//------------------------------//
// Ch. 5: "Self-Defense and Preservation" 
// Story: Ultimate Spiders and Magic: Episode V "Neogenic Nightmare" 
// by Maximus_Reborn 
//------------------------------//

Chapter Five “Self-Defense and Preservation”

Inhaling deeply before sighing, Fluttershy alternated her gaze across her vicinity. The forest had grown silent, with only the sound of tree leaves ruffling with the surrounding wind. Only a few minutes had passed since the Man-Spider had dispatched and taken away her friends, but it felt like an eternity for the girl, as her thoughts spiraled into a vortex of jumbled realizations. Spike walked ahead of her, sniffing the ground profusely, and he stopped in his tracks once Fluttershy paused, glancing to the side.

“I still can’t believe it,” she whispered, her eyes softening.

Spike dropped his hindquarters to the ground, using his back leg to scratch behind his ear. “Oh. You mean about Peter and Spider-Man being the same? It’s not that surprising. They both smell alike.”

Blinking, Fluttershy knelt down next to the dog with a widened gaze. “You knew? For how long?”

“Since the end of the Friendship Games, when Twilight and I moved into the lab,” Spike calmly retorted, taking a moment to bite at the fur along his hip, “His smell was all over the lab.”

Slow to respond, Fluttershy held a finger against her chin while her brow lowered in thought. “If you knew this the whole time, why doesn’t Twilight? She’s been obsessed with trying to study him.”

Spike’s ears dropped to the side as he looked away shamefully. “Um, well… I saw how much trouble Twilight got in the last time she obsessed over something, and Doctor Octavious made me promise to not tell her.”

The girl tilted her head to the side. “He knows, too? Does Peter know that you know?” 

The dog hesitantly nodded, slamming his eyes shut. “Yeah. In fact, he was the first one to bring it up before I could. He’s really smart. I’m sorry!”

However, Fluttershy gently petted the top of the furry animal’s head and managed a smile. “You’re not in trouble, Spike. I’m actually glad you haven’t told her.”

A sense of relief came over Spike, evident by his perked ears and wagging tail. “Yeah! Doc and Pete are great! I mean, I don’t get why Twilight doesn’t like him. He’s already been really nice to me even before I could talk. Plus, they promised to give me extra treats if I kept quiet.” An awkward silence filled the air after the dog’s outburst, and he could only nervously chuckle afterward, bearing a toothy grin. “I know Twilight will be very mad about it, but I think it’ll be okay… for now.”

Giggling under her breath, Fluttershy nodded. “It’s okay. I’ll give you extra treats, too, if you promise not to tell anybody.” The pair shared a smile as the girl extended her hand, prompting the dog to place his paw on her palm. Eventually, Fluttershy stood before brushing a hand through her silky pink hair. “We need to find him and the others. Do you know which way they went?”

Spike lowered his muzzle along the grass, taking in the fresh scent before he glanced to the side. “Peter is definitely that way. Same for that other guy. Who was that, by the way? He didn’t seem nice.”

“I don’t know. All the more reason we need to find them,” Fluttershy gently reaffirmed, placing a hand over her chest. “What about Twilight and the others?”

Spike narrowed his gaze, sniffing. “Same direction. It’s like they’re all piled together, and…” Suddenly, the dog stiffened before shifting his line of sight behind the girl. His ears raised as he stepped forth. “There’s someone else coming towards us. Fast!”

Fluttershy scooped up Spike into her arms, never averting her gaze from the direction the dog referred to. The sound of footsteps grew louder, as the surrounding shrubbery rustled in protest. Suddenly, a being sped through the leaves in a hunched stance, racing past the pair. Yet, as if it just noticed their presence, glanced to the side. He lowered a hand, digging a trio of claws into the earth, and his momentum skidded to a halt, while shards of dirt and grass stood ruptured in his wake. 

The gruff man soon straightened his posture, opening his mouth as he took in bated breaths. His eyes soon widened before the claws slid back within his knuckles. In spite of his muscular physique, the man barely stood taller than the girl. Shaking his head, he pointed a thumb behind his position while glaring intently at the pair.

