The All-Star Marvel RPG

[Optikal]

​

"Thank you Thor" said the Vision with a smile that seemed somehow out of place on a face so artificial "It is good to be met."

The synthezoid seemed to look past Thor for a moment, as if considering the events that had brought him to this point and contemplating where to go from here. The moment quickly passed and the Vision's smile returned.

"I would very much like to know more about you Thor, if your time would allow. Though I am not human, and have yet to socialize as humans do, I have read that human interaction is often facilitated by visiting venues with live entertainment. This serves as a suitable back drop to the interaction and I must admit that I seem to have a fondness for Jazz music and happen to know of a place where the band should be due on stage momentarily. I had thought to go there alone, as I have done before, to hear the music, but I think I would much prefer to have company."

The self proclaimed Thunder God seemed to hesitate, as if taken aback slightly by the synthezoid's manner, or perhaps merely the thought of spending an evening conversing with a machine over the sounds of an unfamiliar musical style.

Eager not to have his invitation declined, the Vision rolls the dice so to speak, counting on at least some of the mythical stories about Thor being true, and adds "The venue in question possesses a liscence permitting the sale of alcoholic beverages as well."​

Thor smiled and clapped the fellow on the shoulder. "Ale and music are a combination irresistible men and Gods alike. I am also curious to learn more of you, Vision".

As The Vision lead the way to the establishment, Thor caught himself wandering. If man was made by the Gods, but this creature was made of man... then what grace was left to be granted to his ilk? It was an enigma that Thor found troubling and unable to shake.

For the time being though, Thor resolved to put it aside and enjoy the company of a fellow outsider.

 

[Mr. Majestic]

“Yeah well kid, fights like that happen a lot in war, you can only serve as a distraction. There’s no beating the opponent on the spot. Need to know about them and take them out.” Victor said as they waited for the mental signal to reach Haller and for him to send a chopper or other vehicle to get them back over the boarder and back at base.

“Ok boys and girls, all aboard” Victor had commanded as the helicopter arrived.

The ride “home” was a mostly silent one, everyone pretty much kept to themselves. As they saw the mansion on the horizon Victor spoke up.

“If you want, and we could all sure as hell use it, everyone get some R&R.” he needed some down time, even if he was going into the gym.

After landing pretty much everyone went to their rooms.

As I walk into my quarters I head to my bed and sit down. With everything that has been going on I beginning to see things differently. What kind of life have I gotten into, going on missions that seems as if there for nothing. This is to much for me to handle.

Besides that I’m beginning to be aware of how my personality is starting to change. Maybe when I take the powers of others I’m getting more than just that. Speaking of, I wonder why I wasn’t able to use the hulk’s power. I know for a fact that I have it I can feel it but for some reason I can’t access it.

That doesn’t matter now the mission is over. I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m called because we have another one.

I then fall back on my bed laying my head on my pillow. I know what I have to do. I must get a better understanding and control of all the powers I have. Once I do, I will leave this place.

 

[bkhedr]

Thor smiled and clapped the fellow on the shoulder. "Ale and music are a combination irresistible men and Gods alike. I am also curious to learn more of you, Vision".

As The Vision lead the way to the establishment, Thor caught himself wandering. If man was made by the Gods, but this creature was made of man... then what grace was left to be granted to his ilk? It was an enigma that Thor found troubling and unable to shake.

For the time being though, Thor resolved to put it aside and enjoy the company of a fellow outsider.

​

"Excellent" The obviously very pleased synthezoid said "Please follow me"

With that the Vision took to the air once more, leading Thor as the pair soared above the city briefly before descending in an alley behind a jazz bar by the name of 53 Club. It is a smaller club off slightly off the beaten track. A place where familiar faces are often seen and a place where the Vision, under his human guise of Victor Shade, has come to be thought of as something of a regular.

It is that human guise that the Vision now dons by mentally willing his built in holo inducer into action and changing his image from that of crimson faced synthezoid, to that of a tall thin man with a long face and streaks of gray adorning his brown hair above either ear.

Victor smiles at Thor and speaks in a voice altered to no longer sound artifical.

"Forgive the disguise but my unaltered appearance tends to attract alot of attention among normal human beings and attention is not somethign I often crave. I have therefore adopted a 'secret identity' so to speak. While we are inside please refer to me as Victor, several of the people inside have an acqaintance with this alter ego."

 

[sabetoonth]

“Yeah well kid, fights like that happen a lot in war, you can only serve as a distraction. There’s no beating the opponent on the spot. Need to know about them and take them out.” Victor said as they waited for the mental signal to reach Haller and for him to send a chopper or other vehicle to get them back over the boarder and back at base.

“Ok boys and girls, all aboard” Victor had commanded as the helicopter arrived.

The ride “home” was a mostly silent one, everyone pretty much kept to themselves. As they saw the mansion on the horizon Victor spoke up.

“If you want, and we could all sure as hell use it, everyone get some R&R.” he needed some down time, even if he was going into the gym.

After landing pretty much everyone went to their rooms, Victor on the other hand went into the gym and started lifting weights, his super strength didn’t stick out here, didn’t among the Brotherhood either, but the brotherhood didn’t have its own gym, Victor usually either lifting rocks or simply go out free running in the nearest wilderness. Even in urban environments he ran the walls and rooftops.

As he curled 200 pounds he noticed Summers enter and get a good work out, not a day ago this guy was shoot a beam of red energy into his arm. Victor glared at him focused still on the weight lifting. One of these days he was gonna take his head off. He chose his side, the way of the good little human soldier.

Victor woke from his sleep with a start.

“Damned nightmares.” He mumbled under his breath looking about his room, it was actually a room. He poped his neck tilting his head side to side before getting up. He opened his door to the dark corridor, no one was out and about that he could see or smell.

Easing his way through the halls Victor Creed made his way to the kitchen for a late night snack. Maybe food would calm his nerves. Then he heard the sound of booted foot falls.

Roy McAlister entered the kitchen on patrol, he didn’t see anything, he didn’t hear anything. He checked the cupboards to be sure no one was hiding from him.

Victor didn’t move an inch as he pressed himself against the ceiling. He slowed his breathing as he dug his claws deeper into the thick material that was something other then sheetrock.

McAlister looked to the right, and then to the left.

Victor looked down on the human guard, he could rip him apart right now if he wanted.

Roy decided to leave, he was getting the heeby geebies in the kitchen for some reason.

Sabretooth sighed in releif before dropping to the ground without a sound. He rifled through the fridge quickly and found a left over roast someone had fixed. He cut off a large chunk about the size of a large fist, putting it on a plate before sitting down to eat. The steak knife was unnessasry, but it was proper dinner ettiquitte.

He stuck the fork in the meat and raised it to his lips, blowing on the hot food. He opened his mouth a small bit before stopping. He looked around, thought about it. How this place could do mutants some real good if it wasn’t run by the human’s.

 

[Andy C.]

PREVIOUSLY:

Spoiler

The operation in the Adirondack mountains was carried out without a hitch. Most of the mutants that made up the 'Freedom Force' insurgent group had mutations that barely distinguished them from humans, such as having slightly scaly skin, or being able to see a wider spectrum of light. The only thing that made them dangerous was the fact that they had guns and homemade bombs and were intending to use them on the general populace. If they had just registered, the X-Men wouldn't have even looked their way, let alone drop a cleanup crew on them. As it stood, Colossus, Multiple Man, Hyperion, and myself were able to disarm and disable the entire camp in under three minutes.

The insurgents didn't go down without a fight, however--some of Madrox's multiples were pretty severely injured by a girl who called herself Marrow, and two more by a man who went by the name of Quill--but they were taken down quickly enough. The human sympathizers were all turned over to Homeland Security, while the mutants have all been taken by HAMMER. I assume they're being processed right now on their way to Genosha Bay.

Back at the Institute, Colonel Haller has dismissed us following our debriefing, allowing the team to get some R&R and for medics to look at Madrox's wounds. As the team disperses, I stay in my seat in the War Room.

"Colonel, if I could have a word with you," I say when Colossus leaves, leaving only Haller and myself in the room.

"Something else you want to report, Summers?" the Colonel says, an eyebrow raised.

"Sir, before we carried out the attack, while we were waiting in position...." I take a second, trying to gather myself so as not to sound like I'm being hysterical. "I heard Jean's voice."

"First Sergeant Grey? That's not surprising. I understand you two were...close," he says with an obvious tone of disapproval. "I understand that her going missing is causing you a lot of stress. Are you sure you weren't just hearing things?"

"All due respect, sir, I know what's just my imagination and what isn't. Jean's a telepath, and we don't even know how powerful she can get. She was calling out to me specifically, sir. She's still out there, she's still alive, and she's calling to me!"

"Grey went missing in Washington, DC. Tonight's mission was in upstate New York. You're suggesting that First Sergeant Grey was able to project a telepathic message from at least 400 miles, probably much greater since we still haven't ascertained where the Brotherhood took her. Even Professor Xavier himself would have had difficulty doing that. I know you want to find her, and believe me, so do I. But unless she was able to tell you where she was so we can investigate, there really isn't anything we can do beyond what we're already doing."

My blood begins to run hot when he says that. He sends half of our forces on one roundup after another, then acts like he's doing everything in his power to find Jean.

