Enter the Spider... or Whatever I Am's Web

by Autum Breeze

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

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“Oh, man! I’m so gonna be late!” Will worried aloud as she ran down the street in the direction of school.

After the strange incident with Cornelia’s little sister and the Fold in her bedroom, they’d gone to Kandrakar to speak with The Oracle, hoping he might give them a clue.

He did… but it had only made things more confusing.

Lilian had indeed gone through the Fold to end up in a world populated by talking ponies… and almost all of them were the most garish of pastel colours.

While something had prevented The Oracle from getting a clear vision of the world as well as show it to them in clear detail, they had witnessed both the events Lilian had been involved in as well as the aftermath.

Lilian had arrived and wandered around what was clearly some kind of festival that had been going on at the time, before a large army, led by a pony with a much darker pallet and a broken horn.

Lilian had jumped in the way of someone when a green orb was thrown at them and it had turned her to stone.

Not long after, something that looked like a yeti had taken a white pony hostage and, through a large number of trials and errors, the ponies had gotten some kind of staff away from the yeti and he’d ended up turning himself to stone, falling off a balcony and smashing to pieces.

It had been quite the grim end, a severe contrast to all the brightly coloured equines.

This was all The Oracle had been able to reveal, however, as something was interfering with his ability to see in more detail.

So, sadly, they knew what the world Lilian had ended up in and what had happened prior to her being sent back, but they didn’t know the name of the world nor how the Fold that sent her there to begin with had come from.

From what they’d seen, the ponies were just as surprised to see Lilian and she’d been them, so had had nothing to do with her arrival in their world.

“WAH!” a voice cried out, followed by Will herself as she collided with someone and the two of them went tumbling on the slightly snow covered ground.

Thankfully, with winter heading towards spring, the snow was melting, so she didn’t get too soaked by snow clinging to her sweater and melting on contact, but some still did.

“Not again,” a surprisingly familiar elderly voice said.

Sitting up, Will realized she’d bumped into the same man she had all those weeks ago after Miranda was on Earth.

“Oh, no. I’m so sorry Mr… Runi, was it?” she asked, hurriedly getting up and helping the old man stand.

“Runic,” he answered, patting himself down a bit once standing. “Gregor Runic. And, please, do not worry yourself, my dear. T’was but an accident. Though I do hope this doesn’t become a pattern,” he muttered, though not so quietly Will didn’t hear him.

It was then Will noticed several boxes lying on the ground, clearly dropped.

“I’m so sorry!” she said again, leaning down and picking up one of the boxes, before stacking another atop it with a small amount of difficulty.

“There’s no need for that, child,” Mr. Runic said reassuringly. “I can manage just fine. My granddaughter will be out shortly to help me carry them in anyway. I suppose I was just a little bit too hasty.”

“No, no. that’s totally fine. I want to help,” Will assured, wanting to make up for knocking Mr. Runic over… again.

He regarded her for a moment, Will wondering what it was he was looking at, before he shook his head slightly and smiled. “Very well. Then, follow me, Miss…?”

“Will,” she answered, following him into a white two story house with a small front yard garden.

He led her from the entrance hall to a door on the right.

“Right in here is fine, Miss Will,” Mr. Runic said, indicating to a small corner in the room with a plain brown rug.

Will took the boxes over, lowering them.

As she rose up from her position, Will noticed a small red jewel hanging on the wall.

It wasn’t fancy, rather plain looking, really. However, its simplicity seemed to accentuate its beauty.

It look somewhat like a large red ruby, big as the palm of her hand, embedded into a golden casing, the chain it was hung on looking like gold as well.

“Lustrous, is it not?”

Will started, glancing behind her to see Mr. Runic smiling at her, before indicating to the jewel.

He came over, taking it off the hook the chain hung on and held it out to her. “Take a look. It doesn’t bite.”

Will forced herself to laugh at the bad joke and reached out, putting her hand on the jewel.

The moment she did, she felt a sharp jolt, like a static shook.

She yelped, pulling her hand away.

Mr. Runic gave her a confused look. “Something wrong, my dear?”

“It… it was nothing,” Will said, shaking her hand to get the tingling feeling to go away. “Just a static shock.”

Though, that was odd. She hadn’t actually felt pain from static shocks since her Quintessence powers awakened after the Veil was dropped. She’d forgotten how painful they could be sometimes.

