Ladies and Gentlemen, This is it! The drums or war are beating harder than ever as we're about to jump into our final battle! This chapter (and very likely the next one) will be action-packed so I hope you enjoy the fight, 'cause it'll be quite a BIG one.
And to my Top Reviewer, QuantumKakarotto: Considering who comprises the line-up, the team might as well be called "Spider-Man and Kate's Amazing Friends (and one acquaintance)" LOL! Now, with that said, let's hit it!
Enjoy the reading!
SPIDER-MAN AND KITTY PRYDE: A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS
Chapter 20: Showdown at Fisk Tower, Part 1 – Royal Rumble
Kate Pryde successfully managed to break into Fisk Tower, and even made her way to the elevator, heading straight into the Penthouse floor where Wilson Fisk and Shinobi Shaw are making their deal for the Krakoan Medicines, but she knows that said deal will hurt her old friends, and she will not allow that to happen.
Once the elevator's door opens, she steps outside, looking around to see if there is anybody inside, although the place looks semi-furbished and still in the process of remodeling, but after stepping in a few feet, she finally sees the silhouette of the Mayor himself standing in front of the glass wall.
"Welcome, Miss Pryde" the Kingpin greets Kate, even though he does not turn around "I was going to ask if you were enjoying the party, but I suppose you never intended to in the first place"
"I have a different issue to deal with, Fisk" Kate replies as she walks in "and so do you" she adds, referring to the situation with Octavius.
"You mean Doctor Octopus?" Fisk asks "He's the kind of problem Spider-Man always deals with, this shouldn't be the exception" he then turns around to face her "So, as you can see, I have dealt with my issues"
"Then let me deal with mine" Kate replies as she unsheathes her sable "Where's Shinobi Shaw?" she asks him as she points her sable at him, but he remains impassible, giving her a stern look.
"Are you threatening me with a sword?" Fisk asks, raising an eyebrow at the sight "You really think that intimidating me would make me help a traitor to the nation of Krakoa?"
"I know who I am, Fisk" Kate responds, approaching the tip of the sable to his neck "And if you want to keep the façade of being 'New York City's Savior' then you answer my question…Where is Shinobi Shaw?"
Unbeknownst to Kate, the aforementioned Red King is slowly approaching from behind, pulling out a small capsule from his jacket and cracking it open to then throw it at Kate's feet and immediately after a set of vines envelop Kate's legs and arms.
"ARGH!" Kate exclaims as she begins to feel immobilized, and starts to breathe agitatedly since this brings her back the memories of the moment when Sebastian Shaw ambushed her.
"Looking for me, Pryde?" Shinobi coyly asks while he steps out of the shadows and unsheathes his own sable "I'm sure you remember those" he comments, pointing at the vines with his sable "How they left you stuck in that boat and you helplessly sank and drowned to your death" he mocks Kate as he slowly walks round her, toying around with his sable "My father succeeded, and then you beheaded him" he stares at her when he stops face to face with her.
"Ever since you were resurrected, you and your daddy started to play along" Kate points out while she struggles to break the vines, since they nullify her powers.
"I'll admit that he helped me regain my status, and now…I shall avenge him" he menaces her, preparing to swing his sable against her head, but right then the lights at the place begin to flicker, a situation that is happening all over the tower, prompting Fisk to communicate with his security detail.
"Security, what's going on?" Fisk asks, but the only answer he gets is the sound of static, but right then, a voice begins to be heard all across the Tower.
["Citizens of New York City, for those ignorant dolts who cannot recognize greatness, my name is Otto Octavius, the 'infamous' Doctor Octopus; and I am delivering this message as a warning to those willing to bend their knees and their wills against these creatures called 'Mutants'"].
"Octavius" Fisk whispers while the message keeps playing.
["For weeks you have heard your mayor working in tandem with them in order to provide the so-called 'Miraculous Medicines' from the nation of Krakoa; but the blindness of your corrupt leader is leading this city to become yet another slave of their system, to become another step further into their conquest as the self-proclaimed 'Owners of the World…but I, Otto Octavius, refuse to accept their false kindness, for it is I who has discovered the way to destroy their leverage against us, and tonight, from this very Ivory Tower, I'll let them know all, to the leader who sold out this city, that his 'Kingdom' will fall and crumble around him, and to those mutants, I will show them who is truly SUPERIOR"].
