We come to it at last
How many's a crowd Part 2
A giant green tentacle smashed down and the heroes dispersed. Morrigan and Nova took to the air and shot blasts at the giant while Punisher ran around shooting his gun off. Ghost Rider spat fire while Strider called out mechanical animals to attack. Shuma seemed unaffected by their attack and he brought a tentacle down to crush them. Ghost Rider and Strider jumped out of the way and then onto the tentacle. They ran towards the center; the giant eye. Shuma obviously saw them coming and he shot a blast from his eye that hit the two of them and sent them away. Then he used his tentacles to swipe them across the landscape. One came for Punisher but before it could catch him nova swooped down and grabbed him.
"No need to thank me" Nova said
"Wasn't gonna" he responded as he shot at Shuma from above. Then he shot a blast at them that hit them and they plummeted from the sky and to the ground. The other three rallied to them and they prepared to fight again. Shuma looked down at all them and raised a giant tentacle to the air and then smashed it down. As he did they all raised their hands and caught it with Nova and Morrigan holding it up with their super strength to prevent it from crushing them.
"Damn" Punisher grunted
"What did he do! Where did they go!?" Morrigan rambled
"Seriously, although a pressing question, maybe it shouldn't be the first thing on your mind right this second" Nova grunted with his arms raised up.
"It would make sense that he's behind this. The movement of things that should never have been touched could only bring forth the uprising and chaos he so desperately wants" Strider stated
"We're gonna need a plan" Punisher stated
"Really? No shit" Ghost Rider said
"What are your intentions?" Hiryu asked
"Well the way I see it" Punisher said as the tentacle came down a little to touch his head. He looked at Morrigan and Nova who pushed up more to remove the tentacle from his head "Better, now" he continued "Ghost Rider's the only one with the ability to really take him down and save us"
"Just to point it out I really wouldn't mind if some of you died" he said casually pointing to Morrigan and Strider
"But we need them to beat him and if he wins he'll spread chaos throughout the universe" Nova said
"If chaos means the death of them then it means peace of mind to me"
"Enough!" Punisher screamed "the way I see it we're gonna need a diversion. Me, Strider and Nova seem like the best for that"
"HA!" Ghost Rider laughed at Strider
"Me?! A Distraction?!" Nova complained.
"Rider, Morrigan, this is where you come in. You're gonna have to work together"
There was a brief silence "Come again?" Ghost Rider asked
"Morrigan will use her abilities to hold him down while he's distracted"
"Wouldn't be the first time" she stated
"Then you go up look into his eyes"
"Eye" Nova corrected
"Eye, and kill the bastard" Punisher concluded
"He's a god, he can't die" Ghost Rider told him
"Well at least he'll be in too much pain to mess with us"
"uh huh yeah, let's say I don't want her help"
"The best chance we got is working together"
Ghost Rider sighed, looked at Morrigan and put his hands around her throat "Listen you don't like me and I sure as hell don't like you, but for the sake of the greater good I will look past your whore ways and past atrocities to save your slutty ass!"
"If you're coming to a truce why are you choking her?" Nova asked
"Oh please, she likes this stuff" Ghost Rider said as Morrigan's face turned blue.
"Alright" Punisher said "Launch him up and then we'll do it"
Then with a strong push from Nova and Morrigan the tentacle shot up into the air.
Morrigan and Ghost Rider on his bike dashed left while Punisher, Nova and Strider went right. Nova hurled blasts, Punisher fired his guns and Strider sent hordes of mechanical animals to fight. With so much coming at him from those three he focused on them. He responded with his own blasts and swipes from his tentacles but they all managed to dodge. Then he transformed his side into a giant mouth, reached out and chomped down at them, catching Nova in his grip.
Inside the mouth Nova stood up with his hands on the roof of his mouth. He pushed up, keeping the mouth from closing and the swarms of teeth from chomping down.
"Hang on Richie!" Punisher called.
Shuma was so preoccupied he did not notice the shadows creeping in. Suddenly he was covered in long black and purple tentacles and he found himself unable to move. He struggled in its grip and he noticed Morrigan fluttering in front of his giant eye.
