The Adventures of Spider-Man Season 1

by KrisstheScot


Episode 14 - The Other Spider-Man

Episode 14 - The Other Spider-Man

“Don’t worry ladies, I’ll make sure this punk can’t hurt you!” Spider-Man declared with heroic determination, bringing a chuckle out of the already enraged Peter. 

“Not bad kid. I actually felt that a little. But a friendly piece of advice - Leave. Now.” Unfazed by the hit he took, Peter got to his feet, taking seemingly no injury by being thrown back into the wall of the school. This surprised Spider-Man, who’s own Spider-Sense was informing him that he was in way over his head, and compelling him to run away. Except he wouldn’t budge. “ I can’t believe he shrugged that off so easily! But I can’t give up now, not with these girls in harm's way!” Quickly, Spider-Man raised his arm to fire off his signature webbing, the clunky web shooters responding to his command. 

Seeing this manoeuvre from a mile away, Peter stepped to the side to avoid the incoming webbing, surprising Spider-Man yet again. With a ranged battle seemingly off the table, the masked hero went for the direct approach once again, running in a circle at high speeds. “If I can keep myself out of sight, then I can land another sneak attack!” To the girls, he became a red and blue blur, practically invisible to them as he raced around in place. 

However, this was not the case for Peter. To his eyes, his attacker was moving in slow motion, and his eyes could track every movement. Unaware of this, Spider-Man leapt forward ready to attack Peter behind his back, only to be left in shock as his target turned around to face him.  “No way! How did he see me?!” Faster than he could react, Spider-Man felt something collide with his midsection, sending him flying back into the same wall he knocked Peter into, but with significantly more force, causing the brick to give way slightly.

The girls looked on in horror as Peter suddenly dominated the fight in the blink of an eye, all of them confused as to what just happened. His patience worn thin, Peter marched forward towards the now dazed Spider-Man, his eyes still filled with seething rage. It was clear that he was about to do something horrible, and none of the girls knew what to do. Except for Twilight.

In the midst of all the madness, she had been thinking about everything she had heard from Peter while he vented at her. She had now started to put things together, recognizing the outfit that Spider-Man wore. Though it had some design changes (and was clearly made on a budget) it shared similarities with the suit Peter wore the day they met. “Could he be…? No time to think about that! I have to stop this before someone gets hurt!” Brazenly, she stood between Peter and Spider-Man, causing the former to stop his advance. Though this didn't diminish his rage. 

“Out of the WAY, Twilight!” Despite the demonic tone of his voice, Twilight stood her ground.

“No Peter. I have no idea what’s come over you, but this isn’t you. This past month, I’ve been observing you. I didn’t want to, but I was asked to do it. And what I saw was someone with incredible strength, but also incredible kindness. You helped my friends with so many things, even things that didn’t demand your attention. That’s the Peter I saw. That’s the one my friends care about. And you are NOT him!” Even with Peter's enraged stare piercing into her, Twilight held her place between him and Spider-Man. Whatever she did seemed to have gotten some sense into him and calmed him down a little, though he still held his place staring down at Twilight.

“You’d be surprised how little you know about me. The shit I’ve seen would terrify even your precious princesses! If I’ve seemed kind, then I’ve fooled you pretty well.” Peter’s voice still echoed with vitriol, but Twilight refused to believe any of it. 

“I doubt it. If I know one thing, it’s a good person. And even behind all that anger, you are a good person. I’m sorry if you feel disappointed, but allowing all this hate to consume you isn’t the answer. If our friends could see you now, they’d be horrified. Especially Fluttershy.”

Somehow, hearing that name gave Peter the most clarity out of anything else he heard. He didn't know why, but the very idea of seeing the Fluttershy he knew being scared of him was sobering.

The red mist dispersed a little, and Peter began to back away from Twilight and Spider-Man, letting the masked hero get to his feet. “So, we’re not fighting anymore, right?” Peter shook his head, now more agreeable and possible to talk to. Yet the echo in his voice could still be heard, though it was fading away now. The fight now over, the girls rushed over to comfort Twilight as she took panicked breaths. Relief filled her being, but she was still concerned about what was to come, especially with the look Peter was still giving her.

 “You get one opportunity to deal with the Sirens, Twilight. If you can’t find a way to do it, then I’ll do it myself.” While the fight had ended, Spider-Man still remained on edge, his Spider-Sense still tingling while in close proximity to Peter. Though something was bugging him about the guy that had just wiped the floor with him. “Wait a second, do I know you from somewhere? You look… familiar.” 

