Chapter Fifteen "Two Spiders, One Web, Part V"
The vines wrapped around their bodies tightened, slowly squeezing the life out of both ponies. Peter strained, feeling some of the thorns grind against his being. "This isexactlyhow I saw my day going."
Gwen struggled in her vine's grasp, wincing as its binding continued. "Is your wife always this crazy? I mean, actions speak louder than words, and my crushed ribs are screaming that she's loony."
"Well, there was that one time in bed that Twilight got a little crazy, but I mean that in the most complimentary way possible. Did you know that dorks are the biggest perverts?" Peter questioned, managing to slide a hoof over the vine around his waist.
Gwen nodded, swaying her hips enough to loosen her vine's grip on her midsection. "That explains a lot. Tentacles don't really do it for me. I think your wife is going about this all wrong, and I thank the heavens for that."
Peter slowly pried the vine from his waist. "Speaking of which, are the three of us into some sort of whackjob psycho-sexual thing, or are we in actual peril? Just wanted to check because I feel like we're entering a weird area right now. I'm up for trying new things, Twilight, but I have my limits."
"Silence!" Twivine howled, the corner of her mouth twitching as she scowled. "I will not tolerate your insolence anymore!"
"Hey, princess! Bap!" Gwen exclaimed, shaking furiously in midair.
Twivine arched a brow at the mare. "What?"
Faster than the alicorn could react, Gwen slipped free and landed mere hoof-lengths away. "I said…bap!" she screamed, delivering a fierce punch to the jaw.
The blow staggered Twivine, but she shrugged it off, retaliating by firing a magical beam at her foe. Gwen flipped to the side as the attack detonated upon striking the ground. A shockwave erupted from the impact which sent the White Widow flying, but the mare landed on her hind legs, skidding across the ground until her momentum ceased. Gwen raced towards the alicorn in an upright sprint, dodging every bolt of energy shot in her direction with swift movements. However, a vine burst from the ground and wrapped around the mare's tail, stopping her momentum instantaneously along with a burst of pain from the base of the seized appendage.
Gwen snapped her head back. "Crap! Not again— Ah!" The vine lifted the mare into the air by her tail before it slammed her into the ground with enough force to shatter the earth and generate a dust cloud. Twivine walked over to the newly formed crater, smiling as Gwen slowly climbed out of the rocky ditch. Peter flipped over the alicorn's head, unleashing an array of webbing around her frame. The gossamer glowed as Twilight's horn emitted magic, and the energy dissolved harmlessly, causing the alicorn to growl under her breath. While Peter helped Gwen to a standing position, the mare shook the cobwebs out of her head. "You think that'll hold her?"
Spider-Mane nodded. "It should slow her down. She doesn't have super strength to break the webbing, and it cancels out her magic, so I'd say we're good." One of the thorned vines dipped behind the alicorn, cutting the gossamer free. Twivine held a bemused glare as the entire collection of thorned vines hissed at the opposing duo of ponies. Peter exhaled. "Well, I've been wrong before."
Twivine unleashed a wave of energy, sending both ponies crashing against the vines surrounding the Treebrary. Gwen landed on her back and shook her head. "This is going well."
Peter groaned, pulling himself up to a sitting position. "We have to snap Twilight out of this without hurting her. I know she's still in there somewhere."
Gwen winced, rubbing a hoof against her hip. "Even if Twilight is in there, she doesn't seem too eager to talk to us. What makes you so sure she'll listen?"
"You haven't seen Twilight mad. When she's serious, you can tell. She's holding back," Peter muttered, spinning his legs before flipping to a defensive stance.
Gwen performed a rising hoofspring, tilting her head to the side at the stallion. "Thisis holding back? Just how powerful is Twilight?"
Peter shook his head. "You don't wanna know. Trust me."
"You sure can pick them," Gwen snorted, her masked eyes furrowing as the alicorn slowly approached their position while hovering. "So, what now? You want us to hold back against someone that can vaporize us without batting an eye? Fine. I'm stupid enough to listen to your suicidal advice. So,pleasetell me that you at least have a plan?"
