//------------------------------// // The Last Hurrah // Story: Spiders and Magic III: Days of Friendship Past // by Maximus_Reborn //------------------------------// Chapter Eight “The Last Hurrah” Sweetie Belle furrowed her brow as she watched the sealed entrance of the cellar. Her ears twitched at the sound of countless hoofsteps coming from above. Changelings had been on patrol for well over an hour, undoubtedly searching for any escapees from the rebel base on their queen’s command. Sweetie Belle walked across the room, attempting to take her mind off of current matters, and she paused upon settling her gaze on the metallic device sitting on the floor. Its design was slick, but it also showed age through rough spots of rust. In spite of that, it remained in one piece, as did the Spider-Mobile before its descent down a cliff and the very foundation of the cellar. She brushed a hoof over the wall, marveling at its design. “I’m still surprised at how sturdy this place has remained over the years.” The mare stole a glance at the main door, managing a smile. “It’s so well hidden and protected. I’m not surprised that nopony could find a way in here. We’ll be perfectly safe while the changelings finish their patrol.” Sweetie Belle glanced off to the side at the lack of a response. “Peter?” Her emerald gaze fell on the stallion on the other side of the room. Peter sat with his head low, unable to lift his sorrowful gaze from the ground. He had not spoken since taking refuge in the cellar. His mind could not ignore Dinky’s final moments, much to his heart’s dismay. Peter squeezed his eyes shut once Sweetie Belle took a seat by his side. Her silence only fueled his building frustration. Peter retreated into his thoughts, only to be reminded of the growing number of casualties that were his own fault. The stallion’s hoof trembled as he held it across from his face. Just as he finally accepted his beginning failures, more mounted against him. As if sensing his growing anguish, Sweetie Belle placed her hoof over his. “You shouldn’t blame yourself for what happened to Dinky. You did everything you could.” “That’s the story of my life, isn’t it?” Peter questioned, his gaze never having left the ground. “No matter what I do, no matter how hard I try, the ones I love will always be the ones who pay for my mistakes. I thought I could save Luna, only to watch her die. Instead of saving Trixie, I ended up killing her.” He trailed off, forcing the lump in his throat down with a swallow. “I even found a way to let Dinky down. She looked up to me, and I let her down.” Sighing desolately, Peter shook his head. “I don’t even know if I’ll ever make it back home to see Twilight or Mayday.” Sweetie Belle’s eyes softened as a gentle smile formed on her face. “I still have hope that things will work out in the end.” Peter scoffed under his breath, as if dismissing the mare’s statement. Sweetie Belle frowned before glancing to the side, rubbing a hoof over her injured shoulder. “Besides, it’s not your fault that Dinky died. If anything, it’s my fault.” Peter arched a brow. “What do you mean?” Sweetie Belle managed a weak laugh before shuddering involuntarily. “Dinky was always… overly eager and anxious. That’s why I never promoted her above the rank of cadet. Some ponies just aren’t meant to be soldiers, and I always begged Dinky to stand down. That never worked. She was too hardheaded and stubborn. I thought I was protecting Dinky when I gave her easy assignments, but that only got her killed in the end.” Sweetie Belle inhaled sharply, choking back a sob. “She was undisciplined, and that’s my fault as her superior officer.” A long silence filled the room as Peter merely glanced off to the side. Sweetie Belle watched the stallion with a somber gaze. It was alien to see Peter in such a state. During her childhood, he had always been a beacon of hope, support, and confidence. Ponies around him reveled in his presence, and he always found a way to reach out to each one, no matter how trivial or overwhelming the task was. Peter was the type to laugh in the face of danger, sometimes literally. However, that pony was nowhere to be found. Sitting in his place was merely an empty shell, lost in his own misery. Sweetie Belle’s heart filled with yearning as she begged to reach out to the stallion. She had always considered him an idol from her Crusader years, but those days were gone, replaced by the grim present. Peter was still the heroic stallion that she remembered, yet there was