Reticence Saga

Severed Web

Chapter 3: Campus Zoo

Lady NegaMorph walked into where she had her subject locked up, wearing earmuffs just in case. "Time for a top up...your last one," she said, holding the injector gun. The subject slammed against the side of the cage, making it rock. "Still full of spirit. Good, you'll put it to good use," said Lady NegaMorph.

A clawed hand swiped at her. "You turned me into a monster!" screamed the voice on the other side, the air rippling a little.

"And as monsters go, you're on the tame side," said Lady NegaMorph, "I would have waited until I had something more suitable, but you just had to push it, didn't you?"

"Fuck you..." snapped the creature, Lady Nega looking unimpressed, before getting a key for the door.

"Fine...you're free to go. I guess I'll use your sister instead," she said, the figure pausing. "Oh, I know you're a packaged pair. Couldn't come to New York without her, could you?" asked Lady Nega.

"Was...visiting her..." said the creature.

Lady NegaMorph smirked. "Take the final shot or she's your replacement," she said.

"Can't...trust you..." growled the creature.

"Do you really have much of a choice in the matter?" asked Lady Nega.

There was a pause before an arm that seemed to be hybridized with a black feathered wing shot out, Lady Nega injecting the last part. "Very good. Now, I think it's only fair, before you forget who you were, when I said I wasn't going to take your sister...I lied," she said.

There was a piercing shriek as the creature battered against the door of the cage. The creature began to shake, clutching its head, falling to its knees before going still. "Get up...say your name for your mistress," ordered Lady Nega.

The creature slowly stood up and said, "I...am...Falcore..."

"Not the most original name, but it'll do for now. Now, if you play nice, go meet Gary," said Lady Nega, before her mobile rang, "Oh...I thought you'd call back...I think you'll like this technology..."


"What do you mean I can't come?" said Matt.

Chloe snapped, "To a Hulkbuster base; a gun nutter's fondest dream...and not steal something. No, you aren't coming. Me, Kala and Chris can handle this," before sighing and adding "It's just an experiment hunt...and the pods are already there..."

"I still don't get how a pair of experiment pods could have ended up there of all places," said Kala.

"Well...have fun. Don't fall in the gamma juice," said Matt.

"We'll bring you back a souvenir," said Chloe as she, Chris, and Kala walked off. Matt grinned until she added, "That won't go boom."

Matt sighed, waving to them as they got on the transport before sensing Silvana. "It's not fair. Just cause I can't look human I gotta stay here," she sulked.

"Yeah, sorry your holo-cloak can't configure to you," said Matt, "I still can't understand why."

"Well, maybe we can go out as our superhero personas and have some fun?" said Silvana innocently.

"That's...not a bad idea," said Matt.

"Great. It'd be nice to get out of here," said Silvana, before frowning, two SHIELD agents walking towards them.

"Lazard, Director Fury wants to see you," said one of them.

"I have got to get a better codename," grumbled Matt.


"Lynch, you say your name's Matthew..." said Fury.

Matt rolled his eyes. "Yes..." he said.

Fury said, "You sure?" turning his screen to show a police report for a missing person...with his face on it.

Matt blinked and said, "Ok, very funny. I'm sure you haze all the people who come from another dimension like this."

"This was filed last month. You apparently vanished after leaving your hotel," said Fury.

"Yeah, but I only just got here," said Matt with a nervous chuckle.

"Or the version of you that lives in this dimension," said Fury.

"You know about alternates?" asked Matt, gobsmacked.

"This ain't my first rodeo, kid," said Fury.

Matt sighed. "I thought Parker was joking," he said to himself, before he paled, "I don't travel alone for no reason. Where's my sister?"

"Currently enrolled in Empire State," said Fury.

Matt paused, "You know who took me...don't you?"

"Not precisely," said Fury, "Lots of mad scientists, in organizations or solo, who would want to kidnap someone who won't be missed for their experiments."

"Megan...is she on there?" said Matt.

"Not nearly as high as you would think," said Fury, showing a list of potential suspects.

"She's after me. Was there any witnesses?" said Matt, glaring at Lady NegaMorph's name.

"Just one, but he...wasn't considerable particularly reliable," said Fury.

"Who? I want to talk to him," snapped Matt

"Trust me, you don't want to," said Fury, "All he said was that he saw, er, you fall into a shadow and not come out."

"Tell...me...where..." snarled Matt.

"Listen, you do not want to go anywhere near Deadpool," said Fury.

"Never heard of him," said Matt

"You'll want to keep it that way," said Fury.

"I can handle him. Tell me where," said Matt


The bar in question was basically a mercenary hangout, as well as for B list villains who were also mercs...so hardly anyone blinked when the door exploded inwards. "New guy pays for the door," said the barman in a bored tone, sliding a drink to a man in a red and black full body suit before looking up to see the new hero, Lazard walk in, his eyes glowing.

"Which one's Deadpool?" snarled Lazard.

The barkeep looked at the suited man. "Wade, we've told you 100 times, if you have to piss off villains, don't lead em here."

"Never seen him before. Must be one of my adoring fans. Or one of thousands of people I had wronged but I never noticed because I was too busy being awesome. In either case..." Wade spun to face Lazard, "Wassup?"

Lazard's reaction was to grab him by the neck and lift him up. "Lynch, the kid that vanished, what did you see and I'll leave you with intact bones?" he snarled.

"Not ringing any bells," said Deadpool.

Lazard glared, before slamming Deadpool's head into the bar, hearing a click and turning his head to see the rest of the clientele aiming at him. "Really?" he said, raising a plasma shield as they fired, the bullets incinerating in the shield.

"Dude, you gotta give me more to work with. I've seen lots of people disappear. Did he get hit with a heat ray and turn into ash 'disappear'?" asked Deadpool.

"You told Fury he fell into his own shadow," snarled Lazard before saying, "Now if you don't want to be ashes, you'll tell me or I'll begin your incineration with little Deadpool."

"Oh, that guy. Well, just for you, we're gonna do this flashback style," said Deadpool.

"I'm sorry wh-" said Lazard...


...before they were in an alley, a few dozen ninja's out cold...and another Deadpool standing over them. "I...I..." said Matt/Lazard, his brain blowing a fuse.

"Now let's see, where was I?" asked Deadpool, "I just beaten my weekly band of ninjas..."

One of the ninjas groaned to past Deadpool. "Why are you even attacking us? We can't even remember what we did to earn your anger."

Past Deadpool saying, "You did...erm...er...YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID."

"Ok, moving on. I think I had a pair of cheerleaders with me," said Deadpool. A cheerleader suddenly appeared on each arm. "No, no, wait. They were bikini supermodels," said Deadpool. The cheerleader uniforms were replaced with bikinis.