Peter nodded. "I do, actually. I know how she ticks. We're going to be as annoying as possible."
Gwen raised a masked eyebrow. "Wait. Didn't you just say that she's holding back? Now, you want us to go and make her genuinely mad?"
Peter chuckled, motioning with a hoof. "Twilight's powerful, really smart, andveryby the book, but there is one thing she is really bad at. She loses her focus and is distracted really easily when she's mad or frustrated. Why do you think I love teasing her so much? It's so easy to get a reaction out of her. Now, add in the fact that she has a short temper, I just can't help myself. It's fun," he trailed off, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "Besides, she's really cute when she's angry. Have you seen her when she's flustered? It's adorable. She does this thing where she purses her lips out and pouts."
Twivine's face scrunched, her lower lip poking out instinctively. "I-I, I do not!"
Peter grinned, glancing back to Gwen. "See what I mean? I've come to know my wife really well over all these years." The stallion chuckled, removing his mask before tossing it to Gwen. "Just sit back. I got this. A husband's about to annoy his wife to the point of no return."
Catching the stallion's mask, Gwen's blank eyes widened. "Wait.That'syour plan?!"
Peter turned, offering the mare a confident wink. "Trust me! I got this all figured out."
Removing her own mask, Gwen folded her forehooves with a skeptical frown. "It's your funeral..."
Peter shook his head. "Nah. Twilight's still in there somewhere. She won't kill me." The stallion glanced off to the side with an uneasy smile. "I hope..." Pausing for a moment, he cleared his throat before turning to his wife. "Hey, Twilight!"
"Twilight is gone! I am Twivine!" the alicorn barked, narrowing her gaze on the stallion.
Peter waved his hoof dismissively. "Really? You keep responding to Twilight, but you keep insisting your name is Twivine? Are you dealing with an identity crisis? If so, I know this great psychiatrist in Baltimare you could go see about that. He can even help you with your anger management issues!"
Twivine growled. "I donothave an identity crisis! Nor do I need to see Dr. Tranquil Flow foranyreason!"
Peter waved a hoof. "Ah-ah-ah! OnlyTwilightwould know that! You're not Twilight,right~?" Twivine's growling grew in ferocity, her horn beginning to take a violet glow, and the surrounding vines hissed violently in response. However, Peter didn't falter and instead leaned against a rock with a hoof, holding a blank stare. "Now, see? That's why I tell everyponyyou'rethe abusive one in this relationship. You have 'attack-first-and-ask-questions-never' programmed into you. We'resogoing to need couple's therapy, because you never take into account howIfeel!"
Twivine's eyes softened, her angry expression faltering. "That's... that's not true..."
Gwen craned her neck back. "Wow. She's like an emotional yo-yo! Your wife's not bipolar, is she?" The mare glanced off to the side. "I can't believe I'm actually going along with this…"
"I amnotbipolar!" Twivine shouted at the top of her lungs, stomping a hoof into the earth with enough force to cause a vine to sprout out from behind her and speed towards Gwen. "Will you two take this seriously?!"
Sidestepping the attack before the vine crashed down next to her, Gwen furrowed her brow. "Well, that was easy..."
Peter laughed, holding a wide smile. "Like I said, she loses focus when she's angry. And I'm just getting started." The stallion pointed at the alicorn. "You say you're not Twilight, huh? How about if I tell Gwen a couple of your secrets? Like, did you know that Twilight had a crush on Princess Celestia until she was fifteen!Fifteen! Can you believe that? Talk about a teacher's pet!"
Flustered, Twivine's irises flashed to a shade of bright violet before retaking their darker tone. "Shut up! You promised not to tell anypony about that!"
Peter waved his hoof dismissively, sharing a glance with Gwen. "Wanna know something else? Twilight's thong size is much bigger than you think!"
Twivine's face was as red as a tomato, and the vines wiggled freely, as if losing connection to the alicorn. She gritted her teeth in spite of the pink blush filling her cheeks, whining, "Stop it!"
Peter motioned his hooves suggestively and swayed his hips. "I like big butts, and I cannot lie~! You other brothers can't deny~! My wife's size eighteen plot~! She drops it like it's hot~!"
