Anubis' "How would you do it?" Thread.

[DawnWarrior]

I've been looking all over for this thread so I can resurrect it, after I found some old ideas for Spider-Man stories on my hard drive. I'm gonna do some jumping around, so here goes...

The Black Costume: When Peter discovers that the black costume is taking his sleeping body out on nightly crime-fighting jaunts, he gets Reed Richards to examine it, then gets rid of it. I would have played the costume's deeds as mis-interpreting Peter's motivation to always be fighting bad guys and protecting innocents, the whole Power & Responsibility thing that defines him. Peter can't stand to not be Spider-Man ever, so the costume takes that to it's logical conclusion and decides to help Peter fight evil all the time, even when he sleeps. It was just the symbiote trying to please its master.

Onslaught/The Clone Saga: Remember the Onslaught finale? The Hulk battles Onslaught and the battle literally splits him into his Bruce and Hulk personas. Bruce vanishes into the Onslaught energy field, and thus into the Heroes Reborn universe where his origin plays out anew with his fellow heroes, while the Hulk proper is left in the 616 universe to rampage around without the benefit of his Bruce Banner persona to revert to. Two universes, two Hulks, two storylines, everybody wins.
Spider-Man was in the thick of the Clone Saga at this very same time, with Peter Parker and Ben Reilly vying for the mantle. Rather than the convoluted resolution they gave us, what the Marvel bigwigs should have done instead was have Ben vanish into the Onslaught field with the other heroes. He would leave his mask behind, and at the end of Onslaught: Marvel Universe, we would see Peter (with MJ probably) finding and picking up Ben's discarded mask, hinting that Peter will soon be Spider-Man once again. Meanwile, with Peter's clone in the HR universe, Spider-Man’s origin would be another part of the Heroes Reborn tales along with those of Hulk, Iron Man, Captain America, the Fantastic Four, and the Avengers, (they'd probably convert one of the five Spidey titles to a Heroes Reborn title, and cancel one or two others). The Peter Parker Spider-Man would be left in 616 to fend for himself, rekindling things with MJ and getting confortable with being Spider-Man again (hanging with Ben helped remind Peter of the hero he used to be, revitalizing his sense of self). All this would give the writers an extra year to build a new status quo for Peter while deciding how best to tie off the final fate of Ben Reilly: When Heroes Reborn wrapped up, Ben could come back to 616, or maybe die in the Heroes Return story (to help get the other Heroes back, naturally), or maybe stay in the Heroes Reborn universe with Rikki Barnes.

