Chapter Fourteen "Two Spiders, One Web, Part IV"
Twilight walked on the outskirts of Sweet Apple Acres, unable to raise her saddened gaze from the ground. Her emotions were a whirlwind, shifting from anger to depression without any form of rhythm. She was upset with everypony for not understanding her plight, and her heart ached, threatening to break at the mere thought of her husband leaving her for a reflection of his past. Twilight slowed to a halt, brushing a hoof over her sore eyes.
It wasn't fair to make accusations towards anypony, whether or not there was evidence to support that claim. In any case, she made a scene, and all Twilight had to show for it was immense embarrassment and frustration. The alicorn raised her gaze skyward before letting out a defeated sigh. As a pony that exercised rational choices, Twilight knew that the best solution was to just talk to Peter and Gwen about her feelings. Whether or not they confirmed her worst fears remained to be seen, but for now, she needed to clear the air.
However, as Twilight turned to take her leave, a chill trailed up her spine. She shivered involuntarily before stealing a glance at the dark gathering of trees next to her position, the Everfree Forest. Although her initial fear of the forest had dissipated over the years, a certain level of discomfort remained, and she knew not to travel near the old woods haphazardly, lest she wind up petrified in stone again by a cockatrice… or worse. With a low sigh, the alicorn readied herself to depart, but a being flashed into existence in a burst of light mere hoof-lengths from her position.
Once the energy dissolved, the form of Adagio came into view, the siren bearing a wicked smile. "Are you lost, Princess?"
Twilight inhaled sharply as her eyes widened at the sight. "You! You're one of the sirens. Adagio, right?"
"How flattering. You remembered my name. Too bad it'll be the last thing you recall," Adagio dryly muttered, narrowing her gaze on the princess. Suddenly, something rustled through the leaves of the bushes in the Everfree before several large thorned vines slithered out into view, each closing in on Twilight from countless angles. The trailing plants passed Adagio, ignoring the siren, and she cackled wildly. "They're clearly drawn to you, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Don't keep them waiting!"
One of the vines lunged out towards Twilight, but as it neared, she lowered her horn and fired a magical beam in its direction. However, the energy slammed into the plant, only to seep into its being harmlessly. Twilight's eyes widened at the sight before she jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding the vine's reach. Three of the enhanced weeds from the forest charged the mare with the same ferocity, forcing the alicorn to take flight at the last second, but they maintained their pursuit with seemingly endless range as more joined the chase.
Twilight continued to fire bolts at her pursuers to no avail, with each vine growing in girth and size by the second. One vine raced past the others and wrapped around the alicorn's leg, stopping her flight instantaneously. The others latched onto every limb, including her neck, before slamming the mare roughly to the ground. Twilight desperately attempted to use her magic to free herself from the vines, only for them to remain seemingly unfazed from the mare's efforts. They proceeded to drag her into the deepest reaches of the Everfree Forest even as she desperately persisted in her struggle to escape.
Freeing her hoof momentarily, Twilight weakly struck the burly vines before they entangled her body in a cocoon of thorned, trailing plants. The alicorn released a scream as her world faded to black, retreating into the darkness. Perhaps out of instinct, her hoof reached out one last time, but it was for naught, as one vine slithered around her limb, silencing the mare's protests for good. Adagio felt a surge rumble within her while a dark aura emitted from the vines, and the siren erupted into wild laughter as negative energies rushed into her body at an astonishing rate.
-u-
"So, Princess Luna turned into Nightmare Moon? Wow, that's really something!" Sonata exclaimed, flipping through the pages of what was her third book. "So much has happened while I've been gone. It's gonna take forever just to catch up with the times!"
Peter grinned. "You're actually not that out of touch. Luna was talking in the ancient Canterlot tongue when she came back, and she just got out of that recently." He arched a brow at the siren before managing a smile. "I never would've taken you for the reading type, Sonata. I guess you can't judge a book by its cover."
Mayday exhaled, rolling her eyes. "I knew you couldn't resist saying that. I wanted to beat you to it."
Sonata snorted involuntarily, bursting into short laughter. "Classic!"
After a brief moment, Gwen quietly entered the living room and earned the collective gazes of everypony nearby. Peter waited until the mare took a seat beside him before he placed a hoof over her shoulder. "Hey, there. How are you feeling?"
Gwen inhaled deeply before sighing. "I'm better, but that's not saying much. Mrs. Parker really lightened my mood." She offered the stallion a stern gaze. "Sorry, Peter. I really went off the rails earlier and said some things I really shouldn't have."