“It is quite old,” Mr. Runic lifted the gem to the light. “It’s called the Flashstone. It is said to have mystical properties.”

“Oh, of course,” Will laughed, conflicted due to being aware magic really exists, but knowing this Flashstone was likely just that, a stone and not wanting to hurt Mr. Runic’s feelings. It probably was an heirloom passed down in his family.

“Well, at least that’s what they say in its homeland,” Mr. Runic laughed, putting the gemstone back on its hook.

“G-grandfather?” a voice called from somewhere outside the room, their voice filled with fear. “I-is someone else in the house?”

Will became rooted to the spot.

That voice. It was filled with fear, something she’d never heard it having earnestly before, but she recognized it immediately.

A gasp from that voice made her whirl around to see a girl standing in the doorway to the room she and Mr. Runic were in, trapped in, she now realized, since there were no other exits from the room.

The girl before them had black hair, freckles and blue eyes that were all too familiar to the Guardian. She was even wearing the same clothes as when they lost her.

Miranda! Will gasped, readying to reach out to the girls mentally, hoping Taranee would be able to pick up her call from here and relay it to the others so they could—

“No need to worry, Morgana,” Mr. Runic said quickly, hurrying over and putting a hand on the girl’s shoulder… which Will suddenly noticed was trembling… and the girl was looking at her with utter terror.

“I… wha?” was all she could manage.

Mr. Runic sighed, pulling the girl closer, her latching onto him instantly. “This is my granddaughter, Morgana. Her parents are usually out on business and I end up looking after her. She was sheltered a lot before, so she’s incredibly nervous around new people. I’m terribly sorry.”

“Oh, n-no need to apologize, Mr. Runic,” Will held up her hands, shaking her head. “It’s not like you could’ve warned her I was going to be here. It was random chance.”

His face seemed to ease slightly and he nodded. “Thank you, Miss Will. Though,” his expression became puzzled, “wasn’t there a reason you accidentally bumped into me, earlier?”

Will blinked for a moment, before her eyes widened with panic. “Crap! I’m gonna be late! Gotta go! Bye!”

She rushed passed the both of them and out the door.

“It’s okay, dear,” he could hear Mr. Runic saying to his granddaughter, his voice fading the further away she got as she shot down the road. “Now, I think we’d better get you to your appointment, yes?”

As she ran down the road, dodging and weaving past passer-by’s, Will thought about what she’d just witnessed.

She’d been so certain that was Miranda at first sound and sight. The two were alarmingly similar.

But, after what she’d just witnessed, it couldn’t be her, could it?

Yes, Miranda had acted friendly in front of Elyon during Phobos’ plan to steal her power and Miranda had easily fooled those detectives who’d been investigating where Elyon had gone after all those months, framing them for her disappearance… but what she’d just seen couldn’t have been Miranda acting.

For one, the absolute fear in her eyes at the sight of Will had been too powerful. Even Miranda was that good an actor.

And then there was Mr. Runic himself. He specifically referred to her as his granddaughter. There was no way he wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between his own granddaughter and an imposter/lookalike. Miranda didn’t have hypnosis or any mind altering powers like that.

Plus, it’s not like someone would’ve agreed to go along with her charade. Well, sure, she could’ve threatened Mr. Runic, but, if that were true, he would’ve shown some sort of sign of worry, either for his life should the truth come out and Miranda make due on her threat and, if he had the guts to keep up such a lie, he wouldn’t have been intimidated by her to begin with.

My head hurts, Will grumbled to herself. Plus, she was really tired suddenly. She hadn’t gotten that bad a night’s sleep, had she? Shed’ felt plenty energized upon waking up and rushing out of bed.

Why was she so tired all of a sudden and now, of all times?

___________________________________________________________

“You really don’t have to join me so often, Bluey,” I say as I jog down the street, the prince trotting quickly beside me.

We’re going through town for my morning run. Bluey usually joins me.

It’s been about two weeks since Pinkie, Rainbow, Daring Do and I were in Somnambula and retrieved the mare of the same name’s blindfold from within the Sphinx’s pyramid and thwarted one of Doctor Caballeron’s plans in the process.

It’s my day off from working on the construction of the School of Friendship, so I’m using that time to explore Canterlot alongside my daily exercise.

