Homecoming
It had been two days since Noatak had been exposed as a fraud and imprisoned for his crimes. It was still undecided what would happen to the Equalists, some of them still believed what Amon had told them of how benders where the scourge of the world.
But for those who sympathized with Amon's cause, such as innocent civilians who didn't aid him in any way, they were not punished. Bumi was heading up organizing the city, something that he really enjoyed doing apparently.
Korra and the others had yet to return from the South Pole, leaving the entire Air Temple Island to Bumi and Jason. The latter of which was currently waking up from sleep.
The young man stretched out his limbs towards the ceiling before letting them fall down either side of the bed. "Ah, bed. I love you. Lumps and all." he said as he swung his feet over the side of the bed and crouched down beside it. Reaching under, his fibers grasped the black suit, it immediately reacted to it's wearer's touch and slid up his arm.
"Woah! Guess someone's read today." he said as he let the substance slide over his boxers and undershirt, covering him in his Spider costume. As he made his way to the stairs the suit shifted into a white shirt and black jacket with dark blue jeans.
Exiting his room, he walked over towards the dining room where Bumi was liking over maps of the city with small solider figures that represented his troops...which he was currently playing with. "No general! Don't send me to the brig, I didn't do it, honest!" Bumi said, moving one of the soldiers with one hand with the other higher ranked one in the other.
"Uncle Bumi...what are you doing?" Jason asked, not entirely sure if he wanted to know what he was seeing.
"I'm performing the next installment of my personal series, the Cadet. Based on my own true story." he said proudly before going back to his figures.
And this is the man they chose to get things back to normal? Jason thought skeptically as he passed the general and entered the kitchen for something to eat. After grabbing a quick snack, he re-entered the dining room, "I'm gonna go into the city and look for some friends of mine, I'll see you later uncle Bumi." he said.
"Be careful, I don't want you going anywhere too dangerous, so try and stay in the green!" he called out as the young hero exited the home. The city districts had been divided into different zones, green was the safest as opposed to red still being dangerous.
Of course the other heroes usually patrolled the yellow zones while the UF handled the red zones. Jason planned on staying in the green but if he had to he would cross over.
Fifteen minutes later, he was back on the mainland. The city streets were still fairly empty from the lack of populous, more and more people returned to the city each day but the city didn't even have half it's populous and there was little over six thousand who arrived today.
After finding a safe place to change, Jason shifted his clothes into his costume and shot a webline to the side of a building and pulled himself into the air. "Man I missed this!" Jason shouted as he released webbing to the side of a building and dipped down into the streets.
He missed having the freedom to just go out into the city, do whatever he wants instead of having to keep under the radar. He knew Korra hated it with a vengeance, but he felt like he was cooped up for a month and he was finally out.
"Man, now I know how Korra feels." he said to himself as he rose into the air and fired another thread from his wrist and released the one in his other hand. He still hadn't heard from his family other than when he checked in on them before they left.
As he turned at a intersection, the Daily Marvel came into full view. "Ah, home sweet home." Jason said happily as his webline carried him to the top of the building and landed on the rooftop by door leading into the building.
A few minutes later, he entered the top floor of the establishment and walked towards his old desk. The editor and chief had been one of the first people to come back, Jason quickly offered to write about what the city was like during the Equalist occupation and Stan gratefully accepted.
He was almost done with it, he just needed to include a few parts then he was done. One of which was what happened to the Equalists after Amon was revealed as w fraud to the world. Mostly they disbanded as a whole but there was still some strong pockets scattered across the city.
As the hero typed the story onto paper, his mind started to drift to Akiko. He hadn't heard anything from her, of course he had no way of contacting her either so he was stuck like this, only able to wondering what she was doing.
He could handle not seeing her for a day or two, a week maybe, but a month? He was dead set on sweeping her off her feet when he sees her, take her somewhere private and keep her to himself until someone starts worrying. It wasn't that he was over-protective, he merely missed her immensely.
The sound of footsteps made him look up to see Stan approaching him, "Hey Jason, how's the article coming along?" he asked as the young man smiled and pulled out the paper from the typewriter. Handing it to the editor, he smiled as he read over it, "Great job son...now look, I've been meaning to talk to you about something." he said.
"What's up Stan?" Jason asked when he noted the serious tone in his voice.
"Look Jason, I'm retiring." he said, making the young man's eyes widen. Stan seemed to be like Lin Bei-Fong, way to stubborn to completely quit.
"What's going to happen to the Marvel? Are we going g to close down?" he asked in a slightly panicked voice.
Stan let out a hearty laugh, "No of course not! My stepson will be talking things over actually, me on the other hand. I'll be full filing a old dream of mine." Stan said proudly with a smile.
Jason's shoulders lessened in tension at the news, "And what would that be? Knitting?" he jokingly asked.
"Nope. Running a comic book shop." he said with prods in his voice.
