//------------------------------//
// Epilogue: "Evolution and Adaptation" 
// Story: Ultimate Spiders and Magic: Episode V "Neogenic Nightmare" 
// by Maximus_Reborn 
//------------------------------//

Epilogue “Evolution and Adaptation”

“Ladies and gentleman, we have been informed that the threat of the Man-Spider has passed, but I ask you, has it really?” Jameson questioned, staring intently into the camera. “That masked menace is still out there, free to swing into our lives, whether we want him there or not. So, no, the threat has not passed. If anything, we need to be more vigilant than ever. Allow me to explain why.”

Several images of Spider-Man and silhouettes of Man-Spider filled the screen, while Jameson stood from his seat, taking a puff of his cigar before raising a finger. “Man-Spider in his reign of terror attacked an innocent officer and showed us just how helpless we are, should he decide to really cut loose. Amongst the injured was a young student of Canterlot High named Applejack, who we hear is fine but still undergoing concussion protocol.”

The images on screen faded before one of the Rainbooms took place at the center. “We have this group of girls once again to thank for saving the day. We’re told that they took Man-Spider head-on and drove him back into whatever cave he crawled out of– What’s that?” Jameson stated, pausing upon hearing an intangible response from the side. He simply shrugged, tossing a rolled up magazine off-camera. “Magic? Don’t be ridiculous, Jared! They’re clearly mutants! Not that there’s anything wrong with that! We are advocates for all lives being treated equally!”

Blinking, Jameson stared off to the side before slamming a fist against the table. “Spider-Man doesn’t count, you idiot! He’s not a mutant!” He trailed off, humming as he tapped a finger against his forearm. “At least, I don’t think he is? I mean… No, I hate him because he’s a menace, not a mutant! The two can be distinguishable. SHUT UP, JARED!” 

The man cleared his throat and straightened his posture, taking in several deep breaths as the pulsating vein over his forehead sank back under his skin. “Anyway, while I do not condone young upstarts to put their lives at risk and prefer the professionals to handle such a matter, I must admit that unlike Spider-Man, who hides behind a mask, that these brave girls were willing to take on such a task with their abilities in a modest sense.” 

Jameson pointed at the camera as his brow furrowed. “Now, I want you all to take this as seriously as possible. Now that we have seen Spider-Man for what he truly is, I hope we can stop the glorification and start treating him appropriately: like a menace to society, who should be arrested for his crimes.” 

The camera shifted to Diamond Tiara, who grinned as a pair of flowing charts filled the screen. “It seems many more of you are beginning to understand Uncle Jameson’s words. We’ve reached over twenty-five thousand followers on our main social media page, and as we speak, we have double that listening to our podcast! Thank you for your growing support!” she cheered, smirking as a dark glint flickered in her eyes, “Rumor has it that Spider-Man is supposed to be showing up at Canterlot High’s Prom tonight. I assure you that I will share all of the details on whatever happens. This is Just the Facts!”







Beams of the morning sun pierced through the curtains, filling the room with light and warmth. The young man groaned to life, stammering as his eyes fluttered open. However, a realization came to mind like lightning to a rod, and Peter suddenly rose, tossing the covers shielding his frame to the side. He alternated his gaze and held out his hand, staring at it intently.

“Oh, thank the Lord,” a sweet voice murmured, causing Peter to turn to the source. 

Aunt May stood at the door to the bedroom with a hand over her chest. She smiled, wiping a hand over her wet eyes before she walked over. Once the woman sat along the edge of the bed, allowing her body to sink into the cushion, her arms wrapped around Peter’s neck. The young man blinked before his eyes softened, eventually allowing himself to sink into the embrace. The pair remained as such for several seconds, until May relinquished her hold, taking the moment to cup Peter’s face into her hands. With a furrowed brow, the woman analyzed every inch of his frame and traced her fingers through his messy hair.

“Look who’s finally awake,” another voice stated, earning the attention of both individuals. Aria stood with her arms crossed, leaning against the door. Her stoic demeanor faltered, evident by the small yet genuine smile that graced her features. She pulled up a chair, spinning it backwards before sitting onto it inches from the young man. “You sure gave us quite a scare.”