"Colonel Haller, sir," I say, growing impatient, "I have to request that a team is formed specifically to locate and recover First Sergeant Grey. I'm the most qualified for search and rescue operations like this one. If I can put a team together, we can--"

"First Sergeant Grey's rescue and recovery are tied into our operations against the Brotherhood," Haller interrupts me. "And all of our operations concerning the Brotherhood are currently under the command of Captain Worthington. You are still in a position where you are emotionally compromised, therefore I cannot allow you to jeopardize any X-Men mission against Magneto while this personal conflict of interest is at play. Your request is denied, Captain Summers."

I bite down on my lip to prevent an outburst, and Colonel Haller turns to leave the room.

As he reaches the door, he stops and turns back to me.

"The ironic thing, Summers, is that you would have had my full permission to lead the rescue mission, if you had followed my orders and not gotten personally involved with Grey in the first place."

It's all I can do to not blast a hole through Haller's chest, but I keep myself in check while he leaves.

I head to the gym for an hour or so to blow off steam, then head to my bunk. When I step into my room, I see a large sealed envelope on my bed.

SCOTT SUMMERS: FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, it reads on the outside.

I close the door behind me, and I open the envelope. In it, I find what appears to be a collection of journals, notepads, and pamphlets. Someone's personal effects.

I pick up one of the leather-bound journals and begin to thumb through it......and I feel my pulse quicken as I recognize the handwriting.

These documents had been missing since the assassination in 1994. Where they went, what they contained, nobody knew. And now they're sitting right here on my desk.

These are the lost writings of Charles Xavier.

"January 21st, 1988: We live in precarious times. The unexpected growth of our population--by which I mean the world population as a whole, although the mutant population in particular has risen far more prominently than in previous generations--has led to inevitable friction between varying groups in our society. There are the preemptive reactionaries, who seek to impose regulatory measures upon mutants in order to quell a perceived threat of violent insurrection. There are the revolutionaries, who respond to the heavy-handed authoritarianism with outrage, even anger, and believe that the only way to change the system is to undo it completely. And there are the individual mutants themselves, many struggling to cope with genetic gifts that they do not fully understand, finding no help from their peers. It is to these lost and confused individuals that I hope to devote my full attention and efforts."

I've spent hours combing over Professor Xavier's old notes, and each of them sounds so much like the kindly old mentor who took me in. These notes are what led to the founding of the school here at Westchester, and eventually to the X-Men themselves.

"November 16th, 1988: I have been in frequent contact with Erik, but I fear that I am losing touch with him. Every time we talk, his views have grown more and more cynical towards our goal of mutant/human reconciliation, his stance increasingly militant and aggressive. While I share his frustration and even outrage at our plight, I still hold fast to my belief that violence is not the answer. The Senate is proposing the Mutant Registration Bill not because they wish to dominate us or exploit us, but because they fear us. Mutant violence is still on the rise, and they fear for their constituents. I agree that steps must be taken to prevent further escalation, but I cannot bring myself to believe that something as sweeping and oppressive as across-the-board mutant registration--or even outright militarization as many are calling for--is any sort of solution to the problem. If anything, it will encourage dissident mutants such as Erik towards drastic steps, even rebellion."

I raise my eyebrow at his mention of opposing the Mutant Registration Act. Before his assassination, the Professor had become one of the country's leading proponents of it.

"I still believe the best way to maintain peace between the human and mutant communities is with a task force of sorts, a team of public individuals who use their abilities for the sake of both mutants and humans, preventing disasters and stopping violent threats, and providing an example for all of us. We must show the humans that we are not monsters or threats, and we must show our fellow mutants that they must use their gifts wisely and responsibly. Furthermore, I believe this must be done with the full cooperation of the government, in order to prevent them from passing measures such as the Registration Act. Only by working inside the system can we hope to dismantle it and reconstruct it for the better."

...."dismantle?" This doesn't fit with any of the things that I'd read from Professor Xavier's works. Granted, most of his declassified writings were from 1991 to 1994, from the height of the Registration debate up to his assassination. Maybe he had a change of heart....

....still, I remember when he first took me in to the Institute, some of the things he used to say. I wonder what he would think of what the X-Men have become now.

"July 19th, 1990: I have been unable to convince Captain Haller of the inherent risks of the Cerebro Project. A device powerful enough to amplify psionic fields, create a worldwide link between the entire mutant population, or alter the brainwave patterns of a single person...this is territory into which no one should venture, even if it is for the greater good. I fear that they are beginning to overstep their bounds with the designing of this device, given its potential for devastation upon the mutant community. If Cerebro ever goes online, it could mean outright war between--"

"Captain Summers," Colonel Haller's voice interrupts my reading over the intercom. "We've just located a high-priority mutant threat moving through the Southern States. Meet me in five for briefing."

"I'll be right there," I respond, then mark my place in the notes before hiding them away in my personal footlocker. Whoever delivered these notes to me, they could completely change the face of what's going on here at Westchester. Unfortunately, I'll have to get back to it later.

I suit up, tune my visor, and head to the War Room. Once I finish reading Xavier's notes, I'll have to have a serious talk with Colonel Haller.

And ask some very serious questions regarding this "Cerebro" device.

 

[J'adore]

Being in a bed for two weeks makes you feel sick. I haven't seen Natasha since I got shot. Jane Foster keeps checking up on me...One more time she has to fluff my pillow and she's fired!

Christopher and Aunty Peggy are the only people who seem to have a fixated seat by my bed. Christopher's currently out to get some lunch...We shared a kiss last week. Well, a peck if you must.

Trish Trilby came by the other day, to get some quotes on what exactly happened in New York. The word's got out. But don't worry...Silver Sablinova won't be participating in any assassinations any longer...Once my team finds her of course.

At the moment, I've made sure Trish reports back that the currently imprisoned Carol Danvers and the rest of her failed team are outlaws and any Cop, Marine or Soldier is free to take these outlaws down, with the price of keeping America in order and with a very high reward fee.

Carol Danvers shall no longer get into any type of costume and is being kept in confinement for max. 2 years.

As for Nick Fury, that's personal. I'm not gonna stop until I find him, and when I do...I'll ruin him. And of course, all of his SHIELD sleepers. I've got all my top sleeper agents to make sure no more SHIELD sleepers come into the HAMMER premises, and those who already have, will be terminated.

If it's a game Fury wants to play, then it's a game he'll get.

​

 

[Optikal]

​

"Excellent" The obviously very pleased synthezoid said "Please follow me"

With that the Vision took to the air once more, leading Thor as the pair soared above the city briefly before descending in an alley behind a jazz bar by the name of 53 Club. It is a smaller club off slightly off the beaten track. A place where familiar faces are often seen and a place where the Vision, under his human guise of Victor Shade, has come to be thought of as something of a regular.

It is that human guise that the Vision now dons by mentally willing his built in holo inducer into action and changing his image from that of crimson faced synthezoid, to that of a tall thin man with a long face and streaks of gray adorning his brown hair above either ear.

Victor smiles at Thor and speaks in a voice altered to no longer sound artifical.

"Forgive the disguise but my unaltered appearance tends to attract alot of attention among normal human beings and attention is not somethign I often crave. I have therefore adopted a 'secret identity' so to speak. While we are inside please refer to me as Victor, several of the people inside have an acqaintance with this alter ego."

"Aye, that'll be no problem, Victor" Thor said with a grin. As they entered the bar and caught a table in the corner. Ayoung woman, raven haired with a sweet smile touched the table.

"What can I get you boys?" she asked.

Thor stretched his legs out, crossing them and returned the smile. "Ale for me woman" he stated matter of factly.

The music lilted out from a band playing on a small stage at the other end of the bar. It wasn't to Thors taste, but it was far from unpleasant. The serving girl gave him a look displaying her displeasure at his abruptness and turned to his companion.
​

 

[CoreBrute]

As sunlight dawned on a brand new day, the rays reflecting of a the crystal blue water, and people were preparing to ease into that hell known as rush hour, a roar was heard near the docks, the roar of several engines being turned on. There were three large trucks on the docks, each painted a dark black and there outsides seemed to be made entirely out of both lead and something akin to steel. A small man wearing a blue suit and a hat that obscures his face looks over the men loading the trucks.

"Are we ready yet Dmitri?" A man shouted from inside a truck. The suited man responds calmly.

"If you want to be rude about the kindness Mr Fiers is showing you, by all means we can just leave now." His accent is refined and his english is fluent, similar to a foreigner having mastered the language, rather than a native. "And the Big Man will be very disapointed when he finds out one of his last allies is leaving him out to dry because of one of his men's lack of courtesy."

"Sorry, sorry man. Just it's daylight and we don't want to attract any cops-"

"don't worry about nothin'. We're done here." In a second his accent had become a carbon copy of the man he was addressing. He could have passed for a New Yorker at that point. He clicked his fingers and several men leaped out of the trucks.

"Don't break anything. I heard the material can get quite... volatile when shook." He stated in his original (or seemed to be original) voice. The trucks pulled out of the docks and head onto the main roads. After a moment, Dimitri reached into his pocket and pulled out a mobile phone and spoke into it with an accent resembling an excited teenager.

"yo dude, I just saw something off the hiz-house involving the Big Man, you gotta tell Silvermane..."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
As the trucks pass move through the early morning traffic, inside one of the trucks, a thug is lighting a cigarrete. He is leaning on a large box covered with dark blue sheet The other man in the truck looks horrified.

