//------------------------------//
// The Other, Part I 
// Story: Spiders and Magic IV: The Fall of Spider-Mane 
// by Maximus_Reborn 
//------------------------------//

Chapter Forty-One "The Other, Part I"

Darkness spread across the void, enveloping everything in its path. Peter turned as the wave rushed towards him, unable to stop what had transpired. He slammed his eyes shut before being engulfed entirely by the reaches of darkness. However, he felt no pain, nor any other fixation. Peter opened his eyes, finding himself back within a dark void on a platform. He glanced down at his feet at the marble floor, specifically its glass-stained design.

Three figures joined together to form a single image. On the left side was Twilight in her alicorn form, standing in a bright field under a clear sky. She stared at a mirror image of herself on the right in her human shape, all while she stood by a city under a starlit sky. At the center was Spider-Man, standing symbolically between the two worlds as an emblem of Twilight's cutie mark and Peter's spider insignia materialized together to become one.

Peter's eyes furrowed at the sight. They were universes apart, brought together by chance. Their hearts had become one, tearing down any barriers that had previously existed before their meeting. Their marriage and beautiful children were testaments to that belief.

A black mist rose from the marble, morphing into that of a bipedal being. The darkness faded from its body and revealed more of its feminine features. A woman with tanned skin took shape, her violet hair stretching out until it reached her lower back. A pair of white tights with violet spandex materialized over her slender form, along with a matching cape along her shoulders. Peter could only stare at the subject of his affection with a soft gaze as she slowly approached him.

"Twilight," he whispered, never averting his gaze from her's, even as glowing white cracks spread across the voids.

Twilight huffed, extending her arms to the side. "You don't seem happy to see me." She shifted her gaze skyward, frowning as the surrounding cracks continued to spread. "No matter how much you try to ignore it, everything around you is falling apart. Discord's almost here, and Equestria is still in shambles. Do you honestly think you can saveanyoneas you are?" the woman harshly scoffed, glaring at her husband. "Don't make me laugh. History will just repeat itself."

Peter's eyes widened as a sharp bolt of pain rushed through his cranium. He clutched at the side of his head. "No, it won't! I swear that it won't! I'll saveeveryonethis time!" The center of his head continued to pulsate, bringing the young man to a knee. With each throb that thumped, a small tremor would course through the darkness and prompt the cracks to spread further. Peter strained, gritting his teeth. "You'rethe reason why I've come this far! And I'm not going to let you down again!"

Unwavered, Twilight's expression matched that of disdain. "Sweet words, but your promises have always come up empty. You promised Captain Stacy that nothing would happen to his daughter, and you let the Goblin kill her." Black flames rose from the marble platform, consuming the entire glass-stained image. Twilight quietly levitated from the ground, watching as the darkness claimed her husband with an emotionless glare. "You swore to love only me, yet you slept with Sweetie Belle and dishonored our vow."

Peter shot up. "That's not what happened! I—!" His words were cut short as an array of black tendrils burst from the flames, whipping around the young man's arms and neck. In spite of his great strength, Peter could only strain as the vines forced him to a kneeling position. He struggled just to find Twilight's gaze while the tendrils slowly dragged his body beneath the darkness. "I'm sorry! I never wanted to hurt you! If I could take it back, I would do it without a second thought!"

Twilight folded her arms and narrowed her gaze. "You are a knight of the world, and your failure has left Equestria on the verge of ruin. I chose you as my knight because I had faith in you. I can't trust you with my friends, family, or even my children. You'll just let them all die, including me!" Twilight raised her glowing hand and clenched it into a fist, causing the tendrils to pull the captured man at a faster rate. As Peter's entire body sank into the darkness, fading from existence, Twilight scowled. "There is no escaping your inevitable fate so long as you cling to what little light remains. Remove it, and the shadows grow."

