//------------------------------//
// Trouble in Paradise 
// Story: Spiders and Magic IV: The Fall of Spider-Mane 
// by Maximus_Reborn 
//------------------------------//

Chapter Forty-Three "Trouble in Paradise"

"I think you girls just might be blowing this entire thing out of proportion a little," Peter lightly suggested, glancing to the side. He was pinned to the floor and flat on his back while Twilight and Sunset used their combined magic to keep the young man's limbs locked in place. Most of the others stood over him, each holding bewildered and wary expressions on their faces. With a blank stare, Peter could only exhale. "I mean, weirder things have happened in my life, like the time Doctor Octopus came dangerously close to dating Aunt May. Then, there was that time when I saw Trixie kissing her own reflection in a mirror. That was more awkward than I would have liked."

"You kiss your own reflection?" Gwen questioned, arching a brow.

Trixie huffed, waving a hand dismissively. "It's calledself-appreciation."

"That's a funny way to pronouncenarcissism," Peter quipped, clicking his tongue.

Trixie folded her arms, letting out an exasperated groan. "Well, he certainlysoundsas irritating as his usual self."

Sunset frowned, furrowing her brow. "That may be, but Peter's eyes must've changed for a reason. We have to make sure that the Nightmare Force didn't possess him again. It was pretty scary the last time, and I don't think anyone here wants to experience something like that again."

Gwen folded her arms as she paced across the room. "My knowledge on Equestrian lore is still sorely lacking. What exactly is this 'Nightmare' thing again?"

"It's nothing good, that's for sure," Patricia muttered from behind. The woman was confined to a wheelchair, with an arm in a sling and many bandages wrapped around portions of her body. "The Nightmare is a dark manifestation of negative energy that can possess certain individuals."

Twilight pursed her lips. "Nightmare is a bodiless entity. It needs its host to possess strong negative emotions in order to completely control them. Once the host completely surrenders to those emotions, Nightmare's hold is nearly impossible to break. It took the Elements of Harmony to separate it from Princess Luna after it possessed her for well over a thousand years, and we were able to reach Peter before he could fall in too deep."

Patricia shared a glance with Gwen. "Remember Venom? It's almost exactly the same, but you know, if Venom was a ghost and less slimy."

Gwen rubbed her chin, nodding. "Essentially, it's a disembodied parasite that feeds off of the negative emotions of its host?"

"Feeding off of the negative emotions of it's host…" Sonata whispered, her eyes softening as she clutched at her chest. "I was just like that not too long ago."

Twilight placed a hand on the siren's shoulder. "That was different. The Nightmare is a parasite that works from the inside out, trying toovertakeits host. You'renothinglike that."

Trixie nodded. "Exactly. According to legend, Princess Luna fell into Nightmare's grasp when she yielded to her jealousy and envy for her sister." The blue-haired woman let out a low sigh. "If I know Peter, I can assume his guilt is what led to this. I've never known anyone with such a guilt complex before."

"I get that, but isn't Nightmare still sealed away in Auntie Luna?" Mayday interjected with an arched brow while Eris held a glowing hand against the girl's back. While only a day had passed since Morlun was vanquished, a majority of the young girl's wounds had healed considerably, specifically her once-broken arm. Mayday tilted her head to the side. "I mean, if Nightmare were to escape, wouldn't Auntie Luna be the first to know?"

Peter lifted his head and managed to point a thumb behind his position, where Luna sat in a meditative state. "That's why your auntie is doing a mental check on herself and me to make sure nothing slipped out without her knowing." His eyes softened as the young girl winced, rubbing at her sore arm. "How areyoufeeling? What happened yesterday was pretty scary, huh?"

Patricia forced a laugh. "Understatement of the century right there," she lightly declared, rubbing a finger over a bandage on her forehead.