"So how does it feel to be tied up?" she asked. Morrigan then flew away from his gaze and Shuma saw something coming straight for him. It was Ghost Rider on his motorcycle and his eyes burned with hatred. As he got closer Shuma started to struggle more but he still could not get free. Then Ghost Rider brought himself up and jumped from his motorcycle. The momentum launched him into the air and he was heading straight for the giant eye.
"Look into my eyes demon!" he screamed as they made eye contact. Shuma squirmed and writhed in pain as felt the suffering of all that he inflicted upon the world. He started to shrink in size and Nova escaped from his mouth. He continued to squirm and shrink until he was but the size of an ant and then Ghost Rider stood over him. "I'll see you in Hell you sonbitch!" he shouted before stepping on Shuma with his boot. When he removed his boot Shuma was gone, not dead though, most likely he teleported back to the chaos dimension.
They all then rallied together and looked around.
"Shouldn't everything be back to normal?" Morrigan asked frantically
"Perhaps we have expected too much" Strider said solemnly. They all hung their heads in defeat. But then suddenly there was a blinding white light and they all covered their eyes. When they returned their gaze they looked to a nearby hill where five figures stood atop. It was everyone Shuma Gorath had teleported away. Cap stood holding Joe in his arms while everyone stood beside him. Then they made their way down the hill.
Cap handed Joe off to Nova who took him in his arms. Joe weakly raised a fist and Nova responded with his own and they pounded them together.
Arthur went up to Ghost Rider rubbing his head with a smile on his face. Ghost Rider looked down at him with his hands on his hips. Then he reached down, got Arthur in a headlock and started giving him a nuggy.
Captain America and Viper walked up to Strider Hiryu and they all nodded to each other.
Morrigan looked around for Tony with a mile across her face but she could not find him. She just watched as everyone else stood around with each other, they all looked so happy even if there's usually a barrier or tension among them; she was all alone. She lowered her head to the ground and started sniffling. Then two metal hands were placed over her eyes.
"Guess who?" a man's voice asked. She turned around to see Iron man with the helmet falling off to reveal his face. They all rejoiced from their victory and unity in the snow and then Cap called out to them.
"Well then we must be no our way, let's go home" They all turned and walked away, Morrigan tagging behind in the back. Her eyes shifted from them to the snow and a mischievous smirk grew on her face. Iron man walked and talked with Cap in the front with his helmet off
"So I think it's a-"he was cut off as snow was collided with his face. Everyone went silent and turned their heads back to see Morrigan making snow balls. Tony got up and wiped his face "What was that for!?"
"You were so angry before, I thought this would help cool you down" she giggled
"Snow burns". Morrigan just shrugged her shoulders. Tony grew a smirk and reached down to the ground and started grabbing snow. Morrigan launched another one at him and hit him in the side. He laughed, got up and launched his at her but she moved away. The two then ran off and gathered more snow.
"Well isn't that something" Nova said. Then suddenly snow collided with his face. He looked down to see Joe running off. "Oh it's on now!" he said reaching down to the ground. So Tony and Morrigan were joined by Nova and Joe as they each had a four way snowball fight.
Cap just leaned against a wall with a smile on his face "hmph. The joys of youth" he smiled. Viper and Hiryu sat next to him, only more serious about the situation.
Ghost Rider leaned against his bike as Arthur stood next to him. "Hey Johnny!" Nova called out and he turned his head "Catch!" he then saw a snowball coming right for his face. Ghost Rider casually blew fire from his mouth and the snowball melted into the air. He then heard grunts coming next to him and he turned to see Arthur continuously trying to pick up snow but having it fall threw his hands every time.
"Ohh" Arthur groaned in defeat
"Here" Ghost Rider said as he knelt down next to him. He took the snow in his hands and formed it into a ball and handed it to him. "Launch it" he said passing it over.
"Hazahh" Arthur said as he stormed the battlefield.
Nova was launching snowballs from the sky at Joe who was running away; towards Cap, Hiryu and Viper specifically.
"no, no no" hiryu and viper complained as they came closer as Cap smiled and pulled out his shield. Joe then ducked to the ground as Nova threw his snowballs, hitting Viper, Hiryu(who were less than thrilled by this) and Cap's shield. The super soldier then knelt down to Joe.
"Hey there son, let me give this a try" he said. He formed a snowball, took it in his hands and threw it like he would his shield. It flew through the air and hit Nova on the face, and he fell from the sky.
