Chapter Five “Battle of the Bands”
Spider-Man relinquished his hold on his webbing mid-swing before soaring for several meters, managing to land at the upper end of a flag pole. His masked eyes narrowed at the crowd, each member with a distant gaze and droned expression. At center stage, the Dazzlings continued to sing before wings sprouted from their backs and the gems around their necks glowed immensely. His cranium hummed in response to the vocals, prompting the young man to clutch at his head.
“Spider-Sense is tingling. There’s something weird about that song. It’s like what I’ve been feeling at the school, but amplified,” he muttered, pausing before settling his gaze at one of the girls on stage. A realization struck his mind like lightning to a rod upon recognizing the purple-skinned member of the band, evident by his widened bug-like lenses. “Whoa! Is that Aria? Don’t tell me she’s mixed up in this. It’d be my luck that one of the only friends I make here is one of the bad guys. Again. I really hope that it doesn't become a running trend.”
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the arena, Rainbow Dash struck at her electric guitar furiously and riffed before stealing a glance at Twilight. “How long is this going to take?”
Applejack huffed, smirking. “You’re getting tired already?”
Rainbow Dash snorted, moving her fingers along the guitar strings even faster. Sweat began to pour from her head as she drew in bated breaths. “Are you kidding?! I can do this all day!”
“It’s a marathon. Not a sprint, darling,” Rarity exhaled, rolling her eyes, “Although with you, I suppose there’s little to no difference.”
Twilight opened her eyes. “This is going to take a few minutes. Just play and concentrate!” She extended a hand to Sunset, smiling, “I can use your help.”
Blinking, Sunset slowly accepted the gesture. “Okay. What do you need me to do? Any advice?”
Fluttershy tapped her tambourine while Pinkie beat her drums in harmony. Rarity elegantly played her keytar, and Applejack struck her bass guitar. Magical energies steadily materialized into existence around the group, sparkling dainty as they danced in the breeze. Twilight tapped her foot in synchronization with the music, humming a melody. She soon shared a glance with Sunset, prompting her to do the same, before both girls held the microphone together.
“Think of someone you really like and sing with all your heart!” Twilight replied, nodding.
In the distance, Spider-Man leapt across the upper sanctions of the area, landing on the scaffolding above the stage. “Karaoke night is over, ladies!” He shot out three balls of webbing onto each member’s chest, causing the gossamer to expand upon impact enough to bind their arms to their torso. Sonata yelped as Aria strained to free herself. Spider-Man waved a finger. “You seemed to have left the audience in a zombified state. I’m afraid that calls for a disqualification.”
“Motherfu–!” Adagio snarled before a ball of webbing struck and covered the entirety of her mouth.
“Language! There are kids in the audience! I’d like to think this competition was rated ‘E’ for everyone! What would Captain America think?” Spider-Man stated, firing two more balls in the direction of the remaining Dazzlings. However, Adagio’s eyes glowed bright crimson before the webbing around her mouth disintegrated, causing the same to happen to the incoming gossamer. Exasperated, Spider-Man groaned under his breath. “Of course. That would have been too easy.”
Aria frowned, shaking her head. “I told you not to come here! God, you are so dense!”
Slow to respond, Spider-Man raised a hand. “I’m not welcome anywhere to be fair, but you might have me mixed up with someone else.”
“Save it. We know who you are… Dumpster Boy,” Adagio whispered, causing Spider-Man’s masked lenses to narrow. The girl laughed, smirking. “We feed off of negative emotions. Compared to everyone in this city, you are a cute little puppy with a rain cloud over his head. You made it so easy for us to track you and turn everyone against you.”
Spider-Man’s gaze lowered. “So that’s why everyone’s been acting weird. I thought it was just my usual charm.”
Adagio scoffed. “That’s what makes it so laughable! We hardly had to do anything! Negativity just follows like a magnet! You fed us and refilled our powers just by existing! You project with poor jokes and evade with tomfoolery , but we feel your anguish. You can’t hide your true feelings from us.” She held a hand out as her pupils vanished behind a blinding light. “Bitterness. Anger. Apathy. Guilt. They practically ooze out of you.”
