The Uncanny Cabal

By

The Uncanny R-Man

Disclaimer- All familiar characters belong to Marvel Comics.

Castle Doom, Latveria-

Doctor Doom waited impatiently atop the roof of his castle. He was due a visitor, but said visitor was yet to arrive. Then the wind started to pick up. The wind was starting to become so much that the usually stoic Doom was forced to clutch his cloak closer lest the wind pick him up and blow him away.

KRAKOOM!

A figure appeared before Doctor Doom in a flash of light. A figure clad in green-and-yellow and a horned crown.

'Yet another impressive entrance, Loki.' Doom stated. 'You are late.'

'Pray excuse me, my dear doctor.' Loki bowed mock-dramatically. 'You know how it is, foment trouble in a small country and you lose track of all time.'

Doom wasn't impressed in the least by the God of Mischief's flair for dramatics.

'What do you want Loki?'

'Aren't you going to invite me inside?' Loki asked. 'You always used to be such a gracious host.'

'Hrm. Very well.' Doom grumbled as he beckoned for Loki to follow him. 'I will have my servants prepare some refreshments.'

Inside-

Doctor Doom had seen to it that his servants had laid out refreshments suitable for a guest of Loki's calibre. The God of Mischief was sitting at the banquet table opposite Doom, who was sitting at the head of the table.

'Mmm, this devilled fish is delectable.' Loki complimented hiss host. 'The wine tastes a little off, however. Poisoned perhaps?'

'The poison is nothing that could trouble a god from Asgard.' Doom stated. 'Now, what do you want, Loki?'

'I wish to offer you a partnership.' Loki explained as he wiped his mouth with a napkin.

'Doom is no man's partner.'

'Hmm. Quite.' Loki sniffed. 'Touched a nerve I see.'

Doom held up his hand, cutting off the God of Mischief.

'This room has now been sealed. The walls and doors are nine inch hardened steel.'

'Yes, most impressive.' Loki said as he inspected his nails. 'You must be proud of your security.'

A jet of flame spat out from one of the paintings beside Loki, setting the room alight. The God of Mischief still wasn't impressed.

'I must commend your cook for this fine fare. It was quite exquisite.'

The servants fell to their knees beside Loki, their skin beginning to smoulder.

'Please milord, we beg you! We have wives and children! Do not let us die here like this! Please, if you have the power to escape…'

Loki inspected his goblet.

'Hmm. Looks like my goblet is empty.' Loki sniffed. 'Any chance of more? If one ignores the poison, it really is quite enjoyable.'

The servants let out howls of pain and fell to the floor dead.

'Tch. Can't seem to get the help nowadays.' Loki sighed. 'Have you quite finished, Victor?'

'Merely a test to ascertain that you were who you claimed to be.' A voice responded from a hidden speaker.

'Why Victor, you wound me so.' Loki tutted. 'Have I ever gave you any reason not to trust me?'

'You will find that the room has now been unsealed.' Doom's voice replied.

Loki got up from his seat, stepped over the charred corpses of the servants and paused beside the seat that Doom, or the one he believed to be Doom was sitting. All that was left was a mound of molten metal. It had not been Doctor Doom after all, but a robotic duplicate.

Loki exited the room to see that Doom was waiting for him in the corridor.

'I trust that no more tests will be necessary.' Loki said.

'I am willing to believe that you are the God of Mischief now.' Doom stated. 'Now, you wished to discuss a partnership…'

The Hellfire Club, New York-

Loki was now sitting in one of the private offices of the Hellfire Club, an exclusive club surreptitiously run by mutants, in Manhattan. The God of Mischief was presently in negotiations with shin obi Shaw, the present Black King of the Club.

'What makes you think that I should join this partnership you're suggesting?' Shaw asked.

'Oh, the usual things.' Loki waved his hand nonchalantly. 'World domination, ultimate power…'

'How do I even know that you are who you say you are?' Shaw enquired as he poured himself a drink. 'You could just be some nutcase with delusions of power.'

'Perhaps a small example of my power is in order.' Loki smiled slightly.

'What are you smiling at?' Shaw frowned as he took a swig of his drink. 'What's so funny…?'