Peter's smile remained intact. "Hey, I'm fine. Save your apology for Twilight. You two can kiss and make up when she gets back."
"It's been almost three hours. Does Twilight usually stay gone for this long when she's upset?" Gwen questioned, arching a brow at the clock across the room as its smaller hand neared four.
Peter frowned, folding his hooves together in a nervous manner. "I don't really know. This is a first for me. I've done a decent job of keeping Twilight from snapping too hard."
"Except when you play Hide-or-Die with Mom," Mayday interjected with a nod.
"Those are intentional," Peter stated matter-of-factly, raising a hoof. He walked over to the window and glanced outside before turning to face Gwen. "The last time I unintentionallyreallyticked Twilight off was years ago, back when she was still pregnant with Mayday. Even then, all she did was give me the silent treatment for a bit. It was pretty tame compared to this."
Gwen tilted her head to the side. "What did you do exactly?"
Peter scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I played a game of cat and mouse without telling Twilight. Let's just leave it at that."
Before their conversation could proceed further, a blaring alarm echoed throughout Gwen's cranium. She clutched at her head and shifted her gaze about frantically. "Whoa! Spider Sense! Something's coming!"
Peter furrowed his brow. "I don't sense anything." The stallion paused, glancing off to the side. "Unless my Spider Sense is on the fritz again—?"
Faster than anypony could react, a pair of vines burst through the walls behind Peter before ensnaring the stallion in a vice-like grip and lifting his frame from the ground. A second pair attempted to do the same to Gwen. The mare's sixth sense blared as they neared, allowing her to scoop Mayday into her hooves and flip across the room just out of their range. Aunt May, Trixie, and Spike rushed into the living room, only for a vine to wrap around each of their waists respectively and hold them in place in midair.
Countless vines began to slither around the walls of the Treebrary from the outside, blocking out all forms of light until the entire abode was cocooned in the living plant's hold. The front door slowly opened, and the vines blocking the entrance parted, allowing a silhouette of a caped figure to come into view before hovering inside. Everypony's eyes widened at the individual's identity, recognizing her bright purple fur, wings, and violet mane with the pink and blue streaks at its center. However, her warm gaze had been replaced by a cold, malicious one, as a jade glow emitted from her sclera.
She wore metallic black plates over her hooves with a blue star insignia that resembled her cutie mark at the center. This symbol was on the medal around her neck which held her black cape in place, and its shine was rivaled only by the crown on her head, the insignia being at its center as well. Twilight brushed her cape to the side, never losing her fanged smile in the process. Adagio entered behind the alicorn with a bright tint in her eyes while a dark green aura seeped into her body.
Sonata shook her head wildly. "Adagio?! What's going on?"
Adagio chuckled, shivering involuntarily once her body completely absorbed its share of negative energy. "I just carried out Discord's plan and activated his Plunder Vines. Iassumedyou were in on it," she trailed off, frowning as her friend shot her a look of disapproval. "I should've known better than to give you credit prematurely, but it's fine for now, since the ends met the goal."
Gwen narrowed her gaze on the poofy-maned siren. "What are you talking about? What did you do to Twilight?"
Adagio grinned. "Ididn't do anything. The Plunder Vines have merely unleashed all of the negative emotions that Twilight was holding back. Don't worry, there's nothing wrong with her. She's simply… airing her grievances."
"Indeed," Twilight whispered, her voice held in a dry husk before a stern glare formed in her eyes. She never averted her darkened gaze from Gwen, even as the vines holding her family members captive gently locked them back into their respective rooms while barricading their doors. Peter was the exception, with Twilight raising a hoof to guide the vine holding him closer to her. "I don't blame you for what's happened, dear. I finally understand the problem." She bore down on her teeth, scowling at Gwen. "Sheis the problem. Once I take care of her, things can go back to normal for our family."
Peter strained, attempting to squirm free from the vine's hold around his waist. "Twilight! You're not yourself! You have to fight whatever's controlling you!"
Twilight narrowed her gaze, smiling. "You're right. I've never felt better. However, I am not Twilight anymore. My name is Twivine Sparkle from now on."
That same second, a vine slithered behind Mayday and pulled the filly from Gwen's grasp before she could hope to react. Twivine's horn glowed momentarily as the vine lowered Mayday into her room. "Sit tight, honey. Mommy needs to have a private talk with Daddy and his friend," she growled, slamming the door via magic. The alicorn sharply turned towards Gwen, sending out a force wave, and the blonde was knocked back, flying through the nearest wall into the library. Twivine scoffed. "You're nothing but a homewrecker. I'll never let you take Peter away from me."
