//------------------------------//
// Ch. 4 "Truth Beneath the Mask" 
// Story: Ultimate Spiders and Magic: Episode VI "Smoke and Mirrors" 
// by Maximus_Reborn 
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Chapter Four “The Truth Beneath the Mask”

As thousands of spectators gathered into the stadium, lights beamed across the vicinity. News media and local outlets talked about the upcoming show, each broadcasting portraits of the leading star. However, Jackpot himself withdrew from their eyes, staying cooped in his dressing room. Seldom, he sat near the back by a mirror with his face buried in his hands. 

Inhaling deeply before sighing, the man stole a glance at his reflection before growling under his breath. Suddenly, a soft breeze brushed by him briefly, prompting Jackpot to glance to the side. A fair-skinned woman with large violet irises walked to his side with her arms crossed. However, Jackpot’s demeanor remained unchanged as he let out a dejected groan.

The woman brushed a hand through her silver-blue hair, scoffing. “So melancholy. At the very least, pick yourself up. It’s pathetic.” Her expression unfaltering, she scoffed while shifting her attention to her own reflection. “I’m still not happy about you and Trixie inviting that hoodlum over for dinner without talking with me about it first.”

“Because you wouldn’t have given him a chance if we had, Spectacle,” Jackpot murmured, glancing from the corner of his eye. “His name’s Peter, by the way. He’s a good kid, and the gift he gave her told me everything I needed to know. Our little girl is important to him, and Trixie likes him just as much, if not more. Isn’t that enough? You know how hard it is for her to make friends.”

Her nose scrunched. “Of course not. From what I can see, he’s an uncultured mongrel. The last thing we need is for our daughter to be influenced by such a character. I know from personal experience where that road leads.” Spectacle arched a brow, bemused. “Besides, just because he actually enjoyed your ludicrous projects doesn’t mean a thing. It only enforces what I know, Quentin.”

Exasperated, Jackpot shook his head as he tapped a finger impatiently against the desk. “Why are you here, Spectacle?”

The woman’s frown deepened. “I know that he called you last night.” A long silence filled the room as Jackpot’s gaze fell, his firm confidence evaporating instantaneously. Spectacle edged closer as her expression twisted into a scowl. “You assured me that Oscorp wouldn’t bother us again. What do they want?”

“One last job, and I promise you that Norman will leave our family alone,” Quentin reaffirmed, pausing to glance about his surroundings before lowering his mouth near the woman’s ear. “Apparently, they want me to bring them Spider-Man dead or alive.”

Undeterred, Spectacle scoffed before standing. “Of course. I warned you not to revolve your act around that ruffian, but you just had to be as grandiose as possible. Now you’ve garnered the wrong type of attention. Again.” Throwing her hands up in the air, the woman turned away from Jackpot and paced in place. “First, you walk away from a great-paying job in Oscorp and then you do the same with Hollywood, all because of your arrogant pride and showmanship!”

“It’s never been that simple, Spectacle,” Jackpot muttered, growling under his breath.

Quentin readied to stand, but Spectacle raised her hand, sharply pointing a finger in his direction. Violet sparkling energy ignited from her digit, illuminating as several objects in the room began to levitate from the ground. Inhaling deeply, the woman closed her eyes in an attempt to recollect herself. After what seemed like an eternity, everything eased back into place before the magical energy emitting from Spectacle steadily dissipated from sight. 

“Look, I’ve supported you through everything and sacrificed my dreams for you,” Spectacle whispered through gritted teeth, holding her trembling hands up. “We changed our identities, and I even used the mystic arts to change your appearance– something that even affected our daughter! Now you are telling me that it was all for nothing?!” Growling under her breath, the woman narrowed her venomous gaze onto the man. “It’s enough that you have contaminated that child with your foolish dreams and lack of talent, but I have to just accept yet another empty promise.”

