Spiders and Magic IV: The Fall of Spider-Mane

by Maximus_Reborn

Born Again Spider

Chapter Twenty-Eight "Born Again Spider"

Within the void of darkness, Peter floated aimlessly while lost in slumber. Trails of shadows snaked across his body, morphing the stallion into a human before the energy took shape inches away into that of a woman. Her hair was short, a mixture of snow-white and grey to show her age. Yet, her skin was fair and without wrinkles, showing time had been kind to her. The environment morphed and shifted into that a high school hallway, with lockers spread across the walls.

Peter weakly opened his eyes, taking in the royal blue gaze across from him. The woman shook her head before sighing, forcing a smile before she gently rubbed her hand across the young man's cheek. Both continued to float aimlessly in the abyss, never averting their gazes from each other. Eventually, Peter attempted to move, only to stop involuntarily once bolts of pain rushed through his entire body.

The older woman shook her head before placing both hands on the young man's shoulders, easing him back. "Don't move, son. You went through so much." The memories of what had transpired coursed through Peter's mind, but everything was fuzzy, distorted through the pain circulating through his body. Aunt May caressed the young man's cheek with her hand, smiling warmly. "Your Uncle Ben would be so proud of you if he was here."

Peter inhaled deeply before sighing, glancing off to the side. "I'm so sorry, Aunt May. I let you all down, even myself. What good is it to be a knight and a hero if I couldn't protect my family and Equestria?"

The surrounding darkness spread, consuming everything in its wake. Aunt May stood firm with a stern expression, never faltering, even as the black mist slowly consumed Peter. "Don't be too hard on yourself, son. You just have to be more careful from now on." She leaned back, her eyes softening. "You always hold back to set a good example, but look at where that's led you. Those monsters tore you apart in front of your friends and family. I had to watch them hurt you. That was so painful for me."

Peter's eyes glazed over as he slipped into a trance, unaware that a majority of his body had been enveloped by darkness. "I know, but what about Uncle Ben's words?"

Aunt May narrowed her gaze. "That's why I am telling you this. They know how merciful you are. In the end, it nearly got you killed and put everyone you love in danger. After what happened in the future timeline, Iknowyou don't want history to repeat itself." She leaned forward before planting a warm kiss on Peter's cheek. Everything soon faded to black, with the sole exception of Aunt May's figure. Her sky blue eyes seemed to glow brighter than usual. "The world is a dark place, Peter. There comes a time when you have to let go of your morals to protect those around you. If you die, who will watch over Twilight, Mayday, Ben, and me?"

---

Peter's eyes shot open before he rose from the bed he was lying in, but the aches in his body ceased any further movement, causing him to instinctively clutch at his side. However, a small realization crept into his mind while he noticed the distinct lack of fur on his arms. It was an all too familiar feeling, reinforced once Peter extended his hand and eyed the five digits over it. Many thoughts circled through the young man's mind, asking countless questions simultaneously, but he repressed most of them, focusing on his humanized form within the reflection of the mirror across the room.

Freeing himself from his self-induced trance, Peter glanced off to the side upon noticing there was somebody in the room with him. Specifically, he centered his gaze on the woman hovering directly over his head. She sat in midair on nothing in particular with her legs crossed. Dressed professionally in a business suit, the woman straightened her tie and vest before brushing a gloved hand through her snow-white and black hair. Peter furrowed his brow, recognizing her crimson irises and playful smile in spite of her bipedal shape.

"Eris? Is that you? Please don't be Discord crossdressing," Peter questioned, wincing before clutching at the hardened cast over his arm. Once the pain subsided, the young man peeked back up, only to arch a brow at the empty space where the woman previously hovered. Eris materialized inches away on the side of the bed, resting her forearm against Peter's uninjured shoulder. The young man held a bewildered expression on the woman, frowning at the sweet scent exuding from her. "Okay. So I'm not dreaming, and you're really Eris. I recognize your perfume. What's going on?"

Eris let out a low sigh. "Where to start? That's the question. There's a lot to explain."

Peter half shrugged. "Well, the beginning is always a nice place to start."

Leaning back, Eris nodded before pointing a finger. "Well, in that case, I can start with telling you how close you came to dying. You suffered over a dozen broken bones, a concussion, third degree burns, and many other injuries that I'll leave for someone else to explain." She disappeared in a flash of light before materializing above the young man's head in an upright sitting position, raising a hand once Peter sat up. "You're not fully healed yet. You pushed your body so hard that your accelerated healing ability stopped working for a while. I managed to put you back together enough for your accelerated healing factor to pick back up again."

