Chapter 14: Start of an Epoch
"NEO!" Yuri shouted, barged into the recovery room to see the Neapolitan vigilante in bandages and light blue robes. She weakly waved at the Police Captain, a slight grin on her face. Yuri took Neo's hands and squeezed it.
"Oh my God," She whispered, "Thank God you're alive!"
Neo chuckled, then winced, something Yuri caught, whom urged, "Hey, don't try to move. Christ, you've been impaled! If you weren't brought through those doors, you would've died! Don't do that to me, got it?!"
She huffed, and relaxed, accepting defeat. The Police Captain smiled, stating, "Good. Just rest, okay?"
Neo coughed, "Wh-What's happening?"
"It's not looking good." She admitted, "Spider-Man's hurt, last I heard, and Doctor Octavius kidnapped Osborn, but don't worry about that now. Okay?"
Yuri turned around, and saw Neo's stunned face. She sighed, sitting down at the foot of her bed. She mournfully said, "Neo…I'm sorry. I'm sorry for getting you involved with the Maggia…in my revenge. I…let myself get lost, and you almost lost your life to those bastards…and I only myself to blame. I mean, you done so much good work, and I think of you as a friend that I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."
"…I understand how you feel Yuri." Neo admitted, clenching the Police Captain's hand. "I have my own…Maggia, back home. They were the reason I lost my d-my Roman. He was my one thing after all. Now though…now, I'm not so sure about going after them anymore."
Yuri wondered, "Why not? I would have thought you'd want some payback for what they did."
Neo laughed. "Oh, I do." She declares, "I'll pay them back for sure, but, not in what I had planned. People like them, they will eat each other alive. When the dust settles, I will watch their rotting carcasses and laugh before…"
"Before what?"
"Well…I…don't really know actually. Something." Neo sighed, leaning in the bed. "Fuck it, I don't know!"
Yuri giggled, "Wow, we have got to be the most pathetic people in New York."
"Yeah, I guess so." The Neapolitan vigilante agreed, staring at the Police Captain, "Sorry."
Yuri tilted her head, confused, before tapping her friend's shoulder, and Neo shattered into glass. A note was left at the bottom, reading: Just one last push, and we can drink. Promise. 3
The Police Captain sighed, and looked out the window to see Neo swinging by. "Be safe, Neo."
Neo rushed towards Otto Industries, having a feeling her dum-dum is waiting for her there. The minute she arrived, she hit the ground, and stormed into the lab. She pushed past somebody, throwing him to the ground, and entered the Peter's office, looking for her clothes. To her shock and astonishment, Otto destroyed all her clothes…except something familiar. Roman's suit and bowler.
'I guess it's time to go back to my roots.' She thought fondly, 'Alright them, I guess the Soigné Fighter has to get back into the limelight.'
She lovingly took care into wearing the same clothes that she brought with her to New York, before letting out a huff. 'End of an era?' She bitterly remarked, 'Guess this is the beginning of an epoch.'
She checked her status. Her aura's exhausted. No more access to Overactive Imagination too, wasted it getting away from Yuri. Neo shook her head, and made to move for Otto, before crashing right in front of Peter in the Anti-Ock suit. She cheered, "Dum-dum!" and embraced him.
Peter winced. "Woah." He staggered, "Neo! You're alright!"
"So are you! Nice suit."
"Thanks, but we don't have time to talk now. We gotta stop Otto. So…are you with me?"
Spidey extended a hand, and Neo reached out and took it. The duo were back together. Neo and Peter rushed for OsCorp. They didn't say anything, now wasn't the time for banter. This was the final battle. Peter rushed ahead, spotting Osborn falling. He was quick to action, saving Osborn and rushing up the building. The CEO of OsCorp let out a smug grin, moving to the rooftop entrance, only to find himself stuck in spot.
The redhead man looked down, seeing two Spider-webs trapping him by the ankles. "Hello!" cried a cheerful voice, making him turn to see Neo.
He gasped, "S-Soigné Fighter?! Wh-What is the meaning of this?!"
"Oh, you know what."
"I don't know what. I demand you release me!"
Neo snorts, feeling vindictive, replying, "Nope!" She shot a gob of webs at his mouth, and trapped him arms behind his back, before scaling OsCorp's glass building. She hoped she makes in on time. She slingshot herself when near the top, giving her time to scan. Peter was stuck under Otto's claws, and he was distracted. The Neapolitan Vigilante spun into the air, before pulling out Sharpshooter and fired off a barrage of elemental ammo.
Fire, ice, gravity, and slag pummelled into Otto's extra arms, throwing him off balance and onto his back. It gave Spider-Man enough time to shoot up, and slammed his feet into Octavius' chest. He backed off quickly, landing right beside Neo, who's eyes looked on with worry and disappointment.