“What the hell are you doing here, kid? It’s dangerous,” he firmly stated, raising a finger before pointing behind her position. “Get out of here, if you know what’s good for you.”

Tightening her hold on the dog, Fluttershy stammered under the man’s rough exterior. “Wow. Um… you’re the Wolverine,” Shaking her head, the girl narrowed her gaze. “I can’t. I have to help Spider-Man.”

Spike wiggled free from the girl’s grasp, sniffling the man’s foot upon landing on the ground. “Our friends were just captured, too! We have to save them!” His tail wagged as he panted happily, “You’re a nice man.”

An awkward silence filled the vicinity as Logan blinked, holding a bewildered yet bemused expression at the canine. “You talk?” Rolling his eyes, the man exhaled while rubbing his fingers over his temples. “Of course you talk. It’s not the strangest thing I’ve seen in my life.” Sobering, Logan sniffed the pair for what seemed like an eternity before edging closer to them. “I can smell Spider-Man on both of you. Why didn’t he take you away? Unless… you’re a friend of his?”

“We didn’t attack him, and I’m sure he recognized me,” Fluttershy quietly declared, pursing her lips. 

Logan furrowed his brow, as if taking the girl’s words in consideration, and simply nodded before rubbing at his hand with an open palm. “He didn’t see you as a threat, unlike your friends and those SHIELD agents. That means that the kid is still in there, deep down.” The man hummed under his breath, letting out a low sigh of relief. “Good. He can still be brought back.”

“Brought back? You can return him to normal?” Fluttershy whispered as she leaned forward, holding her hands together, “Let us help you. Maybe I can talk to him.”

“No way, kid. Even if he’s still in there, it’s way too dangerous,” Wolverine huffed, crossing his arms. 

Spike paced in place, alternating his gaze between Logan and the area behind him. “There was another guy chasing him! Had a lot of fur on his shoulders and gave a really bad feeling.”

His eyes widening at the comment, Logan growled before cursing under his breath. “Damn it. Kraven’s already on top of him. I need to hurry.”

Reaching out, Fluttershy took hold of Wolverine’s forearm before he could hope to make any progress. “Please. Just like an actual spider, he’s just trying to be alone. So far, he’s only been attacking out of self-defense.”

“I know that feeling. A cornered animal is the most dangerous type, and we’re already losing time. The last thing we need is for Kraven to push him over the edge,” Wolverine declared, shifting his gaze skyward momentarily. He caught sight of Fluttershy from the corner of his eye, wincing upon spotting a large pleadful stare. After a few seconds, the gruff man could only let out a defeated sigh before shaking his head. “Why am I a sucker for the marshmallows? Ugh! Okay. I can tell you’re going to follow me regardless. You can come, but you and the mutt have to listen to me and stay out of sight!”

The girl’s expression brightened as she nodded. “Y-Yes! Thank you!”

“I really hope I don’t regret this,” Wolverine mumbled, sheepishly brushing a hand through his unkempt hair. Spike hopped from the ground, prompting Logan to instinctively catch the canine. The man grumbled incoherently before simply easing the dog onto his shoulder. A bemused expression surfaced on Logan’s face as they marched into the forest. “When did I get so soft?”







Treading through the reaches of the park, Man-Spider slowed to a halt as it approached the edge of the lake’s bank. It somberly gazed upon its reflection on the water’s surface, holding one of its claws along the side of its face. Suddenly, all of its eyes narrowed into a glare before it angrily swiped one of its claws into the lake, wiping away its image. Afterward, it slammed its closed claws into the ground repeatedly, sending multiple tremors rushing through the earth, until shards of stone and dirt flew about. It eventually ceased, letting out a dejected whine, while lowering its head shamefully.

Suddenly, the world slowed to a halt once its cranium buzzed uncontrollably. Its eyes widened as a shot echoed throughout the forest. Man-Spider lowered its body until all of its limbs reached the ground, allowing him to hastily crawl backward out of sight, while a bullet struck the ground where it previously stood. A second shot was fired in the direction the creature was heading, but it twitched, practically disappearing in a blur before the projectile could connect. 