Twivine shook her head furiously, unable to hide her embarrassment. "I-It's not that big anymore! I've lost weight!"
Peter cackled. "That was Mayday's weight you lost! You got it right back when you gave birth to Ben, but trust me! I'm not complaining! The extra weight went to the right spot! Those early morning slaps on the butt I give you every morning? That's my way of saying thank you!" The stallion winked at Gwen. "Twilight says you're welcome in her own way! Did you knowshe'sthe one that instigates my perviness? Librarians are closet pervs, and Twilight's no exception. She keeps a latex suit for Funday Sundays!"
A small vein throbbed over the alicorn's temple, and the temperature in her face escalated to the boiling point, evident by the beads of sweat forming over her forehead. The bright green glow in her eyes dissolved, returning to its normal violet shade fully. The vines lost their luster, standing idly while the mare shook her head. Suddenly, tremors shook the earth furiously before the vines began to wiggle about wildly.
The alicorn narrowed her gaze, inhaling deeply as her entire body emitted a luminous magical aura. Violet energies enveloped the vines surrounding the Treebrary, and the entire plant's strands relinquished their hold on the home, sinking back into the ground harmlessly. Twilight's wings flapped, lifting her body into the air, and she turned to face the remaining vines, each hissing before lunging towards the alicorn. Her eyes shot open, her irises fading behind a blinding light.
A violet bubble shield materialized around her body, deflecting every blow as the apparent dozens of vines lashed out in wild whipping motions. The tip of the alicorn's horn held a bright glow, and the vines slowed to a halt, retreating back underground. The dark clouds in the sky faded from sight, allowing the atmosphere to reclaim its clear beauty. As quickly as it came, peace overcame chaos, and Twilight levitated back to the ground, her dark attire disappearing from sight.
Gwen stared at the alicorn with a widened gaze, slack-jawed as she turned to face the stallion. "Whoa. You weren't kidding. Twilight's a powerhouse."
Peter nodded triumphantly. "I told you so! That's my wife!" The stallion stood, giddy as he raced to the alicorn with open hooves. "Honey! I'm so happy that you're—!"
Like lightning to a bolt, Twilight threw her hoof into Peter's forehead with an earth-shattering crack. Gwen blinked, watching as the stallion tumbled back in a heap with the scowling princess standing over him. Not even the strongest there is, the Incredible Hulk, could match the strength of a furious wife's scorn, and the greatest superhero in history was once again bested effortlessly by a dainty pony princess in a single blow. Yet Peter knew of this glaring weakness and embraced it, wrapping his hooves around Twilight's body lovingly in spite of the mare's clear irritation with him.
Peter rubbed his cheek against Twilight's affectionately while a knot swelled under his horn. With a growl, Twilight managed to pull away from the embrace before locking Peter's head within her forelegs, twisting his neck to the side. "I can't believe yousaidall that!"
"I can't believe youhitme!" Peter strained, struggling within the mare's grasp. "Somepony call the cops! This is clearly domestic abuse!"
Gwen chuckled. "To be fair, I would've decked you, too, had I been in her shoes. You don't kiss and tell." She smirked, folding her forelegs. "You're on your own in this round, Spider-Mane."
Despite the great difference in strength, the mare's submission became too much for Spider-Mane to bear, prompting him to slap the ground with a hoof repeatedly. "Uncle! I give up! I'm sorry!"
Twilight closed her eyes, gritting her teeth as her eyebrow twitched momentarily before releasing her hold on the stallion. "Fine, but if youeverdo that again…" Peter pulled himself to a standing position, never losing his smile. He leaned forward, planting a soft kiss on Twilight's forehead before pulling her back into a warm embrace. The alicorn let out a sigh, eventually returning the gesture and burying her face into the stallion's chest. "You know me too well… I'm so sorry."
Peter managed a smile. "I'm supposed to. I love you. Don't worry about it." His ears perked at a soft sound. He peeked down, finding Twilight lost in a slumber. The stallion grinned before lifting the mare bridal style in his hooves. Gwen joined his side, both ponies sharing a smile. Peter turned his gaze to the front yard and surveyed the extent of damage done to his property, eyeing the potholes, broken walls, and scattered debris. "Man. I really hope our insurance covers this."