Grinning, Mayday smiled before holding a finger near her mouth where one of her front teeth used to be. "I'm okay, outside of a missing tooth and a little soreness. That's the last time I try to bite someone with super strength. It's like biting a rock."

Patricia huffed. "I've punched my share of bad dudes before, but that Morlun guy was something else. I'd rather take my chances with the Hulk than fight him again."

"We're actually very fortunate," Julia calmly interjected, straightening her shades with a finger. "From what I gathered, the tide of the battle changed when Peter started using magic. It seems that Morlun's biology reacted very strongly to it." Julia frowned. "Now, let's hope this blessing doesn't turn out to be a curse in the end."

Mayday waved her hand dismissively. "As scary as Morlun was, I still find listening to one of Mom's lectures far more terrifying."

The corner of Trixie's mouth curled into a smirk. "I can certainly testify to that."

"Stuff the sarcasm, Trixie," Twilight huffed, holding a blank glare. Once Trixie raised both hands and shook her head in a form of mock surrender, the princess sighed, as if sobering. Twilight held an appreciative smile while sharing a glance with the woman tending to her daughter. "Thank you so much for helping Mayday, Eris."

Eris nodded, managing a smile before wiping the sweat from her brow with a forearm. "It's nothing. Finding trouble seems to run in your family." The energy dissipated from the woman's hand as she eased back and collapsed onto the nearest chair. Eris still held a warm smile, in spite of her winded breathing. "As does another of her father's gifts. Mayday's wounds were healing very fast on their own before I intervened. I merely sped up the process a touch more."

Julia inhaled deeply before sighing. "That explains why Morlun didn't kill you right away. You're growing more into a spider every day. I believe you'll be a true totem in a manner of weeks at this rate."

Mayday folded her arms in thought. "Now, the healing factor I'm okay with. The Spider Sense is stillsuper annoying though," Mayday hummed, before retrieving her iPod before pecking away at the device's screen. "But beggars can't be choosers, I guess. Let's just hope I don't grow extra arms or anythingcrazylike that."

"No promises," Peter muttered under his breath, grimacing at the thought.

Gwen edged closer to Julia with a furrowed brow. "Speaking of Morlun, how did he come to this dimension in the first place?"

Julia nodded. "Morlun is a renowned Inheritor, traveling across many dimensions to feed upon true totems. This was hardly anything new. I imagine that he sensed the ongoing chaos and came running upon noticing the large number of totems gathered together as well."

"I can suspect that Morlun slipped in through the opening I created to reach this world," Eris muttered, glancing off to the side. "My deepest apologies, but I have to leave an opening. Should it close, we can't return to Equestria."

Julia folded her arms. "No one could've foreseen this. My precognitive abilities have been compromised since our meeting. I imagine that they'll return once I return to my home dimension." The woman shifted her line of sight to Peter. "With so many totems of the spider in one place, this was practically a buffet for him. You've saved a lot of lives, Peter. Morlun has slain countless spiders in his long life, and he would've continued had you not put him down."

Sonata, sitting on the nearby sofa with a bowl of ice cream in hand, raised an eyebrow as she scooped some of the cold treat onto a spoon. "So, he reallyisgone? Like,gone,gone?"

"Verygone." Mayday frowned, folding her arms. "When Daddy started punching him with his glowy fists, Morlun literally turned into dust. I'mprettysure you can't get much deader than that."

Sonata shrugged, placing the cold contents of her spoon into her mouth."Yeah, I guess you're right. There isn't much coming back from that. Well, unless you were a phoenix or something," Sonata obliviously stated, tapping the tip of the spoon still in her mouth. "Still. I think you were bothreallylucky by the sounds of it."

"I can still sense the Web of Life to a strong degree. With Morlun present, I could hardly breathe, and several of the threads grew brittle, like they were falling apart," Julia replied, her voice wavering. She recollected her pose and cleared her throat. "With Morlun gone, everything within the Web of Life returned to normal… for the most part."