Twilight slowly began to trot towards Gwen's position, ignoring the hole in the wall left in her wake, but Sonata stepped in front of the alicorn with her hooves stretched out. "That's enough! Adagio! Stop this!"
Adagio motioned with her hoof, prompting Twivine to step to the side as she approached Sonata with an exasperated glare. "What's wrong with you? Don't tell me that you'veactuallygrown attached to these ponies?"
Sonata nodded. "Yes! They're my friends! Youknowthis isn't right! Peter can help us! You just have to give him a chance!"
Adagio growled under her breath. "You're an idiot. Youalwayshave to let your feelings get in the way of everything! Well, I'm not in the mood to argue with a brick wall. Just stay out of the way. We'll talk about this later." Adagio unleashed a melodic tune from her mouth, generating a magical barrier around Sonata's body. Placing a hoof against the shield, the siren hummed and sent the energy bubble and its captive prey outside of the Treebrary. Adagio slowly followed Sonata, pausing to share a glance with Twivine before stepping outside. "Have your fun, Twivine. We'll speak more about you-know-what later."
Twivine grinned in response, taking a peek inside of the room Gwen had been blasted into, but a hoof struck the side of her face, knocking the alicorn back. She shot a glare towards the source while holding a hoof over the sore spot on her cheek, spotting Gwen in a defensive stance while in her White Widow costume. Twivine sent out a pair of vines after the mare, each attacking from both sides. Gwen ducked under the first attack, causing the plant to strike the wall, and she flipped over the second, diving across the room before throwing a fierce kick into the root of the vine holding Peter in place. The vine relinquished the stallion, and he landed on his hooves next to the mare.
Gwen waved her hoof, holding her masked gaze on the alicorn. "You're naked! Get dressed! I'll hold her off!" Peter nodded, galloping across the room. He avoided a trio of vines, hurdling over the first two before sliding underneath the third to reach the library. Gwen groaned under her breath as Twivine's glare deepened. "Look, I get that you're mad, but this isn't the way to go about it!"
"Mad?" Twivine growled, prompting a vine to erupt from underneath Gwen's position. The plant wrapped around the mare's waist before speeding towards the ceiling, slamming her body repeatedly against the obstruction. Twivine pointed her hoof to the side, and the vine threw Gwen through the nearest door. Magical energy enveloped the mare's body, levitating her from the ground. She was dragged across the floor before skidding to a halt underneath the alicorn. A vine wrapped around her neck, and Twivine snarled. "You haven't seen me mad yet!"
A shockwave generated from around the alicorn's body, rocketing Gwen out of the Treebrary. She rolled across the ground, exhaling once her momentum ceased at the front of the yard. "That girl… has someseriousanger management issues." Hopping to her hooves, she raised a masked brow. "How has Peter evensurvivedtheir marriage this long?"
Twivine materialized behind the White Widow in a burst of light, unleashing a bolt of magical energy. Gwen swayed to the side, narrowly avoiding the projectile before spinning around with a high kick. Twivine's horn glowed and conjured a barrier around her body, deflecting the attack. A pair of vines erupted from the ground, tearing through the earth before surrounding the White Widow. Each lashed out, with Gwen dodging every attempt, but one latched onto the mare's tail, allowing another to slam across her chest.
The blow knocked her to the ground, sending her into a violent roll. The vines neared their stunned prey, but the glider burst from the cellar door, flying into the fray. The mechanism took aim, sending out an electrical burst, and bolts of lightning charred the plants, causing Twivine to collapse to a kneeling position momentarily. Peter, garbed in his Spider-Mane costume, flipped high into the air and landed next to Gwen before offering a hoof.
"Anyone got some weed killer?" he quipped, pulling the mare back to a standing position.
Gwen huffed. "See, this is why I hate plants. If I never see another flower in my life, it'll be too soon!" A series of vines burst from the ground once more, quickly surrounding the pair. Gwen's exasperation only grew, evident by her groans. "I'msogoing to deck the next guy who gives me roses!"
Peter reached down, plucking a nearby daisy from the ground and blindly offering it to the mare. "I guess I just made this awkward."
"Not funny!" Gwen exclaimed, raising her gaze as Twivine hovered over their position.
Twivine looked to the stallion with a disappointed gaze. "So… you've really chosen to betray me? Again?"
Peter waved his hooves defensively. "I'm not betraying you, Twilight. I never will, but I have to get some sense back into you. This isn't you!"
"Do youreallyintend to fight me, Peter?" Twivine questioned, her eyes softening. "Is this really what it's come down to?"
