Shorter update, but I just finished Board exam a week ago (passed :D) and I'm currently undergoing another anxiety moment cause of thesis next year (hopefully the medication helps). That and I have a question to ask at the end of the chapter that's pretty important to future updates.
This chapter was primarily supposed to focus on Gwen's undercover deal with Roxxon but I decided to postpone that to the next chapter due to a bit of writers block.
Also, Matt and Peter getting along has a slight lead over them remaining enemies. Surprising considering the sheer amount of crap Matt put Peter through in V1 and the way he killed Bullseye.
Side Note - Noir's confirmed to make a comeback with a new miniseries on March 2020 dealing with WWII. And it's the same one who died in Geddon resurrected! Yes :D
ESUboi: Ugh, our next science paper's researching how Spider-Woman, Spinerette or She-Hulk's powers work! I'm going to flunk!
MaleAcademia: Seriously? I know science is always evolving but this seems super unfair.
Galgamer: You're lucky you already graduated MaleAcademia. These new research classes and topics are freaking insane! I mean how the hell are we supposed to figure out how a radioactive spider gives you super strength? I don't think even Spider-Woman knows!
CreamdelaKream: Yeah honestly at this point we might as well be cavemen trying to explain gravity. Superpowers break all the established rules. Force equals mass times acceleration? What's that? Cause it sure as hell doesn't make any sense when Spinerette can jump up to a building from street level or lift a car despite being way lighter than it.
GwenTheDrummerStacy: Guess I'm lucky I'm not taking any science classes. Sounds rough.
ESUboi: Yeah seriously. You're lucky GwenTheDrummerStacy. If I'd known my degree would be 20% pseudoscience I would've never enrolled in it.
GwenTheDrummerStacy: Just keep pushing. Who knows, maybe things will get better :)
So here he was stuck in a crate with a bunch of passed out kids while his skin throbbed from self-inflicted knife wounds. If he was lucky the disguise would work and they wouldn't ask too many questions. If he was unlucky they'd catch on and shoot him in the face. That wasn't even mentioning the smell of rusted metal or the fact that one of the older kids smelled like she urinated herself.
And yet it was still better than France.
Peter kept his eyes shut and listened. He'd snuck in here a scant two hours ago and so far he had nothing but the sounds of the wheels outside for company. There were other people locked in here with him, some as old as 16 or 17 and others even younger than he was at about 5 or 6. The Hand tried to cast a wide net, Spector said. Better to try with a lot and cut the dead weight down if they couldn't be...molded.
He wondered how the others were doing. Was Gwen out on patrol or already trying to charm that dirtbag Roxxon? Was Mary keeping a clear head? Were Lana and Cindy working together alright? It was silly - they took care of themselves just fine when he spent the year playing the wanderer - but thinking about them helped clear his head. Better than thinking of his 'team' did, at any rate.
Eventually the shaking drew to a stop. Peter adjusted his slumped position on the wall and and resisted the urge to open them. The children were taken from various places, but one thing they all had in common were having enough tranquilizers to take down an elephant.
The door opened with a loud creak and he heard footsteps, "Youngest ones out first." The voice was blank and devoid of all expression. Probably a ninja, "Place them with the others in their rooms." He grit his teeth when one of them grabbed him roughly and slung him over his shoulder. Play the role, he reminded himself. If he was stuck as a kid he'd at least find a way to use it to his advantage.
He counted the number of steps and turns before another door opened and he was eventually dropped not so gently onto a bed. He waited for the goon to turn around before he peeked his eye open by the slightest amount. A wide, brightly lit room with beds stacked into neat rows dozens at a time. Everything was an eye-searing white from the lights to the floor to the walls and bedsheets.
It was a 50/50 shot they'd end up here or in some concrete prison forced to kill each other. Least this way he wouldn't have to kill anyone who didn't deserve it.
The last bed was finally filled and the door slammed shut. Peter kept still and waited for some of the other kids to wake up first. Probably cameras around and the last thing he needed was to draw attention to himself.
'Little movement and lifesigns are stable.' Moon Knight's voice chimed in his head. He ignored it, 'We will continue to monitor the situation. Remember: keep to your cover at any cost. We only have one chance at this.'
Half an hour passed before the first of them finally began to stir, "Wh-What the-" Judging by the sound of the voice it was a teenager. A few more woke up around him and Peter made a show of a groggy awakening.