"What's wrong with you man? That fire could get everything to blow sky high!"

"Ah screw you Jimmy, I need to relax. That Dimitri fella creeped the **** out of me." He inhaled deeply before blowing a large waft of smoke into the air. He glances around expectantly before smugly smirking. "See? Nothing bad's gonna happen."

"Now let's not get ahead of ourselves." a low voice echoed from the floor. Or more specifically, the sand gathered on the floor.

"What the fu-"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

To the amazement of pedestrians and drivers alike, the center of three trucks' top soared into the air, before it began demolished from the inside, and eventually the truck fell on it's side, causing an obstruction in the road.

As the two trucks in front and behind the collapsed vehicle try to turn away from the wreckage, two large sand like hammers smash the back and the front of the respective vehicles, causing them to the sides of the road. A voice echos from the crashed truck, as a figure appears from the wreckage.

"The Big Man's goons will never escape the wrath of THE SANDMAN!"

 

[sabetoonth]

The Hulk looked down at Iron Man, little more then a week ago he had been smashing through three of the seven heroes he had just decided to join. Now there he stood. Next to one, far from two of them. He watched as the Med team seemed to be taking some time getting there he stepped forward and scooped up the director.

“Hulk help.” He looked up at the flying ship. He might make the jump. Looking around he decided the best option was to jump from one building to another. “Carter hold on, ok?” he said like a child who was cradling a small animal. Squatting down, he forced all the strength he could out of his legs launching him into the air and higher then the nearest roof, which he landed on. Repeating he held the Director close to his own body as they passed through the air, climbing in altitude as he got close to the helicarrier with every leap. Finally a top the tallest building he squatted down, he settled in tensed every muscle, thought about all that strength, thought about all that had happened in his and Banner’s lives and felt stronger, a strength and energy that he felt consume his body. He pushed against the building, the building pushing against the city streets bellow, pushing on the crust of the earth. And then it all pushing right back proportionately sending hi through the air and past the Helicarrier. His feet kicking slightly to find footing and to help him through the air he began to descend. His hair rising up as he did so. With the sound of a heavy blow against the metal of the Helicarrier the Hulk took a step or two as HAMMER agents surrounded him. He let down the Director from his arms. They kept their armaments raised at him.

“Hulk help.” He spoke. They didn’t budge. He growled at them. They closed in. he growled again and turned around leaping off the aircraft into the city; leaping again he started running, north this time, in the direction of Canada.

Operative Coulson looked on as the Hulk fled the helicarrier, looking down at a small device in his hand. The red button. Couslon clicked it and the light above the button, just as red began to blink.

“Simmons, Follow Banner at safe distance.”

Bruce woke from his sleep in what had become a familiar calm. For about a month he had been away from the world of man. He had been out here in the Canadian wilderness, were he and the Hulk, felt like they belonged.

He rose from his bed and washed his face, his arms and his hands in a tin wash basin. As he sat down to a breakfast of homemade oatmeal with some hand picked, fresh berries a hard knock came at the door. Rising to his feet Bruce opened the wood door of the cabin he and the Hulk had built.

“Operatvie Coulson.” Banner greeted his guest.

“Doctor Banner.” The SHIELD operative nodded as he entered the dwelling.

“You gave me your word Couslon, I could come and go from SHIELD and the Avengers as I please."

“I did” Coulson looked down at a book, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Opened to page 15. “Fitting reading material Dr Banner.”He said as he sat across the table from Bruce’s meal.

“So what is it you want?” Bruce asked crossing his arms, had just gotten up, he didn’t want to find out that SHIELD was forcing him into membership or anything of the sort.

“Actually Bruce I was sent by Director Fury to give you a few things.” He reached into his pocket and produced a small cell phone like device. “This is a secure line to all SHIELD operatives, you can also dial any phone number you wish without worrying about being honed in on. The signal will bounce off of every radio towere in the world before they can even figure out what country your in.”Bruce took the device from Coulson, sliding it up.

“Why are you giving me this?” Bruce asked looking up.

“We need to keep in touch, for the Avengers, if the world needs them again then you’ll get a call. Or if you ever need us, call.” Coulson smiled before turning around to exit.

“Thank you Coulson…”Bruce spoke up, “I don’t think I would have ever gotten this far without what happened last month.”

“It was all you doctor, you decided to come with me.” Coulson smirked knowingly before leaving Bruce to his devices.

 

[Andy C.]

"I'm not saying it's a bad game," I say to Harry as we head from one class to another, weaving our way through the crowded hallway of Midtown. "I'm saying that chronologically it doesn't make sense. If it's a prequel, if it happens before the events of the first game, then why do they have all these extra weapons and vehicles that they didn't have in the games that came after it? Did they just forget to bring half of their stuff with them?"

"I love that that's what you're picking at about the game, the fact that the guns and power-ups don't match up," Harry brushes it off. It's our usual BS argument for the sake of an argument, where one of us (usually me) takes issue with something that doesn't really matter, and the other plays the devil's advocate and takes up the other side, mainly just to push buttons. Today, our topic of choice is Harry's latest purchase for his 360. "Besides, the game's sold about a billion copies and it's only been out for a week. How about you un-clench a little and give in to the temptation of that sweet multiplayer goodness?"

"Because online multiplayer is full of morons," I state matter-of-factly. "I don't feel like spending my afternoon getting tea-bagged by some frat-boy idiot named 'Tru420GamR' or something equally stupid. Besides, I'd like to see any of them match the kind of moves I can do in Capcom vs. DC."

"I still don't get your whole kick for retro-games. Most of that stuff was before we were even old enough to walk, or before we were even born."

"Yeah, but the games back then were made for hardcore gamers, not just any idiot who plops down a couple hundred bucks because they don't wanna pay extra for a Blu-Ray player. There's actual strategy and timing that goes into the games, instead of just 'camp up in the high spot with the sniper rifle and the rocket launcher.' Single-player was actually a game itself, not just a training exercise for multiplayer. And best of all, gamers were geeks like me, not jocks and morons like--oh, speak of the devil."

As we head to the stairs for our fourth period class, I see Flash and Eddie coming our way. Eddie passes by, giving me nothing but his usual death-stare. Flash actually looks away as he passes us, then as we're about to walk on by, he stops.

"Hey, Parker?"

I turn, against my better judgment.

"...yeah?"

"If you do anything to hurt Mary Jane, I'll pull your scrawny little head off. Got me?"

"....ummm, yeah, okay. I got you."

I slowly back away from Flash, making sure we're out of earshot before asking Harry, "Any idea as to what the heck that was all about?"

Harry laughs out loud.

"You mean you haven't heard? Word around the school is you and Mary Jane had a magical evening last night. That you swept her off her feet and dazzled her with your irresistible dorky charm, and that by the end of the night, you two were making out like freshmen."

"But that's not what happened!" I blurt out in protest. "I mean, yeah, we had a great time, I thought, but we didn't....I mean, not that I don't want to, but how would I--? We didn't even kiss!"

"Perception is reality, right?" Harry says. "And if everyone in school thinks you and MJ played a few rounds of tonsil-hockey, then who are you to say otherwise?"

Actually, Mary Jane seemed pretty pleased with herself in Biology today....although I couldn't help but notice she had some serious bags under her eyes, like she was out all night and didn't get any sleep. Which is weird, because she went to bed before me.

And MJ wasn't the only one in high spirits this morning. Blackie Drago seemed more chipper than usual, even smiling a couple of times when Debra was giving her portion of the group presentation. Which is funny, because ever since being disqualified from the Science Fair, he's been nothing but angry.

"Oh God, if Mary Jane hears that, she's going to think I've been spreading those rumors around, and then she's gonna kill me!"

"Ummm......dude?" Harry says uncomfortably. "Right now I think Mary Jane might not be the one you need to worry about."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm not sure I should be telling you this, but...." Harry looks around, to see if anyone's listening in. "I was talking with Liz at lunch, and she said she asked Gwen if she heard about your date. Then a few minutes later, she caught her in the bathroom...crying."

"...what, about me and Mary Jane? Nah, that doesn't make......anyway, why would she care about that? It....it's gotta be something else. I mean, her birthday's coming up next week, and that's a really bad time for her, so.....it's probably that, right?"

"Maybe," Harry says, sounding unconvinced. "Still, you should probably talk to her about that. But hey, it's none of my business. Anyway, here's my class."

Harry goes into his English class, while I head down the hall towards my College Prep Lit class. I can't help but be bothered by what Harry just told me, but as the end of the school day grows near, my thoughts drift away from the everyday concerns of Peter Parker....

....and more towards my extracurricular activities when school lets out.

THE NEXT MORNING......

So last night's patrol was kind of a bust compared to the one before. No giant monster attacks, just a single mugging. Mary Jane was out with friends, Harry was watching some sappy movie with Liz, and Gwen wasn't answering her phone. So all last night, there was nothing to do but sit around the house and be critically bored.

Still itching to get my superhero on, I get an early start on the day, and see if I can stir up some excitement before school.

"Excuse me? Captain Stacy?" I say, knocking on the newly-replaced window of the precinct house. "You in there?"

Captain Stacy gives me an annoyed glare as he looks up at me from his desk, then gets up to open up the window.