"Ah that burns! Damn it!" he shouted holding his face.
Morrigan crept though the snow with a ball in hand, she had lost sight of Tony. Then she smiled and shot around to see him behind her.
"Hey there" he said
"Hey" she replied "cold?" she asked
"A little"
She dropped her snow ball "Let me keep you warm" she walked up and pressed her body against his. Their faces came towards each other and then…snow collided with both of their faces. They heard cackling and turned to see Ghost Rider tossing a snowball in the air.
"Food for thought" he said "That last one was a little yellow". Morrigan pouted at him and Tony wiped his face.
"Come Johnathan" Arthur called as Ghost Rider turned his head "We must create" Arthur said as he rolled a giant snowball along the ground.
"Anybody got a corn cob pipe?"
As everyone stood around in their own groups, only one man was left alone. Punisher put his knife in its sheath and his gun in its holster. Then he turned around and walked away. But he felt a hand lightly grab his shoulder and he turned his head to see Nova standing there.
"You weren't gonna leave without saying good bye were ya?"
"Not my thing" half of his face responded
"You should stick around, I just asked Tony and he said were gonna have this big Bar-B-Que as celebration and I know how to cook some damn good burgers if I say so myself"
"I don't doubt it"
"Come on "Nova pleaded "everyone's invited. Everyone means you too" he smiled warmly
"Sorry Richie, not my scene" Punisher said shrugging him off his shoulder and walking off.
Stark Mansion the next day
With the exception of Punisher and the defeated Shuma Gorath everybody gathered at Tony's house the next day for a celebration. Ghost Rider parked his bike outside and got off it as Arthur hopped off. They started walking towards the house when he heard a loud "PING" and he turned around to look at his bike. Strider Hiryu was standing next to it with his sword out and a large scratch covered his bike.
"You just missed who did this" was all he said
"Was he 5'10" Ghost Rider said taking a step towards him "Wearing a scarf across his face" he said taking a step with his other leg "And about to get his ass kicked by me!" he said pounding a closed fist into an open one. The two starred each other down until Arthur called out.
"Look Jonathan, look Butterflies!" They both turned to see Arthur prancing around chasing after the butterflies. Ghost Rider turned back to Strider shrugged his shoulders and walked off. They came to the backyard through the side door and closed it after they entered. When they arrived Ghost Rider let out a laugh at Tony's back window, considering it was still cracked from his last time there with Arthur. Cap took off his costume to enjoy his time as Steve Rogers while Ghost Rider and Nova came in their costumes. Steve and Tony talked to each other while Nova flipped the burgers. Ghost Rider sat with his arms crossed at a table in the backyard glaring across at Viper, Hiryu and Morrigan. Arthur and Joe were standing atop each other's shoulders to fill their cups with drinks from the table; however they still weren't tall enough.
Ghost Rider scowled at the three sitting across from him.
"Do you always have to scowl?" Morrigan asked Ghost Rider "Were all here having a good time and you have to be depressing"
"Make that two" Strider added
"Three" Viper said
"So are you gonna even indulge yourself or are you just gonna sulk?" Morrigan asked him
Ghost Rider then heard cawing from the sky "I know what they're gonna eat" he grinned at Morrigan
"Who?"
"You see the crows?" he pointed to the sky "They never tasted princess before" he grinned.
At the grill
"mmhh those burgers look good Richie" Steve commented looking at the grill.
"Well I did have a part time job flipping burgers once" Nova responded
"When will they be ready?"
"Soon enough, but I'm getting pretty thirsty you think you could take over?" Cap nodded "Alright but you have to wear this" Nova said pulling out a chef's hat and apron that read "Kiss the Cap".
"Say hang out here for a second guys, I'll go get some plates" Tony said as he walked off. He went off into his house and looked around for some paper plates for everyone. As he picked them up he heard some ruffling coming from his garage. He went in turned on his lights and turned right to see his work desk, and a raccoon standing on top of it. "Ah!" he exclaimed "You're gonna wish you messed with somebody else's garage you furry bastard" he said as his arm was encased in armor.
"Easy there mate" the raccoon spoke
"Oh rocket," he said lowering his arm "what gives?"
