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// Ch. 2: Snikt! Thwip! 
// Story: Ultimate Spiders and Magic: Episode III "Genetic Conscription" 
// by Maximus_Reborn 
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Chapter Two “Snikt! Thwip!”

A few minutes passed since the incident in the gymnasium occurred. Spider-Man climbed onto the roof of Canterlot High before leaping towards the nearest flagpole, managing to perch himself on its top. Some students were out within the courtyard, while others were being escorted back inside. A small beep echoed within his ear, prompting the masked hero to tap the side of his mask.

“Hey, Spitfire,” he whispered, continuing to analyze the area beneath his position, “Everything okay?”

The woman let out a deep breath. “I’ll live. It feels like my heart is still in my stomach.” She cleared her throat. “Anyway. Don’t worry about me. Have you found the guy yet?”

Shaking his head, Spider-Man huffed while straightening his posture somewhat. “No. Looks like a normal day from my viewpoint, outside of a few stragglers being escorted back. I might be back to square one at this rate.”

“Maybe not. I’ve got a couple of leads that could help,” Spitfire responded, pausing as she rummaged through items on her desk. “Everything was normal until one of my students went near the rope. Something was clearly on her mind before the rope suddenly turned into a giant snake.”

Spider-Man’s bug-like lenses widened. “A girl, huh? That narrows it down. Maybe she’s a fan of Anaconda?”

“Too soon,” Spitfire dryly stated, shuddering under her breath.

Clearing his throat, Peter nodded. “Right. Sorry. Were you able to tell if the snake was real or an illusion? Was it real, particles brought to life by abstract constructs, or a hologram projected by thought?”

“I wasn’t standing still to find out, but I do know it grabbed hold of a couple of my students. It was real enough as far as I’m concerned,” Spitfire firmly replied, leaning back into her seat. “Listen, the kid you’re looking for is named Eris D. Cord. Everything was normal until she walked up to the rope.”

“What’s the “D’ stand for?” Peter asked, scratching the side of his cheek with a finger.

Spitfire groaned, tapping a finger against her desk impatiently. “Can we have a conversation for a few seconds without your mind falling into the gutter?!”

Placing a hand onto his knee, Spider-Man hummed. “Right. Anyway… so, Eris? What can you tell me about her? Anything helps.”

“She’s not a bad kid, but she’s far from popular. She has a habit of disagreeing with everyone around her and pulling pranks. Nothing malicious. Eris is just the class clown of the bunch. I personally think she does it for kicks. I’ll send you a picture of her,” Spitfire stated, swiping away at her phone before tapping its screen. Huffing, the woman narrowed her gaze. “She’s actually the kid of one of our janitors. Seth, I think.”



The image appeared within Peter’s scanner, and he nodded inwardly, smirking under his mask. “She’s cute and dresses the part. Was that the basic attire of photo op day?” 

“What part? The girl looks like she’s cosplaying as Beetlejuice,” Spitfire dryly huffed. “No. She’s just a free spirit. From what I found in her transcripts, she has always been like that. Went to detention for a few weeks for putting a whoopie cushion in Vice-Principal Luna’s chair during the last parent-teacher conference.” Spitfire snorted, chuckling under her breath. “God. She was so pissed about that.”

“Wait. You watched Beetlejuice? I didn’t think you’d like slapstick,” Peter retorted, causing the woman to exhale. With a huff, the young man stood upright onto the flagpole before placing both hands over his hips. “Anyway, thanks. Now, I have a better idea of what to look for. I’ll keep you posted on what I find.”

“All right. Good luck,” Spitfire coolly declared, pausing momentarily. “And if you tell anyone about me liking Beetlejuice, you’re suspended,”  she firmly added, closing the line.

Spider-Man hopped high into the air before firing a strand of webbing onto the side of the nearest roof, swinging into the distance. “Let’s just hope nothing else happens before I can find her.”







Eris ran through the hallway, passing by various students while still wearing a simple t-shirt and gym shorts. She knocked open a door to the outside, sprinting haplessly until reaching the football field. Fortunately, all the students were inside, and the girl found herself alone. Eris finally slid to a halt upon making it underneath the bleachers. Her heart raced, thumping against her chest. Inhaling deeply before sighing, the girl took in labored breaths while staring at her hands. 