“Nonsense, Miranda,” he chuckles, flexing his legs a little to show off the muscle that has formed on them. “I’ve been meaning to get into shape and our regular morning and evening runs have been doing wonders.” He laugh. “Pish posh to the Nobles who think it uncouth for a prince to be toned like a farmer. I take that as a compliment.” He winks. “And Miss Rarity doesn’t seem to mind.”

I shake my head, smiling.

We passed Rarity at her Canterlot Boutique twenty minutes ago and, after clearly jokingly flirting with Blueblood regarding his physic, she mentioned something about Spike sending a scroll saying earlier that morning, saying something about Twilight going with her family on a Zeppelin tour… though he himself is not going, for some reason.

The purple drake is pretty much her son. Why doesn’t he get to go when the rest of his family does?

I’m suddenly yanked from my inner musings by the ground shaking, causing us to halt in place, glancing around.

A second later, screams start erupting from Restaurant Row up ahead and a very familiar roar comes the same direction. Well, familiar to me, a fan of the show, anyway.

We look to each other, before rushing forward.

We round the corner, only for myself to shove Blueblood to the right, us narrowly avoiding a café table that smashes where we’d been seconds before.

A large bear-like creature with a star on its forehead is stomping around Restaurant Row, swiping at ponies that come to near and smashing into buildings and tables, wrecking everything in sight.

“What in Equestria is an Ursa Minor doing all the way here in Canterlot?” Blueblood cries out what I’m thinking.

I suddenly have a sinking feeling and leap onto a nearby wall, climbing up as quickly as possible and scanning Canterlot as best I can, breathing a sigh of relief when I don’t see what I know the Ursa Majors look like.

“Mummy’s not here,” I call as I leap down, landing next to the stallion. “Luckily, this little one seems to be here of its own accord.” I frown, rubbing my chin. “Though why is another matter entirely.”

“Either way, we need to stop it, before it destroys all of Restaurant Row,” Blueblood says, quickly levitating the table the almost hit us earlier to shield us from another.

I glance around quickly, before noticing several table cloths laying around, thrown off their tables during the baby star bear’s rampage.

“Gather all of those table cloths,” I say, indicating to several of them. “I have an idea.” Though whether it’s a good one or not, we’ll have to wait and see.

He nods and we gather as many cloths as we can, regrouping once we’ve got a decent number.

Moving quickly, using my webbing, I combine the cloths all together until they’re one massive sheet.

“What’s the plan here?” Blueblood asks as he levitates the massive cloth.

I indicate to a nearby archway, maybe just big enough for the Ursa Minor to fit through. “Hang the cloth loosely over that archway. I’ll lure it over and we’ll swaddle it up. Hopefully, that might be enough to give it pause, calm down and take a nap.”

“Then we can arrange for it to be returned to the Everfree Forest,” he nods, taking the cloth and hurrying towards the archway.

Sighing, I turn and run towards the still rampaging giant baby.

Sorry, little big guy, I think as I close the distance between us, moving towards its rear right-leg. This is gonna hurt you far more than it does me.

I reach its foot, my small size (and severe lack of obviously noticeable pastel colours) clearly having meant it didn’t notice me and, pulling back my arm, thrust forward, delivering a punch to its foot.

At once, it howls in pain, before whirling around to face me, snarling.

“Step one, clear,” I murmur, before turning tail and making a beeline for the archway, the Ursa Minor hot on my heels.

Suddenly, all that unnecessarily excising day in and day out are really paying off, as I’m barely keeping ahead of the giant baby despite its far larger steps.

“Bluey, is it ready?” I yell.

I can see the cloth, but whether it’s properly in place is another matter altogether.

“Best as can be!” Blueblood’s voice calls from behind it.

Waiting til I’m several feet away from the now covered archway, I spit web up towards one of the nearest towers and yank myself upwards, grabbing onto a spire and clinging to the wall.

The Ursa Minor, confused by my sudden movement, turning its head to follow, doesn’t see the large cloth and runs right into it, causing it to fall and, as it loses its footing, wrapping all around it, its head the only thing pocking out.

There’s a sudden stillness in the air as we wait, watching its bewildered expression.

After a few moments, its face softens, its eyes drooping and it falls asleep.

You can literally hear the sigh of relief all around Canterlot as I slide down to the ground again, joining the crowd of ponies gathering around the sleeping baby star bear.