Matt glared at that. "This is getting from memory to fantasy. CONCENTRATE!" he snarled.

"Ok, ok. Party pooper," said Deadpool, the two babes disappearing.

The past Deadpool looked around at that as a worried-looking Matt walked into the alley, looking behind him, before his shadow seemed to split into two, one separating away. "Oh Megan...no..." muttered Lazard, the new shadow turning into tendrils and grabbed Matt by the foot.

Matt yelled, "Hey...heeelp!" at past Deadpool, Lazard turning to glare at his Deadpool.

"And you didn't do anything to help?" snapped Lazard.

"Hey, if he said, 'I'll pay you', I totally would have helped," said Deadpool, "But then he probably wouldn't have been able to afford to cover my evil magic policy."

Lazard snarled before he grinned evilly. "Ok, thank you for your cooperation...and I'm gonna give you exactly what you deserve," he said evilly.

"Except you already left," said Deadpool.

"Huh?" asked Lazard.


Lazard blinked to suddenly find himself outside the bar. "See you in my chapter," said Deadpool before slamming the door shut.

Lazard glared before firing a plasma orb through the door. "What the hell did he mean about a chapter?" he muttered, taking off.


"The new bar's coming out your tab." said the barman, somehow intact.

"Eh, you know I'm good for it," said Deadpool, taking a long drink. He felt a dampness on his lap and said, "Oh, right. Drinking doesn't work when you have a hole through your stomach."


Matt landed via a window, a small agreement he'd managed to get, if only for Silvana. "It was Megan," he said to her.

"What would she want with your other self?" asked Silvana.

"No idea...but that might mean she wants my sister's alternate next," said Matt gloomily.

"Then perhaps we should keep an eye on her," said Silvana.

Matt paused, before saying, "I love it." hugging a surprised Silvana.

"You're welcome?" asked Silvana.

"Let's go ask," said Matt.


However, it wasn't going to be as easy as they thought. For starters, that scene at the bar meant Fury wasn't about to let them go out without an escort.

"So...MJ...you ok with this? We could be going up against a supervillainess," said Matt.

"I was willing to go to an interview with J. Jonah Jameson when the Beetle was trying to quiet him with a missile," said Mary Jane Watson, "It takes a lot to rattle me."

"Cool...cool...just when the shadows start trying to eat me, hide," said Matt, slapping the side of his head, his nanites giving error messages on scans.


Silvana wished she could enter the human university, but her dragoness form still couldn't be hidden. She thought Matt was safe enough with Mary Jane, but there was something about her that didn't quite smell human.

"Ok...look out...look out," she said to herself, looking around and sighing. The others got to go down there...why couldn't she?

She twitched at that, her eyesight blurring as her body rippled, before turning back into the human form she'd had back when she'd woke. Silvana looked at herself with surprise. She had been trying to access her human form for a while, but hadn't succeeded until now. Was she not thinking right? Well, it meant she could walk amongst humans without drawing attention. Well, except for the fact that she was wearing armor right now.

"Activating...scanning local clothing...activating," said a voice, her armor flickering till it looked like teenage clothing.

"Oh, that looks better," said Silvana.

She looked down before saying to herself "Just wish it had activated on the ground..."


"Ok, Chloe's on a photograph course, exchange program," said Matt to MJ, the two walking through the university grounds.

"You do realize that you can't just walk right up to her, right?" asked Mary Jane.

"Why not?" asked Matt.

"Because she's the sister of the other you...and he's still missing," said MJ.

Matt paused before sighing. "Let's see...ah...holocloak," he said, hitting a button and his features altering slightly. "Ta da," he said.

"Handy," said MJ.

"Best NSC creds can buy," said Matt with a sigh, looking to see what was technically his sister, coming out of a class. "I wonder if my sis hates me? It was my fault...touched an artifact I shouldn't have and we both got sucked into this life," he said a little gloomily.

"I don't know her so well, but from what I've heard her say, she seems to enjoy her life more than hate it," said MJ.

"Yeah...but that, right there, it's the life she shoulda had, a normal one," said Matt with a sigh, adding, "Not having DNA more twisted up than spaghetti and getting all-over bad hair nights every month." He didn't even want to mention the multiple times Chloe's identity had been taken from her. "Still...nice to see one version's ok," he said with a sigh.

"Let's try to keep it that way," said MJ.

"Yeah..." said Matt.

Chloe, the native version, walked up, "Hey, not seen you two before."

Matt gulped before smiling, "Hey, my name's...erm...Drake. This is MJ. We just transferred here."

"Well, not yet," said MJ, "But we're considering it right now. We're going to be touring the campus for a while."

"Cool...wait, I know you. From that venom thing a few weeks ago. You helped people get clear," said Chloe cheerfully.

"Carnage, actually," said MJ, "I was telling people where they had to go to get to safety."

"Yeah, saved alot of people," said Chloe cheerfully, before passing them a newsletter each. "Hope I see you two in my class," she said happily.

Matt glanced at the newsletter, expecting to see announcements about upcoming dances, how the sports teams had done in the last game. He was a bit surprised to read about monster sightings on campus.

"MJ?" he said slowly, showing her the line before reading it quietly. "Monsters on campus, what people are calling the trio have been sighted again, terrorizing campus," he said.

Mary Jane looked at the newsletter, "A ferret, a blue jay, and a barracuda?"

"Yeah, splicer tech if ever there was. Megan's been busy," said Matt darkly.

"Would have thought she'd go for something bigger or more threatening," said MJ.

"Eh, she's just getting started," said Matt, "And there are probably other supers with animal themes to consider." He paused, before saying "Plus these three can still do damage. They won't be feral."

Then a yell was hear, the two turning to see a student being pushed into a locker. "One moment," said Matt, walking up behind the pusher, putting a hand on his shoulder and pushing down. "Hey...there a problem here?" he said with mock cheerfulness as the bully's knees barely managed to resist.

"Who are you?" asked the bully.

"Drake...and I dunno how you Yanks do things but in England, people don't go in lockers," said Matt with a disarming smile. "Well, at least not standing lockers. We stuff people into foot lockers and we forget all about them," said Matt, his voice getting creepier as he went.

The bully looked at him before beginning to laugh, till Matt increased the pressure. Matt whispered, "I also know how to make your life a living hell without even touching you...so go shake someone down for lunch money somewhere else."

"Right... Let me show ya how we greet Redcoats in New York," said the bully.

"Redcoats? Really? That's the best you could-" started Matt before the bully punched him in the gut.

Matt blinked, having not felt a thing. A bonus of being a Shar-Khan. It took a little more to hurt you. The bully himself looked confused, rubbing his fist before punching again, Matt remembering and saying a little bored, "Ow..." doubling over.

