UNIVERSE-?
Out of all of the possible careers one could have in the world, the land of opportunity especially, many people would call Dan Wilson, age 28, idiotic, stupid, daft, and "one crazy-ass son of a bitch" for deciding to, with a college education and Masters in nursing, to instead take up the oh so prosperous job as a cab-driver in New York City. Admittedly though, this had less to do with the fact that he decided to be a cabbie…and more to do with the fact that he decided to take up this venerable profession…in New York City.
Because, quite frankly, New York City was a crazy place to live. Though you could easily make this argument for every major Metropolitan city, none were considered more suicidal to maintain a household in than the Big Apple for the simple fact that metahumans, mutants, Asgardian gods, mad scientists, genocidal robots, and a whole slew of other super weirdos flocked here more than the tourists did. That, and the city seemed to undergo some great catastrophe every other week. They were still trying to repair the damage that crackpot Magneto did with that flood of his in certain parts of the city.
With all that going on, why any sane, rational person would want to stay there, was lost to his friends and family.
However, familiarity with the NYC had bred comfort inside of Mr. Wilson, and even after all of the crap going down in the city, he had refused to leave. He was born here. He was raised here. He was living here, and by God, he was going to die here! Plus, being a cabbie wasn't so bad. At least no one would make constant jokes about him being a male nurse and he wasn't living with his parents anymore.
He was brought out of his musing however when suddenly, out of nowhere, he saw a flash of crimson light pop out in the street he was driving on. He didn't know that the flash of light was really a portal that was opened up in another dimension. He didn't know that the tall, dark red colored gentlemen with rough, almost rocklike skin, powerful looking metal arms, and spiked up, white hair could withstand the most powerful of gamma bombs going off in his face without even flinching. He didn't know why he had decided to pop up in the street right in front of his cab, which was going sixty in a twenty mile an hour zone. He didn't even know what this kook's intentions were. In that instant, he knew only one thing: to stop on the breaks as hard as he could.
With a mighty stomp, he did so, his tires burning rubber as they tried to halt the immense forward momentum of his cab. An effort that was proven to be vain moments later when, at a speed of about forty-five miles and hour, his car came to a sudden and abrupt crash, his face getting an up close and personal look at the air-bag built into his steering wheel.
After the typical rumbling and shaking crescendo commonly associated with car crashes at that speed, like a drunk after happy hour, Dan managed to slip himself out of the car door like a sardine in a can and laid on the ground for a few moments. Clutching his bruised and slightly bleeding head and moaning back and forth. He inhaled smoke and remembered blurry images of what tended to proceed such an event to a car in Grand Theft Auto. He began dragging himself from the wreckage as quickly as he could, which turned out to be rather sluggish.
Halfway from where he exited the car and onto the road, however, he stopped suddenly. He looked back and is eyes widened in shock and surprise. Standing as tall and resolutely as a wall erected from adamantium in front of his totaled cab was the bizarre looking man, completely unfazed and staring straight into his eyes with his own blood red orbs.
Though the man gave a slight huff, signifying his less than mild annoyance at being hit by the cab, to Dan, it was as though a storm had blown in. A storm so cold, that it managed to freeze him with fear. The man turned around and lifted the wreckage of the taxi with both hands, before giving a mighty heave and throwing it off into New York City's skyline with a single arm like a football. Next, his attention returned to Dan, his fist pointed at him as his eyes suddenly began to glow a bright white.
The cab driver noticed red energy forming before the fist as the man drew his arm back. His final thoughts before the man then thrust his limb forward, a fist shaped bolt of pure, unrequited rage reducing him and the building behind him into ash was, "Why didn't I move to Kansas? Nothing this messed up EVER happens there…"
UNIVERSE-?
In a single motion, synchronized to the point of seemingly being planned, Majestros, Goku and the Surfer awoke with starts at the screeches from what seemed like immense beasts. Looking up into the sky, all three of them found creatures that took the form of hybridized birds and reptiles that cawing cacophonously. They flapped their wings with a grace some would consider ill befitting of their primal nature that their descendants would one day inherit.
Goku was the only one who knew they were called Pterodactyls, but that had less to do with his knowledge of the history of his earth, and more to do with the fact that his earth still had living dinosaurs, many of which could be quite friendly and ferocious to human kind (as well as delicious).
