Ch. 6 "The Friendship Games"
Chapter Six “The Friendship Games”
“All I did was hand Twilight a bunny, and I just ponied up,” Fluttershy whispered, shrugging her shoulders as she walked alongside her compatriots.
Sunset crossed her arms and frowned. “I just don’t get it. Rarity’s magic came out when she made us outfits, Pinkie’s came out when she started the party, and now, Fluttershy with her pet?” She paused, tapping her finger against her forearm impatiently. “Something’s causing our magic to appear, but I still can’t figure out how or why.”
Fluttershy held out a hand before placing it over her own chest. “What’s even weirder is that Twilight’s pendant thing pulled the magic right out of me. I couldn’t even stand up.”
“Like me at the party!” Pinkie eagerly stated, resting a forearm over Fluttershy’s shoulder.
“Or me right before we met Twilight,” Rarity declared, sharing a glance with the pink-haired girl. “I’m just glad you are okay, darling. You picked quite a place to collapse.” Trailing off, Rarity’s brow furrowed upon settling on her friend’s unusually wide smile while she hummed inwardly. “That matter aside, I must say that you are in quite good spirits in spite of what happened. May I ask why that is?”
Fluttershy’s eyes widened at the statement before she cleared her throat, shrinking back into place. “N-Nothing happened. I just met my friend again right before I talked with Twilight.”
“Your friend? Do you mean–?” A glint flashed in Rarity’s bright blue eyes as she snapped towards Fluttershy in a flash of motion, smiling widely. “It was that boy again, wasn’t it?! You spoke with him again?!” Blinking as if a realization came into mind, the girl narrowed her gaze and raised a finger dramatically. “You’ve been awfully secretive about him. Why must you be so tight-lipped about him? We’re friends, aren’t we?!” Rarity whined, pacing in place dramatically while waving her hands to the side. She leaned forth, fluttering her eyes weepingly. “We still don’t know his name or what he looks like. The devil is in the details! Please share something, darling!”
Applejack huffed. “Stop brow-beating her, Rarity. If Fluttershy wants to share, she will. It’s her secret to hold. We should respect that.”
Raising a finger, Rainbow Dash nodded. “I’m curious, too, but she must have a reason, if she’s keeping it close to her chest.”
Clearing her throat, Rarity straightened her posture before huffing. “It goes without saying that I am curious, but I’m also speaking out of concern! It’s not like our darling Fluttershy to be so secretive! I’d be a terrible friend if I didn’t show a little care! However, you girls are right, and I will yield for now.”
Sunset managed a smile as her face burned slightly. “I understand, Fluttershy. I had a great talk with my friend as well.”
Taken aback, Rarity’s neck twisted so hard it nearly dislocated itself from her shoulders. She rushed over to the redhead, clapping her hands tightly together. “All of these secrets! Please tell me you are referring to Flash!”
Waving a hand dismissively, Rainbow shrugged. “Boy, are you behind. Sunset’s been swooning over that dorky dude lately, Rarity.”
Rarity’s eyes widened momentarily before she shook her head. “Oh, that’s right.” Glancing to the side, the girl’s face twisted as she gritted her teeth and twisted the ends of her hair in her hands. “That ruffian who somehow befriended that pompous Blueblood. The sooner I forget the better!”
Sunset shook her head, sobering while raising her hands defensively. “It’ll have to wait, Rarity. We have a bigger problem. It sounds like Twilight’s stealing magic.”
Applejack hummed as a skeptical expression formed on her face. “Ah don’t know. Twilight doesn’t seem like the magic-stealing type.”
“Maybe, but she was there right before the portal vanished. I’m beginning to think she may have taken the magic from there, too,” Sunset firmly interjected, lifting her gaze. “It has something to do with that pendant.”
“How?” Fluttershy innocently questioned, tilting her head to the side.
Slow to respond, Sunset’s demeanor softened as her shoulders lowered. “I don’t know. To make matters worse, the only pony, person, or princess that can help is out of reach now, and there’s nothing I can do to stop this. I just feel so useless.”
Huffing, Applejack straightened her posture. “Stop thinking like that. We can’t always go to Twilight when something goes wrong. Maybe it’s time we started walking on our own feet?”
Rarity placed her hands over her hips, nodding. “Applejack’s right darling. You’re doing your best, and I’m sure that Twilight would be proud of you for it.”
Smirking, Rainbow Dash shared a nod with everyone around her. “For now, let’s just focus on beating the Shadowbolts.” Once they eventually reached the nearest exit door, Rainbow turned to face her friends with a smug grin. “As long as we’re on an even playing field, we’ve got nothing to worry about!”
Pausing, Applejack’s eyes widened as she pointed behind Rainbow Dash. “We’re on a playing field alright.”
The girls took in the environment with their mouths agape, eyeing the massive ramps positioned over large piles of dirt. At the center of field stood an archery stand as well as various obstacles scattered throughout the course. The entire field’s space had been taken up, and the students steadily filled the stands to capacity. The girls could only stand in awe, slack-jawed at the transformed scenery.
Sunset freed herself from her self-induced trance before glancing at her compatriots. “Am I the only one who thinks this is overkill?” Pausing, Sunset’s brow furrowed upon catching sight of a duo at the foot of the stands. She momentarily parted and eased in their direction, blinking upon recognizing the hint of blue and violet. Both girls were garbed in matching cheerleader attire, bearing a ‘C’ emblem over their chest. “Trixie? Aria?”
Trixie’s eyes widened before she turned, nodding while shaking the blue pom-poms in her grasp. “Ah, Sunset Shimmer! You are just in time to witness our greatest triumph!” She hoisted a hand high over her head before shifting into a pose with her knees bent. “The Great and Powerful Trixie’s cheers will resonate with you and lead Canterlot to victory!”
