What If? Featuring the Runaways

by Moral Mark

In the spirit of Marvel's What If? series, rediscover the Runaways when a pivotal moment in their lives twists instead of turns. What happens when you rebel for the wrong reasons?

3. Nobody's Heroes

WHAT IF . . . FEATURING THE RUNAWAYS

by

MORAL MARK

(AUTHOR'S NOTE: As in my other more recent fics, this is written in rough comic book script style with very little page information and limited panel/scene direction; instead, the script is broken down into specific scenes. Also, the script is slightly modified to maintain a level of suspense for the casual reader.

And once again, typical disclaimer - Marvel owns Runaways, the Watcher (or resemblances to) and any other Marvel properties created (or employed).)

SCENE 4 - NOBODY'S HEROES

(AUTHOR'S NOTE: Numbered Parentheticals indicate separete panels / single shots)

Montage panels - the Runaways are breaking into a government facility. Sequence show them obtaining their equipment. The Watcher narrates in captions.

Colors, composition similar to Runaways Issue 18 (v.1), only on fast forward. Faster panel cuts.

(1)

Sign that says "Stark Industries"

WATCHER (CAPTION):

Shortly after the Pride fell, criminal activity in Los Angeles and the surrounding counties grew exponentially.

Seeing the power void the Pride left behind ripe for the picking, foolishly opportunistic criminals, supers or no, almost literally rushed to LA to get a piece of the action.

The New California Gold Rush, they called it.

(2)

Molly, Karolina, and Gert exit from the back of a white van, while Chase steps out the driver's side.

WATCHER (CAPTION):

The capes, with all good intentions in mind, shortly followed. New York wasn't the only city that needed saving, after all. Los Angeles was far more in dire straits, needing more help than New York ever would.

Ironically, when the capes showed up, things got worse.

(3)

Karolina is blasting a metal-sided door.

WATCHER (CAPTION):

The New California Gold Rush then became the New Wild West.

Whatever order the Pride had precisely maintained for nearly two decades, it quickly disintegrated within eight months.

(4)

Alex hands Nico the Staff of One, and they both look warmly into each other's eyes.

WATCHER (CAPTION):

The children knew this when they reunited. Seeing not just their lives, but the world around them fall apart like this merely worsened their pain.

And strengthened their resolve.

(5)

Robots emerge from the blasted door. Molly and Karolina charge.

WATCHER (CAPTION):

Really, where else would they have gone? Which side would they have chosen?

With the villains? The self-serving, narcissistic, pointlessly power-hungry supervillains?

(6)

Nico points the Staff of One at a robot as Yellow electricity strikes its head.

WATCHER (CAPTION):

Or maybe with the capes? The foolishly idealistic, arrogantly principled, know-nothing superheroes?

(7)

The Runaways walk through the warehouse, robot debris and carcass scattered across the ground.

WATCHER (CAPTION):

Their answer?

Neither.

(8)

Chase dons the Fistigons, moving its fingers as fire appears on his palms. The Leapfrog is visible in the background.

(9)

Gert approaches Old Lace in her cage, petting her nose.

WATCHER (CAPTION):

Their solution?

(10)

A holographic image of Gert's parents appear.

(11)

Close on Gert's eyes. Small row of tears well up in her eyes.

WATCHER (CAPTION):

Bring them both down.

CUT TO: New sequence. This time, the Runaways are battling two Marvel familiars.

(12)

Chase curls his gauntlets into fists

CHASE:

(yelling)

Screw all of you!

(13)

The Runaways are facing against two superheroes - a blonde female, dressed in a skin-tight white suit, and a man hooded in a black cloak.

WATCHER (CAPTION):

Their goal? Drive out every single super-wannabe from this god-forsaken city. Capes and villains alike - they were the problem.

Problems, not just to the kids, but to everyone else in La-la land.

(14)

Karolina fires a blast at Cloak while Old Lace charges at Dagger.

WATCHER (CAPTION):

See, in New York, though the people didn't exactly love their capes, somebody wanted them around, at least.

LA? Nobody wanted them around. And all it would take to drive them out is for the capes to look screw up enough times for enough Los Angeleans to boot them out the state.

So, the plan? Simple - make them leave. At least in theory.

(15)

Cloak opens his robe, and Old Lace, Alex, Chase, Gert, and Karolina are sucked in.

WATCHER (CAPTION):

Their first few ideas don't go so well.

(16)

Nico menacingly points the Staff of One at Dagger.

NICO:

(spellcasting)

Lights off!

(17)

DAGGER:

Agghh!

Dagger's body suddenly flashes in white light.

(18)

Molly grabs Cloak by its the ends of his cloak with both hands, swinging him around like a ball and chain.

(19)

Cloak is thrown against a brick wall.

SFX:

KKROOOOM!

CLOAK:

Unh!

WATCHER (CAPTION):

But at least they make it through.

CUT TO: New sequence. Another battle, this time against a really gigantic man, gaudily dressed in a gray rhino costume. . . .

(20)

Chase and Karolina are blasting the Rhino to no effect. The Rhino is still going forth in a rampage.

WATCHER (CAPTION):

As for the super-villains? The children had an even simpler plan.

(21)

Molly uppercuts the Rhino on his chin, sending him back flying.

SFX:

KRA-KOW!

WATCHER (CAPTION):

Hit them all. Really, really hard.

(22)

Alex is standing just inside the leapfrog as the cargo door opens.

MOLLY:

Alex! Did you see who we got to fight today? The Rhino!

WATCHER (CAPTION):

Okay, so their plans at first were a little misguided, a little reckless, a little naive . . . .

CUT TO: New sequence.

(23)

The runaways stepping out of the leapfrog into the Hostel, La Brea tarpits version. For the first time, we see them smiling and laughing, as if happy for the first time in the story. Molly is riding on top of Old Lace, Gert nearby, Alex and Nico are holding each other close. Chase is holding a stack of pizza boxes, and Karolina is walking along side them all, smiling wistfully.

WATCHER (CAPTION):

But for a time, things were good.

(24)

Chase, Molly, Gert, and Karolina surround a square table, playing monopoly. Molly is having an argument with Chase.

MOLLY:

Chase, quit being a butt - tard! Pay up!

CHASE:

Sorry, Molnerdo, rolling a six automatically gives me the ability to skip out on rent in crappy neighborhoods. And we all know Baltic Avenue is awesomely high class . . .

GERT:

Fine, then I call your "skipping out on the mortgage" excuse and repo your house in Pennsylvania Avenue.

KAROLINA:

Only if you pay up the money you "borrowed" from the Free Parking pot - that I won fair and square by the way, Arsenic!

CHASE:

Bullcrap! You cheated! I saw you move your boot one block over while nobody was looking so you could get it the next time!

KAROLINA:

What? That was you!

WATCHER (CAPTION):

Well, as good as it can be, anyway.

(25)

Alex and Nico are passionately pressing lips, Alex holding Nico around her waist, Nico wrapping her arms behind his neck.

WATCHER (CAPTION):

For the first time in a long while, these children felt like they were home again. For the first time in a long while they foundpeople they could trust.People they could cry to.People they could love.

Each other.

And for a time, they were happy.

Following panels show a greater amount of time passing as the Runaways undergo more adventures. Watcher is still narrating.

(26)

WATCHER (CAPTION):

But as their bond grew stronger . . .

(27)

WATCHER (CAPTION):

. . . their plans, smarter . . .

(28)

WATCHER (CAPTION):

. . . their actions, bolder . . .

(29)

WATCHER (CAPTION):

. . . it was only a matter of time before things would turn for the worse again.