"You won't stand a chance alone" Kate warns Fisk "Untie me, and I'll help you deal with Ock" she pleads to the Kingpin to gain his assistance, but before any of them could react, the floor begins to crumble and the ceiling begins to collapse on another point, revealing the metallic tentacles wreaking havoc and Octavius himself coming out.
"Enjoying the evening, Wilson?" Ock menacingly threatens Fisk as he slowly approaches the group".
MEANWHILE, AT THE GROUND FLOOR
Octavius' message was heard across the Tower, and that prompted the guest to react the only way they could: By Panicking. The assorted guests began to pace and run from the tower while Fisk's Task Force were helping with the evacuation process and the Upstarts were trying to contact their leader and see if they could join the action against Ock, as they had intended to, but while this is going on, a figure begins to walk right outside the Tower's front entrance, seeing how the crowd begins to leave.
"Oh great! This is what I get for stopping for a hot dog on the way here!" Boomerang complains while he sees the crowd running away, but then he is spotted by one of the Task Force agents.
"Sir! I have Boomerang on the crosshairs" the agent informs his superior while he approaches him "FREEZE!" he exclaims while he points his rifle at Boomerang.
"WHOA! HEY! Easy there, fella!" Boomerang exclaims as he lifts his hands "Willie knows me, he and I are pals" he comments while now he is flocked by a large group of twenty agents, all pointing their weapons at him "Awwww, Willie was waiting for me and he sent his usual boys" he mocks but his face –or at least what's shown by his mask- displays nervousness "Come on Webs, don't bail me out on this one" he thinks as he sees the agents ready to fire, but before any of them can pull the trigger, a string of shots forming a straight line in front of the agents prevents them to shoot and right then, a winged figure lands between them and Boomerang.
"I'm sorry gentlemen, but I cannot allow you hurt him" Teresa says while she stands up "So either you stand down, or we'll be forced to engage against you" she adds with a stern voice.
"Teresa!?" Boomerang exclaims, surprised to see his roommate's sister with her wings displayed "Nice Costume" he says with a flirtatious voice, prompting Teresa to show disgust and roll her eyes.
"Seriously, Myers!?" Teresa complains looking at Boomerang with a scowl, but right then Franklin Richards steps in between the two adults.
"Allow me" Franklin walks between them, marching towards the group of agents, making Teresa feel frightened and Boomerang a bit dumbfounded.
"Franklin! Step back!" Teresa tries to warn him, to no avail.
"Hey kid! Go back to mommy and daddy and let the fight to the professional grown-ups!" Boomerang exclaims to Franklin who stands a few feet from the agents.
"Step aside kid" the agent warns Franklin, who shows a smirk while he charges his fists.
"I'm not a kid" Franklin warns the agent "My name…is Powerhouse" his eyes glow while a huge energy aura envelops him "and this is why" he says while he slams his fists on the ground and a giant energy shockwave burst knocking down all the agents and pushing them further a few feet, causing both Teresa and Boomerang to look stunned and amazed at his display of power.
"WHOA!" Teresa exclaims, pleasantly surprised to see his power level.
"I'm not mocking that kid again!" Boomerang points out as while he unfolds a pair of Razor-rangs, standing in guard while the agents stand up.
"Calling all Task Force Agents, we have a Super on the premises, you know the Mayor's orders, attack with Extreme Prejudice" the lead agent calls for reinforcements "And where the hell are those Drones!?" he calls out for the drones who are flying around the Tower and approach, alongside a tank and a chopper taking off to defend the site.
"Well, let's take down as many as we can" Boomerang says while he aims his Razor-rangs at the chopper but before he can throw it, a lightning bolt hits the back wing of the chopper and a gust of wind causes it to cushion its fall while the tank is suddenly assaulted by a rampaging man, shredding the cannon with his claws.
