Epilogue “The Voice of Reason”
Deep within the walls of the homeless shelter, the Dazzlings retreated to their shared personal quarters. Adagio paced across the room with her arms crossed. Sonata sat on the bed with her head tilted to the side, watching her sister quietly. Aria blankly stared out the nearest window, tapping a finger impatiently against her forearm. The cycle had continued for what felt like eons, mere hours after the events of the Battle of the Bands transpired.
“It was perfect! Victory was right there in our grasp!” Adagio declared, huffing between bated breaths. “If that stupid dumpster-diving twerp didn’t get in our way, this city would have been ours for the taking!”
Sonata rocked in place, hugging her knees against her chest. “There’s always next time, Adagio.”
Adagio snapped in Sonata’s direction, throwing her hands into the air. “There is no next time! We lost our gems! Without those, we’re virtually powerless!”
Aria grumbled under her breath. “You should have just left him alone. I warned you that feeding on him was a bad idea, but you insisted on antagonizing him. You were fixated on him, when there were literally hundreds of other options around us.”
An awkward silence filled the room as Adagio faced Aria with a widened gaze, but her stare soon turned into a venomous glare, matched only by the snarl on her face. “No. This isn’t on me. Haha. No. This is your fault.” Her voice remained unsettlingly low, yet there was a firmness behind, unwavering. Adagio pointed sharply at Aria. “You got soft and lost focus. The little spider bore his way into you, because you couldn’t just feed on him like a normal siren!”
Sonata winced at Adagio’s sudden eruption, clutching in place. “Hold on. Wait, Adagio!”
“Seriously? You’re going to do that?” Aria scoffed, her face twisting with disgust as she marched towards her sister. “Every time we fail, you always blame everyone but yourself! Maybe Peter was right. Try looking in a mirror for once!”
Blinking rapidly, Sonata readied herself to stand between her sisters, but Adagio raised her hand, prompting her to stay put. “Peter? Now, you’re on a first-name basis with him?! Why would you befriend our enemy?! It’s his fault that we’re stuck here now!” Roaring, Adagio grabbed the chair beside her and hurled it wildly. The object narrowly missed Aria, smashing against the wall, but she stood unphased, merely folding her arms. Adagio turned her back, resting both hands on the bed. “I’ll never forgive him. As long as he breathes, I’ll be there to watch him suffer. You like him so much? Go join him. One stupid outcast deserves the other.”
“You took the words right out of my mouth,” Aria bluntly responded, scoffing. Without a hint of hesitation, she walked out of the room with a scowl. “Anywhere is better than where you are.”
Sonata hopped to her feet, standing between her sisters. “Aria, wait! Adagio didn’t mean it! She–”
Trailing off, Sonata alternated her softened gaze between the pair, and she could only let out a defeated sigh once their glares met. Adagio glanced to the side, huffing, and Aria simply exited the room, never looking back. Sonata shook her head, dismayed. The air had grown thick, making the simple act of breathing difficult. Adagio walked towards the nearest window and lowered her head, never freeing her gaze from the reflection within.
Meanwhile, Aria walked to the other end of the shelter, taking refuge in a spare room. She simply fell onto the bed and practically sank into the cushion. Her bleak gaze stared intently at the wall, as a lone tear slid down the side of her cheek. From this moment on, nothing would be the same.
“Are you sure you have to go, Twilight? You just got here,” Applejack sweetly questioned, placing a hand over the girl’s shoulder.
Before she could reply, Rainbow Dash smirked and raised a hand confidently. “Yeah! You can stay for the party! We just saved the day! Again! We deserve a hero’s welcome!”
Sunset folded her arms. “We didn’t do it on our own.”
Scoffing, Rainbow waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, come on. We would have handled it, with or without that guy.” She glanced to the side, frowning. “I still don’t trust him. He gives me the creeps.”
“While I certainly do agree that his appearance is very… unsettling, he did indeed help today,” Rarity declared, trailing off while placing her hands over her hips. “However, I still have reservations about his intentions. Destruction seemingly follows him wherever he goes. Intentionally or not, he did destroy a school. Now, he’s way over here, and we have no idea why. Perhaps if he came out and explained himself, that would be one thing, but instead, he just… creeps about. He slouches and walks like…”
Pinkie hummed. “...a spider?”
