Hero United: Hulkusagi v. The Hulk! – By Ocramed
Disclaimer: SM and other propertied belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a fusion/crossover one-shot. C&C are welcomed.
Special Note: This story ties into "The Omega Hulk" storyline, starting with Hulk #5.
Background: Due to an assassination attempt, Dr. Bruce "Hulk" Banner went under heavy surgery to repair the damage to his brain. Using Anthony "Iron Man" Stark's "Extremis" technology, the surgery proved to be successful. However, the results have managed to change Dr. Banner in the process in a rather peculiar way…
With some time to herself, after weeks of doing various projects (including combating the usual villainy), Usagi Tsukino finally had some time to herself. And, as promised, the Moon Princess decided to spend the afternoon on a simple picnic in Juuban Park with her beloved husband Mamoru Chiba…
"This was a good idea, Usako," Mamoru said, as he held the large picnic basket in hand, while Usagi laid down a quilt unto the grass.
"Of course it is, dear," Usagi said with a smile, as she straighten the quilt. "It's a nice day out, and I get to spend it with my husband Mamoru Chiba."
Mamoru smiles at the thought that he could finally spend time with his wife, after a busy week dealing with a construction project his company was working on…
"Anyway, as promised, I will not do anything else but enjoy the day," Usagi said.
"No distractions?" Mamoru asked, as he sets up the bottle of wine and ice bucket.
"You got it. No distractions-"
Suddenly, Usagi looked up, as if she was indeed distracted.
"Usagi?" Mamoru asked, as Usagi looks around the park area.
"Um, about that promised…?" Usagi replied meekly.
"So, you got to leave or what?" Mamoru said, as he started to get upset.
"Not…really," Usagi said, as she looked into the more densely wooded area of the park. Her senses indicated that the "distraction" was fairly close, and into the woods.
"So…?"
"So, I'll be right back," Usagi said, as she turned to smile at Mamoru. "This won't take but a minute."
"You're sure?"
"As sure as I am about what we're going to do, when we get back home," Usagi said, as she leans over to kiss her husband seductively.
"Whoa," Mamoru said in surprise. "That was…intense."
"Years of practice," Usagi said, as she gets up. "I'll be back…"
As the Moon Princess walks away, Mamoru frowns.
"I don't know if I like the sound of that," Mamoru replied, as he goes over a mental list of all the guys—and gals—his wife Usagi may have had a relationship with, over the years…
Meanwhile, Usagi strolls into the woods nonchalantly. Making sure that she was alone, Usagi made her intentions known.
"You can de-cloak, Bruce," Usagi said aloud. "Just because you're using an 'invisible field generator', that doesn't mean I can't detect your gamma-signature…"
"Still good as ever," said a rather large, green-skinned behemoth, as he steps out of the cloaking field. He then deactivates the wrist band that allowed him to hide in plain sight.
Usagi looks up at her old friend and colleague, who was a former student of hers, and would become the jade goliath known to the world as "The Hulk", thanks to an experiment gone tragically wrong.
"Interesting look, Bruce," Usagi said, noting the rather casual look that the Hulk was wearing. The last time she saw him was when she had to intervene in a fight between him and Tony "Iron Man" Stark, after some secrets about Tony's involvement in the experiment that inadvertently created the Hulk years before, had come to light.
"And why are you in your 'gamm-form' anyway?" Usagi asked. "And what's with the professorial look?"
"I go by 'Doc Green', now," said the Hulk. "At any rate, as you know, Tony's 'Extremis Technology' helped me to recover from the assassination attempt on my life. After some…adjustment, I became better. In fact, I've become much better, thanks to Extremis."
"And yet, you repaid Tony by destroying his 'city-of-the-future' project, the City of Troy, aka 'Iron Metropolis'. I mean, really. Ranma and I had lost some investments because of what you did."
"I was…still adjusting," Hulk replied. "I will make it up to you, of course."
"Whatever," Usagi said, as she folded her arms. There was something odd that she felt emanating from her friend.
"What are you doing here anyway? I AM on my day off."
"As you know, thanks to my original gamma experiment, I had inadvertently unleashed many horrors, myself included," Hulk replied. "I realized now that the proliferate usage of gamma-related technology and weapons is something that needs to be reversed."
"Yes, I heard about your business in North Korea," Usagi said. "Good job on that."
"Thank you," Hulk said. "And that is why I feel that dealing with such proliferation has to include…living sources of gamma radiation."
Usagi raises an eyebrow.
"And that brings me here," Hulk said, as he reveals a small, silver metal case. "I'm going to everyone, friend and foe alike, who have been enhanced by gamma-radiation."
"Which means…?"
"Which means that I would like for you and the rest of the Hulk clan to submit to an antidote that me and my team of scientists have been working on," Hulk said. "Once all gamma technology and beings have been neutralized, I can begin the second phase of my agenda."
"Which is…?"
"I want to make the world a better place, with me fully at the forefront," Hulk replied. "Hopefully, I can repair what I have done, after I had lost control over the gamma bomb."