"Ha, don't mess with New York City, or we'll throw you into the harbor like your overpriced tea," said the bully.

"That's Boston, you nitwit," snapped Matt.

The bully just walked off, Matt glaring before he and MJ helped pick up the student's papers. "You ok?" he said, the student glaring.

"I don't need your pity," said the student.

MJ looked surprised, saying, "M...Drake was only trying to help."

Matt nodded, "I hate bullies."

The student smirked, "He and his pals'll get theirs."

"Oh boy, I've heard that kind of talk before," said Matt.

"Oh?" said MJ.

Matt nodded. "Usually on the holovids...multiverse's most wanted," he said.

"From what I heard, Alex O'Hirn started out the same way," said MJ.

"Who?" asked Matt.

"The Rhino," said MJ.

"Oh no...we can warn Fury once I'm happy this version of my sister is safe," said Matt.


The student Matt had helped finally reached where he had been headed, the dorms, a girl with blond and blue hair spotting him. "Alan...you ok?" she said.

"Just some new guy sticking his nose where it doesn't belong," said Alan.

"Heh...maybe we should get them too," said Sara.

Alan said, "Just the Brit. Mary Jane Watson was there. We leave her alone."

"Huh, she's gonna join our school?" asked another guy, who looked Latino with a finlike Mohawk.

"It will be our school by the time she joins," said Alan.

"That's if the lady gives us more. We still need to test the next mix," said Sara.

"When's it gonna get here?" asked the Latino guy.

The window into their dorm opened at that. An anthro peregrine in obsidian torso armor climbed through holding a box. He said coldly, "Ask and you shall receive. Lady NegaMorph asked me to inquire why you have not paid her yet."

"Uh, we're good for it, really," said Alan.

"Then why isn't there any money coming back?" asked the falcon.

"I need to be careful. If my dad finds out..." said Alan.

The falcon smirked. "Then I'll look after these till you pay," he said, lifting the box back up, the fin-haired one picking up a baseball bat, before the falcon made a sweeping arc with his wing arm, a whistle heard and the top of the bat falling off in a neat slash. "And when my mistress hears about that, it'll double," he said

"Uh...how much is she paying you?" asked Sara.

"I don't need pay. I serve her of my own will," said Falcore coldly.

"I bet she forces you to catch your own food," said Sara.

"Of course not. Last night was pizza night," said Falcore.

"Maybe you could use a snack for the road," said Sara, "You like tuna?"

Falcore paused, before saying "I think so..." in an uncertain voice.

Sara said, "One sec." running into a side room and coming back with a wrapped sandwich.

"I really shouldn't..." said Falcore.

"Oh, you're not gonna lose your figure because of one sandwich," said Sara.

Falcore shrugged, before taking a bite, before his eye twitched, tasting a sour taste. "You witch," he snarled, readying an air blade, before falling on his face.

"What did you put in that?" asked Alan.

"Sleeping pills," said Sara.

"Uh, he's not gonna OD, is he?" asked the fin-haired kid.

"Oh, stop your grousing, Zack," said Alan.

"He'll be fine. I only put one pill's worth in. We keep him tied up and we can phone SHIELD in the morning. We'll get a reward and we can still do our plan," said Sara.

"We should use those serums now," said Alan, "Those bullies have a lot to answer for."

"Yeah...perfect test run..." said Alan, walking over to the mini-fridge and opening it, showing three vials behind them. "Ready for another round?" he said, popping the top off one

"When was the last time you used one?" asked Zack.

"It's fine as long as you don't down it all," said Alan, throwing Zack another vial. "Remember, one sip," he said, tossing the last one to Sara, who had finished tying Falcore up.

"Let's make this fast," said Sara, "I don't wanna be near here when this guy's boss shows up."

"So? I could get some animal tranqs from the science wing. We could keep the idiot under till we finish," said Zack, struggling with his vial's top.

"Let's just make those jerks pay," said Alan before he drank from his vial.


Meanwhile, Matt and Mary Jane were snooping around. "How do you know where to look?" asked Matt.

"I'm a reporter, well, a reporter-in-training. I've got instincts," said Mary Jane.

"Say, I've been meaning to ask, why did Fury partner us up with you to watch us?" asked Matt.

"Well...I just know a few tricks," said MJ.

Matt raised an eyebrow, before his ears pricked. "Janitor," he hissed, transforming to anthro, grabbing MJ and flying up silently to the rafters.

"We shouldn't have to worry about them," said MJ, "They can't be as sharp as Stan."

Matt made a 'shhh' as the campus cop walked past under them and round a corner. "Ok...clear," he said, flying down and turning back. "Ok, we should be fine," said Matt.

"Some keep quiet and don't use any lights," said Mary Jane.

"I'll hear them easy," said Matt.

With that, he continued walking down the corridor and right into Chloe. Chloe blinked looking at him before she backed up. "You...you're from the news," she said, sounding worried in a tone that caused Matts heart to sink.

"Uh, you know that DBC is biased right?" asked Matt, "They're as untrustworthy as Fox."

"You blew up half a street," spat Chloe, backing up more.

"I can explain that," said Matt.

"Can you?" said Chloe, Matt's eyes noticing her reaching for a phone, it only taking a simple plasma spark to short its screen out secretly.

"Look, this is gonna be very complicated, but the first thing you need to know is that I'm trying to protect you," said Matt.

"From who? The boogey man?" snapped Chloe, before there was a scream from the running field.

Matt said, "That for a start." before he flew up and out.


Darren smirked to himself as he practiced on the football field. It had been a good day. Alan had been put in his place and so had that weird Brit.

"Hey, let's hurry up," said another jock, "It's getting darker."

"I'll be fine. I'll be in once I finish up," Darren called, the others rolling their eyes and walking away. Darren picked up the ball, deciding to finish with a final kick. However, a blue blur slashed the ball apart in midair.

"Oh no, it's those monsters again," said the other jock.

"Yeah, Darren, it's us," said a voice behind him, Darren turning to face a ferret creature in ragged clothing.

Darren covered his nose and yelled, "Ah! That smell! How can you stand it?!"

"The real question is how can I stand you pushing people around like they're nothing," growled the ferret creature, "The answer: no longer."

A blue jay anthro landed beside the ferret at that. "You act like a big ape. Maybe we should make you one?" she said, holding up an injector gun with a barely full vial in it.

"Keep away from me," said Darren, backing up.

He was grabbed from behind at that, Darren turning slow to show a scaly...something with a mouth full of sharp teeth before he felt a sting in his shoulder. "Look on the bright side: apes and humans are closely related. Maybe you'll keep what little brainpower you have," sneered the barracuda monster.

The three backed off as Darren began to shake. The trio laughed at Darren's pain before they heard something land behind them. "You know, as much as the jerk deserves punishment, I think warping his DNA is over the line," said Lazard.