Meanwhile, Kraven sat at the roof of a pavilion several hundred yards away. “You are fast, but I am patient. You will make a mistake soon enough,” he held his sight through the scope of his rifle, keeping it aimed in the distance. As Kraven tightened his grip on the holster, he let out a small breath. “Now, where did you run off to–?” he questioned, inhaling sharply as a flow of crimson suddenly filled his scope. The man peeked up as Man-Spider stood over him, mere inches away, with his claw reared back. “What?!”

Kraven rolled to the side and narrowly managed to avoid the blow as Man-Spider crashed through the pavilion, sending pieces of wood and concrete scattering throughout the wind. A cloud of dust erupted from the impact, spreading the smog. Amidst the chaos, Kraven landed on his feet, before unsheathing his machete from its scabbard. A dark silhouette materialized inches behind him, six eyes glowing through the cover. Kraven spun around with the blade extended, aiming from the shadow’s head, but he simply cut through the surrounding dust, causing the image to fade from sight. 

Just before he could react further, a large ball of webbing sped across the area and collided into his blade. Its momentum crashed into the nearest tree, embedding the weapon steadfast to the bark. In a flash, Man-Spider once again emerged before Kraven, scooping the man into its grasp with four of its arms. The man strained as he attempted to break free, feeling his muscles steadily give under the pressure of the creature’s tightening hold. Slowly, Man-Spider began to rear Kraven’s head towards its open mouth. 

However, a being howled while lunging across the air like a missile before landing on the back of the spider’s shoulders. He punched at the thick hide repeatedly, even managing to stand before delivering a kick, but one of the creature’s free arms grabbed the man by the leg mid strike. Man-Spider soon relinquished its hold on Kraven, not too long before hurling Logan into his unprepared grasp. Both men rolled into a heap for several yards, eventually coming to a halt. 

Lumbering forth with each step, sending a quake through the earth, Man-Spider approached its prey. Yet, Kraven retrieved a ball from his pouch and tossed it at the spider’s feet. Violet fumes spread out, engulfing the entire area in a smog. A high-pitched screech escaped from Man-Spider as it recoiled defensively, shivering while raising its arms. It quickly turned, leaping high into the trees before fading once more into the shadows.

Kraven shook his head, attempting to free the cobwebs. “The beast… is formidable.” He glanced to the side, sharing a brief glance with Logan while they both forced themselves back to a vertical base. “Wolverine. I suppose I should thank you.”

“Yeah, well, save it-Ack!” Logan declared, coughing before throwing a hand over his burning nose. “What the hell is that smell?” 

Kraven huffed, grabbing Wolverine’s forearm before pulling him away from the smog. “Tetrodotoxin produced by blue-ringed octopods, enough to take down fifty men with a single breath.” He trailed off, furrowing his brow as Logan snatched his arm free. Kraven soon tossed a second ball into the middle of the fog, causing a blue mist to spray out until it had overtaken the poisonous cloud completely. “However, it seemed to only be a mild inconvenience for the spider. We must try a different approach.”

Inhaling deeply before sighing, Logan’s senses cleared, and he glared at Kraven. “Look, part of me really wishes I let the spider do away with you, but if we’re going to save him, we have to work together. So, that means you’re going to follow my lead, got it?”

The corner of Kraven’s mouth curled into a smirk while he raised his hands in a mock-form of surrender. “Da. Of course.”

Both men stared at each other for what seemed like ages before Logan let out a deep huff. He soon turned and motioned his hand. “Okay. It’s clear. Come on out, kid.”

Kraven raised a brow at the statement as he followed the shorter man’s hand. Soon, a tiny girl with a dog in her arms clumsily staggered out of the bushes before walking towards their position. Once by their side, she placed the canine on the ground and paused to brush off some stray leaves free from her clothing. Folding his arms and frowning, Kraven tapped a finger impatiently against his bicep.

“A child, Logan? I am here to hunt, not babysit,” he grumbled, retrieving his spear from his back sleeve. 

Logan shrugged, lowering to a knee while brushing a hand through the grass. “I don’t like it either, but the kid’s a friend of the spider. Maybe we can use that to keep him still long enough to give him his medicine.”