Inhaling deeply before sighing, Aria rolled her eyes once Sunset glanced in her direction. “Don’t you dare look at me like that. For the record, I didn’t have a choice. Parker abandoned me, and she wouldn’t shut up until I joined.”
The corner of Sunset’s lips curled into a coy smirk. “I can tell. You’re so festive.”
Aria glared at the redhead, the pom-poms crunching in protest under her tightening grasp. “Why, you…”
“Sorry, I’m late!” a voice declared from behind, causing everyone to glance in the direction of the source. Ditzy soon tumbled forth, managing to come to a halt. However, Trixie’s face twisted upon glancing at the crimson pom-poms her friend held before her eyes widened at an unsavory sight. Ditzy’s uniform contrasted against theirs, consisting of a white, blue, and red style. Most stunning of all was the emblem at the center of her chest, being that of an emblem of Spider-Man’s face. After what seemed like an eternity, Ditzy bounced in place and obliviously grinned while sharing a glance with her friends. “What?”
Trixie’s brow lowered, shifting her bewildered gaze into a sharp glare. “You bumbling klutz! What is that?! What did you do to my beautiful uniform?!”
Ditzy’s smile only grew. “Do you like it? I had it made on the off chance that Spidey happens to show up!”
Donning a large frown, Aria blankly stared at the blonde. “I do not know or associate with this person.” She turned to Trixie as her expression turned almost pathetic as some in the stands laughed in their direction. “Can I please leave now?”
“Absolutely not!” Trixie barked, bearing a pair of fangs from her mouth. “We practiced hard for this, darn it!”
Aria’s usual stoic expression resurfaced. “Practiced? We just flailed our arms about while you barked orders.” Glancing to the side, Aria grumbled towards the blonde. “So, why the Spider-Man outfit again?”
“Well, every time something bad happens, he always shows up!” Ditzy innocently declared, a gleam sparkling from her features.
An awkward silence filled the area as Aria’s expression remained ever stoic. “Why would you tempt fate like that?” Eventually, she just shrugged before stiffly straightening her form. “Eh, whatever.”
Trixie huffed, her brow twitching. “You had one job, and in typical fashion, you found a way to botch it spectacularly.” Inhaling deeply before sighing, the girl dropped one of the pom-poms before brushing a free hand through her silver-blue hair in an attempt to recollect her nerves. “It’s fine. Trixie is indifferent when it comes to the Man-Spider…”
“Spider-Man,” Ditzy and Aria muttered in unison, happily and blankly respectively.
Paying no mind to the correction, Trixie huffed. “Whatever! It simply means that we must cheer even harder to ensure the audience isn’t too distracted.”
“...great,” Aria muttered, shaking her pom-poms with the enthusiasm and vigor of a sloth.
Shaking her head, Sunset smirked while alternating her gaze about. “I’m surprised Peter isn’t here. Guess he meant it when he said he wouldn’t join or cheer.”
Scoffing, Trixie pointed behind her position. “Parker’s being rather bullheaded about it, but he at least has the decency to watch from the stands. I can’t say that I’m happy with his choice, but I do accept it.”
Snails eased into the fray with a sky-blue jumpsuit, nodding feverishly. “Yeah. The nerve of that guy! He’s always back-talking the Great and Powerful Trixie!”
Wearing a matching uniform, Snips walked up alongside his slim friend with a frown. “We hope you really let him have it next time, boss!”
Releasing a harsh snort, Trixie folded her arms and glared at the pair. “Silence! At least Parker has more backbone than you two!” Trailing off, the girl blinked. She tapped a foot impatiently against the grass as she narrowed her gaze. “Did Trixie tell you to stop?! Keep dancing, cretins!”
Like lightning to a rod, Snips and Snails staggered in place before resuming their synchronized dancing. However, they knocked heads with a crack upon shifting their weights incorrectly. Both boys yelled out, clutching at their craniums while pointing sharply at each other. Aria could only stare dumbly at the scene while Ditzy, oblivious, giggled.
Trixie’s hand met her forehead with a smack before she tossed her pom-poms to the ground. “Fools! Can’t you do anything right?!”
As Trixie berated the pair, Sunset shrugged while quietly dismissing herself. Once she reached her other friends, Rarity clutched at a uniform in hand and huffed. “I must remind you that I find it troubling that you associate with such an unruly bunch.”
Sunset waved a hand dismissively, chuckling. “Oh, please. They’re harmless. You guys are seriously overthinking it.” She paused, arching a brow at the garb before pointing at it. “What’s that?”
Rarity bit down on her lip, erupting with a laugh while handing the spandex to her friend. “Oh, darling! You didn’t think I came unprepared, did you?” Soon, Rarity walked to everyone and handed them a unique uniform. “I made one for everybody! We shall prevail and look absolutely stunning while doing it!” One remained in hand as she glanced about. Upon failing to locate her target, Rarity furrowed her brow. “Where is Fluttershy?”
Meanwhile, while the others conversed, Fluttershy alternated her gaze about quietly. She eased by the school’s gymnasium door before spotting a small poster on the wall. Upon reaching it, her eyes narrowed on a rough sketch of Spider-Man in a dynamic pose above the bold letters S.F.C. at its center. Right beneath the image were a list of signatures. Smiling widely, Fluttershy traced her finger over the number of names listed.
“It looks like we have a few more signatures since the last meeting. I’m happy to see that Eugene has been spreading a good word,” Fluttershy whispered, placing a hand over her warm chest. Her gaze drifted skyward. “I hope I get to see him again.” Once Rarity walked in her direction, the pink-haired girl cleared her throat and stepped towards her in response. “Oh! Um, Rarity. I was just…”
“It’s nothing, darling. Now, come along! We have to change before the Friendship Games begin!” Rarity stated, gently grabbing the girl’s forearm gently. She paused, stealing a glance at the poster’s image before shuddering involuntarily. Inhaling deeply, Rarity let out a low sigh as she recollected her composure. “Most unnerving. I just don’t find the appeal in someone so creepy.”
