• Published 29th May 2022
  • 4,831 Views, 390 Comments

Ultimate Spiders and Magic: Episode IV "Friendship Games" - Maximus_Reborn



The Friendship Games are set to begin, and figments from Peter's past resurface in the form of Crystal Prep's Twilight Sparkle and Abacus Cinch. Meanwhile, Sunset Shimmer struggles to find her meaning and place in the world. Let the games begin!

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Ch. 4 "Crossroads"

Chapter Four “Crossroads”

Peter and Twilight stared at the adults for what seemed like an eternity, their expressions of shock and disbelief. The other students of both Canterlot High and Crystal Prep remained oblivious, sharing passing glances. Yet, Octavious and Cinch remained stoic as they approached each other. The air in the vicinity grew thick, making the simple act of breathing difficult. Once mere inches from each other, Otto extended his hand, and Cinch responded in kind, accepting the gesture.

“It has been quite some time. You seem well,” Octavious stated, managing a smile while lightening his hold on her hand.

Ever prude, Cinch huffed before pulling her hand away and straightening her posture. “So, this is where you scurried off to? I must say that I’m surprised. It’s rather… small and undervalued for one with your level of talent.”

Octavious grinned, straightening his glasses with a finger. “I prefer the term quaint. Besides, there are diamonds to be found in the rough.” He paused, placing a hand over Peter and Twilight’s shoulders respectively. “Case in point, these two are absolutely brilliant.”

Cinch smirked, grabbing Twilight by the arm before turning her around with her hands placed over both her shoulders. “On that, we agree. I should have known you would attempt to snatch my pupil from underneath my grasp. Quite the underhanded tactic. I always knew you had it in you. Just like Norman.”

Huffing, Otto frowned. “Please, refrain from comparing me to him.”

Sobering, the woman lowered her line of sight and centered her gaze on the boy by Otto’s side. “Relax, dear. I’m simply admiring that ambition you keep in check. I’m just more surprised to see you have recruited Mister Parker into your ranks. He was quite unruly and unfocused under my watch.”

Twilight nodded, poking her lips out. “Exactly.”

Chuckling, Octavious crossed his arms. “I was tempted to believe that. My first assumption of young Parker was that he was brilliant but lazy.”

Bemused, Peter glanced to the side with a blank stare. “I’m standing right here. Thanks, Doc.”

Cinch frowned at the young man before arching a brow at Octavious. “He’s as unrefined as ever. Clearly, you haven’t taught him your sense of etiquette.”

Otto placed a hand over his mouth and cleared his throat. “While Parker is unorthodox, I believe he is quite charming when you get to know him more. From personal experience, I’ve learned that there is far more to the boy than meets the eye. As his mentor, the best I can do is push his strengths while overcoming his weaknesses. The same goes for Miss Sparkle. I can tell she’s felt your harsh influence.”

“Mind your tongue, Otto. My students are disciplined and know their place. With a tighter leash, I could take Peter Parker to the stars,” Cinch stated, easing Twilight to the side while taking a step towards her old colleague. As she brushed a hand through her violet hair, the woman narrowed her gaze. “This is exactly what held you back at Oscorp, Otto. You always compromised yourself behind your ideals instead of seeing the task through to the end.”

Peter blinked, glancing to the side. “Oscorp…”

Otto inhaled deeply before sighing, frowning. “Those days are of an old life… for both of us.”

“Indeed. We are here to perform at our usual standard and win the Friendship Games,” Cinch declared, walking past Otto and Peter with Twilight in tow. She paced onward before eventually coming to a halt, raising her hand. All of her students reacted accordingly and gathered around her position. “Crystal Prep. Until the field is ready, I urge you to go to the gymnasium and prepare yourselves. We start in an hour. You are dismissed.”

Each of the students departed, breaking off into groups before heading for a shared destination. Twilight followed suit, entering Canterlot through the main door, but she stopped once the spectrometer around her neck hummed to life, emitting a neon light. The girl took hold of the item before holding it out like a compass, walking in the direction it pointed. Meanwhile, Cinch shared one final glance with Octavious, straightening her posture while exiting the vicinity. Otto followed the woman’s movements with a stern gaze behind his shades, inhaling deeply before exhaling.

