Not a Toy
I looked around the battlefield hesitantly. We were in way over our heads with this one.
"I need back up! Front up? Side up?" Spider-man called out. I slowly tried to make my way over to him for support.
"Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts." Iron Fist responded. I followed the sound of his voice.
"Tell me you're not freaking out and maybe I'll calm down."
"And if I am freaking out?" I continued on when I felt the ground disappear from under me. I yelped in shock then groaned upon impact as I landed head first. 'Ow. Yep, we're doomed.'
"Was that Magician Girl?" I heard a noise as I slowly shifted to a seating position. "Iron Fist? Gone. How can someone so big move so fast?" I started moving up the wall, trying to stand.
"It's game over, man!" Nova cried out. I saw him fire several of his nova blasts all over the area.
"Nova! Watch where you're throwing those things!"
"He's everywhere! How can he be everywhere?"
"Get down here so we can strategize!" 'Wish I would have made it in time to do just that.' I was finally standing against the wall when I heard Nova scream. "It can't end like this! Power Man? White Tiger? Guys? Hold...Why does this feel like they're bait and I'm running into a trap?"
"Because that's exactly what you did." came a second voice. 'He found Spidey.' I jumped aside just in time to avoid being hit by a flying Spider-man.
"Do I at least get an award for being the last bug standing?"
"No."
"Help!" 'Wish I could'
"Tag. I win." The fog slowly started to fade and we were met with the face of the legend himself, Captain America. "Steve Rogers, by the way. Pleasure to officially meet you all." He helped Spider-man up.
"That was so brutally awesome! Can we do it again, please?"
"Best two out of three?"
"Are you kidding? Yes! How many times do you get to learn battle strategy from Captain America?" White Tiger responded.
"So far, just this one time. I thought you were good at math." Nova commented.
"Ugh, I thought you were good at math..." I silently laughed at their antics. The obstacles in the room vanished into the floor leaving the room empty. He smiled at us.
"This looks like the perfect chance to try out my new SHIELD tech." I stated as I pulled out what looked like a normal deck of cards. "What better way to test it out than against Captain America?"
"Uh Magician Girl, I don't think he wants to play Go Fish." Spider-man stated.
"Or see a lame magic trick." The helmet wearing hero added. I rolled my eyes.
"Try sharp-edged cards with a few optional additions. Great for distractions and buying me spell time." I informed.
"It's nice to see the guys at SHIELD still know how to keep it simple." Captain America remarked. I smiled. 'Best day ever.'
"All right everyone, if Cap is finished with you, we can just-"
"I think the new recruits want one more round." The Super Solder stopped Coulson in his tracks. "You ready?" He placed his shield on his back before extending a hand to Spidey. His eyes widened before he shook it.
"Our lives just 1,000% cooler, Captain America, sir!" The web warrior spoke before saluting with his left hand.
"Uh, you use your right hand to salute." White Tiger clarified making him switch.
"See if you still feel that way in three minutes. Prep the court! Let's see what this team's got." Captain America ordered. Coulson ran in.
"You know maybe we should just wrap this up before something disastrous happens." The agent tried.
"Isn't that exactly why we're learning from the best? To make sure something disastrous doesn't happen?" Spidey argued.
"Besides I think it's safe to say we're feeling the aster." I remarked making the Super Solder look confused while White Tiger and Coulson facepalmed.
"Just one more, Phil." Captain America stated, placing a hand on the agent's shoulder. "Then we can go over Fury's checklist."
"You know my name?" Coulson asked. Without another word, the agent dropped the argument.
"Okay..." Power Man began before popping his neck as we prepared for round two. "This time I'm gonna show him why they call me Power Man."
"Dude, you call you Power Man. It's Captain America. The guy once punched a tank unconscious." Spider-man remarked.
"Actually that's a myth." The Super Soldier clarified.
"No, I'm pretty sure that's true." Coulson facepalmed again.
"Let's up the ante." Captain America placed his shield on the ground. "First one you, any of you, that takes me out, gets to keep the shield."
"Do you know what I could sell that for on the internet?" Nova commented.
"What? Oh..." Coulson cried out.
"Sweet!" Spider-man exclaimed. We all prepared for the next round. Nova floated to the air.