While Peter knew that this was a question for himself, he couldn't say anything out loud. Even if this kid wasn't him entirely, he still had an identity to protect. “Best not to think too much about it, Spider-Man. Do us a favour, and stay out of this.”

“Not a chance! I’m not really sure what's going on, but you almost hurt that girl. So until I know that you don’t go all Jekyll and Hyde again, I’m sticking around to help!” It was easy to tell how much younger this Spider-Man was in comparison to Peter. The fiery passion to help others and do good was still there within him, but it was a fire that had been all but extinguished. Debating with himself, Peter had considered pressing the issue and making his younger self leave, while at the same time thinking about Twilight and the girls. If he did lose his mind again, there had to be someone to keep him in check.

“Fine. But you listen to us. No ifs or buts, you do as we say until this is over.” It wasn't exactly what he wanted, but it was as good as he could get. Spider-Man nodded his head in agreement, looking over at the girls hoping to get their approval, though they said nothing as their focus was more on making sure Twilight was ok. Amidst the chaos, the group had failed to notice the group of students beginning to gather at the entrance of the school, their phones in hand taking pictures of the spectacle.

“It’s the Spider-Man!”

“He’s totally amazing!”

“Didn’t that guy on the news say he was dangerous? Maybe we should stay away?”

“Don’t be ridiculous! He’s a hero!”

Given that the crowd was beginning to build, Spider-Man figured it was best to leave. “I’ll find you guys later. Duty calls elsewhere, and it won’t be long before my adoring public includes the police.” Shooting out a web, he swung away into the sky, cameras flashing as the students tried to grab as many pictures as they could, either as a personal keepsake or in the hopes of financial gain. The only one not enamoured by seeing him swing away was Peter, who was still unimpressed by his counterpart. “Guess he doesn't like the crowds either. He’s learned that lesson at least. Still a rookie though.”

LATER

Being in such a confined space with Peter was now far from anyone's idea of a good time. After his meltdown, piling into Applejack’s van now seemed like a major risk. The trip thus far had been silent at least, but that was mostly due to no one in the van wanting to say a word in case he turned hostile. As far as they were concerned, Peter’s voice was now poison to them, and he was aware of it. Sitting at the very back, Peter glanced around trying to fully gauge the mood, with the only individual actually looking at him being Spike. Though it was easy to tell he was mad about what went down. Both the boy-turned-dog and Twilight sat closest to Peter, the latter choosing to do so as she believed that if he lost it again, she could calm him down.

“I’m not sure what in the heck that was all about, but don’t you ever pull a stunt like that again. Ah don’t give a damn how strong you are, but scare Twilight like that again and there will be hell to pay!” Applejack broke the silence, laying down the law in a way only she could. It was tough for Peter to hear, especially from someone who’s Equestrian self had been so kind to him. He wanted to say something to try and defend himself, but his response got stuck in his throat as he remembered how terrified they all were when he last spoke. But he did feel more calm, especially as they got further from the school, meaning any influence the Sirens must have had was depleted.

“They have to be getting pretty strong to make me feel like this. I can’t believe I lost it like that at Twilight! Have I really just been faking this whole time? No, I couldn't have been. Everyone's been so nice to me. I was starting to feel welcome, happy… At peace.”

“I gotta agree with AJ. You pull that crap again, and I’ll be the first to smack some sense into you, no matter how strong you are! Got it, Parker?” Unsurprisingly, Rainbow Dash was the other likely candidate to try and keep Peter in his place, yet she and Applejack were the only ones to speak their minds. Rarity and Sunset sent dirty looks from their seats in the back, neither knowing what to say that hadn’t already been said. The only ones not looking at Peter were Pinkie and Fluttershy, the latter of whom looked as if she had shut herself out of the conversation entirely, and whose silence somehow afflicted Peter the most.

That was the second time today that the very idea of disappointing Fluttershy stuck in Peter’s mind. And now he would have to keep thinking about it on the journey back to Sweet Apple Acres.  