Fluttershy weakly nodded, following her friend. “He’s not creepy.”
Once the girls had exited the vicinity, Diamond Tiara walked by the poster and paused. “So, that’s the girl Flashy was talking about in his fanclub.” She paused, practically glaring at the image of Spider-Man. “It’s utterly criminal that masked freak has a fanclub! I don’t know why Flashy worships that menace!” she whined, poking her lips out in a pout. Narrowing her gaze, the girl frowned at the image of Spider-Man, but a mischievous grin surfaced on her face after a duration. “If she really wants to meet Spider-Man, then we better not disappoint her!” Opening her phone, Diamond pecked away at the screen. “Maybe if there’s a broken promise and letdown fan, Flashy will come around and realize how much of a mistake this is!”
Elsewhere, Principal Cinch walked before her Crystal Prep students, sharing a glance with each as she passed. “Sugarcoat and Indigo Zap will handle the motocross event.”
Indigo Zap cheered, pumping her fist to the side. “Yes!”
Continuing, Cinch paused upon reaching the next pair of students. “Sunny Flare and Lemon Zest will take care of the short track.” Both girls high-fived and smiled at each other, while the woman made her way to the last two of her pupils. She cleared her throat and straightened her posture, arching a brow at the violet-skinned girl. “Since archery is a standard requirement of our school, anyone should be able to do it. Soursweet and Twilight Sparkle will start us off.”
Every girl seemingly glared in Twilight’s direction while Sugarcoat looked on with indifference, evident by her shrug. Soursweet eagerly stood, smiling widely as she cupped her hands together. “That’s just marvelous!” she cheered, exhaling afterward while her shoulders fell into a slump. The girl glanced to the side, grumbling under her breath. “...if you want to lose before we even start.”
“Rest assured, Soursweet. I have every bit of confidence that Twilight will pull her weight,” Cinch declared, lowering until her face was mere inches from the girl’s. Her expression remained firm. “Is that correct?”
Twilight sheepishly smiled, managing a nod. “Yes, Ma’am.”
Several minutes had passed, and the stands were filled. Once Principal Cinch took a seat alongside Celestia and Luna, Cadence stood before the microphone at their table! “Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Friendship Games Tricross Relay!” she exclaimed, causing the audience to erupt in response. Many raised their hands and cheered, some even wearing decorative ears and caps. Cadence lifted an arm and smiled. “In this event, our qualifying competitors will compete in hurdles, archery, speed gaining, and finally, motocross!”
As the girls stepped into place, preparing to start, Peter eased from behind the stands with a soda in hand. “Looks like I made it in time,” he whispered, taking a sip before furrowing his brow at the field. He shifted his gaze between the archery stand, short track, and ramps, blinking with a widened gaze. “This feels like overkill. Are they sure these are the Friendship Games and not the Hunger Games?”
Unbeknownst to him, a young man with short blonde hair and muscular physique eased into a seat in the stands several feet above his position with a pair of hotdogs and a large cup in his holster. “This ought to be good! Let’s hope the games aren’t a complete wash this year!” he muttered, straightening his black jacket before glancing underneath his position. His brow furrowed upon spotting Peter before his large blue eyes widened and jaw dropped. “Holy crap! Is that–?”
“So! If the competitors are ready?” Cadence eagerly questioned, furrowing her brow before hoisting a horn high over her head and blasting it loudly.
Suddenly, Blueblood and Flash broke into a sprint, both men effortlessly leaping over the first hurdle. The crowd’s cheers grew as both blondes increased their pace, remaining even as they reached the next obstacle. However, Flash gritted his teeth as he steadily put some distance between himself and his competitor. Soon, he managed to cross the finish line before pressing the button on the nearest stand with Blueblood doing the same just a couple of seconds behind.
Fluttershy soon took off into a jog, easing over the roll of hay in her path. Soursweet soon caught up with the pink-haired girl, hurdling over her own obstacles while passing her, and she quickly retrieved a bow and quiver waiting at the end of her pathway. Rolling into a kneeling stance, the girl aimed three arrows at once before firing. Each soared through the sky, connecting to the rolling target simultaneously. Soursweet nodded her approval, smirking as Fluttershy had just finally reached her respective bow and quiver.
The pink-haired girl aimed and fired her first arrow, watching as it soared off course. Undeterred, Fluttershy tried again with her second shot wiggling to the side and landing headfirst into the grass. Lifting her gaze, Soursweet glanced at Twilight who had finally taken the initiative to run, but her foot clipped the pile of hay, causing the violet-skinned girl to crash into the ground facefirst. Blinking at the sight, Soursweet opened her mouth and readied to curse, but she paused, her mouth falling agape once Fluttershy had finally managed to strike her target.
Twilight rolled to her partner’s feet in a heap, straightening her glasses before finally taking hold of a bow and quiver. Applejack quickly leapt over her hurdles, grabbing her items. Soursweet could only watch with a snarl as Twilight fumbled with her arrows and missed every shot, each worse than the last. Inhaling deeply, Applejack let out a deep breath before focusing on her target, pulling her arrow back. She relinquished her hold, allowing the item to soar, and it struck the bullseye, prompting Pinkie and Rarity to race ahead on their skates. All of the Shadowbolts angrily glared at Twilight as she continued to struggle, dropping an arrow. Tears steadily filled her eyes while the world watched her utterly fail.
Once Twilight dropped her arrow again, Sugarcoat shrugged. “You’re really bad at this!”
Soursweet threw up her hands in defeated fashion while alternating her gaze between Twilight and the Wondercolts as they finished their first lap. “Well, this is just perfect!”