Spider-Man vs. The Jury: There was a story in Amazing Spider-Man #383-385, where the Jury (originally formed by Mr. Taylor to target Venom as revenge for killing his son) sets its sights on Spider-Man. The Jury target Spidey in the city, and a big battle ensues. There’s one part where, during the melee, Spider-Man rescues an innocent bystander. Seeing this, one of the Jurors, Ramshot, becomes reluctant to continue the pursuit. They finally capture Spidey and take him to Mr. Taylor. Spidey is chained to a pedestal for awhile as Taylor accuses him of creating Venom and Carnage and being responsible for all the deaths that they caused. The story ends, I think, with Spidey (hopped up on drugs) agreeing to go with the Jury to steal some special weapon that they can use to kill Venom. As Spidey comes to the surface from his drug haze, he comes to his senses and takes the Jury out. Yawn.
Looking at that story again, I didn’t really like the way Spidey allows Taylor to put him on the receiving end of his petty grudge against Venom, or to accuse him of causing the deaths of everyone that Venom and Carnage killed. First I’d like to grab David Michelinie by the ears and ask him if he really thinks that Spidey was responsible for that stuff. What was Spidey supposed to do? He got rid of the costume as soon as he found out that it was alive and co-opting his body for nightly pursuits of crime-fighting adrenaline. When it found him again in Web #1, he wasted no time getting it off in the bell tower. He couldn’t dispose of it properly, of course, because he lost consciousness and the costume went along its merry way, seeking out Eddie Brock instead. As far as I can see, Spidey did everything he could.
My version: A little more action, a morally strong Spidey, and some guest stars. The Jury ambush Peter in the city, and some glorious super-hero carnage ensues. In the melee, Spidey attempts to rescue a bystander in the line of fire, but the Jury’s relentless pursuit causes him to fail, and the bystander dies. Spidey loses it; filled with righteous fury, he starts fighting ruthlessly, turning their own firepower against them, stuff like that. Then, as Spidey is about to be overwhelmed, the New Warriors show up, having been alerted by all the noise they were making (Nova was flying by at the beginning of the story, so the Warriors are in town). It all happens very quickly; the remaining members of the Jury manage to take Spidey away and back to Taylor, but one of them gets left behind at the mercy of the Warriors. Night Thrasher gets to work interrogating the Juror, while Spidey is stuck getting drugged and kangaroo-courted by Taylor. Spidey seems to believe Taylor’s claims at first, but then remembers the bystander that the Jury killed. Spidey stands his ground, declaring that the costume stopped being his responsibility once he got rid of it in the bell tower, and Venom and Carnage were responsible for their own actions. He tells Taylor to suck it. Taylor declares the “trial” over, and sentences Spidey to death. He prepares to blow Spidey’s head off with a plasma cannon, when the Warriors show up, and more glorious super-carnage breaks out with the New Warriors vs. the Jury. The Jury are outmatched by the Warriors’ superior numbers and surprise. Just as Nova is getting Spidey out of his chains, he is hit in the chest by a massive blast of energy. Spidey looks at the source: it’s Taylor brandishing some Big Gun. Taylor’s basically snapped; he’s determined to get his pound of flesh for his son. He starts shooting everybody, even the other members of the Jury, bringing the whole facility down around them, totally crazy. From there, our heroes (with help from the Juror Ramshot, who’s had enough of this mess) cause Taylor’s gun to backfire, causing it to blow up in his face, taking him out. Taylor is carted off to the hospital, where he will be indicted for his crimes. When we see him again, he would be missing an arm, a leg, and part of his face.

 

[DawnWarrior]

Sorry, double post.

 

[Zoken]

Strange thoughts rattling around in my head. Monsters... shadows... Betters... Lowers... Shadows... Shadows...

Living... thats good, for now. I return her to Sacred Blood. We pass beneath the archway, she doesn't flinch. Good. I bear no faith in the emblems enscribed on it, but they have power.

Two hours later she wakes. Well built woman. She possesses a body that any man would lust for, but it contains powerful muscles. One doen't get those and not know how to use them. black, a dark chocolate skin. Dread locks. I wonder, briefly if I could pull off dread-locks. She was wearing a black blazer, white blouse and black pants when she entered. I had to discard and burn the blazer and blouse. In doing so I revealed a flesh-colored (her flesh-colored anyway) bra. In a distant part of my brain that somehow still maintains a sex drive, I wonder if her panties match. I'm professional enough not to check. I cover her torso in a hospital gown. it smells, even to my deadened nose of disenfectant... I hope she isn't changing, She won't like the smell.

Damn Tepes... They are supposed to be bound by the pact with the Harkers... Damn them.

"Wh... where am I?" she asks fearfully. She has an American accent. Her eyes flutter slightly as they take in her surroundings. Smart girl. She isn't just darting her eyes about, she's taking in the details. her eyes pause on the window. She wants to know geographically where she is. That will come later.

"Sacred Blood Hospital," I answer as gently as possible with my rough voice. I have my self dressed as I always do when I have a new patient. Full surgical apparel, inlcuding mask to cover most of my face.

"What... what happened to you?"

That is the first time I've heard that asked first. She can see little of my skin around the mask, but her eyes are sharp enough to catch what there is to be seen. I pull the mask off since there is no point in forestalling it. She visibly flinches. When your jaw from a seperate downer than your skull, and grafts of five different skin donors are on your face, it just isn't possible to be handsome. "A lot," I reply simply. I don't like being cryptic, but sometimes it's necessary. "It's you we need to worry about for now."

"What happened to me?" She asked, not fearfully, cautiously. Suspiciously. What is with this woman? I see her eyes flicker again. She's just down a quick search of the room, she's found the only exit and is looking for a weapon. Who is she?

"You were attacked by a vampire of the Tepes coven," I inform her.

"What?" there's almost a laugh in it. She's not sure if I'm serious, and she fairly sure that if I am, I'm crazy. Just like most in the light, she's so secure in what she doesn't know.

