• Published 4th Feb 2012
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Spiders and Magic: Rise of Spider-Mane - Maximus_Reborn



Spider-Man is brought to Equestria for a second chance at life, but his luck may ruin his opportunity before it can truly begin.

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Fashion Sense is Tingling

Chapter Five "Fashion Sense is Tingling"

"One more time," Twilight said, earning an exasperated groan from Spider-Mane. "Come on, Peter. It's not as hard as you think it is."

"Stop watching me so intently. This is weird enough as it is," he said while he aimed his horn, which glowed with bright clear energy, at the large tree in front of him. "Seriously, don't you find this a little weird?"

No response was received from the violet-maned pony. Peter took this as a 'shut up and focus' moment and channeled all of his concentration into his horn. Once sparkles began to fall, Peter fired a small strand of webbing from the tip of his horn, but it did not travel far, floating for an uninspiring couple of meters. Chuckling sheepishly, Peter glanced over at Twilight and silenced himself when he noticed her equally unimpressed expression.

"You were web-swinging just yesterday. What's wrong with you today?"

Peter rolled his eyes. "I'm usually a-okay when it comes to exams, but this feels more like a trip to the doctor than school."

She furrowed her brow. "How is practicing magic weird? You told me you thought it was interesting when we were readingTheWonders of Science and Magic. Now all of a sudden you think it's weird?"

They had been having this discussion for a matter of minutes, and it seemed Peter's insistent complaining was steadily picking away at Twilight's nerves. He didn't mean to. Magic was a form of science in this world, and while his major was chemistry back at home, his inner geek reveled at the opportunity to widen his studies. Right now, it was more of a questionable subject matter that bothered Peter, and Twilight didn't seem to catch it.

"Think about the 'here and now'. Don't you think it's a little unusual for agirlto watch aboyshoot a sticky, white substance out of hishorn?" he said with precise emphasis.

The pair stood silent for what seemed like an eternity. Peter mentally cringed. He was expecting his spider sense to warn him of Twilight's incoming attack for his crude sense of humor, but he grew pale, terrified that his spider sense would not work when said attack was coming. Better yet, she could just take the easy route and kick him out of the house. However, these thoughts were brushed aside when Twilight smiled suddenly.

"Oh, Peter. Mares and colts practice magic together all of the time. So there's nothing to feel weird about," she said innocently.

Times like this made Peter grateful for his mask's design to hide his facial expressions. He could only stare at Twilight slack-jawed, but he shook his head and brought himself back to the magical pony-filled reality he was trapped in. It made him wonder if Twilight was innocent or just egging him on, and judging from the experiences he's had in his crazy life, Peter was able to conjure that girls were unpredictable in every reality. He understood she was a socially awkward nerd, much like himself, but as dense as he was, at least Peter could spot an innuendo right underneath him.

"So... my 'shooting webbing out of my horn' doesn't remind you of anything?" he said, groaning inwardly at the setup he made for himself.

"Of course it does. Spiders thread webbing in a similar manner, correct?" she nodded, causing Peter to slap his forehead.

"I mean something more... suggestive. Remind you of anything?"

"No."

"Nothing at all?"

"No?"

'This is too easy, Twilight. Knock it out of the park, already.'Peter tilted his head to the side. "Does the term 'bow-chicka-bow-wow' ring a bell?"

Twilight's confused expression returned. "What does that mean?"

It was official. Twilight was certainly innocent. Peter shrugged his shoulders in defeated fashion and retook his position in front of the tree. With his horn ready to try its magic again, Peter closed his eyes and dove into his thoughts. Perhaps Twilight wasn't so much innocent, but maybe she honestly had no idea what he was talking about.

After all, while their respective home worlds were similar, there were several differences, too, and there was a chance the art of the mommy and daddy dance were nonexistent here. Peter scoffed. No, Twilight was innocent. The mommy and daddy dance existed in all worlds. Some things are just destined to exist. His eyes went blank. He was thinking about thiswaytoo much.

"Peter, stop! You're too deep in thought!" Twilight yelled, snapping Peter's concentration like a twig.

'Seriously. You are.'Peter groaned inwardly.