Meanwhile, Peter winced at the spectacle after the crowd steadily grew restless with a mixture of clamoring boos and laughter. “This is just brutal. Can someone please just help her or put her out of her misery?”
Applejack shook her head, frowning upon watching Twilight’s tears intensify. “I can’t take this anymore!” In a huff, she walked up to Twilight, and her eyes softened upon hearing her sniffle. Placing a hand over her shoulder, the blonde alternated her gaze between Twilight and the target in the distance. “Let me help you out. Stop aiming at where the target is and go for where it’s going to be.”
“Oh, sure! Definitely take advice from the person you’re competing against!” Soursweet exclaimed, her hair dishelving from its pair of buns.
Rolling her eyes, Applejack folded her arms and sternly gazed at the violet-skinned girl. “Do you want to hit the target or not?” Twilight sniffled, managing to wipe her tears away with a forearm before nodding. Applejack smiled, her eyes softening. “Then, trust me. Take a deep breath and let the arrow go.”
Inhaling deeply before sighing, Twilight lifted her gaze and stared intently at the moving target. She pulled the arrow back, holding it in place for what seemed like an eternity. Soon, Twilight relinquished the item, allowing it to soar gracefully across the field. The entire world grew silent, with all of the students waiting with bated breaths and mouths agape. Even Principal Cinch stood from her seat with a widened gaze. Suddenly, the arrow struck the center of the bullseye with a thwack. The crowd roared with applause from both Crystal Prep and Canterlot. Suddenly, the light next to Lemon Zest and Sunny Flare flashed from crimson to green, prompting both girls to skate onto the track.
“You did great!” Spike cheered, climbing onto the archery stage and leaping into Twilight’s waiting arms.
Applejack crossed her arms, arching a brow as Soursweet blinked at the sight of the talking canine. Once the Crystal Prep student completely eased away, with her hands raised defensively, the blonde shared a smile with her other competitor. Twilight walked towards her, wrapping her arms around her body in a warm embrace. Taken aback (albeit briefly), Applejack returned the gesture in full with a grin.
Peter watched the pair from underneath the stands several yards away, nodding. “Wow. That was very nice of Goldilocks. Maybe Sunset’s friends aren’t all that bad?” Blinking as if a realization came into mind, Peter alternated his widened gaze between the girls in the distance and the space under his feet. “Wait. How did I hear that entire conversation so clearly? I’m at least sixty to seventy yards away.” A poke almost could have been felt in the back of his head, evident by the bemused expression on his face. “Wait. Did that dog just talk, too? I really hope I’m just hearing voices, and I’m finally going insane. That’d make so much more sense.”
Pausing, the hairs on Peter’s arms stood on end. Suddenly, the world around him grew silent, and he looked around, furrowing his brow at the muffled sounds. Soon, the young man held a hand over his ear, wincing sharply as the rest of the world’s sounds rushed into his cranium without warning. He staggered back, finding his way underneath the stands without anyone noticing. In the meantime, all four competitors continued to skate across the track. The rumblings of their wheels echoed fiercely through Peter’s equilibrium, in spite of their distance from each other, sending tremors through his muscles. Straining before collapsing, Peter gritted his teeth and resisted the urge to scream as his fingers clutched at his head.
Meanwhile, Applejack smiled at Twilight. “See? I was telling you the truth.” A golden aura emitted from the blonde’s body before a pair of ears and a tail sprouted into existence. Twilight’s eyes widened at the sight while her spectrometer levitated, gravitating towards Applejack. The energies spiraled into the device, and the blonde attempted to pull away, to no avail. Applejack strained while her aura dissolved, collapsing while her ears and tail vanished from existence. “What are you doing?”
Twilight shook her head defiantly, clutching onto her spectrometer’s laces as it continued to pull towards the blonde. “I don’t know!”
Applejack staggered in place, her large eyes fluttering before shutting completely, and she fell back, landing roughly off the archery stage. Fluttershy inhaled sharply at the sight, rushing to Applejack’s side. Simultaneously, all four competitors in the skating race finished, prompting those in the motocross to accelerate forward. The energies finally seeped completely into the spectrometer, allowing it to finally fall. A shockwave generated upon impact, sending out a trail of black energy. However, its pull lessened and caused Twilight to stumble backwards.
Unfortunately, the spectrometer flew from her grasp and snapped open upon hitting the ground. A trio of portals materialized into existence, generating several violent currents of wind to flow through the vicinity. Soon afterward, vines whipped through the openings, and before long, more portals opened and spread across the track. Back under the stands, Peter’s eyes snapped open, while the noises filling his cranium regulated to a normal setting. He slowly pulled himself back to a standing position, furrowing his brow as a familiar tingle buzzed throughout his mind.
Twilight’s mouth fell agape as a surge sparked from the device, sending a chain of electricity into the ground. She quickly stood and rushed to the spectrometer, but a vine lashed out, whipping around her leg before any progress could be met. A plant-like, green head sprouted from within the portal, hissing as it edged toward the girl. Slowly but surely, more portals materialized into existence throughout the motocross track, as Sunset, Rainbow, Sugarcoat, and Indigo raced without realizing what was transpiring.
A large head roared upon emerging, lunging forth before snatching Sugarcoat’s bike into its mouth. The girl held on, yelling upon losing her grip, and she fell from a great height, slamming her eyes shut as the ground neared. Suddenly, a being soared through the sky on a strand with his arm extended and scooped Sugarcoat into his grasp. Eventually, he swung to the other side of the track, placing the girl down.
Everyone’s eyes widened at the familiar hint of crimson, white, and blue before Flash Thompson erupted with glee, throwing his hands high over his head. “All right, Spidey!”
Spider-Man watched the scenery with a narrowed gaze, alternating his sight between all of the emerging portals, vines, and monsters accompanying them. “Anybody got some weed killer?”
