Keep Close Your Enemies…
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or any associated characters or books in the Marvel universe. Digimon belongs to Bandai and Toei Animations. Marvel characters belong to marvel Enterprises. Akuji belongs to me.
Chibi-Akuji: Okay… I don't know what I was thinking when I started writing this crossover… let's just see where it goes… ^^;
Prologue
A boy woke up in a dark corner. His eyes being blurry still, he thought he was inside, but much to his surprise he was not. It was night and he was in an alleyway, a really dirty alleyway. It was narrow, barely enough to spread ones arms and had garbage bags and other obscenities lining the walls. How long he was there was beyond him. Last thing he remembered was seeing that weird looking monster, who shot something at him causing him to black out. He struggled to get up and was instantly in pain. It felt like his insides were on fire. He managed to stand and prop himself against the wall as he ran his hands over his body for anything broken. Being in tact, he headed for the open end of the alleyway.
"Hey!" a man whispered to others from the street side. "Check out this guy! What a character!"
Halfway down the alleyway, four or five big looking men dressed in baggy clothes stood and closed off the other end of it. He walked so he was about seven feet from them and stopped. He bowed down courteously.
"Kon'ban wa!" the boy smiled, greeting them. "Hajimemashite?"
No answer. He looked up at the men, but couldn't tell what nationality they were because of the darkness of the alleyway.
"Hanashite kudasai…"
Silence. He cocked his head to the side as his smile faded and looked at them funny, while they looked at each other funny.
"Sorosoro shitsurei shimasu," the boy stated, starting to walk.
He tried to push his way between them. He was only to be pushed back by the man in the front; he was the biggest one. He raised his eyebrow before the one in the front finally talked.
"Well, well… looks like the small fry wants out of the alleyway. What should we do boys? Should we let him out?"
A look of confusion crossed the boys face as the others laughed; he had heard that language before… question was, could he still speak it?
"Yeah. After we deal with him," another man laughed.
The boy then got his bearings. "Anou… um… is there… something you wish of me…?" he asked nervously.
The big guy in the front looked straight in his face and stopped smiling.
"Yeah. I wish for all of your money. Hand it over!"
Anger and fear flashed over the boy as he started to back into the alleyway, the men following him.
"S-stay back!" he demanded shakily. "I don't want any trouble…"
"I'll show you trouble!" the man declined, pulling out a knife.
The boy got a serious look on his face and delivered a front kick to his gun hand and a crescent kick to his chest. He then got into a defensive stance.
"You're going to regret that!" the other talkative man growled.
"Stay back! I'm warning you! Leave me alone! Kudasai!"
* * *
Someone is up and about. He had been scouring the city in search of someone. He had been looking for a good part of the early evening, but still couldn't find her. She was as slippery as butter. But then again, he never found her, she found him; that's the way it always was.
"Where is she?" the person struggled, baffled at his situation. "I've been looking forever! I have to apologize for the other day. I accused her as a thief for breaking into that Baxter Anderson guy's office. What she told me was right… and I know she's probably angry with me." He sighs. "But, I have to find her—hold on… spider sense tingling! It can't be her, cause she never sets it off. Someone must be in trouble!"
The person held up his two fists and shot out some streams from his wrists.
* * *
That voice! I recognize it… where is it coming from? This place is so strange to me… nothing like where I come from… or Japan… the air smells funny, its messy and very cramped. I must find my way out, but first find the owner of that voice. It sounds like he's in trouble, and if I'm to get out of here; I'll need his help. I…
The person's thoughts were cut short as the access door to the rooftop she was on was busted open. A crowd of people poured out of it and made to surround her.
"There she is!" one shouted.
"Get her!" another screamed. "Get the freak!"
"Damn mutie! Skin her!"
"Down with the muties!"
The girl frowned, her eyes narrowed. It was true; she was not like the people in this strange place. She was not a human creature; she was covered with cobalt fur, sported yellow gloves, and had a big bushy tail. Her darkened eyes were of a copper shade. She was a fox, not this 'mutie' these people were talking. She backed to the edge of the rooftop as they swarmed her. She cringed at their persistence.