APPLE FAMILY HOME

The Apple family farm was by far one of the biggest changes from its Equestrian counterpart. While it still had a barn, the main house seemed much smaller in comparison. With less space to work with, sleeping arrangements were tricky to figure out, especially with none of the girls wanting to be in close proximity to Peter. The decision was made to have all of them, and Spike, split between Applejack and Applebloom’s rooms, which was only possible due to the youngest Apple staying over at a friend's house that night. 

As the day ended, all the girls were camped inside Applejacks room, taking some time to relax before they had to call it a day. A mix of video games, make up and selfies were the late night activities. They had also ordered enough pizza for everyone to enjoy, including Peter. Though he had been relegated to the living room for the night, he made use of his solitude, choosing to meditate in an effort to bring his anger under control.

A knocking at the door paused his meditation. “That’ll be the pizza guy.” Before he could get to the door, Pinkie had already rushed downstairs in sheer excitement, swung open the door and thanked the delivery guy. Despite the number of boxes in hand, she seemed to be handling them easily enough. That was until she began to lose her footing and began to fall. Through sheer instinct, Peter rushed forward, catching Pinkie and the boxes before they could fall. Though he quickly realised that this might not have been the best idea, Pinkie didn't seem afraid of him.

“That was a close one! Thank you for that. Ummm… Here’s your pizza.” It was obvious she was still a little hesitant to be around him, but not enough to cause a panic. Before she left, Pinkie grabbed three of the boxes of pizza and handed them to Peter, a rather weak smile on her face. The sight of Pinkie, of all people, having to force a smile once again made Peter feel guilty for the events of the day. Nothing he could do about it for now. Tomorrow was another day, and an opportunity to set things right. For now-

“Pizza Time!”

LATER THAT NIGHT

The heavy smell of cheese pizza now filled the Apple home as the number of empty boxes increased. The food had been enjoyed, and now it was time to rest. The calmness of the night had allowed Peter to fully calm his mind, though he still had much to think about, including the Sirens and the other Spider-Man. “I can’t believe everything that's happened today. The Siren’s magic definitely did a number on me. Hopefully it's the only time, now that my mental defences have seen it in action. Now all I have to worry about is Twilight getting the spell ready, and making sure no one connects the dots between me and my other self. Poor kid doesn't need any grief.”

While lost in thought, Peter didn't notice that someone was coming down the stairs. It wasn't until one of the steps creaked heavily that he actually turned his attention to whoever was coming down. From under his duvet, Peter was able to spy Twilight as she got to the bottom step, a stack of paper under her arm. She looked over at the couch, perhaps hoping that Peter was still awake. Rather than try to wake him however, she went over to the kitchen door, looking back before she went inside. “I promise I’ll fix this, Peter. Then we can go home.”

Unbeknownst to her, Peter was still very much awake and could hear everything she was saying. As much as he wanted to believe in her, the girl's earlier attempt to deal with the Sirens didn't leave him with much faith. Curious as to what was going on, Peter slowly got up from the couch and made his way towards the kitchen, the floor creaking slightly with every movement. “Any more of this and she’ll hear me.” On his way to the kitchen, Peter heard another set of footsteps coming down the stairs, flipping up to the ceiling in order to avoid being seen.

At the foot of the steps was Sunset Shimmer, gazing around to see if Peter was on the couch, but only saw an empty duvet. “Maybe he went to the bathroom?” The absence of the guy that threw around a superhuman like he was a ragdoll was a little concerning. But for now, Sunset focused on Twilight, given she had ducked out in the middle of the night. She then heard commotion coming from the kitchen and went to investigate. There at the counter was Twilight, several crumpled up pieces of paper lying around her, another thrown towards the trash can in frustration. “No, that won’t work either! None of these will work! Maybe Peter was right. I am relying too much on faith.”

“I wouldn't let him get you down. That guy clearly has some issues.” Sunset made her presence known as Twilight began to lose her cool. Despite the history these two shared, it was safe to say they were able to enjoy each other's company now. 

“Hey Sunset. I was just figuring out the counterspell song. It's not going well.” It was an odd feeling for Sunset. When the two met, she had been trying to claim an unfair advantage over Twilight and get her own way. Then she was given a second chance with help along the way. Now it looked like the person who gave her that opportunity needed some help now.

“Listen here, Twilight. We’re lucky to have you here. I wouldn't have the first idea of what to do about the Sirens. If you hadn't been able to get here… I don’t know what I’d do. But we all know you can do this.” It was strange. The last time Twilight had visited this world, it was to stop Sunset from abusing magic that she didn't earn, and would have abused it to get her own way. It was odd to hear that she wouldn't have had the confidence to face the Sirens herself. But even she lacked the confidence to do what needed to be done.