He shared a glance with Sugarcoat, who simply nodded as the monster chewed away at her bike. “You sound like somebody I know.”
“Huh?” Spider-Man blurted out, tilting his head to the side. “What do you mean?”
Sugarcoat straightened her glasses, all while narrowing her gaze. “There’s a boy I like. A total dork. Absolutely hopeless, but kinda cute, and you sound just like him.” She brought a hand to her chin and furrowed her brow, eyeing the man deeply. “You both are about the same height, and your frames match up, too. He hated our uniforms. Looking at you now, I can see why.”
“It sounds like you’ve been watching this guy closely. Maybe too closely,” Spider-Man stated, squinting his masked eyes at the girl.
Sugarcoat, ever stoic, lowered her glasses. “You’re not denying it.”
“I’m not confirming it, either,” Spider-Man mumbled. His masked eyes remained unreadable, although narrowing slightly. After an awkward set of seconds, the young man fidgeted in place. “Hard to tell if you’re being seriously blunt or passive-aggressively trolle.”
“How many have figured you out?” she questioned, arching a brow.
Defeated, Spider-Man simply groaned. “Too many, and I’ve only been at this a few months. I wonder if that’s why Tony Stark went and revealed his identity to the world?”
“Eh, he clearly did it for the glory. You don’t have to do that. Just be a little more confident when someone asks you the hard questions,” Sugarcoat simply stated shrugging. Yet, she simply shrugged afterward. “Eh, I mean, I think I know who you are. I could be wrong. Anyway, go save the day. We’ll talk later. Maybe.”
“Um, great? Thanks? Note to self: install voice modifier,” Spidey whispered, watching as Sugarcoat ran from the track. The masked man shot a strand onto the nearest pole, pulling himself to the top. He hung in place, eyeing the multiple plant monsters and their tendrils. “As awkward as that was, what’s with the breakout? More importantly…” Peter droned, staring blankly at the bikes still racing along the track and the civilians remaining seated while the monsters spread. “Why isn’t anyone reacting to this?! Has everyone gone mental?! Why are they still racing like there aren’t giant plant monsters around?!” As the audience simply watched, Spider-Man could only exhale. “Just when you think things can’t get any crazier… or weirder.”
Sunset and Indigo Zap continued through the course , narrowly avoiding vines in their path. Meanwhile, Twilight hastily crawled as the monster pulled her closer to its chomping mouth. Spider-Man leapt from his perch with his foot extended, speeding through the air like a missile. The blow drove the monster into the ground with enough force to shatter the earth, causing a dust cloud to erupt. The vine instinctively lost its grip on Twilight, falling limply to the side.
Just as Spider-Man landed on his feet, a vine lashed out and struck the back of Sunset’s bike. The redhead yelled as she attempted to remain in control, only to skid across the dirt. A pair of vines steadily reached out, ready to claim their prize, but Spider-Man dove past them with his knee lunged forth, driving it into the center of the source’s head. A loud crack echoed throughout the vicinity as a shockwave erupted, sending chunks of dirt from the surrounding piles into the breeze. Rainbow Dash slowed to a halt next to Sunset, allowing her to board the back of her bike.
Spider-Man nodded his approval. “Great idea! Now, you can get to safety even faster!” However, the girls sped onward back onto the track, seemingly resuming the race. Spider-Man raised his trembling hands, as if resisting the urge to strangulate the nearest object. “Or you can totally ignore the blatant danger! God, this school sucks!”
The buzzing in his cranium intensified, prompting Spider-Man to leap high into the air as a tendril lashed at him. The world slowed to a halt as Peter narrowed his gaze to the distance, where the Principals sat. A vine monster rose from the ground behind their stand and leaned forth with malintent. Shooting a strand onto the nearest pole, Peter pulled himself across the field and soared.
A trio of vines reached out at once at their airborne target, but Spider-Man twisted, contorting his form just out of their range. A loud slashing sound could be heard, forcing the young man to hasten his run. However, just as he landed on the stand, the vine monster’s head and two of its tendrils fell to the ground lifelessly. Spider-Man tilted his head to the side upon spotting the cleanly severed ends, alternating his blank gaze in a futile attempt to locate the source. From the shadows in the distance, a golden shield soared back into a dark man’s waiting grasp before he retreated.
Just as Rainbow Dash and Sunset raced across the finish line, claiming victory, Twilight finally grasped her spectrometer. She slammed it shut, causing all of the surrounding plant creatures and their respective portals to dissolve from sight. Spider-Man fired a strand of webbing to the edge of a building before perching himself to the highest vantage point in the area. Meanwhile, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie ran towards Sunset and Rainbow, everyone sharing a glance.
Cadence stood from her seat, taking a microphone in hand. “Attention, students! Please head to the gym!”
Peter watched from his position, his masked eyes squinting at the adults and spectators as they steadily left. “Oh, sure. Now’s a good time to leave?” Pausing, his line of sight remained locked on the principals. With a light nod, Spider-Man leapt to a new point and followed the women. “I’d better follow and see what they have planned. Hopefully, they cancel this stupid event.” He glanced at the emblem on his chest, huffing under his breath. “Better get out of costume while I’m at it.”
“Is everyone okay?” Applejack questioned, concern evident in her voice once the stands were empty.
Rainbow clenched her fists and whooped loudly. “Better than okay! We won!”
Sunset removed her helmet and shook her head. “Sure, we’ve won, but someone could have seriously been hurt if Spider-Man didn’t show up!” Pacing forth, the girl gripped at strands of her hair and pulled. “The magic is going haywire, and I have no idea how to fix it!” Pausing, Sunset let out a low sigh before turning towards Dash with a small smile. “Thanks for coming back for me, Rainbow.”