"Vampires exist," I state calmly. "As do werewolves, real psychics, some zombies, and Me."

"And what are you? Frankenstein?"

I quirk my mouth in what must be a revolting smile. "No," I answer honestly. As she nodds and looks around more obviously, preparing to ask another question, or perhaps simply question my sanity, I finish, "I'm his monstrosity."

"What?" she snaps, her face back to me.

"Mary Shelly called my 'Father'," I say the word with disdain and sarcasm as I always have. "the Modern Prometheus. I like to call myself Boneyard. Fitting for my origins really."

"You must be joking," She asked, scooting back in her bed. I see her hand tighten around soemthing. She must have snagged a pen I left lying around. She's good I didn't even see her do that. I deaden my pain sensation. She'll attack me soon.

"Unforetunately, I'm not. As I said, you were attacked. I from the looks of your wounds, by a vampire, by context clues, I guessed one of the Tepes coven, but it might be one of the smaller covens that litter Europe. The Harkness Coven can usually keep them out of England, but occassionally they venture in. I'm going to have to tell Mira."

She moves fast, I probably could have stopped her, but I think it best if she discovers for her self what Sacred Blood houses. Besides of loked the Necremia wing tightly. It would take my strength or the one of the Harkness Coven to break into there. She bolts for the door. Hmm... pretty fast for having lost so much blood. She's going to cause her self to pass out. If she gets into the Neo-Masteum ward before she does that she could be in trouble. I really wish Conner was down from London to check in on things. Lunar calander's good. none of the Lycanthropes are a danger, even the most wild among them aren't sadists when not on-moon.

What is the american girl?

 

[Zoken]

Basics

Vampires- Most vampires have low self control, and poor impulse control, thus their display as sexual beings as well as their willingness to kill. Thirst is not as powerful as depicted in other situations, they just lack a full human's capacity for self-discipline. Self discipline can be built back up through time. Coven leaders usually display the most control. They are not afraid of Garlic or allergic to it. Their noses are extremely sensitive, garlic and other strong scents (including BO) are just difficult for them to handle. It's why most vampires don't hunt the homeless and go for finely dressed women (clean bodies and hair and fine perfumes

Tepes Coven: Coven Leaders; The Brides of Dracula. After his death at the hands of John Harker, they seized control of several weak covens. Since then they have developed in power politically, though their powers still remain shy of that of their former lover (Dracula). They control most of Eastern Europe.

Harker Coven: Coven Leader; Miranda "Mira" Harker. While her mother was spared the curse of the Vampire, remnants of it remained. While her brother escaped it, Mira recieved it, however she is now as powerful or more than the infamous Dracula. having been raised with love by her family, she has a more merciful style. She turned her brother, but her parents refused immortality. Through excersize of her power, she has cowed any small covens in the UK to her command. None feeds on humans for fear of her powers. She demands stronger will from them, and they almost all deliver. She believes there are spies for the Tepes.

Werewolves- when they are first bitten the changes will come only during the three nights of the full moon. With time they will also change depending on temper. With mental discipline and training they can not only maintain their own mind in wolf state, but also transform at will. The reason wild werewolves typically attack people they know and love is that the wolf has their memories and seeks these people out as pack members, but when all they find is a human... well the wolf does to humans what it always does to humans.

Talbot Pack: Alfa; Larry Talbot. He keeps tight reins on the sub packs scattered all of the UK. While he has a large overall pack, he doesn't dare leave the UK, for fear of losing control.

Pigot Pack: Alfa; Rafael Pigot. Son of Serefine Pigot. The pack is dedicated to minimizing werewolf attacks. They have the most controlled pack as they have the best territories. Miles of nearly uninhabited forrest for their "Training camps" where more experienced Betas and Gammas train the Bottom teir wolves.

Sacred Blood Hospital- In the heart of london there is a hospital where the bizare and non-human is studied. Those bitten by werewolves, vampires, zombies, or suffering any other supernatural illness need only enter under the gates

Dr. Boneyard: Frankenstein's creation. after almost two hundred years of "False-life" he has come to appreciate humanity. He learned medicine, as well as several forms of martial arts and many languages (he has an extrodinary capcity for learning). He chose to be named after "His mother" a cemetary.