"Ah business as usual, need some extra parts for me ship and I knew you'd stand good" Tony nodded "Well alright, I left an IOU for ya" Rocket said picking up some parts and walking out of his garage. Tony then looked at a piece of paper left on his desk. It read "IOU; from RR. P.S. I left a few droppings in your helmet"
"Bastard!" Tony called out to the now fleeing raccoon.
Tony then walked out of his garage with the plates as Steve and Nova were talking
"You see that big one there?" Nova pointed at a massive burger on the grill and Steve acknowledged "That's a big one I'm saving for myself so don't have it ok". Cap nodded and then announced "Food's up"
"Thank God!" Ghost Rider shouted as he marched from his seat to the grill. Morrigan soon followed leaving Viper and Hiryu behind. They each took their plates and began eating. Steve and Tony stayed by the grill to catch up while Nova, Joe, Arthur and Ghost Rider took their burgers and went to the condiments.
"I say pass the red one" Arthur pointed. Ghost Rider complied taking the ketchup in his hands and letting it drop into Arthur's. Arthur then doused his burger in before passing it onto Nova and Joe. The ketchup was darker and flowed like water.
"Wow this is delicious!" Joe exclaimed
"I concur" Arthur said
"You're all hyping it up, let me try" Ghost Rider said as he put Ketchup on his and took a bite "Damn this is good. The ketchup really brings out the taste" They all nodded and they all continued to devour their burgers as Morrigan came up to them with a proactive smile on her face as she watched them eat.
"Can I help you?" Ghost Rider grunted to her
"Oh no it's nothing" she said casually "I was just wondering if you liked my special ingredient?"
"The ketchup?" Joe questioned as they all stopped eating to look at her
Morrigan nodded "Wanna know what the special ingredient is?" They all nodded ecstatically except Ghost Rider "Well you see last week Tony was working in his basement and he got a pretty deep cut in his arm from on the machine and I thought why let all that good stuff go to waste" she let out a smile as they all looked at her wide eyed.
"No" Nova pleaded but Morrigan nodded her head. Then the four of them let out disgusted cries and started to do whatever it took to get the taste out of their mouths. Ghost Rider spat furiously on the ground, Nova got on his hands and knees and started to lick the dirt, Arthur was gagging while Joe was curled into a ball rocking back and forth holding his eyes sobbing "I don't wanna, I don't wanna"
"You wanna know what else?" Morrigan said getting their attention "Have you tried the lemonade?" they all nodded "Well that was 100% made by me" they all shouted together as a response and ran off. Morrigan then took the pitcher of lemonade and started to chug it.
Ghost Rider went to the back table and sat down alone, his own attempt to vent his furry. He was shaking from his adrenaline rush of anger, and a voice called out that only increased his rage.
"Hey there look it's a party" Dante's voice called out with Deadpool, Taskmaster and Trish by his side. Ghost Rider then got up and was about to tackle him to the ground when another voice called his attention.
"Johnny I found you!" a woman's voice exclaimed. Ghost Rider looked over as Poison hopped the fence and approached him.
"They're finally getting married!" Arthur proclaimed
"Finally getting married!?" Cap asked
"Finally getting married!?" Dante's group said
"Finally getting married!" everybody said in unison
"Look at all these presents!" Deadpool exclaimed looking at all of Tony's expensive stuff.
"NNNNOOO!" Ghost Rider shouted into the air. Then his voice was abruptly cut off as his mouth was suddenly stuffed with something. He looked down to see Poison had stuffed a hot dog in his mouth.
"I made these just for you" she said holding up a plate of them.
"Well if you're in a relationship with her, you better get ready for her meat to get stuffed in your mouth" Dante called out and laughed. Ghost Rider spit the hot dog out, sprinted towards Dante and tackled him to the ground.
"Oooh I love how defensive he gets" Poison said as Ghost Rider started slamming Danye's head to the ground.
"Ah I just love weddings. A toast" Arthur exclaimed. They all then crowded around as Ghost Rider and Dante continued their fight; all except Joe and Nova that is.
"Hey" Nova called to Joe who turned his head to him "You know I bet eating that giant burger I've been saving would wash out the taste of that lemonade"
"You're not gonna put ketchup on it are you?"
"Hell NO!"
"Well then you're gonna have to beat me to it!" Joe shouted as he sprinted towards the table, with Nova behind him. They reached the table and were shocked with what they saw; the giant burger Nova had been saving was not there.