The entire world grew mute as Peter plunged into the abyss. Memories of his mounting failures plagued his mind, and the tendrils tightened their hold, bounding the young man's limbs to his body. Her words cut deep, like a dagger to the heart, and he could not rid his mind of the pain, no matter how hard he tried. Peter held a dismayed expression as he stared skyward at the fading light before closing his eyes.

"Is this what it takes? I've fought back against everything before, but I can't bring myself to do it now," Peter's thoughts solemnly declared, echoing in the reaches of the darkness. "Twilight's the whole reason that I'm here. I have friends, family, and a world that loves both me and Spider-Man. I have two perfect children because of Twilight. I oweeverythingto her." As if yielding to the darkness, Peter closed his eyes and sighed. "She's my wife. I love her. I can't do it."

Suddenly, the light beamed, spreading. Its rays illuminated, causing the darkness to dissipate from sight. A faint sound reached Peter's ears, prompting the young man to open his eyes. The tendrils vanished, breaking apart, and the light instilled an all too familiar warmth through his heart. Everything blurred as he ascended towards the light before the voice called out to him once more.


-u-


"Peter!" Twilight gently called out. The young man's head shot up as he woke suddenly. In the comforts of their bedroom, Peter sat in the chair across from the bed, shifting his gaze about aimlessly. Twilight furrowed her brow at the young man as she laid across the bed with Ben in her arms. "I really didn't want to wake you, but I need a favor."

Shaking his head, Peter held a confused expression. "Huh? What's going on?" Before Twilight could respond, Peter's gaze lowered onto Ben, who was unusually quiet. His eyes widened upon realizing why exactly. Twilight's gown was lowered beneath her shoulder, and the baby's mouth was suckling away blissfully at his mother's left breast. Peter let out a relieved sigh. "Oh, your hands are tied. What did you need me to do?"

"I just need you to grab his binky. It's on the nightstand," Twilight quietly replied, alternating her gaze between Ben and Peter. As her husband stood from his seat to carry out the given task, the woman arched a brow. "Are you okay? I was calling to you for nearly a minute, and you were completely unresponsive. You're usually a much lighter sleeper."

Peter nodded, taking hold of the pacifier while his eyes softened. "Oh. It's nothing. It was just a… bad dream." The latter of his statement was barely audible, delivered through a whisper. Before Twilight could pry, Peter offered her the binky and glanced at Ben while his mother ceased their feeding. The baby accepted the pacifier without objection, and he held out his small arms to his father. Peter smiled, lifting his son. "It looks like he's taking the weaning much better now. How about you?"

Twilight slid her top back on properly. "Yeah. Ben's taken a liking to other foods more, and he doesn't complain as much when I wean him now. I think by next week we'll be past the weaning stage altogether." The woman sadly shook her head and smiled. "It's just like Mayday. I'm going to miss feeding our little boy intimately. They're both growing up so fast before our eyes."

Peter forced a laugh as he shared a glance with his son's large violet eyes. "Tell me about it. Mayday's on the verge of being a teenager, and this one's close to talking. I don't think I'm ready for this either." Ben removed his binky and gazed at his father lovingly, babbling incoherently and enthusiastically. Peter's heart melted, evident by his burning smile. "Just listen to him! He's already talking in sentences. All he has to do now is put his words together."

Twilight chuckled, brushing a hand through her hair. "I just wonder what his first words will be. Mayday's first word was 'Luna…' or 'Woona,' to be exact." Sobering as a thought came into mind, the princess scooted to the edge of the bed and sat upright. "So, did Luna take the news well?"

"Oh, yeah, very much so. I don't think I've ever seen her smile so much," Peter replied, easing Ben down onto the bed before Twilight offered him a toy. As the baby played, the young man arched a brow at his wife. "Are you absolutely sure you're okay with this? The decision is ultimately yours to start a herd or not."