Peter frowned, his eyes widening. "You… helped me?"

Nodding, Eris smiled as her cheeks burned. "Yes, handsome. The pleasure was allmine. It's not often I get to be a personal nurse. I even found the sponge baths addictingly intoxicating." Peter's eyes widened while his complexion paled and face flushed. Eris sobered, twirling her finger about. "So, I would implore you to sit tight. Heaven forbid if I'm forced to start over. Iamthe embodiment of chaos you know. Putting things back together isnotmy strong suit."

"Hang on. Everything's still fuzzy," Peter groaned, glancing at the bandages wrapped tightly around various portions of his body. Suddenly, images of the last moments he could recollect flashed across his mind of the ambush before the explosion. Peter managed to vaguely recall the sight of a crimson individual shaped like a centaur. The young man placed his hand over his forehead, groaning. "Oh, that's right. The Sinister Six and that Tirek guy were there. How did I get away?"

Eris held out her hand until a golden apple fell into her grasp. "A lot happened after you lost consciousness. Tirek absorbed the powers of the Elements of Harmony, Queen Chrysalis, Shining Armor, Cadance, and Princess Celestia. He was ready to do the same to you, but you had no magic to give. I find that unusual." She took a bite of the treat, humming before swallowing. "All Equestrians emit magic in some way, but unicorns are most potent about it than most species." She paused briefly, raising an eyebrow. "Just how is it that you lack magic altogether anyway?"

"It's complicated. It's not so much that I don't have magic. It's more that I can't access it," Peter explained, earning a bewildered expression from Eris. He paused and scratched the back of his head, as if contemplating his next words carefully. "Long story short, Nightmare Moon escaped out of Luna during our time on Earth. So in order to seal it away, I had to use my magic as a barrier. That was over ten years ago at this point."

Flicking her wrist, Eris caused the apple to vanish from sight in a burst of light before she folded her arms. "That certainly explains it. Tirek assumed you were a cripple of a unicorn and was prepared to destroy you, but Mayday intervened—"

"What?! How could she—?!" Peter blurted out, nearly leaping from the bed, but he yelped in pain, clutching at his heavily bandaged ribs. Eris left her place in midair and landed on the bedside, placing her glowing hands against the young man's ribs. Peter faced the woman, concern evident in his hazel gaze. "Please! Tell me that she's okay!"

Eris nodded and smiled before placing a finger against Peter's chest, gently easing him back down. "Yes. Your daughter is perfectly fine. Sonata Dusk jumped in before Tirek could lay a finger on her."

Peter let out a relieved sigh before rubbing at his eyes. "Stupid kid. Thank God that she's okay, but I have to say that I'm surprised that Sonata jumped in." Blinking as seconds passed, the young man furrowed his brow. "Well, not really. I mean, I always knew Sonata was good deep down." He trailed off, raising a hand. "Anyway… So, what happened next? After Sonata jumped in, I mean."

"Well, Tirek tossed the three of you into your home with the others before setting it ablaze with a powerful magical blast. After the explosion, there was nothing left of your house," Eris darkly muttered, trailing off when Peter's complexion paled. She waved her hand dismissively and chuckled. "Rest assured, dear, there were no casualties. I intervened behind the scenes and teleported you all to safety. As far as they and all of Equestria know, you've all perished."

Slow to respond, Peter pursed his lips and shook his head. "I almost lost everything… again." His eyes softened, filling with desolation, but he forced a smile in spite of the sadness churning at his chest. "Thank so much, Eris. I owe youeverything."

Eris smiled sweetly, sobering before brushing her hand against the young man's cheek. "While you're certainly different from Patricia in the right ways, you're still one and the same deep down. I can tell simply by looking into your eyes that you're finding a way to blame yourself for what happened. Discord had spent the past ten years planning this after you defeated the Green Goblin. With that much time spent on preparation, the odds were greatly in his favor."

Peter glanced off to the side. "I'm a knight of the world, but I failed so hard in my task that I put my friends and family in danger."

Eris retook her place in midair, stretching out while never averting her gaze from his. "Don't brood so much. I find that aspect about you endearing, yet unnecessary at times."