It was then that the trio realized that each lay alone at the bottom of a rather deep crater extending some hundred or so feet below the earth and flew up back to more level ground. Standing amidst the untamed tropical forests of the late Cretaceous era, they shook their heads clean of whatever it was Mercer had done to them and allowed themselves a moment's respite by drinking in the sights.
"Where…where are we?" Asked the Surfer, massaging his argent temples.
"I dunno." Replied Goku, massaging his growling stomach. "But hopefully, somewhere I can grab a bite to eat."
He was about to take off above the dense canopy that would make the rainforests of the next sixty-five million years envious, but found one of his legs latched onto firmly, much more firmly than he had anticipated, by a single, strong hand. Looking back down, he found Majestros holding onto him, an expression on his face that spoke of sternness rather than strain in trying to restrain him. "Wait—errr—Kakarot, was it?"
The Saiyan replied, "Actually, I like to be called Goku."
"Well then, Goku, I don't think splitting up quite yet would be an advisable course of action."
"Really? How come?"
"Well…presently, we are on an unknown planet quite possibly in an uncharted portion of space containing an unknown degree of danger. Furthermore, countless worlds have been placed under our protection by a being quite possibly exceeding all of the power all three of us possess to stop-"
"-Actually, it isn't possible that that Mercer guy's stronger than us. I know for a fact that he does." Goku interrupted, his expression growing stern.
"So, you sensed it as well." Said the Surfer, his expression souring as the Saiyan's had.
The Kheran Warlord looked puzzled. "Sensed? What do you two mean by sensed?"
"Well, I cannot speak for Goku, but I can say that, as a wielder of the power cosmic, I am allotted a degree of what is referred to as Cosmic Awareness which, among other things, permits me to gauge how powerful a being I encounter is. A sort of "six sense" if you will." Said the Surfer.
Majestros turned his head back to Goku, who said, "I was just trained to use ki to see how much power someone or something has."
Majestros quirked a brow at this, but decided to question this later. Right now though, he asked, "So then, I'm assuming that the power he wields is indeed, without even the shadow of a doubt, astronomical in comparison to our own?"
They nodded. "Do I even desire to know precisely how many exponents he exceeds us three by?" They shook their heads. "Well then, I suppose your appetite has abated then, Goku?"
"Not really, no."
"No? No!? You and the Surfer just admitted that we were given a quest by an entity that outclasses us to stop yet ANOTHER entity that outclasses us!"
"Yep. Now, can you let go of me? Please?"
"But…why? How can you think of sustenance at a time like this!? How can the first thing that comes to mind NOT be figuring out some sort of plan of attack or something to ensure we do not meet our end since, I seem to recall Mercer specifically requesting that we live through our first few engagements with Asura?"
It was then that Goku's stomach started growling even louder than it had before. "Pretty please let me go?" Speaking past the incredulous looks being heaped upon him by Majestros and the Surfer, Goku said, "It won't take long at all. See?"
He placed the fore and middle finger of his right hand on his forehead and with a modicum of concentration, disappeared from Majestros's grasp.
"Why that little—" Before Majestros could finish, he felt a metallic hand placed upon his shoulder.
"Perhaps we needn't worry ourselves so much."
Casually taking his hand off his person, Majestros turned around and asked, "Why do you think that is?"
"Because, in the past, I have encountered beings that make myself and others look like insects in comparison. In fact, my power was granted by such a being."
"Your point?"
"My point is this: my former master was serious. Always serious. Never once do I recall him speaking of anything lightly unless he was certain no threat was posed to him or me, and often, his judgment was correct, most of the time and even then, he never once jested. In short: lying and toying did not become him because of his personality."
"So then, I am to gather that because this Mercer entity seemed a bit…odd, that he is intentionally exaggerating and playing with us?"
"Quite possibly, yes."
Majestros stroked his chin in thought. "I can't say I agree with you completely. I mean he did appear genuine and serious despite his…quirks. Plus, what motivation would he have for lying to us about the threat Asura poses?"
"Well, the common motivation for the being I draw most of my experience from in regards to oddness would be a form of crude entertainment. Sport." Replied the Surfer, trying not to visibly shudder at the thought of a green humanoid with a purple shirt, underwear, and boots with pointed ears and a head shaped like a missile.