Wincing as the truth behind the woman’s words cut through deeper than any blade possible, Quentin could only bite down on his lip and nod. “This is not an empty promise. After today, I will reach unparalleled heights of stardom as the Great and Powerful Mysterio! I will bring Norman Osborn Spider-Man, and we can retire from the future profits of all the upcoming shows!”

As if somewhat satisfied, Spectacle crossed her arms and huffed. “For your sake, you’d better.”

Jackpot leaned in, ready to press his lips against the woman’s cheek, but she vanished from sight in a burst of light before he could hope to make contact. Yet, the man simply shrugged before eyeing his Mysterio costume and helmet across the room. Just as he walked towards the item, Jackpot paused upon catching sight of a photograph placed at the corner of his mirror. Taking the picture in hand, the man’s eyes softened at the image of himself and Trixie as she waved at the camera. Both individuals shared a smile, and Jackpot’s gaze lowered shamefully before he slid the photo deep into his pocket.

“Trixie,” Quentin whispered, glancing towards the ceiling, “I hope you can forgive your father someday.”







Meanwhile, Peter sat at the front row underneath the stage with a distant look in his eyes. The audience had nearly filled the coliseum to capacity with late attendees finding their seats. The alternating rainbow patterned lights beamed brightly, and music echoed throughout the entire vicinity, quaking through the floors and walls. Peter placed both hands over his throbbing ears before slamming his eyes shut in a vain attempt to decompress his overwhelmed senses. Each wave pierced his equilibrium, sending bolts of pain searing through his cranium.

However, everything numbed as a tantalizing aroma seeped into his nostrils. He shot up and glanced to the side, quickly locating the source. Trixie stood behind the boy with a large bucket of popcorn, fresh fumes exuding from the buttery treat. Blinking, Peter stared at the food with a widened gaze before inhaling sharply at the sight of a pair of hot dogs sitting atop the pile of popcorn.

Trixie sat the food on Peter’s lap, practically burying the boy, but she simply huffed, brushing a hand through her silver-blue hair. “The lines are absolutely dreadful, but Trixie always finds a way! Be grateful, Bumpkins. Besides, I am aware of how much you like popcorn.”

“I didn’t ask you to do this!” Peter declared, peeking his head over the popcorn mountain in his unwitting grasp. His brow furrowed as he alternated his gaze between the food and girl. “Did you take out a loan to pay for all this?! Do you know how expensive concession food is? You practically pay triple the price for half the size!” Wiggling in place, Peter struggled to reach his pocket without disrupting the delicate balance of popcorn and hot dogs in his wake. “How much do I owe you?”

Humming, Trixie waved a hand dismissively before finally taking the seat next to the boy. “Nothing. Consider this my thanks for the pitiful… yet thoughtful gift,” she whispered, her tone inaudible. Trixie glanced at Peter, who arched a brow as if he actually heard what she said without issue. “I’m just saying thanks.”

“So… it’s not poisoned?” Peter questioned, squinting at Trixie.

Cursing under her breath, the girl forced a haughty laugh from her mouth and turned to the side in a hasty attempt to hide her burning face. “S-Stop ruining everything with your terrible sense of humor, Bumpkins! I have VIP privileges as the main star’s daughter, and that includes free refreshments! It’s a no-brainer, but considering Trixie is talking to you, she understands that common sense eludes you. Now hurry up and eat. I almost stained my clothes walking with so much butter and grease.”

Oblivious, Peter simply shrugged before wiping the drool from his face. He paused, sharing one more glance with the girl, but Trixie shook her head, motioning a hand. As prompted, Peter grinned while thrusting his hands into the bucket. A neighboring bystander watched with a mouth agape as the mountain of popcorn crumbled into nothingness within minutes. Before long, the hotdogs had become casualties of the storm, fading in a pair of chomps. With the bucket emptied, Peter licked the salt and butter from his fingers. Right afterward, Trixie casually offered the boy a large cup of soda without glancing in his direction, and Peter accepted the item without hesitation, downing the beverage in a matter of seconds.