"Etativel." I chanted and rose into the air.
"Now the problem you all have is you think your unique power is your only asset." He motioned for us to begin.
"This should be awesome." The helmet wearing hero stated as he pulled his phone out. Power Man charged at the Super Soldier only for him to take one step to avoid the attack.
"By relying on your one power or weapon you become predictable to any wiser opponent." He concluded his lesson by tossing Power Man over his shoulder and into the wall. White Tiger and Iron Fist ran toward him next. White Tiger was about to scratch him with her claws but, instead, the Super Soldier grabbed her and tossed the heroine into Iron Fist.
"Laecnoc em htiw romalg." I spoke. I activated the flash bomb feature on the cards.
"By using all your skills and being unpredictable-" I flung the cards at him and watched the lights activate.
"Pirt mih." He fell back and rolled right underneath me. He reached up and grabbed my leg, tossing me to the ground with a thud. The glamor spell broke to help me use the reserve energy to prepare for the next chance I got.
"-you're more likely to stand a fighting chance."
"I don't know. I kinda like my odds!" Spidey shot out his webs. Captain America dodged them, making them hit Coulson instead.
"Hey!" He exclaimed. As the webs were pulled back they took the agent's suit jacket away, revealing him wearing a Captain America suit. "Awkward."
"This is not mine." The agent defended nervously. Spidey continued to shoot at the Super Soldier who easily dodged each one.
"You've got bad aim." Power Man stated as he was webbed to the wall.
"Uh, look out?" the web warrior tried. Iron Fist took the chance to run in. The pair engaged in battle.
"Nice!" Captain America praised as the blonde got out of his grip. They continued to match each attack blow for blow.
"Jujitsu? Kung Fu? Krav Maga?" Iron Fist questioned in shock.
"All of the above." White Tiger stepped back in to help Iron Fist. I took the chance to get to Power Man.
"Esaeler mih morf eht sbew." I chanted, freeing Power Man. I looked over to see Spider-man managed to connect his webs to the Super Soldier.
"Gotcha!" Spidey exclaimed. Captain America looked down at White Tiger. She took her chance to try and scratch the Super Soldier. She freed herself as he chose to pull Spider-man along.
I lifted my sleeve to hit the return button on my tech. The place I was standing in would create a distraction. 'Don't waste this chance' I pushed the button and all of the cards lit up and dislodged themselves and flew toward me. Just as he lifted the web warrior in the air, my cards cut the webs sending Spidey flying into White Tiger. Each card slid easily back into their holder.
"Etativel Redips-nam ylwols!" I spoke the spell making the web warrior slowly hit the ground. He moved to shoot more webs but, his gloves were missing.
"No way."
"And that was something I picked up growing up in Brooklyn." The Super Soldier informed as he put the gloves on. "You have to think of your powers for what they are-one tool in your toolbox." White Tiger tried to attack him but, only succeeded in getting webs attached to her.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no..." she exclaimed before she was tossed into Power Man.
"Dniw deeh ym dnammoc. Dinw etaerc a dniwlrihw morf ym sdnah." I chanted while dodging webs. I moved my hand in a circular motion, making a whirlwind that sent the web flying toward Nova and his phone. He was too busy laughing to notice the impending attack. The Super Soldier rolled with it and yanked the phone out of his hand.
"Hey!" Nova shouted. The helmet wearing hero flew down only to have his helmet knocked out of position. "Can't see!" I used the whirlwind to move him out of Spider-man, Iron Fist, and my way. Before I could do anything to stop it, there was a string of web on my whirlwind hand. Captain America moved it to hit Spider-man then Iron Fist. I used my other hand to grab a card and cut myself free, slowing down the wind in the process. He took the opportunity to get closer to me and engage in hand to hand combat. I fared well until he managed to grab my leg and throw me over his shoulder to the ground.
"Total spankage. Take two." Spider-man stated as he caught his gloves.
"You lasted half a minute longer than last time. Every battle you learn from is a win." Captain America responded as we all stood up and walked toward the hero.
"Ugh. Tell that to my shoulder." Power Man complained.
"Well, I think we've had enough fun for one day. But the Captain and I have extremely important SHIELD business to attend to." Coulson said as he ran forward.