As the Surfer struggled to stuff back down any and all thoughts of the Impossible Man back inside the deepest recesses of his subconscious where they belonged, Majestros pondered for a bit more. He asked, "If that is the case, then wouldn't sending in three beings that, together, stood a just a chance of winning against a lone one that also had equal odds be more entertaining and sporting than sending in three that would crush him utterly?"
"To many: absolutely. To many as well though, sport may also be drawn from smiting a being who they feel has wronged them with measures that mortals such as ourselves often find…disproportionate…" The Surfer said, images of Mephisto and his sordid realm echoing off the walls of his mind.
"Hmmm…do you truly believe that?" Majestros asked, considering it.
"Partially, much like I suppose you do as well."
"Hmmm…well then, regardless as to whether or not we'll all outmatch Asura or he does us on the individual level, there is no question that he should be stopped, correct?"
The Surfer nodded his agreement.
"Besides, with the ability to gauge an opponent's "power level" that you and Goku seem to share, we'll know soon enough." Majestros scanned the skies for any sight of the Saiyan with his X-Ray and Telescopic vision used in tandem. "Now where is that famished fool?..."
Abruptly, Goku reappeared before the two astonished planet busters, a Pterodactyl with its neck bent at an unnatural angle and dead eyes in either hand.
"See! I told you it wouldn't take too long!" He beamed, before quickly karate chopping a nearby tree into firewood, arranging a dozen stones around the wood, creating a split, putting one of the dinosaurs on it, and starting a fire with a ki blast. Moving the Pterodactyl around like a rotisserie chicken, Goku sat down and held up the other one. "You guys want any? I've got an extra one!"
Majestros and the Silver Surfer looked at each other then back at their Saiyan compatriot.
"Sure, why not?" Majestros asked with a defeated sigh.
"Though I do not require food nor drink, I will oblige you."
UNIVERSE-?
From their headquarters, they descended. The Triskelion, the Morlock Tunnels, the Baxter Building, and his parent's house. Avenging angels that had survived Magneto's most recent attempt at cleansing the earth. Who, on any other Tuesday, would be pre-ordained to stop the havoc rocking Manhattan just in time for dinner and schnapps more often than not. But, today wasn't a typical Tuesday for them. No. Today would hold horrific events like those that lead up to the maser of magnetism's death. Today was a day where even more of their number would fall. Today was the day they tried to storm a mountain higher than fabled Olympus or Asgard. Today was the day all of the heroes remaining in the New York City area met Asura, the destructor.
Today would be the reddest day that they and the planet earth they called home would ever see…
UNIVERSE-?
Majestros and the Surfer were about a quarter of the way through the portions they had received, which consisted of one wing each of the spare Pterodactyl that Goku had caught. Goku had long since finished his own dinosaur and, still hungry, had asked nicely for the rest of the other one. Though they agreed mostly because they would be content merely with the wings, it should be noted that the fact that their jaws were slacked wide open enough to fit blimps through at the sight of him picking the bones clean of the first one more thoroughly than a school of piranhas had something to do with their willingness to part with the majority of their meal as well.
Gulping down a chewy, leathery morsel, Majestros asked, "So, now that you're stuffing yourself like a king, would you care to discuss stratagems with us Goku?"
The Saiyan, busy crunching down on both legs like large, scaly pretzel sticks, the final fleshy remains of the once majestic creature, muttered out, "Awah. Shuore." Though Majestros didn't catch that, even with his super hearing, he understood what he meant when Goku laid down on the ground after finishing, patted his belly while sighing contently, and said, "Sure. Go ahead."
"Well, since it is agreed that Asura poses a great threat, I suggest that when we encounter him that we give no quarter from the beginning and maintain this plan throughout."
"Huh?"
"He means, Goku, that when we fight Asura, that we should not pull our punches, as earthmen say. That when we fight him, that we should do so with everything we can muster and with the intent to kill."
"Hmmm…I dunno…I think we should try talking to him first."
Majestros's eyes narrowed on him and an uncomfortable silence descended upon the group. "Talk to him? I sincerely hope that what you said was some sort of human jest Goku. Otherwise, my doubts as to your intellectual capacity would be even more well founded than they already are."
Goky got into an Indian style sitting position and shot back the same look Majestros was sending his way. "Actually, I'm not joking. I'm serious."
Majestros sighed. "I was afraid of that." Massaging his temples, he asked, "I suppose we should also offer a starship and his own solar system as a peace offering as well, hmmm?"