The three turned before grinning. "Cool," said the barracuda.

"Uh, cool?" asked Lazard a little uncertainly.

"You're, like, our inspiration. For dealing with assholes like Darren," said the barracuda.

The ferret said, "Z...stop it."

"Uh, am I?" asked Lazard.

"Yeah, beating jerks up for beating us up. That's what you totally do," said the barracuda.

"Er, there are better ways of dealing with bullies," said Lazard, internally wondering if he was really that bad an influence.

"Yeah, we shoulda given him a permanent dose," said the blue jay, reloading the injector.

Lazard blasted it apart. "That's enough. This shit...gene tech's not a toy!" he snapped.

"You sound just like the rest," said the blue jay with disappointment.

"This stuff can be deadly. I'm gonna be lenient. You come with me and I can get this stuff out your system," Lazard said, walking towards them.

"Give up our power? Not a chance," said the ferret.

"Don't make me get rough with you," said Lazard.

"Oh, yeah, that's proper anti-bullying talk," said the blue jay sarcastically.

"Be realistic," said Lazard, "I'm a plasma-breathing dragon. You're a fish, a bird, and a weasel."

"You forgot someone," said the ferret before Lazard was tackled by a feral gorilla splicer.

"Hey, hands off, you big-" started Lazard before the gorilla-man threw him.

"Hah...let's leave the 'hero' to play," laughed the ferret...


MJ meanwhile had her own suspicions, having found the dorm room belonging to the person they'd met...and had found a surprising discovery. She was expecting to find vials of mutagen. She wasn't expecting to find a bound and gagged falcon man.

The falcon turned its head to notice her before struggling against the rope holding it, said rope creaking. Mary Jane was a little hesitant to untie it. On one hand, he might know something useful. On the other, he could just attack her.

The falcon rolled its eyes, before struggling some more. Mary Jane decided to remove her gag, though she made sure to take her hands away before it could use its beak on them.

"Oh, thank God. Those idiots used a gym sock. I almost suffocated," said the falcon, his voice sounding familiar.

"Who are you?" asked Mary Jane.

"Falcore...and you are Miss Watson...from the symbiote attack," said the falcon, struggling a bit against his bonds.

"Yeah, still getting used to that celebrity," said Mary Jane, "What are you doing here?"

"I...my business is my own, my lady. But if you could untie me, my talons are going numb," said Falcore.

"Not until I get clear answers," said Mary-Jane.

"I do not have time for this," said Falcore, managing to inch one of his talons to saw at the rope

Seeing she was running out of time, Mary-Jane looked around the dorm. If this Falcore was sent who she thought sent him, then there had to be something traceable.

"If you seek mutagen, they have hidden it, even I know not where," said Falcore.

"You have a rather refined accent for a bird man," said Mary-Jane, "Either you're from England or Asgard."

"I do not know where I am from," said Falcore, standing up over her. "Now, please, I wish not to hurt a heroine of this city. Please let me past," he said, the edges of his wings having a strange sheen, the air seeming to hum.

"Only if you tell me you have nothing to do with Lady NegaMorph," said Mary-Jane.

Falcore sighed. "Then I make my own door," he said, slashing with his wings, left then right, a crack heard before a hot x was seen on the wall...before it collapsed outwards. "I must go," said Falcore before flying through the hole.


Silvana looked up from a book she'd taken from the campus library to take a look at Chloe, who was at a laptop. "Still safe," she said before she heard wings. "Oh good, Matt's here," she said, getting up, before yelping as she felt something against her neck, a voice saying, "Who are you, reptile?"

Silvana's metal-detecting sense told her that was a needle poking against her neck, a steel-tipped needle. "You will tell me your name," said the voice again.

"You will not touch me," said Silvana, giving her assailant a telekinetic shove.

There was an 'oof', Silvana turning before hearing what sounded like a rumble, taking off as a small trench was dug out the roof by a blast of air. "You dare stalk that damsel?" snapped a shape in the dark,

"Look who's talking," said Silvana, armor forming over her body.

A second later, she was knocked back as she felt something invisible knock the wind out of her, an anthropomorphic avian wearing black armor flew into view. "Leave and you may live," it snarled.

"And leave her in your claws?" asked Silvana before sending a psychic attack directly at the bird's brain.

The bird shrieked at that, clutching its head before it backwinged, its wings starting to glow before it sent an X of the same invisible force out, Silvana barely avoiding it and the shot shooting along and turning a bugle billboard into shrapnel.

Silvana roared before spitting a glob of liquid metal at the bird. However, the glob fell very short and just splatted against the rooftop below. The bird gave her an odd look. "I need to practice more with that," said Silvana with a little embarrassment.

"So do I," said the falcon before turning into a blur, that knocked her back and forth in the air.

"Stop that," snapped Silvana, striking out with her armored wings.

The blur stopped, solidifying into the falcon. "Tough...stole some Stark tech?" he sneered, before his eyes narrowed, "You will not harm her...nobody will."

"Including you," said Silvana before manifesting a metal spike and throwing it at the bird. Again, her aim was pretty off and she nearly speared an innocent pigeon.

The falcon turned to face her target before smirking smugly, "Nice shot, top gun."

"I'm working on it!" snapped Silvana before flying straight at the falcon.

The falcon smirked, the dragon seeming to slow down before he moved calmly, flicking one of her wings off so she'd head down, towards the wall, aiming a flick that, thanks to the air mana's speed would hurt alot more against her snout before stopping above her and slowing down, Silvana roaring in pain before slamming into the bricks. "Have you learnt thy lesson?" he said smugly, landing.

"Yeah..." said Silvana, managing to get up, "You taught me how to make my wings sharp." With that, she lashed out with them.

"My wings aren't sharp," said the falcon, dodging back, before he sent an aimed air blade at her armor, Silvana roaring in pain.

"That's...not just your wings..." said Silvana, wincing, "You...have wind magic..."

"Air magic, but that's semantics," said the falcon.

Silvana snapped, "I am not letting you at her."

The falcon paused. "I was trying to stop you getting at her," he said, the two getting an air of embarrassment.

"Maybe we should have made our intentions clear earlier," said Silvana.

"I simply check to make sure she is ok. I...feel a kinship with her. Why are you here?" said the falcon.

"Because Ma... Because Lazard asked me to keep an eye on her," said Silvana.

The falcon turned at that. "Matt?" he said darkly.

"I shouldn't say-" started Silvana.

A second later, there was the same whoosh noise of an air blade and she looked down to see a neat hole through her. "You work against my lady," snarled the falcon before sending one blast that knocked her over.


Lazard had to hold back in his fight against the ape that Darren currently was. The jock may be a jerk, but he didn't choose to become a mutation. However, he was a lot stronger than Lazard was expecting.