Jason was completely silent for a few seconds before speaking, "Somehow, that seems to fit you. So when do I get to meet your son?" he asked, trying to picture what Stan's son would be like.
"He'll be coming in today actually, now I gotta warn ya-" he started before the phone in his office started ringing. "One second Jason." he said as he went to answer the phone. "Hello?"
'Hey Stan, it's Dewolf.' the female on the other end said.
"Hey kid, what's going on?" Stan asked.
'Well that red zone building in Diamond Brough, they're taking a stand, thought you'd want to know.' she explained, making Stan look up at the window that faced the Dimond District.
"Thanks Jeannie, I owe you." the newspaper editor said gratefully before hanging up the phone line. Turning back to the bullpen that was the upper offices, he found that Jason was gone. "Huh. Guess I'll send his check in the mail again."
(000)
Spider-Man fired a webline to a building ahead of him, dipping down in the air before rising and releasing his webline and performing a backwards flip before shooting a line from his other hand. "I know I promised Uncle Bumi I'd stay safe, but I can't just let these guys run free." he said to himself as he shot another line.
Just because their fraud of a leader was behind bars didn't man the Equalists were going down quietly. Just yesterday he stopped an 'attack' by a small group of Equalist against a few benders.
Firing a webline, he swung his legs forward as the line dipped down and swung into the air before letting go of the line. His momentum sent him above the corner of a building and rooftop to the opposite ledge in a crouch in front of the building containing Equalists.
The streets below was lined with a military presence as well as a number of news reporters. The building was a five story office building with boarded windows so no one could see inside the structure. "Alight, don't know how many baddies are in there, so I'll see if I can't-" he started.
Suddenly, a fume of purple smoke puffed on top of the structure. The smoke covered the entire roof, as it slowly began to fade inwards, tied up Chi Blockers emerged from the smoke, "Behold all those who witness! For I have done what your militants could not!" a distorted voice called out.
Finally, as the smoke closed in to where it came from, a purple cape flapped out, blowing the smoke away. The individual had a green suit, golden gauntlets on both his hands along with golden clasps holding his cape in place with eyes etched into them.
And...as for headgear. It was a clouded glass...for lack of a better word, bowl. "I am Mysterio! Master of the arcane arts!" he called down to the streets where the reporters were snapping photos of him. "Now lay witness as I expel these scoundrels from existence!" he called out as he raised his arms to either side of him.
The Equalists were suddenly each covered in puffs of smoke that quickly dissipated, showing that the captives disappeared. Mysterio looked down to the crowd and saw their astonished looks from his feat. "So are you into bold fashion choices? Because that would do explain that fishbowl on your shoulders." the magic wielder turned to his left to see Spider-Man crouched on all fours.
"Ah, Spider-Man. You were the Mysterio's next foe that he would set out to vanquish." he stated as he turned to the wall crawler as he stood up.
"Oh please, you're just a glorified kidnapper who acts like a street magician. Now tell me where you sent those guys and we don't have to get violent." he said, offering the purple and green clad magician a choice.
Mysterio's shoulders tensed, "Fool! You dads call the mighty Mysterio a simple magician! Mysterio is a master of the mystic art and thou shalt regret your words!" he exclaimed as he made symbols with both his hands and drew then together before pushing them forward, causing the ground in front of him to act like a rug and flap upwards with a hill going towards the hero.
The moving roof flung Spider-Man into the air, his arms and legs frantically reached out for something to cling to out of instinct. Unfortunately, the hero landed his act against the ground hard, "Ok, neat trick bowling brain." he said as he sat up.
He quickly fired two webs at Mysterio's hands to 'disarm' him. But the magician's cloak gassed out the purple smoke, the web went right through the gas before it faded away. Spider-Man flipped back onto his hand and feet, the other hand clenched into a fist for a fight. "Ok, I'll give you credit, your disappearing act's good."
"Mysterio cares little for what a mere arachnid thinks." The young adult looked up into the air above the street to see Mysterio floating in midair. "Now bare witness to the sheer power of Mysterio's power!" he announced loudly as he pulled his cape upwards with a swirl so his purple cape covered him.
Then he began to grow, larger, and larger, and... longer? Suddenly the cape erupted in flames, and in Mysterio's place was a green dragon! It was large in scale, easily as long as three trolley cars with large wings, it's eyes were shining gold and they were trained on the hero.
"Oh crap." Jason muttered as the large snout of the beast opened with a roar before diving towards him. The young adult kept into the air and reached outward while firing a webline. Pulling the web to his opposite side, he went out into the space above the streets before firing another web and swinging away from the large beast.
"Ok ok ok think! How do you beat a grown dragon!?" Jason asked himself as he fired another webline. Swinging into the air he released the web and flew through the air before firing another one to keep him airborne. "Ok, the Lizard is basically a miniature one of these right? So-"
He stopped when he turned to look over his shoulder. The dragon's jaws Alonso closing around him before he dropped off his web past it's jaws and onto a rooftop. "Ok, so how would I fight Vulture and Lizard mixed together? Blind it." he said in realization.