Dir. Ramensek:a forgotten pharoh of ancient egypt. His tomb was disturbed by a british archaologist and Ramensek came looking for it. however before he could recover his stolen treasures, they were melted down and put into currency all over the world. now, unable to rest, and with most of his body destroyed by scared "Lights". He is now a head that over sees the day to day operations of the hospital including managing the funds that keep the hospital afloat (Charitable donations from a number of the older members of the "shadow" community).

Melanie Green: Of all the beings at Sacred blood this "light" (mortal, human) remains the most human. She displays a number of skills in the martial arts, law enforcement, and espionage. after meeting Boneyard, she begins to act more comfortable around him, including smiling while looking him in the face (not easy)

Mesmer Institute-organization for teaching psychics to control their power. Knowing their numbers are small, and their powers are unreliable on large scales, their goals are mainly to remain somewhere between unknown and urban legend. They center in Germany, but have branches across the world, including a busy one in London.

Unaffiliated Shadows:

Jungle Pack- The descendants of Mowgli. Their Alpha's name is Fowlu, jungle for 'Ape-Child'. The pack is made up of twelve individuals ranging from 22 to 13. Their are siblings or cousins and make occasional forays into the human world (always taught english and ettiquet by their civilized family). Occasionally the civilized relatives will return to the civilized world in disgust of the wild nature of the jungle. the pack has relatives in the civilized world.

Lady Annelle "Hozan" Greystroke-Her family has lived in both the Jungle world and the civilized world for more than a nearly a century. She is of mixed race, but her nobility is in tact. She is 18, and orphaned. She has political power, but hides her "home comings" (returns to the jungle). She is one of the Shadows that keeps Sacred Blood afloat, but takes no sides in the Vampire and Werewolf rivalries.

The Time Traveller and his Bride: A man who has traveled all through time and space and comprehends much. His time travel technology has become far more refined, now rendering himself and his wife temporarily immortal (until such time as they choose to die). His wife is a female Morlock (See "Time Ships, not "The Time Machine"). She is pale of skin, eyes senstitive to light, and much stronger and smarter than the average human. She is mostly silent in public, but he makes reference to conversations with her and her advice frequently. Though she shows little reaction to external stimuli or emotion, the Time Traveller evidently percieves it as he will often rebuke those who "startle" or "offend" her.

 

[Zoken]

"Eric," Charles chided slowly rolling himself toward his friend.

"Charles, they must be PUNISHED!" Magneto thundered.

"You cannot prove that it was they who caused the explosion," Charles reasoned. "You have no evidence."

He sneered lightly, "As if they would wait for evidence before killing a mutant they suspect?"

"So you are to lower yourself to their level," Charles replied calmly. He tried to roll closer to his best friend but his chair was stuck. He'd had it only a few short days. He struggled briefly before he felt it lift just enough to get out of the crack in the floor and be set down gently. "Thank you," Charles sighed.

"This," Eric explained to his friend, gesturing at the chair, "is nothing short of an act of war. They knew you to be there and deliberately attacked you." Eric's voice had returned to even. Charles could always calm him down, but Eric was set in his path. This could not go unanswered. "And because of it two children were killed."

Charles nodded. "And you would lead others to be killed and become killers?"

Eric looked Charles in the eye, not boldly by in a sadly defiant way. Charles eyes often gave other the mistaken expression that he was reading their mind. The truth was Charles rarely needed to do so, he was fairly good at reading people by their body language and expressions. "Better to die on our feet, than to live on our knees," Magneto sighed.

"I am not suggesting we allow the attrocities, we take our case before the Hague, before the media, before anyone who will listen!"

"And they will simply accuse you of changing their mind for them," Eric retorted. "Or of someone else doing so. We must show them that they cannot treat us like powerless children. They must know we will fight back."

"They fear the truth, that some day we will replace them," Charles pleaded. "Would you punish them for their fears."

"For fear," Eric asked. "no. I would punish them for their atrocities. They have committed atrocities."

"Eric, you are my friend and together we have helped many find their way in a frightened world, but if you lead the impressionable children who have come to trust us into combat... I cannot stand beside you."

Eric looked down at his friend, confined to a wheel chair for the rest of his life. "I know," Eric sadly accepted. "I will arrange transporation for you to your family home in Westchester. We will address the students together, take those who would follow you." Eric didn't even need to ask if Charles would change the student's minds for them. He knew his friend better than that.