“I know you’d have figured something out. You and the other girls. You didn't need me. And right now, I’m not exactly the symbol of hope. Maybe Peter was right. Maybe it's just best to end the Sirens before they can do more damage. He’s strong enough to do it quickly.” Sunset couldn't believe what she was hearing. The Princess of Friendship, who fought ancient monsters and jealous schoolgirls, had her confidence completely shaken by someone with anger issues.

“Oh yeah, he clearly knows what he’s talking about, shouting at the world like it owes him something. And wanting to kill them? That's just wrong. And we both know that. If he thinks that's the way to go, then he’s no friend of yours. I don’t care where he’s from or how strong he is, it doesn't make him right. Maybe it's really him talking, or maybe it isn't. Either way, don’t let him stop you! Besides, it looks like we’ve got a real superhero on our side now.” 

How odd. On a quiet night at Sweet Apple Acres, these two former rivals strengthened their friendship, and Twilight's resolve grew strong with it. “Alright, I’ll keep at it! But for now, I think we better go to sleep. Come on, let's call it a night.”

The two departed the kitchen together, a little more content with their situation. Though Twilight did wonder: should Peter become more of a hazard, could they count on his other self? The answer might come soon. As the two girls returned upstairs, they were still totally unaware that Peter had been listening in the entire time, still stuck to the ceiling. Hearing all of the hardship he had caused Twilight since arriving only increased the guilt he already felt. “Guess I gotta start going easier on her. But if she can’t deal with the Sirens, then I’ll have to do something.”

THE NEXT MORNING

Music had been ringing out from the Apple barn all morning long. The Rainbooms had been practising the list of songs that would hopefully carry them through the Battle of the Bands. They started off by having Twilight lead on the songs to find out if their magic would awaken. However, they didn't account for one thing - She was a horrendous singer under pressure. While the other band members tried to find a groove so that they could release their magic, Peter, Spike and Sunset were trying to cancel out the noise from Twilight's singing. 

“Please tell me this isn't the plan, otherwise these girls are so finished!

“So, is this a bad time?”

To everyone's surprise, Spider-Man was standing at the barn door. While it was great to see him show up, Applejack was sure no one had mentioned where they were. “How in the heck did you find us? This is pretty much the middle of nowhere.” The masked hero gave no response, but Peter had a fairly good idea of how he managed to track them down.

“Must have been Spider tracers. It was one of the earliest gadgets I made alongside my shooters. Then again, if he did use tracers, why didn't I sense them?” ” It was like a trip down superhero memory lane for Peter, hearing about all these old inventions of his from when he was a teenager. Well, he still was a teenager, just at the tail end of his time at that point in life. He was mostly just being reminded of how much of an amateur he was back in the day. “Hope you’re ready for some Hocus Pocus, kid. This ain't some mook with a gun we’re dealing with.”

“From what I saw yesterday, there’s nothing scarier than you, so I doubt anything else could compare. Way to be a party pooper.” A fair point; Peter hadn’t exactly given the best first impression. Though it still didn't take away from the seriousness of the situation, as Twilight was about to emphasise. 

“I have to agree with Peter, I’m afraid. The Sirens are ancient creatures from my world, capable of sowing the seeds of negativity throughout entire cities. Once they do that, they then feed off of the energy they generate. And unless we can figure out a way to stop them, they might do the same here.” 

It took a few moments for Spider-Man to process all this new information, feeling a little sheepish at how little he was taking it seriously. “And I thought an old man with mechanical vulture wings was weird. So these Sirens are responsible for what’s going on at your school? Interesting. Do they turn into mermaids at all? Can they still drown us if we aren't near the ocean?”

 “Easy there, Spider-Boy. These aren't the same Sirens we’ve heard of. It took a powerful sorcerer from Twilight's world to get rid of them, and that was a thousand years ago. We have no idea what they’ve been up to for that long. Best you hang back and let us handle it.” Peter once again attempted to assert dominance over his other self,  who was smart enough to notice and didn't back down.

“Listen here, Geralt of Rivia, I already said I want to help. So with that said, I guess you’re stuck with me.”