As the dragon circled around and dived towards him, Spider-Man fired globs of webbing aimed towards it's eyes. But instead of blinding the dragon, they seemed to go straight through him! "What!? Wait...I think I get it." Jason said as he lowered his arms to his aides as stood ready.
When the dragon opened its mouth and swallowed him, it ran right into the roof of the building. There was no damage, no large dragon, just Spider-Man. Unmoved, "Ok, so how the heck did he pull this-oh crap he got away!" he said in realization.
The dragon was merely a big distraction, nothing more, Jason kicked up some of the dust on the roof in frustration, "Man I hate it when that happens!" he yelled out into the air before shooting a webline and pulling himself into the air.
"Ok, real question is what does Mysterio want with the Equalists? No way he just vaporized them or whatever, they got to be somewhere." he muttered to himself as he shot another thread to his right, carrying him into the air as he let go.
Clinging to the side of the building, Jason looked down to the building he saw Mysterio on from a distance, seeing the Military starting to sweep the building from top to bottom. "Perfect, and I'm betting that they aren't gonna take kindly to me poking around. Guess bubblehead gets away for now." Jason muttered as he fired a webline and pushed off the building, heading back to the Marvel.
(000)
Jason walked through the front doors of the Marvel, giving the receptionist a kind wave as he made his way towards the elevator. He still couldn't wrap his mind around how Mysterio did everything he did, that trick with the moving roof wasn't fake, so maybe he was a Earthbender. But that Dragon was fake, as to how he pulled it off, he had no idea.
Pressing the call button on the elevator, he stepped inside the small box and pressed the one that sent him to the top floor. "Ok, think, I've heard of how performers use setups for projections, so maybe it's a similar setup?" he questioned aloud.
And then there was the part when he was simply floating in midair, for all he knew he was a mutant or something and actually could do that. He shook his head, "Forget it, I'll figure it out later." he said as the elevator reached the top floor.
"SU I WANTED THAT EXPOSE ON THE UNITED FORCES OCCUPATION THREE POINT TWO SECONDS AGO!" Jason heard as the doors to the top floor opened. Whoever it was sounded angry, excited, tired, and...like his uncle Tenzin?
As the doors opened fully he stepped out in time to barely dodge a mail cart, pivoting on his heel he just barely managed to dodge the cart. Nearly knocking into someone in the process, the man whirled around to him, he had black hair that was cut flat, greying sideburns, and a tiny mustache below his nose. "And you!" he shouted, making Jason back away cautiously. "I ordered my coffee five minutes ago and I don't see it in your hands!"
Wait, what?
"Jonah, that's Jason. The one I was telling you about?" Stan said from behind the new person. Johanna looked at Stan, then back to Jason, then back to Stan again. "Before you start-"
"This little runt's the one who's been writing your stories!? Come on Pa, you gotta be kidding me!" he interrupted. He pointed at Jason, "He's doesn't look old enough to drive let alone work here! He's freelance at best." he stated as he walked away from the stunned hero.
As he began to talk to another employee, Stan walked over to Jason, the young man giving him a pleading look. "Don't leave me, please." he begged.
Stan rubbed the back of his head, "Look I know Jonah can be...energetic, but he's good guy. Believe me, just get him something paper worthy and you'll see he's a good guy." Stan said, patting his shoulder as he handed him his check for his paper.
Taking his pay, he put it in his pocket for the suit to store, "Any chance I can work for you at the comic shop?" Jason asked.
J. Jonah Jameson was his boss now. And he personally wanted to crawl under a rock right now because of it.
(000)
"Freelance, I've been at the Marvel longer than he has and he says that to me?" Jason muttered irritably from the side of the building. He had situated himself in the corner of a building with a thick web in front of him connected to both walls with a box of noodles and chopsticks.
His mask was pulled back to be able to eat, another hands free feature of the suit that he enjoyed. As he ate, he began to think over his fight with Mysterio from earlier once more, "Bet if I got bubble brain Mr. Big shot will actually take me seriously...hey that may actually work." he said in realization before slurping his noodles.
But where would he find him? Even with only half the population the city was still full of empty buildings to hide away in, and it's not like he could straight up ask the United Forces to search then. "Ok. Let's think this through, that dragon was just s illusion so it's fair to assume that's the case for what he did for the Equalists." he reasoned as he finished up his noodles.
Tearing up the makeshift table and wrapping the box up, he dropped it into the garbage bin below. As the bag landed in with the rest of the trash, Jason swung out towards where he and Mysterio met.
It took him about half a hour from where he decided to get lunch at before he found himself back at the office building. Clutching the side of the building between windows, he scaled the side of the building up towards the rooftop. "Ok, I was over there, and old lightbulb was standing here." he said, walking to the spot where Mysterio first appeared.