Aria winced, stealing a glance at her sister. “Adagio…”
Spider-Man nodded. “Yeah. I can’t deny any of that.”
Sonata folded her arms. “This is getting hard to watch. Just go home. You can’t do anything to stop us.”
Adagio laughed wildly. “For all your power, you are still a simple outcast with a deep burden. What happened for someone so young to fall into such a pit of misery? It’d be funny if it weren’t so pathetic.”
“It might be pathetic, but it’s important to me. I’ve got reasons to stay, and I’ll find a way to stop you. I’m very stubborn,” Spider-Man affirmed, lowering into a defensive stance.
Adagio snorted. “So be it. We can have fun with you.” The Dazzlings levitated from the ground, each humming in unison as the energies surrounding them spiraled into a tornado. Adagio smirked as her teeth sharpened into fangs. “False bravado. Why hide your true feelings? You can’t keep them from us. I’ve seen your kind before.”
Spider-Man chuckled nervously. “The fun and good-looking type? The funny but misunderstood type?’”
Adagio scoffed. “The little boy playing the hero. You’re out of your league.”
Suddenly, their skin deformed as scales formed over its place. Each Dazzling’s body grew in size before morphing, shifting shape. Their fangs sharpened while each howled, taking the form of ravenous seahorses. Sonata and Aria continued to sing, their distorted voices still holding an elegant tone. The members of the audience remained still, slowly turning their gazes towards Spider-Man. Each began to boo, voicing their displeasure.
Adagio cackled at the sight. “Why fight? Everyone clearly hates you… costumed or otherwise. Such a sad existence.”
“I mean, you’re not entirely wrong, but it doesn’t make what you’re doing right,” Spider-Man bluntly declared, alternating his gaze between the Dazzlings and the crowd.
Adagio opened her mouth, ready to respond, but she paused, shooting Aria a glare upon noticing her lowering voice. “Don’t listen to him! Straighten up! Now!” Adagio exclaimed, prompting Aria to resume her chorus with Sonata. The leader of the group growled as she focused her attention back on the hero. “I’m going to enjoy feasting on your negativity for all time.”
“Think I haven’t heard that before? I’ve heard worse from Jameson. Speaking of… Any relation? Then again, you aren’t really devilish looking. You look more like angry seahorses,” Spider-Man spat, lowering into a defensive stance, “Why are you doing this? I can tell at least one of you doesn’t want to do this.”
“Why explain myself to the likes of you? You’re food,” Adagio coldly declared, the gem around her neck glowing immensely. “And I will not be stopped again!”
Spider-Man’s cranium rang profusely before Adagio rushed forward with her fangs drawn, forcing him to flip overhead once she neared. The siren crashed through the scaffolding, snapping the metal bars upon impact. Parts of the stage shot out, speeding towards some of the spectators at the front row. Spider-Man shot out a pair of strands of webbing, managing to yank the debris from midair before it could come into contact with the innocents.
Just as he landed, Aria released a high-pitched scream and fired a wave of energy from her mouth. Spider-Man sprang into the air, narrowly avoiding the blast, but Sonata followed with a screeching shockwave of her own, sending Peter spiraling violently through the vicinity. Adagio soared overhead in Spider-Man’s path, whipping her fish-like tail out. The blow struck the man with a crack, launching him into the wooden floor.
Embedded in the frame, Spider-Man groaned as he watched all three sirens join together in the sky and continue their chorus. “This is why I hate musicals.”
“The itsy-bitsy spider~” Adagio sang, her pupils vanishing behind a blinding crimson glow.
Spider-Man grumbled as he pried himself free from the wood, managing to stand weakly. “Please no…”
Before he could react, Aria vanished and appeared behind him, shrieking. The blow sent Spider-Man tumbling across the ground. Adagio watched with a wicked grin. “...crawled up the waterspout~”
Peter rolled to a halt, shaking his head. “I hate this song!”
“Down came the Dazzlings~” Adagio sang, prompting the entire trio to unleash a blast in unison. The force of the blow sent Spider-Man ricocheting across every obstacle in his path, until he was sent soaring high overhead. Peter could only yell until he crashed into the waiting ground several yards away from Twilight’s group, causing the earth and rock to crumble under his weight. Adagio watched from afar and smirked. “...and flushed the spider out~!”