"You too." Otto bitterly spat, "Out of all the people here, I'd have thought you would understand."
"And I'd have thought you would do the better thing." Neo quickly shooting back a retort, "Damn you Octavius for proving me wrong!"
"Osborn must pay for his crimes!" He shouts, quickly throwing debris at the two of them, forcing them to scramble.
Neo shouts, opening up Hush to block the smaller bits, "And you already did enough!" She closes Hush, and fires off Melodic Cudgel.
Otto threw his metal arms up, tanking the shot, allowing Peter to web up Otto and smash right into him. They could hear Otto snarl, "NOTHING BUT LIES!"
Suddenly, they heard the sound of jet engines scream through the air. Peter shouts, "Incoming!" and tackles Neo, narrowly avoiding the Sable hovercraft ram into Doctor Octavius. The duo looked up, finding a familiar blonde above them.
Prowler teased, English still heavily-accented, "Mind if I join?"
Peter shouted, "Are you crazy! He had the anti-serum!"
"Er, don't look now." Neo warned, "Cause Otto's angry!"
The broken hovercraft was launched at them, the trio ducking under it. Suddenly, Neo was caught in Otto's grip and slammed against the floor three times, before being cast aside like a broken toy. "Some hero." The mad science grunted, opening up the sharp claws and spun them, launching himself against Spider-Man and Prowler.
Prowler screamed, "Jou bliksem!" She launched several purple shockwaves against Octavius, stunning him, and letting Peter follow up with another beatdown. Prowler let Spidey handle things, rushing over to Neo, worried.
"What happened to the man who wanted to help people?!" Peter shouted, begging to make Otto see.
"That weakling? The loser?" Doctor Octopus spat, as if disgusted to be associated with such a man, "He's gone! How much is Osborn paying you to protect him?!"
Spider-Man spat, dodging yet another barrage of junk, "I'm not protecting him, I'm trying to save the city!"
Suddenly, Otto climbed the tower, ripping open and igniting the fuel line. Prowler, panicked, started slapping Neo, screaming, "Word wakker! Word wakker jou teef!"
Neo could barely get a glimpse of her surroundings, only seeing the flames shooting up like jets towards her. Suddenly, she felt a jolt of energy from her chest and shot a web at a the aircraft warning lights, grabbing Prowler, and shooting up. Then a burst of flames erupted from where they were.
Neo whined, "Why does my chest hurt?!" She looked down, seeing the needle jammed into her chest. "WHAT THE FUCK?!"
Prowler snarled, "That's what you get for sleeping on the job! C'mon, get in the game!"
"Right." She agreed, hitting the ground, and started juggling between Melodic Cudgel and Sharpshooter, firing as many rounds into the air. This allowed Prowler to rush Otto, dodged the arms coming for her and into his personal space, launching a vicious uppercut into his jaw. Peter followed up by landing on his back, reaching for Otto's neural interface.
Suddenly, the arms reacted, jabbing the arm into Peter's head, breaking open a bit of his suit, before throwing him aside. The other arms grabbed Neo, and squeezed her waist. She screamed, trying to break free. Prowler was in much the same condition, but she was getting slammed onto the roof, with signs of life becoming limp. Otto nonetheless brought Neo in front of him, growling, "I had given that collar as a gift because I was stupid! Now, I'm taking it back!"
Otto gripped it with his real hands, and pulled, ripping it from Neo. The Neapolitan vigilante, stunned, tried to reach for the choker, but choked. She looked down, now seeing Otto's claw in her gut. Neo became limp again, and was thrown beside Prowler's unmoving body.
Peter shouted, finally getting up to see what happened, "NEO!"
"You disappoint me…" Otto bitterly uttered, climbing the tower, "Peter."
"You knew?!"
"I tried to warn you, Peter." He began, softly, but that soon turned to resentment, "But you didn't listen!"
Peter shouted, also scaling the tower, "…You KNEW!"
"I won't let you win." Otto shook his head, pleading for him to understand as his mechanical arms attack, "This means too much to me!"
"Not more than it means…" He retorts, dodging the arms and reaching the top, "TO ME!"
Peter jumped on Doctor Octopus, the resulting weight ripping the bolts off. As consequence, as the tower fell, Peter managed to break off one of Otto's mechanical arms, as the two now took their feud to the side of OsCorp.
Peter demanded, dodging one of Otto's arms, "Can't you see all the people you're hurting?!"
Otto bellowed, "You'll never understand! You haven't suffered like I have!" He threw more arms at his former student, attempting to dissuade his approach. "YOU SHOULD BE ON MY SIDE!"
Peter hollered mournfully, "I was!" He was in range, and punched Otto point blank, slamming into his face with full force.
Suddenly, Otto's claws grabbed Peter, squeezing him tight. He begs, "Please…think of the man you were!"