"Don't aim at the vehicles, aim at them!" Teresa points out the agents and shoots at them while Boomerang throws his Razor-rangs at a small group of Agents, just as more begin to pop in.
"Time to hold the front until the rest are here" Franklin shoots a couple more energy beams, trying to ration his forces in case there is a sudden shortage because of his diminishing powers, however, another burst of energy hits a pair of agents on their side, revealing the assistance of Bishop in the attack.
"Time to Par-Tay!" the voice of Iceman emerges as he slides, joining the fray with Pyro and Lockheed, who is providing the fire needed for his pyrokinetic abilities. Bobby shoots ice beams, freezing the agents in place while Pyro fires a blast of flames to the already shredded tank, causing its engine to explode while the pilot escapes.
The Drones begin to appear surrounding the heroes assembled, but Storm quickly reacts summoning a string of lightning bolts that shocks most of them while Nightcrawler 'Bamfs' from drone to drone hitting them with his cutlass while Wolverine slices them as they fall to the ground. Four agents appear on the right side of the field, aiming their weapons but they suddenly begin to shake and they change their aim from the heroes to their own feet.
"Gentlemen" Emma speaks to them telepathically "It is rude to point a weapon to a diplomatic emissary, please be kind and shoot your bullets to more adequate targets" she tells them just as she forces them to shoot their own feet with their guns and she struts to the battlefield slowly changing into her Diamond Form and join her teammates "I'm keeping a psychic link with all of you…can someone tell me if that guy with the boomerangs is part of the group?" Emma asks through the mental link to the assembled heroes.
"Sadly, yes" Teresa replies through the mental link "You wanna peek into his mind, do it at your own risk" she comments while she flies and assists Storm in blocking the attacks from the second chopper and now face a small swarm of attack drones.
"Wouldn't be the first time I dig the mind of a pervert, darling" Emma replies while she adds Boomerang to the mental link "Mister Myers, this is Emma Frost, I'm linking you through a telepathic link so we can coordinate our offensive"
"Emma Frost? The Emma Frost?" Boomerang asks through the mental link while he fights hand to hand with a couple of Agents, knocking one down with a two-punch combo "I have so many fantasies with you" he confesses while he kicks down the other agent.
"Toldja" Teresa comments, mocking Emma who tries to hide her disgust while she punches another agent in her Diamond Form.
Bishop and Franklin take down another tank while Wolverine slices some of the agents' rifles and kicks them down. Iceman and Nightcrawler work in tandem clearing out the path with their part of agents while Storm and Teresa shoot down the other chopper repeating the same tactic with the other one.
Boomerang and Pyro raise their heads and focus on taking down the drones with Boomerang shooting his Electro-rang to one of the drones, causing to shoot a bolt to the other drones and then Pyro, assisted by Lockheed, bathes the drones in flames causing them to explode in mid-air, with both men celebrating their feat.
"This is how we roll 'Down Under'!" Pyro exclaims, while pumping his fist in the air.
"#$%& Yeah!" Boomerang joins him in the celebration, bumping their chests and then both start to chant in unison.
"Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oi, Oi, Oi! Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oi, Oi, Oi!" they chant as the jump back to the fray assaulting the enemies, but as they keep clearing the zone, a burst of energy sweeps the floor and knocks down the grounded heroes, causing Storm and Teresa to turn and see the assailants.
"The Upstarts" Storm mutters while she sees Shinobi's crew lined up in the entrance; Fitzroy, Siena, the Von Struckers and Leland, all looking at the group of heroes assembled.
"Well, look what we got here…a chick with wings, an Australian stereotype, the stabby grandpa, the thunder girl and, of course, the white leather queen and her traitorous crew of Marauders" Fitzroy points out at each member of the group.
"Say, isn't that the 'Omega-Level' kid that Xavier kept parading around Krakoa lately like he was a sacred cow or something?" Siena asks the rest of the crew.
"Who cares? If he's a mutant, we can kill him and the 'Five' will resurrect him later" Andrea interjects.
"And as for those humans, we can pin their deaths to the Marauders and send them to the Pit" Andreas comments with his snobbish tone of voice.