He counted at least three dozen around him, most of whom showed obvious signs of abuse. Bruises, clammy skin, malnourishment...if it were anyone else he would've thought this was a rescue mission of some kind. Peter eyed the more obvious cut on his arm and frowned. Once they got the information they needed they had to do something about these kids.
As expected, most of them were scared. It didn't take long for them to start screaming, crying and soon the entire room was covered in a cacophony of voices all trying to speak over the other. Peter pressed himself against the bed's headboard and hugged his knees to his chest. Playing the role of the innocent child wouldn't have been his first choice, but he'd done worse.
"Hey, where the fuck are we?!" One of the older girls screamed. She was at least 15 or 16 by the looks of her, "Hey! Let me the fuck out!" She banged against the dark brown door - the only splotch of color in the white canvas, "Hey! This isn't funny you bastards! Let me out!" She kicked the door. It didn't budge.
The younger children around him cried harder when she went and grabbed a boy who looked no older than 10, "Where are we?!" He almost snapped at her to calm down. She was panicking and lashing out at the closest person; he'd seen it more times than he wanted. Still, he couldn't stop himself from feeling annoyed at the idea that she thought a 10 year old could somehow give her the answers she wanted.
"L-Leave him alone!" A girl, another 10 year old, screamed, "W-W-We don't know why we're here!"
"Shut up!" The younger girl shrunk back, "I don't fucking know anything except for the fact that I got kidnapped! So just shut the fuck up unless you got something important to say!"
"B-But-"
It devolved into another argument from there. More screaming, more crying...he wanted to intervene, but Moon Knight's reminder rang back in his head, 'Damn it...' He pressed his face against his knees and forced a few tears out. He felt as pathetic as he looked. Hopefully it wouldn't take him long to find what he needed then burn this entire place to the ground.
Eventually, when the cacophony reached its peak, the door opened. Peter raised his head slowly and watched a woman enter the room with two goons behind her. Just like the rest of the room they were dressed in complete white, "Good evening everyone." She was a young woman, probably 30 at the oldest, with light blonde hair done up in a neat bun and a motherly smile that reminded him of May.
He didn't trust her at all.
"Who the fuck are you?!" The screaming teenager asked, "Were you the one who kidnapped us?! I'm gonna-"
"Shh." She held up finger like a parent disciplining an unruly child, "There's no need for an outburst, Ellie."
"How the fuck do you know my-"
"We know a lot of things about you. How you came from a broken home, how your foster father attempted to use his position to take advantage of you while your mother told you that you deserve it. And we know you ran away from home when it became too much." Despite her cutting words the motherly smile remained constant.
"Wh-What the-"
"All of you are victims." She went past the screaming teenager and gave them all a look of practiced sympathy, "Children who were never given a chance to live their lives because of the uncaring society around them. You were abused, broken, treated like you were unwanted."
"You kidnapped us." A teenage boy muttered.
She stopped in front of him. Peter looked up at her, tears still in his eyes, and flinched when she traced a hand against his cheek, "P-Please don't hurt me..." He had to stop himself from breaking her fingers when she stopped at one of his scars.
"Do you see?" She turned away from him back to the others, "Kidnapped you? From who? From living in the streets and having to beg for scraps? From parents who would hurt you because they've had too much to drink? From those who would treat you as a toy for their own desires." She looked the teenager - Ellie - dead in the eyes, "Those are who you wish to reunite with?"
None of them said a word, not even the then-screaming teenager. Ultimately she was right about that. Kidnapping or not, many of these children had nowhere to go. What did they have to come back to? Broken homes or, even worse, living on the streets not sure if they'd survive to the next day?
And like any good cult leader she was there to offer them a way out. To 'save' them.
"But I'm not unreasonable. Some of you wish to remain 'independent', to live through life 'on your own terms'? Then by all means. You can walk out that door right now and these two men will escort you outside. However, I want to make it clear that this invitation will not come a second time. If you find yourself changing your mind and wanting our help then you won't find it."
"How the fuck do we know you ain't just gonna shoot us? Or like harvest our organs or shit?" Ellie asked.
"My dear, if we wanted to kill you then you wouldn't have woken up." And still with that damn smile on her face, "We wish to offer you a home, but as I've said if you wish to leave then by all means. Go back to your life and pick up the pieces on your own. We will not stop you."
She didn't. None of them did. She was playing on their fear (or maybe they were just scared they'd get shot as soon as they were outside). He'd seen in Spider-Man's memories how quick people were to turn their freedom when offered an escape. How many people turned against their neighbors just because they were offered clothes and a warm meal? Children especially. Not everyone could be like Lana or Gabriel.
