Dear readers, I'd like to welcome you on my return from the involuntary
sabbatical broken bones forced upon me with a medium-sized probably
mediocre chapter. This starts up right where we left off with the Captain
and Spidey face to face with the terrifying Bringer. This chapter was
written over a long period with a lot of stopping and stalling due to pain
and laziness (and Masters of The Universe because that film rocks) so I
can't promise the usual standard, but next time expect action, a super-
powered showdown and a special Marvel guest star who may be appearing in
future chapters depending on whether I enjoy writing for him. I hope you're
not too disappointed with this and come back next time. Yours, True
Believer.
Chapter Nine: When the Clock Strikes Twelve
One man, one Spider-Man, and someone distinctly other stood in a triangle in the storm cellar lair of the late Jack the Ripper. The man was Captain George Stacy, he stood at the feet of the stairs down into the cellar wearing his ever-present brown trench coat and pointing his service pistol directly at the other. The Spider-Man was Peter Parker, wracked with guilt after the accidental murder of his uncle Ben Peter swore on his uncle's memory to live up to the great responsibility that came with his great power. He stood with his back against the wall ready for any attack from the other. The other was the Bringer, mystical energy in human form summoned forth by the sacrifices of the Ripper to serve his earthly master. The Bringer stood stark naked and looked Spider-Man up and down with empty black eyes, writing him off as no threat the Bringer turned to Captain Stacy, noting the weapon in his hand he again dismissed him. The Bringer turned towards the steps and started walking towards them slowly and deliberately, Captain Stacy's instinct took over and he fired his weapon once into the forehead of the Bringer. The bullet span as it shot through the air, whipping and whirling the current around it's tiny form, burrowing deep into the head of the Bringer and out the other side embedding itself into the wall. Or at least it should have, instead it made contact with the Bringer's skin and fell sharply to the ground as if it had hit a wall of iron. The Bringer casually swatted the gun, and Captain Stacy, into the opposite wall with a minute display of incredible strength and minimal effort. The Spider-Man's mouth hung open under his mask and he shook himself back to reality before putting a gloved hand on the Bringer's shoulder.
"Hey, I know that guy," Spider-Man said about Captain Stacy, "you're in for some serious pain buddy."
The Bringer's mouth twisted into an insane snarling grin and he put out his right hand as one would to close a door, and Spider-Man joined Captain Stacy in his unconsciousness in the corner. The Bringer kept smiling as he stepped up into the fresh night air and strangely, for he had no lungs, took a deep breath. His grin faded slightly into a small smile and he started off down the street, three policemen where hidden behind their squad car with weapons locked on the Bringer.
A fourth and more senior policeman gave the order to open fire and the Bringer watched with interest as they emptied their weapons into his chest, without even a bruise to show for it except when the Bringer crushed them with their own car. The Bringer slid down to sit back on his heels and dipped a finger into a pool of blood forming around the officer's bodies, he brought it up to his face and examined it intently before licking every drop off with his tongue. Standing up again he walked away and out of the alley all the while searching out with his mind, searching for her.
Spider-Man rose to consciousness after less than a minute, his body unfurling to a standing position and looking at his surroundings. Captain Stacy was still knocked out and had a cut on his forehead, it wasn't that deep but Spider-Man knew he should get him to hospital. He picked up Stacy easily with his enhanced strength and carried him carefully up the stairs and out of the cellar, He looked over at the police car and thought about handing Stacy over to them but then he saw the pool of blood spreading out from the car and realised it was up to him now. He slowly walked up the wall of the building opposite the destroyed bank.
"Ooh," Stacy groaned as he regained consciousness and looked around groggily, "where am I?"
"You've hurt your head and you were knocked unconscious so I'm taking you to hospital," Spider-Man replied, "I'm warning you it's not going to be a smooth ride."
"Ride, what? Who are you?" Stacy asked as he opened his eyes, "Oh my god it's you!"
"Ok," Spider-Man said as he reached the edge of the building, "hold on tight, I've never done this one-handed before," Stacy shouted in terror as Spider-Man leapt away from the building and into a web-swing.
"What are you doing?" Stacy shouted above the wind.
"I'm taking you to hospital, you lost consciousness for a while there and you may have a serious head injury," Spider-Man replied, trying to keep his concentration on swinging steadily so as not to further damage Captain Stacy.
Spider-Man touched down outside the doors of the hospital front doors and handed Stacy over to a surprised paramedic before swinging off again up into the dizzy heights of the Manhattan skyscrapers. He had to find the Bringer and stop him before he did any more damage, it wouldn't be too hard to find him as the trail of destruction he'd left just in the alley was large enough you could probably follow him from space. Down below him as he swung a slowly developing trail of mayhem was unfolding, leading towards St. Martin's church. Spider-Man turned off and swung in that direction as fast as he could, he let go of his web-line and clung to the ledge next to his old gargoyle friend. He slipped down and sat next to the stone statue, patting it on the head with his gloved right hand.