He felt the base of his skull point down to the roof, "What have we here?" he asked himself as he crouched down, his hand moving over the ground until he came across a loose square shaped button, pressing down on the square.
The button caused sections of the roof to slide open, the same sections which held the Equalists during his performance earlier. "Ha! Knew it! It was a trick. Now let's see how far the rabbit hole goes." he said as he dove into one of the entrances, the holes shutting behind him.
Dropping to the floor, he looked around the room. It was fairly well kept for a building that had been abandoned for about a month. There was spots of dust missing in the shape of footprints on the floor leading towards the hallway outside, following the tracks to the elevator shaft.
Pulling the doors apart, he slid down the cables that attached to the elevator. Stopping on top of the elevator he opened the hatch and dropped inside into the lowest level. It wasn't the basement, but it was a tunnel that led to a large underground room.
Walking out onto the catwalk, he noticed all the Equalist equipment and propaganda. "Must be one of their hideouts." he muttered as he jumped down to the work floor. There was a tunnel that led out towards the street from above,
His Spider Sense vibrated through his skull, "Ah, the insect comes willingly to his doom. How noble." a fume of smoke appeared in front of him, Mysterio standing in place as the purple smoke drifted around the room.
"Oh drop the act, I know it's all all fake. Now just come peacefully and I won't have to hurt you." he said forcefully. He didn't see any real reason to hurt whoever Mysterio was but he also wasn't gonna let him off easy.
The self proclaimed magician clapped his hands together, making the purple gas conform into small demonic creatures about the size of one's hands. "Didn't we just go over this?" Spider-Man asked as the small things flew towards him.
"Oh yes, we did." the illusionist stayed as one of the small creatures slashed it's claws across the hero's back, making him yelp in pain from the cuts across his back. "And these aren't illusions:" He stated smugly as the smoke that created the creatures covered him.
"Aw nuts." Spider-Man muttered as he leapt into the air and fired w web, swinging away from the small creatures as they flew after him.
So not all his things are fake, lovely. Now I just gonna find a way to tell them apart. Preferably one that doesn't involve me becoming a punching bag. Jason thought to himself as he shot another thread.
Spinning himself around on the web, he flicked his empty wrist as he shot web shots towards the cluster of enemies, knocking a few out of existence after they exploded with purple smoke. "Wow, that's a semi horrid way to die...not the worst but still." he said as he let go of his webline and shot two at a pair of the creatures.
"Uh-oh." one of them squeaked out before being yanked into one another as Jason landed on a work table. Back flipping onto the vent, the side of the table facing the small demons shot up, the small creatures crashing into the obstacle.
Unfortunately that took out only ten of the four dozen that flew around the uplifted table swarmed him, "Gah! Hey stop that! Nnngggh! WHOA there! Watch where you're biting!" Spider-Man shouted as he smashing his arms gra rocky to destroy as many as he could before shooting a web to the ceiling and pulling him above the cloud of demonic beings.
His suit was already covering up the wounds but it didn't help him recover any faster than normal. Webzipping over to a cart full of boxes, he fired a webline at the ones on top and tossed them into the flurry of demonic little creatures.
He repeated this process, putting a fair dent in their numbers before the cart was empty. "Hmmm." he hummed in thought as the group of demonic things regrouped. Spider-Man waited for the horde to get in close before raising his hands over his head and leaning back, grabbing the sides of the cart and throwing it over his head.
The open mouth of the cart caught the creatures before coming down to earth, snapping one of them across it's midsection. Walking over to the makeshift prison, ha webbed the sides to the floor before noticing the one split in half.
It was a machine, a small, deadly machine that was trying to kill him. "Ok, I am impressed that someone as nutty as Mysterio made something like this." he said to himself.
"So you managed to defeat the nymph daemons, impressive." A disembodied voice that resembled Mysterio said.
Ok now this was starting to get on Jason's neves, "Ok yea, send you little fairies to do a real man's job. Come on out bubble breath, I want to look you in the globe when I beat you!" he called out to the empty space.
"Ah, but I fear that this is the last we shall speak to one another arachnid. Fair thee well." the voice said as Jason's spider sense started ringing out. Suddenly, the four corners of the room cascaded upwards in explosions.
"Is it too late to be master and padawan?" Jason asked as he fired a web to the arch above the tunnel where the cart tracks led. Swinging through the tunnel, the foundation to the hidden bare gave, causing the tunnel to be flooded with dust.
Meanwhile, on the streets above, the building began to collapse in on itself. The five story building crumbled under it's own weight, making some of the nearby residents look out their windows at what they where hearing.
As the onlookers witnessed what transpired, Spider-Man crawled out of the tune eps through a maintenance hatch a block away. Closing the cover shut behind him, Jason coughed up whatever managed to get down his throat. "Well, that brought down the house."