"Mr. Darren, you need to calm the heck down," said Lazard desperately, pushing against the ape mutate before he was lifted up and thrown through a wall, the library's late-night occupants screaming and scattering. "Keep your voices down. This is a library," said Lazard in a slightly-dazed voice.

Darren just roared, grabbing a table and throwing it at Lazard who incinerated it. "Ok...if that's how you want it," he snarled, sending a low-level concussion blast at the ape. The ape was thrown back and hit a bookshelf, which wobbled precariously.

Lazard spotted that, before saying, "Mental note...pay for damages." before kicking the shelf next to him, the shelves beginning to domino. Darren didn't have time to react before the bookshelves toppled onto him.

Lazard walked over, sending a stunner into the dazed mutation's face, before seeing him turn slowly back to normal. He turned on his com. "MJ, where are you? I think I just met the local monsters and they enjoy playing with mutagens. Silvana, meet me at the library...Silvana?" he said.

When Silvana didn't respond, Matt tried scanning for her energy signature. "Scanning...signature match found...warning...signature at 2% power," said the armor.

"MJ, I need find Silvana. You look for the petting zoo people," said Matt.

"I think I just found one, a falcon guy. I think he was working for Lady NegaMorph," said MJ on the other end.

"That would certainly explain where the mutagen's coming from," said Matt, "Good part is, it's temporary...and anyone using it'll have remains in their system. One blood test and we nab em."

"Sounds easy enough," said MJ, "I'm pretty sure I know one of the dorms they use."

"Ok, we call Fury and get some medics here...and have a word with the guy in charge," said Matt, pulling out his com.


However, the dean of the university was a lot less receptive to the idea of some of his students being supervillains. Which was particularly odd considering this was New York City.

"You're telling me this prank story's true?" he said disbelievingly, showing the paper to Matt and MJ. "Like nuclear winter. We can find them easily. Just a simple blood test for the students," said Matt. He was annoyed that Fury had sent him to meet the dean first instead of looking for Silvana.

"Please, this is a respected university. We may have a few hooligans, but there isn't anyone that unusual near here," said the dead dismissively.

"This is New York City," said Mary-Jane pointedly, "Superheroes and supervillains have battles around here every day. Just last week, the Fantastic Four stopped an invasion of alien robots. How is this hard to believe?"

"How do I know this isn't a-" began the dean.

Matt snapped "I haven't got time for this." to himself before transforming to full dragon and glaring nose to snout with the dean. "This...is...serious!" he said angrily.

"Calm down," said MJ soothingly, "Let's throttle that back a bit."

"This guy's worse than the NSC council. It took them 8 months to believe me about..." snarled Matt, the dean gulping "I...can't just agree to force blood tests..." Matt snarled.

"I'm certain that mandatory ones can be issued by the right person of authority," said Mary-Jane, "Like the mayor, the chief of police, or, say, the director of SHIELD?"

"Yeah, right," muttered the dean.

Matt counted, "6...5...4...3...2...1..." before the phone rang.

The dean answered it and asked, "Hello, New York University." His eyes widened as he heard who was on the other end. Matt smirked evilly as the dean listened before he said weakly "There's a SHIELD medical team coming to help you with your tests apparently..." he said weakly.

"Good. Make sure every student gets tested," said Matt.


"They can't do that," snapped Alan, yelling at the screen where the dean, with a SHIELD doctor, was announcing the blood tests for mutagen abuse.

"This is your fault," said Zack, glaring at Sara.

"My fault? I wasn't the one who gave monkey boy his dosage," snapped Sara.

"You tied up Falcore. Now Lady Nega's gonna get us," snapped Zack.

"That's what you're worried about right now?" asked Sara incredulously.

"He's probably telling her right now," snapped Alan angrily.

"The university would only expel us, maybe get us thrown in jail. Lady Nega would do worse," snapped Zack.

"She doesn't know the serums we use. What if everyone was using them? If she tried to get everyone, the Avengers would flatten her," said Alan thoughtfully.

"That is not something I would appreciate," said a voice. The three students jumped as one wall suddenly became covered in shadows. Lady NegaMorph, with Falcore and Nightclaw, walked out the shadows. "I really don't appreciate my staff being knocked out..." she said calmly, making the door vanish behind a shadow spell when the three tried to run. "And you three have been flaking on your payments lately," said Lady NegaMorph.

"We're students," said Sara.

Lady NegaMorph paused. "Ok, maybe I should have double checked your financial resources before charging you. But still, money is due," she said.

Sara looked at Falcore, who was glaring. Falcore sad, "I did not appreciate being drugged."

Just then, Sara noticed something on Falcore's arm, a bracelet that seemed a bit at odds with the avian warrior. She glared at that, walking forward, grabbing Falcore's wrist "Where did you get that?" she snapped.

Falcore looked at her. "It's always been mine...as long as I remember," he said. Lady NegaMorph smirked before starting to chuckle.

"You witch! What did you do to him?!" snapped Sara.

"Well, I have my reasons. You got to admit, my custom splicer serum worked wonders. A few doses and off he goes..." sneered Lady NegaMorph. Sara swung a fist at Lady NegaMorph who easily caught it, before using two arms to pin Sara's other arm to her side. "You know, I always considering your choice of animal to be the least imaginative," said Lady NegaMorph.

Alan glared, "Sara, he'll be back to normal soon. Even a maxed-out dose only lasts a day."

Lady NegaMorph laughed. "Nope, I gave you watered-down versions. Falcore's here to stay...and unless you want to join him, you're going to do a job for me in lieu of payment, am I clear?" she said.

"I'll never work for someone like you, you monster," snapped Sara.

"I'm actually glad you volunteered," said Lady NegaMorph as she held up two containers, "You see, the stuff you guys have been using were simple serums: one animal to one human. I've been trying to add more animals to the mix."

"I'm not even from this universe, you see..." said Lady NegaMorph, nodding to Falcore who grabbed Sara in an armlock. "You see, the multiverse is big...very big. So big that even works of fiction are real somewhere. There's a planet where Middle-Earth's real...and one where the events of the Elder Scrolls is real..." she said, walking towards Sara, who yelled "Matt, for God's sake, don't let her do this!"

Falcore didn't let go, but he didn't seem so resolute as before, visible doubt could be seen on his face. "Falcore, you will obey me," snarled Lady NegaMorph.

Falcore said, "Mistress, surely this isn't necessary. They are already scared."

"Fear is fleeting. If you want to make it stick, leave something that will always remind them," said Lady NegaMorph.

"But they will be missed," said Falcore.

Sara looked hopeful, before Lady Nega snarled, "Fine...you do it." shoving the injector into Falcore's claws.

"Matt, please, you're not her minion," begged Sara.