Aunt May nodded, resting her hands on her thighs. “That you did. We were so worried. You just up and disappeared.” Brushing a hand through her hair, she frowned. “Do you remember anything?”

Slow to respond, Peter shook his head as he clutched at his sides. “I only remember excruciating pain. Then, everything went black. It’s like I was in a dream.” The young man inhaled deeply before sighing while lowering his head. “Everything just feels hazy.”

Aria rested her chin on the top of the chair, pursing her lips. “As much as I’d like to lambast you for all the crap you put us through with your episode, I won’t, but only because I know you couldn’t help it.” She glanced to the side, dryly huffing. “I can’t say the same for everyone else.”

“What do you mean?” Peter questioned, lifting his gaze.

“I’ll explain all of that,” a stern and low voice declared. Everyone turned as Nick Fury entered the room with a cup of coffee in hand, fumes exuding from the hot liquid. He took a sip, sighing contently while the sense of warmth filled his chest. “That’s wonderful, May. Thank you.”

Nodding, May simply smiled. “You’re welcome. We can’t thank you enough for your help.”

Arching a brow, Peter readied to respond, but he peeked behind Fury, spotting a pair of men walking towards where his room was, with wood and bricks in hand. The young man stood before walking after them, pausing upon noticing a plethora of men repairing what appeared to be a hole in the wall. While most of the damage had been fixed, with fresh lumber and brick laid out in place, there was still evidence of a once shattered foundation. 

Peter shared a glance with Aria, who only frowned in response. He waited for a verbal response or usual lashing from the siren, but it never came, sending his anxiety into upheaval. It all but confirmed the worst-case scenario for the young man: this situation was utterly dire. Peter’s expression faltered as his gaze fell, as if memories unraveled and became as clear as day. 

Fury walked in, glancing at the boy from the corner of his eye with a knowing expression. After taking another sip of his coffee, the man huffed. “Let’s talk on the roof.”

Peter inhaled deeply before sighing, giving a weak nod. “Yeah.” 

The older man turned, prompting the boy to follow his lead. They traveled past everyone while Fury exchanged pleasantries with his agents. Eventually, they walked through the living room, but Peter stopped in his tracks as the loud sound of snoring echoed throughout the entire abode. His eyes widened upon recognizing the burly and hairy physique of Logan slumped onto the couch, mouth agape as he slept soundly. 

“What’s he doing here?” Peter questioned, blinking as Logan stirred briefly to scratch the side of his chin before his hand dropped by his side. He raised a finger, staring blankly at Fury. “And why’s he half-naked?”

Huffing, Fury resumed his walk. “Wolverine had a hell of a night. You were really rough on him and some others. Make sure you thank him. He’s a huge reason why you were brought back to normal.” 

The trip to the roof was quiet as both individuals traveled. Intrusive thoughts entered the boy’s mind, filling him with a sense of uncertainty and dread. They eventually reached the roof, allowing the sun’s rays to fill them with a sense of warmth. Peter instinctively squinted, using a free hand to shield his sensitive eyes momentarily until they adjusted to the brightness. Lowering his arm, the boy’s eyes widened upon noticing small changes within his skin, but he rolled a sleeve down over his wrist, hiding the marking.

Peter hesitantly glanced at the older man with a furrowed brow. “How bad was it?”

“Pretty bad. You sent the entire city into a panic, but in terms of collateral damage, it could have been much worse.” Fury calmly declared, holding his gaze on the small town in the distance. Taking another sip of his coffee, the man straightened his posture. “How are you feeling?”

Groaning, Peter rubbed his fingers over his temples. “Like crap. I feel hungover, like the day after when I got bit by that spider and got my powers. My senses were already cranked up to eleven before. Now, it feels like everything’s been tripled.” Brushing those thoughts to the side, Peter frowned at a realization. “You said I was rough on Logan and mentioned some others. How many people did I hurt? Be honest.”