"I was hoping to go over a few pointers with-"
"I'll have someone write a memo for you. Join me in my office?" Coulson continued while cutting off the Super Soldier.
"Sure. I'm going to leave this here." he placed his shield into the ground. "You can hold it but, don't throw it. It's a weapon, not a toy." We all saluted to Captain America.
"Sir, yes sir!" we replied simultaneously. The two adults walked out of the room while we looked at the weapon.
"Is it me, or was that the best butt kicking we ever got?" Nova stated.
"We just went toe to toe with Captain America. I think we just graduated." White Tiger added.
"Do you think he'll pick one of us as his sidekick and-oh, shield!" Spider-man said as he trailed off and pointed out Captain America's weapon in the room.
"Me first!" the helmet wearing hero walked toward the object. "Nice." he held the shield.
"Heed Captain America's words-'It's not a toy.' " Iron Fist warned with air quotes.
"Yeah, how about we just put it back where we found it and 'we' means 'you' Nova." the heroine ordered.
"You're right. I should. I will. After one little throw." Nova began.
"Ezeerf Avon ni ecalp!" I chanted as Spidey jumped up and took the shield out of his hand.
"Oh, no, you don't." the web warrior stated. He looked at the shield as he held it. "Ooh, so light! Luke, catch!" My eyes widened in shock as the shield flew from Spidey's hands, bouncing off Power Man and out the window. "That's not good! I'm coming shield!" he jumped out the window after the weapon.
"Etativel!" I chanted as I ran after him before he got himself killed.
I looked down below as Spidey glided through the air with his web gliders. I focused so I could move faster to catch up with him and the shield. He knocked it further way when he shot his webs at it.
"Oh, slippery little-"
"That's not the best way to catch it." I stated making the spider jump slightly.
"Why don't you magic it back?"
"Because staying in the air and keeping up this speed is taking a lot of concentration. Wondering why you haven't splat to the ground yet?" I raised an eyebrow. We kept pace but, unfortunately, the shield hit Iron Man. He looked up toward us.
"S'up, Iron Man? Can't talk. Gotta glide. Laters!" We continued on past him.
"Bring the shield down from the sky. Gnirb eht dleihs nwod morf eht yks!" The shield shot down front the sky and everything seemed fine until it started bouncing through the city. I landed on a rooftop for a second to recharge. I turned and Spidey was on the ground saving a woman from getting caught in the crossfire. I teleported down next to him.
"Sorry, complete stranger, please be careful when you cross the street. And don't forget fruit snacks." I pulled him away before we lost the trail. He grabbed me and started following by web-slinging through the city.
Just when it seemed like we were about to catch a break, the shield jumps over a wall and into the window of another building. We landed and read the plaque on the wall.
"Latverian Embassy?" Spidey read aloud. My eyes widened. 'Oh no.' We looked up at the broken window to see the damage. "Ooh! That's gonna be all my allowance money."
"You think the window's bad? Try how much that shield will cost to replace." I commented spooking the spider even more. He jumped onto the top of the wall and shot a web down to help me up. Something told us we might need as much of my magic as possible. We peered back up at the window and saw Doctor Doom looking down at us.
"Uh, excuse me, Mister Doom, sir? Can I have my shield back? Please?" 'Doom's not stupid enough to believe this.'
"This is yours?" Doctor Doom asked.
"It is actually. It-it's not the real Captain America shield. I mean that would be crazy." I snapped my head at him. 'Why would he even put that idea in his head?' "What would we be doing with Captain America's actual shield, right? No. No this is a-a replica."
"A replica for what purpose?"
"A very patriotic chip bowl."
"Pots gniklat!" I spoke making him close his mouth. "What my friend here is trying to say is we wanted to make a special case for Captain America's birthday as a surprise so we made the replica for sizing purposes." 'Sizing purposes? At least it's better than a chip bowl.'
"Wait right there." Doom responded. We both let out a sigh of relief. 'Maybe this will work after all.' A missile flew out of the window toward us. 'Spoke too soon.' We jumped away and into the street. It flew back around. 'Heatseekers.' We left the area to try and evade it.