“Geralt of where now? Oh right, the monster slayer. Guess that's the impression I’ve given right now.” Though Peter was able to understand this reference, Twilight was not so lucky. “Who is this Geralt?” It took a moment for Peter to remember that Equestria didn't have the same media consumption as Earth did.

“I’ll explain on the way to the school.”

 CANTERLOT HIGH GYMNASIUM

Walking back into the Gymnasium was a terrifying prospect, especially given the fact that the Sirens would be there waiting for them. And if Twilight's suspicions were correct, they were to blame for Peter's change in attitude.

“We have to at least get to the finals, and put a stop to the Sirens before their big moment.” 

Though it still wouldn’t be easy. The students of Canterlot High were still very much under the Sirens’ influence, sharing the same angry glares they gave each other yesterday. Though as soon as the group walked in, all eyes fell on them. Though three particular sets were of interest, as the Dazzlings had a keen eye on these girls, especially after their big declaration yesterday. However, all three noticed that the group still didn’t emit any energy for them to feed from. As Adagio had surmised, they were the real opponents in this competition. And the real threat. Yet there was one thing the eldest Siren took careful note of.

“That boy with them. He appears to be subconsciously fighting our magic, but at the same time he cannot control himself. That energy source we detected… IT'S HIM!”

A chuckle escaped Adagio’s mouth, confusing her siblings momentarily. She quickly reigned herself in however. “Apologies ladies. It seems I’ve gotten a little too excited. It just feels amazing, having our true power being restored. And we haven't even begun to draw out the real main course.”

“But the Rainblossoms, or whatever they’re called, aren't under our spell, Adagio. How are we supposed to get their magic?” Aria made a fair point. The one detail that gave them away was also the biggest complication of their plan - The Rainbooms were immune to their magic. At least, for now. In Adagio’s mind, that issue would solve itself. 

“The Rainbooms are just as capable of falling apart as anyone else. They just need a little push in the wrong direction. And I have a feeling everyone here is going to be lining up to give them a shove!”

Things were definitely in the Sirens' advantage. The more agitated they made the students, the more power they were getting back. Not only that, but their growing influence over Peter was increasing their strength significantly more than they ever imagined. Adagio figured that even if they couldn't get their hands on the Equestrian magic, then he would be enough. “Well my mystery man. Whether you like it or not, you’ve given my sisters and I the means to take over this world. I’ll have to thank you somehow… After your friends have been removed from the equation!” 

ONE HOUR LATER

The first round of the Battle of the Bands had been painful. Not to say there wasn't some talent here and there, but many of the performances were not exactly chart toppers. It wasn't helping Peter’s temperament one bit. “If I wanted to watch people embarrass themselves in a talent show, I’d just watch American Idol.” The last performance was a sorry excuse for a rap number by two of the younger students, Snips and Snails. At least Pinkie seemed to have enjoyed it. On the other hand, Peter was gritting his teeth the entire time. “Good thing Biggie ain’t around anymore. He’s probably rolling in his grave right now.” 

Next up to compete were the girls, or the Rainbooms as Rainbow Dash had named the band. Well, her band as she liked to keep implying. They were late onto the stage however, as Rarity had wandered off to get changed into, in her opinion, quite fashionable performance attire. Though to everyone else, she looked a little ridiculous. Compared to what Peter had seen of her Equestrian counterpart, the difference was night and day. 

As the girls took the stage, the atmosphere in the gym got more and more hostile. This did not hamper the girl’s spirits, who began to play their song, which was a cheery number as expected. Though, it was an odd sensation, it felt for Peter as if he was feeling… calmer. Just listening to them sing was pulling back the red haze in his mind, and he began to have clear thoughts. But this meant he began to fully comprehend what he had done yesterday.

“I… Almost hurt Twilight. And that other me. I almost killed the poor kid. The Sirens! I have to… No. Twilight was right. Why am I thinking like this? What changed? Wait… The tail!”

Feeling at the small of his back, Peter felt the new limb tucked away. Before he was exposed to the Sirens’ magic, he had felt this rage build within him as soon as they arrived. And the only other new factor was the tail. “It would explain a lot. If I was super aggressive when I was younger… My parents must have had it cut off. I really am an alien…”

Unbeknownst to the group, several of the students were high above the stage, skulking in the rafters, all ready to ambush the Rainbooms and spoil their performance. The Sirens had truly corrupted the school against each other. Fortunately, this world's Spider-Man had been able to creep inside and keep an eye on things. “Jeez. And I thought Flash shoving me in a locker was bad. Better help those girls out!” Before the students could make any attempt to foil the Rainbooms song, they were pulled away by a strand of webbing and settled back down on the gym. Several of them tried to see who had yanked them away, but spotted nothing.