The girl’s eyes softened as her lips curled into a warm smile. “You look so happy when you eat.”

“Th–Thanks, I guess?” Peter stated before throwing a hand over his mouth, somewhat containing a belch.

Rolling her eyes, Trixie eased into her seat and turned her attention to the stage without losing her smile. “You’re welcome. Also, you are the very epitome of disgusting and gluttony.”

Just as Peter chuckled under his breath and opened his mouth to respond, the entire world around him steadily grew mute. The center of his cranium buzzed, humming quietly as Peter slowly lifted his gaze. He shifted his line of sight throughout the audience before focusing on the ceiling window. In response, the buzzing morphed into a high-pitched wail, slowly growing in volume. Peter clutched at his pulsating temple, wincing as the internal blaring alarm overwhelmed his senses. Eventually, the ringing ceased and allowed the boy to stand from his seat. However, Trixie shot him a glance and arched her brow, as if questioning his intent without saying a word.

That same second, Peter grabbed his empty cup and shook it until the ice within rattled. “Just going to grab a refill. Those are free, right?”

Trixie pecked away at her phone’s screen, furrowing her brow before eventually nodding. “Yes, but make sure to hurry. The show’s about to begin!”

Minutes passed before the lights within the arena dimmed with one beam centering onto the stage. Suddenly, smoke rose from the floor and spread throughout the vicinity. Thunder rumbled across the arena, sending tremors coursing across the floor and walls. A silhouette of an individual rose from the smoke with their arms stretched out to the side. The audience erupted into applause once their image cleared, revealing the Great and Powerful Mysterio doning his signature armor and helmet. 

“Thank you all for coming to yet another masterful performance by the Great and Powerful Mysterio!” he boasted, his voice echoing throughout the vicinity. 

Twirling a finger, green smoke erupted from his palm before emerald flames sparked out. The fire dissipated from sight, revealing a sword in the man’s grasp. The audience clamored as he spun the blade by its handle over his finger effortlessly, all inhaling sharply once the weapon vanished in a burst of light. Mysterio held out his hands, chuckling before flicking his wrist. Suddenly, a bouquet of roses snapped into existence in his grasp. While everyone clapped approvingly, the man gently tossed the flowers to Trixie, and the girl could only smile upon catching the item, prompting Mysterio to gesture a bow to the audience.

Straightening his posture, Mysterio stood upright. “Now for my next trick–!”

“It’ll be to drop dead!” a voice exclaimed from above, prompting everyone to avert their attention to the ceiling. 

The glass suddenly shattered as something burst through, causing those caught underneath to throw their arms over their heads in an attempt to shield themselves from the sharp debris. The individual landed just a few feet away from Mysterio, pointing a finger sharply in his direction, and the audience began screaming upon recognizing the white spider emblem over his crimson and blue attire. 

“It’s the Spider-Man!” a member of the audience exclaimed, sending everyone into an upheaval. Many of the spectators stood from their seats, rushing for the nearest array of exits, and others took out their phones, recording the standoff between those on the stage. “Everyone run!”

“No, it’s not,” Trixie whispered under her breath. She stood in place beneath the stage with a furrowed brow, never averting her gaze from Spider-Man. “That’s the imposter!”

Mysterio shook his head. “You haven’t learned a thing, but the Great Mysterio is more than happy to educate you.” Emerald flames simmered from his hands. “You don’t want any part of this.”

“You got lucky last time! Now I’m taking your money and your life!” Spider-Man stated, clenching his hand into a fist.

However, before anyone could hope to react, an individual swung across the rafters on a strand. Relinquishing their hold on the thread, they flipped across the air gracefully until they managed to land on the other end of the stage in a perched stance. Both Mysterio and Spider-Man stared at the intruder for what seemed like an eternity, and the audience shared their bewilderment, murmuring amongst themselves as they took in the sight of yet another Spider-Man. Yet, this one seemed considerably smaller in stature in comparison to the first.