"Peter!" Her voice was much louder this time.

The magical energies that engulfed his horn became unruly and spread around his entire body. He concentrated with all of his might, straining to reverse the effect, but it was for naught as his body began to tremble. His body revved up like a small engine before the energy around his body traveled back to his horn. Slamming his eyes shut and turning his head away from Twilight, Peter braced himself for the worst-case scenario. He stood still, not wanting to trigger anything, but as he noticed his horn was no longer sparkling, Peter let out a relieved sigh.

Twilight walked over to Peter with a furrowed brow. "You really need to be careful. You almost had a magical over-"

That same instance, webbing erupted from his horn, like lava would from a volcano, and sent Peter flying through the reaches of the forest until he crashed through a tree and into a boulder. Twilight, on the other hand, couldn't move even if she wanted to. Webbing covered her entire body and everything within a twenty foot radius.

"-load," she muttered.

Her horn sparkled, burning away most of the webbing on her body with the exception of her tail and mane. Paying it no mind, Twilight galloped through the path of destruction Peter created until she found his limp frame and shredded costume still imbedded in the boulder that stopped his unwanted flight.

"Peter, are you okay?"

His head spun like a disc and mind felt as light as air, failing to settle the several distorted images of Twilight back into place. In a dazed state of mind, Peter slurred...

"How do I shot web?"


Dear Princess Celestia,

I must say, magic's a total pain to learn. It's reminding me of the time when I first got my super powers, having to experiment, find my limits, and earn some bruises along the way (in today's case, a concussion). For now, until I learn to properly use my magic, I'm going to go back to using my old web-shooters. The problem is figuring out how to use them without fingers, but something will come to mind.

I feel bad for what happened to Twilight. That's why I'm going to ask you for a second magical tutor. Twilight's a great teacher, but I don't want to stress her out since she's so busy all of the time. Think you can help me?

P.S.- My costume was torn pretty badly in today's accident, too. I used to be able to stitch it back myself, but that was back when I had fingers instead of hooves. Is there a way you can help with that, too?

Signed,

Peter Pony Parker.


Dear Peter,

It's very considerate for you to think of Twilight. I know the perfect pony who can help you with both of your problems. There's no need to be secretive since the two of you have already met.

Go see Rarity first thing in the morning. I'll inform her of the situation.

Sincerely,

Princess Celestia


The morning sun burned brightly overhead, but it only fueled Peter's laziness. A large yawn escaped from his mouth while he walked through Ponyville. He understood that Princess Celestia wanted him to go to Rarity's house in the morning. He figured ten o'clock would be a reasonable time to leave, but Twilight thought otherwise and kicked him out at seven.

"You don't want to be late! The Princess is doing you a favor! Show enthusiasm and be early!"

Peter's eye twitched involuntarily. "Sweet girl... but very high-strung."

As he glanced at his surroundings, Peter marveled at the quaintness of the village. It was nothing compared to New York in terms of size and population, but Peter found the cozy settings of the town to be one of its most endearing traits. Most of the ponies seemed fairly acquainted with each other, and even though he had only been there for a few days, they had already recognized his face somewhat.

Then, there was his friendly neighborhood counterpart. From billboards to posters, Spider-Mane was already thought of as a hero. Peter shook his head inwardly. With his luck, that would all change for the worse. After all, that was exactly what happened back at home. They believed he was a marvel at first, but Jameson's insistent tripe tarnished his reputation, leaving him labeled as a 'menace to society'. Right now, the best Peter could do was enjoy the positive feedback while it lasted.

Finally, after a short travel, Peter finally arrived at his destination. The house was wide, decorated with a red carousel design that would make any pony jealous, and the sight brought a smile to Peter's face. Just a few days ago, Rarity's house was set ablaze, but now it was back as if nothing had happened. Walking up to the door, Peter stopped in his tracks, hesitant to proceed further. He glanced at the backpack on his side and groaned.

This was an easy fix back at home, considering he tore his costume more times than he could count, but it was a matter he was used to handling on his own. In a new world with a new body, Peter was forced to make adjustments, and asking a friend for help dealing with his alter-ego's life was going to be on that list. He gently knocked on the door, still unsure on the choice he had made, but before he could even consider a retreat, the door flew open.