Twilight nodded, forcing herself to a standing position. "I've had time to think about it. And after seeing everything that Luna has gone through, I think that I can cut her a little slack. Out of everyone in Equestria, Luna's the only one that I can trust with you." A stern expression surfaced on Twilight's face as she closed the gap between herself and Peter. Once inches apart, she raised a finger. "This doesn't change a thing betweenus, though. I'm still your wife. I'm just sharing you with someone. That's all."

Peter wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulder, chuckling. "I wouldn't have it any other way. We're simply expanding our horizons. We have alonglife ahead of us, and this'll keep us both guessing for quite some time."

The couple shared a smile, edging closer for a kiss, but Ben's excited squeaking stopped them in their tracks as he played with a green plush toy garbed in a purple tunic and hat. For most, the sight was innocent enough. However, for the son of Spider-Man to play with a toy of the Green Goblin was a cruel slap of irony. If it was up to Peter, he would've tossed the toy into a bonfire, but he relented against the action, considering that Ben was just a toddler and knew no better. Sadly, Ben was far more intelligent than most babies his age, meaning this was probably an act of spite against his father.

Peter's demeanor soured at the sight, evident by his frown and pale complexion. "I still can't believe you bought him that."

Twilight giggled sheepishly. "I swear that it was an accident. Mayday grabbed a bunch of toys from the bargain bin, and I somehow missed it at the checkout." Arching a brow, the woman placed her hands over her hips and stared at the baby. "Itisstrange, though. Out of all the toys we bought, the Green Goblin is the one that he likes the most. I thought Ben would've liked the Iron Man toy."

"Too mainstream. If Mayday's any indication, it's that our kids don't follow the crowd in the slightest," Peter deadpanned, holding a blank glare. "That,andthey're a pair of trolls."

Twilight's lips curled into a knowing smile before she playfully poked her husband's chest. "Well, we can blameyoufor that."

Peter's brow lowered in thought. He paused to scratch the back of his head before sharing a glance with his wife. "Speaking of which, whereisMayday? I haven't seen her all day."

Twilight pursed her lips. "She went out with Patricia to the city while you were training with Zecora. Knowing those two, they're probably just getting a last second tour, since we'll be returning to Equestria in a few days."

Thunder rumbled through the darkening skies as rain began to fall over the land. Peter made his way to the nearest window with a concerned gaze. "Hopefully, they'll make it back soon. It's looking ugly out there."

Suddenly, the door to the bedroom swung open, with Gwen rushing inside. "Peter! Grab your suit! We need to head to the city, pronto!"

Peter grimaced at Gwen's statement. "Oh, great. Who did Discord send herethistime?"

"This isn't Discord's doing," Julia declared, appearing next to Gwen quietly. As the blonde jumped back from Madame Web, surprised, Julia narrowed her line of sight on Peter. "Something sinister has entered this world and caught our scent: that of the spider. It has entered the city and won't rest until we're all erased. Peter, I need you and Gwendolyn to go to the city at once and stop this monster."

Peter arched a brow, frowning. "Okay. So, what are we looking for?"

"We don't know exactly. There was an explosion in the city, near Queens. Nobody caught sight of who was responsible, but I think whatever caused it might be nearby that location," Gwen stated, pulling her hood over her head. "The only thing we know is that we're looking for an Inheritor. Madame Web won't say much else."

Julia folded her arms and shivered while Peter took the moment to change into his heroic attire. She inhaled deeply before sighing. "Inheritors feed on the very life force of direct descendents of the Web of the Life, specifically those with blood of the spider totem."

Twilight stepped forward, holding a stern glare. "If that's the case, I should come with you two. Whatever this 'Inheritor' is, it sounds like bad news."

Julia shook her head. "No, Twilight Sparkle. You will be needed here. The Inheritor will see to our destruction first. Ben has Peter's blood, and he will be a target soon enough. You must stay and protect your son until everything is resolved."

Peter slid his mask over his face, pausing as a realization came into mind. "So, these Inheritors are gonna go after those with spider blood. That means PatriciaandMayday are out therealonewith that thing." He faced his wife, placing both hands firmly over her shoulders. "Julia's right. I need you to stay here and look after Ben.I'lltake care of Mayday."