Peter leaned over with a finger and brow raised, poking the side of the older man’s arm. “So, are you going to explain what that was about?”

Stammering about, Otto glanced to the side and removed his shades momentarily. “Right. Well, as you can tell, Abacus Cinch and myself have a history.”

“You mean Abby?” Peter whispered as the corner of his lips curled into a coy grin, causing Otto’s face to burn to a bright shade of pink. The young man could only shrug in response. “I’m just more surprised you two knew each other and that you both worked at Oscorp.”

The good doctor hastily wiped his shades clean before placing them back over his face. “Yes. Well, we were younger then. Just two upstarts sharing their beliefs after having graduated from college together with a shared goal in mind: to lend our intellect to the benefit of mankind.” Sobering, Otto grimaced. “It was when we joined Oscorp that our beliefs came at a crossroad.”

Peter’s brow furrowed. “What happened?”

Slow to respond as his eyes softened, Otto straightened his dark glasses. “A lengthy tale for another day. I can summarize saying that our ideologies simply did not coincide. I firmly believed in the benefit of mankind while maintaining firm moral principles while Abacus wanted to fill her scientific curiosity at any cost necessary.”

“Doc, your ideals are exactly why I love your work and consider it an honor to be by your side,” Peter retorted, nodding. “You’re a humanitarian. You help people without compromising your morals.”

Otto’s eyes softened before he placed a hand over Peter’s shoulder. “Thank you. That’s kind of you to believe. One’s legacy is important, and I’m grateful to have left something of an impact.” Sobering, he shook his head and huffed. “Needless to say, Abacus and I had our share of disagreements. It’s actually quite similar to the dynamic you and Twilight Sparkle share.”

“Is that why you left Oscorp?” Peter questioned, narrowing his gaze.

Otto nodded, crossing his arms. “Indeed. While I can’t speak for Abacus, I left Oscorp years ago due to wanting to uphold my principles, seeing how they were drifting down a darker path under its current CEO. After what happened to Ms. Spitfire, I can see my intuition was correct.”

Peter glanced to the side, cupping his chin in his hand. “Yeah. That’s the vibe. I just wonder why Principal Cinch quit Oscorp.” Blinking as if a realization came into mind, the young man arched a brow as he shifted his gaze back to his professor. “Hold on. You said Twilight and I are similar to you and Principal Cinch? Don’t tell me that’s why you recruited us both.”

“Yes and no. I recognize the potential you both have, and I believe you two can bring out the best in each other with a moderator watching over you,” Otto stated, pausing to alternate his gaze about as if he was searching for something. “However, I do fear that young Twilight is bound to repeat Abby’s mistakes without the proper guidance. Her scientific curiosity may get the better of her.”

Shrugging, Peter grumbled under his breath. “I don’t see it, Doc. As far as I know, she just hates me, and nothing’s going to change that.”

“Twilight simply finds your approach lackadaisical and infuriating. I consulted with her to take a more relaxed approach if possible rather than just pushing forward without a second thought,” Otto calmly replied, cupping his chin in the palm of a hand. “She seemed to have considered the notion.”

Stammering, Peter blankly stared at the man. “Dude! I tried that too, and she nearly bit my head off about it. Why does she listen to you but not me? I mean, I get you’re a charming guy, but what gives, Doc?”

A bead of sweat trailed down Otto’s cheek as he shook his head. “A lesson, my boy. Women hold men to what are deemed ‘expectations’, and I fear you failed to reach Twilight’s.”

Peter raised his hands defensively. “How?! I didn’t even do anything.”

Otto simply nodded. “My boy. That is the rule of nature. You will come to understand that men are simply doomed to fail when it comes to pleasing the other sex. We simply are incapable of reaching their set standards, no matter how hard we try, and they are incapable of relaying their message to us in a simple way.”

“So… women make no sense?” Peter dryly murmured, his brow twitching.