"Morning, Spider-Man," he says. "Normally we don't see or hear from you until after dark. What brings you out so early today?"

"Just, y'know, volunteering," I say, sticking my head into the window but not venturing inside. "I figure you guys would be diverting a lot of man-power after the attack in Times Square, so I was wondering if there were any areas where I could, y'know, lend my spidery expertise?"

"Well, the last couple of nights have been busy for all of us, and I'm not just talking about Times Square," he says, rifling through the mountain of files on his desk. "It turns out that while you and the other superheroes were taking on that monster, there was quite a lot of other dirty business elsewhere in the city. Some of it strange enough that it might be super-human related somehow, and given my recent history dealing with you, they sent a lot of the weirder things to me."

"Hm. Interesting. Weird is fun. Well, unless it's that creepy kind of weird that's not fun at all. Then it's just...weird."

Captain Stacy doesn't ask me what the hell I'm talking about, but the look he gives me certainly asks the question quite effectively. Before the moment becomes too awkward, he gestures to one file, along with an envelope.

"Got another note from your little secret admirer, the Black Cat. This time, along with the letter, she left a prepaid cellular phone," he says, opening the envelope with the phone and the letter inside. "Both of which were addressed specifically to you. These were found at the site of another robbery, in the home of a wealthy upper-crust family who's asked to remain anonymous. Again, no signs of entry or exit; the only signs of Black Cat even being there were the letter and phone for you, two unconscious security guards--chloroformed from what we can tell--and about four hundred thousand dollars worth of missing jewelry."

"Yikes. Sounds like Cat's done knocking over pawn shops and jewelry stores, and moved up to a little more dangerous game. Does the note say anything that can help us?"

"See for yourself," he says as he hands me the letter.

"Dear Spider-Man,

I had a great time the last time you and I met; you sure do have all the right moves, hero. It's nice to meet a man who can go my speed. It's just too bad I had to leave you high and dry like that.

Still, I'd be willing to give our little game of cat-and-mouse (or should I say cat and spider?) a second chance. Unfortunately, the life of anonymous outlaws like us does make it difficult to set a schedule. So to get your attention, I took the liberty of relieving a few fat-cats of some of their trinkets. They look so much better on me anyway. But the jewels were just a bonus--the point is the phone.

Since it's no fun just robbing people and hoping you'll show up after the fact, I'm going to give you a ten-minute warning in advance of every job I pull from now on. If you can get to where I'm going by the time I'm there, well....I'm sure things will be a lot more interesting, won't they?

Oh, and since I'm sure the NYPD will get their hands on this before you do, I should point out: if there's any sign of cops, I won't show. And if it turns out they've bugged the phone, then I'll quit calling it and send you a new one.

Hope you get this, Spider. I'll be calling soon."

Heh, again it's signed with a kiss in black lipstick. That is seriously hot. Too bad Black Cat's a repeated felon. And, y'know, that I'm kinda sorta also seeing a girl right now, one who probably isn't a serial larcenist.

"Hmmm. Well, it's obvious that she wants me to play the game on her terms. She won't make a move without my confirmation. So the obvious plan of action is to wait for her call, get to wherever she's trying to hit, then hope I get lucky..............I mean, lucky enough to capture her. That's what I meant."

"From what our profilers have put together, the Black Cat's most likely doing this more for thrills than for money," he says, mature enough to ignore my Freudian slip there. "So it's unlikely that she has any additional ulterior motives. Be careful, though. She may have allies, and may be baiting you into some kind of trap."

"I'll keep that in mind," I say, pocketing the cell phone. "Any other things on the 'weird stuff' files that you might send my way?"

"Not much I can give you any details on. Friction between the different crime syndicates is building. With the Big Man on the ropes, the Manfredi family are moving their men into Brooklyn, so since that's your neighborhood, expect some violence. Hopefully it'll be contained to just gang-on-gang, but there's been signs of....escalation as to how far Silvermane might take things."

"Escalation?"

"There was a hit last night in Chinatown, against the Triad gang. Twelve men were killed, then....mutilated. They were found with their heads removed, their bodies ritualistically butchered. It was like they had been field-dressed like a deer, like they'd been taken down by some kind of sick game-hunter. If this is what Silvermane is willing to do to his enemies now, then I can only imagine the rival gangs are going to respond with worse."

I knew that the Big Man wasn't above doing some pretty awful stuff: hiring the Shocker to commit mass-murder, torturing and mutilating Alex O'Hirn to turn him into that Rhino thing, etc. But that? I think I better start taking a closer look at this "Silvermane" guy and take him out next.

"Jeez, that's....well, yeah, they're scummy gangsters and probably deserved something bad, but that's just....Anyway, you can count on me to help you all in any way I can to take these gangs down."

"Officially, I'm supposed to rebuke you and remind you that you're a wanted vigilante. Unofficially, though?" He grins just a little bit, which is actually more discomforting than when he scowls disapprovingly. "I'm actually starting to be glad you're on our side. Things are getting more and more difficult to handle; even outside the potential gang war, there doesn't seem to be a single safe place in this city. Times Square, Chinatown, even the ESU campus."

"You're talking about the possible homicide two nights ago?" I say, remembering that Gwen mentioned it over the phone.

"How did you hear about that?"

"Umm....I've got....really good sources," I say, trying hard not to let slip to Captain Stacy that his daughter is aiding and abetting a wanted mutant vigilante. For one, it would tip him off that Spider-Man might be someone she knows, like, say, Peter Parker. And secondly, it'd get her in trouble, and then she'd never forgive me. "Anyway, is that something I should look out for?"

"I honestly don't know," he says with a sigh. "It's got the crime scene investigators baffled. The victim was one Gregory Bestman, a senior faculty member at the school. From the damage to his body discovered in the autopsy and the impression left on the grass where he was found, it looks like he took a fall of about two or three hundred feet. Problem is, there are no heights in that area from which he could've jumped or fallen. It's like something just swooped down and grabbed him, picked him up, and then dropped him to his death."

Gregory Bestman....why does that name sound familiar? I know I've heard it somewhere, recently.

"I'll look into it, I guess."

Captain Stacy's phone rings, and he shushes me while answering, then once his conversation's over (including some urgent-sounding orders about dispatching officers), he turns to me.

"I just got word of an emergency downtown. Tanker trucks being flipped over and smashed by an unidentified superhuman. You might--"

"Already on it," I say before diving away from the window and onto the nearest set of rooftops. Following the smoke and the sirens, I find my way to the scene.

To the amazement of pedestrians and drivers alike, the center of three trucks' top soared into the air, before it began demolished from the inside, and eventually the truck fell on it's side, causing an obstruction in the road.

As the two trucks in front and behind the collapsed vehicle try to turn away from the wreckage, two large sand like hammers smash the back and the front of the respective vehicles, causing them to the sides of the road. A voice echos from the crashed truck, as a figure appears from the wreckage.

"The Big Man's goons will never escape the wrath of THE SANDMAN!"

"Ermm, excuse me?" I say, flicking a small blob of webbing off the back of the man's head to get his attention. "Hi, I'm Spider-Man, nice to meet ya. Anyway, nobody's more excited about wanting to take down the Big Man than me, but whaddya say you knock it off with the collateral damage, huh? The morning commute's bad enough as it is."

 

[CoreBrute]

"Ermm, excuse me?" I say, flicking a small blob of webbing off the back of the man's head to get his attention. "Hi, I'm Spider-Man, nice to meet ya. Anyway, nobody's more excited about wanting to take down the Big Man than me, but whaddya say you knock it off with the collateral damage, huh? The morning commute's bad enough as it is."

The webbing on the back of the man's head simply slid off his skull, the man not noticing until he heard the voice, turning around to see him. The man glanced at the costumed vigilantee in front, before squinting at the odd costume.

"You don't look old enough to qualify as Spider-MAN. Regardless this is none of your concern." He then heard the quick shuffling of feet, and his arm stretched out immediately to grab an escaping goon who had survived the overturning of the truck.

"And where do you think your going?" He questioned, before pulling the man towards him, his other hand transforming into a large gravel colored hammer. "I've still got to have a few words with you." He then turned around abruptly to look back at Spider-man.

"Are you still here? Buzz off kid." At this point you recognize the man. The same green striped shirt, the same shortly trimmed hair, the same angry expression. If it wasn't for the fairly intelligent tone of voice you would swear it was Flint Marko.

 

[sabetoonth]

The webbing on the back of the man's head simply slid off his skull, the man not noticing until he heard the voice, turning around to see him. The man glanced at the costumed vigilantee in front, before squinting at the odd costume.

"You don't look old enough to qualify as Spider-MAN. Regardless this is none of your concern." He then heard the quick shuffling of feet, and his arm stretched out immediately to grab an escaping goon who had survived the overturning of the truck.

"And where do you think your going?" He questioned, before pulling the man towards him, his other hand transforming into a large gravel colored hammer. "I've still got to have a few words with you." He then turned around abruptly to look back at Spider-man.

"Are you still here? Buzz off kid." At this point you recognize the man. The same green striped shirt, the same shortly trimmed hair, the same angry expression. If it wasn't for the fairly intelligent tone of voice you would swear it was Flint Marko.

Mac Gargan sat on the gargoyle above the city, his mechanical tail wrapped loosing around him.

“The Scorpion is on the prowl.” He muttered to himself. The procedure was a success. Mac Gargan, formerly crippled police officer was the official superhero of New York City.