Slowly but surely, Twilight hesitantly nodded. "All right. Please be careful."

Gwen slid her own mask over her face. "Okay. Change of plans. We find Mayday and Patricia first. How do we go about doing that?"

Peter raised his hand before sliding his glove back. Underneath the web-cartridges was a small radar with a red dot at the center. "Easy. I installed a tracker into Mayday's iPod a while back. She always keeps it with her, no matter what." After pecking a few commands into the buttons underneath the radar, a blinking green dot appeared over the red. "I've got Mayday's signal."

"Well, what are we waiting for? An engraved invitation? Let's go!" Gwen exclaimed, rushing out of the room, with Peter following closely behind.

Julia stared intently at both spiders as they ventured off, lowering onto her knees. "Let us pray for good fortune."

Twilight took Ben into her arms, sharing a glance with Julia. "Are these Inheritors really as dangerous as you say?"

"No…" Julia was slow to respond as her gaze fell to the ground. "They arefarworse."





Near the heart of the city, Mayday stood by the exit door within a bookstore, watching rain fall from the sky. Despite the weather, the young girl couldn't remove her smile. The human world offered so much variety, from an electronic safehold known as RadioShack to a humongous aquarium. Even though their journey led them to a bookstore, Mayday could only revel in what was offered. Patricia finished at the nearest register, easing a pair of books into her plastic bag before waving off the cashier.

Mayday's eyes widened as the woman approached her. "Did you find what you were looking for, Aunt Patricia?"

Patricia nodded, grinning. "Yup. Dusk has always been interested in the history of my world. So, what's the best gift in the world for a dorky librarian?" She reached into the bag and retrieved a book, spinning it over her finger. Its cover read 'Great Historians Through the Ages.'Patricia chuckled before dropping the book back into the bag. "History books, of course!"

Snorting involuntarily, Mayday smirked. "What a dork."

"Careful now. Dusk is technically a genderbent version of your mother, meaning that he's your Uncle… in a sense," Patricia lightly murmured, earning a faint chuckle from the child. The woman's smile widened as a realization came into mind. "If you're any indication, then Mayweather is gonna be a handful when he gets older."

Mayday's eyes widened. "Oh, yeah. That's your son who happens to be… your universe's version of me. How old is he?"

Patricia's eyes softened as a warmth spread through her chest. "He just turned three a few weeks ago. My little boy's already a chatterbox, but I guess I'm to blame for that." The woman knelt down before Mayday, straightening her raincoat before planting a kiss over her forehead. "You're a sweet kid, and I hope Mayweather's just as nice as you."

The pair shared a smile before Patricia stood, opening her umbrella. Mayday took the woman's books and slid them into the safety of her backpack, alongside her iPod. Once situated, they walked outside to be greeted by the pouring rain. Patricia pulled Mayday close, ensuring the child was concealed under the protection of her umbrella. The trip to the car was brief, completed after a couple of minutes. Just as Patricia readied to open the door, a pulsating wave rushed through Mayday's cranium, causing the child to stop in her tracks and grimace in pain.

Patricia knelt by her side, unsure of what had come over the young girl, but she paused once a tingling sensation buzzed within her own head, shifting her gaze to the side. A lone man stood amongst the storm a few feet away, never averting his cold gaze from the woman. Before Mayday could react, Patricia raised her frame into the backseat of the car and locked the door. The young girl recollected herself, shifting into an upright sitting position. As Patricia walked towards the dark-clad stranger, Mayday retrieved her iPod and activated its video camera feature before recording what was transpiring outside.

Patricia's hair stuck to her face, yet she held a firm glare at the stranger. "Can I help you with something?"

The man huffed, cracking his knuckles. "You have the scent which I crave. It's very similar to the other one. It's been so long since I've had a proper meal." He stretched his neck until it cracked, licking his lips afterward. "Try not to die too quickly. I prefer feisty prey. I just need a sample, so that I can find him."