“Don’t mention it. That’s what friends are for,” Rainbow lightly responded before a bright aura enveloped her entire body. Suddenly, pony-like ears, wings, and a tail sprouted from her form. Rainbow grinned at this, hovering in the air momentarily before landing back on the ground. ‘I love that feeling! We had things under control more than Spiderman anyway.”
“Spider-Man,” Fluttershy weakly emphasized, glancing to the side. She raised a finger as her friends gazed in her direction. “You, um, forgot the hyphen.”
“Um, excuse me?” a soft voice called out from behind, causing everyone to turn to the source. Twilight lowered her head and clutched at her pendant. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I just wanted to know about the strange energy coming from your school. I thought it was Spider-Man. I didn’t know it was magic or how it works.”
Rainbow Dash shrugged, grinning as she approached Twilight. “That’s okay. Neither do we.”
The spectrometer emitted a bright light before it levitated, opening to reveal its central orb. “Oh, no! Not again!” Twilight screamed, pulling at the device’s threads while the aura emitting from Rainbow spiraled into the orb. Dash strained while everyone watched with a bewildered gaze until she collapsed to a knee. Sunset quickly leapt forward, placing her hands over Rainbow’s shoulders. Twilight continued to struggle with her spectrometer, attempting to close its lid while currents of electricity sparked from its surface. “I’m sorry! It started absorbing energy on its own! I’m not sure how!”
“What do you mean you don’t know how?!” Sunset blurted out, anger pouring from her voice.
She grabbed the spectrometer from Twilight and attempted to close it as well, but a bolt of electricity shot from its orb into the sky. A black portal materialized into existence, revealing a forest within, and immense winds generated, causing most of the girls to lose their footing. Principal Cinch stepped around the corner with a furrowed brow, pausing before snapping back against the wall without anyone noticing. Several yards away on the other side of the field, the bearded man with the shield did the same from behind a mound of dirt.
“There’s the source of the problem. It’s–” the man whispered, inhaling sharply upon settling his hardened gaze on the hint of lavender. “Midni– No. Twilight Sparkle.” Closing his eyes, the man shook the intruding thoughts from his head and returned his sight to Sunset Shimmer. “All right. You’ve got the device. Now, hurry up and break it, so I can get back home.”
Twilight frantically shook her head, still pulling at the device. “Rifts have started opening up, and I don’t know how that works either!”
“Is there anything you do know?! Like how to get our magic back or how to fix the portal to Equestria?!” Sunset loudly questioned, pointing a finger mere inches from Twilight’s face as a look of bewilderment formed on her face. This seemingly fueled Sunset’s anger further, evident by her gritted teeth and sharpened glare. “You’re supposed to be so smart, but did you think for a second that you shouldn’t be messing with things you don’t understand?!”
Sunset took hold of the spectrometer, slamming it shut, and the portal in the sky mirrored its action, vanishing from sight. The older man watched with anticipation, nodding at the redhead, but his expression immediately grew cold once she stepped back, pointing again at the violet-skinned girl.
“Kid, please. Rant after. End this now,” he whispered, his voice trembling into a growl, “I’d do it myself, but I’m already breaking a lot of rules just by being here.”
Twilight’s eyes softened as she held a gaze with Sunset. “But I want to understand! How can I learn if I don’t try something?”
Stomping forward until they were inches apart, Sunset’s hand trembled violently. “Seriously? You want to learn, and you’re willing to put the lives of my friends in danger to do it?!”
The entire world crumbled as Sunset’s words sank in, evident by the tears pouring from Twilight’s eyes. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
Turning sharply, Twilight weeped solemnly while running away. Spike chased after, leaving the others behind. Sunset fumed, taking in labored breaths through her teeth. However, Rainbow Dash placed a hand over her shoulder, freeing the girl from her rage-induced trance. Every word uttered echoed throughout her mind, leaving a sense of regret to linger over her thoughts. Sunset’s head fell shamefully before she shielded her face with her hand. Meanwhile, the older man inhaled deeply, releasing an irritated groan as he slammed his face into the dirt.
“Damn teenagers. So dumb and hormonal. She literally could have ended this just then,” he groaned, smacking the center of his forehead. Yet, his demeanor softened as he lifted his head. “No matter the reality I’m in, Twilight Sparkle gets hurt,” he whispered, alternating his gaze before quietly running back into the shadows, “and I’m powerless to stop it.”
Concurrently, Cinch watched the girls with an evil grin, until someone cleared their throat behind her. The woman turned, sharing a glance with Celestia as Luna and Cadence stood nearby. Close by, Peter brushed the wrinkles from his casual attire before leaning his head out. From the safety vantage point of the stage, he watched quietly as Cinch extended her hand out to the side.
“You can’t seriously call that a fair race!” Principal Cinch exclaimed, narrowing her gaze.
Celestia raised a hand defensively, arching a brow. “Principal Cinch, we all saw what happened! You can’t think C.H.S had some type of advantage!”
Cinch’s eyes widened as she crossed her arms. “Can’t I?! Even without your trained attack plants, your students have wings!”
Blinking, Peter threw his hands high over his head. “Oh, my god! Finally! Someone else sees how crazy this town is!” Taken aback, the young man’s face twisted while he shuddered involuntarily. “Oh, great. I’m agreeing with the She-Devil.”
“Plus, that hoodlum, Spider-Man, interfered and pulled one of my students out of the race!” Cinch exclaimed, frowning.
All of the blood in Peter’s body grew cold, evident by his pale complexion, and he gripped the nearest brick siding. “Hold up…”
Humming as if considering the woman’s words, Celestia arched a brow. “Well, I do admit that the race had some insinuating circumstances. Perhaps we should end the games now and declare a tie, due to outside interference.”
Slack-jawed, Peter’s brow twitched as he clenched his hand into a fist, crumbling the brick in his grasp to dust instantaneously. “What?!”