“Scorpion, there’s a superhuman downtown, Spider-Man is spotted at the scene, relaying directions to the HUD in the suit.” Bristow, Mac’s personal dispatcher alerted him over the headset in the suit. He would get alerts to anything that truly requested his unique presence throught he HUD. And a built in Police scanner allowed Mac to listen in for any criminal activity himself.

“Right away Bris.” Mac stood slowly, balancing on the gargoyle’s head. He closed his eyes blissfully, taking a leap up into the air, forming a swan dive down towards the streets below. And upcoming flag pole and Mac reached out, grabbed it and prepelled himself forward, grabbing the building with his new wallcrawling bility, Gargan sprinted fast as he newly returned legs would carry him. His jumped and leaped over allies and streets, his tail trailing and whiping behind him. The spider slayers where enroute as well.

Mac leaped off the last rooftop before the scene, stretching out to a flip. Balling up as he plowed into the superhuman’s shoulder, knocking him over with the surprise attack and freeing the prisoner. Mac took his tail and tripped the run away thug from a distance, knocked out when his head hit the pavement.

“You are under arrest for using unregistered superhuman powers, assault, disturbing the peace, and destruction of public property” Mac Gargan, the Scorpion stood tall, the green armor shiny in the sun and the tail wisping behind him. A rather heroic image if any bystander ever saw one. He wouldn’t mind the Spider for now, but he would at least talk to the kid soon enough.

 

[CoreBrute]

Mac Gargan sat on the gargoyle above the city, his mechanical tail wrapped loosing around him.

“The Scorpion is on the prowl.” He muttered to himself. The procedure was a success. Mac Gargan, formerly crippled police officer was the official superhero of New York City.

“Scorpion, there’s a superhuman downtown, Spider-Man is spotted at the scene, relaying directions to the HUD in the suit.” Bristow, Mac’s personal dispatcher alerted him over the headset in the suit. He would get alerts to anything that truly requested his unique presence throught he HUD. And a built in Police scanner allowed Mac to listen in for any criminal activity himself.

“Right away Bris.” Mac stood slowly, balancing on the gargoyle’s head. He closed his eyes blissfully, taking a leap up into the air, forming a swan dive down towards the streets below. And upcoming flag pole and Mac reached out, grabbed it and prepelled himself forward, grabbing the building with his new wallcrawling bility, Gargan sprinted fast as he newly returned legs would carry him. His jumped and leaped over allies and streets, his tail trailing and whiping behind him. The spider slayers where enroute as well.

Mac leaped off the last rooftop before the scene, stretching out to a flip. Balling up as he plowed into the superhuman’s shoulder, knocking him over with the surprise attack and freeing the prisoner. Mac took his tail and tripped the run away thug from a distance, knocked out when his head hit the pavement.

“You are under arrest for using unregistered superhuman powers, assault, disturbing the peace, and destruction of public property” Mac Gargan, the Scorpion stood tall, the green armor shiny in the sun and the tail wisping behind him. A rather heroic image if any bystander ever saw one. He wouldn’t mind the Spider for now, but he would at least talk to the kid soon enough.

As the official superhero for New York city slammed into Sandman, he watched the prone man look up at him, before seemingly disintegrating himself into sand. After a moment though the sand condensed and formed Flint's feet, before his body quickly rebuilt itself.

"Ahh!" He howled when he came to, looking at the other metahumans with rage in his eyes. "What is this, Arachnids anonymous? Get out of my way!" His fists turn into a large pair of maces, before swinging at the two supers, causing small craters on the ground when he missed Spider-man but before he tried to repeat on Spider-man he saw the arachnid perched on one of the upturned crates from the truck and hesitated.

Got to be careful, if either of these fools breaks one of the crates, then this whole city block is gonna look like Hiroshima. Floyd's thoughts echoed in the empty mind of Flint.

His body changed completely to sand before it leaped out and latched onto Spider-man, ensnaring him in his mass, and holding him aloft of the crates, holding him but not crushing his ribs or the sort.

"Sorry Spider-boy. It's nothing personal, but I have been given a great power, against my wishes perhaps but still. And I have a responsibility to not waste it, and The Big man is too grave a threat to not fight, so I'm getting him on the ropes." He states, with no glee or malice, only resignation.

 

[Andy C.]

What in the freaking frak is going on here? This guy's whole body, it's.....made of sand, I guess? Or he's able to shape-shift in order to make it that way, or something. Either way, as I'm pulled into his sandy gut, breaking free isn't easy. His mass compounds and compacts to trap my right arm against my side, and every time I get a hand-hold to push against with my left, it crumbles and disperses, meaning I'm pushing against nothing.

"*nnngh*...you wanna....talk....*rgh!*.....responsibility?" I say as I try to wrench myself loose. Unable to break out of the sandy vice, I instead fire a web-line into the nearest building, and pull myself out with a huge heave.

As I turn, the Sandman has a gaping hole in his stomach from where I escaped, but it doesn't look like it effected him at all. In fact, the sand just ends up filling the hole shut seconds later. This is officially some weird crap going on.

Still, I shake it off, dodging a big mallet-shaped fist with a no-hands cartwheel.

"How about all these innocent people you're endangering with this little stunt? How responsible is that?"

I duck under another wide swing, his hand shaped like an axe-head this time.

"Because if any one of these people gets hurt, you can bet your gritty keister than I'm holding you responsible for it."

As he winds up for another swing, this time I go on the attack, charging forward. Just as I get up into his proverbial grill, I leap overhead, then fire globs of webbing into his face....

.....which, oddly enough, I recognize.....

"Wait a minute....Marko?! Flint Marko, is that you? So I guess working for the Big Man finally ended up biting you in the butt, huh? Well, aside from all those times I beat the crap out of you and threw you in prison. Those kinda bit you in the butt too. But seriously, what is with you low-lifes suddenly turning into rampaging monsters?"

First the Big Man turns Alex O'Hirn into the Rhino, who was pretty much indestructible, and now Flint freaking Marko is made out of sand. What's next, Eddie Brock merges with an alien slime monster?

I roll out of the way of another blast of sand, and come to a stop next to the Scorpion.

"I'm thinking the usual punchy-kicky stuff I do isn't going to work against this guy. Any ideas for a game-plan?"

 

[sabetoonth]

What in the freaking frak is going on here? This guy's whole body, it's.....made of sand, I guess? Or he's able to shape-shift in order to make it that way, or something. Either way, as I'm pulled into his sandy gut, breaking free isn't easy. His mass compounds and compacts to trap my right arm against my side, and every time I get a hand-hold to push against with my left, it crumbles and disperses, meaning I'm pushing against nothing.

"*nnngh*...you wanna....talk....*rgh!*.....responsibility?" I say as I try to wrench myself loose. Unable to break out of the sandy vice, I instead fire a web-line into the nearest building, and pull myself out with a huge heave.

As I turn, the Sandman has a gaping hole in his stomach from where I escaped, but it doesn't look like it effected him at all. In fact, the sand just ends up filling the hole shut seconds later. This is officially some weird crap going on.

Still, I shake it off, dodging a big mallet-shaped fist with a no-hands cartwheel.

"How about all these innocent people you're endangering with this little stunt? How responsible is that?"

I duck under another wide swing, his hand shaped like an axe-head this time.

"Because if any one of these people gets hurt, you can bet your gritty keister than I'm holding you responsible for it."

As he winds up for another swing, this time I go on the attack, charging forward. Just as I get up into his proverbial grill, I leap overhead, then fire globs of webbing into his face....

.....which, oddly enough, I recognize.....

"Wait a minute....Marko?! Flint Marko, is that you? So I guess working for the Big Man finally ended up biting you in the butt, huh? Well, aside from all those times I beat the crap out of you and threw you in prison. Those kinda bit you in the butt too. But seriously, what is with you low-lifes suddenly turning into rampaging monsters?"

First the Big Man turns Alex O'Hirn into the Rhino, who was pretty much indestructible, and now Flint freaking Marko is made out of sand. What's next, Eddie Brock merges with an alien slime monster?

I roll out of the way of another blast of sand, and come to a stop next to the Scorpion.

"I'm thinking the usual punchy-kicky stuff I do isn't going to work against this guy. Any ideas for a game-plan?"

Mac watched as the criminal turned into sand and encase the spider.

“Oh boy.” Mac mumbled. He was still Mac Gargan, albiet a superpowered one, so he was still in a bit of shock.

As Spidey frees himself from this “sandman” Mac shakes himself back into reality. ’time to get the job done, you ran from a gargoyle 40 stories up to get here.’

The Spider has a point about responsibilty, control with great power can mean great good.

“Bris, I need info on a fugitive, Flint Marko.”

“On it Mac.” He heard over the line.

“Good, because Spider-Man recognizes the superhuman as Marko.” Scorpion takes a stance ready to launch into the fray.

“What if we try to wet him down, think of him like a sand castle, what happens when the tide comes in?” Mac said looking around for a water source.”See that hydrant over there Spider-Man? I’ll take on Sandy there and you work on getting it open.” Mac says before leaping into the air and tail whiping Marko.

 

[CoreBrute]

"*nnngh*...you wanna....talk....*rgh!*.....responsibility?" I say as I try to wrench myself loose. Unable to break out of the sandy vice, I instead fire a web-line into the nearest building, and pull myself out with a huge heave.


