___Sorry for such a long delay between the update, my Computer crashed and things have been slow______
Part Four
Mary Jane clutched the side of the altar fearfully. She had been brought here against her will, snatched from her shelter like prey and now more than ever she felt lost. The church she had been brought had been emptied out by her abductor and the doors barricaded by a foreign filament. Down the pews, Spider-Man smashed the seats with his hands angrily.
He flipped over the seats and pews, smashed the symbols and roared furiously. After exerting himself and devastating what he could he turned around to MJ. "Hello." Spider-Man said snickering. The only things undamaged were the large stain glass windows from where light beamed in and many of the concrete pillars.
"Why are you doing this?" MJ asked backing away from him, her hands trembling.
"We need you." Spider-Man replied.
MJ grimaced, "What?"
He reached out to her with one of his hands and smiled, "You love us don't you? We know you do."
MJ clenched her jaw as her abductor approached, "I've never even talked to you before."
"Don't deny us." Spider-Man said forcefully, "We need you to survive." He stated, "He needs you."
"I-I don't understand." MJ said and placed her hands against the wall, holding as tightly as her hands would allow.
Spider-Man frowned and stomped his feet down on the floor angrily, "Of course you don't. You have no idea what it is to be bonded." He smiled, "The unity." Accusingly he glanced at her, "You've ruined it."
"I haven't done anything." She replied desperately. "Please, just let me go." MJ pleaded behind the tears in her eyes.
"Don't lie!" Spider-Man roared angrily, the force of his screams were undeniable. He smashed another pew with his mighty fist, shards of wood splintering off in all directions, and approached the altar. "Parker must be content. Without you, Parker isn't content!"
MJ's face widened at the name, "Peter? What does Peter have to do with this?"
"Enough talk." Spider-Man said coldly and reached out to her, "Soon it will be all over and we will be joined."
"What?"
Spider-Man smiled widely, "We need you. We must prove ourselves to Parker. Come to me."
MJ gasped, "No!"
"We'll force you to join." Spider-Man clenched his teeth angrily, "We'll invade you if we have to and then take what we need!" He reached for her, "No more games!"
Suddenly, one of the stain glass windows exploded sending deadly shards to the ground. Through the breach emerged an imposing figure that landed on the altar with a thud that shook the building.
"Leave the girl alone!" Lizard demanded staring at his old foe contemptuously, "We have unfinissshed businessss."
Spider-Man frowned and retracted his arm from MJ, "Connors. We thought you'd avoid us after your last defeat." He clenched his fist. "We'll make sure this one is final." Suddenly, the region around his mask his mouth split open violently and jagged teeth emerged.
MJ could tell what was coming from each monster's posture and took advantage of the moment, slipping away and hiding in a confessional booth.
"You know what?" Lizard said mockingly, "I think that sssuitsss given you a big head. Time I knocked you down a few pegsss."
Each freakish abomination leapt towards the other. In mid-air each fist collided against each jaw. Lizard and Spider-Man hurtled away from each other in opposite directions.
"Ah." Lizard slammed against the wall and left a crater. He felt to his knees and gasped for. "Thisss could prove difficult." Slowly the reptilian beast rose to his feet. Before he could even turn around he felt Spider-Man connect his fist with his ribs.
The Lizard stumbled back and waved his arms defensively. Spider-Man maneuvered through his defenses and landed a blow against the monster's jaw. Lizard could barely stand and stood dazed.
Spider-Man landed an uppercut that threw the Lizard from him, crashing down into a row of pews.
Lizard smashed through the wooden seats, only stopping because of the debris around him. He slowly opened his eyes, unconvinced that he was still alive. Ahead of him, he could see Spider-Man leap straight towards him.
There was only a second to act. Lizard brought up his powerful tail and swiped Spider-Man away just in time. He rose to his feet, unable to shake the pain he was feeling.
Spider-Man had come crashing down on the other side of the church but was already rising. Each competitor charged at the other again. Moments before they met in battle, Lizard side-stepped out of the way and landed his tail against Spider-Man's waist.
The latter flew across the church smashing straight through the altar in a cloud of smoke and rubble. Lizard smirked and confidently approached the church, "That must of broke his back."
Out of the smoke emerged Spider-Man, like some sort of demon escaping Hades. He landed three blows in quick succession across Lizard's chest.
The battle moved down the stairs into the pew, Lizard was attempting a retreat but found Spider-Man's attack too furious. He saw an opening and acted on it out of desperation.
As Spider-Man swung his fist, Lizard dodged the blow and managed to sink his teeth into his foe's shoulder. The powerful jaws tightened and held their grip on the flesh.
Spider-Man roared and placed both his hands on Lizard's snout. Blood poured out from the wound. Slowly, Spider-Man pulled the teeth from his skin only for Lizard to dive them in again. He shook his head trying to keep his focus through the blood loss. Placing both hands back on his snout, Spider-Man slowly pulled the jaws away from his shoulder. Once Lizard was safely on his shoulder, he performed a roundhouse kick that threw his opponent through a pillar.