Sobering, Fury eased the cup in his grasp down onto the edge railing of the roof before crossing his arms. “Everyone is more shook up than anything else, but there were only three real injuries to note. When you first transformed, a cop had the unfortunate luck of running into you. He tried to get away, but you tossed his car, with him in it. While he suffered a few injuries, it could have been worse. He’s still admitted to the hospital down the street. His name’s Officer Marshall.”

Peter shook his head. “Who were the other two?”

“One of my agents, who you webbed to a tree, suffered a few broken bones from the impact, and the scary thing is, you went easy on him,” Fury stated, easing his hands into his pockets. “Last, there was one of the magical girls, the blonde one. Apparently, she thought it was a good idea to headbutt you during the skirmish. Let’s just say you gave her a receipt with interest. If she didn’t have some semblance of super strength, she would have suffered more than just a concussion.”

As if taking the man’s words into consideration, Peter turned and took a seat on the edge of the rooftop while facing Fury. “Is this the part where you take me away into SHIELD custody?”

“No,” Fury simply murmured, causing Peter’s eyes to widen at the response. He raised a hand defensively, his expression remaining stoic. “I still have to practice precautions, obviously, but I understand that what happened wasn’t your fault. If anything, in spite of what happened, you still showed incredible restraint.” The older man shrugged, waving a finger. “Plus, I technically can’t arrest you. Under my jurisdiction, you’re technically still a minor, and there’s enough evidence indicating that you weren’t in control of what happened. Now, if you pulled some mad scientist $%^ and deliberately put lives at stake, then that’d be a different story.”

Peter blinked. “You make it seem like that happens all the time.” An awkward silence filled the air as Fury stared intently at the boy, ever stoic. Shaking his head, Peter could only exhale. “Of course it does in your line of work. Stupid me.”

Glancing to the side, Fury grumbled under his breath. “Anyway. Now, I will talk with Agent Sweetie Drops about how she handled the situation. She attempted to use lethal force on you and only escalated the situation. It’s why I’ll cut you some slack, but if this happens again, I’ll see to it myself personally.”

Peter exhaled, simply easing himself back to a vertical base before walking past Fury. “Great.” Stopping in his tracks, he glanced at the older man from the corner of his eye. “How was I brought back?”

“You’ve got good people in your life, kid. Doctor Octavious crunched out an antidote while Logan, Kraven, and one of the magical girls administered it to you,” Fury bluntly declared, brushing a hand over his chin. He raised a hand before Peter could say a word. “Don’t ask. She asked to remain anonymous. You’re lucky you got that hint out of me.”

Peter tilted his head to the side. “Seriously? Fine, I’ll figure it out later. I bet it was Twilight. She’d stab me without prejudice.” Blinking as a realization dawned, Peter frowned. “Anyway,  who is Kraven?”

Fury smirked. “You can’t expect me to tell you everything, kid. Trust me. You’ll find out soon enough.”

Exasperated, Peter’s brow twitched involuntarily as he glared at the man. “You suck, Fury. Thanks for being as ominous as ever.”

The older man watched as the boy entered back into the house in a huff, allowing his expression to falter and soften once certain he was alone. “Sorry, kid, but you just proved why I have to keep an eye on you in the first place.”







Under the clear skies, Peter walked to the entrance of the laboratory, knocking at its door upon reaching it. However, no one had answered the call, even as the young man continued to knock. With a furrowed brow, Peter pecked at the numeric pad along the side of the door before it slid open automatically. He soon entered the abode, his ears twitching at the sound of deep snores. Doctor Octavious sat at the center of the room, with his head resting in his arms, slumped over a desk. 

Peter’s eyes softened at the sight before he walked over, placing a hand over one of his shoulders. Grumbling under his breath, the older man stirred to life while lazily raising his head, but upon glancing to the side, his eyes shot open upon spotting his apprentice. As if elation took hold, Otto stood from his seat with a smile on his face, yet before he could hope to utter a word, Peter wrapped his arms around his waist. 

Octavious simply returned the gesture in full, hugging the boy as tightly as possible. “It’s good to have you back, my boy.” However, as if life snapped back into place, Otto tossed his shades over his eyes, retrieved a thermometer from his desk, and squeezed Peter’s mouth before sliding the tip of the device under his tongue. Ever-stoic, the older man hummed as he analyzed the boy’s physique, alternating stances. “I do believe I speak for everyone when I say how relieved I am that you have returned to normal.”