Zecora lifted her gaze. "Darkness has filled Peter's strand, and it has yet to clear. With the idea of Nightmare emerging, we have much to fear."

Felicia chuckled under her breath. "I think you're all overreacting. The only thing that's changed is the color of his eyes." The woman purred seductively as a coy grin surfaced on her features. "Quite frankly, Ilikethe change. Blue looks good on you, handsome."

Twilight glared at Felicia from the corner of her eye. "Let's just wait on the verdict from Princess Luna." She shifted her gaze to her husband, concern evident in her eyes and voice. "It's one thing for him to grow his eye back, but it's something else entirely when they're both completely different from before. Then, there's the magic that he used. One of two things happened, and I'm not fond of either possibility."

"Well, that's pretty ominous," Peter deadpanned, furrowing his brow upon noticing his wife's somber expression. The young man sobered, shifting his gaze to the ceiling. "The whole thing is still fuzzy. I remember Morlun hitting Mayday, and something just… snapped inside of me. Something was motivating me. I lost you and Mayday before, and I didn't want to go through that again."

Patricia arched a brow. "Again...?"

An uneasy silence filled the room, hanging on the woman's unanswered question.

Before long, Trixie cleared her throat, motioning a hand defensively. "It's a complicated story. Don't worry about it."

Peter inhaled deeply before sighing. "So, I punched Morlun, again and again, until he stopped moving. It wasn't until he literally crumbled to dust that I realized what I had done. It almost reminds me of what happened with Sombra."

"What do you mean byalmost?" Sunset questioned, her eyes widening at the chosen word.

Peter frowned, narrowing his gaze. "With Sombra, I actually felt bad about taking his life, even with the given circumstances, but this time, I feltnothing." Peter held a blank stare, his expression unreadable. "I guessthat'swhat's bothering me the most. I felt no remorse at all."

"He was a mass murderer, Peter. Amonster," Felicia countered, her voice both stern and passive. "Why feel bad about killing someone like that?"

Peter's expression darkened. "Because I'd rather notbecomesomething like that. It's our humility and sense of compassion that separates us from killers like Green Goblin and Carnage. The less I have in common with them, the better."

Suddenly, the ocean blue color in Luna's eyes returned, and she sat upright, freeing herself from meditation. "I've surveyed the situation."

"And…? How does it look?" Gwen questioned, placing both hands behind her head. "Try not to be overly negative if you can help it. I'm a girl that likes good news."

Luna huffed, pulling herself to a standing position. "Then, I suppose Iwillstart with the good news." The princess shared a glance with Twilight and Sunset, lowering a hand passively. "You can release him. I didn't sense Nightmare anywhere within him."

Sunset let out a relieved sigh as she lowered her hand, causing the energy around it and Peter's limbs to fade from sight. "That's certainly good to hear. I take it that you're sure?"

Luna gave an affirming nod. "Absolutely. I searched the confines of Peter's heart and mind thoroughly. I couldn't find a trace of the Nightmare Force within him." The princess paused, placing a hand over her chest. "The seal holding Nightmare in place within me is also still very much intact. Nothing came out, fortunately."

"From what Mayday described, Peter used magic yesterday," Trixie declared, placing both hands over her hips. "How is that possible? Isn't his magic acting as the seal for the Nightmare within you?"

Luna folded her arms. "Yes, but while Peter's magic from ten years ago still acts as the seal, I suspected that his own magic would return at some point. Though, I imagined that wouldn't be for several hundred years, at the very least." She glanced at the young man from the corner of her eyes. "Nevertheless, this development is most surprising, to say the least."

"So, what's thebadnews?" Trixie questioned bluntly, arching a brow at the young man. "One thing I've learned is that when it comes to Peter, bad news isneverfar behind."

Peter, Patricia, and Mayday held bemused expressions, muttering simultaneously, "That's the Parker luck, Chuck."