Otto placed a hand over Peter’s shoulder, nodding. “To us? Yes, but women understand themselves and hate each other for it.”

Peter glanced off to the side with a weary expression. “Women are scary.”

Otto cleared his throat and smiled lightly. “Indeed, but don’t give up, my boy. Life teaches you a lesson every day, if you are attentive enough in the class of life.” He took a step back, beginning to depart before glancing at the young man from the corner of his eye. “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. A quote by Thomas Edison. Perhaps mingle with some of your old cohorts? But for now, I must return to the lab. Your unique bloodwork could yield fantastic results.”

The older man exited the vicinity soon after, leaving Peter to his thoughts. As an uncertain expression graced his features, he could only chuckle inwardly. “Doc is always so optimistic. I can really use that.” Shifting his gaze skyward, Peter let out a defeated sigh before catching sight of many students approaching the football field. He followed the masses with his shoulders slumped. “I guess I’ll check things out in the gym before I go find a seat.”

Soon, everyone had left the sanctions of the courtyard. However, Twilight walked back outside with her spectrometer in hand, never averting her narrowed, violet gaze from its glowing surface. “There it is again. A huge electromagnetic signature is in the area, but where? What’s causing it?”

A pair of students walked past the girl, each gesturing a wave and smile. “Hi, Twilight,” one gently stated, pointing a thumb in the direction of the field. “Hope to see you at the games.”

Twilight blinked, tilting her head to the side at the comment before frowning. “And why is everyone here acting like they know me?” She shifted in place, extending the device out until she reached the equestrian statue at the center of the area. “Doesn’t matter. I just know there’s a connection between Spider-Man and the electromagnetic anomalies plaguing the area. I’ll have to keep investigating.”

Meanwhile, Sunset walked into the area completely oblivious to Twilight’s presence as she somberly stole a glance at her diary. “Still no reply. I wonder what’s going on with Twilight?” She steadily approached the other side of the statue, placing her hand over the mirror as a faint smile graced her features. “Maybe there’s another way to reach her…”

Suddenly, the spectrometer levitated from Twilight’s grasp and pulled itself towards the statue. Crimson and golden sparkling energies twisted from Sunset’s hand, spinning into the statue as she attempted to pry herself free. On the other side, Twilight reached out and managed to grab the device as it glued itself to the statue, all while magical energies spiraled into its surface. Eventually, the spectacle ceased, prompting the spectrometer to drop back harmlessly around the girl’s neck. Both girls snapped back, falling to the ground simultaneously, and they both peeked up, their eyes widening as they finally noticed each other.

“What did you do?” Sunset questioned, pulling herself back to a standing position.

Just as Twilight managed to force herself to her feet, Cadence emerged from the bus with a clipboard in hand. “Twilight. I need you to check in with the others.”

Blinking, Twilight stared at her device with an intense narrowed gaze briefly before shutting it completely. She quickly ran off as Sunset reached out, retreating back into the confines of the school. An awkward silence filled the air as the red-haired girl glanced in her direction, but she eventually brushed those thoughts to the side. However, Sunset inhaled sharply once her hand brushed against the statue and nothing transpired. She repeated the process to no avail, frantically tapping her hands against the stone’s smooth surface.

“Where’s the portal?” Sunset exclaimed, her complexion growing pale. “Where’s the portal?!


“What do you mean you’re leaving?” Twilight asked, watching as Peter emptied his locker. She straightened her glasses as he fumbled out, stomping out of frustration. “Principal Cinch just said that you scored the highest SAT results in Crystal Prep’s history! She wants to make you her personal apprentice! How can you say no to that?”

Peter snorted, easing another folder into his backpack before lowering his head. “I don’t really care about that. I just… I don't like her approach, and I don’t fit in here.” He glanced at the girl from the corner of his eye, frowning. “I’m transferring right away, and I don’t know where. Apparently, I’ll find out tomorrow.”

Sugarcoat walked up to the pair with her arms crossed, bemused. “Heard you were about to leave. It’s a shame.”

