defender about the points I brought up rather than have you say that he already explains his reasoning later on...especially since I went out of my way to respond to every single one of his comments in my own story.
9695732
Glad to see a response, and I do understand most of the points you made in it.
There we are on the same page. He's just so lovable that its hard not to add him into the EG universe. Though given that most of the things that made him interesting has to do with the fact that he's a Changeling, making a human version of him work could be difficult.
Anyway, remember that small cameo he had in my story, when Rainbow saved him from Garble and his gang? Well, that's not the last we'll see of him in that story.
Hmmm...yes, that does line up with 'Godslittleprincess' said about it feeling more like a crossover story later on. I'll just read ahead and see when I next get the time to do so.
Yeah, I think that's more of a Spider-Gwen thing than a Peter Parker thing.
I see your point. Though would you believe me if I said that I've combined every single one of the ones you mentioned with an MLP character in my own story? Though given that its a complete alternate universe, it might be easier that way.
Also, now that you mentioned a Spider-Man villain named Swarm, I actually had to look up who he was, and now...now I know there's a Spider-Man villain made of bees...who's also a freaking Nazi! Somehow that's more ridiculous than that guy who ate a spider and then turned into a whole army of them.
Marvel never ceases to amaze me.
I was writing it right at this very moment (even though I should go to bed) and am currently about a fourth of the chapter done. It is the last part of the Cold Blood episode and will actually contain a Flash Sentry cameo interestingly enough.
Anyway, I'll continue reading this and give my thoughts on it as I go. See you around.
9695809
See you around.
Wow... I must admit, I didn't expect that scene with Sunset Shimmer talking to Flash about everything that happened, but I must admit, I really, really liked that whole bit. I thought it did a good job of character work for both her (the suicide thing's been handled in other stories, admittedly, but I think it worked well enough here) and for him as well. Solid work, man.
9702359
Thank you.
I was actually more worried that people would come at me with comments like "Sunset would never do that" or "why are you writing Sunset OOC." Glad to see that didn't happen.
And some of it is actually a bit of foreshadowing for her future story in the EQGMU.
Plus, since I don't think we saw it in canon I wanted to write a scene where Sunset apologized for what she did to Flash. I think I did it pretty well.