Two days later Charles stood with only two students behind him. one was blond and of middle height. the other was brown hair, with a short stocky build, made to look shorter and stockier by his overly large hands and bare-feet. A number of students stook behind Eric as they bid adieu.

"I have promised blood-for-blood to the humans," Magneto informed Charles.

"I know," Charles replied. "They will be terrified. I only hope your brutal warning is enough to dissuade them."

"It won't be, and I will honor it," he answered.

 

[Zoken]

B-List World

Now this isn't necessarily B-List by our standards, but by the 616 standards. Just letting a few unknown heroes shine.

The Avengers: Founding Members would have been Sand-Man (who became a hero rather than a villain), Hank "The Wasp" Pym, and Janet "Ant-Woman" Van Dyne (They took different roles, she developed the closer bond with the ants and he liked the idea of flying), Hercules (Hera has decided to make his life miserable again and now Hercules has to prove his worth as a God from the beginning. He is trapped on Earth with a much more dramatic rather than humorous story), and Dr. Strange (Focused more on reigning in the rogue spell casters and sorceres, who do work for his big foes). They are later joined by the usual motley crew, but rather than unicing Captain America, they discover his corpse, degraded by decades in the ice. they transport it back to the states to have it properly interred in Arlington, but it is hijacked by the Red Skull's henchmen. It isn't saved by the avengers, but by the intervention of Spider-Man. Spider-Man joins the Avengers and becomes their Iconic Leader. When he eventually unmasks he becomes even more popular. (Small note, Thor never ticked off Odin, and Bruce Banner did not become the Hulk)

Spider-Man: Two differences. His first major foray as a heroes, he saves J.Jonah Jameson's wife. This wins over the Publisher. Second: No Osbornes. Without their malign influence to SEVERLY depress Peter, he developes more self confidence, without becoming big-headed. His relationship with Gwen sours after he reveals his identity to her (no one killed her, but she still hated Spider-Man because of her father's death). They separate, and not long after, due to his relationship with the Avengers, he reveals his identity to the world. Because his background becomes known, people in the 616 embrace him for the same everyman qualities that cause us to embrace him. He becomes a symbol of hardwork, responsiblity, and the downtrodden.

She-Hulk: Bruce Banner was a few seconds faster off the mark. He managed to get nearly to safety after rescuing Rick Jones, however He did absorb a good deal of latent radiation, which is why Jennifer Walters still became the She-Hulk after her transfusion. With less Gamma Mutants in the world, she fights other threats that the Hulk isn't around to handle.

Fantastic Four: The Four start off as normal, but change gradually. First, Ben accepts his cure when the She-Hulk takes his place. Reed relinquishes field command of the team to Namor (Atlantis remains destroyed). Johnny pursues a serious acting career, while his ex-girlfriend (and Sue's best girl-friend) Crystal takes his place. Finally Sue retires due to motherhood, and her place goes to Kl'rt, who was forced to betray his race, to uphold his sense of honor. Unable to go home he joins his former enemies.

X-Men. Warren rises as the leader, not Scott. Jean's friend did not die, so Jean's power did not manifest early, which caused them to be less powerful when they did emerge. Havoc, and Polaris join the team early. Polaris is the one who gains the Phoenix force as her powers are far greater (having triggered by some unknown effect prior to her meeting the X-Men). With her enhanced powers and presence Krakoa is defeated and the "Secret" X-Men, remain on the team with a few of the "new" X-Men as well.

 

[Zoken]

UMC2: Avengers!

Captain America-Sharon Carter, rather than have "American Dream" we have a career soldier who, due to her merit has been chosen to take up the mantel as "Captain America".

Freebooter-Jason Castle, the nephew of Frank Castle. he is an expert hunter and tracker, highly skilled with a bow and arrow. He works as a bounty hunter always happy to hunt down scum and get paid for it. he is desperate to dissassociate himself with his uncle, who he believes to be a murderous sociopath

Mainframe-Johnny Gallo, the armor is designed by Tony Stark, but Tony is not interested at all in the hero buisness anymore, but a young man with a burden on his soul, Johnny Gallo still is. the armor is designed to enhance Johnny's natural mutant abilities and add the abilities one expects of Iron-Man. It also carries the mental patterns of Hornet to act as it's OS for Johnny.