Falcore looked at the injector, which was a rainbow color, before he said, "We're all minions to someone." before injecting her in the neck.

Sara screamed as she felt it coursing through her veins. Falcore struggled to keep a grip on her before being thrown back as white wings burst from her back. Sara's screams changed pitch as she started shifting rapidly. Her pants mostly exploded as her legs grew longer. Her shoes were definitely ruined as her feet became hard hooves. A white horse tail also grew out of her spine. Her arms became scalier as they grew talons while her neck stretched out. Her ears stretched out into horse ears while her screaming mouth hardened and grew as it became a hooked beak. When the changes stopped, Sara resembled a kite from the waist up and a horse from the waist down.

"Well, your hybrid formula worked," said Nightclaw.

Lady NegaMorph frowned and said, "No, she was just supposed to be a winged horse, not a hippogriff. I put way too much bird DNA in that serum. I'll need to reduce the secondary animal genes next time."

Falcore stood back before avoiding the stares of Alan and Zack, who said in a faint voice, "Not cool, Brit...not cool."

"Wait, why was she trying to turn Sara into a white bird-winged horse?" asked Zack, suppressing his fear at the moment, "Wouldn't she want to turn Sara into a black bat-winged horse?"

Nightclaw and Falcore looked at Lady NegaMorph with raised eyebrows at that. Lady NegaMorph snapped, "IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A PUNISHMENT!"

"Ok, but a hawk?" asked Alan. Sara screeched before snapping her head forward. Alan yelped and ducked as Sara plunging her beak into the wall where his head just was.

"You ferall'ed her?" snapped Falcore

"Two animals in one body. She's bound to be a bit unbalanced at first," said Lady NegaMorph, "I might even out her brain later, but first she has a job to do." She glared at Alan and Zack, "You all have a job."

"No way...you turned our friends into freaks." snapped Alan.

"And they'll look a lot prettier than the ones I'll turn you into if you don't cooperate," snapped Lady NegaMorph.

The two paled before Alan said weakly, "What do you want us to do? And we want Sara fixed before we do it. You clearly need us."

"Don't oversell yourself," said Lady NegaMorph, "You're not irreplaceable, only convenient."

"Then you can look for someone else...oh wait...SHIELD's already here," said Alan.

Falcore said, "He has a point...and having her sentient and not half-insane would give them the skills to better defend it."

"Fine, bunch of whiners," grumbled Lady NegaMorph.

Falcore nodded. "You did say you wanted someone to take the fire element," he said, opening the case. Alan and Zack backing up to their stash of mutagen.

"I was saving that element for a reptile. Why would a hippogriff even need fire?" asked Lady NegaMorph.

"Would you rather give her earth and wind?" asked Nightclaw.

Lady NegaMorph glared before saying, "Urgh...use 32." Falcore took out an orange vial and injecting her, causing her to pass out and into a shadow. "She's at my base. Do your job, you little pests," she snapped, sending a shadow blast to block them reaching their serums, making a canister pop out. "Your first job is to put this on the roof and turn it on. Make sure you're spliced before you turn it on," she said darkly, a photo appearing in her other hand.

"What happens if we aren't?" asked Alan.

"You'll be spliced with a random animal and sent into a feral rage," said Lady Nega calmly. Alan and Zack gulped at that. "However, this is one person I want to have in my possession before the bomb goes off," said Lady Nega, handing Alan the photo.

Alan looked at it before glaring, "No, you gotta be kidding. She's just a student."

"I've already taken two. You think I'll hesitate from taking a third?" asked Lady NegaMorph.


The next day...

Silvana had restless dreams, plagued by memories she suspected weren't her own. She had visions of her home...her old home back on Avalar being ravaged and fracturing for some reason...of vast vessels bombarding the old capital to dust...and of her family, her father glaring at her while the purple witch smirked...


...before she shot upright with a yell, which sounded mechanical. She floundered about when thought she was encased in metal. It took her a few seconds to realize it was her own skin.

"By the elders..." she said in horror before she heard a door open, turned to look and yelped as her left eye fired a laser blast.

"Hey!" snapped the human female.

"Uh, sorry," said Silvana, "I didn't know I could do that."

"Ok...no harm. Nice to see my patch job helped," said the human.

Silvana looked down to see some exposed circuitry where she'd been stabbed and… "Is that a Walkman?"
The human glared. "Sorry, they were out of plutonium," she said sarcastically.

"Too bad. I could use something to eat," said Silvana.

"Ooookay...what do you ea...oh," said the human, deadpanning as Silvana picked up her alarm clock and ate it.

"Mmmm...microchips," said Silvana happily.

"I guess you don't eat organic food," said the human.

"My people like metals. Makes our scales nice and strong...when we have scales," said Silvana, adding the last part gloomily.

"Uh, what planet are you from?" asked the human female.

"Avalar," said Silvana promptly.

"Like the Spyro the Dragon games?" asked the girl.

"Wait, what?" said Silvana

"You know, the video games," said the girl.

"No...what's a video game?" said Silvana.

The girl was about to answer before stopping herself and saying, "That's not important right now. What I want to know is why you were spying on me."

"I was guarding you...from Lady NegaMorph," said Silvana, adding, "M...Lazard wanted me to. He was worried. We think Lady NegaMorph got your brother."

The girl glared and said, "What do you know about my brother?"

"That he cares for you. We found a lead that he was kidnapped. We'll find him eventually, but I was told to make sure she didn't come for you too," said Silvana.

"Why would she care about me?" asked the girl.

"You...really don't wanna know. Elecwolf said it might make your head explode," said Silvana, coming up with a name for Chloe desperately.

"Who?" asked the girl incredulously.

"Er, an electric werewolf superheroine," said Silvana.

"That's the dumbest name I've ever heard," said the girl, "I'd have come up with a better name, like Voltrix."

Silvana nodded. "True...but I was hurrying," she admitted before saying, "Wait, how did you know someone was watching? I only began last night."

"I've been seeing...something on the rooftops," said the girl, "It's usually gone the next time I look, but I've seen it too often for it to be coincidence."

"I met him...some falcon mutation," said Silvana before noticing the girl looking for something. "Hey!" she snapped

The girl said, "I'm looking for the Stark Industries mark."

"I said I was from Avalar," said Silvana.

"So? You might just think that cause of your programming, like that weird Dragon-Man bot," said the girl.

"Dragon man?" asked Silvana.

"Yeah...he's not around much anymore," said the girl.

Silvana wasn't sure what to make of that, but put that aside. "The point is that I am here to protect you," she said, "I don't think that falcon will be satisfied with watching from a distance for long. And Lady NegaMorph might send someone who won't hesitate."

"Ok, I suppose it makes sense," said the girl.

"So maybe we should go someplace safer," said Silvana.