However, just as she opened her mouth to speak further, a freckled girl with yellow skin and pink hair with a blue highlight approached, smiling sweetly. “Sure! You’re leaving just in time!” She trailed off, her expression snapping to that of anger instantly. “Fly off on your golden parachute, while we pay the price!”

Taken aback, Peter raised his hands defensively. “Whoa. Hyde and Jekyll much? What are you talking about?”

Sugarcoat slid a hand out, easing her friend back before shifting her gaze back to Peter. “What Sour Sweet is trying to say is that you set a new bar here at Crystal Prep.”

Two more girls approached, stepping past Twilight before surrounding Peter. One with blue skin, violet eyes, and multiple shades of purple hair eased forth with an arched brow. “Sorry, dearie. I can’t say that we appreciate the idea of you running off. School was challenging enough before you showed up.”

“Just say it like it is, Sunny Flare!” the last girl interjected, her voice carrying throughout the hall with a crack. She bore amber eyes and a short blue hairstyle, even doning lightning symbols on her boots. Once Peter pulled himself to a vertical stance, she folded her arms aggressively. “Principal Cinch was already starting to come down on us harder because of the teacher’s pet, but now, she’s upped the ante threefold! The least you can do is stick around for the aftermath!”

Fixing her pink glasses, Sugarcoat huffed. “Dial it back, Indigo. Your forehead is getting wrinkly.” All of the girls straightened their posture, each shooting a glare at Peter as they passed. However, Sugarcoat paused before shrugging. “Wish you were sticking around. I always thought you were cute, in a geeky way.”

Blissfully unaware, Peter gestured a wave once the squadron of girls departed the scene. However, like lightning to a rod, his brain chimed in well after the fact. “Wait. Did she just–?” Snapping back to reality, Peter turned to the side and shared a glance with Twilight. She simply stared at him while he took hold of his backpack. After the young man slid the straps around his shoulders, he sheepishly extended a hand. “Thanks for showing me around. Maybe I’ll see you around one day?”

“See you around? That’s it? You’re in your own little world, and you still don’t get it!” Twilight growled, slapping Peter’s hand away before turning sharply. “Never have I met such wasted potential! I just wish you cared half as much about your studies as you did yourself! Maybe then, you and I could have–!”

As if catching herself, Twilight ran before Peter could hope to question her. He stood, alternating his gaze between the direction the girl took and the exit door. He reached out, ready to pursue Twilight, but Peter inhaled deeply before sighing, proceeding to walk towards Crystal Prep’s main door. Casting any doubts to the side, the young man never lifted his gaze while stepping into the free world.

Meanwhile, Twilight reached her closet and slammed the door behind her. Spike emerged from her backpack with his ears perked, pausing once his owner slid to the ground position with her knees pulled to her chest. The dog sniffed, managing to position himself onto her lap, and she responded in kind, pulling him into a tight embrace. She could only bury her face into Spike’s fur, sobbing uncontrollably.


“What do you mean the portal’s gone?” Applejack questioned, arching a brow as she and her friends progressed towards the gymnasium. A banner labeled ‘Welcome, Crystal Prep’ hung over the door while students of both schools continued to enter the room. “Did it really just vanish?”

Sunset reached the door with a glare in her eye, pausing to face the others.“I mean it’s gone and disappeared. Trust me. I tried to open it, and nothing happened.”

Everyone shared a concerned gaze while coming to a halt. Rainbow Dash raised a hand objectively. “How did that happen?”

Shaking her head, Sunset let out a low sigh before she pointed across the room. “I don’t know, but it has something to do with that Twilight.” While students of both Canterlot High and Crystal Prep mingled (albeit weakly), Twilight clumsily bumped into various objects as she watched her spectrometer. Sunset narrowed her gaze and clenched her hand into a fist with a sense of determination. “Leave this to me.”

Rarity nodded. “Be gentle, dear. I know you will handle this with class and–”

“Hey, Twilight!” Sunset barked, stomping towards the girl. “What have you been up to?!”