Blinking, Patricia's eyes widened at the man's blunt response before she scoffed and waved a hand dismissively. "That's a constant problem with the city. There's always a creep or two around every corner. Whatever you're planning, don't even try it. I'd rather not break your face in." Her demeanor stiffened. "You're talking about eating me, and I don't even know your name. Your manners need work."

"My name is Morlun," he coldly declared, unfazed as lightning cracked across the sky, "and it'll be the last name that you will ever learn."


-u-


Several minutes has passed since they ventured into the city. Peter's mind raced, unable to free his daughter and female counterpart from his mind. Landing on the rooftop of a building, Spider-Man once again checked the tracker. Fortunately, Mayday's signal was in the immediate vicinity, specifically down on street level. However, Peter's heart froze upon spotting a gathering of people surrounding an ambulance as the pouring rain slowly ceased.

Gwen landed next to Spider-Man, gazing wildly at the spectacle. Both individuals took the opportunity to change into their casual attire before climbing down the nearest side wall. Peter and Gwen lowered into an alley and casually made their way through the crowd. A tall man clad in dark colors walked past Peter, placing a hand against his shoulder. The young man's senses blared momentarily, sending bolts of pains through his cranium.

As he turned to face the individual, he had already vanished into the crowd. Tossing those thoughts to the side, Peter continued to follow Gwen until they reached a police barricade, and their mouths fell agape at the sight. A nearby vehicle's door had been caved in, holding a human-sized dent. Shards of broken glass lay skewed across the ground near a pair of cars, each with a shattered windshield to show. Stains of blood stretched across the ground, having dissipated slightly due to the previous rainfall.

"Peter! Look!" Gwen exclaimed, pointing at a pair of paramedics while they carefully lifted a woman onto a stretcher.

Their gazes settled on the woman being carried on the stretcher. Several gashes plagued her once perfect skin, and blood poured from many of said wounds, seeping through the bandages placed over them while also staining her tattered clothing. Her face had been pulverized beyond recognition, housing dark bruises, a bloody lip, and a grotesque swelling over her eye. However, in spite of the injuries, Peter and Gwen recognized the woman.

"Patricia!" Peter cried out, hopping over the barrier while Gwen followed his lead. Just as they neared the stretcher, a police officer stepped in their path. Frantic, Peter never averted his gaze from Patricia's broken form. "What happened?!"

The officer held his ground and shook his head, pointing at the barricade. "You need to step back."

Gwen reached out, taking hold of Peter's arms before pulling him back. She turned her soft gaze to the officer. "Please. That's his… twin sister."

"Twin?" the officer blurted out, alternating his gaze between the brown-haired adults. After a brief duration, he nodded and stepped to the side, as if satisfied with the blonde's statement. "Okay. Go ahead. Just don't touch anything or get in the way."

Gwen nodded appreciatively while Peter rushed to Patricia's side. "Thank you so much." She was slow to follow, hesitant to see what awaited. Gwen eventually reached Patricia alongside Peter, and her heart sank at the sight. The blonde held a hand over her mouth, masking a gasp. "What on earth happened?"

The officer stole a glance from the corner of his eye, frowning. "It's hard to say. The storm made it hard for anyone to see clearly, but one eyewitness said some guy jumped this poor woman. She tried to fight back, but he just overpowered the poor girl and… beat the crap out of her." His eyes softened. "I don't even knowhowshe's still alive right now."

"There's supposed to be a kid with her. A little girl with purple hair and yellow eyes," Peter declared, his voice wavering with a mixture of fear and anger. "Did anyone see a kid with her?"

The officer's eyes narrowed. "No one said anything about a kid. I'll radio it in and get a search started."

Peter's blood turned cold, evident by his pale complexion. Pushing his building anxiety to the back of his head, he turned to face Gwen as the paramedics carted Patricia into the ambulance. "Hey. I need you to stay with Patricia."