“It happened again. I don’t believe this. I took one look at the rope and thought of a snake. Who does that? I knew I shouldn’t have watched that stupid horror movie the other night,” she groaned, clenching her hands into fists. A gentle breeze brushed against her skin, causing the girl to shiver involuntarily. She eyed her exposed legs with a narrowed gaze before frowning. “Okay. Now’s as good a time as any to practice. Father always said to focus on what to create. I thought about a snake for a second and accidentally created it. Perhaps if I put my mind to it…”

Slamming her eyes shut, the girl held out her hands as sparkling energies began to emit from them. They slowly spread and enveloped her entire body in a blanket of clear particles. In a flash, the gym uniform on her frame vanished, while that of a maid’s outfit took its place. She paused, frowning as she tugged at the apron and skirt.

“Absolutely not. I don’t do windows,” Eris scoffed, closing her eyes before exhaling. The same energies retook her body before bursting in a bright light. This time, every piece of attire dissipated from sight and left the girl completely exposed. She glanced at her free state, yelping while pathetically attempting to cover herself. “Oh, come on. Focus!” Retaking her stance, Eris extended her glowing hands, and light materialized over her body. Suddenly, a striped suit and vest morphed into existence, and a pair of yellow gloves slid over her hands, allowing the girl to let out a relieved sigh. Eris straightened her pink tie before smiling briefly. “For once, something goes in my favor.”

As if the entire weight of the world came crashing down, the girl felt her chest tighten and heart sink. She could only lower her head before sitting on the ground with her knees pulled to her chest. The mere simplicities of life seemed like a distant memory as she stared longingly at the clear skies overhead. However, before she could hope to find some form of settlement, a man peeked his head around the corner. Eris inhaled sharply, jumping to her feet.

“Whoa! Kid! Don’t run! I just want to talk!” he stated, raising his hands defensively. His gruff exterior softened as he carefully approached the girl. “I know what’s going on. Your world just got turned upside down. I get it. It’s pretty scary.”

Eris blinked at the man, alternating her gaze between him and the nearest exit. “Who are you?” she questioned, frowning as her gaze lowered briefly. “Not that it matters. You wouldn’t get what I’m going through.”

“My friends call me ‘Logan’, and trust me, kid. I kinda have an idea of what you’re going through,” he calmly declared, slowly raising a clenched fist. A trio of claws rose from his knuckles, causing the girl’s eyes to widen at the sight. After a duration, he sheathed his claws back underneath his skin before raising his hands defensively. “I’m a mutant, just like you.”

“Holy smokes! Are you the Wolverine?” a voice questioned from behind, causing both Eris and Logan to glance to the side. They found Spider-Man perched above, hanging upside down from the top of the bleachers while gripping a strand of webbing. “You’re, like, my favorite X-Man! Think you can get me Storm’s autograph? I hear Ice Man’s a jerk though. Or was that Cyclops?”

Logan lowered into a defensive stance, clenching his hands into fists. “Can I help you, bub?” He paused momentarily, as if considering his question. “And it’s Cyclops. No question.”

Spider-Man shook his head. “Whoa, easy. I just want to help.”

Eris stared at the costumed man with her mouth agape, tilting her head to the side. “You’re that Spider-Guy. How’d you find me? Did you use radar to find me or something?”

“Wrong superhero. Kinda. He patrols Hell’s Kitchen. I’m the ultimate detective. Nothing gets past me,” Spider-Man responded before pointing to the side. “That, and the bleachers are levitating.”

Yelping involuntarily, Eris looked behind her position and found the bleachers she was currently hiding underneath were indeed hovering several feet from the ground. She glanced at her glowing hands, cursing under her breath. Tremors coursed through the bleachers before the stands fell to the ground. Spider-Man and Logan lost their footing, staggering helplessly while Eris stumbled to the floor. 

The girl sniffled, shaking her head profusely. “I hate this! I’m always losing control!”

Logan straightened his posture before walking towards the girl. “That’s why I’m here, kid. What’s happening to you is pretty common when a mutant’s power activates.” He extended his hand, prompting Eris to accept the gesture. “I can take you back to the X-Mansion. It’s a school where Professor Xavior and others help kids like you learn to get control of your powers.”