a sense of desire burning within the mare, something that had nearly been lost due to the stresses of war. The inside of Sweetie’s mouth grew dry as she contemplated her next course of action. By all means, it was taboo, and the thought alone should never have entered her mind. However, the pain she felt was immeasurable. She had lost many friends, all of which had been under her command. Sweetie Belle’s heart ached as a realization came to mind. Peter had lost so much more in such a short amount of time: his entire family. Even now, he was losing hope, ready to become a catalyst of desolation and guilt. Sweetie Belle’s eyes softened before she placed a hoof over Peter’s cheek, lifting the stallion’s hazel gaze until it met her emerald irises. Pain was evident in both of their eyes. They only wanted to forget the misery bestowed upon them. No words were needed as Sweetie closed the distance between them until their lips locked in a kiss. She knew he would not take the initiative, knowing Twilight had his heart, but Sweetie would not allow Peter to fall into despair. At the very least, she would save the stallion the guilt of willing infidelity. Peter stared blankly at Sweetie Belle while the muscles in his body acted against his will, giving into the mare’s building lust and passion. Her warmth spread over him, chasing away the cold grips this future had branded into his being. Peter begged to part, to forget this act of betrayal to his wife, but he only melted into Sweetie’s embrace, allowing both ponies to lie across the floor in each other’s hooves. The following moments were a blur, lost in a wave of bliss and guilt. Sweetie Belle’s pleased moans echoed throughout the walls of the cellar as Peter explored every inch of her body. The stallion dove into his subconscious, blind to his body’s advances. He only thought of Twilight, reminiscing on the sweet scent her fur exuded every night they made love. He longed to enjoy Twilight’s sensation once more. “I love you… Twilight,” Peter whispered before surrendering to inevitable slumber. Peter’s eyes shot open as he pulled himself to an upright position. His memories were hazy, a jumbled mesh of emotions. He attempted to recall what had transpired, only managing to remember Dinky’s last moments before everything afterward blended together. Peter brushed a hoof over his eyes, pausing once he caught a glimpse of the sleeping mare by his side. Sweetie Belle rested soundly without her latex suit, cuddled by the stallion. Suddenly, his mind recollected the events of the previous bouts. Even without the memories, Peter recognized the signs: from the combination of scents to the imagery itself. “Oh, God. I actually…” he droned off, forcing himself to a standing position before kneeling by his costume. Infidelity, the worst crime a married pony could commit, and here he stood, defiling his wife’s memory. Peter gritted his teeth as anger rushed through his mind. He had broken a sacred vow to the one mare he loved, something that had culminated in everything precious to him. The stallion rushed to slide his costume back on, desperate to forget his sin, but he stopped once Mayday’s teddy bear fell to the floor, sending Peter further into a void of despair. He not only betrayed Twilight, his wife, but he had done the same to Mayday, his only daughter. Electrical currents coursed over Peter’s body before his entire form faded temporarily, settling back into existence. Despair turned into outrage, and guilt morphed into fury. “No more…” Peter whispered, narrowing his glare before retrieving Twilight Arms, sliding them over his hooves. “No more!” he growled with vigor as the aura around the gauntlets flashed to a darker shade of blue. “This ends today!” Sweetie Belle’s eyes fluttered open before she rolled up to a standing position. “Peter?” she called out, wasting no time in putting her suit back on once sharing a glance with the stallion. Situated, the mare approached him with a hesitant expression while her ears shamefully drooped into her mane. “About last night… I just wanted to say--” Peter shook his head before forcing the door to the cellar open. “There’s nothing to say. Let’s just find the others.” His voice was low, delivered through a husk. Sweetie Belle weakly nodded, walking out of the cellar first after analyzing her surroundings. “They should be waiting near Sweet Apple Acres. We should hurry.” “Okay,” Peter whispered as he readied himself to leave the cellar, but he paused, turning back to face the