(000)
Jason climbed in through his bedroom window, Bumi was already asleep and he didn't want to wake him. It was only seven but by the sounds that Bumi was making from his room he had a busy day. Jason could hear him from the roof, showing that his uncle was anything but a quiet sleeper.
The costume slid off his form, leaving him in nothing but his tank top and boxers once more. "Ugh. That looks nasty." he muttered when he saw the fading scratches on his arms and torso. The wounds were already starting to heal, but they would take all night at the rate they were going.
Walking over to the bed, he flopped down onto the covers, rubbing his tired eyes. On the one hand he found that Mysterio was only a illusionist, he wasn't really magic or anything and that helped him. On the other hand, he still didn't have anything he could use to get in his boss's good graces.
The suit crawled under the bed, following it's wearer's lead and deciding to rest for now. Before Jason could reach over for the light, the phone on his nightstand rang, Jason sighed before picking it up.
"Hello? Air Temple Island." he stated in a tired tone.
'Jason, hey it's Korra!' the Avatar said excitedly from the other end of the line.
Jason smiled at the tone in her voice, "Hey, what's up?" he asked, glad to hear a friend's voice.
'I-I don't know where to start! Katara couldn't heal me, then Mako...and I met Aang!' She said, making Jason's eyes widen to the size of saucers at that last one.
"Woah, woah, woah, park and reverse. Start from the beginning. Slowly." he said, sitting upright as Korra retold her tale to him. How she got her lowest point of her life, and how she finally at long last made a connection with a past Avatar. "Korra that's great! It's nice to hear some good news for a change." he said.
'Why? Is something wrong in Republic city?' Korra asked, noticing the tone in his voice.
The hero rubbed his eyes, "There's this new super baddie in town. He calls himself Mysterio. From what I saw, this guy can make illusions that are almost impossible to tell apart from the real thing." he said, thinking back to his little encounter with the self-centered sorcerer.
'What's he done? Robbed banks or something?' she asked.
Jason smirked, Korra wasn't a experienced hero as Spider-Man was. "No, he made a group of Equalists disappear into thin air." he explained.
Korra let out a snort from the other end of the call, 'Isn't that a good thing? I mean they're not exactly everyone's favorite right now.' she noted.
"Well they were about to be in Military Custody. Then he summoned a big dragon after Spider-Man." he said, laying back down onto the bed.
'A dragon!?'
"A fake dragon."
'But still, a dragon.'
Jason rolled his eyes, "Look not the point. Just relax, I'm sure this whole thing will blow over by the time you get back." he stated reassuringly.
'Ok, but get who knows? Maybe this guy will take care of all the Equalists while he's at it.' Korra suggested jokingly.
That caused something to click in Jason's mind, there was above half a dozen Equalists on that rooftop today. And from the looks of that setup below the building, Mysterio moved them without anyone seeing him.
So what if he just wanted them? What if he wanted more? Six people is a decent sized group but they can't do much, so he'll probably want more. "Korra, you just gave me a idea, thanks bye!" he said excitedly as he hung up.
(000)
Blue eyes looked across the water. Avatar Aang Memorial island was getting the Equalist banners on it torn down. The Amon mask that covered it had been destroyed during retaking of Republic City and it was a welcome change.
But what really caught the blue eyes was the flying armed fortress high above the city. She had heard the rumors but actually seeing t was something else entirely. But it didn't make her feel any safer than she already currently wasn't.
Because right now, Akiko was on the same bridge that the Green Goblin had thrown her off of about three months ago.
"Hey hon, you ok?" the artist shook her thoughts aside and looked over to her mother in the passenger seat in front of her.
"I'm fine mom." she said with a small smile of reassurance. She was honestly nervous, ever since that night she had this pit in her stomach whenever she was on a bridge like this. It was completely reasonable, a traumatic experience like that doesn't leave someone unscarred.
Her brother nudged her shoulder, "I bet they got the faker locked up there." he said, pointing up to the Helicarrier hanging in the sky.
Amon's arrest was the news that traveled around the world faster than the news of a new Avatar. Akiko and her family had taken up residence with her grandmother in a small town to the south of the city, so they had gotten the news fairly early.
"That would be the worst place to be locked up." Kisumi stated, looking up along with her son.
"Well at least you get a nice view." Akiko stated with a smug look.
"Statistically speaking, over half the people in the world have some fear of nights. Kinda hoping Amon isn't the exception to that." Huang said from the driver's seat, the traffic ahead of them nor moving a inch.
They had been stuck in traffic for about fifteen minutes after trying to get home only to find that their house was cordoned off in a red zone for the time being. The four decided to crash at a hotel tonight and figure everything else out tomorrow.
But they had to pull over to the side to allow a military prison transport pass, unfortunately one of the semi-trucks behind them got stuck and they were trapped until they found the driver of it.
Akiko's eyes looked towards Air Temple Island, she was excited to see Jason again after a month apart. She overheard a few people talking about some new look or something but it just proved that he was alive and well.