Fluttershy pursed her lips. “Um, I also have an idea of what kind of spider he actually might be. When he captured my friends, I saw he had traits of the Wolf spider, the Darwin bark spider, the Huntsman spider, and the Fulvolineata so far. I think he has more, but I’ll have to see.”

Slow to respond, Kraven nodded with each fact and snorted. “You named enough to confirm my suspicion. It’s clear that he’s a cross-species spider. From my brief encounter, I could tell he has the strengths of multiple spiders and little-to-none of the weaknesses.” Pausing, Kraven’s eyes widened while his mouth curled into a smirk. “You are well versed, little one. I am impressed! You have the knowledge of a true hunter. I believe you would make a most excellent apprentice!”

Fluttershy’s mouth hung open as she readied to respond, but her large blue eyes drifted, settling on the lion’s mane Kraven wore over his shoulders. Slowly but surely, the girl’s gentle demeanor steadily diminished, evident as her gaze narrowed into a glare. Her hands trembled as she took a step away from Kraven, biting down onto her lip. Inhaling deeply, Fluttershy’s face’s light features boiled to a crimson red. Everyone paused, waiting for the imminent explosion that was set to occur, but the girl simply let out a low sigh as she turned.

“I don’t like you,” she whispered, walking past the tall man with a glare.

Kraven scratched the side of his jaw, befuddled. “Was it something I said?”

As if justified, Logan allowed a smile to grace his features briefly while he haplessly shrugged. “Don’t look at me, bub. I feel the same way.”

That same moment, Spike walked past Kraven and growled under his breath. “Jerk.”

Blinking, Kraven considered everyone’s words and merely huffed. “Strangely enough, the little one’s words sting greater than any spear.” However, like lightning to a rod, his eyes widened at a realization as he watched the canine strut away. “Wait. Did the dog just speak words?” he questioned, dismissing the thought with a shrug, “Not even the Savage Land is as unusual as this town.”







Several minutes passed, as the moon reached its zenith point in the sky. The group steadily traversed through the forest with Logan at the point, sniffing the air, while Kraven closely followed, clutching his spear tightly. Fluttershy rubbed her hands together, nervously alternating her gaze about, and Spike held his nose to the ground, following a particular scent. Logan immediately came to a halt before raising his hand, prompting everyone to stop in their tracks as well. They soon caught sight of several strands of webbing joined together at the center of an area, each thread stretching out for yards on end. 

“The heck is this? Was he resting here? Why create a web in the middle of this area?” Logan questioned, slowly reaching out until his fingers were inches from a strand.

Fluttershy grabbed his arm before he could touch the material, shaking her head profusely. “Don’t touch it! Spiders sometimes will rely on vibrations from silk strands to locate prey and find deformities in the web.”

Brushing a hand against his chin, Logan hummed. “Why would he do that? Unless…?”

Kraven hummed, nodding. “Yes. He has begun hunting us now. Ingenious. It appears your friend is beginning to embrace the predator side of his psyche.” A loud screech echoed from a distance, causing everyone in the group to recoil. Clutching his spear, Kraven shared a glance with the others. “Time is short. He is coming. We must counterattack.”

Logan nodded, grabbing Fluttershy and Spike before easing them firmly into a bush. “You two stay out of sight. This is about to get ugly.”

“What are you going to do?” Fluttershy questioned as her eyes softened.

Glancing to the side, Logan’s brow furrowed. “We’re going to lure him out and give him the cure. We don’t have any more time to be subtle.” 

Before the girl could hope to protest, the man rushed back before lowering behind a tree’s shadow. Kraven soon mirrored his action, pausing to run his hand through the dirt by his foot. Soon afterward, he climbed into a heightened position, amidst the concealment of leaves. Both men stood in silence, sharing a glance before Kraven eased the dirt from his grasp and revealed a pair of pebbles. 

A breeze coursed through the vicinity, causing the leaves to ruffle in protest. Once everything settled to a pause, Kraven flicked the pebble with his thumb and allowed gravity to guide it into a gentle descent. The world slowed to a halt, as if it watched the rock fall. Yet, it snapped to reality once it reached its destination, bouncing off of one of the surrounding strands of webbing. The thread vibrated, causing the entire center to shake. Almost instantaneously, a being shuffled into the area in a flash, on all eight of its limbs where the web had been disturbed.