Gwen snorted. "What? Is the policy under magical mishap forgiveness?"
Peter nodded. "Why, yes, actually. We just upgraded to that plan last year." After receiving a wild stare from the mare, the stallion held a humorless smile. "Yes. That's actually a thing."
Gwen blankly stared at the stallion and threw her hooves into the air in a defeated fashion before walking into the Treebrary, hopping over a pothole in the process. "I'll never understand this place."
As Peter followed behind the mare with Twilight in tow, Adagio watched from a distance with a smug grin. "I've gotta hand it to Discord. When he told me how this plan was supposed to work, I thought he reallywascrazy, but it looks like everything's going according to plan. He's much more intelligent than I gave him credit for. I'd better head back to Tartarus and let him know what's happened." The siren turned, her smile never faltering. However, her eyes widened at a belated realization. She tapped a hoof against the barrier in front of her holding Sonata in place, causing the shield to dissolve. Adagio sternly stared at her friend, frowning in disappointment. "When we get back, we're going to have a little talk."
Sonata managed a weak nod, pausing to steal a glance at the Treebrary. She sighed before silently following Adagio, and both mares vanished in a flash of light.
Renovations were being carried out on the Treebrary the following day. While the holes in the walls had been filled, there was still plenty to fix. Luckily, the Parker/Sparkle family had hired the best constructive workers in all of Equestria, and at their current pace, they would finish the Treebrary's repairs within the span of a week. With their work done for the day, the construction crew departed, leaving the family to themselves.
Peter walked into the living room with a cup of warm tea, offering it to Twilight as she rested on the sofa. The doctor paid a house visit that morning and informed everypony of the alicorn's condition. Twilight's transformation and sealing of the plunder vines had left the mare drained, mentally and physically, to the point of collapse. Worse still, the plunder vines had drained a large portion of her magic. Fortunately, from what the doctor had gathered, Twilight would make a full recovery in a few short weeks. Peter shared a nod with the doctor before trotting back into the kitchen.
"How is she?" a female questioned from behind, prompting Peter to find Gwen standing in the doorway to the kitchen. "Is she doing any better?"
Peter nodded, pouring a cup of tea and offering it to the mare. "Certainly better than yesterday. Twilight's so drained that she's practically dead on her hooves. I'm just glad that the doctor said she'll be fine. Twilight just needs a few weeks to relax and recover."
Trixie trotted into the room with small laugh. "Yeah. Good luck keeping that workaholic still for more than a day," she muttered, retrieving the cup of tea Peter had just poured with her magic before taking a drink. "The world could end, and that mare would still insist on keeping to her schedule."
Shooting Trixie an exasperated glare before pouring himself another glass, Peter shook his head. "I'll see to it that Twilight gets some rest. I'll probably have to strap her to the sofa, though."
Gwen laughed. "Likethatwould hold her."
Peter let out a sigh, shrugging as he dropped a sugarcube into his drink. "Yeah… probably not, but since she can't use her full magic for a while, maybe I actually have a chance?"
Trixie grinned into her teacup. "Don't worry, Peter. We'llallbe keeping an eye on her to ensure that she's well rested, whether she likes it or not." Turning to leave the room, Trixie levitated her empty cup to Peter, swapping it with her own after he finished stirring. "So don't worry about Twilight."
Glaring at his now empty cup, he looked up to Trixie. "Why are you being so mean to me today?"
Trixie huffed, raising her snout. "I'll have you know that yesterday's little debacle shredded my bedding, not to mention the bed itself." Turning back to the stallion, she put a hoof to her chest. "This left yours truly without a proper place to sleep last night."
Peter let out an exasperated sigh. "And that's somehowmyfault? I don't get why you're complaining. You're getting a bigger room now."
Trixie pursed her lips, raising an eyebrow. "Well, I can't very well blame Twilight, what with the condition she's in, now can I?" She questioned, smirking as she brought her cup to her lips. "So you'll just have to do."