Peter's eyes widened before he faced the woman, finding a playful smile. He could only nod. "You're right. I don't need to do that right now. Everyone's alive. And it doesn't get any better than that." The young man allowed the back of his head to sink into the plush comfort of the pillow. He glanced to the side at the scenery behind the nearest window, admiring the clear skies and pine trees scattered about. "All right. You saved us. So, where are we? Earth?"

Brushing the wrinkles from her pants, Eris nodded. "Yes, but it's not the Earth you're familiar with. We're on an Earth similar yet different from your own."

Peter blinked before arching a brow. "A different dimension?" The young man shrugged soon afterward, eyeing the hardened cast over his arm. "Well, this isn't the first time I've gone dimension hopping. If this keeps up, I'll have to make it a part-time job."

"So I was informed. You truly lead the adventurous life," Eris complimented, brushing a hand through the black strands in her long hair. "A friend and I chose this locale for various reasons. Specifically, Discord shouldn't find us for quite some time, and my friend wants to help you."

"Speaking of time… how long have I been out?" Peter questioned, arching a brow.

Eris flicked her wrist, prompting a large clock to materialize into existence inches away from her face. "At this point, it has been just over five days. Sadly, you fell into a coma."

Peter's eyes widened at the statement, but a bemused expression soon surfaced on his face. "Again? So, what else is new? I think this is my third coma since coming to Equestria. One of these days, I'll fall asleep and not wake back up." A belated thought emerged the young man's mind, evident by sudden stern glare in his eyes. "Hang on a second. If I've been out for nearly a week, that means it's only been almost half of a day on Equestria, right? What about the others? Have they changed? Are Twilight and Mayday okay?"

"There's that motormouth I love. I believe that was four questions in eight seconds," Eris chuckled, vanishing before reappearing across the room while sitting on top of the dresser. "Yes. Only a few hours have passed on Equestria. Everyone's fine. Most have changed days ago, but only two have not thus far. You, myself, Felicia, and Sonata transformed the second we stepped foot here. Twilight Sparkle, Princess Luna, and Sunset Shimmer changed the next day. Mayday and Ben just transformed yesterday." Eris waved her hand dismissively. "Trixie and Zecora are still waiting their turn."

Peter turned his gaze skyward, staring intently at the ceiling. "It sounds like those that have been human before turned right away. I guess the magic in the newbies' bodies hasn't adjusted yet. I can only assume the reason Mayday and Ben turned is because… theyarehuman deep down." His eyes softened. "So, where's Twilight?"

Eris was slow to respond, chuckling before pointing at the spot next to the young man. Baffled, Peter arched a brow at the area. He glanced back at the woman, noticing her crimson gaze was fixed on something in particular. Following her eyes, Peter forced himself back to an upright sitting position and peeked over the side of the bed. Wrapped tightly in a small blanket, a chocolate-skinned beauty slept soundly underneath the bedside. Peter recognized the woman immediately, his wife's signature violet hair and pink strand at the middle forged deep into his heart.

"I must say that I respect Twilight's loyalty and admiration. She stayed by your side the entire time, refusing to leave until you woke up," Eris chuckled, folding her arms as a smile graced her features. "As uptight and headstrong as she may be, it's easy to see how much she loves you."

Peter's eyes softened while he simply nodded. "Trust me. The feeling's mutual." Straining, the young man placed his hand over Twilight's shoulder and nudged the woman until she stirred from her slumber. Her violet eyes fluttered open, shutting involuntarily once the sun's rays reached them, but she paused, gawking at the bandaged sight greeting her with a sheepish smile. Peter weakly chuckled and waved. "Hey, Twi—"

Before 'light' could escape from his mouth, the princess sprang to life and practically materialized into Peter's unwaiting grasp. "Peter!" she cried out, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and burying her face into his shoulder as her tears began to surface. "Oh, thank the stars! You're finally awake!"

Peter weakly muttered in pain, prompting the princess to relinquish her grasp. However, his smile remained intact, as bright and vibrant as ever. Twilight wiped her face clean with her forearm, sniffling before Peter gently pulled her back into a warm embrace. The princess carefully returned the gesture, making certain to avoid her husband's injuries. Soon enough, Twilight rested her forehead against Peter's and held their gazes inches away from each other.

"I'm so sorry for worrying you," Peter whispered, his hazel gaze taking in her violet irises. Brushing a hand across her wet cheek, the young man chuckled. "You could use a shower."