Twilight stammered about, nearly dropping her device and glasses, but she managed to recollect herself, chuckingly sheepishly. “Oh, nothing! I’m just… Uh…”

“Who wants to know?!” Indigo spat out, stepping between the pair while glaring intently at Sunset. “If you know what’s good for you, back off.”

Folding her arms, Sunset remained still and held a glare of her own. However, Rainbow Dash smirked before pointing a thumb at her chest. “How about you show us what’s good then?”

As Twilight took the opportunity to quietly step away, Applejack raised her hands defensively while stepping between everyone. “All right. Let’s settle down. We don’t wanna get too competitive before the games even start.”

Sugarcoat rolled her eyes and scoffed. “The games aren’t really competitive, since we’ve never lost.”

Fluttershy’s gaze fell to the side as she stood with her arms folded. “Well, that’s not a very nice thing to say.”

As both sides delved deeper into their argument, the door to the gymnasium opened once again, and Peter dumbly walked in with his phone in hand, unaware of the brewing situation. However, all of Crystal Prep ceased upon noticing his existence, all of the girls shifting their gazes away from the Rainbooms. In turn, all of the Canterlot students mirrored their actions and frowned upon spotting the young man as he continued to peck away at his phone. Oblivious, Peter’s brow furrowed while he completed another puzzle, stopping in his tracks momentarily.

“I need a new app. I feel like I’ve played the crap out of Mind-Sweeper, and– Why am I in danger?” he blurted out, blinking as his cranium buzzed. Eventually, Peter caught sight of his surroundings and could only exhale upon noticing what felt like the entire world staring him down. His brow twitched as the hairs on his arms stood on end. “Oh. That’s why. Social danger. Great. I really prefer the physical danger. Blunt force trauma? No problem. Accelerated healing has that covered. Being the biggest loser in school history in two programs? That’s the stuff that gives someone Vietnam flashbacks.” he grumbled inwardly, sliding his phone into his pocket before weakly gesturing a wave after what felt like an eternity. “Hi, everyone.”

Sour Sweet pointed aggressively at the young man. “You’ve got to be kidding! It’s you!”

Peter shrugged, grinning nervously. “Yeah, it’s me.”

Indigo Zap furrowed her brow, alternating her gaze between Peter and Rainbow Dash. “I see you’ve pulled this dweeb into your ranks.”

“Wow,” Peter mumbled, holding a bemused glare.

Waving her hand dismissively, Rainbow Dash shook her head and scoffed. “No way. This guy isn’t with us. We just found out he used to be with you. Take him back for all we care.”

“Wow!” Peter exclaimed, holding out a hand in disbelief.

Rarity rolled her eyes, stealing a glance at Sunny Flare. “He’s a bit too rude for us… Something you share in abundance.”

Sunny arched a brow, placing her hands over her hips. “Are you sure he’s not picking up bad habits from you? Birds of a feather flock together, after all.”

Wow!” Peter yelled louder, his brow twitching as all in the immediate vicinity simultaneously insulted and dismissed his presence. Both parties continued to throw insults at him, prompting Peter to casually remove himself from the center of the room. He could only grumble incoherently, stomping away in a huff. “There’s the stinger. I was right. Both sides suck.”

“So, this is the hole you crawled into!” a voice boasted from behind, causing everyone to turn in their direction. A tall male with pale yet fair skin entered the abode, brushing a hand through his long, luscious blonde hair, and his large blue eyes narrowed while his lips curled into a coy smile. He wore a Crystal Prep vest and uniform, straightening the decorative flower in his pocket. Everyone paused once he walked up to Peter, towering over his frame. “I thought I recognized you when we pulled up.”

“Who’s he supposed to be?” Applejack whispered, arching a brow.

Sunny Flare scoffed, staring intently at the girl. “Are you serious? That’s Prince Blueblood. He comes from one of the richest families in the nation, and he’s one of Crystal Prep’s greatest students!”

Rarity frowned, tapping a foot impatiently while her face twisted with disgust. “He’s also one of the most entitled and selfish boys I have ever met!” Everyone stopped, each glancing at the girl’s outburst, and Rarity cleared her throat, hastily brushing the wrinkles from her skirt. “At least, so I hear.”