"How about all these innocent people you're endangering with this little stunt? How responsible is that?"

I duck under another wide swing, his hand shaped like an axe-head this time.

"Because if any one of these people gets hurt, you can bet your gritty keister than I'm holding you responsible for it."

"People? What people? Where?" Sandman asks before glancing around, seemingly realising his surroundings, noticing for the first time there were people still on the road, or close enough to get hurt.

Christ in heaven, this is not good. I thought the damage would me minimised, that people would get the hell out of here and I could take these crates away. But the longer we're here the more likely one of the crates will blow up. I need to finish this. Floyd planned, preparing Sandman's next attack.

As he winds up for another swing, this time I go on the attack, charging forward. Just as I get up into his proverbial grill, I leap overhead, then fire globs of webbing into his face....

.....which, oddly enough, I recognize.....

"Wait a minute....Marko?! Flint Marko, is that you? So I guess working for the Big Man finally ended up biting you in the butt, huh? Well, aside from all those times I beat the crap out of you and threw you in prison. Those kinda bit you in the butt too. But seriously, what is with you low-lifes suddenly turning into rampaging monsters?"

Sandman removes the webbing easily enough from his face, before looking at Spider-man in surprise. "You know who I am?" He asked questioningly.

At lease we don't have to worry about more of Tinkerer's super humans showing up. That is, if I can take this equipment away before some idiot blows it up. But how does he know Flint- then the inside of Flint's mind acted for the first time in days.

A man crawls down from the wall, his fangs bared and his glass like eyes staring into your soul. He moves like lightning, he has you at his mercy. Then he webs you in his cocoon for dinner, oh god the darkness...

.”See that hydrant over there Spider-Man? I’ll take on Sandy there and you work on getting it open.” Mac says before leaping into the air and tail whiping Marko.

Sandman was struck awake by the mechanical tail, his actually disjointed at a strange angle. But it soon turned to sand, and revolved 360 before reforming into a normal face. What in the world was that? But more pressingly what was that about a hydrant?

His hands changed to resemble a drill, which began to rotate quickly, causing a large grinding noise.

"Out of my way super cop. I can't let him open that hydrant." He lunged with the drill at Scorpion, who easily battered one aside with his tail but wasn't so lucky with the second drill, where if it wasn't for his enhanced reflexes and durability it would have gone straight through him, instead of a glancing blow on his right arm. Despite that, the glancing blow hurt like hell, despite his armor.

 

[J'adore]

Handing me the rectangular box of hair dye, I rub my Aunt Peggy's hand gently. I slide the box into my large, khaki colored bag. She smiles and then slowly slides her warm hands away from my clutches. I stand up out of my bed, clutching my stomach as I do so. Silver Sablinova [Or whoever hired her] must of not wanted me dead, otherwise why hit the abdomen? A skilled mercenary like that, missing the chest?

"Sharon...Before Christopher comes back, I need you to listen to me..."

I arch an eyebrow, bending down to zip up my left boot, then standing back up straight, causing the stomach to cause a small but sharp pain. Hissing, I clutch my stomach again and sit back down on the bed, facing away from Peggy. I begint to speak, but she interrupts me, her voice calm and gentle. "Look, I'm all for HAMMER and everything. But killing Nick Fury? Turning Captain America, the man you trust with your life, against you? Isn't this just absurd, Sharon?"

I knew this time would come. Once a SHIELD agent, always a SHIELD agent. My own aunt, warped by the sick mind of Nicholas Fury. "No need to worry Aunty Peg. Why would I allow myself to get my hands dirty? I've got bigger tricks up my sleeve..."

After I speak those sharp words, I dismiss my Aunt. Not wanting her to even look at me anymore, I turn my back to her, shutting the door on the way out. I feel a pain in my heart, but this time, it's nothing physical. It's emotional. But why do I feel these emotions when I should instead be feeling betrayal.

Storming into the cream white bathroom that belongs within my hospital room, I look at my pale reflection in the mirror. I have a bag, a large one, slung over my right shoulder. There, lay my HAMMER garments. Everything from pouches to sweatbands. I dig into the bag and pull out the dye I had previously chucked in their. My phone then buzzes, a red light flashing from within my pocket.

I answer, not in the mood to talk to anyone.

It's Chris. We talk for a few minutes, I turn on my fake laugh and then switch it back off again. He tells me how he was called to stand guard at Danver's ward by stand-in chief Maria Hill. I ask him how she's coping and he tells me that everything's fine. I ask about Natasha, but he fails to give me a clear answer.

As I switch my phone off, a sudden reflection other than mine startles me in the mirror. Spinning around, I shift into a round kick, but my body is frozen in mid-air, only my head not paralyzed.

"No need to panic, it is only me, Scarlet. I am simply astrally projecting. I thought it would be a better way of meeting as I'm currently meditating back with other mutants, and I do not wish to be disturbed..."

Scarlet. Member of the X-Men. Lead by my trustworthy friend Colonel Haller. She's an active member and perhaps the most powerful. Waving her thin hand, my leg drops to the floor and I have free movement once again.

"I am requesting to be put on the reserve roster. I did not wish to speak to Haller, as instead I wanted to directly speak to the head of HAMMER...Unless you are caught up in other thaughts...?"

I can sense her freaky magic all over me. She's reading me. My skin crawls and I shiver slightly, clutching the box of hair dye. I'm eager for the projection to disappear, so I quickly shoot back with an answer.

"The answer is a negative, Scarlet. Now get back to work and go pester Colonel Haller all day, I'm sure he shall be interested in what you Mutants have to rant about---"

My head feels dizzy, I start trailing around the bathroom aimlessley, eventually finding support on the bath tub. My eyes flutter and close, then when I open them, everything is back to normal. The red glow fades from my vision and standing there, I see Natasha, as she previously was.

We speak casually, her conern for my sudden spin is heart warming. She calls Jane Foster, but I refuse. I brush it off as a slight reaction my recovery and I dismiss the agent, a smile still on my face. I bend over the sink. I open the packet and I smirk. Blond.

***

Groans disturb the meditating Scarlet. The witch herself opens her eyes and stands to her feet, hovering in the air, but only by inches. Silver Sablinova and Camilla Black are too hovering in the air, slightly lower. Their eyes glow a crimson red, faded mathematical sums lightly glowing within the iris.

Natasha Rushman awakes from her unconscious daze, rubbing her hair, brushing out all the small rocks. Scarlet chuckles and lowers back to the floors of the cave, walking over to Natasha calmly.

"Sharon Carter no longer knows about her visit with astral Scarlet. Now, all she knows is that everything is just fine and that Natasha is back work. Oh and incase you didn't realise...I'm the new Natasha..."

Not daring to answer back to the powerful witch, Natasha wipes her mouth and asks a weak question. [BLACKOUT]"Wh-what are you going to do with me...?"[/BLACKOUT]

Ignoring Natasha's question, Scarlet flicks her writs and instantly, Natasha hovers next to the other two females. She appears to be in the same kind of state as the last two. Scarlet walks away, disappearing in a swirl of mathematical sums.
​

 

[Andy C.]

"People? What people? Where?" Sandman asks before glancing around, seemingly realising his surroundings, noticing for the first time there were people still on the road, or close enough to get hurt.

Christ in heaven, this is not good. I thought the damage would me minimised, that people would get the hell out of here and I could take these crates away. But the longer we're here the more likely one of the crates will blow up. I need to finish this. Floyd planned, preparing Sandman's next attack.


Sandman removes the webbing easily enough from his face, before looking at Spider-man in surprise. "You know who I am?" He asked questioningly.

At lease we don't have to worry about more of Tinkerer's super humans showing up. That is, if I can take this equipment away before some idiot blows it up. But how does he know Flint- then the inside of Flint's mind acted for the first time in days.

A man crawls down from the wall, his fangs bared and his glass like eyes staring into your soul. He moves like lightning, he has you at his mercy. Then he webs you in his cocoon for dinner, oh god the darkness...



Sandman was struck awake by the mechanical tail, his actually disjointed at a strange angle. But it soon turned to sand, and revolved 360 before reforming into a normal face. What in the world was that? But more pressingly what was that about a hydrant?

His hands changed to resemble a drill, which began to rotate quickly, causing a large grinding noise.

"Out of my way super cop. I can't let him open that hydrant." He lunged with the drill at Scorpion, who easily battered one aside with his tail but wasn't so lucky with the second drill, where if it wasn't for his enhanced reflexes and durability it would have gone straight through him, instead of a glancing blow on his right arm. Despite that, the glancing blow hurt like hell, despite his armor.

While Scorpion keeps the Sandman busy, I try to torque the big screw on the fire hydrant loose. Even with my pumped-up strength, it's not exactly easy going. My fingers strain and ache as I try and twist it, while the big sandy mass swats the Scorpion aside for a second and looms down on me.

"Oh boy...." I groan to myself as his hands morph into long sandy tentacles.

Trying to grab onto me rather than just smash at me and risk busting open the hydrant himself, Marko whips his pair of tendrils towards me. I leap into the air out of the way of the first one, back-flipping into the wall of the closest office building, then pushing off to climb even higher out of the way of the second.

"You wanna get crazy, Marko?" I say, spotting a mailbox out of the corner of my eye. "Then let's go postal!"