Twilight frowned, staring intently at her husband with a hardened glare. However, her demeanor tightened before she playfully tapped her finger against his nose. "You, too." They reluctantly parted, with Twilight easing to the side of the bed while taking a gentle hold of Peter's hand. "It's so good to hear your voice again, bad jokes and all."

Eris smiled at the sight, taking a second bite from the golden apple before causing it to disappear from sight in a burst of light. "Excellent. Now that you're both awake, I believe it's time to discuss business. We brought youherefor a reason. It's time for my friend to tell you what it is."

Peter arched a brow at the woman's statement, quickly shifting his gaze to the door as it slowly slid open. A tall, slender woman walked into the room, garbed from head to toe in red. Her large, leather jacket reached her knees, and the black shirt underneath helped conceal most of her figure further. A pair of crimson glasses hid the woman's eyes entirely, and her bright red hair stretched out, reaching her lower shoulders.

She smiled widely at Peter's slack-jawed expression. "It's been quite some time, Peter."

Peter blinked in disbelief. "Julia… I mean, Madame Web?" He shook his head and glanced to the side. "Just when I thought this day couldn't get any weirder."

"You don't know the half of it," Julia stoically replied, placing both hands on her hips. "I'll cut to the chase. What happened in Equestria was an unmitigated disaster, but I can help prepare you for the brewing storm ahead."

Peter frowned. "What storm is that?"

"I actually don't know. I haven't been able to see anything in the Web of Life for the past few weeks," Julia sternly declared, closing the gap between herself and the young man. She placed one hand against her own forehead and the other against Peter's. Julia's brow lowered in concentration after a brief duration, followed by a harsh exhale. "Even now, I can't foresee anything inyourfuture or those directly connected to you. Myself, included."

"So, is that the plan? You're going to help me get my spider sense back?" Peter questioned, poking a finger against his temple.

Julia shook her head. "No. I do not understandwhyorhowyou lost your spider sense. There's a chance it may come back; there's a chance it won't. So we have to prepare for the worst case scenario. I intend to help you learn to fight without it. Sadly, you've become too reliant upon it over the years."

Peter tilted his head to the side. "Well, I've had it ever since I got my powers. It's more or less a part of who I am."

"Yes. That'sexactlythe problem," Julia roughly responded, turning with a stern glare. "You've spent the past two weeks practically fighting without your spider sense. You were sloppy, and it showed. Had you hadsomeprior training, many of your injuries could've been avoided, some prevented entirely."

Peter furrowed his brow. "I don't get it, though. It's been like this ever since I came back from the alternate future timeline." He paused, holding out his free arm before staring at the cast over it. "Maybe I left a part of myself behind?"

Twilight frowned. "Peter's been stressed out lately. It could be the PTSD that's causing this."

Julia's demeanor softened, evident by her lowered shoulders. "Whatever the case, we must train your mindandbody so that you can take Equestria back in the near future. As you've learned, you're unable to tackle your enemies head on. You must strategize and discipline yourself. Learn about yourself and improve."

Eris spun around, facing the group with a holographic image of a clock hovering over her hand. "That's why I chose this Earth. If things go swimmingly, we'll have three months to train. That should be plenty of time for you to find… enlightenment." Eris used both hands to squeeze the holographic image out of existence. "Plus, only a week will pass on Equestria, and Tirek won't cause too much damage by the time we return. It's a win-win situation for us if we play our cards right…"

Twilight squeezed Peter's hand, earning his gaze. "That will giveustime to recover, too. They divided our forces and focused on you. If I was more careful, I could've fought by your side. Instead, I unknowingly gave power to those vines and helped get everypony captured." A determined look formed in Twilight's eyes. "I'll train, too! Once Sunset Shimmer and Princess Luna recover, we'll help each other grow stronger in magical usage while you train."

Julia waved a finger and nodded. "Zecora and I will train your mind and give you discipline. However, you must also train to reach your physical peak." She paused before making her way across the room to the door. Everyone quietly watched as Julia peaked outside and motioned her hand to somebody nearby. After a brief moment, she stepped to the side and faced Peter once more. "I've called forth two acquaintances that you may be familiar with. Their skills will be most beneficial in your training."

Slowly but surely, a young woman walked into the room, sharing a glance with Madame Web before shifting her hazel gaze to Peter. She wore a violet dress with an opening where her breasts' cleavage was, matching Twilight's pony fur tone, and the earrings she wore held a bright gleam, glittering against the sun's light. Her smile was warm and coy, showing her playful nature. Peter stared vividly at the woman, losing himself to her beauty, but what was unnerving was their uncanny resemblance. With her chocolate brown hair cut to a short length, she almost looked exactly like Peter, as if they were twins. However, as both knew, it wasn't that simple.

