"With Great Powers Comes Great Responsibility"
After they had their pizza, Applejack took her leave and left Rainbow Dash with Medusa. It wasn't long before Fluttershy came back into the room, with Rarity accompanying her.
"So, did you all enjoy your meal?" Fluttershy politely asked.
Medusa nodded, "Yessssss, the food, that you call pizza, issssss deliccccioussss," The gorgon held her claw up to her mouth, "Though, remarkably, the tassssste continuesssss to linger."
"Well, that's the beauty of today's fast food," Rainbow smiled. "You can still taste them, even after you finished them."
"Fasssscinating."
"Well not for me," Rarity huffed. "A lady eats the finest things in life."
Though miffed at the fashionista's attitude, Rainbow Dash asked, "Aside from giving us that criticism of yours on fast food, what brings you here, Rarity?"
"Well, I don't mean to be rude, but I'm simply here to take our dear friend's measurements," The girl replied, while holding out a roll of measuring tapes.
"Meeassssurementssss?" Medusa hissed in confusion. "What for?"
"Oh well for designing your new set of clothings, darling! You see, I make clothes for a living and you certainly looked like you could use a fresh set of them."
"That and maybe 20% cooler," Rainbow Dash suggested. "I mean, no offense Medusa, but your style's kinda, how to put it? Old?"
Medusa looked down, seeing the girls have made their points, seeing as how her toga was covered in grimes and many holes have torn through in certain places, memories and marks of her previous struggles.
"Very well then," Medusa complied. "Proceed."
"Splendid!" With that, Rarity went ahead with wrapping the measuring tape around Medusa's waist, her arms, before taking the length of her arm span, height, and such, while jotting them all down in her notepad. "And that's it then!" Rarity concluded, "With these I'll be able to design for you a new set of comfortable clothes to your liking!"
"If it meansssss I won't have to wear that horrible coat of yourssss again, then I'll gladly acccccept whatever you have made for me," With that, Rarity soon took her leave. "Hmmmm, for ssssssomeone with ssssssuch elegance and hair, ssssssshe'sssssss quite the generoussss sort, isssssn't sssssshe?"
"That's Rarity for ya," Rainbow Dash replied. "She knows how to dress in style."
"And she may be pretty, but her generosity was what makes her heart shine from the inside out," Fluttershy smiled.
"From the insssside out?" Medusa murmured to himself, even more puzzled.
Later, the three girls were enjoying themselves to another show on the TV, this time, by Rainbow Dash's choice. The TV show they were watching follows the story of six super heroines, each with unique powers, skills, and abilities, who've all come together to form a team and to fight all sorts of villains that threatens the lives of the city they've sworn to protect.
Seeing animals on land and in the entire ocean on TV is one thing, but watching cartoon is another. To Medusa, it looked as if the paintings from her long lost forgotten time have been given a life and a will of their own, and are now housed in these television devices to share their stories around the world.
But the surprises doesn't end there. After looking at the schedules on the TV Channel Guide, Rainbow Dash didn't hesitate to switch to the channel that airs another superhero film. This time, instead of simple cartoons, it features real live actors. Medusa's bewilderment has been increased tenfold.
"φοβερο(fovero – which means awesome)!" She exclaimed, slacked jaw. "SSSSsssuch drama! SSSSSsuch realisssm! SSsuch power!"
"Such violence," Fluttershy whimpered unease.
"Or as Stan Lee himself would put it simply – excelsior!" Rainbow Dash cheered.
Medusa blinked a couple of time, before she started to ask, "What meansssss exxxcelssssior?"
Rainbow Dash couldn't help but chuckle, as she explains, "It's just his way of signing off, whenever he ends one of his stories. Usually, it means something like 'soar higher' or 'upward and onward to greater glory.' Either way, it's awesome! He's my kind of guy!"
"I like Spider–Man," Fluttershy added.
"Who doesn't?" Rainbow Dash shrugged. "Well, except maybe a lot of his enemies like Kingpin, Doc Ock, the Green Goblin, and that J. Jonah Jameson guy."
"Kingpin? Doc Who? The Green What?" Medusa asked, further confused.
Rainbow Dash could only laugh even louder in amusement, as she chortled, "Girlfriend, have you got a lot of catching up to do. Like the golden quote of all, 'With great powers comes great responsibilities,'" The athletic girl quoted.
The popular and powerful quote intrigued Medusa, as she repeated, "With great power comesss great ressssponsssibility." Further perplexed, Medusa inquired, "What meanssss resssponsssibility?"