"Yeah...maybe," said the girl, before clicking a device to Silvana's chestplate, Silvana locking up. "Sorry. In this town, you can't trust any old bot," said the girl.


Meanwhile, Alan and Zack were heading towards the rooftop of the university building. Though there were being watched by both Falcore and Nightclaw.

"Keep moving...and you'd better not mess this up," growled Nightclaw, the four 'opening' the roof access door with an air blade from Falcore.

"How often do you get sent on missions?" asked Alan to Nightclaw.

"Not often. I guard my Cherie," snarled Nightclaw.

"Yet bird boy over there was always the one sending us our gear," said Alan

"He's a courier. That's what he's here for," said Nightclaw.

"Yeah...I bet...or your replacement..." said Alan smugly.

"Him? Mi'lady only sees him as a toy, something to vent her anger on and send off to do those annoying jobs she can't be bothered with herself," said Nightclaw.

"Ok...don't blame me when you're tossed out with the trash. Just check DeviantArt. Everyone loves birdmen," Alan said evilly.

"I think you'll find gargoyles outrank birdmen," said Nightclaw, "I'm not fretting about losing my position to this tick-infested messenger pigeon."

There was a 'fwick' noise at that before the tips of his ears feel off with a crack. "Yeah...cause a flying stone's so useful," sneered Falcore.

"You're lucky those grow back," said Nightclaw, "I could make your ears disappear. Oh, too late."

"Oh please. I still got ears...though hearing you fawn over the mistress makes me wish otherwise," sneered Falcore, Nightclaw snarling.

"You don't know what the real her is like," said Nightclaw.

"Oh please. You're not her second-in-command, you're not even a minion," said Falcore, "You're her lapdog."

Nightclaw growled at that, before lunging at Falcore who flew back, Alan hissing to Zack, "Let's go."

However, before they could get down the stairs, Lady NegaMorph appeared in front of them. "Leaving so soon?" she asked, "Did you get that disperser set up yet?" There was a crash at that, Nightclaw sliding to a halt. "Oh...you're trying that trick. That's my Matt's plan C I believe," she said, her eyes glowing.

"Er, we were just about to go get that girl," said Alan.

"You know, perhaps a weasel would have been more appropriate for you," said Lady NegaMorph.

Zack glared. "We're not gonna let you mutate the campus..." he snapped.

Lady Nega's eyes narrowed. "You know, I had to modify your serum so you could still breathe on land," she said. She suddenly stabbed Zack with a needle. "And what I give, I can take away."

Alan watched in horror as Zack shrunk down into his clothes, Lady Nega making a full fishbowl appear before taking a small barracuda out and putting it in. "You want to be next?" she said evilly to Alan.

"So...where's the chick?" asked Alan.

"That's your job. Once the device is prepared, my two lovelies will defend it," said Lady NegaMorph, before frowning, "Of course, you might have trouble. Falcore says he fought a hero last night..."

"Uh, what kind of hero?" asked Alan.

"The kind with a dragon theme," said Lady NegaMorph.

"Uh, I'm not the kind of guy who can fight a dragon," said Alan.

"Agreed," said Lady NegaMorph, holding up more needles, "Let's give you a boost, shall we?"

"Oh no...please don't…" said Alan trying to back up, only to find he'd sunk down to his ankles in his shadow before he felt a sting in his neck.

"I've been working on the hybridizing ratio. I think you'll be pleased with this," said Lady NegaMorph.

Alan cried out in pain as he suddenly surged in size. His ferret features were overwritten. His feet grew hooves before a second set of legs grew out. His fuzzy tail slimmed down, leaving only a tuft at the end. His screams became bellows as his muscles grew even larger, his ferret muzzle become broader as horns came out of his head. Alan let out a loud roar as he finished changing into a creature with the upper body of a humanoid bull placed on an equine/bovine body where the head would be. "Behold, the Minotaur-taur," said Lady NegaMorph before frowning, "Or is that just redundant?"

She stood back before saying, "Tell your mistress your name." The bull/horse just let out a loud grunt at that. "I need to work on preserving brain size," said Lady NegaMorph.

She pulled out a blue liquid and gave him a shot. "Luckily, nothing some brain booster nanites can't fix. Now you, lunkhead, name now," she said.

"Lunkhead?" asked the bovinetaur.

Lady NegaMorph smacked her forehead and said, "No, no, no. I can't just call you... Well, maybe... Nah, that's just stupid."

"Ok...Lunkhead? Look at the picture. Get the person in the-and I shoulda seen this com-" began Lady NegaMorph before the newly christened Lunkhead punched the picture and her down the corridor.


Despite a few setbacks and a brief lapse of maturity, the disperser was set up. "Ok, this would be easier if you hadn't lobotomized him," said Falcore checking the circuitry.

"He was getting too smart, so I thought I'd dumb him down," said Lady NegaMorph, holding an icebag to her head, "I set the notch down too far."

Falcore peered at it. "Hmm...do you have a healing factor? You might have a concussion if not," he said with concern.

"I do have one. Healing factors don't cover headaches, colds, flus, or acne. Everyone knows that," said Lady NegaMorph.

"Fine, we'll guard this device. What serum is loaded?" said Falcore.

"Uh...wait, what did I put in it?" asked Lady NegaMorph.

"You're kidding," said Falcore flatly.

"I was in a rush today. I might have grabbed the wrong one," said Lady NegaMorph.

"Ok...so what might be in it? There was only two," said Nightclaw.

"Hang on, let me check," said Lady Nega.

"No time. We will have to hope," said Falcore, activating the count, before a bolt of plasma shot down, almost hitting him.

"What?!" snapped Lady Nega.

"Next time you create a bomb, don't power it with a plasma reactor," said Lazard, landing on the roof, Megan, time to come home...and spend a long time in the brig. I might even forget where the key is…" before he was tackled out of sight by Falcore.

Lady Nega turned to Nightclaw and yelled, "Turn it on!"

"Yes, my lady...and Falcore?" said Nightclaw.

Lady Nega said, "This is a good chance to see if he's good at his job. Go help Lunkhead grab Chloe. If any of Matt's friends try to stop you, kill them."

"You didn't really name him 'Lunkhead', did you?" asked Nightclaw.

"It was his fault for picking up on that!" snapped Lady NegaMorph.


Matt yelped as he was skidded along the ground, students running for it before the falcon thing front flipped off him, landing in a fighting pose. "Ok...points for lucky shot," he said, getting up and cricking his neck, "Everyone deserves at least one. So, who are you supposed to be? You can't be the Falcon, I know that name's taken."

"My name is Falcore. You are Matt, the enemy of my mistress," said Falcore, Matt wincing and looking around to happily see everyone had retreated out of range.