"Hey," he greeted with mock joviality.
"Hello," another familiar voice replied from behind.
Spider-Man turned to look over his shoulder to see somebody stood behind him. The Bringer stood tall with a smile on his face, he was no longer naked and was wearing a black suit, a black shirt, white tie and a long black leather overcoat.
"I've been waiting for you," he said and straightened his tie, "I knew you'd follow the trail I left you."
"Well you went to all that effort I just thought it was polite to kick your ass for it," Spider-Man retorted, "nice threads by the way."
"Thank you," the Bringer pulled his shirt-cuffs further out of his coat, "it took me a while to find somebody my size," he had blood on his hands.
"So how are we going to do this?"
"Down there," the Bringer replied, "now."
"Done," Spider-Man replied, crawling down the wall of the church down towards the huge brown oak doors. The Bringer simply stepped off the ledge, falling at least a hundred feet and cracking the pavement with indents the shape of his shoes. The Bringer threw off his coat and suit jacket, folding them into a neat pile and placing them on the steps of the church before rolling up his shirtsleeves and loosening his tie.
"You should know that I have never been defeated," the Bringer shouted up to Spider-Man as the hero leapt down from the building to face off against the Bringer.
"You should know that I have never faced anybody so arrogant," the Bringer bent his neck from side to side until it clicked several times before tensing all his muscles. His arms bulged with what seemed to be muscles growing on muscles at his command, he took a step forward and clothes that seemed baggy moments ago were now stretched taut over his body. The Bringer roared his empty black eyes blazed, the black pupils burning with inner fire.
"Nice trick," Spider-Man replied using humour to cover his fear, "let's do this."
Authors Note: For prosperity I have added the dear readers note that this chapter will be replacing so that any future readers won't miss out, and I could use the sympathy. So here it is:
"Dear readers, sorry no chapter this time but a little announcement. On Friday August 29th I got hit by a car, don't worry I'm ok but I've broken my collarbone and got six stitches in my head! I'm finding it increasingly hard and time-consuming to type as my good arm is covered in cuts and bruises, this makes typing an all-too painful process. Until I convince my girlfriend to let me dictate to her there will be no more chapters, but do not worry Spider-fans as she's coming around. Hope this doesn't cause too many problems. Yours, a wounded True Believer."
By the way, I know the Bringer's character seems to change a lot in this chapter but don't worry as it will all be explained in the next chapter.
Chapter Nine: When the Clock Strikes Twelve
One man, one Spider-Man, and someone distinctly other stood in a triangle in the storm cellar lair of the late Jack the Ripper. The man was Captain George Stacy, he stood at the feet of the stairs down into the cellar wearing his ever-present brown trench coat and pointing his service pistol directly at the other. The Spider-Man was Peter Parker, wracked with guilt after the accidental murder of his uncle Ben Peter swore on his uncle's memory to live up to the great responsibility that came with his great power. He stood with his back against the wall ready for any attack from the other. The other was the Bringer, mystical energy in human form summoned forth by the sacrifices of the Ripper to serve his earthly master. The Bringer stood stark naked and looked Spider-Man up and down with empty black eyes, writing him off as no threat the Bringer turned to Captain Stacy, noting the weapon in his hand he again dismissed him. The Bringer turned towards the steps and started walking towards them slowly and deliberately, Captain Stacy's instinct took over and he fired his weapon once into the forehead of the Bringer. The bullet span as it shot through the air, whipping and whirling the current around it's tiny form, burrowing deep into the head of the Bringer and out the other side embedding itself into the wall. Or at least it should have, instead it made contact with the Bringer's skin and fell sharply to the ground as if it had hit a wall of iron. The Bringer casually swatted the gun, and Captain Stacy, into the opposite wall with a minute display of incredible strength and minimal effort. The Spider-Man's mouth hung open under his mask and he shook himself back to reality before putting a gloved hand on the Bringer's shoulder.
"Hey, I know that guy," Spider-Man said about Captain Stacy, "you're in for some serious pain buddy."
The Bringer's mouth twisted into an insane snarling grin and he put out his right hand as one would to close a door, and Spider-Man joined Captain Stacy in his unconsciousness in the corner. The Bringer kept smiling as he stepped up into the fresh night air and strangely, for he had no lungs, took a deep breath. His grin faded slightly into a small smile and he started off down the street, three policemen where hidden behind their squad car with weapons locked on the Bringer.