Still, these kids were falling in line just a bit too easily. Surely at least some would take their chances on the streets rather than put their trust in someone who kidnapped them. There was something about that woman - he'd have to keep an eye on her.
"No? Hm." She went back to the front of the room and clapped her hands together, "Good. Now that we've got that out of the way we should all move on and get to know each other better. At the footlocker of each bed you'll find a set of clothes. They'll be a bit too loose or tight but we can measure you all more properly later. Please change into them then, when you're all done, knock on the door. Philip here will lead the uninjured to the dining room and those that require aid will be sent to the clinic for treatment."
"What, change together?" Another girl asked.
"Yes. You'll all be getting to know each other better so might as well start now."
The clothes were white too, what a surprise. Peter sighed and shucked off his bloodstained clothes before putting on the ones closest to his size. White shirt, white pants, white shoes...he felt like a clown. The clothes brushed against the cuts at his side and he sat down on the bed to watch the others. Some of them were even more injured than he was.
"Are...Are you okay?" he looked up to the boy who asked. They looked to be about the same age with maybe a year or two difference. His dark skin and curly hair contrasted heavily with the clothes and the room,"Those cuts on your face..."
"A-Ah, yeah! I'm...I'm okay..." He'd had worse, but he could hardly tell them that, "M-My daddy Marc he...he sometimes gets angry and he..." He sniffled. Thank God Gwen and the others weren't around to see this. He wasn't exactly the best actor.
"Oh...just like mine." Peter's hands clenched into shaky fists. The Hand took the most desperate. Bastards, "M-Maybe things will be better here?"
Peter didn't say anything. Four more goons came, two leading one group to the dining hall while they were taken to the clinic. The doctor there was all smiles and comforting words, bandaging their wounds and telling them they'd be safe now and no one would ever hurt them again. He didn't need his spider-sense to tell him that was a load of horsefeathers.
Ten minutes later he was shoulder to shoulder between two kids and eating pumpkin soup. Probably laced with something, though he didn't have to worry about that. His eyes scanned every same white uniform, eating the same food; all perfectly identical. Moon Knight told him a year ago that they used similar tactics to the military when it came to getting soldiers. He could've sworn Castle almost shot him for that comparison.
"What's your name?" The kid to his right - the same one from before - asked.
"R-Reilly. You?"
"Hobie."
"So...why did you stay?"
"M-My mom and dad are...they're bad people." He got the feeling that was a massive understatement, "And that lady she...I think she really wants to help us." Peter's eyes narrowed. Definitely something up with her. Either pheromone control like that Killgrave Jones mentioned or something like the charm Satanna had. Trouble either way.
"...How did you get here?"
"I...I was...I ran away after mom and dad started fighting. A man found me and said that he could help me and then...and then I woke up here." And it was either this or going back to the waste of skin he had for parents. He wondered just how many of the ninjas he'd killed were just desperate kids looking for a way out before the Hand twisted them into their puppets.
"Yeah, me too."
Conversation died down after that. Peter focused on his food and thought about his plan for the next few days. It'd be difficult to sneak around, but with his powers he could make do. Still, he'd need to find blindspots in the cameras. Or find a way to get rid of them without drawing attention. He really wished he didn't come in here unarmed. One of Bullseye's old jammers would've been real useful right now.
The woman clapped her hands loudly to get their attention. A man stepped up behind her and Peter had to hold back a sneer, 'Bakuto.' He'd ran into him before back in Japan. He was the Face of the Hand, the good looking guy with the pearly whites who distracted you while his buddies shanked you in the back.
He looked different than the other fingers. Gao, Sowande, Murakami and the now-deceased Alexandra didn't look their hundreds of years of age, but they at least showed some wear and tear. Bakuto was different. Fancy suits, well groomed hair and a face that barely showed any wrinkles or signs of aging. If it was anyone else he might've assumed they were a vampire.
"Good evening everyone. I see we have some new faces here." His voice was smooth and friendly. Had to be after centuries of playing the same act, "Now I know the way we took you here was questionable-" Peter sneered down into his bowl, "-but we only want what's best for you all. Here you'll be safe and you'll have a chance to have what was cruelly never given to you: a family."
He almost charged him then and there. Moon Knight would've been annoyed, but taking out one of the Fingers would've been worth it, right? His grip on the spoon (cause they weren't given forks or knives) tightened and he shoveled more soup into his mouth. They only had one shot at this. After this the Hand would catch on to what he was and they couldn't do this again.