Slow to respond, Luna inhaled deeply before sighing. "The magic Peter used was his own, but it wasn't normal magic. It wasdarkmagic."

The entire room grew silent, even as Sonata accidentally dropped her spoon. Most of the members of the group shared widened gazes. Twilight shook her head and stood abruptly, concern evident in her eyes. "Iknewit!"

Gwen watched Twilight as she paced across the room before arching a brow at the rest of the group. "Okay. I'm not really familiar with how magic works in your world, but I'm guessing by the reaction, dark magic is anabsoluteno-no? Peter's not going to up and turn into Mephisto is he?"

Almost out of instinct, Peter gagged and fought back the urge to regurgitate. He cleared his throat. "Why did a bad taste come into my mouth all of a sudden?"

Sunset pursed her lips. "Dark magic is considered taboo in Equestria. Some can access it, but very few can control it. Dark magic can corrupt the soul and manifest the user's body into an unrecognizable shape."

Sonata leaned over Peter's shoulder, tilting her head to the side as she carefully analyzed his face. "That explains why his eyes look so different. They're even slitted."

Eris blinked, narrowing her gaze. "Dark magic is not easy to access by any means. Peter's magic has been restrained over the years, and he's pure of heart. Under such circumstances, nothing should transpire, but the dark magic I sensed exuding from Peter yesterday was… omnipotent." Eris straightened her posture, pausing as if contemplating a matter. "How did it manifest and growthatstrong?"

"There are two reasons for that, I believe," Luna declared as her eyes softened, raising a finger. "First, the link that binds Peter and Twilight remains intact. Whenever Twilight's magic grows in strength, the same happens to Peter's. While his magic was severed to form the seal to hold Nightmare within me, as a natural unicorn, he was able to reproduce it slowly but surely. However, his magic remained suppressed for over a decade and continued to swell before eventually erupting."

Furrowing her brow, Patricia leaned forward in her wheelchair. "That explains how his magic came back, but did it turn dark automatically?"

Twilight placed a hand over Peter's shoulder, squeezing it both firmly and gently. "One's magic is tied to their emotions. Over the years, I've learned that Peter suffers from a guilt complex, whether it's accepting the blame for what happened to his uncle or Gwen. However, events lately have taken a toll on his psyche, and he's developed post traumatic stress disorder."

Luna's expression softened before she shook her head. "It's not our place to say what happened exactly, but those emotions have accumulated—his guilt, anger, and sorrow—and taken form. That's how I believe he amassed dark magic."

Julia brushed a hand through her crimson locks. "So, the dark powers came out when Mayday was put into immediate danger. He just shut everything out, and his instincts took over." Julia paused, removing her shades and revealing her milky white irises. In spite of her blindness, she stared intently at Peter. "I have a daughter, too, and she means everything to me. I'll go to the darkest of realms if it meant to protect her. So, I understand how you feel, Peter."

"I understand, too, but I'd rather it not come to that," Twilight interjected sternly, stepping in front of her husband before facing him. She stared intently at the young man, never averting her gaze. "Do you remember how to access your dark magic?"

Peter met his wife's gaze, frowning upon recognizing the stern tone in her voice. "Well, the details are a little fuzzy, but I remember the gist of the process."

A long silence filled the room as Twilight inhaled deeply before sighing. "I see." She placed both hands over her husband's shoulders and edged closer until their faces were inches apart. "I need you to promise me that you'll never use dark magic again, Peter." Twilight shook her head sadly. "I've been touched by dark magic before, and I nearly lost myself when that happened. I don't want to lose you, too."

"You mean with the Plunder Vines?" Peter whispered, leaning on his wife's wavering voice.

Twilight frowned. "No. There was a time before that… with Sombra, where I willingly used it. Once dark magic takes hold of you, it's almost impossible to shake free on your own. Spike had to free me the first time, while you and Gwen had to save me the second time. Sombra had to trick you intokillinghim, just so he could be freed from the dark magic that consumed him." Sobering, the princess rested her forehead against Peter's. "I love you, Peter, but I'm afraid that if you use any dark magic again… I don't think you'll be coming back."