As I come down, I snag the mailbox with my webbing and sling it towards the Sandman. It collides with his face and for a second, he actually staggers back as he tries to regain his bearings. It isn't long, though, before his form regenerates, pushing the mailbox out of his body and dropping it unceremoniously on the ground behind him.

As the Flint-Marko-shaped monster responds with a boulder-sized haymaker that splinters the sidewalk, I tumble out of the way and try to reason with him.

"Look, Flint, is this really how you wanna keep doing things?" I say, bobbing and weaving past brick-like sand projectiles. "Going on with that life of petty crime that's landed you in the big-house more times than I've got fingers? Come on, you've got a gift now, and a whole lot of new opportunities!"

I try to dive for the hydrant again, but am cut off by a big sandy wall, out of which fires a fist that catches me in the chest. Scorpion is back on the big guy a split-second later, slicing and dicing into the big sandy mass with his tail.

"*WHUFF!*......I mean....think about it," I say as I land on my feet (barely) and try to catch my breath. "Think how many golf courses would pay out the nose for a living sand-trap! You could revolutionize the game!"

Sandman doesn't seem as amused as I am, but I keep on pressing.

"And can you imagine how the tourist industry could be changed by a beach that does its own landscaping? And let's not even get started on the swimsuit-model industry!"

As Marko lunges at me again, I duck beneath him and fire more globs of webbing into his face. Meanwhile, Scorpion hooks his tail around the Sandman's central trunk and pulls, slicing Sandy in half.

"But nooooo, you get a set of incredible powers, and what's the first thing you want to do with it? Break things and hurt people. Now I'm all for taking down the Big Man, don't get me wrong, but if this is the way you're going to do things? The 'at all costs,' down and dirty approach?"

I finally make it back to the fire hydrant, and plant my hands firmly on the screw.

"Then I think someone needs to clean up your act."

With that, I rip the front face off of the hydrant, shooting a jet of high-pressure water directly at the Sandman.

 

[Optikal]

​

They say the city never sleeps.

They're right.

Even tonight, when the rain is battering the earth, bouncing as it hits concrete and brick, the dark stain that marks the cities underbelly refuses to wash away.

Thunder rumbles in the idstance as lightening cracks over the narrow alleyways. Three men are briefly highlighted, their sodden hands ripping and tearing at a young woman. Rage highlighted around their eyes as their faces a picture of twisted, lustful evil. The woman tried to scream, but it was cut short with a stiff back-hand that sent her crashing into the ground.

The trio of attackers hauled her to her feet and another flash from the heavens revealed a stream of blood, racing from her mouth to mix with the rain water that had already soaked the four men.

"Let's get this little b*tch inside before we catch a death!" One of the men snarled.

The others grunted an acknowledgement and siezed their victim under the arms, dragging her screaming towards a nearby doorway. The leader of the three stopped in his tracks and his hands went to his neck.

"Reyes? whats wrong dude?" asked one of the others.

Reyes turned to face the others, his shirt was sodden a deep crimson and as his hands moved from his throat, he revealed the crescent shaped blade embeded there. Reyes tried to speak, but blood frothed from his open mouth. He coughed and dropped to his kness, dead before his face hit the ground.

The two men dropped the girl and staggered back, one pulling a knife, the other a small black hand-gun.

"What the f-ck man?! What was that?"

Both men backed off from each other, creating distance, their eyes searching through the darkness. Nothing could be seen or heard through the deep pulsing of the downpour. Suddenly, lightning cracked again and high above them.

"HOLY SH-!"

CRACK!

The attacker was cut short as the white clad figure launched at him, tackling him to the ground and knocking his gun clear. The second man advanced, his knife held upside down and raised, ready to stab down into the newcomer. The white figure rolled though, smoothly coming into a crouch and thrusting out a kick that snapped the knife-mans leg at the knee. The man fell with a scream.

The first man, weaponless threw himself at his attacker. The cloaked figure soundlessly batted him aside before connecting with a right cross. Spike-tipped knucle dusters tore the mans face to ribbons, before a sickle crescent blade tore his throat open.

The knife-man had managed to reach for the gun, Tears in his eyes and his lifeblood washing into the gutter, he raised the weapon and fired, catching the white assasin in the shoulder and spinning him to the ground.

As he fell though, the man spun and loosed two blades, both of which found their target in the mans head. He dropped back without another sound.

With all three dead, the white clad figure pushed himself to his feet. His cloak was drenched in dirt and blood from his shoulder wound. Pain wracked his left arm and he was stepped forward with an obvious limp. The young woman, cowering in a corner looked at him through frightened eyes. He stared back, his blue gaze, haunting in the darkness.

"W-who are you?" she croaked.

The man stood stock still for a few moments before turning his back and making to walk away.

"Wait!" she cried.

He stopped, but didn't turn.

​

"What do I tell them when they ask what happened? What are you?!"

Silence followed for a few seconds. Finally the white figure glanced over his shoulder. "Vengeance" he growled.

Lightning cracked again, briefly illuminating the three corpses in the alley before plunging everything back into darkness.
​

 

[CoreBrute]

While Scorpion keeps the Sandman busy, I try to torque the big screw on the fire hydrant loose. Even with my pumped-up strength, it's not exactly easy going. My fingers strain and ache as I try and twist it, while the big sandy mass swats the Scorpion aside for a second and looms down on me.

"Oh boy...." I groan to myself as his hands morph into long sandy tentacles.

Trying to grab onto me rather than just smash at me and risk busting open the hydrant himself, Marko whips his pair of tendrils towards me. I leap into the air out of the way of the first one, back-flipping into the wall of the closest office building, then pushing off to climb even higher out of the way of the second.

"You wanna get crazy, Marko?" I say, spotting a mailbox out of the corner of my eye. "Then let's go postal!"

As I come down, I snag the mailbox with my webbing and sling it towards the Sandman. It collides with his face and for a second, he actually staggers back as he tries to regain his bearings. It isn't long, though, before his form regenerates, pushing the mailbox out of his body and dropping it unceremoniously on the ground behind him.

As the Flint-Marko-shaped monster responds with a boulder-sized haymaker that splinters the sidewalk, I tumble out of the way and try to reason with him.

"Look, Flint, is this really how you wanna keep doing things?" I say, bobbing and weaving past brick-like sand projectiles. "Going on with that life of petty crime that's landed you in the big-house more times than I've got fingers? Come on, you've got a gift now, and a whole lot of new opportunities!"

I try to dive for the hydrant again, but am cut off by a big sandy wall, out of which fires a fist that catches me in the chest. Scorpion is back on the big guy a split-second later, slicing and dicing into the big sandy mass with his tail.

"*WHUFF!*......I mean....think about it," I say as I land on my feet (barely) and try to catch my breath. "Think how many golf courses would pay out the nose for a living sand-trap! You could revolutionize the game!"

Sandman doesn't seem as amused as I am, but I keep on pressing.

"And can you imagine how the tourist industry could be changed by a beach that does its own landscaping? And let's not even get started on the swimsuit-model industry!"

As Marko lunges at me again, I duck beneath him and fire more globs of webbing into his face. Meanwhile, Scorpion hooks his tail around the Sandman's central trunk and pulls, slicing Sandy in half.

"But nooooo, you get a set of incredible powers, and what's the first thing you want to do with it? Break things and hurt people. Now I'm all for taking down the Big Man, don't get me wrong, but if this is the way you're going to do things? The 'at all costs,' down and dirty approach?"

I finally make it back to the fire hydrant, and plant my hands firmly on the screw.

"Then I think someone needs to clean up your act."

With that, I rip the front face off of the hydrant, shooting a jet of high-pressure water directly at the Sandman.

Sandman sees the water coming at him and swears violently, before feeling the water course through his body, solidifying it yet making it softer. He felt the control of his form slipping.No... Floyd thought, as he lost cohesiveness.

The Sandman disappeared into what looked like mud, before the water washed it out of sight, right before the fire hydrant stopped spurting out water. Spider-man looked about expectantly, but there was no sign of him.

"Well that was a bit too easy."
He remarked, before he noticed Scorpion raising his hand and pointing behind him. "What do I have something in my teeth?"
He said before turning around.

Shocked, especially due the fact his Spider-sense didn't trigger, he swung a fist at the now muddy Flint Marko, whose hand was above his head. Then he heard him speak.

"Run Spider-man." Then the Spider-sense went off.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-2 minutes ago-

Gathered around the alley ways and on top of rooftops near the site of the battlefield, several men adorned in long jackets, stayed a distance away from the fight, paying close attention to the fight, but not making a move. Finally one of the men spoke to another.

"When are we going to take these guys out and get the goods Simon?"

"You heard Silvermane. We don't make a move until one of these suckers knock themselves out. Then we grab the goods and run." Another thug spoke up then.

"I think the Sandbag's got the most chance of winning right now, I can't believe the Big man managed to make old flint into that." He said with both jealousy and glee.

"Yeah, but the Spider-freak ain't never been beat, even by O'hirn." another added.

"O'hirn was a grade A schmuck. Give me even half of his powers and Spidey would have become Squishman. No hyphen." Simon stated, with a cool confidence.

"Yeah, but when's that gonna happen Maddicks? They ain't gonna trust anyone discharged for insanity with powers." One smug criminal added.

