Disclaimer: I own neither Spider-Man nor Morgan Le Fay!
CHAPTER THREE
HEAVY METAL
...
"What is this?" Morgan asked curiously. She had been going through some old box of Peter's in their room and stumbled upon a smaller rectangular box within. It was a light shade of blue and silver with a small window in the center and buttons on the side. In bold white text sat comfortably the words STEREO and SONY.
"Hey, it's my old Walkman! I was wondering where this went!" Peter smiled happily as he gently took the device from his girlfriend's hand. He hadn't seen hide nor hair of it since he moved out of his aunt's house, not that he used it much after cassettes became obsolete. Though, every once in a while, he broke it out.
"Walkman?" the dark mage questioned. She had never heard of, nor seen such a device and she'd seen her fair share of technology since living in the present. "I see no legs? How is this box a man that walks?"
Peter giggled from his seat on the bed. Morgan's ignorance of certain modern convinces reminded him of a fish out of water at times. "It's just a name. These babies came out in the late 70s when the co-founder of Sony wanted to be able to listen to music on long flights."
"Music? That little box plays music?" the sorceress asked. How did it do such a thing? In her time music could only be played on instruments that required the player to be present. In the modern age all that was required was a disk and what Peter referred to as a CD player.
Morgan was confused. The Walkman was too small to have a circle shoved into it and she was certain attempting to do so would result in something being broken.
"Well... yeah." Peter answered. He then popped open the front of the device. "Cassette tapes go in here and then you press these buttons on the side to play whatever's inside. You can also fast forward and rewind the tape too just like CDs. The only thing you can't do is skip."
Now Morgan was really confused. "What is a cassette tape?"
Realization suddenly hit the young hero. "Huh? I guess I never really told you about cassettes. Well, they were really big back in the day before CDs took over. Kind of like VHS tapes and VCRs. Here, hold this."
Peter handed the Walkman back to Morgan before rummaging through the box himself.
"If my old Walkman was in there then there should be a... eureka!" he nearly shouted as he produced an even smaller rectangle. Morgan quirked an eyebrow was she looked at the art that decorated the front of it.
A cemetery filled to the brim with white-cross headstones in dead grass against a red sunset that cast dark shadows. Above the sunset in the corners were a pair of red hands with white strings that touched down onto the headstones and in the center above in stylized letters read the name, "METALLICA?"
"Yes, Metallica! Inside this little box here is their Master of Puppets cassette tape." Peter explained as he popped the case open for Morgan to see. Within was yet another rectangle only this one was white and appeared to have two holes drilled into it. She then looked back at the Walkman and put two and two together.
"I see." she began. "Do you mind if I give it a listen?"
"Not at all. Just let me see if the headphones are in here first." he said before putting the tape down and diving back into the box. It didn't take him long to find the silver and blue attachment and plug them in. He carefully placed them over Morgan's ears and popped the tape into the device. "Now all you have to do is hit play."
Knowing what the symbol for play looked like, the woman out of time did as in instructed. There was silence for a moment, and she wondered if there was something wrong with the tape, but soon found out that wasn't the case.
She nearly jumped out of her skin when her eardrums suddenly came under attack from the opening guitar rift and drums. The beat itself was as loud as thunder and wailing of instruments was unlike anything she had ever heard before. So ominous and... alluring?
Her eyes grew as wide as saucers when the sound of a disembodies voice spoke through the noise with a rage and passion that demanded her full attention.
End of passion play, crumbling away
I'm your source of self-destruction
Veins that pump with fear, sucking darkest clear
Leading on your death's construction
Taste me you will see
More is all you need
Dedicated to
How I'm killing you
Come crawling faster
Obey your master
Your life burns faster
Obey your master, master
Master of puppets, I'm pulling your strings
Twisting your mind and smashing your dreams
Blinded by me, you can't see a thing
Just call my name, 'cause I'll hear you scream
Master, master
Just call my name, 'cause I'll hear you scream
Master, master
The voice had faded away into the noise as the instrumental kicked in. What was this? She had heard songs from the current time but none like this one. Never like this one. Where had this one been hiding? Why couldn't she stop listen?
"Good, isn't it?" Peter asked with a happy grin.
Yes... yes, it is.
Needlework the way, never you betray
Life of death becoming clearer
Pain monopoly, ritual misery
Chop your breakfast on a mirror
Taste me, you will see
More is all you need
Dedicated to
How I'm killing you
Come crawling faster
Obey your master
Your life burns faster
Obey your master, master
Master of puppets, I'm pulling your strings
Twisting your mind and smashing your dreams
Blinded by me, you can't see a thing
Just call my name, 'cause I'll hear you scream
Master, master
Just call my name, 'cause I'll hear you scream
Master, master (master)
What was this now? The beat had completely changed. It had become lighter on the ears and much more controlled. It wasn't at all unpleasant but still, what was the reason for the change. Oh! The tune was picking back up. The guitar and drums were growing stronger.
Where's the dreams that I've been after?
(Master, master)
You promised only lies
(Laughter, laughter)
All I hear or see is laughter
(Laughter, laughter)
Laughing at my cries
Fix me!
The vocalist disappeared yet again and was replaced by the wild sounds of strings. It was another change that caught her attention and she listened closely for anymore. Morgan didn't even notice the rapid tapping of her foot against the ground or how Peter had leaned in closer to hear the music blasting through the headphones. She was completely lost in it all almost like a haze.
Hell is worth all that, natural habitat
Just a rhyme without a reason
Never-ending maze, drift on numbered days
Now your life is out of season
I will occupy
I will help you die
I will run through you
Now I rule you too
Come crawling faster
Obey your master
Your life burns faster
Obey your master, master
Master of puppets, I'm pulling your strings
Twisting your mind and smashing your dreams
Blinded by me, you can't see a thing
Just call my name, 'cause I'll hear you scream
Master, master
Just call my name, 'cause I'll hear you scream
Master, master
Morgan listened to the voice vanish and give way to the rapid beat of the song. Peter had heard it more than enough times to know it was dying down and would end soon. His smile brightened when he saw that Morgan had closed her eyes and began to hum along with the beat. Clearly, she was enjoying herself and he was glad he could share this moment with her.
The ending startled her however as instead of just ending like most songs would, the beat lingered on as multiple demonic voices all laughed at once.
When they too faded, Peter stopped the tape, breaking her free from whatever spell she'd succumbed to.
She took off the headphones and stared at their owner. "What was that?"
Such an ominous sound.
"That was Metallica." Peter answered simply with clear amusement in his voice.
"I was completely lost. Are Metallica a group of warlocks?" she dared to ask.
Peter fought to not burst out laughing. "Nope. They're just a group of guys."
"I see." she took a deep breath.
The off duty her placed his arm around her shoulder and drew her in close. "Do you want to hear more of them?"
Morgan blushed, not meeting his gaze. "Perhaps."
(TO BE CONTINUED...)
Author's Note: Does anybody else love Metallica? If so, then what's your favorite song by them?