The faster I get out of here, the better I'll feel, she thought to herself. I better go find him.
She jumped in the air… and off the roof! much to the delight, anger, and fear of the crowd.
* * *
The boy was out of energy. He had held off the men wishing to do him harm for as long as he could with his injuries. Soon enough the big guy whom he first attacked had him by the cruff of the neck. He breathed heavy braced for it when the big guy raised his fist back… but his foot happened to shoot out in an earth shattering kick to the man's mid-section.
Where are they…? Where are the other kids? Where is my partner!
"Hey! He took out Big Ben! Let's get him! Call up Tombstone and tell him we're going to be late!"
Tombstone? Why have I heard that name before…?
The boy was brought back to reality when gunfire erupted around him. The men that had trapped him in the alleyway had pulled out hand machine guns and were firing at him. There looked as if there was no escape for him… no where but up. The boy, not wanted to be ventilated, high-tailed it for the dead end of the alley and did the remarkable! He jumped towards the wall and then suddenly bounced off the opposite building walls at lightning speed. The men watched, heads moving left and right as he made his way farther up the wall. Big Ben finally woke up and rejoined the action. He pulled out his handgun.
"Looks like we have a mutie on our hands, boys," he stated to the others. "And you know there is only one way to take care of a mutie."
Big Ben took his handgun and brought it up to his eye, aiming on the fleeing boy. He continued to aim until he decided to anticipate his next move and fired.
"Ayiiii!" the boy screamed out as pain shot through his arm.
The boy fell in mid-jump, falling back to the alley floor, holding his right arm. His black shirt got blacker around the area where he was shot. He removed his hand from the wound to discover blood. He looked up to find Big Ben heading towards him, handgun still in hand.
Big Ben gave an evil smile. "You got off lucky, mutie. But Big Ben doesn't miss from point blank range."
He raised the gun and pointed it at the boy's head. The boy lowered his head and closed his eyes, waiting for the shot. But it never came…
"Then, maybe you should swing back a bit!"
The boy opened his eyes. He saw Big Ben get hit with some kind of streamer coming from above, yanked him off his feet (which had to be an incredible feat!) and flung him way behind his men. Then, all of a sudden, someone jumped in front of him, coming from the same direction as the streamers. He was wearing the weirdest clothes that the boy had seen. He was wearing some spandex, blue and red with what looked like spider webs on it. Then it hit him… red and blue spandex, webbing… this is the same person he had read about in comic books. But it couldn't be!
"Wh-who are you…?" the boy stammered.
"Just your friendly neighbourhood Spiderman, at your service," he waved him off casually.
If it weren't for the fact that this guy was wearing a mask, the boy could've sworn he saw him smiling. Spiderman then turned his attention to the remaining men. They all seemed to be frozen in fear and indecisive as to what to do. One would have to wonder why… after all, they were the ones with knives and guns, against one costumed hero… no biggie, right?
"Well, who else wants to take the plunge?"
The men seemed to growl as they charged forward. Spiderman smirked under his mask, as they got closer. Then he did something that totally amazed the boy. He tore a drainpipe leading down the building like it was nothing! He then brandished it in the air, bringing it down on the men.
"Hey, guys… could ya pipe down?" Spiderman mocked downing the men with the pipe.
The last guy was standing there literally shaking when Spiderman turned to him. Before he could do anything, the guy ran out of the alley and down the street. Spiderman just shrugged and wrapped the others in webbing. He then turned back to the boy.
"Now that that's taken care of… are you all right? Do you want me to take you to the doctor?"
"No… I'm fine…" He cringed at the pain in his arm.
"Are you sure? You're bleeding."
"No, really…" the boy negated, bowing. "I'm fine… doumo."
"Can I at least know your name?"
"Akuji" the boy answered. "My name is Akuji."