Peter shot the mare a blank stare. "You can be a real jerk sometimes, you know that?"
She rolled her eyes. "So you've been telling me for years now." Her expression shifted into a smug smile before turning and trotting out of the room. "Just like you've told me that it's also part of my charm."
Peter grumbled under his breath. "Narcissist."
"I heard that!" Trixie shot back from the other room.
Gwen covered her mouth, failing to muffle an involuntary snort. "That girl has pretty good hearing."
"I told Gwen some of Twilight's secrets yesterday. Don't think that I won't spill yours, too, Miss Trap Fetish," Peter added, sharing a coy glance with the blonde.
Trixie popped her head back into the kitchen with a heavy glare, her cheeks flushing. "Don't forget that threat goesbothways, Peter."
Peter folded his forehooves with a frown, his face as pink as the mare's. "It seems we've reached an impasse."
Gwen arched a brow at both ponies. "Um, I need an adult?"
"Iaman adult," Peter and Trixie stated simultaneously, with the mare quietly taking her leave while the stallion exhaled.
"Now, I feel dirty for listening," Gwen chuckled, holding a warm smile. The entire room distorted that following moment, shifting until strands of webbing materialized into existence. Gwen alternated her gaze about while Peter blinked at the abrupt change of scenery. "Well, this feels familiar."
Madame Web materialized into existence between Gwen and Peter, causing the stallion to stagger back while the mare yelped involuntarily. Julia held a coy smile. "Hello, Peter Parker and Gwendolyn Stacy. Pardon my intrusion."
Peter rolled his eyes. "Would it kill you to knock instead of dropping in unannounced?"
Gwen managed to slow her heart rate to a steady pace before exhaling. "I honestly think you get a rise out of surprising people."
Madame Web rested a hand on the nearest strand of webbing as her expression retook its stoic form. "Say what you will, but I must congratulate you two for preventing yesterday's crisis. You exercised trust and unorthodox ingenuity."
Peter shrugged and chuckled. "I guess it isn't often that someone trolls their opponent into submission. If only all the bad guys were that easy." The stallion paused, his complexion paling as he smiled wryly. "I just hope my wife isn'ttooticked at me about it."
Gwen was slow to respond, alternating her gaze between Peter and Julia. "Is that why you sent me here?"
"Not entirely," Julia coolly whispered, earning a bewildered expression from both ponies. She held out her open hand as a strand of webbing hovered over it, the gossamer growing brittle. "I've arranged this entire thing for both of your sakes. The days ahead will be challenging in ways you can only imagine, but I'm afraid that as you were before this visit, neither of you were mentally prepared for what lies ahead."
Gwen furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"
Madame Web paused as the webbing repaired itself, solidifying before retaking its place within the surrounding wall of gossamer. "Your hearts were broken from recent events. Gwendolyn, you shouldered blame for what happened to your world's Peter Parker, but that pain has been lifted, replaced with hope."
Gwen blinked in response, glancing off to the side. "Well, I guess it's because I kind of have an idea of what life would have been like if Peter had survived. I mean, sure. My Peter and this one are very different from each other, but it's in the best ways possible." She placed a hoof over the stallion's shoulder. "He's funny, smart, charismatic, and loyal. I guess I'm more relieved that there's someone capable of keeping him in check."
Julia nodded, turning towards the stallion. "Peter, you couldn't forgive yourself for what transpired during your travels in the future timeline, and while that lingering doubt remains, you've remembered to cherish the present and not dwell in the past."
Peter huffed, forcing a smile. "We only live once. You should always cherish those around you, because you can lose them at any given moment. I should know. I lost Uncle Ben, Gwen, Twilight, Mayday, Trixie, Luna, and everyone else." His smile grew genuine, showing bright teeth. "Seeing Gwen again really made me happy. It gave me a chance to make up for lost time. I really needed this. Thank you… Julia."
Madame Web returned the stallion's smile. "There is still much for you to learn and many more obstacles for you to overcome, but… you are welcome, Peter." Julia folded her arms, nodding. "I believe it is time for you to return home, Gwendolyn. Spider-Woman is needed."