Bemused, Peter rolled his eyes. “Way to ruin the moment, Doc.”

“Fascinating,” Octavious murmured, eyeing the end of a syringe, as it failed to pierce into Peter’s forearm, “Your skin seems far denser than usual. Are you relaxed, my boy?”

Peter blinked, shrugging. “As relaxed as I can be.” 

“Then, if my theory stands…” Otto strained as he continued to press until the syringe’s tip bent under the pressure, having failed to pierce the boy’s skin. Yet, this only seemed to intrigue Octavious further, evident by his widening smile. “Peter! Have you experienced any other sensations since your post-transformation?”

Taken aback, Peter scratched the back of his head haplessly. “Uh, I mean, yeah. Like, everything’s cranked up. I feel like my vision and hearing have improved three-fold, and…” he trailed off, narrowing his gaze on a pair of scar-tissue markings underneath his wrists. “What the heck?” Peter took his wrist in hand before squeezing at the marking, causing a light trace of webbing to escape from the wound, and he screamed at the sight, holding his mouth agape. “Woah! That is not cool!”

Octavious inhaled sharply, grabbing Peter’s arm while holding his gaze mere inches away from his wrist. “Organic webbing! Remarkable!” The man hummed, arching a brow while he continued to analyze the scarring closely. “It seems you may not be capable of producing your own webbing just yet, but with time, once you become of age, it will come naturally for you.” 

Frowning, Peter crossed his arms. “Oh, great. I’m an adolescent spider. Glad you’re happy about all of this, Doc.” 

Releasing his hold, Otto grinned uncontrollably before scribbling notes onto a pad. “My boy, do not be so downtrodden. What you do not understand is that my original hypothesis was correct! I just ponder what other capabilities you will develop, now that we’ve stabilized your genetic code.” Sobering, the man placed a hand over his mouth and cleared his throat. “The spider that bit you didn’t just give you its abilities proportionate to it, but enhanced so. More testing will need to be done to clarify, but I am certain that you have passed the mutation stage. Now, you are beginning the greatest phase: evolution.”

Peter stammered, alternating his line of sight between his hand and the professor. “Seriously? You’re telling me that I’m stronger now?”

“It goes far beyond that. Every power you possess is enhanced further. How much so, I’m not certain,” Doctor Octavious declared while retaking a seat at his desk, “I do know this. What you knew before was just the tip of the iceberg. Just compare it to the moment you were initially bitten by that spider. You’ll have to learn your limits all over again.”

Groaning under his breath, Peter threw up his hands in a frustrated manner. “I wasn’t even fully used to where I was before! Now, I have to start all over again, with new stuff on top of that?!” Slow to respond further, the young man inhaled deeply before sighing, and he placed a hand over his forehead, dismayed. “It’s just never enough. When does it stop?”

Lacing his fingers together, Octavious held a stern yet earnest expression. “Try not to look at this as a curse, my boy, but a learning experience. Your gift can be the next step to truly benefit all of mankind. Just give it time, and I believe you will understand. Deep down, I feel you already do.”

Peter opened his mouth, ready to respond, but the door to the lab swung open, causing both individuals to straighten their posture. Afterward, after what seemed like ages, a small dog happily entered the room. Both Peter and Otto let out relieved sighs respectively upon seeing Spike, the canine greeting them before the older man handed him a biscuit discreetly. Suddenly, the door to the lab slammed shut as Twilight stormed into her quarters. She snapped her head in everyone’s direction, revealing bloodshot eyes behind tilted glasses, messy hair, ruffled clothing, gritted teeth, and a pulsating vein at the center of her forehead. 

“Geez. What happened to–?” Peter questioned, ducking underneath a wayward book as it flew by his head. He smirked afterward. “Long night at the office, dear?”

Twilight cursed profusely, rummaging through her documents in her room. “Shut up! You picked a fine night to not show up! You could have helped us deal with Spider-Man before he webbed us all up and dragged us to Lord knows where before we were finally freed by those SHIELD agents! I barely got any sleep because of it!”