"Peter! Darling!" Rarity said with brightness in her voice. "Princess Celestia told me about your dilemma. Please come inside."

Peter felt his nerve slip. The sight before him was both elegant and bizarre. A fuzzy pink robe rested daintily over Rarity's shoulders and hugged her body tightly. The majority of her violet mane was wrapped into several pink hair-curlers, and a pair of jet black eyeglasses rested over her gorgeous, ocean blue eyes. On one hand, Peter was willing to admit that Rarity lookedbeautiful, but on the other, he couldn't help but ask why a horse was wearing a robe, hair-curlers, and a pair of eyeglasses.

'I sometimes think I'm not trapped in a parallel world, but that I've finally lost my last marble. The latter seems so much more logical than the truth.'

"Really sorry for the early morning visit, Rarity. I would have come by later, but Twilight insisted that I come sooner," Peter said honestly.

Rarity stepped to the side and motioned for Peter to come inside. "It's nothing at all, Dear. I must admit that itisa bit early for my taste, but I marvel at the opportunity to repay the colt who saved my life."

"Seriously, if this is a problem-"

"Stop that. You're reminding me of Fluttershy. Now come inside."

Shrugging his shoulders, Peter did as he was told. The interior of the house was far more impressive than the exterior. The drapes around each window were stitched with the utmost care, the rugs matched the color of the carpet just right, and a fresh scent of vanilla filled the air. It was truly refined, a fair representation of the pony who lived there.

After a few moments, the pair had made it to a large room filled with an assortment of dresses and pony-shaped models. Rarity's horn sparkled, causing clear energy to envelope the curlers in her hair. Each one gently pulled itself free until her entire mane fell behind her shoulder. Peter's eyes widened at the display of beauty, but they quickly grew blank at his sarcastic thoughts.

'Hey, Genius. Stop gawking at a horse- That unusually graceful and beautiful horse that smells of vanilla- SHADDUP!'

"Peter, is something the matter?" Her words pierced his thoughts like a knife through butter.

He shook his head and laughed sheepishly. "Sorry. Your early morning beauty caught me off guard," he said nonchalantly, mentally kicking himself right after.

'Dude! Seriously! Could you come off any lamer- and weirder- for calling a horse 'beautiful'? She IS beautiful though- Oh, my god. SHUT UP!'

Much to his surprise, Rarity giggled. "Thank you, Darling." She stepped to the side and placed her hooves on top of an empty table. "Would you be so kind to hand me your damaged goods?"

"Oh, right," Peter said absentmindedly as if he had forgotten about it.

He reached down for the strap and used his mouth to pull it loose, allowing the backpack to fall ungracefully from his back to the floor. Peter readied to retrieve his possession, but he paused due to a small shadow that loomed over it. A tiny pony stood by the door, her coat was snow white like Rarity's, but her mane was a shade brighter and curlier. Her large green eyes brightened when Peter's chocolate orbs came into contact.

"Hi! Are you a friend of my sister?" Her voice practically squeaked.

Peter turned to Rarity with a curious smile. "Sister?"

Her robe removed itself from her figure and magically stretched out over her bed. Rarity then trotted over by the filly's side. ''I've forgotten my manners. You two have not been properly introduced yet. Peter, this is my baby sister, Sweetie Belle."

'If these ponies get any cuter, I may have to revoke my man-card.'He gave the filly a friendly nod. "Cuteness runs in the family, huh?" He sighed inwardly. 'Pardon me, sir. Give us back your man-cardand your remaining sanity.'

Rarity turned her ocean blue gaze over to her sister. "Sweetie, this is the nice pony who just moved in with Twilight and Spike the other day. His name is Peter Pony Parker. I want you to show him the utmost respect, understood?"

Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes slightly. "I promise to behave. Gosh. I'm not rude, Rarity."

Both sisters playfully stared at each other before Rarity nodded and turned for the sewing table across the room. While she rummaged through her supply case underneath the table, Peter glanced out of the corner of his eye, finding Sweetie Belle staring at him intensively. As a child, Peter figured she didn't know she was staring, but that thought was quickly dashed when Sweetie began to circle around him.