Peter waited till dinner finished and everyone was milling out. He bent the handle of the spoon till it snapped off with a small click and he put both the handle and the head under the long sleeve. Wasn't the best shiv, but he'd had worse.
This was going to be a long few days.
Cyclopz: Is anyone else weirded out by how many vigilantes there are nowadays? And I'm not taking about sanctioned heroes, I mean actual vigilantes.
Mista: Not really. I mean it's just like when there were cowboys over a 100 years ago and pirates before that and gladiators before that. History's shown us that there are time periods of flux and fall. Like the Golden Age of Cowboys and Pirates, Vigilantes are the new in thing and they'll pass eventually.
Titan616: Not so sure about that. I mean 10 years ago you'd be lucky if you saw Captain America in public and now you can't walk down the block without running into another Initiative hero.
Mista: Yeah, and during the 1870's cowboys and outlaws were everywhere till they started dropping off and disappeared. I give this craze another 30 years before vigilantes get phased out for something else.
Brave2000: Superheroes are a normal part of everyday life now so i'm not surprised vigilantes are too. Remember less than a couple of years ago Spider-Woman, Hawkeye and Spinerette would've been called vigilantes. Things change.
Cyclopz: I still don't like how normal it all is now. Couple years ago a guy putting on a gun and ski mask and killing suspected criminals would've gotten a lot of attention, now people don't give a shit.
Titan616: New York's been hit with devils, superpowered terrorists, aliens and the terrigen mist. And you're surprised that vigilante sprees aren't a big deal any more?
Booksnake: As an upcoming lawyer the fact that no one really cares about the constant flaunting of the law's pretty disheartening.
Brave2000: Considering the last well-known lawyer ended up being the Kingpin of Crime and a freaking Devil on top of that I think you wanna think of a career change buddy.
Contrary to what one might think, Cindy hadn't been to many Parent-Teacher conferences. Sure she wasn't an honor student or anything, but she kept her nose clean and didn't get into trouble. Honestly most of her experience came when she tried to cheer Albert up whenever he got in trouble. She loved the little guy but he had a mischievous streak a mile wide.
And now she was here again, except this time it was for her kid and not her brother.
Cindy crossed one leg over the other and kept her expression neutral as she looked Principal Davis in the eye. He was an older man who was a little more on the rotund side. His short, cropped hair and mustache was streaked white and the brown eyes underneath his spectacles were narrowed. She couldn't tell if he was trying to glare at her or trying not to wet himself.
"Yes, Ms...Moon." He coughed and broke eye contact to look down the papers on his desk, "According to her papers Ms. Pryde is under the care of her older sister Katherine and yet when we attempted to contact her she didn't respond and Ms. Pryde insisted we call your number instead."
"Yeah, I kinda got that. Shadowcat's usually out of town most days so that's probably why you couldn't contact her," She shrugged lightly, "I'm here now, though. Laura's in trouble, you said?" Something about her punching another kid in the face. Knowing Laura she probably had a real good reason for it. Or maybe he tried to feed her veggies. Either or.
"Before that I must ask what your relationship is with her. When we questioned her when she gave us your contact information she called you her...mother. I'm assuming this isn't a direct biological tie?"
"It's...complicated. Like I said Kat's mostly out of town so I watch out for Laura when I can." Cause they sure as hell couldn't get any normal babysitter. Something told her Nanny McPhee didn't exist in this universe even though Santa Clause did (thanks for the heads up on that, Pete), "As for Laura calling me mom...well, she's been calling me that for months now and I don't see what's wrong with it. It's not illegal, right?"
"No, I suppose not. We'll just note you as a friend of the family for record keeping sake." He sighed.
"You still haven't told me what she did except punching somebody. Was this kid just minding his own business and Laura punched him? Cause that's not how she is."
"According to Ms. Pryde and Ms. Lee the boy, Mr. Toynbee, had been bullying the latter and Ms. Pryde punched him in retalation."
"What kind of bullying are we talking about here?"
"All I know is that Ms. Pryde was the one who escalated it to physical violence." So he didn't know anything. Why was she not surprised? Grade school, high school, didn't change anything. Pete didn't have much luck either before that night at prom, "Regardless of what he was doing she should've gone to one of the teachers rather than turning it into a physical altercation."
"Uh-huh. So, what's this Toynbee kid's punishment for bullying another kid?"