“Yes! And it’s weird!” Rarity exclaimed, shuddering.
Rainbow Dash snorted, pointing a thumb against her own chest. “Unless he’s got something to hide. If it was me, I’d do things right out in the open and stick to my guns. I’d be proud of what I'm doing. You ask me? He’s got something to hide. He’s just some masked hero wannabe.”
Bemused, Applejack rolled her eyes and held a blank stare. “You also just want the glory. It defeats the whole purpose of the secret identity bit. Though, I am with Rarity on the destruction thing. Fella’s about as delicate as a bull in a china shop.”
Pinkie nodded. “He should be more open! It’s no fun when someone is all reserved and secretive! I wanna give him a chance, but he’s not giving me a chance to give him a chance!” She threw her hands high over head, groaning loudly. “I mean, we’re celebrating! Right now! And he ditched the party! Who does that?!”
Rarity opened her mouth, ready to respond, but she furrowed her brow, glancing at her silent cohort. “Fluttershy, you have been quieter than usual. What do you think of the unsettling Spider-Man thing? Does he not make your skin crawl?”
Fluttershy shook her head and twiddle her fingers together. “No. I like spiders.” Everyone paused, taken aback by the girl’s simple response. Fluttershy cleared her throat, oblivious. “They have the cutest little eyes, and they’re just so misunderstood.”
Slack-jawed, Rainbow Dash groaned. “Seriously? The one time I need you to make sense, you say something weird.” Shifting her glance, she turned to her friend stationed at the drumset. “Come on! Even Pinkie thinks the guy’s weird!”
Slow to respond, Pinkie frowned and pouted. “Who leaves a party? We’re celebrating because of him, and he just leaves! That doesn’t make any sense!”
Dismayed, Rainbow Dash simply shrugged and exhaled. “Pinkie Pie’s actually making sense. It really is opposite day.” She glanced to the side. “What do you think, Sunset?”
Sunset raised her hands defensively and shook her head. “I’m not sure, really, but I can’t judge. It wasn’t that long ago that I was causing trouble myself. I don’t think he’s a bad guy, but it’d be good to know his side of the story.”
Pinkie popped up next to Sunset, clenching her fists. “That’s the problem! He won’t let us hear him out! All of us are willing to hear him out, just like we did with you.”
Applejack folded her arms and nodded. “Then, it’s agreed. Until we hear from him personally, we keep an eye on this Spider-Man. He causes any trouble, we put a stop to him.”
Twilight just watched her friends with a wary gaze. “Just because you all are ready to hear him out, it doesn’t mean he’ll be ready to open up. Don’t be so quick to judge him. I think one day, you’ll figure that out about Spider-Man. Try not to judge him too harshly.”
Fluttershy nodded. “Twilight’s right. If you come on too strong, it might just push him away even further.”
Rainbow Dash paused, alternating her gaze between everyone around them. “Right. Well, anyway. Hey, Sunset. Where’s your dorky boyfriend? You’d think he would have been over here to check on you, with everything that’s going on.”
Sunset rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Stop that. He’s not my boyfriend. We literally just met.” Blinking, as if a realization came to mind, Sunset looked around before frowning. “I’m sure he knew about the Battle of Bands. Maybe he just got lost in the chaos.”
“Or he didn’t just show up,” Rainbow Dash harshly stated, folding her arms. “I told you that guy’s a total flake.”
Rarity pursed her lips and glanced to the side. “He did come off as aloof, but perhaps we should give him the benefit of the doubt, for now.”
“Who are you girls talking about?” Twilight questioned, furrowing her brow.
Sunset chuckled under her breath. “Don’t pay them any attention. I introduced them to a new friend, and he didn’t leave the best impression on them.” Clearing her throat, Sunset raised a finger. “His name is Peter. I think Rainbow Dash took it personally when he made fun of her name.”
“Ha!” Twilight snorted involuntarily, bursting into short laughter before recollecting herself. As she cleared her throat, attempting to ignore the bewildered gazes from her cohorts, the girl shared a glance with Sunset. “You said you just met this Peter? What’s he like?”
“A jerk that says whatever is on his mind,” Rainbow Dash blurted out, exhaling.
Sunset waved her hand dismissively and chuckled. “I couldn’t tell you too much just yet. He just transferred here a few days ago. From what I could gather, he’s super smart, but gets picked on a lot. I think he’s still just trying to gather his bearings.” She paused, smirking. “Plus, he’s cute, in a geeky sort of way.”