Shaw's words began to trail away as the liquid began to burn in his throat.

'What…?' Shaw spluttered. 'Poison! You son of a…!'

Shaw went to make a grab for Loki, but fell to his knees.

'Perhaps now you'll learn to respect your betters.' Loki sneered as he leant down to regard the dying Shaw. 'There we go, Sebastian. All done.'

'Hopefully the idiot will stay dead this time.' Sebastian Shaw, Shinobi's father and former Black King, said as Loki dropped the spell that kept the elder Shaw hidden from view. 'The Shaws have an annoying habit of coming back from the dead.'

'Indeed.' Loki said as he poured himself a drink. 'So, do we have a deal?'

'We have a deal.' Shaw Senior nodded in agreement. 'I'll join this little group of yours.'

Elsewhere-

Loki was now standing in a darkened room casting a spell. He chanted words in a language that was dead long before the Gods of Asgard came into being. Laid out before him was a ragged red hooded cloak and a green goblin mask. Slowly human forms began to appear before the God of Mischief.

'What… what the hell?' The hooded man blinked in confusion.

'What the hell is going on?' The man in the goblin mask growled angrily.

'Parker Robbins, Norman Osborn, I have a deal for you…' Loki began.

'Hey, screw that!' Robbins, the hooded man cut Loki off. 'You wanna start by explaining why I'm not dead any more?' (1)

'Just a simple little resurrection spell.' Loki shrugged modestly. 'Now, about my deal. My dear Parker, you were little more than a two-bit, well… hood, before you died. I am offering you great power and wealth.'

'Hey, you don't have to ask me twice.' Robbins grinned. 'I'll do anything you want, buddy.'

'What's in it for me?' Osborn glowered. 'I don't need power or wealth.'

'Revenge perhaps?' Loki countered. 'Revenge upon those that have beaten you in the past.'

'I don't need to be part of a group to get revenge.' Osborn said. 'I can do that on my own.'

'And look where that got you.' Robbins snickered. 'You died, man. Got beheaded or something, right?'

'Look at it this way, Norman…' Loki said as he leant in closer to Osborn. 'You never had me on your side before, did you?'

'Fine.' Osborn grumbled. 'I'll join your group.'

'Excellent.' Loki smiled. 'I just require one more person, then we can begin.'

Elsewhere again-

Loki's group had now been assembled and we gathered around a table when Loki explained his plan. Along with Doctor Doom, Sebastian Shaw, Norman Osborn, and the Hood was Courtney Ross, the manager of Fraser's Bank in London. (2)

'It's all well and fine telling everybody what's in it for them, but what's in this for you?' Norman Osborn asked. 'What could a god gain from an assemblage like this?'

'And another thing…' The Hood chipped in. 'Who the hell is the blonde chick?'

'I'm Courtney Ross, White Queen of the London branch of the Hellfire Club.' Courtney stated. 'It seems that Loki wanted a little class amongst you bloody colonials.'

'As for what I plan to gain from this assemblage well, I'm just doing it for the mischief.' Loki smiled. 'Well, and the chance to site my brother.'

'Brother?' The Hood blinked in confusion. 'What?'

'His brother's Thor, you fool.' Shaw sighed heavily. 'Do we really need this idiot?'

'Everybody is an important part of my plan.' Loki stated. 'Even a former nobody like Parker here.'

'Nice to know that everybody's got faith in me.' The Hood sniffed. Loki raised his glass in a toast.

'Gentleman and lady, to mischief!'

END.

Author's Notes-

(1)- The Hood was killed in Chapter 28 of 'The Uncanny West Coast Avengers' when he was crushed by one of Mole Man's monsters, while Norman Osborn was killed in Chapter 10 of 'The Uncanny Spider-Man' when he was beheaded by Scourge of the Underworld.

(2)- Loki recruited Courtney Ross in 'Uncanny Excalibur' after the heroes thwarted her attempt to take over the British Government.

For further mischief from the Uncanny Cabal, check out future chapters of 'Uncanny Avengers', 'Uncanny Spider-Man', 'Uncanny Squirrel Girl', 'Uncanny New X-Men', 'Uncanny New Mutants', 'Uncanny Excalibur', and 'Uncanny Thor'