Blue Streak- Crystal Maximoff, she defies her mother's wishes and refuses to remain in Attilan. she has struck out on her own to make her own way. she has the strength and endurance of any Inhuman, along with her mother's powers, and her father's infamous speed. when she turned 16 her hair turned a light shade of blue.

Second Sight- Layla Miller, the twenty-something heir apparant to the "XXX-investigations" company, the largest super-human investigations firm in the world. Layla posses a bizzare mutant gift that is an amalgam of precognition, telepathy, and hyper-intuition. also she was trained in combat by her old friends, the original staff.

Stature- Cassie Lang, she's become a guidance counselor for highschool teens, but by night, she still fights the good fight, still against her mother's wishes. when the Pym's died, she was left a substantial amount of equipment which Cassie put together to enhance Stature's power. though she's joined the Next Avengers, she still considers her self a Young Avenger.

Heroine- Gertrude Yorkes, at best a "Probationary member". Gert is an excellent and charasmatic leader. she is reluctant to join for several reasons, most of which she keeps to herself. one of them is the large team she leads in LA, mostly runaways of the non-powered variety, but several powered ones. together they fight a losing battle to clean up the City of Angels. she does this in memory of her fallen commrades... in memory of love and family lost.

G.A.M.M.A.: Genoshan Authority for Mutant and Meta-human Affairs
the organization formerly known as the X-Men or Xavier's has grown. with the Island of Genosha now a flying one (Much like Attilan) and with colonies on the moon and local planets, mutants have an alternative to living among humans. GAMMA is their strikeforce on earth. When a mutant is in trouble (Or causing trouble) GAMMA steps in.

Beak: Barnell Bohusk weilds his trusty baseball bat in talon and his 13 year-old son at his side Beak leads Gamma. He became a determined and powerful leader after the murder of his girlfriend-and four other children.

Mako: Sammy (Squid-Boy) was just a late bloomer. With poison quils that extend from his hands, super strength, and swimming (even in comparison to the Submariner) and the trust of the Atlantian people, Sammy is an excellent negotiator and fighter.

Cukoo: Esme is the last of the Stepford Cukoos, she has been able to absorb the telepathic fields left by her late sisters, and now wields the power they once wielded as a group; however she is lonlier and much more humble. She has a romantic intrest in Beak, but he is still not quite over Angel.

X-23: When her "father" dissappeared 10 years ago, Laura took his places, and even found time to go on small missions to search for him and explore her own background, she has only one small problem. Because of the Adamantium bonded to her skeleton and her early activated mutant power, despite being an adult well beyond the age of consent, she still appears in her early teens.

 

[Zoken]

Sleepwalkers and Endless Love

Since I was a kid I knew I was special. Ideas came to me, weird things that even other children thought were absurd. As I grew older, they didn't stop coming to me, though they became more focused, and smoother. Ideas. Stories. They flooded me. While other writers would complain of "Writer's Block" I had Writer's Flood. I couldn't stop them. Sometimes I would wake at night unable to contain a new idea. I had to get it out through my finger tips. It became burdonsome. They wouldn't stop long enough for me to finish with anyone of them. I couldn't finish a story before starting three new ones.

One night I went to sleep with a desperate thought... "Is there no one in the firmament who can help me?" and that was the first time I visited the Dreaming. It was also the first time I met Lady Delirium. A sweet child, if one as ageless as she can be described as a child, she explained to me what I had done. I had traveled the wrong way on my path and entered the fringe of her domain. I turned with thanks, and continued the way I had come and past it. She followed, asking questions, giving answers, and offering to drive me. Despite her assertions that she was "A good driver" I thought it best not to ride in a vehicle controled by the manifestation of madness. She told me of the Dream King. As I asked her questions, I knew that I was dealing with an ancient being, a powerful being. I knew that when one came to ask a favor of ancient and powerful beings, one should bring a gift or offering of their own.

The more I heard of Lord Morpheus the more I knew what I would give him. So, one night, in a misty forest (I was well aware that the path was actually as long or as short as I required it to be, but I had no problem taking my time), I began to dream of a person. As I did, the mists swirled to create my dream woman. I gave her skin of indigo night sky. Her hair was starlight, and her eyes two diamonds. She was clothed in raw dreamstuff that shifted and changed with every passing moment. She was shapely and regal.