Tilting his head to the side, Peter folded his arms and huffed. “Hey, I’m just a regular guy. Whose bright idea was it to take on the giant, freaky man-spider? That sounds dumb. Like, really dumb. Besides, I know it had to have been you who cured Spider-Man. You’re all too eager to stab him.”

Exhaling, Twilight found the nearest mirror and glared at her reflection, while struggling to straighten her hair. “I wish. I would have extracted enough DNA to clone him three times over.”

“That sounds like a terrible idea. Wouldn’t one clone be enough?” Peter mumbled, shivering involuntarily. “So, which one of you managed to cure him?”

Twilight slammed her hands against the desk, fuming. “Do I look like I know?! If I did, I’d be asking her how she managed it! Only thing I know is that it wasn’t Pinkie or Rarity. They were captured right before me.” 

“Well, process of elimination,” Peter whispered, cupping his chin in the palm of his hand. “It couldn’t be the farm girl. If she suffered a concussion, then she wouldn’t be in the right frame to communicate with anyone. So, that leaves three: Skittles?” he questioned, snorting involuntarily while a brief hint of laughter escaped from his mouth. “Totally not her. She’d want the glory. Like, all of it. So that leaves Sunny and Fluttershy,” he trailed off, humming, “I mean, it sort of makes sense on both ends.”

Eventually, she let out a sigh while straightening her large glasses. “Daydreaming like usual? I guess it’s the one thing you’re consistent with. Doesn’t matter! I assure you that I’m going to catch him one of these days and figure out his genetic or magical makeup! I know Doctor Octavious will support me!”

“O-Of course,” Otto nervously chuckled, straightening his glasses while turning his seat around to avoid eye contact with the girl. 

Peter shared a glance with Spike, who only smiled and winked in response before returning to Twilight’s side. Sobering, the young man huffed while pointing a finger in her direction. “Well, good luck. By the way, you and your friends really shouldn’t be spewing this stuff to the public. Do you really want that kind of publicity?”

Twilight snorted, glancing to the side dismissively. “Why would you care anyway? You’re never around. At least, we’re there trying.”

Wincing, Peter shook his head, but he simply sighed, walking across the room before exiting through the door. “Yeah. What would I know?”







Deep within a room, photos of Spider-Man were placed and scattered across a wall. Underneath each were walls of text from news sources and media links. All were notes of speculation, with some bits of text having lines of red circled around them. Suddenly, Kraven emerged from the shadows before placing a pair of fresh pictures at the center of the board, underneath a tack. One was a photo of Man-Spider, its visceral form roaring, and the other was of a silhouette of Spider-Man, swinging in the distance. The corner of his mouth curled into a smirk as he walked across the room with a knife in hand. A cellular device began to ring at the corner of the table, prompting the man to press the button at the center.

“Greetings, Mr. Osborn,” Kraven answered, twirling the blade in hand while never averting his gaze from the spider’s photos.

The sound of tapping could be heard in the background. “I read that the Man-Spider was loose in the city,” a low voice declared, huffing after what seemed like an eternity, “You assured me that you would capture him. What happened?”

Kraven chuckled. “You must not rush perfection, Norman. The spider was wild and uncontrollable. The hunt would not have been satisfactory if I brought you back a beast.”

Norman huffed. “While I appreciate the sentiment, remember that I am paying you handsomely to capture Spider-Man.”

“I am a man of my word, Mr. Osborn. I assure you that I will bring you back the spider. For now, I will practice reconnaissance and collect intel. I shall give you an update over time,” Kraven stated, pressing the disconnect button. Once the screen turned black, the man flipped the knife and gripped its tip before hurling it across the room. The blade pierced the photo of Spider-Man, splitting it in two. Kraven cackled wildly. “We will meet again for the greatest hunt, Spider-Man! Even if I have to mold you into the perfect specimen myself!”







