//------------------------------//
// Excelsior! 
// Story: The Amazing Spider Mare: Sinister Secrets 
// by SuperPinkBrony12 
//------------------------------//

When the Manehattan police arrived on the scene, they found the four escaped super villains all webbed up in a neat little bundle. They also found the unconscious Lightning Dust who appeared to have no recollection of how she had gotten there or what she had been doing. Even so, the police didn't take chances. She was carted off into an ambulance, but under heavy guard to ensure she wouldn't escape or attempt to free the others.

As for Spider Mare, Black Cat, and the Fantastic Four, they were able to find what had brought the web slinging duo to Manehattan in the first place. Just as Officer Copper Top had speculated, there was an entire warehouse full of vials that contained the cure for Devil's Breath.

But there was something else that was there, something that troubled the heroes a great deal. Vials of an ominous red substance, not unlike what had been used in the attack on Ponyville's Town Hall.

"Mr. Negative must've been planning to do it on an Equestria wide basis," Spider Mare realized. "All this time he was operating right under our noses, and we almost didn't know until it was too late!"

Black Cat smiled. "Yeah, well thankfully his plan was stopped. And now all that remains is to get the cure to Twilight."

"But how are we gonna get back to Ponyville?" Spider Mare wondered. "I used up a lot of webbing just getting us here, to say nothing of how much I burned up during the fight against the Sinister Six. I don't think I've got enough webbing left in my current cartridges to get us home. And good luck trying to get a train ticket to Ponyville at this time of night."

At that, Mr. Fantastic beamed as he approached the power couple. "I believe we can help you with that. Let's just say, we've got friends in high places."

The Thing chuckled. "And we mean that literally. You'd be surprised how rarely anyone ever looks up."

Spider Mare was about to ask what the two stallions meant, before she felt herself surrounded by some kind of strange beam. And a similar beam appeared to be surrounding the other superheroes. The beam prevented her from moving or doing anything. Without warning, a strange sensation overtook the wall crawler and she felt herself being lifted into the air. "If this gets any weirder, I may have to scream." She thought to herself.





A moment later, Spider Mare found herself aboard what appeared to be some kind of hi tech airship, almost like those zeppelins that sometimes ran cruises.

But this one had a much more spacious interior, plenty of room to walk around. There were several windows and a large table, and at one end of the room rested a bunch of tubes. One of them was what Spider Mare found herself in, but not for long. The tube suddenly opened and out she stumbled.

"Welcome aboard, Spider Mare. My apologies for the sudden and abrupt methods used to bring you here, but I wasn't sure it'd be possible to get your attention with a letter alone," An unfamiliar voice called out. A moment later, out trotted a pony the likes of which Spider Mare had never seen before. It was a rather tall and slender looking unicorn mare. Her coat was a noticeable dark orchid in color, and her mane and tail were moderate rose in stiff curls. She had moderate opal eyes (or rather one eye, the one on the left was covered by an eye patch), and surprisingly across her face was a huge scar, and where her horn should be there was only a broken stub. She seemed to be clad in some kind of black suit, which covered her lower body (including her cutie mark). "Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Commander Tempest Shadow, a certain, shall we say... 'agent' of her majesty, Princess Celestia."

"Don't forget the head of S.M.I.L.E.," Mr. Fantastic pointed out. "Secret Monster Intelligence League of Equestria. Initiated by Princess Celestia partly in response to the super powered threats you and Black Cat have dealt with, Spider Mare."

Black Cat appeared to be amazed. "A top secret government agency? Sounds exciting."

Tempest smiled. "You could say that. It's basically our job to recruit various ponies with talents and skills necessary to combat the threats to our society. The Fantastic Four is but the first of what will hopefully be many initiatives on super powered teams. Though the other projects are currently on a strict 'Need to know' basis that only the highest level security clearance officials are allowed to know about which," She frowned as she looked at Spider Mare and Black Cat. "I'm afraid that doesn't include the likes of you, yet."

Spider Mare arched an eyebrow upward. "What do you mean, yet? And just what is with your eye patch and scar?"

"An unfortunate accident from my childhood, at least in regard to the scar and horn. The eye patch came later," Tempest growled. "It's a long story that I don't feel like repeating," She quickly changed the subject. "We here at S.M.I.L.E. have been keeping a close eye on your various heroic exploits, Spider Mare. And yours too, Black Cat. We're highly impressed by what we've seen. Thus, I was hoping you two would be interested in joining our hopefully soon to be growing ranks. As agents of S.M.I.L.E. you would have access to the latest technology developed by our top researchers and engineers, and would be deployed all over Equestria and beyond."

Invisible Mare suggested. "You guys should totally say yes. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. A chance to really do some good, not just for one or two sections of Equestria, but the entire realm."

"You gotta admit, we worked pretty well together back there when we took down the Sinister Six," Pony Torch added with a grin. "Think about what we could do if you were brought up to our level? We've even got a hi-tech training room back at S.M.I.L.E. headquarters where you can hone your skills. The guy who created the computer program for it actually has telepathic powers, and he calls it 'The Danger Room'. The holograms he creates are so lifelike, you'd never believe they weren't real!"

Tempest then concluded. "It's up to you, though. One thing I should mention, however, is that should you join S.M.I.L.E. your work is to remain top secret."

"But I thought you said you were an agent of Princess Celestia." Spider Mare commented.

"She may have created the original agency and put me in charge of it, but Princess Celestia's had no say in S.M.I.L.E.'s evolution since I took over," Tempest explained. "S.M.I.L.E. originally only covered threats from Tartarus and the Everfree Forest. And that's child's play compared to the threats you've battled. I don't think she or Princess Luna would be comfortable with the idea of an entire organization devoted to battling these threats."