Shaking her head, Twilight could only grin. “It sounds like you put him on the spot when you introduced him to everyone. If I had to guess, maybe he’s the type to just ramble when he’s nervous. Pretty harmless.” She nodded, her knowing smile widening. “Although, I will admit that it takes some getting used to when you’re on the receiving end of it. It can be charming. Usually.”
“That sounds… exhausting,” Applejack interjected, tilting her head.
Twilight exhaled as a bemused expression surfaced on her face. “You have no idea.” She walked over to the mirror’s location before placing a hand over its surface. Magical energies spiraled into existence, igniting as a portal materialized. Twilight turned back to face her friends. “It’s almost time for me to go.”
“Before you return home, I can’t help but voice my opinion on something,” Rarity voiced out, furrowing her brow. “You alluded to him helping us, and the way you spoke with him was so familiar. It was as if you knew who he was.”
Rainbow Dash sped forth until she was mere inches away from Twilight, raising a finger. “Yeah. It would explain why you were cozy with that weirdo. Spill the beans, already!”
Clearing her throat, Twilight giggled sheepishly as the temperature in her face rose. “Okay. You’ve got me. I know who he is.” She waved her hands defensively, shaking her head upon noticing everyone’s widened gazes. “But it’s not my place to tell you exactly who he is. That wouldn’t be fair to him.”
“Okay. That’s fair, but what can you tell us about him?” Applejack interjected, arching a brow.
Pausing, Twilight smiled as she caressed the ruby around her neck. Well to put it simply, he’s my husband. In my world, I mean.”
Almost in unison, the entire group erupted into a mixture of bewildered yet joyous cheers. Rarity was the first to jump forward, cupping Twilight’s face in the palms of her hands. “I should have known! You had this glow about you!”
“That’s great and all, but what the heck? How old are you? You don’t look that much older than us. When did this happen?” Rainbow Dash questioned, tapping her foot impatiently.
Twilight hummed, shrugging. “When it comes to interdimensional travel, time progresses differently between realities. What was a few weeks when I was last here for you girls was almost twenty years for me.” She trailed off, motioning a finger about. “This is technically the fourth reality I’ve been to, and in every one, my appearance has changed drastically. I can go over the hypothesis as to why that happens.”
Shaking her head, Rainbow Dash grumbled under her breath. “Save the geek talk. My head hurts enough already.”
“Well, I get it,” Sunset politely affirmed, holding a smile. “So, what’s he like? Is it Flash?”
Fluttershy twiddled her fingers together, slowly lifting her gaze. “Is he nice?”
Twilight smirked. “It’s not Flash. That’s the only hint you’ll get from me.” Slow to respond, the girl paced in place before holding her gaze skyward. “Well, he’s very sweet, considerate, patient, optimistic, intelligent, responsible, and funny… when he isn’t trying to annoy me. And he’s a bit of a goofball. Life is never boring with him. He’s a great husband and father. To this day, he’s still as awkward and misunderstood as ever.”
“Father? You mean, you’re a mother, too?” Rarity blurted out, her tone light in spite of the expression she bore. “Darling, you can only keep so many secrets.”
Rainbow Dash frowned. “Either way, your guy sounds great, but how do you know this version is the same?”
“That’s true. I don’t know. There are already some differences,” Twilight stated, pausing before freeing her gaze from the starlit sky. “I’ve known him for a long time and given birth to three of his children. Trust me. The similarities are there. The most I can say is that it’s probably the last person you’d ever expect.”
Everyone in the group closed the gap, each taking the time to share an embrace with Twilight individually. Sunset kept her distance, glancing to the side, but she inhaled sharply as a pair of arms wrapped around her neck. Twilight tightened her hold, prompting the red-haired girl to do the same. Everyone joined in, almost refusing to part, but they soon loosened their grip, pausing to share a glance with Twilight.
“Take care of yourselves,” Twilight grinned, alternating her gaze between all of her friends. She approached the portal, pausing momentarily. “I have to hurry back, before someone decides to check on me.”
