Along Came A Spider

by Onomonopia

Mornings

The three ponies looked for almost two hours before they finally found a place to eat. Coco said that she had chosen this location because it had an early morning coffee that was to die for and that she had wanted her two friends to try it. But both Otto and Stonewall both knew that the real reason was that it was the only place that they had visited so far where they didn't have to wait an hour to eat.

"Something's never change, but I am still surprised to see so much backlog in such a large city," Otto muttered aloud once they had been seated. "You'd think that there would be hundreds of restaurants just waiting to serve all of these customers, yet the long lines can be seen from even here."

"It's the price of being popular. All of the places that I tried to take you two were all three hoof rated restaurants...and that was for their breakfast alone," Coco informed the two while skimming through her menu. "You think that was bad, you should try getting into any of the other restaurants that serve lunch and dinner. Of course, it's normally not this backed up. It's just because of the sales we have going on."

"This is why I try to avoid the city if I can help it," Stonewall said in a calm tone while he sipped at the glass of water that had been brought out for them. "Were it not to aid Coco with her tailoring, I would prefer to have a small house out in the country. Away from all of this noise."

"I always wanted to have a nice, simple boutique that I could run during the week and then close it up on the weekends so that I could help out with the local projects," Coco added on as she stared up at the blue morning sky. "Of course, that was before I became one of the most well known designers and started getting attacked from all angles. They don't tell you about that when you start this career path. How about you, Otto? Got any dreams or plans that you want to share?"

"I have no dreams or plans. All of those died the day I realized what a true failure I was," Otto replied in a neutral tone while he flipped lazily through the menu, unable to decide. "I simply live day to day now, with little thought of the past or future."

"Wow...that doesn't sound like a good way to live," Coco said after a moment.

"It is not the worse thing a person can do with their life," Otto stated before he flagged the waitress down and placed his order. "And yes, I want this all exactly as I demanded. If it is not you will answer to me."

Coco and Stonewall ordered as well before the both of them broke into a conversation about fashion that nearly caused Otto to slip into a coma. So instead of allowing himself to be dragged into the void of stupidity that the two reveled in, his retreated into his own mind and began to think about what Coco had asked him about the future.

'I cannot live like this forever. I feel my magnificent mind die a little each time I am forced to deal with either of these two. Coco is sweet and all, but nothing about her interests me. Stonewall is as his name implies. Thick, impossible to reason with and stuck in a single spot.'

The coffee arrived while Otto was still within his mind and by the time he broke free of his thoughts Stonewall was on his second cup and Coco on her forth. Otto tried the drink, but found it too bitter to his liking. The two continued to discuss some more, as more coffee came and went, before Coco stood up with sudden realization.

"If the both of you will excuse me, I'll be right back," she apologized before rushing off towards the nearest bathroom. Otto watched her go before he cast a quizzical look to Stonewall, who noticed and sneered at the doctor.

"What?"

"I have figured out Coco and her motivations, but there are a few things I still do not know about you," Otto muttered loudly. "And I hate variables that don't add up. So if you wouldn't mind, I have a question for you."

"What's the secret to my looks? Sorry pal, even if I told you it wouldn't do you any good."

"Humorous. No my question is, aside from her employing you, why do you act like a father to Coco?" Otto asked point blank. From the way Stonewalls face set like flint Otto could tell that he had stepped on a nerve, but caring about another's feelings had never been one of his strongest suits. "It is clear there is a relationship there beyond employer and worker. Are you treating her like the daughter you never had? Or did yours turn out to be a failure and you wanted to start over."

If he didn't have his spider sense Otto most likely would never have seen the saucer that the coffee was served upon until it had smacked him in the face. Yet with those powers he was able to whip his head to the side in time for the disc to sail past him and out into the street.

"You have a lot of nerve to ask about something that is none of your damn business," Stonewall said in such a threatening tone that the patrons around their table felt his waves of anger.

"I am a scientist. It is my job to learn about things. Like your connection," Otto replied without a hint of fear, keeping his voice as neutral as possible. For a long moment to two ponies glared into each others eyes, one of them doing his best not to explode with anger while the other waited until his foe would finally crack. But then Stonewall took on a more calm face and even smiled after a moment.

"Fine. I'll tell you what my relationship with her is, but only if you in turn answer a question of my own," the stallion replied, causing Otto to raise an eyebrow in response. "My question is what did you do that was so terrible that you had to abandon your old life?"

If Otto was not a complete master of his body, shock would have most likely been the emotion that flashed across his face. But due to his incredible willpower he forced his face to remain blank, though his eyes did narrow slightly at the question.

"Whatever do you mean?" he replied in a confused tone, but Stonewall smirked.

"I've seen the look of guilt that flashes across your eyes ever once in a while. A stranger with no home and not a bit to his name has had a terrible life. Either he has nothing or he lost everything. And considering your "intelligence" and if you are an actual doctor, I am assuming it's the latter," Stonewall deduced with a smile that made Otto's blood boil. "So, tell you mine if you tell me yours."

'So that is how he wants it. He wishes to learn some of my secrets in exchange for his own,' Otto thought with disgust as his mind flashed back to his days as Spiderman and what it had almost cost his city. 'Well no matter. It should be easy enough to pull the wool over this fools eyes and convince him with a fabrication. After all, how can he possibly prove me wrong?'