"I see," Usagi said, as she looked at the case again. "And does this 'cure' of yours work on everyone?"
"Yes, I am sure of it."
"And that includes yourself?"
That's when Usagi noticed a change in the Hulk's demeanor…
"Well?"
"Um…"
"I see," Usagi replied. "Bruce-"
"Call me 'Doc Green'," Hulk said. "I'm not that person anymore."
"Oh, boy," Usagi said, as she begins to back away. She knew that the Hulk was a manifestation of Bruce Banner's anger, but the Hulk could manifest a different personality, based upon Banner's demeanor at the time of his transformation. She knew that Banner and Tony were rivals, when it came to being visionaries for the future, and it seemed that Banner may have created a Hulk personality that was hell-bent on proving himself to be the smarter of the two.
Time to test a theory of hers…
"So, I insist that you take my antidote," Hulk replied. "Then, I can go to the others."
"And what if I say…'no'?" Usagi said.
"Then, there will be problems," Hulk replied.
"Well, it's not MY problem, Bruce-"
"Oh, and for the record, I'm Doc Green, not Bruce."
"I thought as much," Usagi said, as she begins to turn away. "I don't know that the others think, but I am not about to submit to some experiment because of some half-baked rivalry between you and Tony…"
Pause.
"We'll talk when you're done playing 'visionary'," Usagi said, as she walks away. "Until then, stay away from me, Bruce."
Hulk growls slightly, and steps forward, and grabs Usagi's left arm.
"I will, after you take my cure," Hulk said.
"Oh, really?" Usagi said, as her eyes glowed…
Meanwhile, Mamoru looked on, taking a sip of the wine he brought, when he heard a loud noise, where Usagi was heading.
BOOM!
"What the heck?" Marmou said, as he sat up and looked to see a large, flying object launch from the woods, and head towards the lake. A smaller object flies into air after the larger object.
"Usagi?" Mamoru said, as he gets up, and heads towards the lake, located in the heart of Juuban Park.
Meanwhile, Hulk swims to surface of the lake, even as Usagi lands near lake's edge. He sees that, in spite of receiving an upper cut from the Moon Princess, she seemed to appear the same as she has ever been.
"You're the same," Hulk said, as he walks towards the shore of the lake.
"Bruce, or whatever you like to call yourself, you're behind the times," Usagi said, as her eyes continued to glow softly. "Unlike you, I've mastered my gamma-enhanced form a while back. I don't NEED to 'hulk-out' in order to access some of my strength. In fact, I am already strong enough to defeat your base form, even without tapping into my gamma form…"
Usagi motions the Earth, the Sun and then everything around her.
"Gamma radiation, light, cosmic radiation, chakra and chi…I can tap into the energy of the Universe itself as 'Sailor Cosmos', though, admittedly, tapping into the gamma spectrum is one of the few energy fields that allows for a physical enhancements," Usagi said. "And besides, I seriously doubt that your 'cure' will work on me, since I've long since developed immunity from further physiological tampering."
"And that is why I laced my antidote with adamantium nano-probes," Hulk said. "They have been designed to short-circuit the process of transformation on the cellular level, by preventing transformations to occur."
"Interesting. But the answer is still 'no'."
"Okay, then," Hulk said, as he figuring out where he dropped the case containing the serum, after being punched by Usagi, would need to be found as soon as possible. "I guess I'll have to 'smash' you into compliance."
With that, Hulk slapped his hands together, creating a powerful thunderclap that nearly flattened everything behind Usagi.
BOOM!
"Oh, please," Usagi said, as she stood her ground, while embracing the force of the attack. "You think that a classic power move, such as that, is powerful enough to stop me?"
"No, but this is," Hulk said, as he managed to lift the ground itself, cause Usagi to lose her footing slightly.
"Ulp!" Usagi said, as she fell backwards. However, she sees Hulk, as he was about to land a powerful punch…
THOOM!
Usagi leaps out of the way, flips over, and prepares her response, when-
"Usagi!" yelled Mamoru, as came into view.
Hulk immediately noticed Mamoru's presence, and seized the initiate.
"Got you," Hulk said, as he grabs Mamoru.
"Mamoru!" Usagi said with alarm.
"Arrgh!" Mamoru replied.
"I don't want to hurt this man, but I will do whatever it takes to end ALL gamma-enhanced bio-weapons," Hulk said, as he held onto Mamoru tightly. "Your move, Usagi."
Usagi gulped. Mamoru's safety was paramount above all things, and if preventing her husband back was worth the cost, then so be it…
"Well?" Hulk said, as he tightens his grip.
Mamoru knew that Usagi would sacrifice for him, but he also knew that if this creature would be willing to put others in harm's way, then the greater good needs not to be sacrificed for his sake.
Taking out his magical rose, Mamoru stabs the Hulk in the eye, knowing that magic tends to work against powerful metahumans.
PLONK!
