Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Ultimate Spider-Man.
A/N: Remember to vote in the poll if you haven't!
Beta: Chaos-PSD.
Chapter LXI: Echoes.
Last Time.
"We've set up surveillance for potential heroes. You don't have to watch Flash or these heroes. S.H.I.E.L.D.'S keeping tabs." Fury said as Naruto looked over.
"We can do more. Train them, keep them on the path before Taskmaster or whoever gets them first… Make them agents like my Team."
"That was a one-time thing." Fury said, walking away. "S.H.I.E.L.D.'s not set up to take in everyone with power."
"I'm not going to stand by and let them get hurt, or for someone else to get to them first." Naruto turned, missing a glitch on the screen as Taskmaster appeared for a split second.
"OK, I'll provide the info, and you and Spider-Man recruit them." Fury said as Naruto raised an eyebrow under his mask. "You will need help and the others are on a mission for us at the moment."
Naruto nodded before he walked back to Venom's cell and opened it. "You still want training?"
"Agent Venom reporting for duty!"
"Welcome to hell then. Now I gotta get your teammates." Naruto said bringing up the pictures and focused on the one he was going to first and tapped the picture.
Now.
New York.
In a theater, a Native American teen girl was playing the piano on the stage in a black suit with her long black hair free showing gold earrings on her ears. She closed her eyes as she hit the keys hard.
That's why I hit the keys so hard. I just feel the vibration. The physical echo. When my father died, his business partner sent me to an expensive school. It was for children with learning disabilities. One day a man played the piano for us. I was fascinated by the complex dance of his fingers on the keys.
The teen remembered as a little girl she put her hands on a piano that a man was playing.
I walked right up to the piano and put my hands on it. I could feel the rhythm of his hands. I was used to discerning communication with my eyes. I had never felt anything so direct. It penetrated the barrier of isolation. I concentrated on the pianist's finger movements. I climbed on the bench and duplicated the entire hand play exactly. After that, I was put in another expensive school, for prodigies.
She finished her song to applause before she stood up and bowed. "Thank you!"
They say I can recreate any complex action that my eyes record. That's why my speech isn't slurred. I read lips, I can perceive and replicate even the most minute muscle intonations. For tonight's performance, I watched videotapes of Liberace… He has nice costumes. Mouth's open hands clapping. I feel the echo of the audience like one unified vibration.
Except, as usual, for one member of the audience. Whose hands draw my attention to their own distinct echo, by their sheer mass and force.
The teen then looked to see a bald Caucasian man towering over most of the people and has the weight of over two average men. He's wearing a dark suit with a lapel and striped tie.
A Couple Of Days Later, Stadium.
The girl was in a boxing ring with a purple tank top, boxing shorts, boots, and gloves while holding them up in front of a man that was twice her size in red boxing gear.
My name is Maya Lopez. This is just exercise. I watched tape after tape before training for this fight. I record an arsenal of combinations. I mix and match in the ring just like in the gym.
Maya then threw a left hook at the man.
I can reproduce the moves and skills but only with the force that my own frame will allow. So I stick with the lighter fighters. I do Leonard's footwork.
She bobbed on her feet before punching with her left again.
I sneak an Ali jab. And end it with a De La Hoya Finish.
She punched the man with her right, knocking him on his back. "And the winner, Maya 'Crazyhorse' Lopez!" The ring announcer yelled out into a microphone.
It takes a whole room full of people yelling and clapping to make the echo feel really good. That's why I love an audience. It breaks the isolation I normally feel… Like the first time, the piano vibrated against my heart. My other love is theater. Before I dance I watch Gene Kelly movies. I do performances at the playhouse every other weekend, And my number one fan will be there as well.
Morning.
Maya walked across the street, still in her boxing boots but now wearing a purple dress and gloves.
And missed the cars that crashed behind her after she closed her eyes. "Hey watch out! What are you, deaf?!"
She then opened them to see a basketball rolling to her before tossing it over the fence that was several feet from her. And had it go in the net of the basket.