"Where'd it go?" Nova asked
"Did someone eat it?" Joe asked as they turned around to everyone else who were crowded around watching Ghost Rider violently head but Dante. If they had just looked towards the side of the house they would have noticed an open door at the fence.
Outside a man dressed in black with a skull across his chest was walking toward a van. In his hands was a giant hamburger with no condiments on it. He devoured the burger and wiped the heavy amount of grease from his mouth with his sleeve. He then opened his car door.
"Damn good burger Richie" he said as he stepped in.
While everybody was in the backyard, something else was going on inside the house. Bullseye and Juri were currently roaming throughout the house in search of valuables. Juri was looking threw a closet while Bullseye looked under the mattress.
"So is there a reason for coming here" she groaned
"Yeah, getting away from you, but you followed me here anyway" he replied as he picked up a lamp. "Sometimes your crazy, yeah the Dolphins make me cry" he muttered as he lightly waved it through the air. Then he walked up to her.
"Well I don't think-" she was cut off as he hit her in the back of the head knocking her unconscious.
"And that was for hitting me in the balls you stubborn bitch" he said before leaving. "Sometimes I wonder if It will ever end!" he sang as he went down the stairs.
In the backyard Tony and Steve stood by the grill talking to each other.
"So I gotta ask, what's it like living with Morrigan?" Steve asked "I mean you like being in charge, the head honcho. Since she's a princess doesn't she get a bit.." he paused "needy" he strained
Tony shrugged "eh sometimes, but I look past it cause we just have SPECTACULAR sex. I mean sometimes we'll be in the air and aaahh" Tony exhaled as Steve grimaced at his use of detail. "But it has it's ups and downs"
Flashback to first morning when Morrigan started staying with Tony
She awoke by letting out a big yawn while stretching her arms out into the air as her wings flapped and descended as she shrugged her shoulders. Tony then walked into the room in boxers and a breakfast stray. "Morning princess" he smiled as she looked at him as he walked over and held the tray before her "Just thought I'd give you a warm welcome to-" suddenly Morrigan slammed her arms up hitting the tray into the air and sending everything that was on it throughout the room "Now what the he-" Morrigan cut him off again by grabbing him and pulling him onto the bed and jumping on top of him. While she attempted to seduce him by kissing the side of his face and feeling up his body all he could do was cringe "Ah stop! I'm on a fork, I'm on a fork!"
At a later time
Tony was laying down in his bed reading the newspaper. He heard some thumping so he lowered the paper to see Morrigan leaning on his door frame in a school girls uniform.
"I'm ready for my private lesson Mr. Stark" she giggled. Tony just shook his head and put the paper back up. Morrigan raised an eyebrow and crawled onto the bed and over him. She shoved the paper down with her hand and put her head where it once was. " I said I"m ready for my lesson"
"Lessons over go home" he said blandly while trying to read the sports section through her fingers.
"No it's not, come on let's have fun" she smirked.
"I'm a grown man and your pretending to be a high school student. This isn't right"
"Oh but if feels right" she smirked and leaned into him but he responded by kicking her off and she landed on the floor with a thud. She then stormed off while he went back to reading the paper. He went on with reading the paper in peace. But it didn't ask for long since he again heard some thumping and he lowered the paper to see Morrigan leaning against his door frame now in a button down shirt which wasn't buttoned towards the top, a long skirt and high heels.
" . I heard a complaint from a student earlier. I"m Ms. Aensland and it's time for detention" she smirked "Any questions?" she asked as she walked towards him throwing off her heels and showed off her long sharp nails.
"None" he smiled as he put the paper down.
"Well.." Morrigan said as she reached down and grabbed his crotch "This student is raising his hand" she said hotly as he jerked foward and they're faces were inches apart "And I don't mind physical discipline on my students"
End of Flashback
"Yeah definitely has it's ups and downs but what can I say; Foreign chicks" Tony said to Steve.
"Oh please" Morrigan chimed in as she walked passed him and ran her hand threw his hair "You know I'm too old for you" she said reaching down and grabbing a drink from the cooler.
"You and me both" Steve said as he and Morrigan hit their drinks together while Tony rolled his eyes. Then suddenly everybody's attention was drawn to a loud thud and they turned to see Chris Redfield sitting on the Hulks shoulders bound over the fence.