Gwen nodded, holding her gaze on Peter. "As much as I would like to stay, she's right. My dad's probably worried sick about me."
Julia shook her head. "There is no need for concern. While you have been in Equestria for a week, only four hours have passed in your world."
Peter arched a brow. "That reminds me of something. How is that possible? Time moves fifteen times faster on Earth than it does for Equestria. Gwen's been here for a week. By that logic, she's been gone from Earth for over two and a half months." The stallion narrowed his gaze on the woman garbed in crimson. "You said that you had to break some rules to make this whole thing happen. What did you mean exactly?"
Julia, in spite of her blindness, simply stared in Peter's direction with a stern silence for what seemed like eons. "You will learn the truth in due time when the light is at its bleakest and all hope seems lost."
Peter merely exhaled a response, shrugging. "A cryptic answer as usual. Iwouldsay that I saw this coming, but that'd be redundant."
Madame Web faced the mare. "I'll give you time to say your goodbyes."
That same second, the entire area distorted, morphing back into the Treebrary's kitchen. Madame Web vanished from sight instantaneously, leaving both ponies to ponder in silence for several seconds. Their reunion was as brief as their soon-to-be departure. There was so much to say, yet not enough time to do so. Gwen choked back a sob, resisting the urge to cry. Peter allowed his emotions to speak for him, wrapping his hooves affectionately around the mare's neck.
Gwen slammed her eyes shut and yielded to the warmth spreading over her body. She managed a smile, tightening her own hold. What was once a low feeling was replaced with a sense of hope, that everything would be fine. Across another dimension, in the form of a reflection of their past, Peter and Gwen found closure in each other's presence. They eventually parted, with the blonde wiping her face clean of her tears.
"It was fun while it lasted, huh?" Gwen sniffled, forcing a smile.
Peter nodded, managing a grin. "We really enjoyed your company, Gwen. Thanks for helping me save my wife and home."
"Are you about to leave?" a small voice questioned from behind, earning the collective gazes of both ponies. Mayday held a soft hazel gaze on the blonde as she slowly closed the gap. "Do you have to?"
Gwen smiled sweetly, lowering her body until their gazes were inches apart. "I'm afraid so, Mayday. There's still a lot of work that I have to do at home, but I can talk to Madame Web about letting me come visit every now and then."
"Okay. Do you promise?" Mayday whined, tears forming at the corner of her eyes.
Gwen nodded, holding her smile. "I promise." The mare scooped the filly into her hooves with a grin before she could hope to tear up. "Do you promise to stay on your best behavior while I'm gone?"
Mayday didn't immediately respond as her ears drooped into her mane. "S-sure…"
Gwen smirked before playfully grinding her hoof into the top of the filly's head. "Promise me~!"
Mayday yelped, giggling uncontrollably in the mare's grasp. "Ah! Haha! Okay! I promise!"
Gwen smiled triumphantly. "That's more like it! I'm going to miss you, May."
Peter laughed at the sight before his eyes widened at a realization. "I'm not going to let you go without taking a picture first." The stallion trotted out of the room, pausing upon reaching the front door. "I'm going to look for the camera. Mayday, could you let your aunts and uncle know that Gwen's about to leave?"
"Sure, Daddy!" Mayday chipped, scurrying out of the room to the quickest of her ability while Pete retreated into the cellar in hopes of locating his device.
Gwen inhaled deeply before letting out a deep sigh. She could lament in her building melancholy, a small unwillingness to part ways with this world that had forged a place in her heart. The mare's ears perked at the sound of approaching hoofsteps. Gwen turned, her eyes widening as Twilight quietly entered the room. The alicorn's movements were stiff, her exhaustion apparent, but she found a seat, taking it across from Gwen. An awkward silence filled the room, with neither mare faltering.
Gwen chuckled sheepishly. "Are you sure it's a good idea for you to be walking around? Peter's bound to have an ulcer if he saw you right now."
Twilight glanced off to the side, pursing her lips. "Honestly, I do have that coming. If our roles were reversed, I'd almost chain Peter down if it meant keeping him rested, but even as I am now, I have to talk to you before you leave."
"You're as stubborn as your husband," Gwen grinned, nodding.