"Well, Akuji, are you from around here?"
"Actually, I…"
Akuji was cut short when they both heard a feral howl coming from above. Spiderman's spider sense started to tingle. They turned to look upwards, just in time to see something land on Spiderman. He was about to flip this person over when they got hold of his throat.
"Move and I break it!"
Akuji's eyes grew wide as he saw whom it was. He had numerous encounters with her and none of them were pleasant. She was a rogue… that's the best way he could describe her; worse than that, she wanted nothing to do with him or his kind.
"Vulpamon??" he staggered. He then ran forward to come to Spiderman's aid. "Vulpamon, what are you doing? Get off him!"
"But, I thought… he attacked you…" The blue fox of Tao jumped back, looking at Akuji unsurely.
"He just saved my life… and why would it even matter to you?" he countered. "You've clearly stated to me that you want nothing to do with us, or me for that matter! You were the last person I was expecting to see…"
"You know this… this… thing?" he questioned, getting up and staring at the blue creature in disbelief.
"Hey! She's not a thing!" Akuji defended.
"Okay… then what exactly is she?"
"Not that it would interest you," she interrupted annoyed, "but I am a digimon."
"Digimon? And that would be…?"
"Short for digital monster…?" she continued smugly.
"Riiiight…" he mused, giving a funny look. "Anyway… like I was asking before, do you have anywhere to stay?"
"Just where are we anyway…?" Akuji asked looking around.
"Um… Manhattan, New York…?" he answered a-matter-of-factly.
Akuji slapped his head. He had been reading his comic for the longest; he should have known that they were in Manhattan.
"Seeing that I'm from Odaiba, I would have to say no."
"Well, come with me… I have a place where you can crash."
"Sure. But, what about her?" Akuji asked, pointing at Vulpamon.
Spiderman looked over at the cobalt-furred digimon who was leaning on the building and shrugged.
"Are you sure you want to stay with that… that… digimon thing?" he asked, almost disgustedly.
"My names Renamon, spider boy!" she hissed at him.
"Oh… kaaaay… are you sure you want to stay with that Vulpamon thing?"
Vulpamon growled and turned her back as Akuji chuckled inwardly. Her cold shoulder to the world is going to get her in trouble here; Akuji was going to have to look out for her, whether she or he liked it or not. Spiderman handed him a piece of paper.
"Go to this address and ask for Peter Parker. He should have enough space for you. He won't be home for a while though, so just go in. I really don't know what he's going to say about her though." He shoots a web line up to the side of a building and starts to swing away. "Seems like you two have some bad blood. Hope it isn't anything too serious."
"Nah. She isn't as bad as she looks," he called after him. "And, besides… she's going to need someone to look after her and keep her out of trouble. See ya around, Spiderman." Akuji then casts a look at Vulpamon. "Coming…?"
Akuji started down the street to where the address said, with a fuming Vulpamon following reluctantly behind. It was then he realized, hey! I don't know where this street is! So he stopped at a corner store and told (aka asked as nice as he possibly could) Vulpamon to stay outside. Like she was going to follow him in anyway. He managed to resist the urge of talking to the storeowner completely in Japanese just for kicks and soon got the information he needed. He was also about to buy something to snack on when he heard a ruffle outside. He quickly paid for the chocolate bars and headed outside.
Man, I can't leave her for five minutes… five minutes! he complained to himself.
"Get her!" a person yelled.
Akuji made his way outside and was confronted by a crowd surrounding Vulpamon. She seemed to be fine at the time, but he didn't know how long that was going to last.
Akuji: Great… this couldn't get any worse… now what…?
Chibi-Akuji: Hmm… did this chapter sound as bad as I think it did…? [pouts, sighs] Well, that's what I get for crossing the flamboyant anime style show with the dark Marvel universe. [chuckles] It'll get better. Question though… should I add the Digidestined? [shrugs] Would make for an interesting plot… we'll see what happens. ^^; Be seeing ya!