He inspected the wound angrily, it was deep; the bone had been torn. The suit went to work repairing the damage.
Lizard emerged from the debris and staggered for a short while. "We'll kill you." Spider-Man stated coldly.
"I liked you before you got the cossstume." Lizard stretched out his arms preparing for the next round of assaults, "You were at leassst funny then."
Both monsters growled at one another and began a mad charge for the other. This time there was no feint. Lizard rammed his shoulder into Spider-Man's gut and both of them crashed through another pillar.
Spider-Man landed on his back but took no moment to rest in his offensive. He landed the heel of his foot against Lizard's jaw sending the latter spiraling through the air like a rag doll.
Through some amazing aerial maneuvers, Lizard managed to barely land on his feet. He was panting loudly but no less determined. He tensed his powerful leg muscles and jumped through the air, landing both of them on Spider-Man's chest.
Spider-Man clenched his teeth as blood spurted out of his mouth. He raised both his knees and managed to kick Lizard in his back.
"Oof!" Lizard tumbled away from his foe but managed to keep standing. He could hear Spider-Man approaching. Extending his tail he swiped it across but failed to hit his target. He widened his eyes, realizing what was happening.
Spider-Man grabbed Lizard's tail and began to swing him around like a rag doll. He smashed him through a pillar, then the side of the wall and finally slammed him down on the fall with little fan-fare.
Lizard wearily spit out his broken tooth that had been running around his jaw. He shook his head, trying to gain some sort of balance. Spider-Man kicked him in the ribs, hurtling him through the shattered remains of an overturned pew.
"I'm beginning to be frussstrated." Lizard jumped back to his feet and shrugged his shoulders. "Come on!" He roared.
Spider-Man began to run across the church, thirsty for more carnage from his foe. Lizard managed to build up his own speed and lowered his head and used it like a battering ram. Spider-Man held onto Lizard for dear-life.
With no concern for his own safety, Lizard rammed straight through the remains of one pillar and shook Spider-Man off his head with ease.
Spider-Man landed against the wall and clung to it without haste. He pushed off the wall and flew straight for Lizard both fist outstretched. His attack landed a blow against Lizard's chest and the monster came crashing through a table.
Lizard rolled to his side and held the side of his chest in agony. Spider-Man pushed him over with his foot and stared down at his beaten foe contemptuously. He stretched out his fingers and smiled. Suddenly his finger-tips grew into talons. "Now you die!"
He sent them in, aiming for Lizard's heart. At the last possible moment, Lizard grabbed the remnants of the table and used it like a shield. Spider-Man's talons were stuck in the board.
Lizard raised his foot and landed a powerful kick against Spider-Man's gut. The fallen hero was sent through the air and crashed straight into a statue of one of the saints. Slowly, both fighters rose to their feet and stared down at the other.
Hatred built up in their hearts and minds. Caution had given way to bloodlust and the other long to see their foe dead. The Lizard and Spider-Man committed themselves to yet another charge.
Spider-Man landed the first blow, stabbing Lizard in the neck with his talons. In return, Lizard wrapped his tail around Spider-Man's throat and began to squeeze the life out of him.
They stared into one another's eyes and realized that this wouldn't be over until one lay dead. Blood poured from Lizard's mouth, his teeth stained red. He squeezed as hard as he could, fully committed to be the one that left this church alive.
Spider-Man could see his talons dug deeply into Lizard' neck. He had missed his target by a centimeter. A little higher and the jugular would have been slashed. Now they were in each other's death grip. His own skin was beginning to feel cool. He gasped for air, desperate to survive. Only one could survive, only one.
The side of the church blew open suddenly, throwing both monsters away from one another. Spider-Man was the first to rise and peered through the smoke from the massive breach in the side of the building. "What?"
Three S.H.I.E.L.D helicopters appeared and hit Spider-Man with a barrage of bullets that sent him stumbling back against the wall. He screamed and raised his arm in some vain attempt to defend himself.
MJ peered out from the confessional booth, alarmed at the sudden explosion. She could see the black figure pinned against the wall. She looked at its hideous features, sure that it would have killed her had it had the chance.
Suddenly, Spider-Man spotted her and looked at her for a moment. She was about to hide but was puzzled when it made no move. Instead he looked at her. Suddenly, something came across its face. An expression of sadness, total sadness, humiliation, regret and disgust at itself was seen. It cried out, not in pain at the bullets tearing its body apart but grief.
A new barrage of machinegun fire pulled its attention away from her and the animal, the monster returned. It roared at them defiantly and fired a web-line up the large hole that led to the roof. It smiled at them, challenging them to follow and he pulled on the line swinging up to the roof.
MJ watched Spider-Man vanish and the helicopters follow in pursuit. She had seen that expression before, that sadness before. "Peter."