Twilight's cheeks glowed. "We may have our differences, but we have just as much in common." Sobering, the alicorn inhaled deeply before sighing. She bit down on her lip, struggling to form the words her mind struggled to create. "Gwen... I wanted to apologize to you. For what I did… for what I said." The mare paused, her eyes softening as she glanced off to the side. "Looking back… I really acted cruel towards you, and that was unfair of me. I'm truly sorry, Gwendolyn."
Gwen shook her head, waving a hoof dismissively. "Look at you, getting all formal on me," she commented with a soft smile. "It's alright, really. I forgive you for what happened."
Twilight looked back to the mare, returning her smile in earnest. "Thank you. That really makes me feel better to hear you say that. I felt so guilty once I realized how petty I was being." Twilight's eyes softened, making contact with the other mare's. "However, I didn't just want to apologize to you. I also wanted to thank you."
Gwen's eyes widened. "Huh? What do you mean?"
Twilight chuckled before wincing, placing a hoof over her sore cranium, but she managed a warm smile regardless. "You've really cheered Peter up. He's been so miserable for the past few weeks. Ever since you came to visit, he's had a complete turnaround. He's been really energetic, cheerful, and all around happier than usual. That just bothered me for all of the wrong reasons. Now, I see just why he's so interested in you."
Gwen snorted, shaking her head. "You reallyaredense. Trixie told me that you tend to miss the obvious hints. Again, youandPeter have that in common." The mare leaned closer to the alicorn, shifting her gaze about before winking. "Keep this between us, but do you want to know why I have such a crush on Peter?" Twilight paused briefly, before hesitantly nodding, earning a large grin from the blonde across from her. "It's because he's so devoted toyou."
Twilight's eyes widened in surprise, inhaling sharply and squeaking as she placed a hoof over her racing heart while it skipped a beat. "Are you... really serious?"
Gwen's smile widened. "Almost every time we talked, Peter was always gushing over you. He's even shown me a number of pictures from your wedding and anniversaries. Almost every sentence that came out of his mouth ended with something about how perfect his wife was, or how much he loved her." The blonde rested her chin against her hoof. "It's really quite romantic, you know? Seeing a guythatdevoted to someone he loves is truly heartwarming,andhe's a prince? Come on! This is almost like a fairytale love, but it'sactuallyreal!"
Twilight stared wildly at the blonde, her body frozen at her words alone. "I... I had no idea about any of that... Peter never mentioned anything like that. All he ever talked about was you."
Gwen face-hoofed, shaking her head with a smile. "That guy reallyishopeless. Saying all the right things to the wrong people. However, I can't help but admire him all the more for it. It's part of his charm. He's so simple-minded."
Twilight chuckled, again grabbing her head with a wince as a spike of pain shot through it. "It's just one of the many, many things that makes me love him so much."
Sighing, Gwen nodded. "It really is. Which is why I got so upset with you when you started throwing the accusations around that Peter wasn't interested in you. Trust me when I say that out of all of the girls in the universe, you're theonlyone that Peter has his eyes on." In spite of her blossoming red cheeks, Gwen grinned. "If anything,I'mjealous ofyou!"
It was a strange thing, as if those sentences were the signals to which despair, love, and anxiety had been longing for. A surge of emotion released itself from deep within Twilight; yet, she found herself unable to form any of the words that raced through her mind. Instead, tears slowly began to form, streaming down her cheeks as her jaw trembled. Unable to maintain her composure any longer, the alicorn broke down into an explosion of uncontrollable sobs.
She was so horribly wrong. Her husband had never stopped loving her, not even for a moment, and she chastised herself for ever doubting him. Gwen offered Twilight a soft cloth, allowing the alicorn to clean her face. Even after wiping away her tears, Twilight's eyes continued to shimmer, and the warmth in her chest still burned bright—begging to be released. Amends had to be made. To her husband, and to her faith in him. She only wanted to repay that loyalty in full.