Down the street, Naruto was in a bookstore reading on a leather chair before hearing the bell ring announcing someone walked inside.
"Are you open?"
Naruto looked up to see Maya. "Yeah, though I don't work here."
"OK, I didn't know, I'm deaf so I didn't call to make sure. I haven't unlocked the secrets of the telephone. I tried online, but the Internet's out, and I couldn't wait."
"Alright." Naruto stood up as Maya looked to see a piano behind him.
"An old Baldwin!"
"Uh, yeah, I don't think the owner wants-!"
Naruto stopped as she walked past him, sat down, and started playing the piano. 'She's deaf? She's playing in a way only professionals do.'
"This one key broke," Maya said, hitting one key and had nothing come out.
"I think it's only for decoration," Naruto said before she stood and handed him a flier.
"I have a performance at N.Y.U. Tomorrow, stop by." She said before leaving as Naruto looked at the paper.
Maya Lopez.
"Isn't that one of the chicks that popped up in Fury's file?"
Naruto heard Kurama in his head before blinking. "Son of a bi-!"
Dance Studio.
Later that day, Maya in a purple leotard and ballet slippers flawlessly followed a routine she was watching on a small TV.
The world is on mute like the rest of the world... The best and most beautiful things in the world… Cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. It is a quote by Helen Keller… The idea is the basis for a ballet that I have composed.
"Practicing for tonight's performance?"
Fisk asked as he walked in when Maya turned to the door.
"Yeah, I didn't expect you to drop by personally. I just left you a message…"
"There was something I needed to tell you," Fisk said walking up.
"I need you to do me a favor," Maya spoke as she finished her routine.
"I never refused you anything."
"Tell me again about my father." She asked as Fisk closed his eyes.
"He was a good friend. He was my best friend turned business partner. He said they called him 'Crazy Horse' because he was Cheyenne. I think it was because he was crazy. He didn't meet your mom until he came to New York."
"I know you don't like to talk about it, and I've never pressed you on this subject but…" Maya trailed off before taking a breath. "Do you know who killed him?"
"Yes." Fisk who had walked to the mirrored wall and placed a hand on it replied. "12 years ago. It was one of my enemies… He was going to kill me but your father took the bullet. He is called… Shinobi!"
"What?"
"He hid out of the public eye at first before the Avengers formed." Fisk continued handing her a large envelope that she opened. And saw black and white pictures of a man dressed like Shinobi stealing from a safe, and putting a pistol in it.
"Earlier today, he broke into my office. He stole the money out of my safe. I had a camera taking pictures. See the one where he's holding the gun? That's your father's gun. I gave it to him for his 25th birthday. It's the gun Shinobi used to kill your father." Fisk then pulled a gold pistol from his shirt and held it out. "It was never found at the scene. But he left it as a sign. So I'd know who did it."
Later, Maya was on the floor with the pictures, the gun, and a DVD.
He said he's worried that Shinobi will come for him… Or even me. He said he needed to tell me the truth in case he's killed. He told me to keep the gun… In memory of my father. He left tapes of Daredevil fighting bullseye on some TV show. He said other things before he left. But I stopped looking at his lips. I felt only the echo of the past… The weight of the gun.
She then turned the TV off and saw her reflection on the screen.
I turn the TV off and just stare at the screen. I remember being in the ambulance with my father… He puts his hand to my face… The line on his screen goes flat… His hand falls lifeless… And leaves me with only his echo.
Night, Theater
Maya on stage laid on her back making shadow puppets wearing only a white tank top and short shorts. She then made a dog shadow on the back wall.
I had a play written. A dance in three acts. It was about life, love, man, God, nature, and the universe. Stuff like that. I scraped it. A new one writes itself. I don't put my name on the pamphlet pr headline. Only the title… Echo. It's a retelling of an old Native American tale my father used to tell me. He used it to teach me sign language. He made hand shadows to illustrate all the characters.
She then made another one of a dog, then a rabbit, and an eagle before getting up in a crouch and wrapped her right arm around her legs and held up her left to make a devil.
A devil kills a tribal shaman for his shadow.