Peter's eyes widened once his mind pieced together the look-a-like's identity. "Patricia?"

Faster than anybody could react, the young woman sped across the room and embraced Peter. "Dude! It's so good to see you again!" she exclaimed, releasing her hold before potentially aggravating Peter's wounds. Patricia's smile widened as she lightly pressed her fist against her counterpart's chin. "You had us scared for a bit there."

"What areyoudoing here? I mean, it's great to see you, but this is surprising. Well, I guess it'snoteveryday that my hot counterpart shows up in my life again," Peter questioned, holding his hand out until Patricia placed her palm flat against it.

Patricia grinned. "Eris told me what was going on. When she said you were in trouble, Ihadto come by and help. Madame Web asked me nicely, too. Plus, I couldn't resist the chance to be human again. I miss it, really. Besides…" she trailed off, easing closer to Peter with a seductive gaze in her sparkling irises. "I had to see whatwelooked like. So, what do you think? I'mveryhappy with what I see."

Peter scratched the back of his head. "If I answer thathonestly, would that make everything awkward? I mean, more than it already is?"

"Yes," Twilight blankly muttered before slapping the back of both Peter's and Patricia's heads with a pair of smacks, earning a conjoined 'ow' for her efforts.

Patricia hissed in pain, giving the princess a devilish smile. "You and Dusk are so easy. I won't get to see him for a while, but I have you until then… and myself— Ow!" she cried out after Twilight struck the back of her head a second time. "You're going to break something one of these days! When that happens, I swear to God that I'll file for a divorce!"

"Well that's just too bad," Twilight stated, folding her arms. "Because I'm not the one you're married to."

Peter blinked, rubbing the aches from his cranium with a blank stare. "Yeah. That'smywife, not your husband."

"Oh, right." Patricia paused, nodding before turning away with a shrug. "It's been almost a week, and Istillget them both mixed up. Must be that magnetic personality. That, and their reactions are so identical, it's scary." She turned to Twilight, pointing a finger at her counterpart. "But yeah. No. Seriously. Can I borrow myself? It's going to be a long three months. Just think of it as… playtime with myself. It's perfectly natural!"

Peter tilted his head in thought. "Would that be considered incest, selfcest, or just creative masturbation?"

Julia watched with a blank expression, shaking her head bleakly. "Are we seriously having this conversation right now?"

Twilight's eye twitched violently as she reared her arm back while magical energies ignited in her palm, ready to strike once more, but Patricia swiftly raised her hands defensively before the blow could connect. "Okay! Okay! I'll stop!"

Twilight exhaled. "My husband's enough of a headache on his own. Now you're telling me that I'll have to deal withtwoof him for three months?!"

Eris couldn't contain her glee, snickering uncontrollably. "Yes. In hindsight, I may have been a bit too ambitious. However, I have no regrets. The possibilities for fun chaos are endless!" She quickly cleared her throat, waving a hand dismissively. "Of course, you all must save the world, but I need my fun, too. It'd be boring otherwise."

Julia's expression remained stoic, but beads of sweat formed over her forehead. "The fact that I'm surrounded by trolls is alarming. However, Patricia can help you better than most, Peter. After all, who knows you better than yourself?" The woman cleared her throat before shifting her line of sight to the door. "You've met one of your teachers. It's time for you to meet the other."

Everyone shifted their collective gazes towards the door as a silhouette of a woman approached from the dark hallway. Her form was revealed after she stepped into the lit room, and Peter felt his heart stop while he inhaled sharply. The woman wore a pair of tights, the black lower half blending perfectly with the white upper portion. She wore a mask, its bug-like lenses matching that of Spider-Man's, but the woman soon removed it from her face, allowing her golden hair to fall over her shoulders.

She pulled her hood back, smiling warmly. Peter's heart skipped a beat, diving into the years of nostalgia. Shades of the past resurfaced, of a time before Equestria, and it molded into the present, bearing an image of one that affected his life. The woman's blue eyes held a special gleam, matching the beauty of any diamond. She was lost, only to be found again, and now, they were reunited once more through luck and divine intervention.

Pete's lips curled into a smile to match the woman's. "Gwen! You're back! I don't believe it!"