Just as Twilight readied to step through the swirling energy, a being with fair yet tanned skin tumbled past her and rolled to a halt. Everyone paused, staring blankly at the individual as they struggled to stand. Their violet and pink locks resembled Twilight’s, while their bright hazel irises sat comfortably behind a large pair of glasses. Soon, the individual stood, patting Twilight’s shoulder and grinned uncontrollably. Everyone stared at the pair, their resemblance uncanny.
“Whoa! Check this reality, huh?! I’ve got fingers again!” the girl exclaimed, holding her hand mere inches away from her face. She paused, eyeing the surrounding group. “Hey, look! There’s everyone! Miss Pinkie! Auntie Applejack! Auntie Skittles!” Humming, she alternated her gaze between every member of the group and paced in place. “Of all the possibilities of the multiverse: teenagers! I bet Dad would get a kick out of this!”
Rainbow Dash blinked, her brow twitching involuntarily. “W-What did you call me?! Don’t call me that!”
“Twilight? Is this your sister?” Applejack questioned, ignoring Rainbow Dash’s evident frustration.
Exhaling, Twilight’s expression grew blank. “No. This is my oldest child, Mayday Sparkle.”
“You forgot the Pa– Ow!” Mayday exclaimed before Twilight’s elbow thrust into her side.
Twilight shook her head. “I left that out intentionally. Now, shush before we risk throwing this world off balance for your father.” Faster than anyone could react, Twilight grabbed Mayday by the end of her braided ponytail and dragged her towards the portal. “On that note, we’re leaving. Goodbye, everyone.”
“Oh, come on! I didn’t get to see anything!” Mayday whined, wiggling uselessly as Twilight smiled and waved farewell to her friends.
Both girls vanished behind the magical energies of the portal before the light within the mirror dissipated. Soon after, the mirror lost all of its glow, and everyone shared a glance with each other. Meanwhile, on the other side of the portal, Twilight trotted through the castle halls while she grew in stature, her hair morphing to an ethereal form. Mayday pouted, snorting as both mares retook their equine forms. Just as they paused, a light-brown stallion with an unkempt mane walked towards them with a grin.
Twilight returned the gesture, lowering her head before brushing the side of her muzzle against his affectionately. “Hi, Peter.”
“Did you girls have fun?” he questioned, chuckling as their moods were evidently opposite of each other.
Mayday shook her head, throwing a hoof overhead. “I would have had more fun if Mom let me explore that alternate dimension!” Exasperated, the mare let out a defeated sigh before departing. “If you need me, I’ll be in the lab.”
The stallion chuckled sarcastically, turning his gaze to Twilight. “Sounds like you had fun. Meet anyone interesting?”
Twilight smiled, winking. “You could say that I just met the cutest boy I’ve ever seen.”
Peter snorted, arching a brow. “I get that it’s me, but it’s still a little awkward. Now, I get why you felt a bit off when I made a pass at younger, alternate you a few months back, during the whole broken Tablet adventure.”
“I do have to ask though,” Twilight questioned, her voice low. “It sounds like things are only going to get more challenging for you there. You’re so young, but it already feels like the world’s against you.”
Sobering, Peter inhaled deeply before eventually sighing. “I’ll be fine. It’s me, after all. If there’s anything good, I’ll gravitate to it and make the most of it.” Glancing to the side, the stallion hummed. “I just wonder who will fill in that gap for me there?”
“Did you hear about how the Rainbooms saved everyone at the concert last night?” a girl questioned in a group, holding out her phone to a nearby friend.
A second nodded, raising her hands. “I was there. I remember seeing three monsters being blasted by a giant rainbow horse that they summoned. It was rad!”
Another emerged with her phone in hand, pecking at its screen. “Hold on! There’s a live podcast going over what happened.”
“You were at the concert last night? I can only imagine how scary it must have been,” Jameson stated, easing back into his seat. “Tell the viewers once again what you saw, Diamond.”
Diamond Tiara raised a finger and waved it. “It was most certainly scary, Uncle Jonah! The concert was fun at first, but suddenly, everything grew hazy before I lost consciousness. My friend, Flash Thompson, helped me up. He’s so brave! Call me, Flash!” She paused, clearing her throat before brushing a hand through her light violet hair. “Anyway, it was then that I saw three weird monsters and Spider-Man at the center of the stage! It was then that the Rainbows unleashed a huge magical blast and wiped them all out! They vanished, but I saw Spider-Man swinging off afterwards.”