"That will come after this."
"Right, so you called me here to tell me about this. Great. I'll talk to Laura later about how she's not allowed to hit people."
"There's another thing we must discuss."
"Is something wrong?"
"Ms. Moon, you are an Avenger." He looked at her flatly, "While I appreciate everything you've done you can't be so naive as to think that you showing up for a Parent Teacher meeting wouldn't draw attention."
"Yeah..." Most of the parents and kids waiting in line outside didn't stop staring as soon as she walked in and she even caught a few disparaging comments from some of the moms. Price to pay for having an open identity, "But why does me being an Avenger matter here? Unless this school's some kind of Supervillain lair me being one doesn't change anything."
"Exactly what kind of child calls an Avenger mom and has direct access to her number?" He removed his glasses and wiped them down. Never a good sign, "I'll be frank with you, Ms. Moon. We had our doubts about admitting Ms. Pryde but it seems her older sister had some connections and pulled a few favors to get her in."
"Are you going somewhere with this?"
"It's an open secret what Ms. Pryde is." Cindy's hands clenched. 'What' she was...like she wasn't human or something, "She was with you and a few others during the incident a year prior. She's one of the Gifted."
"Still not seeing where you're going with this."
"I'm not certain if you're aware of this, but some of the parents have filed numerous complaints about Ms. Pryde's presence here." Well, that explained some of the comments she got outside, "They're worried about their children's safety and this incident today only exacerbates those concerns."
"There's nothing I can do about that. Last I checked I'm not on the PTA." Not that she'd get into it even if she could. She'd seen enough horror stories from when she was still in grade school to know it was full of helicopter parents and wannabe leaders who wanted to feel important.
"Yes, but it does still concern you." He put the glasses back on, "While I would like to assuage these parents' concerns the fact of the matter is that Ms. Pryde's presence here is highly unorthodox. It doesn't take more than a simple internet search to see what she's capable of and many are justifiably concerned what would happen if she lost her temper."
"Well what are you gonna do, kick her out? She hasn't done anything to be expelled! Unless you're seriously gonna tell me punching someone is grounds for immediate expulsion?"
"For the average child? No. For some like Ms. Pryde-"
"She's a kid!" Cindy stood up and glared down at the seated principal, "Just because she's different doesn't mean she should-"
"She has claws coming out of her hands, Ms. Moon." He looked up at her without any hesitation, "This isn't a matter of race or skin condition or whatever else you might consider discrimination. Ms. Pryde - Laura - has the potential for danger none of the other children are capable of. Would you be comfortable with your children attending class with a child in possession of blades or a firearm?"
"That's different. Laura didn't have a choice with those."
"I am well aware, and it must be said that she didn't use said claws in today's altercation, but the potential is there. If a child brought a loaded gun into school would we let them keep it simply on the basis that we trust them not to use it?"
"That's..."
"I'm not unreasonable, Ms. Moon. I understand that Laura's...condition is not her fault any more than we can choose our genetics. However, I also understand the worries of the parents who aren't comfortable placing their children in close proximity to someone with the potential for such danger. If her abilities were purely something minor then this wouldn't be an issue, but it's not. Her helping you in last year's incident proves such."
Cindy sat back down and sighed. As much as she wanted to cry foul or call discrimination the guy had a point. It wasn't Laura's fault those bastards turned her into a Weapon but she couldn't deny that if she ever got a kid (which was seeming less likely by the way) she wouldn't exactly like the idea of another kid pointing a gun at their face even if the safety was on.
"Look, I get it, but Laura's been here for almost a year and she hasn't done anything wrong. You're not seriously going to expel her, right?"
"No, until she's given us due reason we cannot expel her. Assuming we did I expect that any decent lawyer would tear us apart for unlawful expulsion. However, I do think it was prudent to warn you of the current goings on considering are her 'mother'. My advice? Tell Laura to keep her head down and be careful about drawing attention to herself. Having an Avenger as a close family friend can only get her so far."
Cindy sighed again and walked out of the room. Laura looked up from the nearby bench with those big, puppy dog eyes of hers, "Come on, kiddo." She smiled slightly and grabbed Laura's shoulder to lead her out.
And of course the whispers started again.
"What's she doing here?"
"Is she that girl's mother?"
"Is it safe for her to be here?"
"I bet she's not going to be punished because of her."