Black Cat eyed Tempest. "I don't suppose there's a branch in Ponyville we could operate? It's kind of our hometown. Heck, it's basically become my adopted hometown. I never really had one before."

Tempest shook her head. "Unfortunately there's just the headquarters stationed in Canterlot. If we returned you to Ponyville, it would just be to drop off that cure and anything else, allow you a chance to tie up loose ends, and then we'd have to leave."

Upon hearing that, Spider Mare said to the broken horned unicorn. "Then I'm afraid the answer is no. Black Cat and I are far too attached to Ponyville to just up and leave it, even if it give us a chance to work for a really awesome agency like this."

Tempest sighed. "I was expecting that response. But very well, I shall abide by your decision for the time being," She then reached into the pockets of her outfit, producing two small objects. "However, at least take these back with you. Think of them as a calling card. If ever you should need my help, or if ever you should decide to take up my offer, they'll tell you how to contact me. For now though, let's get you back to Ponyville. And hopefully, our paths will not cross again."





The hi-tech zeppelin brought our heroes back to the town they called home and quickly beamed them down where no one would see them. Then it departed, shrouded in an invisibility spell so that it was impossible to see.

Spider Mare and Black Cat immediately headed for Twilight's castle once they'd gotten their bearings, and Pinkie was all too happy to give the princess not only the cure for Devil's Breath, but also the Carnage symbiote. "With any luck, you can ensure it doesn't get out and ensnares anyone else. It seems like the off-spring is deadlier than the parent." She commented.

Twilight nodded. "I'll make sure to keep it under heavy lock and key. But for the sake of scientific study, I'm not going to destroy it. There might be a way to redeem it, to cure it of its negative thoughts. And if that's true, the possibilities are endless."

"Just be careful who you let near it," Pinkie advised. "There's no telling what it might do if bonds with someone even more dangerous than Lightning Dust."

"I just hope that we can catch Venom the next time our paths cross," Cheese declared. "Then we can finally put our symbiote nightmares behind us for good."

"You kidding? As long as we're together, no alien monster's ever going to break our bond again!" Pinkie vowed to her husband. "Now come on, let's go home and call it a night. I think we've both earned some time off after this," With a yawn, she told Twilight. "Be sure to give my regards to Officer Copper Top. I'm already looking forward to where our partnership goes from here."

"Will do, Pinkie. And thank you. You and your husband have been a big help, bigger than you'll probably ever know." Twilight commented, as she watched the super powered couple depart.





But that night, as Pinkie slept, she was surprised to have her dreams interrupted. Not by Princess Luna, but by a majestic, white coated alicorn with a flowing red mane and tail. The earth pony mare blinked and rubbed her eyes. "Who are you? I feel like I've seen you somewhere before."

The alicorn simply spoke in a voice that echoed everywhere. "If you have heard or seen me anywhere prior to this, it was only in legends and works of fiction. There are few alive today who even know I ever existed," She then explained. "I have gone by many names: Queen Lauren the First, The Creator, Fausticorn, even simply Faust. But now, in this realm, I am simply The Watcher. I have gazed beyond the horizon of time and been blessed with knowledge of events that no mere mortal could comprehend."

"So why have I only now met you? I could've surely used your help on so many occasions." Pinkie commented in confusion.

The Watcher shook her head. "Alas, I am powerless to interfere or intervene in events as they unfold. I may simply watch and observe, taking up the role of silent guardian of the world I once helped to protect. Unable to return to the mortal world, yet also unable to pass into the afterlife," And she then added. "Tonight, I have payed a visit to praise you for your incredible feats, to congratulate you for all you have done. And to offer you a chance if you're willing to take it, to see what might have been if your life had turned out differently."

"You mean, like if Uncle Al hadn't died or I had saved Pokey Pierce from the Green Griffon?" Pinkie asked The Watcher, who nodded in confirmation. "Thanks, but while I'm sorely tempted I'm going to have to say no. Despite all the hardships I endured as a result of them, those tragedies are what helped mold me into the mare I am today. I know now why I had to go through it all. They say you learn more from your failures than you do your victories, and for the longest time I was baffled by that. But now, after seeing how far I've come since starting out, I think I finally get it. Uncle Al's death helped me learn to think of others and not myself. And Pokey Pierce's death motivated me to stop hiding my secret, to share it with others and trust them to help maintain it."

The Watcher smiled. "Very sound words coming from someone so young. And while I may not know what the future still holds for you, I can safely say that you will face down adversity from a position of strength."

Pinkie nodded. "Yup. My Uncle Al once said 'When times are their darkest, that is when we must force our brightest smiles'. I know now what he meant. Even when things look bleak, even when it all seems hopeless, being able to smile and believe that there will be a brighter tomorrow can make all the difference. It can motivate others to keep fighting and to not give up."

"Indeed that is so. I daresay you are almost as wise as me despite my centuries worth of knowledge," The Watcher declared as she unfolded her wings. "And so I leave you with an old motto from my family, one that I taught my daughters to aspire to live by. 'Excelsior'! It means 'Ever Upward'."

"You mean like 'Keep fighting'?" Pinkie asked as The Watcher slowly began to fade away. She got her answer in the form of a nod. And with that confirmation, she silently reaffirmed her commitment to keep fighting for all that was good, regardless of the cost to her personally.

However, as she returned to her usual dream state, Pinkie couldn't help but wonder one thing. "Just what other initiatives could Tempest and S.M.I.L.E. be working on?"