"Hey there room for two more?" he asked. They were greeted with applause. Chris then turned down to Hulk "Alright big guy remember no breaking shit"
And they were not the last ones to arrive. Thor and Amaterasu arrived along with the entire population of Asgard including Odin himself. Iron Fist came with Haggar, Wolverine and Ryu, She hulk, Phoenix Wright, Hawkeye, Spider man, Frank west, Chun li and many more.
It was at this time that Arthur borrowed a camera and started taking pictures of his eventual self-published picture book "Johnny's Wedding day". There were many pictures of the party that day such as;
Hawkeye teaching Phoenix Wright how to shoot a bow and arrow,
Thor, Steve and tony posing as the "big three" with their arms around each other's shoulders.
Bruce banner standing next to a pool with Felicia splashing him, coincidentally the next picture was the hulk launching the pool from the yard with her still in it,
Viper looking down at her chest in a self-conscious way as Nova and Hawkeye stood next to her with watermelons in their shirts,
Chun li, Morrigan, Felicia, Hsien Ko and Viper sitting in the background of a picture. Taskmaster stood closer to the camera with an arrow pointing to the table that read "Sluts"
Poison leaning in for a kiss with Ghost Rider who was trying to get free but everyone else was pushing him closer,
Chun li bent over to pick something up and Nova thrusting his hips into hers,
Dante talking with X- 23, the picture after it was Wolverine violently attacking him with Ghost Rider pointing and laughing,
Trish's mouth on the curb with Ghost Riders foot above her head while everyone else tried to stop him,
Deadpool holding a hammer and nails along with Gold letters that he held up spelling "DNE EHT"
Tony and Morrigan had a picture, although Morrigans fingers covered most of the picture and only the upper half of their faces could be seen. It seemed as if they were joined at the mouths
And of course lastly a big group shot with everyone.
The day went on and all of them enjoyed themselves, eventually they all did disperse. Among the first were Ghost Rider and Arthur who walked towards the motorcycle as Arthur flipped through the pictures.
"I really do enjoys these pikachu's, they're like images frozen in time"
"Pictures" Ghost Rider corrected as kicked a 'Just Married' sign off his motorcycle and Arthur stayed standing.
"But I must know" Arthur spoke up "When this world merging ends, what shall become of all of us and our partnership?"
"Well what's gonna happen to our partnership is the same thing that's gonna happen to everything else in this world." Ghost Rider told him as he got on his motorcycle"It's gonna end"
"End? Oh no can't we go back to the beginning and start all over again?" Arthur pleaded
"But we already know what happens" Ghost Rider said. They stood there in silence as Arthur reflected on their passed adventures as he looked to the cement. It seemed like there was no place for them going demon hunting now.
"And where will you go now?"
"Well I don't know where I'm going exactly" Ghost rider said looking to the sky. Then he turned to Arthur "But you are more than welcome to come along for the ride" he grinned. Arthur smiled and plopped himself onto the bike
"You're a good guy Johnathan..but not too good" they let out a laugh. Ghost Rider reared back on the bike and they raced down the road leaving fire and brimstone as they went.
Later that night Tony and Morrigan stood inside and surveyed the house. From the party the house was pretty trashed and would have to be cleaned up.
"Well someone's gonna have to clean this up. Ah it never ends" Tony sighed
"Oh work work work. Always work" Morrigan said walking past him and whipping her hair into his face "Never fun first" she said as she ascended the stairs to go into the bedroom "I'll be waiting" she called down to him.
Tony then looked from her and down to the house. It was as if it was turned upside down and it would take time to fix. He looked back up to his room, then to the house, then the room again.
"Eh" he shrugged "I could use a brake".
He then walked up the stairs and into his room. He entered and closed the door behind him. In bright gold letters across his door it read "THE END"
End of How many's a crowd?
End of Sidetracked During the Day
Well that's it the end of Sidetracked during the day. For now it also concludes my Marvel vs Capcom and Iron man/Morrigan stories. I may return to this someday but for now I'll leave it as is. But since this is episodic it can literally go anywhere so if you wanna see anything with a specific hero or villain leave a comment or message me and maybe I'll continue it(doesn't have to just be Iron man or Morrigan). Thanks for everyone who read this and "Welcoming the night "and I hope you've enjoyed reading both and I hope you continue to.