Cindy grit her teeth and kept steering Laura to the door. Most people liked the Avengers just fine, but there were still a few that had their reservations. Maybe they were jealous, maybe they were scared, or maybe they just didn't like anyone that had something they couldn't have. Either way she'd dealt with them ever since she got here. Masters was just the tip of the iceberg.
They were almost to the exit when they got intercepted, 'Oh, god damn it...' She plastered a smile on her face when Mrs. Toynbee blocked their way. She wasn't that old, probably just a scant few years ahead of Cindy herself, but the soccer mom haircut and getup added a lot more. Cindy suddenly felt even more out of place here, and it wasn't just because she still got carded just a few weeks ago.
"What?" Despite Cindy's attempt at smile the words came out far more hostile than she intended.
"You need to control your little freak. She hurt my son!" She gestured to the little boy who clung to her legs who, in absolute fairness, was sporting a bruise on his right eye. She almost felt sorry for him.
She didn't feel sorry for his witch of a mom, though.
"Freak? Step off you b-"
"He deserved it." Laura cut in, "He insulted Jubilee that she had no parents and it was because they didn't want her. He made her cry."
"That doesn't give you the right to hurt him!"
"Then maybe you should raise your son better so he doesn't go around bullying people!" Cindy snapped back. An argument was the last thing she needed right now, but she'd be damned if she was going to let some soccer mom talk down to Laura, "I'll admit Laura should've gone to the teacher, but your little brat isn't an angel here either!"
"Oh what do you know? You're not even that little freak's mother!"
Cindy's eyes narrowed dangerously while Laura flinched, "Turn around and walk away."
"What? You-"
"Turn around and Walk. Away."
The woman sputtered a few more garbled sentences before she finally decided that pissing off the woman who toss her down the next few blocks was a bad idea. Cindy grabbed Laura and led her out. She already heard some of the parents whispering behind her. She could see the headlines now: "Avenger threatens concerned mother" or whatever else would get the most papers sold.
Shaking her head, she kept walking till they were stopped again near the school exit, "You're Spinerette, right?" A little girl asked, eyes wide with wonder.
"Ah...yeah." She was always weak to kids. Probably had something to do with having a little brother.
"Cool!" And suddenly she was surrounded by kids, all of them trying to talk over one another. Asking for stories, asking for autographs, asking the things kids always asked when they met their heroes. She didn't know what weirded her out more - the suspicion of the parents or the blind trust of the kids.
"Did you really fight Red Skull?" A little boy asked.
"It was mostly Cap, but I helped."
"Ooh, ooh! What was it like fighting the Skrull Queen?"
"Well that was me and Spider-Woman, but really the entire Initiative helped out there."
One year later and she still wasn't used to this. She wasn't like Gwen or She-Hulk. Sure she made the occasional appearance in some charity shows when they really needed her, but she mostly kept to herself and focused on the work part of hero work. Right now she desperately wished that Gwen was here so she could take her place. She was always the better showwoman between the two of them.
Laura suddenly tugged at her left hand. Cindy looked down and found the little girl looking away, her expression unreadable, "...Okay, kids, we really go." A few of them pouted. Cindy did her utter best not to give in and walked away with Laura in tow, the latter holding onto her hand tightly.
They stopped at a family restaurant nearby. Cindy made sure to put up the hood of her jacket before they got inside; last thing they needed was another crowd. She ordered them some pancakes (Laura's favorite) and they sat in the corner booth.
"...Are you mad?" Laura asked, picking at her pancakes without looking up at her.
"No. I mean I do think that you should've gone to the teacher, but from what you've told me about that kid he was kinda asking for it. Just..." She exhaled slowly, "Laura, people know who you are. You and Kat never hid your faces behind masks."
"We are not Superheroes."
"Heroes aren't the only ones who wear masks." As Jameson and every naysayer was so quick to remind them. They had a point there, "Point is that those kids and their parents know who you are."
"They are scared of me." She didn't sound hurt. More like stating a fact, "They think that I will hurt their children."
"Yes." With Laura being honest was always the best choice. She would argue and snarl and fight back but she always understood.
"...Do I have to leave school?"
"No, definitely not. That'd lead to a lawsuit and I'm pretty sure that guy knows when to cut his losses."
"Good. I didn't want to." She finally looked up to meet her gaze, "I like school. I am not normal, and I don't think I want to be, but being with my friends is...fun. Jubilee thinks my claws are cool and Warren is always excited when he talks to us about his favorite heroes. I will miss them if I have to leave."