"Arrgh!" Hulk yelled, as he reflexively let go of Mamoru grab at his injured eye.
Mamoru, freed from the Hulk, proceeds to stab at the Hulk's pressure points. Gamma-enhanced or not, the Hulk still had a humanoid physiology. In effect, Hulk is essentially paralyzed.
"Mamoru!" Usagi said, as she runs towards her husband.
"Usagi!" Mamoru yells. "Don't deal with me! Deal with this monster! And DON'T HOLD BACK!"
"Right!" Usagi said, as she slowed down. She then faced the Hulk, knowing that her gamma-enhanced powers will circumvent her husband's attack…
"You want to 'cure' me?" Usagi said angrily. "You tried to hurt my husband. You'll pay for that-!"
Almost with explosive force, Usagi transforms into…the Hulkusagi.
SHHHRRRRRIIIIPPPPPP-!
Mamoru notes his wife's transformation. She easily tore out of her clothes, but kept her special bathing suit, which was made from Dr. Reed "Mister Fantastic" Richard's unstable molecule garment. Such garment allowed people to transform without going naked…
Mamoru also noted that Hulkusagi was stockier than the last time he had seen her transform. In fact, she was almost as massive as the Hulk, but managed to keep her feminine shape.
"I don't know what you are like this, Bruce, but I suspect that you've gone off the deep end, just like my other students," Hulkusagi said with a low growl. "You…Reed…Tony…Victor…Hank…why? Why did most of you guys end up being ego-maniacs bent determining the future?"
"That's funny, coming from the future 'Neo-Queen of Crystal Tokyo'," Hulk said. "Don't think you can keep the secret that YOU want to make the future a better place for humanity."
Hulkusagi pursed her lips, knowing that Hulk was right, in part. Before the so-called "Dark Moon Family" invaded the past, a possible future of Earth involved her and her Sailor Scouts establishing a world free of suffering, at the expense of free-will. In fact, the Dark Moon Family was the descendants of those who had rebelled against her rule because she had taken away free will, thanks to the use of her fabled Silver Crystal. However, since then, since learning what she had done, Usagi made it a point that if she was to guide humanity into a better future, she would do so as a partner to humanity, not as a parent.
"You know, you're right," Hulkusagi said admittedly. "And guess? I was wrong, just as Tony was wrong when he went off the rails."
"And the Illuminati?"
"Yes, we ALL are wrong in that regard. However, we all agreed that charting the future has to be transparent. Besides, we're no different from any other think tank that makes recommendations to the United Nations and various world governments."
"Then why have I not been invited to join?" Hulk asked.
"Bruce, you had been injured, when you invitation to join was approved," Hulkusagi replied. "But you went on a rampage, and attacked Iron Metropolis, remember?"
"But Tony-"
"Tony's role in the gamma bomb accident was minor," Hulkusagi said. "All he did was proof-read your work, and made the bomb more efficient. He had nothing to do with the mutagenic effects of the radiation, something that YOU should have been more aware of."
"It's always…Stark, cleaning my messes," Hulk yelled in frustration. "He managed to succeed in his goals, while I have yet to do so!"
"And Tony is a womanizing alcoholic," Hulkusagi said. "Though, I am surprised that he and Pepper managed to stay together for a long time now."
Suddenly, Hulk roars, and collapses on his knees.
"I just…need to hit SOMETHING!" Hulk yelled. "I must SMASH something-!"
"Look, we can spar," Hulkusagi said, as she places her hand. "Take your frustrations out on me, since I should have mentored you guys better, back at Empire State."
Hulk looks at Hulkusagi questioningly.
"But you have to promise me not to go around trying to cure every 'hulk' there is, just because you feel guilty for not seeing the unintended consequences of your gamma-energy experiments," Hulkusagi said gently. "Besides, in order for me to change back, I need to bleed off this energy of mine, and fighting usually does the trick. We'll just need to find a different place to battle."
"Fine," Hulk said. "But I'm not going to hold back."
"Alright," Hulkusagi replied.
"And my invitation into the Illuminati?"
"I'm sure I can talk to Tony about convincing the others to reconsider your application," Hulkusagi said with a gently smile.
"Humph," Hulk replied.
Hulkusagi then turned towards Mamoru.
"Um, husband, dear-"
"I understand," Mamoru said, as he eyes the Hulk warily. "But can you trust him?"
"Mamoru, he's my former student and friend," Hulkusagi replied meekly. "And…he is my daughter Elizabeth's father, so I have to take that into consideration."
"Oh, okay," Mamoru said, before a thought ran through his mind. "WHAT?"
"I'll be back, soon," Hulkusagi said, as she leaps into the air, with the Hulk in tow. "Let's go, Bruce."
"Fine," Hulk said, as he leaped in tandem with the Hulkusagi. "But I hope you know that the Hulk is the strongest one there is."
"And the Hulkusagi is the cutest one there is," Hulkusagi replied. "We'll just have to prove to each other which one is better, that's all…"
Fin.