Jameson snorted, slamming a fist against his desk. “He was no doubt running away from the scene of the crime. You even confirmed he was singing with those banshees! As soon as his lackeys were dealt with, he ran off with his tail between his legs. A cowardly menace to the core!” He sharply pointed at the camera before snatching it away, holding it firmly onto Diamond Tiara. “Is this what our neighborhood is reduced to? My beautiful little niece and your children can’t even enjoy a simple night of music without Spider-Man trying to ruin everything!”
Diamond Tiara growled, edging closer towards the camera until her face was mere inches away from the lens. “We will continue to expose that wall-crawling arachnid for the menace that he is! Thanks to your support, we have garnered well over ten thousand followers overnight on our podcast and patreon! Don’t let up! We’ll drive Spider-Man out and make Canterlot a safe city again!” She cleared her throat, fluttering her eyelashes seductively. “We accept all forms of payment!”
Jameson chuckled. “This is Just the Facts with J. Jonah Jameson!”
Peter passed by the group, rolling his eyes. “Just my luck. I saved the day, and I’m still blamed for what happened.” He continued to walk down the hallway in a huff, lost in his own thoughts. “Sometimes, the silent heroism shtick is overrated.”
“Oh! There you are!” someone cried out, stumbling into place. Peter’s cranium rang slightly, prompting him to hold out a hand, and he caught hold of a girl, preventing her from careening into the wall. She peeked up with a widened, albeit crossed, gaze and smiled widely. “Hi, Peter!”
Taken aback, Peter’s eyes shot open. “Whoa, Ditzy! Where’s the fire?”
After the young man helped the girl back to a firm vertical base, Ditzy giggled lightly. “Sorry! I was worried! I never got a call from you last night, and after I heard what happened at the concert, I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“Wow. That means a lot. Thanks. I’m glad you’re okay, too,” Peter whispered before nodding. Like lightning to a rod, a realization struck his mind. “Ah, about the phone number. I would have called, but I think you accidentally left out a few numbers.”
Ditzy’s face flushed as she threw her head down shamefully. “Oh, no! I had a feeling that I messed it up! Let me make it up to you!” She took out a slip of paper from her pocket, pausing to write digits onto its surface. However, she slowly read back over what was written twice before nodding confidently. She surrendered the slip to Peter, earning a warm smile from the young man. “I have to run to class, but I’ll see you later!” Just as Peter readied to respond, Ditzy reared forward and planted a soft yet firm kiss onto his cheek, causing the temperature in his face to rise. “Thanks, again!” she said sweetly.
Once she parted, the girl rushed off. His thoughts ran wild, rampant like a tornado, but Peter managed a smile, nodding inwardly.
“Maybe the hero shtick isn’t all bad, after all,” he chuckled, “I can get used to that.”
Finally returning to the world of the living, Peter began to resume his journey to class. However, a bright image caught his eyes, prompting the young man to stop in his tracks. A small poster rested against the main entrance to the gymnasium, with an image of Spider-Man illustrated onto its surface. Peter’s eyes widened at the sight as they scrolled through the walls of text underneath.
“Join the Spider-Man Fanclub created by… Flash Thompson?!” he blurted out, clearing his throat upon receiving befuddled gazes from passing by students. Once certain they were out of sight and hearing range, Peter continued to read through the text on the poster. “The news thinks Spidey is a bad guy. For those that know he’s a hero, this is the club for you. Sign your name and help spread the word! Anyone can join!” Peter only chuckled under his breath as he scrolled through the page further, placing a finger over a faint signing. “Well, I’ll be. There’s already a small handful of signatures. Maybe there’s hope for me and Eugene yet. Although, it looks like someone had a bad pen. I can’t even read this name, unless they were writing for an ant.”
“Hey,” a voice softly called from behind, prompting Peter to turn to the sound. Trixie stood idle, glancing to the side, as if ashamed to make eye contact. Her usual confidence was not present, evident by her uncharacteristically soft tone. She bit down on her lip before finally lifting her softened gaze. “I take it you’re well?”
Peter blinked, furrowing his brow. “I’m okay. Are you?”
Trixie shook her head. “To be frank, I’m not. I have to apologize to you.”