Twilight inhaled sharply, ceasing her singing, before she rushed towards Spider-Man. As he stirred with a weak groan, Rainbow Dash shook her head while continuing to riff her guitar. “Twilight! Be careful! That guy is bad news!”
Sunset blinked before frowning. “I know what the podcasts say, but he looks like he’s trying to help. Everyone deserves at least one second chance, right?”
Rarity huffed, shuddering. “Perhaps, darling, but he certainly looks… creepy.”
Everyone else in the group paused, sharing skeptical gazes with each other. Yet, Twilight tightened her grip and helped Spider-Man to his feet without a hint of hesitation. Peter glanced at the group momentarily before turning his attention back to the Dazzlings in the distance. However, Twilight calmly walked in front of him and paused, never averting her gaze from his.
Spider-Man tilted his head to the side after what seemed like an eternity. “Have we met? You look… familiar.”
Twilight shook her head. “Yes and no. It’s complicated. We haven’t met. Not directly.”
Slow to respond, Spider-Man stared blankly at the girl for what seemed like ages. “That’s… not ominous at all.”
“Don’t overthink it. You always get flustered when you do that, and you start pulling your hair,” Twilight whispered, smiling.
“I don’t… Wait,” Peter declared, glancing to the side while his hand instinctively grabbed at the back of his head. “I actually do that. How did you…?” Scoffing, Spider-Man muttered and lowered his head. “Like it matters. You’re not scared of me? That’s kind of rare nowadays.”
“I’ve no reason to be scared, because I know what you are,” Twilight replied, closing her eyes briefly. Soon her lips curled into a sweet smile before she reached out, placing a hand over his shoulder. “You’re a good person trying to do the right thing. That’s all I need to know.”
Spider-Man stared at the girl with a widened gaze, but he soon chuckled under his breath. “It’s been a rough few days, but something about the way you just said that made me feel better. Thanks.” He trailed off, doubling back upon settling his sight on the band in the field. “Um, is there a reason you girls are playing here? I mean, the competition is back that way. You’re a safe distance away, so I guess I can’t complain.”
Twilight raised her hand. “Don’t worry about that. Just know that we’re working on a spell to counteract what the sirens are doing.”
“The sirens? Is that what they are?” Spider-Man questioned, eyeing the Dazzlings as sparkling energies whirled into their bodies. He readied to respond, only to pause upon stealing a glance at the surrounding crowd. Everyone continued to drone aimlessly in a dream state while the girls continued to play their own music, in spite of the Dazzlings’ voices echoing throughout the vicinity. Spider-Man pointed a finger at the group, his masked eyes furrowing. “Hold on. You’re not affected.”
Nodding, Twilight narrowed her gaze. “Neither are you. I can tell you’re physically resistant. The sirens feed off of negative emotions, and their magic grows stronger from it. Don’t let them get in your head. Otherwise, you’ll become their puppet.”
“You said a spell. You mean, like, magic? Magic’s a thing here? I mean, if aliens are real, surely magic isn’t that farfetched,” Spider-Man murmured, alternating his gaze between each member of the Rainbooms, “The ears and tails are magic? I thought you were selling your theme… whatever it is. Magical pony girls? I mean, it’s colorful, like Sailor Scouts, just with an equine theme. I get it. Everyone was into horses at some point.”
Twilight reached out and clapped her hands together mere inches away from Spider-Man’s face, ceasing his rambling. “Focus! You’ll learn what magic is later. The important thing is that we can break their spell and return them to normal. I just need you to distract them long enough for us to conjure the counterspell!” A smile surfaced on the girl’s face, “I hear you’re pretty good at being a nuisance.”
Peter chuckled, gesturing a thumbs up. “Just call me your Pesky Neighborhood Spider-Man!” He leapt high into the air and shot a strand of webbing onto the flagpole, swinging off into the distance towards the Dazzlings. “Leave it to me, Sailor Moon!” Mid-flight, he glanced to the side at a booth where various electronic items were stored, “A distraction, huh? That gives me an idea.”