Spider-Man walked towards the pair, nodding. “That sounds great. What do you think, Eris?”

Slow to respond, Eris glanced to the side. “I mean, I would like to learn how to control my powers, but I can’t just leave. I have to talk with my father.”

Logan smirked. “Of course. I’m not here to kidnap you.”

Raising a thumbs up, Spider-Man grinned. “This… actually ran a lot smoother than I thought it would. I was worried we’d fight over a misunderstanding or something. Let’s go find your dad, and–”

“Spider-Man!” a voice called out, causing all three individuals to pause. Light buzzing hummed on Spider-Man’s person before a holographic image of Nick Fury emitted from his belt. He alternated his gaze between him and Eris, nodding. “Good work. You found the target. Now, bring her to us.”

Taken aback, Peter patted away at the belt. “What are you doing? Did you install a camera on me?! Have you been spying on me?!”

Ever stoic, Fury folded his arms. “How else am I supposed to keep track of you? You seriously didn’t think I had a plan in case you messed up? This is a matter of global security.” He paused, sharing a brief glance with Logan before centering his line of sight on Spider-Man. “Do not allow this girl to be taken away by anyone. Get this done. Now! Head to the coordinates.”

The image dissipated from sight, leaving Spider-Man to continue patting away at the waist of his costume. “Fury! Seriously?! What are you getting at?!” He peeked up as a map popped up within his lenses, leaving a highlight on the city map. Spider-Man’s masked lenses furrowed to a bemused expression. “Oh, I see. I hate it when he does that.”

Eris blinked, frowning. “Who, or what, was that?”

Spider-Man shrugged, shaking his head. “A headache, but he’s a good guy. He can help. I guess we can head to the destination and see what happens.”

“Like hell,” Logan snarled, stepping between Spider-Man and Eris. The gruff man huffed, narrowing his gaze into a glare. “I’ve played this game before. Fury has you under his thumb. Drop the act. I’m not letting you or SHIELD take the girl.”

“SHIELD?” Eris questioned obliviously.

Spider-Man raised his hands defensively. “Whoa. Hang on, pal. I’m not the bad guy, and neither is Fury, even if he is weird and invasive.”

Logan gritted his teeth. “No dice. The girl is coming with me. You want to stay in one piece, stay out of my way.”

Spider-Man pointed a finger, edging closer to the man. “You’re real quick to pick a fight. Maybe Fury is onto something when it comes to you.”

Eris chuckled nervously. “Now, boys. I’m flattered you two are fighting over little old me, but maybe we can talk about this?”

“Trust me, kid. You don’t want anything to do with SHIELD. You won’t really get a second chance with them,” Logan stated, readying to walk past Spider-Man while roughly placing a hand over his shoulder. “Out of our way, bub.”

“I don’t think so,” Spider-Man growled under his breath. The moment Logan’s hand reached his shoulder, Peter yielded to his instincts. He grabbed the man’s wrist and hurled him high overhead. Logan twirled in midair, spiraling before crashing into a pack of trash cans. “I don’t know what your problem is, but you clearly can’t be trusted! I’ll make sure the girl is safe.”

Slack-jawed, Eris shook her head and reached out. “Boys! That’s enough! You don’t have to fight!”

Logan stood up, managing a smirk. “I thought you were going to be easy. Good. I’ve been aching to bust somebody up.” He lowered into a defensive stance, raising his fists while his claws unsheathed from his knuckles with a snikt. “Let’s dance!”

“Guys! Stop!” Eris blurted out.

Leaping high into the air, Logan lunged at Spider-Man with his claws drawn. Peter rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack as Wolverine’s claws sank into the ground where he previously stood. However, Wolverine sprang to his feet and tackled Spider-Man. Both men rolled in a heap with Peter gripping Logan’s wrists, holding every claw mere inches from his frame. 

Lifting his feet, Spider-Man managed to kick Logan away and sent him into the air. Peter quickly fired a pair of web strands onto Wolverine’s chest before yanking downward. Logan crashed into the earth, causing a cloud of dust to erupt from the ground and spread. Wolverine howled, jumping from the crater, and he threw a wild slash, forcing Peter to duck underneath the attack. Logan quickly spun with his leg extended, driving a kick into his opponent’s chest.