She surveyed me with an eye, "I was not created for you, was I?"

"No, My Lady," I replied. "I am not worthy of the queen I have made you, you are for another if he will court you."

"Pretty hair..." Delirium remarked. "So bright... queens have crowns... where is your crown? What is it a crown of?"

She looked to me. I waved my hand an a crown made from woven thorns appeared. It was shaped regally to resemble a tiara. "You, are Queen Hope," I said. "You're kingdom will expand and contract, but Until the last living thing dies, you shall not for hope springs eternal." As she placed the crown upon her head, the shape did not change, though it was gilded.

"For whom else should Dreams bed?" she asked.

"That will be betwixt you and he," I replied.

"And what makes you think I am interested in your figment, boy?" came a new voice. This one of infinite mystery and wonder. I turned to see a man as pale as the moon, he had dark hair and stars for eyes. He dressed in black.

I hit my knees instantly, I was no fool. One does not stand before the god of a god. "My Lord Dream, master of the realm of the imagined and the fantasy."

"Hmm," Hope remarked looking at Dream. "He's a skinny slip of a thing, needs to comb his hair. Nice eyes though."

Dream cast her a glance and then to me. "What is she supposed to be, a consort, a concubine? Do you presume I could not manifest my own if I wished?"

"She is to be wife and equal," I replied, without rise or looking up. "You could create all you wished, but they would always know you as creator. You may have created the raw materials for her, but I did the weaving of her."

"And I am not so easily won over by rude hosts who ignore their guests and family," Hope added.

Dream cast her another glance and held a hand out to Delirium.

"I like her," Delirium bubbled. "She smells sparkly, like little startlight butterflies."

"Indeed," Dream dismissed. "I will have chambers set aside for you, Lady Hope," Dream told her. "And you," He asked of me. "What did you wish in return?"

"Relief from my affliction..." as I told him about my malady and my journey he made interesting observations. That I had wielded dreamstuff without assistance, that I had survived a trip to Delirium unscathed, and that night after night (For all of this took place of the course of two weeks of dreams) I had returned to the Dreamingly effortlessly. He allowed me access to his library to better understand my condition, which he said he was not sure of himself.

It was weeks later as Hope and Dream played a game of chess (Hope was terrible, but she never gave up until he actually took her king) that I met perhaps the most beautiful woman I had ever laid my eyes on. I think she was there to call on Lord Dream. She had checked the Library and proceeded on. I think that very moment was when I fell in love with Calliope.

 

[Zoken]

Fantastic

I had an idea for the Fantastic Four done Smallville style. Not the "Pre-Story" just, adapted for television.

Reed met Ben as kids (Ben and his Yancy Street Gang saved Reed from getting mugged). He meets Susan in college (transfering into a class he could well teach in his sleep to get to know her). Ben meets Johnny in the airforce. all four go to work for Fantasticorp, Which is run by Prof. Nathaniel Richards. Reed's distant widower father. Reed is of course in R/D, with Johnny and Ben as test pilots, and Susan is in the marketing department as their spokesmodel.

Reed designs what he believes to be the first Faster-Than-Light ship, powered by his experimental Cosmic Fusion Reactor. Prof. Richards wants the first flight ASAP, but Reed isn't sure about how the Reactor's shielding will hold up in flight. After pressure from his father, and against the pleadings of both Susan and Ben, Reed greenlights the flight. Johnny is happy to fly, Ben refuses to let Reed fly in anything with only Johnny behind the wheel. Susan demands to be taken along, otherwise she will report the flight to the FAA (She demands because she knows Reed would never put her in any danger, and if he takes her then she knows HE'S in no danger.)

Just outside of the solar system the reactor breaches the cockpit and they are exposed. Ben unstraps and Johnny turns them around and Ben seals the leak. As all of this happens, Reed is trying to figure out what went wrong when he sees a figure outside of the ship. A toga wrapped body with an enormous head and even larger eyes that seem both empty and all seeing at once. Before Reed can focuse too much on the figure, they are rocketing back toward Earth and he has to reprogram the landing sequence. Their changes begin to emerge and they are different.