"Well, not that far. All I'm saying is that we should get his side of the story first before we start attacking him."
"And why should we do that? What possible reason could he give us for the utter destruction of multiple earths and the genocide of what I assume to be billions?"
"Well…how do we even know he actually destroyed anything and this Mercer guy didn't make it all up? I mean, for all we know, his hands could be squeaky clean."
UNIVERSE-?
With force that could sink Nimitz-Class aircraft carriers, Asura's fists slammed into the face of a large giant that had boasted about his immense anger fueling his strength and making it grow in proportion to said anger at speeds exceeding the hyper sonic range. The sickly green ichor it coughed up splattered against his hands, mingling with the red ichor already staining them from the bodies lying all about them.
Apparently, he had never before fought a demi-god whose own rage could snuff his out like a candle and increased his power as well. He had never before faced something like Asura, nor ever would again…
UNIVERSE-?
"I concur. As I mentioned earlier, we need to take into account the possibility that Mercer was not being entirely forthcoming with us and that we know as little of him as we do Asura." Said the Surfer.
"What he said. I mean, hey! For all we know, we could just wind up killing a nice guy." Goku said.
UNIVERSE-?
Twirling around a hammer he had pried from the iron grip of a blond man who called himself a god of thunder, Asura hurled it towards a carpet missile heading towards him. The explosive detonated in mid-air and the hammer sailed onward, clipping the wing of the soaring fighter jet up above that had fired it in the first place with such force as to shear it off completely. The jet crashed onto the observation heights of the empire state building, killing two dozen and a half tourists and locals unfortunate enough to be there, half of them school children from Tottenville elementary school in Staten Island.
The pilot though, was fortunate enough to have hit the eject button moments before the crash and was now safely parachuting to the ground below. Unlike the rest of his four-man squadron, it seemed that he would get an opportunity at living to fight another day.
Unlike the rest of his four-man squadron, he was now a sitting duck for one with the godly range of vision and abilities available to Asura, who was about to make sure he joined them in the depths of Naraka.
As he reared back his fist though, he found his arm grabbed by another one of great power. The arm of the very same thunder god whose weapon he had recently used. He was limping, bruises and cuts all spectrums of black and blue covering his body, his left eye swollen shut. With haggard breath, he said, "So conceited are you, that you turn back to killing mortals for sport so casually after thinking you had bested a Thunderer?"
Asura huffed in response. "You are stronger than you look, but that means nothing to me, just like your supposed title. Now, let go before I decide to make your death more gruesome than it has to be."
The Thunder God held out his right arm and the hammer Asura had thrown flew into his grasp, electricity crackling chaotically. "Thor says thee…nay!"
He held out his enchanted uru mallet toward the sky and a bolt of magic lightning was called down.
UNIVERSE-?
Majestros pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine, Goku. Diplomacy shall be the first thing we attempt when we see him. When—errr…-If it fails though, me and the Surfer will be prepared to take him down with whatever force is required and I certainly hope you can teleport away from him in time."
"Wait…huh?" Goku asked, scratching his head.
"Well, since you seem to be the one most ardently supporting communication, it seems only fair that you be the one to engage in civil discourse with him."
Goku continued scratching his head.
"He means, since you suggested it, you're the one who shall try talking to Asura." The Surfer clarified.
"Oh! Well why didn't he say so?" The Saiyan asked, pointing a thumb at Majestros.
The Kherum Warlord sighed his frustration out and said, "You know…"
UNIVERSE-?
"…I can't say my fears about our odds have been lessened any."
Asura let Thor drop to the ground, his right arm missing yet still clutching to his hammer, lifeless.
A Word From the Author:
Well, whatdya know!? I actually managed to update a chapter of something WITHOUT any photo finishes or late dates! I guess the stars were right these last two weeks or something like that.
To those of you wondering: yes. Next chapter will be the part where we FINALLY get to see the Goku, the Surfer, and Majestros taking on Asura, on a Marvel Earth no less, and we get an explanation as to how exactly one uses the device Mercer gave them, To those of you wondering which kind of Marvel Earth the earth Asura is on is based on, I think I dropped a few hints that any fan of that Marvel Earth or self respecting fan of Linkara and Atop the Fourth Wall will find to be a punch to the face at how obvious it is.
Questions? Comments? Concerns? Include them in your review or PM me.
Until next time, so long, farewell, and Auf Weidershen goodnight!