The performance then ended, the red mist settling over Peter’s mind once again. For a moment, he could have sworn someone was right behind him, their ghostly hands crushing his brain. It didn't help that his Spider-Sense began to scream out in all directions. “It’s like it’s everywhere! I can’t… Focus… How could they get in my head to begin with? My mental shields should keep them out! Unless… This is the real me?” Noticing that Peter was hunched over in pain, the girls and Spider-Man rushed over to make sure he was ok, though still apprehensive of his mood. Twilight cautiously approached, kneeling down to see Peter eye-to-eye. He felt her gaze on him, and looked up.

His eyes were flowing with tears and were bloodshot. Twilight could see it written all over his face - he was in agony. “Twilight… It hurts… I’m so sorry for what I said…” 

Hearing him cry out for help broke Twilight’s heart. He had always seemed so resilient, but it appeared that everyone had their limit. “It’s ok, Peter. We’ll fix this. We’ll make you better!”

“Why don’t I get him outside, away from their influence?” Trying to continue his useful streak, Spider-Man offered to take responsibility for his other self. Twilight nodded, confident that he could keep an eye on Peter while they finished the competition. Offering his hand, Spider-Man got Peter onto his feet and out of the gym. As the two got to the front door, the young hero was still cautious, his Spider-Sense still going full blast. And pointing right at Peter.

“I guess it was a good idea to have you around, huh Peter?” This caught Spider-Man by surprise, having his identity so casually mentioned. At the same time, he sort of knew this was inevitable. Despite a very different attitude and looking quite different, this other Peter Parker was like him. He could sense it the moment they met. Though he was still concerned. 

“The girls don’t know, do they?”

“Twilight probably figured it out, but I doubt she’s said anything. Neither have I. I get how important a secret identity is. And I’m guessing you haven't been at this very long?” The whole time Peter had been in this world, he had been studying his other self, and it had become clear that this Spider-Man was indeed still a kid due to his more optimistic mindset. Something Peter had long since lost.

“Only six months. Guess you’ve been doing this longer? How else did you become such a sourpuss?” If only he was aware just how much Peter had been through. Four years felt like an eternity being a superhero. This world was peaceful in comparison, aside from the magical creatures hell bent on taking over. As they got to Applejack's van, Peter crawled inside and pulled a nearby blanket over him. He couldn't remember the last time he felt like this, being so dependent on someone else. 

“Want some advice, kid? Be very careful in this job. Eventually you get too deep into it. And before you know it, you’re nineteen and stuck in another universe.” 

A FEW HOURS LATER

The knockout stages of the competition neared their end, with the Rainbooms somehow getting through to the finals. All according to Twilight’s plan. Yet things hadn’t gone smoothly. During their last performance, Rainbow Dash had pulled a stint of grandstanding, almost activating her Equestrian magic. Fortunately, Sunset Shimmer had stopped the performance by tackling Dash to the floor. The girls figured that little stunt would have them removed from the competition, yet Celestia and Luna put them in the finals. Though this was much to the dismay of one of the other students, swearing that the girls had cheated somehow. However, it was obvious that some trickery had been pulled. And as the group travelled home for the day, they knew exactly who was responsible.

“The Sirens must have been onto us since yesterday. We’re the only students not at each other's throats.” Twilight had been going over the events of the day since they left the school, and it was easy to agree with her. The other girls were sure they were done, given how the last round went, but it appears that they were given a second chance, even if it was for insidious reasons.

But now they had a new problem. Peter had gone from being a man of few words to no words at all. He was also sweating bullets, gulping down water constantly. He had needed help getting back to the van, as his strength had completely left him. How ironic, that he went from the most terrifying person in the room to becoming completely helpless, hunched over and still covered in a blanket. Next to him, Fluttershy was patting down his head with a wet cloth trying to bring his temperature under control. But nothing was working. Peter was burning up, and there was nothing Twilight could do for him.

“If we don’t stop the Sirens soon, then Peter might just be their first victim. It almost seems like their influence is killing him. If he dies… I’ll never forgive myself.”