"So much for being on our 'best behavior'" Leland comments while he approaches to one of the lead agents "Tell your men to clear the area and focus on the evacuation, we will handle the intruders".
"Hey, who the hell are you to bark ord-" the agent tries to impose his authority, but Leland used his mutant powers to increase the mass and force the agent down the floor with one hand, leaving a small crater around his fallen body, leaving his fellow agent shaking in fear.
"Do you have any objections?" Leland asks, to which the agent shakes his head in denial "Then do as I said" he tells him, ad right then the agent mobilizes the remaining troops to aid in the evacuation "Upstarts…defend the King" he then points at their enemies and the other four members rush into attack. Fitzroy makes his first move shooting an energy beam to Franklin, who tries to block it but he is still pushed further to a nearby tree, distracting Bishop long enough to receive another shot from his longtime rival.
"How's it feel to be on the losing side of history, Lucas?" Fitzroy mocks Bishop while he notices a couple of agents trying to stand up, deciding to boost his own energies by absorbing their life-force but Franklin cuts short his attempt when he shoots a small energy beam to make him lose concentration "You'll pay for that, little brat" Fitzroy threatens Franklin while he shoots another energy beam at him.
Pyro and Boomerang are targeted by Siena Blaze, who begins to shake the ground underneath them a two pillars rise underneath them, forcing them to jump but Siena throws two boulders at them, knocking down Boomerang while Pyro dodges his, but before he could counterattack, Siena throws another one that brings down Lockheed, leaving the pyrokinetic without his source of flames.
"Oh come on!" Pyro complains but then she receives a resounding punch to the jaw by Siena.
"Great, I got the lamest pair" Siena complains while she looks at her downed rivals.
Nightcrawler jumps into the offensive against Andreas, who unsheathes his own sword and goes against Kurt's cutlass, combining his 'Bamfs' with quick strikes but the Von Strucker male manages to block each attack and after calculating Kurt's pattern, strikes him with a swift kick.
"Someone forgets that I once was the Swordsman" Andreas points his sword at the fallen swashbuckler and then turns to see his sister who is dealing with Iceman, shooting his ice beams at her but the female Von Strucker dodges his attacks and gets near her brother, holding his hand to charge their energies and together shoot an energy beam that knocks Bobby down from his ice slide.
As the fight rages on, Leland walks with ease and calm, as he sees his former cohort from the Hellfire Club walking towards him, the White Queen, Emma Frost. They both look at each other with seriousness, but with menacing eyes as they walk with calm while their respective partners engage in battle.
"Long time no see, Emma" Leland gentlemanly comments.
"Never thought you'd be resurrected so soon Harold" Emma comments with her own snobbish tone "and as usual, you end up being a lackey for a Shaw…what a shame, darling".
"But this time, with better perks" Leland replies as he cracks his knuckles with a menacing grin on his face.
"You'd really land a punch on a lady, Harold?" Emma asks while she changes into her human form.
"You just made it easier for me" Leland replies, but before he could make his move, he suddenly feels a burst of pain "AAARGH!" he screams as he feels his shoulders being stabbed from behind, thanks to a figure that made the jump.
"Remember me, Bub?" Logan whispers while he takes out his claws from Leland's shoulders and prepares to hold him for a lock, but Leland goes through the pain and grabs him from the back of his head and throws him towards Emma, knocking them down.
"The Wolf and the Queen?" Leland asks mockingly "This is one very odd pairing".
BACK AT THE PENTHOUSE
Octavius manages to hold Fisk's neck with one tentacle and Kate with the other, but when he tried to make the same move against Shinobi, he used his own phasing powers to have it go through his body.
"Another phasing mutant?" Otto asks in anger as he sees the Red King.
"Believe it or not Octavius, I'm not your enemy" Shinobi holds his sable at hand "Besides, right now you're holding and even bigger threat" he points towards Kate with his head. Octavius tries to attack Shinobi but once again he dodges his attacks thanks to his phasing powers, but makes him release his two hostages, and then jumps to attempt an attack to Octavius, but instead he goes right through him and helps Fisk stand back up
"Even if we make this deal, Shaw…whatever damages happen to my tower, will come out of the pocket of Krakoa" Fisk points to Shinobi while he walks away.