Twilight groaned under her breath. “The fact that I understood that reference…” She shook her head, retaking her place next to Sunset. Everyone in the group intensified their playing, prompting Sunset to hum in sync with their tune. Twilight readied herself to do the same, but she paused, stealing a glance at Spider-Man as he neared the Dazzlings. Her eyes softened while a sweet melody escaped from her mouth. “Please, be careful~”
The Dazzlings continued holding their melody, causing more of the surrounding energies to seep into their bodies. However, the feedback loop escaped from a microphone and released a high-pitched squeak. Spider-Man landed at the edge of the stage with a small microphone webbed onto his chest. He tapped against the soft end while clearing his throat.
“Hello, Canterlot~! Your pants are down~!” Spider-Man suddenly sang off-key, his voice prompting some of the crowd to clutch at their ears. He swayed his hips, dancing in place. “Hello, Dazzlings~ You make me frown~!”
Adagio blinked at the sight. “W-What are you doing?!”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah~! Your song is booty~! Stopping you is my duty~!” Spider-Man exclaimed, his voice cracking profusely.
More of the spectators stirred to life, many sharing bewildered gazes. “What is going on?” a girl questioned.
Flash was amidst the crowd, holding a hand over his aching cranium. “I don’t know.” He looked up, yelping at the sight of the transformed Dazzlings, but he paused, smiling widely upon spotting the costumed vigilante on stage. “But I know Spider-Man’s here to save the day!”
“Damn it!” Adagio roared, speeding forward. Spider-Man fired a webbing onto a pole in the distance and yanked, pulling himself into the air while the siren crashed through the floor where he previously stood. Just as he landed next to Flash, Adagio reared her head from the wreckage and snarled. “He’s ruining everything!”
Flash’s smile only grew once Spider-Man glanced in his direction. “Whoa! This is the best day ever! I’m a huge fan, Spidey!”
Slow to respond, Spider-Man cleared his throat. “T-Thanks. You can actually do me a huge favor.” He pointed at the crowd while holding his attention on the sirens. “I’ll fight the Hocus Pocus rejects. You get everyone who’s even semi-conscious out of the way.”
Without a hint of hesitation, Flash nodded before running off. “You got it, Spidey! Now, get those creeps!”
Once the older boy was a fair distance away, leading whoever was in his range away to safety, Spider-Man crushed the microphone on his chest and huffed. “That’s the idea, Eugene.” He leapt to the stage, landing in a defensive stance once the Dazzlings shifted their attention in his direction. “Is the competition over? Did I win? What do I win?”
“You!” Adagio howled, unleashing a spiraling wave from her mouth.
“I win me?! Do I squeak like a plushie? Please tell me I squeak like a plushie!” Spider-Man happily questioned, swaying his body underneath the blast. The energies tore through the steel behind his position, rendering it to a mangled shape.
Adagio growled, baring her fangs. “That’s it! I intended to keep you alive and feed on your misery, but you’re just a liability! We’ll have plenty of choices, once you’re out of the way!”
Spider-Man shrugged. “Might I suggest a change in diet?” All three sirens snarled in response, each inching closer. Peter chuckled nervously. “Oh, right. Sacred rule. Never talk to girls about their weight or diet.”
Sonata rushed forward, chomping at the young man once she was within range, but Spider-Man fired a ball of webbing onto her snout, causing the gossamer to expand upon impact. She stopped in her tracks, muffling loudly while the webbing covered the entirety of her face. Adagio roared and unleashed a wave of energy from her mouth. However, Spider-Man leapt into the air, vaulting over the blast before driving a swift knee directly into her muzzle.
The force of the strike echoed throughout the vicinity, reminiscent of a gunshot, and Adagio rolled back, her frame bursting through a wooden beam. Aria watched momentarily, glancing to the side briefly, but she shook her head, rushing ahead. Spider-Man’s cranium buzzed in response, prompting the young man to gracefully flip backward into the air and avoid the siren. Before Aria could react, Peter threw a kick directly into her back and caused her to stumble. Sonata eventually managed to free the webbing from her face, only to inhale sharply before Aria tumbled into her.