Her emerald eyes shifted up, down, and across his frame. Peter's muscles locked, and he made sure to stand perfectly still. This was clearly an inspection. Perhaps it was her instincts telling her that Peter was not what he seemed. Once Sweetie gasped out loud, Peter felt his heart nearly jump out of his chest.

"Mister! You don't have a cutie mark!" Sweetie Belle said while her eyes grew wider by the second.

Peter let out a relieved sigh. "Oh, I forgot about the mark." He turned and shrugged at his blank flank. "I guess I don't, huh?"

Sweetie's eyes filled with horror, and she leaped, flailing her hooves frantically. "But you're an adult!"

"Does nineteen count as 'adult'?" He said to Rarity, who merely nodded. Peter turned back to the filly. "I guess I am an adult, too. Is it weird for someone-I mean somepony-my age to not have a cutie mark?"

No response was received right away. Instead, Sweetie Belle rushed out of the door faster than a bolt of lightning. A grim look filled Peter's features. He was already an outcast living among creatures from a parallel universe, but it was downright unpleasant knowing he was a freak. His thoughts wandered before he rolled his eyes at a late realization. In a sense, the radioactive spider blood was already a good enough 'freaky' label.

Rarity, noticing the troubled look in Peter's eyes, walked over and gently closed the door to the room. "Don't let it trouble you, Darling. Sweetie Belle's quite eccentric when she wants to be." Her gaze turned serious. "Also, it gives me a chance to work on your secret in peace and without interruption. Now if you may, please?"

"Oh, right."

Peter planted his hoof on his backpack and used his teeth to unzip it open. However, before he could react, magical energies enveloped the costume and caused it to levitate across the room until it landed on top of the sewing table. Peter glanced at Rarity, who was responsible, and chuckled.

"You and Twilight make the magic thing look so easy."

"I assure you, my magic skills pale in comparison to Twilight's, but considering she is Princess Celestia's apprentice, that is to be expected. If you want, I can teach you the basics, but I'm afraid you must rely on Twilight if you wish to learn the advanced techniques. That, however, must wait for another day. Right now, we must discuss a more pressing matter."

Peter's eyes widened at the sudden change of tone in Rarity's voice. "What would that be?"

"You simply must allow me to redesign the entire costume. The tears are too wide, and..." she said, pausing to give Peter a blank stare, "it's simply too tacky."

He raised his hoof defensively. "Oh, come on. It's an original."

"Hard to imagine why," she said sarcastically. "There's no need for a handsome colt such as yourself to wear something so outlandish. Whatever made you settle on such a design?"

"I originally made it for a wrestling competition, but-"

"My word.Youdesigned it?"

"A couple of years ago. Yeah. Still unimpressed?"

Rarity's eyes continued to scan the costume carefully. The serious gaze she carried hinted that she was indeed unimpressed, but it softened and shifted to one of surprise. She planted one hoof on the center of the costume and used the other to stretch the arm out as far as it could reach. Giving a nod of approval, Rarity turned to Peter with a smile on her face.

"While I still say it's tacky, I must say that the technique behind the design is marvelous. It's surprisingly flexible and resilient. You say you made it yourself?"

Peter placed his hoof on the back of his head."It's just a pair of tights. It's nothing-"

"I beg to differ. The fact that you stitched something together so simple and sturdy tells me you have the skills to be a designer."

"You flatter me, but I'm no designer. Like you said, I have tacky taste." His gaze shifted to a model right next to where Rarity stood. It wore a crimson dress with several ocean blue diamonds etched across its entirety. Its glimmer was astounding and left a sparkle in Peter's eye. "I'm no designer, but judging from this beautiful dress, you, Rarity, must be one of the absolute best in this world."

Rarity's face flushed. She attempted to laugh the compliment off only to stammer about clumsily. Clearing her throat, Rarity managed to recollect herself but failed to notice the crimson blush that stained her cheeks ever so.

"I truly appreciate it, Peter. Unfortunately, I've yet to be noticed. Hopefully in the future many others will share your opinion."