Their adventures are more political in nature; negotiating a ceasefire with Subterrania, Opening trade with the notoriously closed borders of Wakanda, Repelling an Atlantian attack by finding and restoring it's proper monarch, and dealing with the accusations of the Sovereign of Latveria. During the last two incidents Reed sees the face again, as Namor retakes his crown, and as The Four band together to beat Doom, he sees the strange being he saw on their first flight.

After Susan assures him he isn't crazy he traces the face to the moon. Their he finds a region hidden by technology that no one on the planet but him can begin to understand. They land and confront the being they come to know as "The Watcher". From their conversation Reed realizes the Watcher is worried about something upcoming, something that may mean the end of the planet.

While all of this is happening Reed's father is growing more and more distant working on a special project he calls only "Project Wells". Reed realizes his father is working in one of the few fields Reed has sworn to never even research: Time Travel.

 

[Zoken]

Marvel BC
Kinda like Marvel 1602, this is the Marvel Universe set in a different time.

I already mentioned the Fantastic Army, Spider-Son, and Captain Spartan, but how about...

Antonius was a young up-and-coming black smith. His father owned a whole series of forges in Rome. When his father was killed by a business rival, Antonius prayed to the god his father had always taught him to pray to; Hepheastus. Hepheastus answered and Tony made a bargain with him. Hepheastus traded Tony a heart made of the scraps left over from crafting Zeus' lightening bolts. Tony gave Hepheastus his heart. With the Lightening Heart, Antonius created a suit of powered Armor. However, the lightening heart, while it did regenerate power, did so slowly. If Antonius Depleated the Lightening Heart, he died.

Barton was a gladiator in the colussium, sentanced to do so for theft. However he, and his girl, Barbaras, escape. The two of them, street children and naturally agile, stay on the run. They spend their spare time rescuing others on the streets of Rome from becoming unwilling gladiators. Barton wields the latest technology; a Bow and Arrow.

Banaris a great weapon-smith who finds a way to harnes the original Promethean fire (which his ancestor stole) into a weapon the exerts the power of the gods. He is about to test when he realizes the test range is not clear. He races out to save the young man. The gods, meanwhile, are outraged by his audacity. Banaris, however is spoken for by Hera, who witnessed Banaris' act of bravery. So his curse is simple; He is split in two. One half will contain the power of the Gods that he tried to recreate, and the other will contain his intelligence. he cannot have both at once. He is changed into a Hulking Brute.

Thor... not much you actually have to change there.

Hanrese and Janus are a couple preparing to wed. the god Janus, annoyed by having a woman named after him, decided to punish her and her philosopher fiance. He causes them to change size. Hera, who actually likes the couple, tries to fix them and stabalizes their sizes, and gives them the ability to control their sizes.

 

[Zoken]

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[Zoken]

Superman

Clark Kent walked into the office on a calm ordinary day. That was his first hint something was going to happen. He was reading the stories from the day's paper. He skipped his own piece on underfunded police departments, he knew how that went. He skipped Lois' peice, only because of it's headline; "Superman To The Rescue". He sighed. It wasn't the reason he'd done it. It was never the reason he put on that suit. He was just trying to protect people. He didn't want to show up the people who showed actual bravery (the ones who weren't bullet proof).

"Hey, CK," Came Jimmy Olsen's voice. Clark held out his hand and Olsen put the coffee in it. He smiled at Jimmy who was handing out the coffee. Jimmy was an inner city kid. Gifted and bright, but inexperienced, Clark (after a "recommendation from Superman") vouched for Jimmy to get him an internship. Jimmy was basically a gopher. He got coffee, lunch, whatever they wanted. He also was getting paid to take pictures. Clark hoped the kid's life was on a different path now than it had been when he'd met him. Clark caught him as he was running from the cops on a drug charge. The story goes when his mother got there to bail him out, she started smacking him so much he nearly waived bail. She staked out a roof top to thank Superman for what he'd done.

he turned back to the paper. The gossip columnist was running another peice on Lex. It irked Clark to no small extent to know that the only people getting dirt on one of the most corrupt people on the planet were rumor mongers.He had checked with his sources previously; Lex was out of the country right now. Bizarro was still in his pocket dimension. Mxylptlk wasn't causing any trouble... what was this nagging feeling of danger?