“That’s… pleasantly out of character for you,” Peter bluntly stated, clearing his throat once Trixie winced in response. Scratching the back of his head, the young man sobered and frowned. “Sorry. Bad timing. As far as I know, everyone was acting weird. Don’t sweat it. I was a jerk, too.”
Reaching out, Trixie gently took hold of Peter’s arm. “Listen! I said something really cruel to you, and I can’t stress enough that I didn’t mean any of it. I threw you into that trap door because I was afraid of what else I would say. I didn’t want to risk hurting you more than I already did.”
Taken aback, Peter stared at the girl with a stunned silence. He opened his mouth, ready to respond, but Trixie wrapped her arms around his neck, choking back a sob. Their gazes never averted from each other.
“Wow. You’re really upset about this. I honestly didn’t think you liked me at all,” Peter lightly stated, feeling the temperature in his face rise.
Trixie sniffled, managing a smile as her eyes welled with tears. “Are you kidding? You’re my favorite bumpkin! I’d never hurt you intentionally. I’ll treat you to ice cream after school. Just please… Forgive me.”
Peter nodded, droning as he lost himself briefly in the girl’s violet gaze. “Yeah, sure. We’re good.”
I’m
Inhaling deeply before releasing a relieved sigh, Trixie hastily pulled away from Peter and brushed a hand through her silver-blue hair. “Excellent! Now that we are squared away, you can begin making it up to me by catching up on our Advanced Physics assignment.”
Exasperated, Peter blankly stared at the girl with a bemused glare. “You know, I was almost enjoying it, when you weren’t being obnoxiously bossy.” As if failing to hear his complaint, Trixie waved a hand dismissively and marched away. Slow to respond further, Peter’s brow twitched involuntarily before he simply followed Trixie. “And just like that, life goes on. I’ll never understand that girl.”
The day had progressed as normal, with everyone recollecting the events of last night. Peter found a moment to himself, taking a seat on a lone bench at the courtyard. He paused, eyeing the watch on his wrist before sliding his sleeve back over it.
“For once in my life, I’m early,” Peter huffed, shifting his gaze skyward. “Wonder where Trixie and Sunset are? I could really go for that ice cream. I’m starving.”
Suddenly, a hooded figure walked up to the bench. “Here you are,” she whispered, pausing to pull back her hood. A large pair of pigtails were freed, revealing Aria as she coolly shared a glance with Peter. “Hey. Can we talk?”
“Aria? Yeah, sure,” Peter responded, sliding to the edge of the bench. Once the girl accepted the seat, he blinked. “How’d you find me?”
Crossing her arms and legs, Aria frowned. “We still sense and feed on negative emotions. Compared to everyone, you still stick out to us. Your scent is just too recognizable.”
Peter huffed. “Maybe I’ll start going to therapy if I’m that negative.” Pursing his lips, the young man alternated his gaze about. “So, if you girls know who I am, what’s keeping you all from spilling the beans to everyone?”
Aria snorted under her breath. “You don’t have to worry about that. Sonata’s head is in the clouds. She’s probably already forgotten who you are.” She huffed, closing her eyes. “Adagio may hate you, but she won’t exploit your secret. To her, you’re a long term meal plan.”
“Great. I’m an open buffet. Better than the alternative, I guess,” Peter replied, easing back into his seat. He shared a glance with Aria as his eyes softened. “What about you?”
Shrugging, Aria lowered her gaze. “I’m not going to say anything. To be honest, you’re not that bad to be around.”
Peter’s eyes widened. “Really? I figured you would be upset.”
“No. That was Adagio’s plan. I was just along for the ride,” Aria replied, folding her arms. The corner of her lips curled into a smirk. “Plus, it’s always good to see Adagio eat crow. I mean, it sucks that I’m stuck here, but I guess this one stings less, because you were the one to end it. If anything? I’m grateful.”
Blinking, Peter scratched the back of his head. “This is so weird. You’re the second bad guy I fought that’s actually being reasonable. If this keeps up, I might just become a counselor.”
A genuine laugh escaped from Aria’s mouth as she shook her head. “I’ve fed on your emotions, buddy. If anyone needs counseling, it’s you.”
“I can’t refute or deny this. Maybe you can be my counselor? After we talked yesterday, I’ve felt better in more ways than I could imagine,” Peter interjected, chuckling.