Her hand drifted to the necklace he bestowed upon her mere seconds before she left, she treasured the object hanging around her neck. So much so she actually once thought of asking Jason to keep it, but it was his mother's that wasn't something she could ask.
Her eyes scanned over the area, coming to a rest at the prison transport can, the drivers bout out talking and...why was there purple smoke leaking from the truck?
Suddenly, a large puff of the smoke seemed to explode from where Akiko was looking. The entire bridge seemed to burst into commotion at the sight as a pair of serpents emerged from the top of the smoke. The twin snakes wrapped around the two drivers in a voice grip, holding them in place.
"Tell me I'm not the only one seeing this!" Leito asked as he got out of the car and looked over the roof to the street.
Huang's mouth was slightly hanging open but he shook his head nonetheless,"No. Your not. Everyone out, slowly." he said, Kasuni nodding before opening the door on her side with her husband crawling over the arm rest to fallow her.
Akiko copied her step father and exited the vehicle onto the sidewalk beside her brother just as the gas above the truck holding the prisoners faded to show Mysterio, "Behold all ye mortals! I, Mysterio has come to your safe venture!"
Akiko's face morphed into a dead panned expression, "Oh yea. I really missed the nut-jobs." she said sarcastically.
"Now take note as I rid this world of this cull! Axidemus-" the man started as he raised his arms into the air.
"Oh enough with the mumble jumble! I know it's fake!"
Everyone's attention was drawn to the bridge support in front of Mysterio where the new black suited Spider-Man hung from a web.
"You live!? Wha-how!?"
Akiko was somewhat skeptical. The suit was sleek, tactical like, and intimidating. That wasn't Jason. Jason was-"Same reason you have a fishbowl on your head. I made bold choices."
...ok forget what she was thinking, no one could make bad jokes like that EXCEPT for Jason.
"Fool! Dare you mock me after my creations bested you?" the scorer exclaimed dramatically.
Spider-Man dropped down to the street onto his legs and hand, "First off, those little fairy things didn't whoop my butt. And second, I'm gonna turn that bowl into cookware when I'm done with it!" he shouted over to the villain.
"Enough of your pathetic dribble!" he shouted as he snapped his fingers. The sound of a train horn blared out loudly behind him. Spider-Man turned around to see a large light heading right at him., "Aw nuts!" he yelped as he backflipped over the front cattle catcher and onto one of the supports.
Firing a webline at Mysterio with one hand, the magician disappeared in a cloud of smoke that the webbing went straight through. "Oh what? Is the big bad fishbowl scared of the spider?" he taunted as he looked around for the enemy. He spotted a puff of smoke atop the arch of the bridge, swinging himself on top of the support he dove off the side and shot a web to the cable that held the bridge between the stone arches.
Looping halfway around, he let go of the web and flung himself to the front of the bridge's support and began to crawl up the wall. Mysterio stomped his foot down, causing the entire top of the stone to shake loose and fall.
"Oh no, I'm not falling for one of your tricks-" Spider-Man started before he felt his skull start ringing. "Oh crap." he muttered as one of the rocks rammed against his skull, causing him to clutch his head as he fell off. Firing a web to the underside of the arch, he swung out of the way of the derbies.
Letting of of the web, he fired two streaks of webs from his hands, crafting a huge net between the theaters tovah he the rocks so no one would be hurt. "Ok that's it!" the hero exclaimed as he shot a web to the arch once more and swing up above the top of the bridge.
Shooting wens to either side of Mysterio, he pulled himself towards him, "I'm gonna hit you so hard that the fish is gonna fly out of your-" his Spider Sense sounded off right before he rammed his body into the empty air!
He was then pushed back onto the ground, his back skidding across the bricks. Ok think Spidy! How do you beat a guy who can manipulate everything you see and hear? he asked himself as he flipped back as he skidded, landing in a crouch in front of Mysterio.
Spider-Man's eyes widened in realization, Wait. He can make me see and hear things sure, but my Spider Sense can't be tricked! I need to ignore what I see and hear, Spider Sense, do your thing. he thought confidently as he ran forward.
"Do you not learn from your faults? No matter, thy's time has come." the sorcerer stated as he puffed into existence at the end of the bridge. He lifted his cape outwards, throwing stars erupted from the cloak.
"Really hope this works." Jason muttered, not feeling the sensation of his Spider Sense. He continued his sprint towards the projectiles, just as the first was about to cut through him, it passed right through him! "Yes!"
He couldn't see it, but Mysterio's eyes widened to the size of plates under his head gear. "What! But how?" he demanded as he swiped his hand out, causing a wave of fire to come out towards him.
This time, Jason's sixth sense rang, making him leap over the fore in front of Mysterio, who was backed up to the ledge at this point. "Got anymore tricks? Infinite amount of towels?" he asked.
The golden eyes on his shoulders hummed to life before blasting him with electricity.