"Laura, you need to keep your head down. I know that you were just defending your friend-"
"He made Jubilee cry. I'm not sorry."
"I know you're not. It doesn't change the fact that punching other kids in the face is going to make people antsy." Cindy rubbed her forehead and frowned. She really did take after her dad and Kat, "Sometimes we have to do things we don't like so we can keep doing the things we do like. Do you get me?"
"So...I shouldn't punch bullies?"
"No, you shouldn't punch bullies. You go to the teacher and you tell them. If they don't do anything then scream louder till you can't be ignored."
"What if they hit me first?"
"Oh, then that's fair game. Go for the throat." Hey, just cause she wanted her to follow the rules didn't mean she had to be stupid about it, "All I'm saying is you can't just be like Shadowcat and hit people you don't like. There are rules, and like it or not we have to follow them."
"Do you follow them?"
"Why do you think I'm working as Spider-Cop?" Well, besides believing in Truth, Justice and the American way.
"Mmm..." Laura poked at her pancakes. She still hadn't taken a bite, "That woman...she said you weren't my mother."
"Hey, that's-"
"I understand that you aren't. The only one I share biological ties with is Shadowcat, and only on the paternal side. Dad has Felicity and Gene. But..." She chewed on her lower lip, "I like having a family. Back in the facility it was just me, the machine men and Kinney. Me and Shadowcat argue sometimes, but I still like being here."
"...I spent 10 years trapped in a bunker." Laura blinked up at her and silently urged her to continue. She'd never actually told Laura about her past. Didn't think it mattered, "My family died before I got put in there and I spent 10 years by myself. I know seem like I'm in control a lot of the time, but honestly? I'm scared. Sometimes I wonder if this is just some dream and I'm still stuck down there. Alone."
She'd never admit it to the others, but she still had nightmares sometimes. Being with the others - Pete, Gwen, Lana - helped a lot. Reminded her that she wasn't alone.
"Should I stop calling you mom?"
"No, I'm fine with it. I just...honestly I never thought I'd ever be called that. Haven't thought about kids considering how my life ended up." She took a sip of her coffee and her next words came out slow and measured, "Speaking of kids, how's your new tagalong?"
Laura's eyes widened and she looked like she was about to bolt out of there right that second, "What are you talking about?"
"Just a guess. I heard that Spider-Woman's new family member nearly got stolen a couple of days ago. It's possible the thief took it, but I'm guessing that it's not that simple." She leaned forward, "Is there something you wanna tell me?"
Laura bit her lip and, after a few seconds of silence, a pink, snake-like thing jutted out of her shoulder. Thank god the booth was private, "How did you know?"
"Took a guess. Wasp's actually pretty suspicious of you too. " She set her cup of coffee down, "Considering how Spider-Woman got her own tagalong it wasn't hard to imagine that their kid did the same thing."
"I didn't want the bad man to take me and Laura's really good at fighting! I thought I could help her!" She didn't know if it was cute or creepy that the symbiote sounded exactly like Laura, reverb aside.
"Does Shadowcat know?"
"No, I did not tell her." Laura shook her head, "Chocolate only talked to me after we got home. She told me how she was scared and attached to me in case I needed help."
"And you didn't tell Kat or Wasp because?"
"Because they'd put me back in the box!" Chocolate (seriously, it needed a new name) said, "It's so boring there! I want to explore and be a hero like mom and parent but they're too worried about me!"
"Considering you almost got stolen a couple days ago, I think they have a point."
"But if they put me in the box then someone else will try to take me! With Laura we can defend ourselves!"
"Alright, I can kinda see your point there, but do you have any idea how worried Gwen and her tagalong are?" Chocolate looked away guiltily while Laura rubbed its head, "And you, Laura. I'm surprised that you went along with this."
"She was lonely. I know what it's like to be alone."
"Ugh, tug on the heartstrings, why don't you?" Cindy sighed and leaned back to get a better look at her, "Laura, do you realize what this is? It's not just the kid hitching a ride with you. This relationship is a bond, a permanent one if we don't separate you two. Are you fine with her knowing everything you do, everything you think about?"
"We understand each other. I see her thoughts and she sees mine. She is...happy, and she makes me happy." It nuzzled against her cheek.
"Alright, seriously, you two are gonna give me diabetes." Cindy didn't know whether to laugh or groan, "We can discuss this more later. You two? We're gonna tell Spider-Woman the truth."