Much like Patricia had done earlier, the blonde sped across the room with her arms extended, but Peter was ready this time, catching Gwen in a warm embrace. His body cried out in pain, his muscles protesting against this action. Gwen Stacy, Patricia Parker, and Twilight Sparkle were practically on top of him, a freshly injured man, but he didn't care, daring not to ignore the happiness burning in his heart and overwhelming weight on his frame.

Gwen leaned forward, planting a fresh kiss on Peter's cheek before grinning. "I take it that you missed me? I was afraid you'd forget about me."

"Are you kidding? Not a chance," Peter chuckled, relinquishing his hold and giving the blonde a chance to stand from the bed. He shared a glance with Twilight and Patricia before returning his bewildered gaze towards Gwen. "I'm confused. How did YOU get here? Patricia, I understand, but how are you here?"

"How do you think I made it to Equestria in the first place?" Gwen lightly questioned, pointing a thumb suggestively at Eris. She sobered, holding a soft gaze at the mask in her hand before staring intently at Peter. "Madame Web told me what was going on after I came back from Equestria. I'm something of a dimension hopper now. I'll explain that to you later, but Julia said that you needed help in the worst way. So, here I am."

Peter shrugged, sharing a smile with Twilight before doing the same with Gwen. "At this point, I'm okay with anything. Thisstillisn't even the third weirdest thing to happen in my life. Honestly, I consider this… refreshing." The young man's eyes narrowed on the woman garbed in red. "So, school's in session, huh? When do we start training? Do I have to bring an apple for my teachers?"

"My own teacher's pet? I'm sold," Patricia grinned, clearing her throat as magic sparked from Twilight's fingertips.

Twilight tapped Peter's thigh. "Stay focused you two."

Eris disappeared, phasing through the wall behind the bed before resting her forearm over the top of Peter's head, much to Twilight's bemusement. "As soon as you're able to. Like I stated earlier, your accelerated healing factor has finally reactivated. From what I gather, you should be fully healed in about two days." Eris sank through the floor, materializing back into existence above the others in midair while sitting upright on nothing in particular. "For now, just get some rest, relax, and gather your bearings. We'll be here for a while."

Gwen nodded, "Yeah. We're pretty far out in the countryside, so we can create a lot of noise without attracting any attention."

Julia frowned as she folded her arms across her chest. "While Eris tends to our cover, I ask that no one distract her. Should Discord find us prematurely, that may prove to be a detriment."

Eris wiped the sweat from her brow, forcing a smile. "I may bend reality to my will, but even I have my limits. Putting Peter back together, traveling across dimensions, and shielding our energy signatures has left me compromised. I wouldn't be able to stop Discord if he was to show up."

Julia nodded. "Exactly. That's why we have to make the most out of the time given to us. The fate of your world hangs in the balance, as does order." She paused, stealing a glance at the door behind her. "However, you can recover. I believe you have another guest, Peter."

Suddenly, the door creaked open, revealing a small girl. Her bright yellow eyes grew as wide as saucers upon noticing the man awake in bed. Peter immediately took in the sight, inhaling sharply. The young girl was a spitting image of Twilight, having both her ebony skin and violet hair with a pink streak at the middle. However, her hair was pulled back into a braided ponytail, its length reaching her lower back. Her attire was simple, consisting of a simple yellow shirt and a pair of blue overalls.

She released a high-pitched squeak before clumsily running across the room, but as she readied to fall, the girl thrust her weight skyward and leaped. All of the air rushed out of Peter's lungs as the tiny girl landed on his hip, causing him to wheeze for air. However, he found a smile in spite of the temporary pain, embracing the child as she did the same for him. Peter eased back, taking in the beautiful smiling sight.

Mayday's bright gaze rivaled her smile. "Daddy! You're finally awake!" She settled into his lap, pausing to arch a brow at her hands. The young girl held them to her father until they were barely an inch from his face. "You'vegotto tell me how hands and fingers work! They're so weird! It's like I have eels over my hooves!"

Peter could only chuckle inwardly. He had only just woken from a five day coma, and it felt as if everything had resumed simultaneously at breakneck speed. The world of Equestria was far away, under the rule of Tirek and the Sinister Six. Training would begin soon enough, and he had Madame Web, Zecora, his female counterpart from an alternate dimension, and a returning Gwen Stacy to teach him how to fight again, all while Mayday would have to learn what being a human was like for the first time.

It seemed his Parker Luck was running in spades today, for betterandfor worse.

To be continued...