desk. The stallion held Mayday’s teddy bear for what felt like an eternity before gently placing it on the stool. “Mayday… forgive your father,” he whispered, venturing out of the cellar before sealing it shut for the last time. Their journey to the outskirts of Sweet Apple Acres was brief, due to the lack of patrolling changelings. What was once a haven of healthy fruit-bearing trees now resembled a barren wasteland of stone and dirt. There stood a hidden path near the forest, concealed by a massive boulder. Sweetie Belle brushed a hoof along its surface until she pressed in a hidden switch, causing the stone to split in two and widen. Before long, a shadow sped in between both ponies and settled behind Sweetie Belle, holding a drawn sword over the mare’s neck. However, the unicorn managed a small smile as she stole a glance at the pink earth pony, using her free hoof to lift her latex suit to reveal the fresh scar over her shoulder. “At ease, Pinkamena,” Sweetie whispered, cueing the earth pony to sheathe her blade. Applejack leapt from the highest branch of the nearest tree, landing gracefully a few hoof-lengths from both mares before Rainbow Dash hovered near their position. Sweetie’s smile widened. “I’m so happy to see that you’re all safe. Are there any others?” A long silence filled the air before Applejack shook her head. “Ah’m sorry, Sweetie. We tried, but…” Rainbow Dash folded her hooves across her chest and glanced off to the side. “There were too many. The attack was precise. We just barely managed to escape.” Sweetie Belle inhaled sharply as her gaze slowly fell to the ground. “Everypony’s… gone? Oh, no…” Pinkamena nodded, and alternated her gaze between the four ponies around her before taking a seat upright onto a nearby stone. “We’re all that’s left.” Rainbow Dash snorted harshly, punching the nearest stone. “Those damn changelings don’t know when to quit.” The pegasus sighed as her gaze softened. “So, what do we do now?” Applejack shrugged. “What can we do? We don’t have much ground to stand on at this rate.” Sweetie Belle swallowed roughly, choking back a building sob before clearing her throat. She could only shake her head. “I don’t know.” Pinkamena shifted her milky gaze towards the stallion, who had remained uncharacteristically silent throughout the entire conversation. Peter stared off into the distance, keeping his back turned to everypony. Pinkamena narrowed her gaze as she forced herself to a standing position before walking towards the stallion’s side. “Peter…” she quietly called out, stopping once Peter acknowledged her with a brief glance. “So, what do we do?” Peter frowned. 'We're going to the Crystal Empire." The stallion alternated his gaze between Twilight Arms and the mountains in the distance. Before anypony could question him, he walked away from the group and galloped towards the path. “I have one last idea. Follow me.” Rainbow Dash furrowed her brow, pausing to share a glance with the group as the stallion walked away with only Pinkamena immediately following close behind. “Is he for real? Are the five of us really just going to march to the Crystal Empire?” Applejack shrugged before following Pinkamena’s lead. “Doesn’t sound like Pete’s jokin’ around this time. Let’s just trust him, okay?” Sweetie Belle inhaled deeply, holding a hesitant expression. “We’ll have to wait and see what he has planned.” After a short trip to Ghastly Gorge, the group reached a large cave on the edge of Whitetail Woods. The terrain was rough, and the surroundings were jagged. Peter stood outside of the cave with a stern expression, staring intently at the darkness within. He slid a hoof through the ground, scooping up a small stone before throwing it into the cave. The rock ricocheted off the walls loudly, creating a series of echoes. Peter’s brow furrowed after a duration, and the stallion waved at the ponies standing behind him without turning around. “You girls might want to step back,” Peter coolly suggested, earning baffled expressions in return. Soon afterward, large tremors coursed through the earth, and a low growl echoed from within the confines of the cave. Peter’s melancholic gaze intensified, morphing to a sky blue glowing gaze as the stallion tightened the gauntlets around his hooves. “I mean, far back.” Applejack tilted her head to the side. “Sugarcube, what are you-- Ah!” She involuntarily shrieked as a large pair of yellow and crimson eyes shone through the dark depths of the cave, their brightness matched only by the