"Oh you know," Rainbow Dash began. "Responsibility, as in like having that state of mind and sense of uh, having that control over something or someone because it's all part of your job and everything, like that. Y'know?" The cursed gorgon tilted her head, further confused. "Okay. Try to pretend like I'm Twilight, or someone who's good with big words and stuff," Rainbow began. "Basically, being responsible means like having that 'drive' to have control over your actions and the consequences that comes after it."
Of course, Medusa was further confused, until Fluttershy stepped in, "Or responsibility as in having that obligation to care for someone or some animal, because it's your job and your duty," Getting up from her seat, Fluttershy walked over to pet one of Medusa's snakes, "For example, say that you have to give your snakes their needs, because they're your responsibility."
At Fluttershy's explanation, Medusa finally began to nod in understanding, "Yeah, and being the main cause of something so you can take full credit for it," Rainbow added. "Like how you were responsible for all the statues on–Oops!"
"Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy berated, but too late.
Medusa's epiphany quickly turned to bitter sorrowful regret, "I ssssssee," She hissed mourningly. "SSSSssso I am ressssponsssible for the livesssss I had ruined. Thisssss curssssse, thissssss power, I am burdened to carry...." Fluttershy was about to say something, only to be interrupted, "No. Rainbow Dassssh wassss right. And everyday, I am reminded of it. I am resssssponssssible for ruining ssssso many livessss and I musssst faccce the conssssequencccce for them. I never sssshould've left that island."
"No, don't say that!" Fluttershy whimpered.
"But it'sssss true," The gorgon hissed. "A monssster like myssself sssshould've never been freed from my prisssson."
"But you're not a monster! You're just another person, like us!"
Medusa gritted her teeth, with her snakes hissing loudly to match the anxiety and the frustration that burned within her, "I'm not a perssssson! Not anymore!" She breathed heavily, with her eyes unsheathed from their third eyelids. "I'm nothing like you! I'm worssssst than you or any other people in thisssss world have ever ssssssseen! Look at me! No, don't look at me!" She hissed, covering her eyes with her claws when she realized her third eyelids weren't covering, as she finds herself overcome with overwhelming grievance and sadness.
Both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy cautiously approached the confused gorgon.
Fluttershy placed a gentle hand on Medusa's back and stroked, "Shhh, Medusa," She gently coaxed, only for the gorgon to flinch away.
"SSSStop it! Don't touch me!" She hissed, as she slithered away. "And don't come near me, lessssst you wissssh to be sssssstone."
"Medusa, let me ask you something," Rainbow Dash began. "Would you really want us to be statues?"
Shaking her head with increased aggravation, Medusa hissed, "Pleasssssse, ssssstop thissssss foolisssshnesss! Don't make it harder for the both of usssssss!"
"No, just answer the question. Do you want us to be statues?"
"What differencccce doessss it make?"
"We just gotta know, would you?"
"Why would I ever want you and everyone to be ssssstones?! I never assssked for thissss power, and still, I bore it! And I don't....I don't....I don't know why anymore." Medusa said sadly and quietly, "I don't even know who I am anymore," She sobbed. "I'm not a persssson, nor a creature. I'm....I'm an abomination. A monssssster." The gorgon wrapped her arms around herself, and pulled her long coil close into a huddle.
The two girls couldn't bear to see their new friend depressed any longer. Undeterred, Fluttershy walked over to the gorgon, sat down beside her, and pulled her close for a hug.
Again, Medusa was confused, "What? What are you doing?" She asked.
"Shhhh, there, there," The kindhearted girl said soothingly, calming both Medusa and her snakes. "It's alright. It will be alright."
"But why? Why are you doing thisssss? After all the livessss....after all the sssstoriessss you've been told?"
"Stories, legends, rumors, they don't define you for who you are," Rainbow Dash began. "Look Medusa, it doesn't really matter what the world thinks about you. What matters is how you want the world to see you."
"And how would you know? You haven't ssssssuffered more than I have."
"You're right, we don't. But that doesn't mean we can't sympathize with you. Believe me, I've had a fair share of some embarrassing stories about me," Rainbow Dash groaned, as she recalls some past experiences.
"It wasn't just you, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy joined in. "We all have had those awful days," Even as she said this, the shy girl couldn't help but giggle. "Though, when you think about them, they're not all that bad."
"Of course, I'm sure Sunset's has had worse," Rainbow chuckled, only to be met with a dissapproving glare from Fluttershy. "Kidding! Kidding. I was just joking."