Maya then turned to the audience with her right hand on her face to show blue and gold lines on her thumb leading to her forefinger and matched it to under her eye on the fore and middle finger there were gold and blue lines as well as a white eye that was in front of her left eye. And on the back of her hand, are two blue dots for a nose and a frown in the form of blue lines and white sharp teeth.
But before the shaman dies… He leaves his mark on the littlest Brave. The burning shaman… The little Brave learns the devil's medicine. She also becomes a shadow.
She brought her hand down revealing a white handprint on her face. Maya then stood up and started wrapping her hand in black hand tape.
I start by taping up my hands as I would before putting on my gloves. But I don't stop there. My whole body is a weapon.
She not only wraps up both her arms but has one around her stomach, waist, and right calf. She then turns her back to the audience, makes the devil again then brings her right hand up.
As the shaman captures the devil. The devil begs for mercy. But she doesn't hear him. Because she is just an echo.
She had her right hand eat the devil shadow, threw her arms up then fell to the floor facing the audience.
When I'm finished, the people are clapping. Of course, I don't hear this. I just see all the hands hitting each other. I feel the echo. The vibration on my body. Like war drums. I realize this play was just practice. Tomorrow I will again wrap myself in the echoes of the past. But the gun will be taped to my bosom… Cold against my skin… Heavy against my heart… I'm just a part… Of a lost art. Tomorrow I will kill Shinobi.
The curtains close on Maya, having the audience stand as they clap.
Fisk Tower.
On the top floor, Wilson looked at the orange in the sky from the sunset, hand on the glass. Twelve years ago…" He trailed off remembering shooting Willie after he messed up and promised to take care of his daughter. "They grow up so fast."
Morning.
Maya was standing up doing curls wearing a baggy sweatshirt, white shorts, and blue and orange tennis shoes.
She had a pen in her mouth as she watched a man in a red costume with horns battling a man in blue with a target on the forehead. The man in blue skillfully threw cards and other objects, having them get pinned to walls.
I watch other tapes too. Most of them are about revenge and righting wrongs. I don't really pay attention to the story. I soak in the actions… The mechanics of movement… The body's geometry of motion. I have a knack for this. I absorb an arsenal of actions… So when I need to…
She then tossed the pen mirroring the man on the video, having it hit a picture of Shinobi and embedding it in the wall.
I can duplicate them… With the same accuracy.
Later that day, Maya saw Naruto at her recital before stopping him as he left to hang out. They went to a restaurant and sat outside, her wearing a sweater vest, white skirt, and fur thigh-high boots. After talking, she got in a cab as Naruto turned to walk home.
"Well?"
"She seems like she'll be a good addition to the team… I'll find her when she's out and about as a Shinobi tomorrow."
Later that night, Shinobi was patrolling looking down from a rooftop before being hit in the head by a billy club. "OW!"
Stumbling back, Naruto saw the club had bounced off him into the hands of Maya who was wearing her costume with tight black jeans, another club taped to her left thigh, a gold gun taped to her chest, and was tossing shurikens up in the air and catching them.
"Hello, villain. I have a performance for you." She threw the stars at him, having Naruto jump back to avoid them. "And you're the star!"
Naruto jumped at Maya before being grabbed as she fell to her back and flipped him into a brick wall. He sat up and caught the club before the second was thrown. Catching that one as well, Naruto jumped off the roof, turned, and threw the clubs down before he was kicked when landing on the bottom building. He leaned back from a punch before being kicked off the roof.
He twists and grabs a swing set to flip on the ground as Maya mirrored him. Dropping down, Naruto hit her with a shock bullet before walking over. "Are you OK?" He asked only for her to recover and uppercut him. Falling on his butt, he looked up to see the barrel of a gun. "Shit."
"Recognize this gun, punk?! It's the one you used to kill my father!"
Naruto heard clapping as a bunch of teens walked over saying they had only seen Maya's moves in old Jackie Chan and Jet Li movies. "(Sigh) Bad day." Naruto sighed as Maya ran off, not wanting witnesses.