Man-Spider screeched as it twitched, sharply shifting its line of sight with each movement. However, it steadily focused its attention in Logan’s direction, growling before steadily stepping forth. Wolverine edged back, cursing under his breath, but he quickly inhaled, holding in his air. Slamming his eyes shut, he narrowed all thoughts inwardly. The beating of his heart steadily came to a halt, and Man-Spider ceased its movements, tilting its head to the side in bewilderment. 

Fluttershy shuffled in place, causing the surrounding leaves around her to ruffle quietly. Man-Spider shrilled, stomping towards the sound. Kraven watched in response, hurling his last pebble just inches away from the creature, and the rock bounced off of a lone strand of webbing, sending a vibrational wave through its center. Man-Spider turned with its claw raised, slamming it down unto the area where its webbing was disturbed, and a cloud of dust erupted from the point of impact, all while shards of grass, dirt, and stone scattered about.

Wolverine burst through the cloud with the syringe in hand, soaring through the air with the speed of a bullet, but Man-Spider turned instantly with two of its claws extended, capturing the man by the neck and arm. With his progress halted, Wolverine strained before one of the creature’s free claws clenched into a fist and slammed into his face. A loud crack echoed throughout the park while a shockwave generated, causing many leaves to free themselves from the trees and bushes before dancing in the breeze. 

Meanwhile, Logan’s body rocketed through the area, vanishing deep into the park. The syringe spun in place, twirling until it fell to the ground just a few feet away from Fluttershy’s position. Just as Man-Spider readied to move, its cranium buzzed, while a spear sped through the air, with its tip aimed at the center of its face. Yet, one of its claws captured the weapon effortlessly, before it could hope to reach its target. The creature snarled and glanced at Kraven in the distance, who simply smirked in response.

Suddenly, an array of orbs rolled underneath Man-Spider’s feet before they detonated, triggering several flashes of light to erupt. The creature staggered back, swatting wildly at the air, while its senses spun into disarray. Kraven leapt from his perch, landing just in front of the spider before swiftly retrieving his weapon. Spinning it in his grasp, he thrusted its tip forth at the creature’s opened jaw. 

However, Man-Spider spat out a green substance onto the point, and it quickly ate away at the metal, doing the same for the wood in an instance. Kraven cursed under his breath, throwing what remained of his weapon before it could reach his hand. The object fell to the ground, reduced to a bubbling substance as it melted a hole into the ground. Lost in thought, albeit briefly, Kraven snapped back to reality but couldn’t react as Man-Spider delivered a backhand across his jaw. The force of the blow sent him spiraling until the back of his head cracked against a tree in his path, stopping all forms of momentum with a crack. He instinctively rolled to the side with a hand placed over his face, mumbling as his vision spun.

Stomping forth as venom dripped from its mouth, Man-Spider sharply inhaled, but Wolverine emerged between it and Kraven, unsheathing all his claws with a snikt. “Damn it, kid! Don’t make me do this!”

Man-Spider roared in response, towering over Logan until its shadow engulfed his entire frame, but Wolverine howled back, vanishing in a blur. Taken aback, the spider’s eyes widened as it held a baffled gaze. The world rolled to a halt as a piercing sound rang out, and Man-Spider glanced to the source, spotting Logan with his claws dug into the side of its torso. Yet, Wolverine strained while he attempted to push his claws through the exoskeleton, but no headway could be made, evident as the tip of metal only managed to pierce the surface of the hide. 

The pupils of the creature dilated before its eyes sharpened into a glare, and a deep roar escaped from its mouth as it turned. Two of its arms grabbed Logan’s hands, lifting his body from the ground while stretching his limbs out. Wolverine watched as Man-Spider’s four other claws clenched into fists. They soon reared back, the first thrusting forth and connecting into the center of Logan’s chest. 

All of the air rushed out of the man’s chest and through his opened mouth. That same moment, the second of the spider’s fists swung into Wolverine’s jaw. Blood shot out from the man’s mouth as the third sped from underneath, delivering an uppercut. Logan’s eyes glazed over as his line of sight swung skyward, taking in the moon's glowing form before the fourth fist slammed into the side of his torso. 