The force of the blow sent Spider-Man careening into the nearest column, and a loud gong echoed throughout the vicinity while the bleachers shook violently. Wolverine charged towards Peter as he fell, but the younger man landed on his feet, firing a pair of web orbs. The gossamer struck Logan’s chest and expanded upon impact, leaving his entire upper body cocooned. Spider-Man began unleashing dozens of web strands, the sound of his shooters resembling that of a turret. In the span of a few seconds, Wolverine’s entire body was wrapped in a man sized ball of webbing. 

It rolled to a halt, allowing Peter to let out a relieved sigh. “Maybe you should stick around for a bit.” Suddenly, a pair of claws slashed from within the cocoon, and Logan burst free, howling at the top of his lungs. With strands of webbing torn and ripped asunder, Wolverine quickly resumed his previous actions and chased after Spider-Man. Peter’s masked eyes narrowed. “Oh, come on. Don’t you get tired, pal?”

“I ain’t hear no bell!” Logan snarled, slashing rapidly at Spider-Man. 

Peter swayed accordingly while backpedaling, narrowly avoiding each strike by mere inches. Eris watched this process repeat for what seemed like eons with a widened gaze, both men’s images fading in black and red blurs respectively. She yelped as a nearby column was sliced, its foundation slipping so slightly. It occurred again with another, repeating as Wolverine continued to pursue Spider-Man in a frenzy. The bleachers’ columns groaned in process as the stand teetered, threatening to collapse.

“Boys…” Eris whispered, alternating her gaze between the blurs and bleachers above.

“Stand still, will ya?!” Logan exclaimed, bearing his fangs.

“After you!” Spider-Man retorted, continuing to backpedal. 

Eris held her hands out. “Boys! Stop!” Finally, one of the columns snapped, and the metal fell between the men, forcing Wolverine and Spider-Man to skid to a halt. All three individuals watched as the bleachers slipped, the entire foundation tumbling. Her eyes as wide as saucers, Eris raised a finger meekly. “Oh.”

Logan stared dumbly skyward. “Uh, oh.”

Spider-Man mirrored his actions. “Aw… applesauce.”

Everyone braced for impact, with Spider-Man leaping over Logan and taking hold of Eris. However, the blow never came, and the bleachers stood in place. Rather, they seemingly levitated in the air, in spite of all of its columns collapsing. 

Logan lifted his head and gazed at the stand with a furrowed brow. “Kid? Is this you again?”

Slow to respond, Eris stared intently at her hands. Magical energies did not glow from her palms like before, leaving the girl to frown. “No. It’s not me this time.” She paused, feeling Spider-Man’s warm body temperature envelop her, and Eris smiled slyly in response, showing her fang amidst her grin. “I’m not one to complain about personal space, so please… intrude further.”

Clearing his throat, Spider-Man stepped back with his hands raised sheepishly. “Oh, sorry.” Sobering, Peter shared a glance with Logan before holding his gaze towards the bleachers. “If you aren’t holding these up, then what is…?”

Faster than anybody could react, the bleachers went soaring across the sky and glided the length of the football field before crashing into the parking lot. The metal stand erupted on impact, shattering into dozens of shards of metal, and the concrete cracked, while tremors coursed through the ground. Wolverine turned towards the source, his gruff facade faltering as a being towered over him. A large bulking man clad in red armor stomped towards them, his wide girth and shadow swallowing the entire trio. A helmet covered the entirety of his head, revealing a pair of blue eyes and his mouth.

Eris stepped behind both Spider-Man and Logan, her mouth dropping. “What is that?!”

Spider-Man’s bug-like lenses widened, and his cranium rang desperately, blaring his senses. “Didn’t we see this guy at Wrestlemania? Or the monster truck rally?”

“Aw, $*#^. We might be in trouble,” Logan mumbled, raising his claws. “Why are you here?”

The wide man huffed. “I’m being paid by Eric a lot of gold to bring this little mutant to him. Apparently, he really wants her, something about turning the tide in the war or something long winded like that. I don’t get paid to ask questions.” He smirked, cracking his knuckles. “Allow me to introduce myself! I’m the Juggernaut, and once I get going, nothing can stop me! Now, are we going to do this the easy way or the hard way?” He stomped the ground, causing the ground to shake violently. “Please say the hard way.”



To be continued…