Morning.
"I can't believe you're still renting movies."
Naruto said to an elderly woman at a counter of a movie store.
"Bah, those Blue-Boxes are just a fad! You can only keep it for one day or you have to pay again, and they get movies later than places that just sell them. Plus I tried one the other day, nothing but a piece of paper in it shaped like the disk of the movie I wanted."
"Do you have any old Jackie Chan movies?"
"Nope, some girl rented them out last week. Oh, there she is."
"Uh, never mind!" Naruto said running to hide behind a wall of DVDs and Blu-Rays.
Maya wearing blue jeans and a black shirt walked in and re-rented several of the movies she didn't have time to watch before leaving.
Later that Night, Shinobi was standing at the edge of a roof before feeling something soft pressed on his back as two arms wrapped around him.
"You've been busy."
Naruto looked over his shoulder at Black Widow who leaned her head on his shoulder. "I've been thinking a lot… There's a lot on my mind."
"It's a woman, isn't it?"
"One of the ones that Fury told me about. I just don't know why she has a trigger pointed…" Naruto trailed off as he turned and saw a glint several buildings away.
Widow was hit with a dart, having Naruto grab her and flash away. Up ahead, the moon shined down revealing Maya with a sniper rifle with a silencer on it.
Naruto flashed in the Tri-Carrier as Widow stirred before a screen came up showing a crude S burning at the abandoned park he fought Maya in. Naruto then ran out of a window and made his way back to see Maya sitting on a swing. They then started fighting, the fire hitting her jeans before she put the flame out showing holes on her left pants leg. They fought towards a building and crashed through the large window tearing his mask at the mouth and left cheek, and the right side of her shirt revealing the side of her breast.
"I know you killed my father! Fisk showed me the photos of you with the gun!"
"He's a damn liar!"
Bang-Bang-Bang!
She shot at him, having Naruto jump up, wrap his arms around her after knocking the gun away, and bring them down with him on top of her. "Whisker marks… Naruto?!"
"Finally listening?" Naruto groaned out before pulling a small shard of glass off his arm. "Yeah, Shinobi couldn't have killed your father. Not only would I have been like six or seven, but I didn't come here until like three years ago."
"Naruto… I don't… You're Shinobi?"
"Yep, I've been trying to talk to you as Shinobi to ask you-!" He stopped as she got up and ran off. "Maya, wait!"
"Must be that Uzumaki charm," Kurama said. "I'm surprised the others didn't run off."
"Shut it!"
Naruto got up and took care of the fire before running after Maya. He found her walking out of an old gym sans gun. "Look, Maya, I've been looking to talk to you about joining my team."
"Team?"
"Yeah, I'm training teenage heroes and I want you to join."
Maya looked down at that. "I… I don't know."
Naruto placed a hand on her shoulder having her lookup. "Hey, you got my approval."
"… Alright."
"Good!" Naruto grinned at that before walking away with Maya.
To Be Continued.
A/N: Thanks for reading and let me know of any mistakes.
Beta: Chaos-PSD.
Remember to vote in the poll if you haven't!
OK as you can see, we brought in a new hero... That's mainly because, not being a comic buff at the time, this was my first introduction to Echo and after looking her up when the previous ep premiered I was looking forward to seeing her join. And then she didn't. Don't know why unless it was a copyright thing. But the Avengers show had that kid who was the son of a villain and at the end of that episode, had him go with SHIELD to be part of the teen hero program (Hawkeye brought that up) and he didn't show up in this show.
Same for Kamala, seeing her in Assemble I was thinking they were going to have her join in at least from time to time... For a franchise that has the movies cross all the time, these shows that at the time were arguably at the height of the films, rarely did. Avengers only showed up at the start of s3, then again at the end and at the end of s4 (Not counting the dimension episodes or the dream episode.) Spider-man only showed up twice in Assemble, and Hulk's show only an ep or two, same for the other way around.
Next to be updated will be The Maelstrom Jedi
Nothing else to say.
Talk To You Later,
Lone Wolf Out.🐺