That made the situation get crazy.
Jason's suit almost leapt off his skin as he skidded back from the blast. Mysterio stepped back with a yes of surprise, falling over the ledge.
For a moment, Jason thought back to Akiko.
"No!" he yelled as he dived off the side after him. Shooting two webs at Mysterio, he pulled himself over to him, catching him in one hand as he shot a webline with the other and swung back onto the road.
Mysterio tumbled across the ground before coming to a stop, sprawled across the road. Just as he was about to sit up, back webbing stuck him to the surface. "Yeah you're not getting off that easy." Jason said as he walked over to the illusionist.
Jason's heart was pounding, he honestly for a second flashed back to THAT night. Talking a moment to catch his breath, he went over to free the guards from the chains that were wrapped around them. "Don't suppose that you can take another passenger in there?" he asked before noticing the large hole in the side of the truck.
"Nuts." he muttered as the two guards noticed as well and ran to the side. Turning back to Mysterio, he stopped when he saw it.
Red and black hair. The fact that it belonged to was staring at him with a smile on her face. He wants can to swing over and pick her up in his arms, but that wouldn't help with the whole 'secret identity' concept.
Instead, he shot a webline and pulled himself into the air and dived down under the bridge, his suit shifting into clothing as he did so.
"Well that's a welcome present." Keito stated as he watched the man known as Mysterio being escorted to the hastily repaired truck via metalbending. He looked down to his sister about to say something when he saw the look on her face. "What's up with you?"
She shook her head, erasing the look on her face, "What?"
"You know what." he stated. Huang and Kasuni looked at their kids before giving each other a look, they knew where this was going. It's going where all things involving two siblings disagreeing with one another go.
"Do I want to know what I'm walking into?" the four turned to the new voice, Jason standing a few feet away with a smile on his face. Before anyone could act, Akiko literally, not figuratively, pounced him, slamming her lips onto him and taking them both down onto the ground with her on top of him.
Keito had to hold back the urge to blanch at the sight, Huang and Kasuni meanwhile where smiling at the sight of their happy daughter.
Akiko slightly pulled away from the kiss, their lips just grazing each other's flesh as she spoke. "I love you. I missed you." her lips claimed his once again, this time Jason was kissing her back with vigor, but avoiding doing anything that would be suggestive. Such as slipping her some tongue...which he was trying really hard not to do right now.
"Ok you two break it up." Keito said, making the two pull away from another and give him death glares so scary that he actually backed up.
Akiko and Jason both rise from the ground, "I came to write about the transport but then all that happened, then I saw you and well..." he told her. "Wait, what are you guys doing here? Your house is near Dragon Flats." he asked.
Kasuni stepped forward towards the young adult, "It's in one of those red zones. We were actually on our way to a hotel when this mess happened." she explained to him.
That made a idea pop in his head, "You guys may not have to do that. I can talk to my uncle about letting you guys stay on the island with me until things cool down." he suggested, making the three look at him with surprise.
Akiko just smiled, "Don't bother trying to convince him otherwise. He'll just insist on it." she said to her family.
Huang gave Jason a smile, "Thank you Jason. We really appreciate this." he said, putting a hand on the young adult's shoulder.
Jason beamed, "Great! I'll call Tenzin and ask him." he said before turning to Akiko. "I need to head back to the Marvel...meet me on the Island?" he asked.
She smiled, "Definitely."
(000)
Jason walked into the Marvel with a hop in his step. He finally had something to rub in Johanna's face and better yet, Akiko was back! He swore his heart skipped a beat when he saw her again, "And I'm gonna love the look on JJ's face when I give him this." he said to himself as the elevator's doors opened.
Walking past his desk to Jonah's office, he knocked on the door before a muffled 'come in' was heard. Johanna looked up from a paper he was writing to see Jason, "Oh it's you, whatta want kid I'm busy."
Jason strode over and handed him his paper, "I got your front page story Mr. Jameson." he said as the editor swiped the page from his fingers. The man's eyes scanned over the words so fast that Jason had trouble keeping up with him.
"Hmmm, hmmm! Perfect! Gotta hand it to us kid, my old man was right about you." He said, standing from his desk, making Jason grin smugly. "Here's tomorrow's headline! 'Spider-Man and Mysterio, kidnappers in caught in tangled web!"
Jason could swear he felt his jaw hit the floor, "B-but Mr. J, Spidy was fighting Mysterio! I saw-" he said as Johanna ushered him out the door.
"Exactly. That wall crawler let those Equalists get away! Now get out! I'll send your check in the mail O-Rou." he said before slamming the door behind him.
Jason stayed like that outside the door for a few seconds. Not exactly sure what happened.
(000)
By the time Jason had gotten to the island he had cooled down from Johanna. He'd figure it all out eventually but for now he wanted to relax, Tenzin had graciously let the Rupa family stay on the island as long as they want.