RAINBOW FALLS PARK

With the first few rounds of the Battle of the Bands out of the way, The Dazzlings decided to enjoy the rest of the day at the park, especially given that it was a sunny day. A trio of ice cream orders later, and they were taking in the afternoon sun. While Sonata and Aria had their usual back and forth, Adagio was taking in the scenery with glee. 

“So much beauty. A shame it has to be constantly spoiled by these barbaric humans. I wonder how long before even this park is turned into a wasteland?” 

The more she thought about it, the more it began to annoy her. 

“After a thousand years, we’ll finally be able to set this world straight. These humans will no longer be able to ruin this beautiful world. It’ll be ours to do with as we please!”

“Hey Adagio! Take a look!” In her high pitched, somewhat grating voice, Sonata called out for the eldest Siren to join herself and Aria over by the pond. She was worried that it was for something benign and annoying, but was pleasantly surprised when she got to the railing and looked to where Sonata was pointing. “Look! All the little duckies are swimming along!” True enough, a family of ducks were gliding along the pond's surface in peace. Sonata was overjoyed, and even Aria cracked a smile. All the while, Adagio was being reminded of their mission.

“After we’ve regained our full power, they’ll always be able to do that forever. And these humans will pay for the damage they’ve done here, we'll set them straight. Once we control this world, we’ll never have to fear anything again!” 

While the other Sirens understood where Adagio was coming from, and knew that their end goal was in sight, even they had some reservations. Especially the more timid Sonata. “Do we really have to subjugate them? I know they’re… well, the worst, but not all of them are like that. Remember that Mozart guy? Oh his music was beautiful!”

“And yet for every composer, there’s been a dictator that shuts down their work. For every scientist trying to better the world, there’s some hotshot general that wants to weaponize what they discover. Or did you forget what these humans made seventy years ago?! That accursed bomb of theirs rivals the destructive power of an Alicorn, and they have thousands of them, ready to use at a moments notice! They are on the very edge of annihilating themselves and this world, and even if we could somehow survive, they’d have wiped themselves out and we’d starve! So yes Sonata, we MUST subjugate them for their own good!”

Feeling rather crushed, Sonata turned her attention back to the duck pond. For a moment, Adagio wanted to apologise, but remembered that she was in the right. In her mind at least. However, she did notice Aria giving her a look. “What? Do you have something to say? Out with it!”

 Unlike Sonata, Aria was a lot more resilient to their leader’s venomous attitude. “You know she doesn't like this stuff, Dagi. She’s gotten too used to being here. She likes it here. Maybe we can just find a way to get home after we get our powers back. If I’m gonna die someday, I’d rather it not be here.” Home. The concept of getting home was something the three had dreamed of. But Adagio had long since left it behind.

“Even if we could get back, we’d run the risk of Starswirl and the Pillars or the Princesses still being around. If we couldn't get a foothold against them, we’d be done for sure. Especially against Celestia. At least here we have no opposition. Unless that dork in the spider getup tries to intervene. We can deal with him easily enough. But think about it. After a millennium, we’ll be our true selves again. And this planet will be ours. And this time, there will be no Princesses, no Sorcerers, and no Pillars to stop us.”

“You might be wrong about that Spider-Guy, Dagi. Take a look.” Sonata had joined back into the conversation, taking out her phone and bringing up a video. It was from a local news network, showing Spider-Man fighting a giant mechanical rhino. The Sirens watched in awe as the rhino charged head on, but Spider-Man caught it by the horn and flipped it over his head, slamming the mech into the ground with all his might, causing several parts of it to break off. 

Sonata paused the video and put away her phone, figuring that was enough. “He looks pretty tough. Not only that, we still don’t know where that other source that's been juicing us up all day could be coming from!”

Though she was at times a little brainless, Sonata did have her moments of brilliance. And she did have a point. There were multiple factors that were now starting to stack up against the Sirens at their moment of triumph. But in Adagio’s mind, there were just as many things in their corner. “So he’s a little strong. It won’t matter if he can’t get near us. Plus, we still have the element of surprise. Unless he’s already found us out, then he doesn't know where the real threat will be until it's too late. As for the unknown source, I might have an idea. That cute guy hanging out with the Rainbooms? I felt it for a moment, but he’s practically radiating pure rage. He’s our battery. And whether he knows it or not… He’s our key to victory!”