Gwen's brow furrowed. "Why?" She paused, edging closer until they were within whispering range of each other. "Shouldn't we find out who did this?"

Peter nodded, glancing off to the side with a stern glare. "Whoever— or whatever— did this is still out there somewhere, and Patricia's in no shape to defend herself. She'll need someone to watch over her, in case her attacker decides to come back and finish the job. Besides, if Patricia comes around, she can tell us who attacked her."

Gwen pursed her lips, staring intently at the young man for several seconds before letting out a defeated sigh. "Okay. I'll stay with Patricia. What areyougoing to do?"

"I'm going to look for Mayday. She's in the area somewhere. Once I make sure that she's okay, I'll send her home and start searching for our mystery attacker," Peter whispered, pointing a finger at his wrist. The ambulance's engines revved, prompting the young man to turn the blonde around gently by the shoulder. Once Gwen hopped into the back with the paramedics, Peter nodded and waved her off. "Keep me posted."

Gwen furrowed her brow, weakly nodding back. "Yeah. Will do."

The paramedics closed the doors shut, prompting the ambulance to speed off with Patricia and Gwen in the back. As the bystanders talked about what transpired, Peter separated himself from their position. Once at a safe distance, he slid his sleeve back until the radar was revealed, proceeding to follow his daughter's signal. Images of his bad dream flashed across his mind, adding to the young man's building trepidation.

The green dot's blinking quickened as Peter neared an alley, but he paused, furrowing a brow at the desolate area. He walked through the pathway, unable to slow his racing heart. Peter's eyes widened at a hint of blue concealed behind a dumpster, and he slid the large object to the side, expecting the worst case scenario. Sadly yet mercifully, only Mayday's backpack was found.

While Peter wanted nothing more than to have his daughter back, he took in appreciating that he didn't have to bury her just yet. With a heavy heart, the young man unzipped the bag and retrieved the iPod from inside. Its smooth surface remained polished, and the screen held a gleam, as if it was freshly bought. Peter chuckled under his breath.

Mayday interacted with the iPod on a daily basis for hours on end, and she took very good care of the device as if it was her own child. Peter readied to put the device back within the backpack, but his brow furrowed at the 'play' signal at the lower corner of the screen. He recognized the playback feature, seeing as it allowed the user to watch a newly added recording. Peter hit the play button, inhaling sharply once an image of a man appeared at the center of the screen.

"You don't know who I am, but I have something of great significance to you," he huffed, shifting the camera to the side until Mayday came into view.

Lifted by the back of her neck, she screamed and attempted to kick free to no avail. "Daddy!Help!"

The older man recentered the camera on himself, snaking his tongue along his lower lip. "This girl's scent is ripe and fresh. She would make a wonderful snack, but this child is not the one I seek. I want her father:you. I've already imprinted you through the crowd, and your scent is exactly like the woman I hospitalized. I'll know where you are." He paused, narrowing his gaze. "If you want to save this child, come to the edge of the city by the harbor. Come alone. If I sense more than one spider coming, I'll feast on this child's entrails and devour the woman in the hospital. You have been warned."

Mayday's screaming echoed in the background before the recording ceased. The world slowed to a halt as the young man's mind registered what it had just seen. A flurry of emotions rushed into his being, from despair to fury. Peter could hear a faint voice in the back of his mind, mocking him for his failure. His precious Mayday was in the clutches of a cannibalistic madman, and Peter had to face the danger alone.

As a father, he had everything to lose. The mere thought of losing Mayday nearly catapulted him over the edge. Throwing caution to the wind, Peter changed into his heroic attire and climbed onto the nearest rooftop before web-swinging towards his destination. Considering what had happened to Patricia, this was perhaps a suicide mission. Peter merely scoffed at the thought as his swinging speed increased, unaware of the deadly shadow watching him from nearby.

He'd face death a thousand times if it meant protecting his daughter.

To be continued...