“They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but I’d say what you’re doing is a straight mockery!” he declared, tilting his head to the side. Lifting a finger, the smaller Spider-Man waved it objectively. “No witty repertoire? A snappy comeback? I’m giving you the easiest softball here. Come on! If you’re going to be me, you have to crack a joke. Yeah. You’re clearly a phony!”

“Two of them now? But which one’s the real one?” one of the spectators questioned.

Another member of the audience stood, pointing at the smaller of the two. “That one’s the faker! His costume looks so cheap!”

A long silence filled the stage as Peter’s eye twitched, his hand covering the entirety of his face. “Why do I even try?”

The larger Spider-Man alternated his gaze between his smaller counterpart and Mysterio, his masked eyes squinting before he ripped a steel beam from the stage. The man hurled it overhead at the audience, forcing Peter to leap forward with his hands extended. Just as he captured the item, landing to place it away from any bystanders, the imposter sprinted by Mysterio and burst through the exit door on stage. Quick to react, Jackpot gave chase and pursued the man. 

Security readied to do the same, but a wall of flame erupted from within, rendering the pathway inaccessible via burning wood and steel. Smoke sped out from the debris, consuming the entirety of the stage. Peter alternated his gaze wildly, eventually settling his line of sight at a vent positioned above the door the two men took. 

He turned, watching as the audience eventually relented and began to exit the arena. “Sorry that the imposter ruined the show for you guys again. Talk with management about getting a refund. Maybe.” Nodding, Spider-Man jumped towards the vent before managing to slide into the opening. “You didn’t hear that from me!”

Meanwhile, Trixie watched with a narrowed gaze. Slowly but surely, the corner of her mouth curled into a smirk, and she nodded firmly. “Now that’s more like it! True showmanship!”

Elsewhere, Peter burst through another pair of double doors before skidding to a halt. He searched around, his masked eyes widening at the sight of Mysterio laying face down on the ground. Rushing over, Peter knelt down over the man, but as he readied to help, his cranium blared. Yielding to his senses, the boy spun around with a punch, and his fist crashed into his imposter’s jaw, causing a loud crack to echo throughout the vicinity. The force of the blow sent the larger Spider-Man careening through the air until he spun into the nearest brick wall. 

“Oh my God! No!” Spider-Man cried out, wincing as he clutched at his fist. 

Just as the boy sprinted towards the imposter, a metallic thud echoed before electrical currents sparked from the man’s body. Peter watched as the imposter’s body twitched in place with gurgling sounds repeating. Slowly but surely, the boy approached the carcass with a furrowed gaze until they were only inches apart. Reaching out, he removed the being’s mask, revealing a blank yet metallic infrastructure.

“A robot?” Spider-Man whispered, poking through the interior wiring and design. Inhaling deeply before sighing, Peter shook his head. “Thank God. I have to be more careful. My Spider-Sense makes me too trigger happy, and I might have beheaded this guy if he wasn’t a bot.” 

Smoke had spread throughout the entire area, concealing everything on the ground level. However, Spider-Man staggered in place as his eyes suddenly grew heavy. He lowered to a knee, shaking his head in an attempt to recollect his senses. Static had consumed his hearing, causing the world to grow mute. Stumbling to an upright stance, Spider-Man managed to make his way back to Mysterio, but as he reached out to the man, his body vanished from sight, dissolving into the earth like sand.

“I really wish you had just stayed home,” a distorted voice called out, causing Peter to look around aimlessly. Darkness had filled the sky, leaving Spider-Man in an empty void of smoke. The boy continued to inhale the fumes, coughing as his vision continued to blur, but Mysterio stood behind him with his arms crossed, cackling before his image blended into the darkness. “It’s nothing personal. Just know you will be the Great and Powerful Mysterio’s greatest triumph.”