"Where's the off switch on the doom missile?" Spidey quipped. We landed on a rooftop.
"Llaberif!" I chanted as I held my hands above my head. I waited as the power grew. The missile started to circle back around. 'I need just a little more time.' Suddenly, the sound of a motorcycle fills the air. Captain America jumped the motorcycle in front of us and knocked the missile away with his bike. I stopped the spell, making what little flames I could muster.
"Sweet team-up! Hey, you didn't get any scratches on my bike, did you? It's cool that you borrowed it, but-"
"Where's my shield?" Captain America said cutting off the web-slinger.
"Oh, yeah, uh, heh, funny story actually-"
"You were playing with it and it fell off the carrier and landed here."
"Uh..."
"You might wanna choose your words more carefully, he is not whelmed." I suggested.
"Yes. Are you insane with anger?"
"I try not to live in the past. Let's fix this."
"Fix how?" The Super Soldier smirked at us. 'Sounds like a team up to me.'
"Hey! We're not allowed to go in there!" Spidey stated as we were preparing to sneak into the embassy. "It's doom's embassy aren't there, like, laws or something?"
"He just sent a missile into a New York street. His diplomatic immunity is out the window." Captain America answered.
"Hey, just like your shield when I-" I quickly elbowed the spider. "Oh..."
"But we have to be smart. Who knows what else he has in there." I thought of my levitation spell and floated over the wall.
"So we wait for Fury and the guys?"
"My shield is made from a one of a kind adamantium/vibranium alloy." He signaled us and moved toward the building. I quickly followed behind him with Spidey behind me. If Doom has time to reverse engineer that metal, he could turn his armor or any kind of weapon, into something unstoppable."
"I don't want to be Doom's boy! Let's do this!" I gave Spider-man a strange look at the 'Doom's boy' comment. "I mean if you're ready." The boys jumped while I levitated to the balcony. We walked across when a device activated and started shooting lasers at us. We quickly dodged them and hurriedly followed the Captain as he breaks down a door. Waiting inside for use were robotic guard dogs. "Doctor Doom has Doomdogs? That's adorable." The bots started shooting lasers out their eyes.
"Think he was going more for deadly. Etaerc a reirrab!" I spoke as the lasers bounced off my barrier.
"Spider-man you go high. I'll take the ground assault." Captain America ordered.
"Reirrab tilps otni eerht!" I moved my hands, one toward Spidey and the other toward the Captain, moving the barriers in front of them and leaving one toward me.
"Way to pull out a new trick in the nick of time." the web warrior awed.
"Showmanship is all about timing." I nodded at the pair as they continued on. Captain America beat a few bots before more started flooding in.
"Web them to the floor." the super soldier ordered.
"I was gonna do that as a surprise for you! But now you've gone and ruined it!" I put more into the barrier in front of the super soldier as the bots closed in on him. "Cap? Cap!"
"Might wanna hurry up with the webbing the bots plan." Spidey jumped down and webbed a few bots while I pushed my shield forward to break them against the wall. the super soldier used a sword he found to stab a few of them.
"Wow Captain America bringing it skewer style."
"This isn't the fight." the super soldier stated.
"It's not? Sure feels like fighting."
"This is a distraction. He's trying to buy time so he can analyze the shield." A door opened up next to us, revealing Doombots. I released the spell. 'We're definitely gonna need something stronger.'
"Well, it's totally working. I'm distracted." I nodded in agreement.
"We'll work on that." We continued to run away from the robots.
"Kcol eht rood!" I chanted as we managed to find an empty room.
"Is this gonna work?" Spidey asked as the super soldier moved a table to block the door.
"We just need to slow them down." Captain America stated.
"That means no. I expected this to be a lot easier with you around." We hurried outside the other door through another room and up some stairs. "They're right behind us."
"Don't focus on them. They're not the fight."
"What if one of the Doombots is actually Doctor Doom pretending to be a Doombot?"
"It's never that easy."
"Never ever?" the bots started firing lasers at us again. "Can I focus on 'em now?" I looked at the doorway ahead of us. 'It might just work.' I ran ahead and quickly threw some cards around the door. As the pair ran threw, I pressed a button causing them to ignite.