Without a moment's hesitation, Peter brushed a hand over Twilight's cheek sweetly. "If it means losingyou, then there's no reason for me to ever use this power." A warm smile formed on the young man's face. "Trust me. As long as I can help it, I promise not to use dark magic ever again. Ever"

Twilight giggled in earnest before planting a kiss on his cheek. "Thanks, honey."

Suddenly, Mayday climbed onto her father's shoulders, allowing her chin to rest on his crown. "So… are the blue eyes permanent? I mean, theylookcool, but we lose a little of that Parker resemblance between us."

"We lost a little of that resemblance when your eyes turned yellow," Peter chuckled.

Mayday shrugged. "I'm fine with mine, but I can't say that I'm okay with your blue eyes."

"That's very backhanded, honey," Peter grumbled, rolling his eyes.

Luna managed a smile before humming inwardly. "Do not concern yourself, Mayday. Your father's eyes should return to normal. However, since some of the dark magic was used to hasten the regrowth of his last eye, the duration of this new change is uncertain for the time being."

Peter stood to his feet before easing Mayday to the ground, smiling warmly. "I'll just have to enjoy it while it lasts then." The young man paused, glancing off to the side before hesitantly looking into Twilight's eyes. "So, what do you think? Do the new eyes look silly?"

Twilight placed her hand over her husband's, smiling contently. "They look cute on you. I miss your brown eyes, personally, but this is a change I can adjust to. I'll be happier when your eyes return to normal."

Eris materialized between the pair and leaned over the railing behind them, swaying her hips while trailing a finger seductively against the side of the young man's head. "I think they look marvelous on you, handsome."

Peter chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "For once, things end on a high note. I mean,nothingcan ruin this moment! What could possibly go wrong?"

Patricia grimaced, burying her face in her hands. "You dimwit. Don't you know that you're just begging for lightning to strike with that saying?"

Ben giggled wildly, clapping his hands eagerly. "Ga…! In!" The baby squeaked, pursing his lips.

Twilight inhaled sharply, rushing to the toddler before lifting him into her arms. "Listen everyone! He's so close to talking!" She nudged Ben gently. "Come on, sweetie! Just a little more!"

Peter walked over, sharing a smile and glance with Twilight once he joined her side. "What's he trying to say?!" His smile widened. "Alright, kid! Don't keep us waiting! Spill it!"

Ben continued to struggle, stuttering profusely. Pursing his lips together, the baby inhaled deeply before blurting out, "Goblin!"

Ecstatic, Twilight squealed happily and rubbed her cheek against her son's affectionately. "Our little boy's first word! I'msohappy!"

"Goblin!" Ben repeated, with twice the vigor while raising his tiny arms proudly.

Twilight nodded as her enthusiasm reached a new zenith, evident by her springing. "You're already speaking! Mommy's so proud of you!" Twilight turned to face Peter with a smile as wide as the sun. "What do you think, Peter? Aren't you proud of our little boy?"

Unfortunately, Peter crawled into the nearest corner as a heavy cloud loomed over his head. "G-Goblin?" he whispered, his voice cracking. Pulling his knees to his chest, the young man rocked in place before teetering over into a fetal position. "My son's first word is…Goblin?"

The sinking feeling dragged his spirits into the depths of cruel irony, leaving Peter with only his own misery to comfort himself. Everyone in the vicinity watched a usually vibrant man shrink into a miniature black cloud. Twilight could only blink as Sonata poked the unmoving man, only for the cloud hanging over his head to intensify the rain pouring over him. Trixie burst into guffaws at the cruel yet innocent irony bestowed upon Peter while Mayday went on to take photographs of her father's literal descent into bleak sadness with her iPod.

Patricia let out a knowing sigh before shrugging. "Oy vey."