"So who'd ya let die?" Stonewall cut in right as Otto opened his mouth, silencing the words before Otto could speak them. Otto's eyes widened for just a moment before he slowly closed his jaw and motioned for Stonewall to continue. "Right then, when you were thinking about what I said to you, you had a deep look of regret flash across your face. The same kind I've seen in soldiers that failed to save their comrades."

"You read too much into things," Otto replied with a small smirk that he hoped would dissuade the stallions line of thinking. 'But I must be a little more careful in the future. It seems that he isn't so thick after all.'

Otto was saved further discussion when Coco arrived back at the table and a glance over at Stonewall showed Otto that the stallion had no desire to continue the conversation either. Coco pulled out her list as the food arrived and she fed herself while reading over the piece of paper multiple times. Otto watched with amusement as she missed her mouth a few times and ended up with food on her face, but if she noticed she showed no sign of it. Otto and Stonewall ate their meals in silence, with Otto not too happy with how they cooked his.

"Alright, now that we've eaten, we should get to shopping!" Coco exclaimed as she thrust a hoof into the air after they were all finished and closed her eyes, making an odd face. She then sprang out of her seat and rushed out of the restaurant, leaving Stonewall to sigh as he pulled out some money while glancing up at Otto. "Let me guess, you don't have anything? That's fine, I'll pay for it. You can just be in my debt for a while."

"I would rather be in prison than ever be in your debt."

"Well, if that's how you want it..."

"Oh! Here's some bits yourself, Otto, since I keep forgetting to give these to you. Stupid Coco," Coco said as she dropped a hoofful of bits onto the table in front of Otto, before sprinting off again. "Use the rest to buy the items on the list!"

"Seems I have an angel watching over me," Otto said with a smirk to Stonewall as Otto paid for his meal and stood up to leave. The two quickly tracked down Coco and found the mare standing in front of a large marketplace that was filled to the brim with vendors, shops and tents that sold all sorts of goodies.

"Okay you two, I want you both to work together and grab as many items on these list as you can. It's alright if you don't get everything, but please try to get the ones that I have circled in red marker," she explained to the two, who each gave a look to the other before smirking.

"I'm not working with him."

"Same."

"Oh for the love of...fine, Otto with me and Stonewall can go off on his own. How does that sound?"

"Better."

"Yes, I suppose-"

Otto's eyes snapped open as he felt a blazing sensation in the back of his skull and he whipped around with the intent to kill whatever had caused his alarm to blare like that. Yet when Otto fully pivoted he found that there were only ponies and shops behind him, with nothing menacing in sight. But Otto knew the spider sense too well, from having both fought against and with it, to assume that it was a false alarm.

"Actually Coco, I am feeling slightly ill and would rather go at my own pace. I don't think...I know that food wasn't prepared the way I wished for it to be," Otto changed his mind with a kind smile, yet it was clear on the faces of the other two that his little scene there had concerned the both of them. "I am also a bit jumpy due to...past experiences."

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Coco asked, to which Otto smiled in reply.

"Of course I'll be fine. You two go have fun."

Otto didn't wait to hear any more of their babble as he turned and sprinted at full speeds, having to force himself to go slightly slower due to his enhanced speed. He ran into an alleyway that was far away from the ponies before he ripped the bag open and pulled out the suit that he had sworn to never wear again.

'That was no meager alert warning me of a being that may cause me harm. That signaled a danger that I have not felt since I fought the goblins. That means that there is something hunting me,' Otto pieced together as he slipped the black and red spandex over his body, before attaching the webs shooters under his suit. He then picked up the mask and looked at it for a long moment, remembering all that it had signified. Then he shook his head and slid it over his face. He kicked his bag under the cover of some boxes before he took aim with the web shooter and launched himself into the sky.

'Whatever has caused my senses to go off like that must still be around here,' Spiderman figured as he stuck to the side of a large building and glared down at the marketplace below. The goggles in his mask zoomed in and showed him numerous ponies and shoppers, but nothing out of the ordinary. 'Where are you? You cannot have go far and it was clear you were after me. Which means that you should be look for me right about-'

The sense blared once more, giving Spiderman enough time to snap his head around. A massive beast slammed into the side of him and tore him from the side of the building, sending both the spider and the creature that roared at Spiderman crashing down onto a rooftop below them. Pain flooded Otto's body, but he forced himself back to his hooves while glaring over at his foe.

The beast that rose up caused Otto to widen his eyes in shock. The beast had eight limbs like a spider, but that was where the similarities ended. It's body was armor plated, it's jaws looked like something out of a nightmare and each of its limbs looked to be simian in nature. It was a mix and match of all deadly or very powerful creatures, but what made Spiderman's eyes narrow was that the creature was another mix and match.

Just like the giant beast that had attacked.

"So, whoever is creating you fiends has sent you to either deal with me or to test your own power. Most likely both," Spiderman said to the being, which roared with fury before it lunged towards him. Spiderman leapt out of the way and stuck to the side of a building, where he started to take mental notes of the creatures movements and patterns. The abomination turned to look up at Spiderman with another bellow, while it slammed it's jaws together as venom seeped down them.

"Well if this is the best that your creator can do, then it is clear that they and you are both failures," Spiderman taunted with a sneer underneath of his mask. "Do not believe me? Very well then," Spiderman before he kicked off the side of the building and rocketed towards the beast.

"Let me show you why."

Comments

[ConfettiColored]

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[Mesiagamer]

Here we go.

[Marvelsoldier]

Glad to see that Otto never doubts his spider-sense. How many times has Peter done it only to think it was a glitch?

[Scarlet Storm]

Should have done Spider-Gwen or Miles