"Erif deeh ym dnammoc. Erif tcennoc eht semalf rehtegot." I spoke creating a web of fire.
"Now we run." the captain ordered.
"Run?" Spider-man asked.
"Know the fight."
"Know the fight? Wait, is this a lesson? Should I be taking notes?" the super soldier grabbed him by the arm and we ran out of the room.
"The shield's not here!" Captain America exclaimed when we ran into a lab. We hurried to the computer. "It's in Latverian."
"Wow, that's a fun fact, but, Cap? Uh, maybe we should hurry it up?" Spidey questioned as the banging on the door continued.
"Incredible. New York, Washington, Dallas, Cleveland. Doom was using this embassy as a base of operations for an invasion!"
"Really, Cleveland? Why?"
"Its an invasion does there need to be a reason?" I chimed in.
"We've got company!" I turned and saw the army of Doombots at the door, some of them with burn marks. 'One shot that might work.' I pushed a button on my card holders. Just as the bots were about to make their move, they seemed to shut down. Almost immediately after, my cards sliced their way through a few bots and nicely back up my sleeve.
"Looks like my timing was off."
"How did you do the wha-"
"It says 'Doombot master control' in Latverian. Tools in the toolbox." the super soldier explained.
"What now?"
"Roof."
"Roof?" Spider-man and I asked simultaneously.
"Doom is trying to escape and he's got your shield!" the web warrior exclaimed as we ran onto the roof to see Doom getting into a ship. Once he was inside, another round of Doomdogs appeared in front of us along with missiles aimed our direction. "This day has gone to the dogs. Uh, Cap, you have a plan, right?"
"We stop Doom at all costs." the super soldier stated before charging after the villain.
"Peek eht sgod yawa morf Pac!" I chanted. Two of the Doomdogs tried to attack him but, bounced back to the ground. As he reached the ship a red light appeared and the captain shot back toward us. "Etativel mih!" I slowly lowered Captain America to the ground. The bots started after us as the ship started to take off. "Etativel eht pihs!" I tried to pull the ship down but, it was too much.
"Nice doggy." Spidey spoke before looking at the sky and back at me. I released my spell and gasped in exhaustion. "Oh no, Doomsy, you are so not getting away!" He webbed a Doomdog. "Don't you know not to leave your pets at home when you're away?" He spun it around and shot it toward the ship. The web warrior did the same with one of the dogs after Captain America. "Cap, know the fight!" We ran toward the super soldier and the three of us jumped off the building. I thought of my levitation spell as Spidey and Cap caught a ride on Doom's ship.
"Etativel meht!" I moved the pair up as I levitated myself to the top of the ship in front of Doom's line of sight.
"Knock! Knock!" the pair punched through the glass.
"You're under arrest, Doom!" Captain America called out.
"You can't arrest me in my own embassy. It's Latverian soil." Doctor Doom responded.
"Might wanna check your surroundings." I replied.
"You're not standing on soil. We're in American airspace." the super soldier continued.
"Ohh, burn." Spidey commented. Doom shot an attack at us, knocking everyone to a side. Spider-man webbed the controls. "Let's see what this does!" The ship moved out of control before crashing down. Captain America tried to get a punch in on the villain but, Doom shot back. The Latverian stood up, holding the shield after knocking the super soldier down.
"Not on step closer. And not one word out of you." Doom ordered looking at me as he said the last sentence.
"That shield doesn't belong to you, doom." Cap stated.
"I know what this is. And I know how much it is worth to you. Why would you be so careless with it as too entrust it to idiot children?"
"Children? Well, I'm rubber and you're glue, whatever you say bounces off me-nevermind. Besides, this isn't about me!" I sent him a look. "Or her. You were getting ready to make an attack on America!"
"And you two-handed an enemy of America the key to making the world over in my own image."
"Your own image? Hold on. We'll make you a deal, Doomsy. Give us the shield and you can get back in your Doom-Mobile and drive back to Doomville."
"What's the strategy here?" Captain America asked.
"He gives back the shield and in return, we don't tell the world that two teenagers and a shield-less Captain America beat the metal pants off of him and all his egobots. All by ourselves." I smirked. 'He does have a point. Doom would lose some serious street cred if this got out.' "Being Doctor Doom has got to be all about reputation, right? Without that, you're just a guy with a cape that vaguely smells of bologna."