While each blow was felt in what seemed like an eternity, only a literal second had passed, and the process repeated while Man-Spider delivered one blow after the other in rapid succession, his limbs vanishing in a blur. Logan’s body shook violently as it withstood the assault, each blow struck resembling the sound of a cannon. His muscles caved in as his skin turned purple, all bruising spreading. Man-Spider growled, snarling as the man’s clothing disintegrated, but it suddenly stopped, letting out a pained screech. Kraven shook the cobwebs free from his cranium before he lifted his gaze, inhaling sharply as Fluttershy stood behind Man-Spider with the tip of the syringe lodged deep into the gash Logan had left.

Man-Spider’s claws relinquished their hold onto Logan, dropping the man to the ground in a pool of his own blood. Wolverine groaned, as some of his open wounds slowly sealed shut. He glanced up, watching as Man-Spider staggered about, but it sharply turned, facing Fluttershy while roaring at the top of its lungs. Yet, the girl stood still with a softened gaze, as its cries pierced the airwaves. Logan pushed himself from the ground, nearly collapsing as his muscles gave way while attempting to repair themselves.

“Kid, no!” Logan cried out, reaching forth, but Kraven leapt in his path, stopping his progress. “What are you doing? He’s going to kill her!”

Kraven placed a hand over Logan’s shoulder, shaking his head before glancing at the spider. “Have patience. The spider is high on adrenaline, and the little one is keeping him calm, so he does not burn through the sedative.”

Man-Spider’s erratic breathing steadied as it towered over the girl. Fluttershy reached out, caressing the side of the creature’s face, and the spider’s expression softened while it whined under its breath. Its frame slowly began to shrink before two of its limbs shriveled back into its ribcage. Soon, the other pair of limbs did the same, all while the fur on its skin dissipated from sight. 

“It’s okay. You can rest now. Everything’s going to be fine,” she whispered, stepping back before Man-Spider collapsed to the ground in a heap. 

All traces of Man-Spider diminished before fair skin could be seen amidst what tattered remains were left of his costume. Fluttershy blinked, seeing the boy’s brown hair, but she instinctively turned away, refusing to take in the sight. Logan swiftly jumped over Spider-Man’s unconscious form, shielding his face from the outside world. However, Kraven removed his vest from his shoulders before tossing it to Wolverine. Without saying a word, Logan accepted the gesture and shielded Spider-Man’s entire upper body, before taking him into his arms bridal style. 

“Kraven,” Logan whispered, his expression unreadable.

Yet, Kraven kept his back turned to the pair while waving a hand dismissively. “I have honored our agreement. We have returned your friend to normal. There is no honor in learning who he is like this.” Reaching into his pouch, the man retrieved an orb. “I will have my hunt. Another day. Today was quite… satisfactory. Until we meet again, Wolverine.”

Everyone watched as Kraven tossed the item onto the ground, causing a cloud of smoke to rise from under his feet. Once the smog enveloped his entire frame, a gust of wind breezed through the area. Kraven’s silhouette vanished from sight as the smoke cleared. Fluttershy and Spike watched with their mouths agape. 

Wolverine simply shrugged before turning to take his leave. “Everyone’s got smoke nowadays.” He paused, sharing a glance with Fluttershy as she edged towards him. “Thanks, kid. You did good.”

“You’re welcome,” Fluttershy retorted, placing a hand over her chest. “Where are you going to take him?”

“Home. We’ve all been through enough tonight,” he declared, sharing a final glance with the girl before easing away. Logan traveled for several seconds, pausing once a familiar scent entered his nose. “If I were you, Fury, I’d worry more about your men than the kid.”

Fury soon emerged from behind the tree, crossing his arms. “Get him home, Logan. I’ll deal with him later.” He peeked back in Wolverine’s direction, letting out a low sigh upon noticing he had already exited the vicinity. Nick shook his head while several SHIELD agents rushed past him, proceeding to cut their compatriots free, and he simply stared somberly at the sky as the moon slowly began to set, exhaling. “$%^&, what a mess.”

To be concluded…