"What are you two talking about?" Medusa asked, further confused, if not annoyed.
Getting back on topic, Rainbow Dash explained, "Look Medusa. The point is, stories or not, nobody has the right to tell you to be someone or something you're not. I mean, the fact that you didn't want us to be statues is proof enough that you're not a monster," Medusa looked annoyed, but was interrupted as Rainbow Dash continues, "Today, no one is considered a monster based on how they look, but only on how they act towards other people and creatures," With that, the gorgon's annoyed expression quickly softened to that of astonishment and newfound epiphany. "Heck, the fact that you're alive, right here and right now, automatically makes every stories about you wrong. Right? So obviously, whoever started that whole legend about you clearly doesn't know the real you."
"The real me?" Medusa turned away, "But you don't know the real me," She murmured. "You weren't there when it happened, or prior to.....how can you know the real me?"
"Simple, we trust you," Fluttershy answered. "Just like how we trust in each other. It's what friends do."
"....Trussssst?"
"Yeah, Medusa," Rainbow Dash smiled. "That's all it is. Trust." The athlete then placed her hand on Medusa's shoulder, "So now, we're trusting you to decide who you really are."
Later that evening
Rainbow Dash had left to return to her and Applejack's room, leaving Medusa alone again with Fluttershy. Fluttershy had changed into her pajamas, and was already in bed, sleeping the night away. Meanwhile, Medusa was out on the balcony, with the cool gentle breeze blowing across her.
The gorgon's mind was racing faster beyond her understanding, as she recalls every words the girls have all told her, earlier that day.
"...sometimes we all just need to be shown a little kindness.”
"Looks don't matter, Sugarcube. Because, you're our friend. And friends are family."
And now, what Rainbow Dash had told her:
"That's all it is. Trust. So now, we're trusting you to decide who you really are."
Medusa looked down at herself, while remembering what Rainbow Dash had told her, "I decccide who I really am....." She hissed to herself. "But who am I?"
And lastly, the golden quote by Ben Parker, 'With great power comes great responsibility, huh?' She thought mentally. The more she thinks about it, the more she begins to realize its meaning.
Soon, Medusa finds herself lost in her thoughts about the Rainbooms and Spike, their friendship, their hospitality, and most of all, their eagerness to help her, whether she understand it or not.
'These girls and their dog,' She thought. 'They're a strange group. But they're good. I just hope I don't regret it.'
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Quite possibly the most well known quote in comic book history, if it's not, then it's certainly the most influential one. We will miss you Stan Lee, wherever you are.
Excelsior!!!!
I love the reference from Stan Lee. Medusa should be happy for the changes the main 7 are doing for them but... I won’t like the fact that she’ll learn that they haven’t been exactly be honest with her about not judging others and helping them. I’m talking about the Sirens
Once more really good job on the exchanges, characterizations and future chapter references. I also adored the respectful nod to the memory of Stan Lee. LOVED Medusa being introduced to super-hero television AND comics as well as her reflections on the Rainbooms and Spike. Plus, Rainbow's admitting that EVERYBODY (including her) has their share of embarrassing stories was both funny AND honest. And, yeah, it IS only a matter of time before Medusa finds out about the Dazzlings (of course, in all fairness, they WERE being judged by their actions FAR more than their appearance).
9681155
I agree with you. They never... Actually Twilight never bother to learn about Sirens themselves, the race itself. They abilities, their lifespan or their way of eating. She only learn of the actions of 3. I bet Starswirl must of piss off a lot of different races for defend themselves. Plus what if Medusa was friends with the Sirens and she must of send them away to protect them from her
Excellent work on this chapter.
Stan Lee was the best… and this phrase too.
And Ranibow Dash, there are moments where she really need to stop talk.
And now the next part is, the new outfit of Medusa!!
Leave it to Stan Lee to leave the world with some quotes most beneficial to living. We may not know who the 'real' Medusa was mainly because she's not willing to share any of the details, only just wanting everyone to assume she's just a monster because she's making herself out to be. True, what Rainbow Dash said nearly ruined the chance of a possible redemption yet still even Fluttershy was not willing to give up on her even if the Gorgon had threatened to turn them to stone (Though to be frank, you can almost tell a 'bluff' when you see one). If Medusa had wanted to turn anyone into stone, she would've done it already because only a 'real' monster would not hesitate to do what they say they are going to do. So in some crazy way, I think Medusa herself is 'wrong' stating she's a monster because 'monsters' NEVER hold back.
The most important lesson to anyone who has a gift
Hey Phantom, got a minute?