"Once me make it through, I'll have Charles Xavier himself sign the check for another tower" Shinobi replies, using his sable to fight Doc Ock's tentacles. Meanwhile, Kate still tries to struggle to break the vines that are holding her and she manages to crawl back to her sable, trying to reach it but she is intercepted by one of Ock's tentacles.
"So, you're the biggest threat, eh?" Octavius threatens her and then grabs her to smash her to the floor, and then to the wall, and then to the ceiling, dropping her down to a side, causing her to breath agitatedly while he holds her down on the floor, due to the vines nullifying her powers and leaving her vulnerable, but before he could strike her down, he suddenly feels electrocuted from the back of his head, falling down right next to Kate but then she looks back up and sees that the attack came from the Kingpin, using the tip of his cane to electrocute Octavius and incapacitate him temporarily.
"He won't be of trouble for a while" the Mayor comments to Shinobi, who stands beside him looking down at Kate, ready to strike her down.
MEANWHILE, OUTSIDE THE TOWER
Most of the players were already in the field, and they were perfectly executing their roles: Face the Upstarts, fight for their friend, and keep the path clear for the big player to make his own way inside the tower, which is what Spider-Man is doing thanks to his knowledge of the place that used to be his home and occasional workplace in his days as an Avenger. Spidey knows of a secret access way to the Helipad, which is around the back, yet he still needs to deal with a small group of Fisk's agents outside the access area.
Spidey sneaks by crawling on the ceiling while two agents are watching the screens and two are finishing the evacuation process, preparing themselves to join the fight at the front, but when they walk right into where Spidey is located, he times their steps and yanks them up with a couple of web-lines to keep them stuck on the ceiling, wrapped from neck to toes with webbing, and their mouths wrapped as well to avoid having them screaming.
"Sorry for this, gents, but as you can see, I'm on a timeline to meet the Mayor" he quips to them "Oh, by the way, I'm still working on the stealth thing, how'd it go?" he asks them but all he gets as a response are muffled complaints "Don't worry, I speak 'Muffled Voice', and thank you for the compliments" he jokes to them, leaving them be as he proceeds to advance to the other two agents.
He jumps behind them and grabs one of them from behind the head to smack it on the table, knocking him down and startling the other agent who quickly gets in guard and aims his rifle at the intruder, but freezes when he sees it's Spider-Man.
"Freeze!" the agent warns Spidey as he aims at him, while Spidey raises his arms.
"Hey, hey, easy…I know you're just doing your job, even though you have a very awful boss, but I just need access to the emergency way of the helipad" Spidey tries to reason to the agent who looks at him, holding firmly his rifle until he slowly lowers it and then pulls out the key to the gate and gives it to him, surprising Spidey a bit "Uhhh…this is new"
"Is my way to pay you back" the agent responds "When you stepped in that hostage situation at the museum, one of those hostages was my husband…so thank you for saving his life" he calmly comments, revealing why he relented to the hero.
"I was just doing my job, sir" Spidey replies, to which the agent nods, stepping aside to allow Spidey continue doing his job "Thanks, but you really should reconsider your job alternatives" he quips as he heads to the emergency exit area and opens the gate, seeing a spiral staircase with a large column in the center. Spidey walks towards the column and takes out his old Avengers Identicard and swipes it in the middle of a crack in the column, activating a hidden door for a special elevator "Huh, still can't believe it works…bet Tony forgot about this one" he muses to himself while he steps in and heads to the helipad "This only heads to the helipad since it was the fastest way to reach the Quinjets in case the Tower was under attack or infiltrated, good thing both the access and my Identicard still work" he thinks for himself as he reaches the helipad, preparing himself for his part in the coming battle and help Kate, ready to be at her side they fight their rivals together.
One part down, one to go! This war has just begun, and not to mention that the bomb is still ticking, so next time we meet, we'll have a lot more action than in this one!
NEXT CHAPTER: THERE'LL BE WINNERS AND LOSERS!