"That man is gone." Octavius declared, "You can't 'save' me, Peter."
Spider-Man grunted, "Then I guess you'll have to save yourself!" He ripped himself free of Otto's grip, recoiled back, before moving towards him. He lamented, "You were my hero!"
"You meant so much to me!" He dodged more of Otto's attempts, "I hate that you're making me do this!"
"Look what you done to Neo!" He threw more punches, before quickly recoiling to avoid Otto's mechanical arms. He shouted, "We were going to change the world!"
Otto recoiled back, losing his goggles, but still found time to taunt, "You look tired, Parker."
"Not tired." Peter corrected, dodging a claw, "Just hurt."
Spider-Man finally got on Otto's back, trying again for the neural interface. Unfortunately, Otto's claw caught him, slamming him against the glass. He used his second claw, and rushed it at Spidey. He caught it, but struggled to hold on as it snapped at him. Peter begged, "Otto! Stop!"
Suddenly, the claw impaled his shoulder, forcing a scream from the vigilante. Otto lectured, "Oh Parker. If you want to change the world…you have to be the kind of man who can make the hardest decisions." He shows the antiserum bottle, hanging the only thing to save New York…and Aunt May.
Peter huffed, "I couldn't…agree…more!" He let the claw impale him, forcing out a scream, but long enough for him to rip the neural interface from Otto's neck.
Octavius, panicked, screamed in futility, "NOOO!"
Peter ripped the claw out, and watched him fall, before realizing, "The antiserum…"
Otto screams abruptly ended, slamming into piece of wall, and into the building itself, helpless on top of the computer. Peter followed Otto in, taking time to remove his mask. He dared not spare a glance at Otto, instead taking the antiserum, but Octavius' hand gripped Spidey's wrist.
He sobbed, "Peter…I saw you as a son. I should've known you'd turn on me, just like all the others."
"Turn?" Peter cried, insulted, "I worshipped you! Your mind…conscience, wanting to help others; the way you never gave up!"
"That's because men like us have a duty. A responsibility. To use our talents in the service of others." He muttered, "Even if they don't appreciate it…we have to do what's best for those beneath us. Whether they understand it or not."
Peter shook his head, unable to comprehend it. "No, you're wrong. You were everything I wanted to be!" He shouted, "You just…threw it away!"
"Y-Yes, of course. You're right, Peter. I see that now." He whispered, "Th-The neural interface affected my mind. But I can fix it. We can fix it…together. If you'll help me."
Peter, hopeful, said, "I'll do everything I can. I'll make sure you get the best help-"
Otto interrupted vehemently, "No! If they put me away, they'll take my arms! I'll be trapped in this useless body!"
Peter started to leave Otto, taking the antiserum.
"Please, Peter! Th-That wasn't me!" He beseeched, "You said you'd never abandon me, you promised, remember?"
The vigilante spared Otto a look, and he added, "And, of course…you'll rest easy knowing your secret is safe with me."
"You do what you think is best, Doc." Peter finally said, given up, "It's all any of us can."
"Peter?"
"Even when it hurts like hell." He bitterly spat, checking Otto's pockets to pilfer the choker.
"Peter? Where are you going? Peter! PETER!"
Spider-Man put on his mask once again, and shot to the rooftop. Neo and Prowler were still out. He rested an ear against their chest. Still beating, but for how long? Spidey didn't waste time, taking both girls under his arms, attaching them to his suit, before zipping off to FEAST.
—New York's Neopolitan—
Neo heard the heartbeat monitor beat away. She looked around, seeing Aunt May to her left and Prowler to her right. She started to get up, the bed creasing and two figures were upon her. One was Spidey, the other, Doctor Michaels. The Black man eased, "Hey, hey. You're okay, you're okay. C'mon, easy now."
Neo shook her head, quickly typing into her scroll: I'm not okay, Dr. Michaels. Dr. Octavius stole my voice.
"I'm sorry Neo." Peter said, looking downtrodden, "I did the best I could…I really did, but…"
He presented the choker again, letting Neo try it on. She tested, but nothing came out. The Neapolitan girl looked at Peter again, who nodded, and turned away. She began to feel tears dripping down her face, her head feeling much too heavy, and collapse back to the bed. Only listening to Dr. Michaels state, "The antiserum is still viable, but we'll need the entire sample as a base to produce more doses."
Spidey asked, "How long will that take?"
"Few hours, maybe a day."
He spared Aunt May a glance, asking, "What if we use it to cure someone right now?"
"Then there won't be enough to cure the others." Dr. Michaels answered, looking at Aunt May as well, "I'll give you a few minutes."
Aunt May bristled awake, and Spidey began whispering to her. Neo, however, started to aimlessly walk out of the room, with Prowler over her shoulder. MJ tearfully shouted, embracing the Neapolitan vigilante, "Neo!"