Banners hung throughout the gymnasium, while multicolored lights flashed across the vicinity. Many of the students mingled, conversing as others danced together to the musical tunes playing throughout the speakers. Many were dressed eloquently, with the females garbed in dresses, while the males wore vests. At the corner of the gymnasium, Fluttershy sat alone at a table, with her arms crossed and brow furrowed.

Deep in thought, the girl’s blue gaze narrowed on the ground at nothing in particular. Her long flowing pink hair was curled to perfection, held in place via ponytail by a turquoise ribbon. She wore a matching dress with transparent sleeves, and light reflected off the pair of butterfly-shaped earrings draping daintily over her shoulders. Pursing her lips, the girl reflected inwardly with a light hum.

“I wonder how he is doing? I can only imagine how he feels after what happened,” Fluttershy whispered, glancing to the side. A sense of guilt seemed to have taken hold, evident by her softening gaze. “It was wrong of me to assume that he would come out. Even so, he probably wouldn’t have been interested.” Inhaling deeply before sighing, Fluttershy slowly eased herself to her feet and hoped to leave discreetly. “I should go.”

Unfortunately, before she could hope to make any progress, a group of students approached the girl with phones in hand. At the head of the pack was Diamond Tiara, who paused to giggle mischievously amongst the crowd. Fluttershy looked away, attempting to avoid eye contact with the camera, but she steadily shrank, feeling the pressure of the world upon her shoulders. 

“Did you really believe Spider-Man was going to come here? You must be either really dense or stupid! Maybe both!” Diamond giggled, folding her arms while the surrounding students joined in her laughter. Her brow lowered into a glare as she pointed at Fluttershy. “Why would you want him here? What’s stopping that freak from growing six arms and going crazy again? He’s nothing but a menace! People like you need to stop looking at him as some sort of hero! He’ll just let you down!”

Flash watched from afar, frowning as the crowd steadily heckled the girl. Fluttershy opened her mouth, ready to respond, but she bit down on her lip, wincing as the surrounding laughter grew in volume. Tears formed at the corner of her swelling eyes. However, a silhouette’s shadow soon spread across the gymnasium, enveloping the crowd at the door entirely. Everyone peeked up, clamoring upon spotting a man perched at the open window high above their position in a kneeling stance. He leaned forward, revealing his crimson and blue attire along with the white spider insignia over his chest. All despair had dissolved, apparent as Fluttershy’s eyes widened and managed to match her smile.

“Sorry I’m late! My prom invitation got lost in the mail. I’ll have to file a complaint to the postal service,” Spider-Man declared, slowly crawling down along the wall. Many of the spectators stammered nervously, keeping their gazes fixated as the spider’s limbs shifted quickly during his descent. Once he reached ground level, Spider-Man's feet flipped overhead, and his body contorted, bending back into place once he stood upright. His masked eyes furrowed, watching as everyone stared at him intently with both caution and wariness. Spider-Man placed a hand over his mouth and forced a cough. “I know this is prom, so I wore my best. Sadly, I forgot my black-tie at home.”

Slack-jawed, Diamond Tiara pointed at Spider-Man in disbelief. “What are you doing here?! This was supposed to be a pra– Er, I mean, private party!” 

“Easy, Jameson Jr. I asked the young lady to the prom, and it’d be downright silly if I didn’t show,” Spider-Man stated, staring at the girl as a vein formed over her cheek. “You know, you have your uncle’s eyes… and high blood pressure.”

Fuming, the girl’s face flushed to a hot shade of pink. “You’re not welcome here! Someone should call the police and have you hauled off!”

One of the students nodded, sliding their finger over the screen of their phone. Yet, just as he readied to dial a number, a shadow engulfed his being. Flash towered over the group of students, cracking his knuckles in his palm. Soon, he shifted his gaze towards the other students, shaking his head disapprovingly while retrieving an open container. 

Diamond could only watch as everyone quietly heeded the young man’s warning, surrendering their cellular devices before returning to the party. After a brief minute, the container was full of phones. Flash nodded his approval, pausing once a thought came into mind, and he extended the plastic case towards Diamond, shuffling it suggestively mere inches from her. Holding a defeated glare, the girl whined under her breath before tossing the item away. As she walked away in a huff, Flash slid the case underneath the nearest table holding a bowl of punch.