A fourth and more senior policeman gave the order to open fire and the Bringer watched with interest as they emptied their weapons into his chest, without even a bruise to show for it except when the Bringer crushed them with their own car. The Bringer slid down to sit back on his heels and dipped a finger into a pool of blood forming around the officer's bodies, he brought it up to his face and examined it intently before licking every drop off with his tongue. Standing up again he walked away and out of the alley all the while searching out with his mind, searching for her.
Spider-Man rose to consciousness after less than a minute, his body unfurling to a standing position and looking at his surroundings. Captain Stacy was still knocked out and had a cut on his forehead, it wasn't that deep but Spider-Man knew he should get him to hospital. He picked up Stacy easily with his enhanced strength and carried him carefully up the stairs and out of the cellar, He looked over at the police car and thought about handing Stacy over to them but then he saw the pool of blood spreading out from the car and realised it was up to him now. He slowly walked up the wall of the building opposite the destroyed bank.
"Ooh," Stacy groaned as he regained consciousness and looked around groggily, "where am I?"
"You've hurt your head and you were knocked unconscious so I'm taking you to hospital," Spider-Man replied, "I'm warning you it's not going to be a smooth ride."
"Ride, what? Who are you?" Stacy asked as he opened his eyes, "Oh my god it's you!"
"Ok," Spider-Man said as he reached the edge of the building, "hold on tight, I've never done this one-handed before," Stacy shouted in terror as Spider-Man leapt away from the building and into a web-swing.
"What are you doing?" Stacy shouted above the wind.
"I'm taking you to hospital, you lost consciousness for a while there and you may have a serious head injury," Spider-Man replied, trying to keep his concentration on swinging steadily so as not to further damage Captain Stacy.
Spider-Man touched down outside the doors of the hospital front doors and handed Stacy over to a surprised paramedic before swinging off again up into the dizzy heights of the Manhattan skyscrapers. He had to find the Bringer and stop him before he did any more damage, it wouldn't be too hard to find him as the trail of destruction he'd left just in the alley was large enough you could probably follow him from space. Down below him as he swung a slowly developing trail of mayhem was unfolding, leading towards St. Martin's church. Spider-Man turned off and swung in that direction as fast as he could, he let go of his web-line and clung to the ledge next to his old gargoyle friend. He slipped down and sat next to the stone statue, patting it on the head with his gloved right hand.
"Hey," he greeted with mock joviality.
"Hello," another familiar voice replied from behind.
Spider-Man turned to look over his shoulder to see somebody stood behind him. The Bringer stood tall with a smile on his face, he was no longer naked and was wearing a black suit, a black shirt, white tie and a long black leather overcoat.
"I've been waiting for you," he said and straightened his tie, "I knew you'd follow the trail I left you."
"Well you went to all that effort I just thought it was polite to kick your ass for it," Spider-Man retorted, "nice threads by the way."
"Thank you," the Bringer pulled his shirt-cuffs further out of his coat, "it took me a while to find somebody my size," he had blood on his hands.
"So how are we going to do this?"
"Down there," the Bringer replied, "now."
"Done," Spider-Man replied, crawling down the wall of the church down towards the huge brown oak doors. The Bringer simply stepped off the ledge, falling at least a hundred feet and cracking the pavement with indents the shape of his shoes. The Bringer threw off his coat and suit jacket, folding them into a neat pile and placing them on the steps of the church before rolling up his shirtsleeves and loosening his tie.
"You should know that I have never been defeated," the Bringer shouted up to Spider-Man as the hero leapt down from the building to face off against the Bringer.
"You should know that I have never faced anybody so arrogant," the Bringer bent his neck from side to side until it clicked several times before tensing all his muscles. His arms bulged with what seemed to be muscles growing on muscles at his command, he took a step forward and clothes that seemed baggy moments ago were now stretched taut over his body. The Bringer roared his empty black eyes blazed, the black pupils burning with inner fire.
"Nice trick," Spider-Man replied using humour to cover his fear, "let's do this."
Authors Note: For prosperity I have added the dear readers note that this chapter will be replacing so that any future readers won't miss out, and I could use the sympathy. So here it is:
"Dear readers, sorry no chapter this time but a little announcement. On Friday August 29th I got hit by a car, don't worry I'm ok but I've broken my collarbone and got six stitches in my head! I'm finding it increasingly hard and time-consuming to type as my good arm is covered in cuts and bruises, this makes typing an all-too painful process. Until I convince my girlfriend to let me dictate to her there will be no more chapters, but do not worry Spider-fans as she's coming around. Hope this doesn't cause too many problems. Yours, a wounded True Believer."
By the way, I know the Bringer's character seems to change a lot in this chapter but don't worry as it will all be explained in the next chapter.