“That was quick thinking there, Miranda,” Blueblood looks to me as I’m resting my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath.

“How truly pathetic.”

The shock of the voice stuns me enough to not be able to react in time before a glob of webbing slams into me, sticking me to a nearby wall.

Everypony turns to see what I know as Miranda’s spider form.

I just stare, my eyes widening as I take in the form that I used to be able to take.

“Wh-what is that… thing?!” a mare in the crowd yells.

Spider Miranda just laughs. “The superior lifeform.”

I just stare both angered and horrified. “So, he really did it. That Gregor guy not only made an Astral Drop of me, but he somehow turned you into an Altemere!”

“Correct,” she laughs again, before looking disgusted. “Being a copy of myself is quite degrading when you’re using my real body like that.” She sneers. “Though, I’d say my… compensation more than makes up for it.”

Compensation?

She laughs, lifting up her right hand, revealing, on her ring finger…

My gut drops in pure dread. “The Mystic Mage’s ring?!”

“The same,” she nods. “Father is very good at retrieving useful artefacts.”

With that, she turns around, thrusting her arm down, a Fold opening.

I struggle against my bindings, trying frantically to get free.

Miranda turns back, smiling as she takes on her human form, wearing the clothes she always wore when Phobos was ruling Meridian, causing everypony present to gasp. “So long, Miranda. Til we meet again.”

Yelling, I pull even hard, ripping myself free from the webs and rush towards her.

She leaps through the Fold, it closing behind her, my hand grabbing thin air.

There’s silence, broken only by the sounds of the sleeping star bear.

I feel everypony staring at me, my own eyes fixed on the point where my hand had just missed my evil doppelganger.

There’s a Miranda Altermere, with the Mage’s ring?

That is a nightmare just waiting to happen.

But… something else she said worries me, deeply.

She mentioned she got compensation for my getting her real body while hers is a copy… but, as worrying as that is, it’s what she said after.

Father is very good at retrieving useful artefacts.

Father? Who in the world is Miranda’s father?!

Author's Note:

This is a surprise, huh?

Normally, i don't try to write on workdays once i get home, as it can take quite a while and, it's not exactly relaxing after work to try writing a whole chapter, but i really felt the need to do this chapter after i gave you all such a lack luster one last time (though, oddly enough, with less words).

and, to clarify, i've simply put the events of Once Upon A Zeppelin before Health of Information's events. Mage Meadowbrook's Mask is still yet to be retrieved.

So, thing's are getting more confusing and worrying all at once.

Mr. Runic has a granddaughter who looks and sounds exactly like Miranda? Is this just coincidence, or were Will's instincts right on the money?

And Will felt tired again after speaking with him? Why? And why did she feel a shock from the jewel Mr. Runic showed her when she touched it?

The Miranda Astral Drop has indeed become an Altemere, just as Miranda had feared. Though, how? How could Gregor have possily found a way to instil life into an Astral Drop the same way Nerissa had to both Will's Astral Drop and Yan Lin's Astral Drop, Meera?

What could the compensation Miranda's Altemere was talking about possibly mean? What is she going to do with the Mage's ring?

You'll have to wait and see.

I don't know if i'll do another chapter after work tomorrow (not very likely), so you might have to wait a while to see where this goes.

Just know, things are going to get crazy once WITCH find Miranda.

Maybe you've figured it out, maybe you haven't. either way, look forward to what i have in store.

It's almost 10pm now, so i'm gonna stop here.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter and, til next time, stay safe, stay clean and goodnight everybody

Comments

[Asolem2]

“It is quite old,” Mr. Runic lifted the gem to the light. “It’s called the Flashstone. It is said to have mystical properties.”

...I'm sorry what

Why was she so tired all of a sudden and now, of all times?

Cause you touched something you probably shouldn't have

Spider Miranda just laughs. “The superior lifeform.”

And the ugliest one around

Miranda turns back, smiling as she takes on her human form, causing everypony present to gasp. “So long, Miranda . Til we meet again.”

...did you seriously just come here to gloat/monolog?

Father? Who in the world is Miranda’s father?!

Good question, Gregor called the Miranda lookalike his "granddaughter" so for some reason I'm not as suspicious of him as I would have thought... could rather easily be wrong though