"Trust me. Unless they're blind, they have to notice your amazing talent sooner or later."

Her cheeks burned even more intensively. She kept her eyes locked on the costume and away from Peter, but her smile could not be contained as easily."So he's charming AND handsome."

"To be honest, I wasn't too sure about this at first, but after seeing your work, I know people- I mean ponies- will be happy to see the new duds. Would you mind doing me a favor though?"

Rarity turned her head at the sudden change of tone in Peter's voice. Though the smile on his face remained earnest, it contrasted with the sad gaze in his eyes. Peter let out a somber sigh as he walked over to Rarity's side and shared a glance at the shredded costume.

"If it's okay, try not to stray too far from the original design. It's a selfish request, but I'm begging you for this. I wore this costume the day my life was changed forever. The day I made a horrible mistake..."

His voice grew shaky, sending a wave of uneasiness through Rarity's heart. "It reminds you of a mistake? If you don't mind my asking, what happened exactly?" she said, pausing when Peter's saddened eyes made contact with her ocean blue orbs. "Why would you never want to forget about it? Nopony usually likes to remember anything bad, let alone be reminded of it constantly."

Peter shook his head and snapped out of his trance. He mentally slapped himself. That was the second time he almost let his secret out. It was enough that these ponies accepted him into their world with open hearts and promised to keep his identity a secret, but he did not need to trouble them with his unforgivable past. There was a good chance they would hate him if they learned the truth about his uncle. He glanced over to Rarity, whose expression grew worried, and offered an apologetic smile.

"I can't say, but I'd never forgive myself if I forget," he said, forcing down the lump in his throat. Rarity furrowed her brow and gave Peter a stern glare, causing him to chuckle nervously. "I understand if it's too much of a-"

Gently raising her hoof, Rarity shook her head. "It is nothing at all, Dear. I'll take your request under consideration. Luckily, I already have something in mind, and I should have your costume done by tomorrow morning."

"Thanks, Rarity." Giving Rarity an honest smile, Peter turned and made his way to the door. "I feel like I've bothered you enough for one day. I'll see you in the morning."

"Before you go, there's something I need to give you, Peter."

"Okay, but what is-"

His eyes shot open when something warm wrapped around his neck. The scent of vanilla poured into his senses when he realized Rarity had pulled him into a warm embrace with her hoof on his shoulder and her head against his own. Taken aback from this act of affection, Peter felt his muscles lock against their will.

After what seemed like an eternity, Rarity broke away from Peter and giggled softly. "I want to thank you again for saving my life. If there is anything you need- I meananything- please do not hesitate to ask."


Dear Princess Celestia,

I've learned a valuable lesson today. Everypony is different in various ways. Just because one may dress outlandishly does not give another the right to judge them harshly. At first glance, a difference may not sound appealing, but with an open heart, you may find it to be their most endearing trait instead.

Sincerely,

Rarity.


"So everything went okay with Rarity?" Twilight said, keeping her gaze fixed inside of the book on her table.

Peter allowed himself to collapse on the plush couch. Rolling over to his side, Peter said, "Yeah. She said the costume will be fixed sometime tomorrow. Guess that means no heroics for today."

"That's good to hear. It gives us time to practice perfecting your magic."

Reaching for his pillow, Peter tuned out his roommate's words and closed his eyes. However, energy formed around his body, causing him to disappear and reappear behind Twilight. He fell on his stomach with a smack and immediately rolled his eyes at Twilight.

"Oh, come on. It's Saturday! Can't we just practice later today? Like when it's not morning?"

Her gaze had not left her book. "No, Peter. The Galloping Gala is in a week, and I want to show Princess Celestia that you've been studying hard."

"The Galloping what? What is-"

A soft set of knocks at the door interrupted his question. He glanced at Twilight, but she remained focused on her book, prompting Peter to answer the door instead. Pushing the door open, his eyes widened at the sight of three small ponies, Sweetie Belle standing among them. Before Peter could say anything, Sweetie pointed her hoof at Peter.

"That's the pony, Crusaders!"

Peter's eye twitched involuntarily. Sleeping in was out of the question... again.

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