Several hours had passed, and Peter remained just as inconsolable. However, the others had retreated into their home while the Parker/Sparkle family remained together. They lay along the smooth grass under the warm sun's light and shade provided by a large tree. Ben cuddled his Green Goblin toy innocently and affectionately while Mayday obliviously played with her iPod, ignoring her family for the duration as a toy of Twilight's equine form sat next to her.

In an attempt to free her husband of his anxiety, Twilight went out and retrieved some choice clothing for both him and her. During their time at the convention, there were plenty of Spider-Man accessories, seeing as the hero was a cultural icon in this world. Twilight managed to slide her husband into a brown shirt with Spider-Man swinging at the center, with 'Best Hero'etched over his head. Twilight, meanwhile, wore a large pink jacket with Spider-Man's insignia at the center, labeled with 'Fan'underneath in bold letters.

For all intents and purposes, this was the ultimate form of flattery. However, Peter could only blankly stare at his son and the toy, both with disgust and exasperation. In contrast, Twilight's happiness held at its zenith, with the woman reaching out and brushing her cheek against Peter's head lovingly. Peter's expression hadn't faltered, only deepening as he couldn't fixate his glare away from the Goblin toy.

"Come on! Give me a smile! Our baby just spoke for the first time today!" Twilight giggled, playfully winking.

Peter's blood grew cold. "I'm punching the Green Goblin twice as hard when we make it back home." Ben snuggled the toy further, seemingly oblivious to his father's growing malicious intent. Peter frowned. "Better yet… Does hebleed? Oh, hewill."

"Yeah, Daddy. That's a good… point," Mayday halfhearted muttered, never averting her full attention away from the iPod.

"Gobby!" Ben exclaimed, giggling innocently.

In spite of the heavy contrast of moods, whether it was Mayday's disinterest in the situation, Ben's oblivious and ironic happiness, or Peter's growing anxiety, Twilight felt her heart swell. As a mother, she loved her entire family, especially for their quirks. Just yesterday, she nearly lost her husband and daughter. With that came a far greater appreciation for their presence.

The woman leaned over, planting a soft and warm kiss on Peter's lips. His blue eyes widened at the gesture, and his demeanor lightened upon finding Twilight's warm gaze. Eventually, he yielded his apprehension before returning his wife's smile with one of his own. This was just another day for their family, and the princess adored every moment of it. It was because of them that she had changed so much, from an asocial librarian, to royalty, and most importantly, to a wife and a mother.

Twilight's smile widened until her bright teeth showed. "I love all of you."





Two weeks had passed since that day. Training had resumed, with Peter learning how to control his magical abilities with the aid of Sunset Shimmer. Everything led to this moment: their last day on Earth. They would leave first thing tomorrow morning. However, breakfast was to be served this morning as a means to build morale before rushing into what would be the final battle. Sadly, to no surprise, there was chaos running amok. Peter chuckled sheepishly, sitting at the end of the table and helpless to control what was transpiring.

Sunset pulled away Sonata's gem from around her neck and raised it high above her head, keeping it out of the considerably smaller siren's reach. Trixie rambled on about her many self-proclaimed successes, all while holding a piece of toast in her hand. Eris took the opportunity and bit off a chunk of the bread once it was within range, much to Trixie's disbelief and horror, as evident by her slack-jawed expression. Julia stood inches behind the table and merely facepalmed at the sight, groaning at the demigod's childish behavior. Meanwhile, Ben crawled across the table and cooed playfully as he made his way towards Zecora, who stuck out her tongue and made funny faces at the baby, much to his delight.