Fluttershy smiled warmly, holding both hands over her chest. “Thank you, Eugene.”

“Don’t mention it,” Flash stated, chuckling as he centered his line of sight on the costumed individual. “You saved the day again. I don’t care what anyone says. You’re one of the good guys.”

Spider-Man scratched the back of his head sheepishly. “Uh, thanks. I’m not the most popular guy in town right now, so it really helps hearing that.” Nodding, he pointed at Fluttershy with his thumb while grinning. “I believe I owe the beautiful gal here a dance. Do you mind?”

Without having to say a word further, Flash gestured a friendly wave before straightening his posture and snapping a stern gaze on a group of onlookers. Everyone winced in the process, scattering to the far ends of the room. Meanwhile, Diamond Tiara watched Spider-Man gently take Fluttershy’s hand and escorted her to the center of the room. She gritted her teeth to the core, pulling at her lavender hair from behind the bleachers. The pair stood in silence, but Fluttershy leaned forward, smiling as she patiently waited for his first word.

“I should have known it was you,” he whispered, causing the girl to giggle sheepishly.

Fluttershy bit down on her lip. “You shouldn’t have had to worry. I’m just happy that you are safe.”

“Thanks to you,” Spider-Man gently stated, his voice wavering. Even with his masked lenses, one could sense his line of sight failed to meet hers. “I don’t know what to say. Heck, what can I say? I was a monster last night. For all I know, you still think I’m one now. I wouldn’t blame you if you did.”

“I don’t,” Fluttershy simply declared, taking hold of Spider-Man’s hand with both of her own. “You weren’t trying to hurt anybody last night, and everyone’s okay now. I know who you really are. So, please, don’t worry, Pe–”

Spider-Man’s finger gently slid over the girl’s soft lips, ceasing her words. “Trust me. I heard you the first time.”

Fluttershy blinked at the statement as her mind attempted to piece together his meaning. Her face glowed once memories of last night resurfaced, of a girl calling out to a lost monster, and amidst the darkness, it clung to his name. On the other end, reality settled in, and the young man was left with the realization that yet another had discovered his secret. While he hadn’t confirmed or denied it, Spider-Man basked in a warm sensation that swelled deep within. 

Cold apathy dissolved, allowing an alien feeling to take its place for the first time since he donned his alter-ego’s persona: relief. Unfortunately, like all good things in his life, time continued and life pressed on as the sounds of police sirens echoed in the distance from outside. Spider-Man’s masked eyes widened as he stared at the girl, but Fluttershy’s smile remained intact while she nodded, placing a hand over his shoulder. They knew, listening only to their hearts. 

Just as Spider-Man turned, ready to depart, he gestured a thumbs up. “Do you have time for a photo?”

Slow to respond as her fuzzy brain cleared, Fluttershy feverishly nodded before rushing to where she previously sat. The girl fumbled about hastily, struggling to retrieve her phone from within her purse. Staggering while her feet scampered, she rushed to Flash and quickly explained her dilemma. 

However, Eugene held a knowing smile before accepting the item, pecking at its screen while the pair awkwardly stood together. Once Flash found the proper settings, Spider-Man’s mask eyes squinted while resembling glee. He raised, bending his fingers as if ready to shoot his webbing, and Fluttershy giggled uncontrollably, mirroring his action. Flash soon took the photo, saving the image to the device before giving it back to the girl.

 

Content, Spider-Man sprinted across the gymnasium and burst through the double doors. Leaping with all of his might, he soared across the sky and practically glided for several meters before he fired a strand of webbing onto the side of the nearest building. Fluttershy watched his image fade into the distance, pausing to steal a glance at the new photo within her phone. An overwhelming sense of happiness filled her being, causing the girl’s face to burn a bright shade of pink. If anything, the horrors of last night had become all but a distant memory, evident by the joyous posture both her and Spider-Man shared in the moment. 

“See you tomorrow,” she whispered, smiling while holding a hand over her thumping heart.







“Biology is the science. Evolution is the concept that makes biology unique.” -Jared Diamond

The End