The ground beneath Spider-Man’s feet crumbled away, sending him plummeting into an endless abyss until he crashed through masonry and earth. Shards of stones scattered from the impact as a cloud of dust spread. Peter struggled to stand, inhaling sharply while Mysterio levitated over his position. Suddenly, the man laughed maniacally while his image split and multiplied. The process repeated until half a dozen copies stood in their wake. Each snapped their hands forward, unleashing waves of emerald flames onto Spider-Man. The fires engulfed the boy, searing into his flesh, and he screamed at the top of his lungs, attempting to stagger free from the blaze.

One of the Mysterios snapped their fingers, causing a meteorite to materialize into existence, and the stone crashed into Spider-Man, erupting into a blast. The scenery spiraled out of space, morphing until several tombstones rose from the ground. A vicious crack echoed through the vicinity as Peter’s body whipped into the air, pinwheeling before bouncing to the earth. He glanced at the nearest grave, finding ‘Here lies Spider-Man, the World’s Biggest Menace’ inscribed onto the marble, and Jackpot soon appeared instantly behind the boy without his armor or helmet, shaking his head sadly.

“Do you really believe you are a hero? Laughable,” he declared, his voice distorting further. “You are just a showman struggling to find relevance, and the world just laughs at your efforts.”

Thrusting his foot forward, Jackpot kicked Spider-Man squarely in the chest, and Peter fell into the grave’s opening, screaming as he plummeted into another abyss. The environment distorted from sight, transforming into a pit of smoke. Spider-Man crashed to the earth onto his shoulders, grimacing in pain as he clutched at the back of his head. Jackpot materialized into existence, walking towards the boy while flames rose from his front. Peter stumbled to his feet, backpedaling to avoid the embers. Mysterio raised his hand, causing the flames to dissipate, and Spider-Man stopped in his tracks, taking in bated breaths. His cranium buzzed, vision blurred, and senses disoriented, Peter stared up at Jackpot.

“It’s easy to fool everyone when they’re already fooling themselves,” Jackpot harshly stated, pointing a finger at Spider-Man. “I was stupid to believe that I could ever live a normal life without having to resort to… this.” Inhaling deeply before letting out a low sigh, the man pursed his lips and nodded. “But for what it's worth, I truly am sorry, Spider-Man. What happens next… isn’t personal.”

Spider-Man’s masked eyes furrowed at Mysterio’s words. Suddenly, the smoke cleared and the surrounding environment dissolved. The sun emerged from the smog, and Peter found himself standing at the center of a bridge. His cranium erupted with a blaring alarm, prompting the boy to weakly turn to the side, but he couldn’t react as a speeding force slammed into his frame, taking him away in an instant. Mysterio simply watched as a bullet train had run the boy over, sending his body spiraling over the edge of the bridge and into the river waiting beneath. His body sank into the deep waters lifelessly, and Jackpot stood with an unreadable expression, his shoulders sinking.

Pressing the side of an earpiece, Mysterio let out a dejected groan. “It’s done, Norman. I know you’re tracking me. Spider-Man’s body is at my location. Move fast before his body sinks to the bottom of the Hudson.”







Doctor Octavious sat at the center of his laboratory, pecking away at his keyboard as he centered his attention on the computer monitor. Meanwhile, Spitfire stood at the other side of the room, straining while she performed lunges in place. Both individuals performed their tasks for minutes until a soft set of knocks were heard at the door. Otto furrowed his brow at the sound, easing himself from his seat. However, the door flew open before he could reach it, and an individual collapsed onto the floor in a heap, water dripping from his frame. 

“Egad!” Otto exclaimed, his eyes widening beneath his shades upon recognizing the spider insignia on the being’s back. Blood poured from a pair of gashes over his face and torso. Spitfire stopped what she was doing, inhaling sharply at the sight. Both individuals tended to the boy, carefully lifting his bruised body from the ground. Otto quickly shut the door to the lab before removing Peter’s bloodied mask from his head. “Peter! What happened?”

Lifting a hand, Peter lifted his gaze while using his forearm to wipe away blood from his bruised lip. “Tell me everything you know about Mysterio.”

To be continued…