“A tie?!” Cinch blurted out, stepping back.
“Oh, that’s bull****!” a voice exclaimed from nearby. All four women blinked at the outburst and turned their collective gazes towards the source. A blonde muscular male with fair skin halted in his tracks from behind a fence, chuckling sheepishly before straightening his black, leather jacket. He cleared his throat and slowly sauntered away. “Sorry.”
Once the male had completely exited the vicinity, Cinch planted her feet before pointing a finger at Celestia.”Was this your strategy all along?! To have Crystal Prep accept you as equals?!”
Peter watched from his vantage point, clutching at his hair. “Why is this even a talk? Why is nobody talking about the giant killer plants or the space portals?!” He pulled at his strands, nearly pulling them from the root. “It’s just a stupid game! Cancel it already! Call the cops! Someone make sense of it all! Please!”
Cinch straightened her glasses and continued to glare at Celestia. “I think not! The games will continue, and Crystal Prep will prevail in spite of your antics or any performance-enhancing regime your students are on!”
Everyone watched as Cinch steadily departed, allowing Sunset and the others to reunite with Celestia. However, Peter simply laid on his back on the roof with his bemused glare aimed skyward. “This. Town. Sucks.”
Meanwhile, Sunset glanced to the side somberly. “I’m sorry, Principal Celestia. Now, Principal Cinch thinks we’re cheating.”
Celestia’s eyes softened. “It’s not your fault, Sunset. It doesn’t matter what Principal Cinch thinks.”
“No, it is my fault!” Sunset interjected, brushing a hand over her eyes. “I should have taken that device from Twilight when I had the chance. I already screwed up when I brought magic from Equestria here. Then, I was just cruel to Twilight.” She glanced to the side, letting out a low sigh. “Now, I just hope she doesn’t do anything with it before I can apologize.”
To be continued…
Stats
Page generated in 0.028 seconds
Total duration
813 users online
1,013,153 hits today, 2,004,447 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
The games have begun. I will say, good on Applejack for being a good sport for Sci-Twi, and good on Sci-Twi for being willing to show gratitude. She's not a bad girl per say, but she is a bit emotional at times, and makes poor judgement calls. Seems like she's still dealing with a lot, and while she's not the Twilight everyone knows and loves, she could get there in due time.
Also, seems like another person is figuring out Spider-Man's identity, and it's a random character of all things. Granted I don't watch EqG much so maybe Sugarcoat is more important than I initially realized, but I do respect taking a character who might not be that well known and still figuring out a way to make that character into someone important to the plot. There's a bunch of background characters in MLP that could easily be fleshed out, I always find it impressive when an author does that, bit more creative than creating an original character.
Also, Rarity being a pain again regarding Peter. Given that Blueblood mentioned once that there are those who only befriend him for his money, Rarity was probably one of those, making her much shallower than previously believed. She even hoped that Sunset liked Flash Thompson of all people. Granted he's slightly better than someone like Flash Sentry, he's still not there yet.
Fluttershy getting more interested in Peter with each passing day...but I must wonder, how could anyone notice if you said Spider-Man's name without the hyphen? But boy does Peter love that hyphen, it seems like a core part of his superhero identity. Great heroes wear capes, greater heroes have hyphens.
Also that other guy with the shield, guess it is that Peter from another dimension, especially considering how he mentioned that once again that Twilight found herself in danger. (Even nearly calling her Midnight). That Peter has a lot of explaining to do as to why things went so downhill for him, and more importantly, what happened to his Twilight.
Finally, gotta point out one thing. Peter seems to be dealing with massive headaches from his developing abilities. Now he can hear super far away, and he seems to be trying to focus on that. But, that comes with a price. His super hearing mixed with his spider sense must be torture on his mind. He is going through something that Superman goes through, hearing everyone and everything. Like Clark, Peter is experiencing a sensory overload, which can happen to anyone, powers or not. Hearing so much at once, trying to pick sounds apart, it's a pain, something I personally know from experience. Thing is, Peter might be alone on this for now, unless he meets up with Daredevil, another hero who deals with sensory overloads. Or maybe another student in the school might have that.
Actually thinking about it, many of the Mane 6 are experiencing a power awakening, though none of them have those overloads, if any of them would have one, it would likely be Fluttershy but she seems fine for now. Still, the sensory overload is one of Peter's biggest weaknesses that usually goes unnoticed, he's going to have to fix this soon if he wants to become a better hero, more than that, just be able to get by in everyday life.
Still, things are getting closer to the end, let's see what's next.
Crud Peter just can’t catch a break from his identity getting out. I wonder if more kids will be leaving Crystal Prep after all of this
The second round of the Friendship Games has started and things have escalated halfway through once Twilight's spectrometer started acting up again and causing mayhem. Fortunately, no one was hurt thanks to Spider-Man stepping in and helping out (with Spider-Knight assisting him anonymously behind the scenes), even saving Sugarcoat who correctly deduces his secret identity just by the sound of his voice and comparing him to his alter-ego. Good grief, who's gonna find out next? Bulk Biceps? And after all this, he finds it baffling that no one is not even fazed in the slightest of what's happening other than his appearance and that the Friendship Games will continue on regardless of this incident. And it's peeving that Rainbow in more concerned about finishing the race track. Sure she went back for Sunset to help her and finished the race with her, but still.
Now we all know the inevitable that is coming in the third round of the Friendship Games. All because Sunset didn't take the spectrometer away from Twilight when she had the chance but was too stressed and caught up chastising Twilight for meddling with forces beyond her understanding and endangering her friends in the process which Twilight didn't mean to do. Can't blame Sunset for giving her a reality check, but she could've handled that more rationally and she knows it. Heck, Spider-Knight could've directly stepped in and ended this all now, but he couldn't allow himself to interfere less that could severely affect his alternate variant's life. And the guilt of what happened with his Midnight Sparkle still lingers.