glowing blue star directly above. A massive violet paw reached out, its size alone comparable to that of a changeling brute, and its claw dug through the earth, narrowly missing Peter who had not budged. Small stars emitted light across its fur, reminiscent to the settings of the night sky. Applejack staggered back, quickly climbing to a safe spot within the rockslide. “You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me.” The creature growled a second time, sending tremors throughout the walls of the cave. Beads of sweat formed over Rainbow Dash’s forehead before she joined Applejack’s position. “We’ll let you figure this out, Parker.” Pinkamena watched the stallion with a quiet gaze, holding her position as Peter walked closer to the cave. Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened before she began to follow. However, Pinkamena extended a hoof to the side, shaking her head disapprovingly upon sharing a glance with the unicorn. Once Peter was a few yards from the cave’s entrance, the creature within growled before finally exiting. Its shadow engulfed a great deal of the canyon, blocking the entire sky from those underneath its feet. The bear stood upright and roared at the top of its lungs, sending waves throughout the sky. Rainbow Dash’s complexion paled. “An U-Ursa Major.” Applejack’s mouth fell agape as she stared at the colossal beast. “Ah was expectin’ another car. Not this.” “I can’t stand this place,” Peter declared, pacing back and forth in front of the Ursa Major. Traces of dark blue aura escaped from his body. “There’s always some idiot who wants to rule the world. They never stop to think about the consequences of their actions. Chrysalis has sucked the world dry and driven everything to near extinction. She doesn’t even realize that her methods of feeding are doing more harm than good to the changelings. In a few years, nothing will be left, and they’ll starve.” The Ursa Major lowered its body, standing on all four of its paws. As it bore its fangs at the stallion, Peter continued to pace while electrical currents surged over Twilight Arms. “She’s taken everything from me, and I’ve done nothing to stop it. I am a knight of Equestria, sworn to protect this land, yet here I stand on the graves of my friends and family. There have been so many times I wanted to quit. Right now, I just want to wake up from this nightmare.” Peter gritted his teeth to the core. “But I’ll never quit, not when there’s something worth fighting for. Chrysalis may have taken my family from me, but there’s something she can never take from me or us!” The stallion stood onto his hind legs and screamed, generating a shockwave potent enough to send dust throughout the area into the wind. The Ursa Major slammed its paw into the ground, sending waves of tremors rushing through the earth before lowering its head until its muzzle was mere hoof lengths from Peter. With each breath it took, the stallion’s mane whipped back. The astral bear glared intently at the tiny pony, growling. Peter’s expression softened before he placed a hoof against the bear’s fur, caressing it. “Isn’t that right… Ursa?” The Ursa Major’s demeanor changed upon hearing its name, pausing to sniff the stallion for several moments. Its eyes softened after a few moments, and the astral bear withdrew its fangs before purring. Peter smiled, stretching his hooves out as he brushed the side of his head against Ursa’s fuzzy cheek. Low whimpers escaped from the astral bear while it nudged the stallion. Bewildered, everypony could only watch in awe as the Ursa Major, a legendary creature known for its sheer size and ferocity, acted like a loyal dog reunited with their owner. Applejack and Rainbow Dash climbed down from their hiding place, joining back with Sweetie Belle and Pinkamena. Applejack alternated her widened gaze between the bear and stallion. “That’s Ursa?! How in tarnation did this happen? She was just a baby, even in Ursa Minor years.” Peter’s eyes shifted out of focus momentarily, causing the stallion to clutch at his cranium. He groaned. “Actually, it was Trixie that did this. Chrysalis heard about our pet and wanted to turn her into a weapon. Using the Alicorn Amulet, she accelerated Ursa’s aging process until she changed into a Major. However...” Peter trailed off, shaking his head. “Trixie still had some of her memory. She chose to hide Ursa here, away from Chrysalis’ watch.” His eyes softened. “Trixie was still there deep down…” Rainbow Dash furrowed her brow. “How… how do