The air thinned, making the simple act of breathing difficult as Blueblood glared down Peter with an unreadable expression. Everyone carefully watched the pair from both sides, neither faltering, as if a storm was about to erupt at any moment. However, all hints of darkness on Blueblood’s face dissipated as bright warmth filled his features. His mouth curled into a wide smile once he reached out, wrapping his arms around Peter’s body. Blueblood playfully brushed his face against the smaller boy’s, tightening his hold with the strength of a playful bear. Students from both Canterlot High and Crystal stood slack-jawed, unsure of what to make of the spectacle as Peter struggled in his grasp and flailed helplessly.

“My friend!” Blueblood cheered, unable to contain his laughter. “I’m so happy to see you again!”

Peter strained, attempting to free an arm, to no avail. “Good seeing you too, Double B.”

Rarity’s eye twitched before she inhaled deeply and let out a low sigh. “I knew that boy was bad news from the start.” She turned to face Sunset while pointing a finger at the pair. “I warned you that he associates with ruffians and miscreants. Do you need any more proof than this?”

Blinking, Sunset arched a brow. “What do you mean? This looks innocent enough.”

“Um,” Fluttershy stammered, easing closer to Sunset until she was in whispering range. “Rarity had a really bad incident with him last year. She’s still very… sore about it.”

Just before the conversation could hope to continue, a loud tapping echoed throughout the gymnasium. Peter flinched, clutching at his ears, and the other students turned to the source, finding Cinch at the center of the stage. Those from Crystal Prep walked to the opposite end of the gym from those of Canterlot, giving their principal their undivided attention. Meanwhile, Twilight crawled underneath the bleacher before coming to a halt.

The spectrometer suddenly flipped open, causing a portal to materialize into existence while energy spiraled about wildly. The girl paused, peeking at the forest behind the portal, and a stomp sent tremors through the earth, knocking Twilight down by proxy. She quickly grabbed her device and closed it shut, causing the portal to dissipate from sight. Fortunately, no one seemed to have noticed the incident, allowing Twilight to slip free through the main door.

Slowly but surely, Pinkie weakly staggered to her friends with bags underneath her eyes and shoulders slumped. “Hi, guys!”

Taken aback, Applejack placed a hand over her shoulder with a softened gaze. “Pinkie! What happened to ya? You look run down.”

Pinkie shook her head and shrugged. “I don’t know. I was trying to get everyone to party and ponied up, but then, the magic just drained right out of me when Twilight came by.”

Sunset raised a brow. “Did you say drained?” She glanced at her surroundings before shifting. “Hold on. Where is Twilight?”

Principal Cinch cleared her throat, removing her glasses while pausing to polish them with a cloth. “I would like to thank Principal Celestia for her unconventional welcome. It’s been four years since the last Friendship Games, but it feels as if nothing has changed.” As every student continued to turn their attention to the woman, Peter rolled his eyes and exited the vicinity with a bemused glare. Blueblood followed his compatriot while Cinch continued, folding her arms behind her back. “Canterlot continues to pick their competitors through a popularity contest, while Crystal Prep picks their top twelve students. It is a comfort to know that even after so many years of losses, Canterlot stays committed to its ideals… however misguided they may be.”

While each student watched, a cloaked individual peeked his head from behind the bleachers as Cinch continued her speech. He narrowed his hazel gaze on the woman before analyzing his surroundings. His dark blue uniform bore that of a spider emblem on his chest, and he slid a golden shield onto his back, its icon bearing that of a sun. A buzzing coursed through his cranium before his eyes widened at a realization. Brushing a hand across his beard, the man paused upon reaching the door while turning his attention to the stage. His gaze softened upon settling on Vice-Principal Luna as she stood with her arms crossed.

The man’s hardened features dissolved, evident by the warm smile on his face while he pushed through the gym’s double doors. “She’s beautiful here, too.”

Meanwhile, Cinch smugily grinned. “I wish you all the best of luck, in spite of the inevitable outcome.”

To be continued…