Peter shook his head furiously. "Idon'twant tofightyou! I just want you to come back to your senses!"
"Iamwithin my senses!" Twivine yelled back before letting out a heavy sigh. "I don't want to fight you, either, Peter. Can't you see that?" She glanced to Gwen, pointing a hoof at the mare. "Can you really not see how she's tearing us apart, even now?" She sobered, holding a stern yet saddened glare. "I warn you now. Stay out of this…"
Peter sighed. "I'm sorry, Twilight. You know I can't do that."
Twivine felt her heart sink as her eyes began to water. "So, this is how it's going to be. You reallydochoose her over me."
Peter shook his head. "No! It's not like that! You know it isn't!"
Gwen shook her head. "There's no point trying to reason with her, Peter. She's clearly not herself right now." She glanced to the stallion. "We have to use force."
"I can't justattackmy wife! I won't!" Peter exclaimed, throwing out his forehooves.
Gwen narrowed her gaze. "We're not going tokillher!" She looked up to the mare above them. "We're just going to stop her and figure out how to fix this."
"Sure. Fine," Peter groaned, holding still as the surrounding vines sent tremors coursing through the ground. A violet aura glowed from Twivine's eyes as the plants grew more furious. "I just hope my wife doesn't kill us before then. Promise me you'll be gentle with her."
"You want me to go easy on the demigod that's ready to rip out our guts and hang us by our entrails?" Gwen questioned sarcastically, shifting close to the stallion. "You are way too soft for your own good."
Peter nodded. "She's still my wife. I'm entitled to be gentle with her. Till death do us part, as they say."
Gwen raised a masked eyebrow. "I don't think they meant that so literally. Where does it say in the wedding vow that the wife can murder her husband?"
Spider-Mane shrugged. "Probably in the column that said it was okay for the husband's ex-girlfriend to come back from the dead and ruffle his wife's jimmies. Something told me to read the fine print."
The White Widow released an exasperated groan. "I used to want to be married like you, but then I took an idiot to the heart." She forced a grin. "Oh, who am I kidding? I'mstilljealous of Twilight. I guess I'm a total sucker for your puppy dog love and loyalty."
Peter chuckled. "You like me."
"Shut up," Gwen blankly muttered, thankful that her mask hid the blush burning in her cheeks.
"Enough!" Twivine roared out, slamming a vine on the ground. "It seems I have no choice then. Once I'm finished with you, my Plunder Vines shall spread all across Equestria. I'm going to take what is rightfully mine. If I can't have Peter, then I will have the world. I will rule over Equestria like a goddess."
Gwen paused. "A goddess named Sparkles…?"
Peter shrugged. "Yeah. Twilight, I always said that your name is so cute that it can't be taken seriously. How aboutSparkle-Butt? TheLibrarian? Oh! I got it! TheAdorkable Waifu!" Twivine growled as black clouds filled the previously blue sky. Spider-Mane alternated his gaze between the alicorn and the dark sky, his complexion paling. "Aw, applesauce. I should really start keeping my mouth shut."
Gwen nodded. "You should, but you won't."
Both ponies below alternated their gazes between the growing number of vines around their position. Twivine rubbed a hoof over one, grinning evilly as it hissed in response. The others slithered closer to the pair of spiders. One of the vines lunged out, forcing Peter to deliver a swift uppercut once it was within range. Another came from the side, but Gwen hopped into the air, driving a kick into it from above.
Spider-Mane unleashed an array of webbing, managing to stick several of the plants together, and Gwen attacked their roots with a straight punch, severing their ties to the earth. The vines wilted, dissipating from existence. However, Twivine merely scoffed as her horn emitted a bright light. Somehow, even more vines erupted from the ground and surrounded both Spider-Mane and White Widow, forcing the ponies to stand with their backs against each other.
A pair of vines sped out, capturing both ponies. Gwen freed herself, but the plant retook its hold, wrapping around her neck, waist, and legs while binding her hooves behind her back. Peter reached out to the mare, only for the vine holding him to tighten its hold before it slithered around his hooves, chest, and neck. Twivine walked underneath their position, grinning as both spiders struggled in her grasp.
Peter groaned, straining. "I've seen enough hentai to know wherethisis going."
Gwen exhaled, her speech muffled as a vine slid over her mouth. "Seriously?! At a time like this?! That was too easy, even for you! Have you no shame?!"
"I wouldn't be in this business if I did!" Peter yelled, the vine twisting his body.
Twivine raised her hooves triumphantly. "Submit."
To be continued...