you know that, Peter?” Peter was slow to respond, his eyes returning to a shade of hazel. “I don’t know. I just do, all of a sudden.” He continued to pet the bear’s cheek. “I’ve missed you too, girl. You grew up without me. We have to make up for lost time, but I need a huge favor first. Will you help me out?” Ursa stared lovingly at the stallion, managing a small nod before lowering her head until the bottom of her muzzle touched the ground. Peter smiled triumphantly, turning his determined gaze to his friends. “Girls. We’re going to show Chrysalis what it means to believe and never give up!” Sweetie Belle was the first to venture forth, pausing once she was next to the stallion. “Peter? You said there was something Chrysalis could never take from us.” She tilted her head to the side. “What is it?” Peter simply smiled, offering the mare his hoof. “Hope.” Sweetie Belle’s cheeks burned as she accepted the stallion’s gesture. Peter lifted the mare, helping her climb onto the top of Ursa’s head. Chuckling, Peter extended his hoof to the others. “You girls coming or what?” Rainbow Dash shrugged, grinning before sharing a glance with Applejack. “Strange feeling, huh? Peter’s always had a way with words. You just wanna die for the guy. Now, that’s leadership.” She took temporary flight, finding a soft place to land by Sweetie Belle’s side. Once Applejack climbed on top of the astral bear’s head, she shot the pegasus a knowing smile. Rainbow scoffed, rolling her eyes. “I really think it’s brainwashing sometimes.” Pinkamena readied herself to climb, but stopped, shaking her head. Peter, hoof-lengths away, furrowed his brow at the earth pony’s behavior. Suddenly, his eyes widened once Pinkamena turned, revealing her expression to the others. It was something of old, what had been lost decades ago. Pinkamena’s irises were wide and bright, matched only by the large smile formed by her mouth. She placed a hoof over her chest, unable to contain her building glee. Finally, after twenty long years, genuine laughter escaped from the reaches of her heart, and Pinkie Pie had resurfaced, if only momentarily. “No. That’s Peter Parker,” Pinkamena lightly affirmed, earning a smile with teeth from the stallion before the mare wrapped her hooves around his neck. The embrace was brief, yet it spoke volumes coming from one that had lost her soul decades ago. They parted, sharing a smile, and Pinkamena took hold of Peter’s hoof, allowing the stallion to help her onto the top of Ursa’s head. Her stern expression returned and smile faded. “Let’s finish this.” Peter patted the star placed at the center of Ursa’s forehead, prompting the bear to climb out of the canyon with everypony in tow. “We’re about to show Chrysalis what we’re made of. For Equestria!” Twilight Arms emitted a bright light as the stallion pointed his hoof ahead. “Ursa! Go!” Deep within the throne room of the Crystal Empire, Empress Chrysalis sat with a calm expression. “Filthy ponies,” she murmured, lifting her gaze once a changeling entered. Its thoughts entered her mind, earning a wicked smile from the changeling queen. “The rebel forces have been annihilated? Excellent,” Chrysalis chuckled, standing from her seat. “Inform all of my children. We must celebrate.” The changeling nodded, turning to take its leave. Before it could make any progress, a violent quake shook the very foundation of the castle. Chrysalis gathered herself, planting her hooves firmly to maintain balance. A massive paw burst through the upper wall of the throne room, crushing the underling under its weight.  Several tremors rushed through the walls as a force slammed against the castle many times, large chunks of crystal shards falling across the floor. The paw dug its claw into the walls before tearing the ceiling from the castle, allowing the dark light of the outside to fill the throne room. Chrysalis turned her gaze skyward, glaring intently at the Ursa Major that had defiled her sanctuary. Narrowing her glare, she spotted a set of individuals sitting on top of the creature’s head. “Who dares?!” Chrysalis howled, her slitted irises glowing. The Ursa Major snarled viciously as it maliciously glared towards Chrysalis. It lowered its head enough to reveal the five ponies positioned on top of its head. Her mouth fell agape upon recognizing the group, especially the stallion at the epicenter commanding the astral bear. Peter bore a determined look, matching the ferocity that Ursa exuded. “Can Chrysalis come out to play?!” To be continued...