Neo rested Prowler to the side and embraced the redhead, crying into her shoulder. MJ whispered, "I'm sorry Neo. I'm so, so very sorry."
Neo pulled back, showing the scroll: I had it. I finally had a voice! Now it's fucking gone!
MJ started to cry, nodding. "I know." She said, "I know."
The vigilante just hugged MJ again, rubbing her face into the redhead's chest. Doctor Michaels approached them, "Excuse me."
MJ and Neopolitan pulled back to look at him. Dr. Michaels asked, "May I see the choker? Perhaps I can help out." Neo, hesitant, surrendered the choker, before turning her attention to MJ.
Prowler coughed awake soon afterwards, pushing herself off the wall. She started to collapse under her own weight, and MJ and Neo caught her. The three girls then supported one another in an embrace, hearing a distinct flatlining of the heartbeat monitor from Aunt May's room.
—New York's Neopolitan—
Epilogue
THREE MONTHS LATER
"So…?" Peter began, sitting in Mick's Diner.
"Hi. Mary Jane Watson." She began cheerfully, "Associate Editor."
Neo snapped her fingers, revealing her new blue uniform, stating, "Neopolitan Torchwick, US Citizen, New York Police Department."
Peter, surprised, stuttered, "N-Neo? You can talk?!"
"Doctor Michaels is quite…handy." Neo admitted, "It took some trial and error but…he really came through."
MJ teased, "And after she helped take down Silvermane, the NYPD offered her a job."
"Wait, what?! When was this?"
Neo blushed, rubbing the back of her head. "Y-Yeah, don't worry about that. Sides, three months is plenty of time. 'Sides, you missed an awesome Just the Facts during your vacation."
"Oh no, what's he say about me?"
Neo giggled and played the recording: Welcome to 'Just the Facts with J. Jonah Jameson', alerting you to the threats you don't even know about. Today, I can safely state that the occupation of New York, has ended. Sable International has been ordered to remove its presence immediately, in return for amnesty for its thugs-in-white. I had been reliably informed by multiple outside sources that this deal was made in exchange for evidence against Norman Osborn.
Now, while I understand the art of the deal, so to speak, I completely disagree with the deal being made here. These men had come to our home, and traumatized countless innocents. They deserve justice and recompense for such actions. Something Sable International has yet to give back.
Now, onto other news, New York's TRUE HERO, Soigné Fighter has brought down the crook Silvermane, ending decades of his evil reign on New York. Even better, she even took out Silvermane's immediate Lieutenants as well. Now, we can only sit back and relax while the lower members eat each other alive. However, as a note of criticism, she still has yet to take out the other Lieutenants from the other families. Fortunately, since her induction into the New York Police Department, we can safely rely on her to bring justice to our streets…UNLIKE A CERTAIN WEBCRAWLING MENACE!
"I don't get it." Peter admitted, "He isn't his usual ranting self anymore…well, except that little bit at the end."
Neo answered, "That's the joke. I was just messing with you Peter. Besides, things seem to be really turning up right now."
"Yeah, I guess you're right."
MJ asked, "So, what now Neo? What're you going to do next?"
"Well…who knows, I think I'll see where the coins drop." Neo shrugged, as easy going grin on her face, "Catch you guys around. I got something to do."
Peter joked, "Sure thing Officer."
"Come visit us Neo! You know where to find us."
The three shared a warm embrace, before Neo stepped out to the sun. People started waving at her as she went, and she gave them a pleasing smile in return. Suddenly, she heard a bit of a commotion in an alleyway. Neo alerted nearby officers to her location, and entered the alleyway, Hush at the ready.
"Soigné…Fighter." A man drawled, "Y'know, I think I prefer Neo much better."
Neo rose an eyebrow, demanding, "And you are?"
"Nick Fury." The black man with the eye patch grinned, saying, "I'm forming a team."
Neo stared at him, and he stared back at her, waiting for her answer. After several minutes, Neo gave him his answer.
"No."
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
"Can I ask why?"
Neo replied, "Because I finally got something going for me here, and I'm not about to give all that up."
Nick chuckled, nodding in defeat. "Alright then." He said, "But if you ever change your mind-"
"I won't." She said, stepping out of the alleyway to call off the boys.
"Girl, you are real tough to convince."
Neo gave him a smug grin, before shattering like glass. Neo wasn't anyone's attack dog anymore. She was no assassin. She was no thief. She isn't even a real hero, despite what others believe. Neo will always be one thing. She will always be…
New York's Neopolitan.
AN: And that was New York's Neopolitan. Thank you for reading and spending time to go through this story of mine. It has been a bit difficult at times, making this story with the love it deserves, but I think this was one of my best works to date. Please, tell me what you think, and have a good day.