Mayday caught sight of her younger brother's act too late, stretching out across the table in a desperate attempt to get ahold of him, but she made a mess in the process, knocking over a bowl of rice. Felicia blinked, pausing to gaze upon both children sprawled across the table. Luna continued to eat her breakfast nonchalantly, paying the surrounding commotion she had grown accustomed to no mind. Gwen giggled mischievously as she leaned against the wall with her camera phone in hand, recording the entire fiasco for historical and personal use. Twilight walked in front of the kitchen with a freshly prepared plate of scrambled eggs, but she stopped in her tracks upon spotting her son and daughter on top of the table.

Peter could only let out a defeated sigh. Such a scene had become something of a daily routine during their stay on Earth over the course of three months. They would return to Equestria at the break of dawn, ready to fight Tirek and the Sinister Six for the land's freedom. There was no guarantee that their intense training would be enough to win the day. This was perhaps the last time they could ever live a peaceful life, and there was a great chance some would die in the coming battle.

"How dare you?! That's completelyunacceptable!" Trixie exclaimed, staring wildly at Eris as she continued to innocently chew away at the toast in her grasp.

Sunset huffed. "Take back what you said, Sonata!"

"Alright, I'm sorry! That skirt doesnotmake your butt look big!" Sonata whined, trying and failing to reach the ruby out of her range. "Now please! Give it back!"

Julia's complexion paled. "How do the lot of you evenfunction?"

Felicia stared at both Mayday and Ben with a widened gaze. "Excuse me, but why are there children on the kitchen table?"

Twilight leaned over the table, barely managing to balance the bowl in her hands. "Mayday Gwendolyn Parker Sparkle! Get off of the kitchen table, now!"

After a flash of light gleamed from her camera, Gwen smiled triumphantly at her phone. "I'msoposting this on my Twitter feed when I get back home!"

Peter chuckled inwardly and shook his head. There was a lot at stake, but he wouldn't lose, not with his friends and family counting on him. Tomorrow, he'd give Tirek and the Sinister Six his all. For the moment, however, he would enjoy the peace while it lasted.

"Can someone please pass the salt?" Peter asked among the ruckus, and of course, nobody heard him. The young man could only grin a response. Life was absolutely perfect, and nobody would take that from him. His eyes suddenly widened at a small realization before long, prompting the young man to poke his daughter's shoulder. "Hey, Mayday. Remember when you asked what it's like to web-swing?"

Mayday arched a brow, easing herself off the table. "Um, yeah. Why?"

Peter grinned, placing a hand over the girl's shoulder. "Since this is our last day on Earth, how about we give you a personal firsthand experience on what it's like to be a Spider?" He shared a glance with Gwen, Patricia, and Madame Web. "You girls up for a little exercise?"

Gwen stretched her arms behind her shoulders, nodding. "Yeah! That sounds like fun!"

Patricia grinned, pulling her knee to her chest in an upright stance. "Count me in! Isoneed it. I've been stuck in a wheelchair for over a week. This'll do me some good."

All eyes fell on Madame Web, who stood with a stern silence. Julia cleared her throat after a duration. "You all go ahead without me."

Peter eased up next to the woman, sliding an arm over her shoulder. "Oh, come on! We know you're Madame Web nowadays, but we also know you're still Spider-Woman deep down." Peter's grin widened. "Let's see if you've still got it!"

A faint pink flush filled Julia's cheeks before she weakly glanced off to the side. "Well, Idohave my old costume in my bags."





High above the streets of New York, Gwen hopped high into the air and swung on a strand of webbing. Patricia followed closely behind, relinquishing her hold on her thread to flip multiple times before firing another strand. Julia landed on top of an air vent in a squatting position, having donned a set of black tights with a white spider insignia over her chest underneath her trademark crimson jacket. She ran across the rooftop and leaped after Patricia and Gwen, holding a graceful pose.

Suddenly, Spider-Man soared through the air on a thread of webbing, making his way past the trio of female spiders with great speed. Mayday rode on her father's shoulders with her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, whooping at the top of her lungs. They were true totems of the spider, and their futures were tied together. With the coming battle, it could be their last, but they would face it together, as they were always destined to.

To be continued...