Twilight had ignored those feelings long enough, sharing a glance with Gwen. "Thank you so much for telling me that. I lied to myself over the past two years that I forgave Peter for what happened between him and Sweetie Belle. I never held it against him because it was beyond his control, but I couldn't forget what he did. That's not right on my part. I should've trusted him." Placing a hoof over Gwen's, Twilight smiled sweetly. "Thank you, Gwen. You reminded me why I love Peter so much in the first place. He's given me no reason to distrust him, and I think it's time I finally start loving my husband the only way I know how: earnestly. I can move on… for both of our sakes."
Gwen sniffled, her lips quivering. She and Twilight embraced each other, tears streaming down both of their cheeks. The blonde smiled. "I'm counting on you to take care of Peter."
"It's a promise," Twilight whispered, a great weight lifted from her shoulders.
Several minutes had passed, and everypony was ready to see Gwen off. Aunt May bit down on her lip and waved even as tears streamed down her face. Trixie and Spike eyed the portal behind the blonde with saddened expressions, but they managed a smile, each offering their farewells respectively. Mayday bounced in place, waving eagerly as she held her newly-crafted iPod in hoof. Twilight watched as Peter closed the gap between him and Gwen, but all sense of trepidation had long since dissipated, with support taking its place as the alicorn joined his side.
"It's been a blast, guys," Gwen whispered, alternating her gaze between the stallion and alicorn.
Twilight smiled. "Please come back. If not, we'll come see you instead."
Peter grinned, holding up his camera. "One last souvenir before you go!" The stallion turned, offering Trixie the device. "I hope you don't mind!"
Trixie huffed, offering no objection before stepping in front of the trio. As the unicorn readied the camera, Peter wrapped his hooves around both mares' shoulders while they all stood upright on their hindlegs. However, they both could only smile before placing a hoof over the stallion's hips from both sides. Twilight brushed the side of her head against Peter's cheek, and Gwen winked, playfully sticking out her tongue as the stallion smiled widely. As symbolic as the camera's flash was before their unified smiles, their broken hearts had been mended and joined as one.
Everypony watched as Gwen departed, sharing a gaze, but her impression had been felt by all of them and would last for the rest of their days.
Madame Web watched the Web of Life from the comforts of her living room. A female being materialized into existence in a doorway across from Web's position, concealed by the shadows of the lightless, adjacent room.
Julia peered her head up as the woman's thoughts reached her mind. "I must thank you. Peter Parker and Gwendolyn Stacy were in dire need of encouragement. I am not worried about what awaits Gwendolyn, but I fear the worst for Peter."
"Do you think it will be enough?"the woman across from her questioned, folding her arms across her breasts.
Julia frowned, placing a hand over the strand of webbing holding Peter's image. "I am not sure. Peter is steadily losing his connection to the Web of Life. I can no longer see his future until or if his Spider Sense returns. I truly wish I could understand what was causing such a development. I only pray that Zecora can help him remedy the situation before it's too late."
The woman huffed. "I'm not entirely enthusiastic about it. The Parkers' luck is quite infamously known for working against them." She smiled, waving her hand dismissively while grinning. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't drawn to that aspect about them, but I must admit that Peter's is truly extraordinary."
Julia furrowed her brow. "Time is of the essence. We have our contingency plan, should things go awry. Can I trust you to be prepared if that time comes? I'm clearly breaking a lot of rules, but… with you, this somehow seems perfectly normal."
"What can I say? Thisismy job, and it's in my best interest to look out for my perfect catalyst," the woman grinned. "Subtle chaos is the best kind, after all. Besides, I can't betooobvious with my interference… not when I'm so close to getting what I want."
She stepped into the light, revealing her slightly-pale dark skinned form. Her snow white hair was long, its black ends reaching the lower half of her shoulders. The woman wore a simple matching, tan and light-brown pinstriped suit, the clothing hugging her voluptuous form tightly as its dark brown vest was fully buttoned. A fanged smile formed on her face as she straightened the pink tie under her neck, and her yellowed-crimson eyes glimmered before she placed a golden gloved hand against her hip.
"I'll stay in touch, Julia," Eris smiled, raising a hand. "Watch over my darling Peter." With a snap of her fingers, the humanized draconequus vanished from sight in a burst of light.
To be continued...