"I'll worry about my crazy, you worry about why they only let the inbred redneck carry a pistol." Simon noted. He then quickly raised a hand, pointing at the fight. "Sandman's out. Get em." before pulling out his M-16 rifle and aiming at Spider-man, before firing, giving the signal for the rest of the Maggia's best to start the barrage.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spider-man looked surprise when dark sand jutted out of Flint's body, and caused Sandman to wince in pain.

"Run Spider-man. The Maggia are here, and they want the equipment in those boxes," He nods at the crates which fell out of the trucks. "And use it to make superhumans like The Big Man made O'Hirn and Flint-I mean me." He then glanced back at the firing criminals, who were now shooting from the rooftops.

"Get out of here. I can't let people get hurt in the crossfire protecting you."

Than he charged at the gunmen, with blind fury in his eyes, ignoring the water slowing him down, and the bullets causing more harm than they normally would.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

 

[bkhedr]

"Aye, that'll be no problem, Victor" Thor said with a grin. As they entered the bar and caught a table in the corner. Ayoung woman, raven haired with a sweet smile touched the table.​

"What can I get you boys?" she asked.​

Thor stretched his legs out, crossing them and returned the smile. "Ale for me woman" he stated matter of factly.​

The music lilted out from a band playing on a small stage at the other end of the bar. It wasn't to Thors taste, but it was far from unpleasant. The serving girl gave him a look displaying her displeasure at his abruptness and turned to his companion.​

"You will have to forgive my friend's abruptness Doreen. Believe me he means no offence." Victor Shade said, addressing the waitress by name.

"Thor is visiting from Norway" he added while gesturing to his new friend "And their bar culture is considerably different."

"So he's tall, handsome and European?" Doreen replied with a sweet smile as she looked at Thor as if seeing him for the first time "You sure do know how to pick 'em Vic."

"Now as for that ale, I'm assuming that beer on tap will do?"

"Yes of course it will, thank you." Victor said, replying for Thor. "I will have my usual drink please."

"Canadian Club on the rocks. Be right back boys." Doreen replied before rushing off to fill the order.

The Vision did not require sustenance as humans do and could not become intoxicated, but one of the first things he learned about humans was that they did not trust someone who went to a bar but ordered no drinks.

Doreen returned promptly and delivered a large mug for Thor and a glass for Victor before being called to another table.

With their drinks in hand and their waitress' attention focused elsewhere, Victor turned to Thor.

"Before the evening goes further I have a confession to make. The reason I asked you here is not only because I am alone in this world and searching for a kindred spirit of sorts, a being wholike myself is different from those around him, but also because of what you claim to be and what that could mean in terms of my endeavour to discover the truth of my existence."

Thor eyed Victor curiously and leaned back in his chair. He said nothing, but his bearing was of a man who was willing to hear more.

"I want to know why the Gods created mankind. I wish to understand the purpose of man's existence and it is my hope that this information will help me understand why mankind created me and what the purpose of my existence is."

 

[J'adore]

Their eyes all take double looks at me. Christopher places his hand on my shoulder, gripping it slightly. I shrug him off and dismiss him back to the Control room. I continue to walk in a fast pace, stopping at the doors of Agent Sum. He's HAMMER'S elite agent, who works undercover in Shangai most of the time. Lately, he has moved his duties to the American helicarrier and has been residing there for about two months.

At the time, I just brushed it off. But, after Natasha did some intense research, we got the bottom of why he's really here. He's one of Fury's men. I bang on the door. Agent Rushman and Agent Young storm up behind me. They each hold the newly emported uzi guns. I decide not to open the door by force, instead give him a chance. "Open up! This is Director 13 speaking! Agent Sum open the door or I shall force my way in!"

Agent Fah Lo Suee slides open the door, instantly her legs flies up into my face. I block the kick quicker than she expected. I'm pretty good at this kung-fu **** for a white girl, right? Well that's what you get when you spend two years of your life in Japan, training with the ancient masters of the body art. Agent Rushman and Agent Young quickly aim their guns at her. I continue to hold her foot as her mouth hangs open.

I snap her ankle with one swift movement, then yank her leg, shoving her to the side of the door frame. I pull her leg once again, bringing her forward, straight into my solid fist. She falls back on the floor and I walk away. Behind me, I can hear the gun shots of Young and Rushman's guns.

"Come on pretty boy, where you hidin'?"

I hear the creak of his footsteps behind his desk. I glide across the room, spinning my dagger around my fingers. I flip over the desk and find nothing. It's not long before Agent Sum emerges from the bathroom, smirking.

We don't speak any words, we just fight. I make him think he's competition, but really, he is no match.

As he ducks low to kick my shins, I bolt high in the air, ceasing the opportunity to flip over him and land with my dagger, plunged deep within his back. I snap his neck with a swift movement and drag him to his darkened windows.

I look out over the clouds and smile. Rushman and Young drag Fah Lo Suee's body beside Sum's. "Picture it, send it, then despose of it..."

Two SHIELD agents down. That's more than Fury expected.

Well I hope now he gets the message. I'm not out to play good girl no more.
​

 

[J'adore]

doublepost.

 

[sabetoonth]

Sandman sees the water coming at him and swears violently, before feeling the water course through his body, solidifying it yet making it softer. He felt the control of his form slipping.No... Floyd thought, as he lost cohesiveness.

The Sandman disappeared into what looked like mud, before the water washed it out of sight, right before the fire hydrant stopped spurting out water. Spider-man looked about expectantly, but there was no sign of him.

"Well that was a bit too easy."
He remarked, before he noticed Scorpion raising his hand and pointing behind him. "What do I have something in my teeth?"
He said before turning around.

Shocked, especially due the fact his Spider-sense didn't trigger, he swung a fist at the now muddy Flint Marko, whose hand was above his head. Then he heard him speak.

"Run Spider-man." Then the Spider-sense went off.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-2 minutes ago-

Gathered around the alley ways and on top of rooftops near the site of the battlefield, several men adorned in long jackets, stayed a distance away from the fight, paying close attention to the fight, but not making a move. Finally one of the men spoke to another.

"When are we going to take these guys out and get the goods Simon?"

"You heard Silvermane. We don't make a move until one of these suckers knock themselves out. Then we grab the goods and run." Another thug spoke up then.

"I think the Sandbag's got the most chance of winning right now, I can't believe the Big man managed to make old flint into that." He said with both jealousy and glee.

"Yeah, but the Spider-freak ain't never been beat, even by O'hirn." another added.

"O'hirn was a grade A schmuck. Give me even half of his powers and Spidey would have become Squishman. No hyphen." Simon stated, with a cool confidence.

"Yeah, but when's that gonna happen Maddicks? They ain't gonna trust anyone discharged for insanity with powers." One smug criminal added.

"I'll worry about my crazy, you worry about why they only let the inbred redneck carry a pistol." Simon noted. He then quickly raised a hand, pointing at the fight. "Sandman's out. Get em." before pulling out his M-16 rifle and aiming at Spider-man, before firing, giving the signal for the rest of the Maggia's best to start the barrage.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spider-man looked surprise when dark sand jutted out of Flint's body, and caused Sandman to wince in pain.

"Run Spider-man. The Maggia are here, and they want the equipment in those boxes," He nods at the crates which fell out of the trucks. "And use it to make superhumans like The Big Man made O'Hirn and Flint-I mean me." He then glanced back at the firing criminals, who were now shooting from the rooftops.

"Get out of here. I can't let people get hurt in the crossfire protecting you."

Than he charged at the gunmen, with blind fury in his eyes, ignoring the water slowing him down, and the bullets causing more harm than they normally would.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Mac moved fast as Marko moved in on Spidey.

‘OW! That hurt! Even through the armor, this guy is strong!’ he thought to himself. The water blast came next and Mac flipped off to the side in case he needed to luanch back at the sandman. But as he expected the superhuman melted away practically.

Then the Maggia show up, then Marko poped back up in time for all his information to start scrolling on Gargan’s HUD. Seeing the sudden turn of character from attacker to defender, Scorpion decided maybe the sandman isnt the real bad guy, maybe help him, for now.

“Spidey! Throw me a web line!” He shouted, hoping the web slinger would acquiesce to his request.

 

[Andy C.]

As Sandman suddenly breaks off to pursue the Maggia guys, I'm right behind him, leaping up to the wall of the building and scrambling my way up to the rooftop. By the time I get there, they're already pouring lead into Marko.

“Spidey! Throw me a web line!” I hear Scorpion call out. Might not be too good of an idea to just fire a web right to him--my webbing will stick to anything it touches and is pretty dang hard to break...unless you're Rhino, but whatever.

"I'll take that!" I say as I fire a web into one of the hood's rifle, then yank it out of his hand. With that, I throw it down to Scorpion, extending my web-line down to reach him.

"Here ya go, Scorp! Grab onto the gun for a handle, but don't touch the webbing, or you'll be stuck on it for hours!"

My Spider-Senses tip me off as one of the other thugs fires a pistol at me. I duck out of the way of the bullet, then catch him in the jaw with a softball-sized glob of 'impact' web.

I'm not sure why Sandman's so worried about these Maggia guys--they're just crooks with guns, right? And I've dealt with my share of crooks with guns before.

"So Marko," I say as I start hoisting Scorpion up, "anything else you wanna tell us about these guys before we take them out?"