Aria frowned as her brow furrowed. “I can’t explain that. Usually, when we feed on someone’s negativity, it drains them physically, but it looked like it had the opposite effect on you. So, you either have serious issues, or you can physically take it.” She frowned, staring at the young man dumbly before shrugging. “I’m willing to say you fit both of those scenarios. If it keeps you from going over the edge, we can talk, if you’re ever feeling down. It lets you vent, and it feeds me for a while.”
“Sounds like a good deal. We can start now, with you filling in a gap,” Peter stated while raising three fingers. “Okay. Some questions. What’s your relation to the others? What are you exactly? And what were you trying to accomplish?”
Aria blinked before huffing. “Oh, you mean Adagio and Sonata? They’re my sisters. We’re sirens, banished here from an alternate reality, like that pony princess girl who zapped us. Apparently, Twilight whatever-her-name-is knew all about us.” Tilting her head to the side, Aria held a blank stare at Peter. “You know, you’re taking this pretty well. Most people would assume I’m crazy by now.”
Slow to respond, Peter stammered slowly. “I mean, I don’t get how magic works here, but I’m a dude who was bitten by a radioactive spider and got superpowers from it. Aliens have tried taking over the world before. There’s a guy in the Avengers who was zapped by gamma radiation and becomes a rage-filled, smashing monster. Not to mention, the literal God of Thunder hangs around New York, who I hear is a pretty chill guy. What you’re saying is weird, but not the most unusual thing.”
“Oh, yeah. I remember reading about those guys. I guess magic has just desensitized me to crazy,” Aria bluntly declared, rolling her eyes.
He pursed his lips, frowning. “So, what you turned into was a product of magic, or were you retaking your original forms? Are you angry seahorses or something?”
Aria raised a finger and opened her mouth, ready to respond, but she glanced to the side, as if considering the young man’s question. “I refuse to answer that question,” she whispered, her cheeks flushing to a shade of pink. Eventually, she cleared her throat. “Adagio’s plan was to take over the city and use the people to sustain ourselves. And because we can influence with our singing, it sounded simple enough.”
Peter chuckled under his breath. “Honestly, that could have gone badly for you girls. You make enough noise, and the hammer will come down on you. Literally, what if Thor and the Avengers came? Or the X-Men? I’m sure SHIELD would have been on top of you girls in seconds,” Scratching the back of his head, Peter grinned, “If anything, you’re lucky you got little ol’ me.”
Aria simply stared at Peter for what seemed like an eternity before she slammed the palm of her hand against her forehead. “So, we were doomed to fail regardless. I’m not surprised anymore.”
“So, what are you going to do now?” Peter questioned, furrowing his brow.
Slow to respond, Aria inhaled deeply before letting out a low sigh. “I don’t know. Think I’ll just keep my distance from Adagio for a while. I really don’t have anywhere else to go.”
Peter stood to his feet, brushing the dust from his pants. “Well, maybe you should hang out with us? I mean, we’re just a ragtag group of losers. We can call ourselves the Loser Brigade.”
Aria snorted. “What makes you think that sounds appealing in the least? It sounds like the absolute worst idea.”
Peter placed a hand on her shoulder, grinning. “Because you’d fit right in?”
“Yeah, I guess I would,” Aria chuckled weakly, nodding as she placed her hand over his briefly.
The pair shared a smile before Trixie and Sunset appeared, both holding skeptical expressions towards Aria.
However, Peter nodded and took a stance next to her side. Aria shook her head, huffing. “It’s complicated,” they both simply stated.
Trixie shrugged, waving a hand dismissively while marching onward. “Of course it is. You’re involved, Bumpkins. I suppose you can explain yourself over dessert.”
As everyone walked behind Trixie, Sunset alternated her gaze about before shrugging as well. “We’re doing this? I guess we’re doing this. Everyone deserves at least one second chance.”
Pausing, Trixie walked next to Peter and sharply pointed a finger at him. “This is my treat, but I’ve seen how much you eat! Don’t you dare be a glutton on my watch!”
Peter exhaled, shaking his head. “Sheesh, even when you’re being nice, you’re as fickle as ever.”
Aria watched her cohorts with a bemused glare. “This is really going to be the absolute worst.”
Throwing his arm around her shoulder, Peter grinned uncontrollably. “And you’ll love every second of it!”
“There’s no need to talk about it, because the truth of what one says lies in what one does.”
-Bernhard Schlink
The End