Both sirens fell into a heap, each grumbling. However, Adagio erupted from the debris. Just as Spider-Man turned around, the siren lunged into him with enough force to tear through the wooden stage. Shards of broken stage scattered from the impact, and the young man rolled across the ground for several meters. Once he stood, a pair of magical beams shot past Adagio and slammed into Peter simultaneously.
He was hurled once more, flying until a steel wall stopped his progress. Aria and Sonata joined back with their sister before all three sirens sang in unison, unleashing a shockwave. The steel gave way, bending until it snapped to pieces behind Spider-Man’s frame, and he bounced off the pavement, eventually skidding to a halt onto his back. He groaned, ready to pull himself back to his feet, but Adagio’s tail slammed onto his chest, causing the earth beneath to crack with a tremor.
Spider-Man coughed as the siren pinned him further to the ground. “I take it you didn’t like the song. I can also sing Kumbaya, if you’d like?” The tail lifted itself briefly before slamming back down with enough force to create a second tremor. Spider-Man shook his head. “I know. None of that. Shame on me. I’m not even on American Idol, and I’m already eliminated. You’re worse than Simon.”
“You seriously thought you could beat us?” Adagio growled under her breath, lowering her head until it was mere inches away from Spider-Man’s.
Spider-Man strained, chuckling under his breath. “Not trying to beat you. I’m just stalling. Hope you enjoy the lightshow.”
Adagio’s eyes widened. “What?” That same moment, bright harmonious energies spiraled around the Rainbooms. Their ears and wings sparkled with a luminous glow before a rainbow materialized into existence. Adagio blinked rapidly, slack-jawed. “What?!”
“Instead of focusing on the shortcomings of others, try taking a hard look in a mirror and fix yourself first! No one’s perfect, but we can at least try our best one day at a time!” Spider-Man exclaimed as he slipped free. Pushing Adagio’s tail to the side, he jumped high into the air. “It’s how I’ve managed so far…”
Faster than any of the sirens could hope to react, Peter spun in midair, leaving afterimages of himself as he rapidly fired an array of web balls in various directions. Each piece of gossamer expanded upon impact, and in the span of only three seconds, the entire vicinity was covered in many blankets of webbing. The Dazzlings were pinned in place, unable to move momentarily. The energy emitting from the Rainbooms rushed out, taking flight before speeding towards the sirens in a fury. Spider-Man reached out, snatching the gem from Adagio’s neck as the beam neared, and he hopped high into the air, narrowly avoiding the light attack.
The energies engulfed the sirens, tearing through their transformed states. Suddenly, their silhouettes retook the shapes of their human forms, and their remaining gems shattered, fading into a crimson mist. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata collapsed to the ground, and the energies dissipated, prompting the Rainbooms to cease their singing momentarily. What remained of the crowd soon regained their senses, evident by their puzzled yet relieved expressions.
Adagio, her clothes mangled and torn from her transformation, lowered her head. She struck the ground repeatedly with clenched fists, sobbing furiously. “Damn it!”
Sonata knelt next to Adagio, placing a hand over her shoulder. Aria simply folded her arms, glancing to the side before quietly departing. Adagio’s eyes widened at the sight, prompting her to reach out. However, Sonata shook her head, all while gently squeezing her sister’s arm. Inhaling deeply before sighing, Adagio lowered her head shamefully. They could only watch as Aria walked away, disappearing into the crowd.
As that was happening, the audience turned to face the Rainbooms, applauding their performance. Rainbow Dash raised her arms victoriously, and Pinkie continued to play her drums feverishly, smiling uncontrollably. Fluttershy, on the other hand, weakly waved before taking refuge behind Rarity and Applejack as they waved to the crowd. Meanwhile, Sunset inhaled deeply and let out a relieved sigh, sharing a nod with Twilight.
The princess averted her gaze and looked skyward. She caught sight of Spider-Man in the distance, who watched from a vantage point away from the eyes of the public. Yet, he looked back at Twilight and gestured a simple peace sign. The girl mirrored his actions before clutching at the gem over her chest, her smile as wide as the horizon. Spider-Man nodded, leaping from his position. He fired a strand of webbing before swinging towards the city, leaving the Rainbooms to bask in their victory.
“Thanks…” Twilight whispered, eventually turning to celebrate with her friends.
To be Concluded…