"But-"
"You are way too young to be in your rebellious phase! Your mom's been worried sick, especially since Pete went and started playing undercover Spider. We're talking to her tonight and that's final."
"But what if they put me back in the box?"
"She won't if you both convince her why this is the best option for everyone." She pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. Honestly, why was she always the one who got stuck with this? She was busy enough as it was without having to worry about Gwen's kid or Lana's friend on top of it, "Being partners isn't as simple as you two might think. You need as much help as you can and Spider-Woman's the only one who can give it."
Laura chewed on her bottom lip and nodded, "...Fine, we will talk to her."
"Mom and parent are gonna be so mad at me..."
"Definitely. I mean, what do you expect when you disappear without a word? She probably thinks you're being experimented on by some mad scientist or something."
"...I'm sorry for getting in trouble, Laura."
"I'm fine."
"I'm taking another guess here, but did your new friend tell you to punch that kid in the face?"
"No, she told me not to." Well, that didn't go how she thought it would, "She said that we should separate them but try not to hurt anyone unless they hit first. That's what heroes are supposed to do."
"You're supposed to give them a chance to give up unless they're already attacking someone. That's what mom always does!"
"Great, this is more complicated than I thought." Cindy clicked her tongue, "Just finish up your food so we can talk to Spider-Woman. I need a drink..."
ArkT: Went with my dad to watch over sis during PTC and ran into Spinerette -embedded image-
Noisy-Cricket: What the hell was she doing there? Last I checked she didn't have a kid.
ArkT: Dunno, but she was there to pick up some girl named Laura.
WorthingtonLineage: My little brother talks about her all the time. Apparently she's one of the Gifted and she even helped Spider-Woman and the others fight this dimension's Cindy Moon. Little girl with the claws.
ThatGeekyGuy: Yeah my mom's pretty worried about her being there. Thinks that she's a risk to the other kids.
Noisy-Cricket: Helps save the city and people are scared of her. Sounds about right.
usernamesarebullshit: Dude if I had a kid I wouldn't want em near a kid who could shank em in the face if she gets pissed.
Lolrus555: I'm more confused on what the relationship is between her and Spinerette.
ArkT: That Laura kid called her mom but I'm pretty sure they're not related. Girl looks pretty caucasian to me.
HahaHoho: Shame, thought Spinerette could add MILF to her list of accomplishments.
Spinerette: I will find you and I will hurt you.
HahaHoho: Promise? ;)
I debated on whether I should've had Laura and Chocolate's first meeting be written down or gloss over it. I decided on the latter since I already did Gwen and MJ's meetings and Laura's would've just been a repeat of Gwen's. I'll write it later if you guys want it but so far I'm fine with this.
Anyway, Noir's currently in the brainwashing facility while Cindy's dealing with her kid and Gwen's kid having a pow-wow. Next chapter will be the Roxxon date and the talk with Laura about her new partnership.
Questions:
1. Do you guys want to have filler/character driven chapters again? While I did get some complaints about how V1 was unfocused others liked those chapters as well due to the focus on character interactions over antagonists. There are some cut arcs I could include here like Kraven (Noir and Punisher focus), Tombstone (MJ, Noir and Norah focus), Morbius (Gwen, Jessica and Wasp focus), Hellfire Club/Emma Frost (Male Defenders focus), Gang War (Defenders and Avengers team up) etc etc.
There are also some not so serious segments I could put in, particularly a Guys Night Out chapter where Iron Fist drags Moon Knight, Noir and Matt to a bar in his attempt to make them all bond as a team. It fails. Badly. I could also do some ESU focus segments with Noir attending classes and dealing with the curriculum and the insanity of college life.
2. If you guys could change the characterization of a single character here, who and how would it be?
3. Seems like Matt/MJ is the winner of the last poll. Wonder if you guys expect this to legitimately work out in the end or you're just voting for the biggest trainwreck.
Review Answers:
Brave2000 - MJ's pairing poll has Matt with a severe lead, so I'm guessing its him.
Titan616 - Not all of Lana's friends are combat capable. Gabriel's a stealth specialist, Sue definitely can't fight and Aracely's combat skills fluctuate due to her powers. As for Cindy, yeah, she deals with a lot of crap considering what she's been through.
Mrxdeathx808 - Having MJ continuously pine over Peter/Gwen can only go so far. Eventually she does have to move on.
Mista - Yeah, Peter/Gwen was definitely just due to fan demand. I would've gone for Peter/Norah otherwise.
Cyclopz - Thanks :)