"Ha!" Doom spat before firing a laser at us. We all dispersed for cover.
"Ok, Doom, one last chance!"
"I promise you, I will destroy you and then I will destroy-"
"Yeah, about that, I learned some pretty cool things today and the big lesson learned was-" He dodged another laser from Doctor Doom. "Ohh! Know the fight. See you were fighting us but we weren't fighting you. We were stalling." Spidey and I both looked up prompting Doom to do the same. I sighed. Spider-man lifted his wrist communicator. "Um...we were stalling. Gotta get the volume on this microphone adjusted." The villain looked up again as the Helicarrier came into sight, along with SHIELD tanks.
"I think it's time you give the man back his shield." I stated as Captain America held his hand out.
"Take it. My plans require no such trinkets." Doom muttered, handing the shield back to its rightful owner.
"About those plans...You're under arrest for conspiring to attack America." the super soldier informed.
"Be my guest. My embassy officials will have me released by nightfall." SHIELD agents surrounded him and escorted the villain away.
"Well fought." Cap shook Spider-man's hand then mine.
"Can I be your sidekick?" the web warrior asked. I cleared my throat. "Can WE be your sidekicks?"
"You're good but, I don't really do sidekicks well. Bygones?"
"Bygones? Wait a minute. You didn't scratch my Spider-cycle, did you?"
"Doombot dogs? No, not buying it." Nova remarked after we told the team about our little adventure.
"And you got Doctor Doom deported? Really?" White Tiger added. 'Maybe letting Spidey take the lead on telling the story wasn't the best idea."
"And he was all-you only found me by accident! You could never match my intellect man to man." Spider-man said doing a bad Doom impression.
"Uh-huh. What did you say?" Power Man asked.
"I said, 'I can live with that.' "
"But you've all learned some valuable tactical lessons, right?" Agent Coulson confirmed.
"Let's see-know your fight." the web warrior began.
"Our powers are only one tool in the toolbox." I added.
"No! I mean about touching things that don't belong to you." the SHIELD agent argued.
"Oh, yeah. Because you might accidentally stop a madman from taking over the world." Spidey remarked as he and I wore matching smirks after seeing Coulson's face.
"Seems like the ends justify the means to me." I spoke.
"And...you're welcome?"
"You think international incidents are funny?" Coulson snapped.
"Hey, Phil, how would you like to hold my shield?" Captain America asked.
"Really? Oh, ooh, wow. It's so light."
"There could be some future Avengers here if you all stay out of trouble."
"Sir, yes sir!" we all responded saluting. Cap saluted back to us. We turned back to see Coulson hugging the shield.
"I'll take that back now."
"You got it, Cap! Here you go!" Coulson called out before throwing the shield. It bounced off the wall and out the same window as before. Spider-man and I exchanged a look before sighing.
"Here we go again!" Spidey called out as we both jumped out of the window again.
Hey guys! Here is the newest chapter in the story. I'm sorry for going MIA. I'm honestly not sure I'm going to completely finish this story but, I'm at least going to finish season one of Ultimate Spider-man. Hopefully, more than that will be written but, I'm going to promise that much because I've gotten really busy and finding writing time is very hard when your schedule changes almost every week. I have so many ideas for how this book turns out and it makes me sad that I might not be able to write it all down.
As always thank you for the reviews, favorites and follows.
Review time!
Volans15: I'm glad you're enjoying the way I've written Zatanna. I'm planning to write some more so hopefully, you'll keep reading.
GUEST: As far as pairings go they are: Danny and Zatanna at the moment. There is a pairing I was hoping to introduce later on (early season 3) so for the moment I'll keep that one quiet.
Time for shout outs!
Thank you to tomyersbrent95 and The conmanw for favoriting! Thank you to Cissnei69, myersbrent95, Michael278, Cameron Greyhem and J. for following! Thank you to HotRodimusMinor, mwalker, Volans15, dragongodslayer7 for favoriting and following!
Thanks for reading this chapter and I'll see you next time! Favorite, follow and/or review if you like (no flames please!) Have a great day/night!