And Peter's spider sense looked like it was going into some kind of sensory overload. Whether it's from the intense magical surge and the danger resonating from it, the presence of the other Spidey or some sort of awakening that even he is probably not sure about. This might not be the last time this sort of thing will happen again.
Oh good grief, Ditzy! At least she had the best intentions in mind.
11358492
Well if Eddie is there, I just hope when he gets Venom, it’s the good kind of guy… or maybe like the movie. Who knows.
Peter, I could only give you a shrug. Common sense has always turned into nonsense whenever magic is involved ooor maybe cuz it's Cinch? Haha
11358502
I really doubt that will be the case for Venom's origin in this setting. at least not unless the author decides to introduce Carnage at some point later after that. I'd say this version will lean more towards the Spectacular Spider-Man version and perhaps a bit of the Ultimate Comics version as well.
A mystery guy with a beard?
Hold up, are you making more than 7 chapters?
11358741
Only for this story. There was too much to try to contain in 7 chapters this time. For this episode, there are nine total chapters (prologue, seven chapters, and the epilogue).
Who the beard man with the shield?
Sweet Gaia, Trixie et al. really need to chill. I almost feel bad for Aria. Almost.
Also, Peter, don't think too hard about it. Paracausal forces tend to be like that.
pbs.twimg.com/media/E9_TwVoXIAcXJnj?format=jpg&name=medium
"Here's a bright idea. How about you DON'T continue the Friendship Games and just call it a tie instead of assuming a magic incident like this won't happen again in the next round before one of your students ends up turning into a crazy reality-tearing maniac just because you were too stubborn to win a competition nobody cares about and were too lazy to put the safety of the school and students first before your own pride!"
Smart Scientist from HISHE:
Cinch:
".....Ugh, FINE! We'll call it a tie!" 
Spider-Man:
"THANK YOU!!! Finally, someone gets it!"
11358688
11358837
C'mon seriously? I'm guessing you guys only read the Ultimate Spiders and Magic series otherwise you'd recognize him.
11359182
You cannot assume that people have read the author's other works. I imagine there are a number of readers here who haven't read any of max's other stories.
There are and will be a lot of cameos and shenanigans involving characters and themes from the other stories within these stories. However, ultimately it is a standalone series.
So for those who do not know who the beard man with the shield is? They'll just have to wait and find out!
11358741 11358781
Yeah. We knew as soon as we started this one it was going to be longer. A lot of stuff happens in the leadup to the friendship games in general if you really flesh out the details of it. Not to mention the Looser Brigade shenanigans and world building.
A certain changeling who will remain unnumbered roasted us for some stuff in the first story and may have had some good insight that we took to heart.
11359182
Who is he, is it another peter, or possibly kaine?
11359356
We can't confirm without spoiling. He may potentially be fully revealed in the next chapter.
Good Lord she really is realated to Jameson... Where's my angry mob when I need them for the protection of Spider-man.
And what the thwip is Cinch thinking?! Swarm was practically eating that bike and she wants to win that badly? How is it that Norman hasn't married that... victory-obsessed psycho?
Sorry about that, great job with the story.
11359229
That's why I said that. It gives them a chance to figure it out without spoilers.
11359684
Ah. I misunderstood, my apologies.
11359605
Diamond Tiara has that "love to hate" feel that just felt perfect perfect for this role. In my opinion, Max really hit a grand slam with the idea for her to be his niece, as she has been delightfully detestable to work with him writing her.
Max has been following the plot of the story very closely to the actual movie itself. So I'd be lying if I said we haven't had more than a little fun with his hanging lampshades on on some of the utter absurdity of some of the movie's writing.
11359364
Seems legit.
11359359
Also I drew Fanart of Benjy Parker
Hope you and everyone can check it out
https://www.deviantart.com/spiders123/art/Future-Fighter-Waker-Weaver-929187016
Wow was that Eddie?
And thank you Sugarcoat for being one of the few people with common sence here 
I can tell next chapter is gonna be more awesome!!! 
11360390
I kinda hope he sees Stygian
So how goes the story?
Maybe Nico Minoru and Amadeus Cho could be Peters friends since that’s a possibility in Freshman year upcoming show?
Hope next chapter comes out soon
When's the next chapter, I'm shaking in anticipation
11358492
You think its eddie brock? I thought it was Mephisto or Discord
When is chapter 7 coming out guys?
11367764
Just be patient, Max is very busy in life and he even admitted the last few chapter updates will slow down a bit. You're just gonna have to wait until it updates again.
11367764
The chapter should be coming out Tuesday.
11367672
Are you out of your mind? Why on Earth would you think it was Discord or even Mephisto of all people? That's just silly. Neither of them are blonde or muscular like Brock. Besides, Discord already knows Peter through his daughter Eris in the previous story and has no reason to be surprised to see him. And the less Mephisto interferes with Peter's life, the better. Nobody wants a repeat of OMD. 
11367861
awesome, also sorry that your being badgered by people not being patient. i wont lie i was also considering pinging you for updates but i decided against it because i understand that your doing your best and art takes time. keep up the great work. love your stories.
I kinda want to see Gabby Griffin
11368049
OKAY SORRY. If it is Eddie, then that means venom
11368658
Simple mistake. Don't sweat it.
11368658
It’s okay, it was just a silly little mistake. Your thought just baffled me, that’s all.
Am I missing something? Because you can't HEAR the hyphen. Spider-Man and Spiderman both SOUND the same. I would understand if someone TYPED or WROTE it, THEN it would make sense. What we HAVE is SPEECH.
And yeah, Preaching to the choir, Pete. What kind of idiot lets a competition continue when there are freaking HAZARD INFESTATION on the field!!!