Same Disclaimer you've seen about every issue: Cryptic Studios owns the rights to City of Heroes and City of Villains, massive multiplayer online games where you can play the hero - or play the villain! Used here without permission. Information on who owns each individual character can be found at the bottom of the document. . .
Wilde would later describe the energy surges as a migraine that affected his entire body. Worse still, although he didn't know it at the time, it affected his mind, as well as his body. The indifference to his own body and well being was both manufactured and the perfect opportunity for his new found "allies."
Wilde didn't think twice when they offered him something to help with the pain. Not the first time, and not most of the time they offered. Sometimes, they were offering a simple aspirin or tea. More often, they were offering some random drug off the street. One time, Gargon, a brute of a thug who didn't have enough Superadine to share, offered to massage Wilde's shoulders instead. It was surprisingly gentle. Hardly left any bruising at all.
It wasn't an instant joining to be sure. Wilde kept up his work for Antonio Nash, taking out the Hellions, which nicely endeared himself to the Skulls. Wilde wisely kept word of that benefit away from Nash. Nash's opinion of Wilde softened slightly, enough that he asked Wilde a few terse questions on a proposal to create an "Outreach program" to the mutant crime factor, the Outcasts. Disinterested and ignorant to the subject, Wilde still managed to provide Nash a little insight into a younger mutant's take on the situation. Nash teamed Wilde with a few random heroes, but basically ignored him, never taking note of the bags under Wilde's eyes. Superadine wasn't Wilde's first experiment with drugs. Even if his experience with them was rather limited- which Wilde knew was as good thing- he both took to them readily, and fought off any attempts by his 'new friends' to fall into obsessive use with them.
Of course, there was still only one reason Wilde cared about the Skulls, aside from their help dealing with his powers, which we'll get to in a moment. Jennifer Delong was by far and away Wilde's biggest attraction to the rebel gang. She'd been "assigned" to teach Wilde about the Skulls, and their gang in particular, Combat Brood, for obvious reasons- to try and control Wilde through his obvious desire for her. She made a lot of crap up to make them sound more appealing, and generally bent history to sound more favorable to the Skulls. The view Wilde got of the gangs from the heroes and various hero's assistants around the town varied from nearly being the truth, to being vicious half truths from bitter, failed heroes who'd met their pitiful match in the Skulls and Hellions.
The thought that he was hanging around with a bunch of street level thugs should have bothered Wilde. But if they were just that, how could someone as amazing as Jennifer Delong be caught up with them?
Wilde, who hadn't believe in killing before, intervened when he stopped some other group of heroes from killing a Skull who was already defeated and badly injured. Wilde in turn did his best to keep the Skulls from killing while he was around. Despite his best efforts, he still saw people die. The images scarred him. The way the Skulls seemed to celebrate death was both disturbing, and disturbingly reassuring somehow. Wilde's been haunted by ghostly visions for a while, a side effect of the scientific process of "upgrading" his powers. One of many side effects. Jennifer Delong assured him they were the images of death itself telling Wilde he belonged with (to) the Skulls.
An unknown figure called the big players of the Skulls to Steel Canyon one day, after several of the Skulls had been busted in raids. Membership for the Skulls was at an all time low. The feeling was, they might be out a few leaders if whoever had called them took the failure badly enough.
The sight of the low time street thugs being loaded into a limousine by over muscled Italian thugs in expensive looking suits was surreal. Jennifer wasn't the only one assigned to help draw Wilde into the Skulls cause. Whereas Jennifer was sexy in a cool, distant way, Feral Girl was hot in a Japanese animation way. For reasons Wilde hadn't yet come to hear, she was less a human than a humanoid cat. Much the same way Jennifer had that could extend from her hands at will, the other girl was able to transform her hands into a set of claws. She was taller than Jennifer, but skinner as well. Thick orange fur coated parts of her body. She tended to parade around in short black boots, and a tiger pattern two piece bikini that pretty much matched the tiger patterns on her body.
As the three of them played a game of pickup basketball on a random street in King's Row, Wilde couldn't help but notice them glaring and hissing at each other when they thought he wasn't paying attention. Wilde's mind was more on the bygone days of being a hero in Chicago when the impact of a ball thumping against his chest snapped him back into reality.
Jennifer Delong: Hey! I SAID, your turn!
Wilde flashed her an annoyed look and bounced the basketball off the pavement, bounced it a few times, and made a "Bring it" motion at both girls. Jennifer immediately charged at him. Wilde gracefully spun around her. Feral Girl was there to swat at the ball. Wilde nearly lost it, but managed to keep control. He dribbled hard to the left, leaving her hard pressed to follow, then stopped suddenly, ready to shoot. In the brief instant the feline like Feral Girl let her momentum carry her past, Wilde took aim to shoot. Jennifer, desperate to get the ball, dived from behind, trying to block. Wilde jerked the ball to the side, and shot. The ball bounced off the rim. The tigress like Feral Girl shoved by both Wilde and Jennifer to grab it as it came down. Jennifer glared at her, and Wilde. It was a nasty, frightening look.
Feral Girl spoke in a raspy, affected voice with a primitive quality to it. Wilde loved it.
Feral Girl: Nice muv, but I got the ball now. Think you can take it, slut?
That was clearly directed towards Jennifer, who let out a few cuss words in response, and charged her, eager to steal the ball. Jennifer's temper didn't help much, though. Feral Girl spun past the brunette, and spun to make a shot. Wilde rushed in, but was too late to stop the shot. It missed, and the girls scrambled to get the rebound. Jennifer grabbed it, but only after driving her shoulder into Feral Girl and sending her reeling.
Feral Girl forgot about the game and shoved back, sending Jennifer spinning to the ground. Jennifer quickly pulled to her feet, ready for a fight.
Feral Girl: What'sa matter, you can dish it out but you can't take it?
Jennifer: You know, I'm sick and TIRED of your attitude!
Feral Girl: I really don't care what you're sick of, girlie. Back off.
Jennifer: No!
And Jennifer lunged for Feral Girl. Wilde was too distracted by the pain throbbing in his head to really notice or care. His vision clouded as he tried to ignore the two shorts and tee cladded Hellions rolling on the ground. The sound of claws being drawn was enough to draw him back into the present long enough to fire an energy blast at both, sending them jumping away from each other. Jennifer's claws extended past her fists. Feral's hands had magically transformed to become more clawlike. Both girls took a few warning swipes at each other. Wilde fired another blast between them as they cursed threats at each other.
Wilde: Geez, back off, what's wrong with you two?
Jennifer suddenly frowned, looking over at Wilde. She let her claws retract as the haze around her faded to nothingness. She took an uncertain step towards him.
Jennifer: Wilde, I'm sorry, I. . .
Suddenly, Feral Girl leapt at Jennifer, claws extended. Without even thinking, Jennifer grabbed her friend midair, flipping her over onto her back. Feral looked stunned. Jennifer kicked her hard in the side, making her moan, before walking over to Wilde, holding her face inches from his.
Jennifer: Forgive me?
She traced her fingers over his well built stomach.
Wilde: Wha? Huh, yeah..
The two kissed. Feral looked on jealously, collecting herself before she stalked out, angrily.
(The who owns who bit. Not sure of Gargon was a Cryptic name or just random.)
Mine: Wilde Tanke, Feral Girl.
Friend's heroes: Jennifer Delong
Cryptic: Antonio Nash, Skulls, the Outcasts, Superadine, Hellions, Steel Canyon, King's Row. random names: Combat Brood