Jason was currently walking towards the house, his head was still somewhat sore from getting hit by those rocks from the bridge and he was just tired from the fight in general.
Walking into the house, he looked into the dining room to see Bumi serving the Rupa family a large pizza dinner. "Uncle Bumi, you realize that if Tenzin finds out you served that on his island he may guy you right?" he asked as he sat down between the siblings, Akiko grasping his hand under the table.
Bumi shrugged, "Tenzy wouldn't hurt me if his life depended on it. Besides he likes me too much." he said as he passed out the food to the guests.
As the six began to eat, Bumi talked to Akiko most of the dinner, Jason had written about her in his letters, calling her his dream girl, much to the hero's embarrassment. But through it all, Jason was enjoying himself, good company, food, and his girlfriend was back.
Soon, dinner concluded after the last slice was eaten. "Well me and Jason are going to bed, night guys." she said, nearly causing Jason to fall out of his seat along with his uncle at her bold choice of words.
Her family however didn't seem to mind, "Ok sweetie, see you tomorrow at the hot springs." Kasuni said, helping clear the dinner table.
Akiko practically dragged Jason towards his room, just stopped for Jason to give Bumi a look. "Not. A. Word." he said in a deathly tone before being dragged off.
Akiko closed the door behind them, she turned to see Jason trying to form words. "Before you start, relax. I kinda let it slip that you stayed at my apartment for a while, that's all." she said, causing the hero's blood pressure to decrease somewhat.
"Well thank you for giving me a heart attack!" he hissed out before being once more dragged upstairs.
Stopping in front of the bed she smiled at him, "Ok, new suit. Now." she said excitedly, Jason couldn't help but chuckle at her excitement before thinking of his shifting clothes. Akiko's eyes widened as Jason's clothes turned to black and covered his entire body, a white tarantula forming over his chest and back as the legs connected under his arms.
The white arms formed, reflecting Akiko's shocked face back at her. "Woah...Jason, what is that?" she asked, her hand gently reaching pig and touching his covered chest.
It was warm to the touch, almost like skin. Jason's hand clasped over hers, "Your going to want to sit down, it's a long story." he said, sitting down on the bed along with her.
He explained to her what happened during the Secret War, how he broke into Future Industries and retrieved the suit from his father's box. And as far as he knew on what exactly the suit was, "Jason...this is a lot to process." she said, looking over his suit, his mask receded back into it's main body.
"Yeah. Trust me, I know...it's a big pill to swallow." he said in agreement. He looked up to meet her eyes, "Look Aki. I understand if this is too much-" he started before Akiko covered his mouth with her hand.
"Zip it. As weird as this is. I also think it's kinda cool." she said, giving him a peck on the cheek. "Now shut up, get outta that, and cuddle. Understand?" she demanded playfully.
Jason gave her a modest smile, "Yes Ma'm." he said as he let the suit is off his skin and under the bed, making Akiko's eyes widen once more.
"Still that's gonna take some getting used to." she said as she too begun to slip out of her clothes while Jason pulled down the covers. After climbing in bed with him, Akiko crawled ontop of Jason's chest, entangling their legs as Jason's arm draped over her waist.
The two let out a sigh of bliss. It was too long since this. "I still can't believe you met the Captain, Thor, and the other Avengers." she stated with some see as he turned off the light on his nightstand.
Jason smiled, "Yeah. That was a whole other experience I'll tell ya." he said as he rested his arm behind his head. His eyes trailed down Akiko's neck to his mother's necklace, "Thanks for keeping that safe." he said.
Akiko's hand slid up her chest to the small trinket, "Yeah, I never took it off." she said, Jason planting a peck on top of her head as thanks.
As their breathing began to slow and sleep called out to the both of them, Jason felt like he forgotten something.
(000)
Somewhere in Republic City, a boat that held the former prisoners of the United Forces was tied to a post outside a warehouse. The former captives where gathered inside the structure. A man in a button up suit guarding the door as another man walked towards the group.
He was somewhat short, but his body was well defined and bulky, he had a flattop hair style with a angular head, his forehead seemed to be cracked from the center.
He wore a blue pinstriped suit and matching pants, a black undershirt and red tie. "Now listen up. Far as all your all concerned, youse owe me for having our mutual friend bust you out. Are we in agreement?" he asked.
None of the men had any reason to object, Amon had been a fraud, so their allegiance was not to any non bending party. "Good. From now on, you all work for me and my associates." the man said as he looked around.
"Call me, Hammerhead."
AN: I was a bit hesitant to put old pickle pus into this but Spidy isn't Spidy without at least one critic right? And I finally got around to Mysterio!
I took a lot of inspiration from the Spectacular Spider-Man version of the villain. Now as for his illusions, I have a explanation.
If you project a image onto gas, than it will appear to be there. This trick was used in the famous Star Wars sevens with Leia asking Ben for help. My facts may be wrong though so don't quote me on that.
Till next time guys!