"Look, can we please stick to codenames?" asked Lazard.

"And what's yours supposed to be?" asked Falcore.

Lazard sighed and said with an annoyed tone, "Lazard."

Falcore raised an eyebrow and asked, "You're kidding, right?"

"I know. Now then, you're clearly not in our right mind. Step aside and I won't hurt you. We can get you cured," said Lazard/Matt.

"Cured? You really think you can hand them out like flu shots?" scoffed Falcore, "You think Lady NegaMorph's magic is that easy to reverse?"

"You've been spliced. You're some poor guy she kidnapped," said Matt.

"You think this is just mere genetics?" asked Falcore before sending an air slice at Lazard.

Lazard smirked and flew to the side, turning his dodge into a turn, closing the distance on Falcore. Of course, that gave Falcore the opening to an ear-splitting screech at close range, a high-pitched, air magic-boosted screech.

Unfortunately, this was a new trick, the yell not hurting Lazard before he managed to punch the poor falcon in the chest, landing before slapping both sides of the splicer's head and kicking him in the ribs, stepping back as Falcore fell to his knees hacking. "Back up!" snapped Lazard angrily, his eyes, bloodshot from the sonic yell, visibly healing. Falcore couldn't do anything but gasp weakly. "I said back-" started Lazard as his fist started glowing.

Just then, something black and slimy covered his hand. "That's enough," said a female voice.

Lazard struggled as Falcore got back up. "You just hold steady," he snarled weakly, readying an air blade at Lazard's neck.

"That means you too," said the female voice before black goo grabbed Falcore.

Falcore turned to see… "A CARNAGE!" he yelped.

"What?!" asked Matt before turning to look. The black goo were extensions of the arms of a woman wearing a black-and-red spider suit. "Oh no, not another one," he muttered

"Both of you calm down," said the woman.

"And who are you to be?" asked Lazard.

"Spider-Woman," she said.

"I thought Spider-Woman's outfit was supposed to be red and yellow," said Lazard.

"I'm the first Spider-Woman so I got to choose," said Spider-Woman.

Falcore snapped, "Another enemy of my lady? One that strikes like a thief and coward."

"I'm trying to keep you two from killing each other," said Spider-Woman.

"This is a fight between my lady's enemy and myself," snapped Falcore angrily, managing a breath before shrieking a sonic scream at her. This caused the stretching arms to lose their grip and it looked like her suit didn't like that sound either.

Falcore landed first. "You need a lesson," he snapped, sending another sonic blast out as Matt was recovering. Spider-Woman staggered before sending a webbing blast at Falcore's beak.

Falcore staggered back, pulling at it, before he was turned by someone. "Nobody shoots my partner," said Matt, before punching Falcore in the face, knocking him out.

Lazard headed over to Spider-Woman and asked, "MJ, you alright?"

"Er, you have me confused with-"

"Fury had you assigned as an escort, you're in a close relationship with Spider-Man, and your voice isn't any different. And people already know your voice so you better start disguising it," said Lazard bluntly.

"Er, I wouldn't say 'relationship'," said Spider-Woman, sounding a little flustered.

Lazard/Matt took a scan with his suit. "Symbiote? Is anyone here not infected with an intergalactic superfiend?" he said sarcastically before seeing a glint on Falcore, walking over and seeing a little bracelet. It wasn't hard to click it open, a folded piece of paper falling out. "What's this?" asked Matt, unfolding it to see it was a photo.

Matt paused, looking at a pic, taken at Coney Island of a younger him, the Alan kid from that morning and a girl and boy he didn't recognize. He turned to look at Falcore, taking a scan, feeling a chill as the AI said "No human brainwaves detected...mental reset impossible...partial personality traits detected..."

"No...she didn't...she couldn't..." said Matt in horror.

MJ ran up, seeing the picture in Matt's hand before looking at Falcore. "Wait...is that?" she asked.

Matt said weakly, "That's me...what's left of me in this world. Megan...she's twisted him. There's nothing left."

"He might not all be lost," said MJ, "Doctor Connors and Norman Osborn were thought to be lost."

"They were twisted by science," said Matt, "This is science and magic."

MJ looked closely at Falcore, whose eyes shot open wide, sending a weak air blade at them both, knocking them flying before he ran off, one of his arms limp.

"Whatever he is now, we can't let him get away," said Matt as he started to run after Falcore. But just then, they heard a small boom before a loud hissing sound. They looked up to see a purple cloud filling up the air.

"Oh shit. GET EVERYONE INSIDE! COVER YOUR MOUTHES!" he roared, the smoke flowing down and obscuring everything.

"What do you think she put in this mist?" asked Spider-Woman.

"So help me, if she turns them all into Lizards, I am going to-" started Lazard before pausing and sniffing, "Do you smell lavender?"

He took a scan before getting a grin, and starting to laugh, not a mad laugh, but one of finding the joke. "It's...it's air freshener..." he managed, before saying, "Please go check on Chloe. I'm gonna go catch the rest of our mad bombers."


"Let me go...please...you're in danger…" managed Silvana with difficulty, the girl trying to find a place to put something called a USB cable into her.

"I didn't get into this college by being gullible," said the girl.

Silvana sighed, "Look, Chloe Lynch of Great Britain, on an exchange course with this college majoring in photography. You are in danger from Lady NegaMorph. I can protect you."

"I don't know what you're trying to scam out of me, but I'm not going to buy it," said Chloe.

"The other you is not nearly this paranoid," said Silvana with annoyance.

"Wait...the other me?" said Chloe, sounding surprised.

"Was I supposed to not mention that? I don't see what the big secrecy is about. It's very counterproductive," said Silvana.

"I...what...I...you're lying..." said Chloe, finally finding a port and plugging it in. "Tell me the truth or I'll format your programming," she snapped.

"Is that really one-way?" asked Silvana.

"USB's are two way," said Chloe before her screen began to flicker.

"Which means I could format your programming, whatever that means," said Silvana.

"No! That's all my work!" said Chloe.

Silvana said, "Then read my snout: I'm not lying. I have not been sent to hurt you. I've been sent...by you no less, to look after you. NOW TAKE THIS MAGNET OFF!"

"You're making no sense!" snapped Chloe.

"And you're annoying obtuse," snapped Silvana. Silvana glared before a boom was heard, purple smoke outside. "Let me go...please," pleaded Silvana, before thudding footsteps were heard coming down the hall. A second later, there was a bovine bellow before the door all but broke apart.

Chloe yelped, pulling the magnet off Silvana who jumped to life, before Nightclaw smashed through the window on top of her. "HEY! CHEAT! GO WALK OFF A SHORT LEDGE!" she yelled at Nightclaw who went a bit cross-eyed. Of course, there was a short ledge right outside the window and Nightclaw soon found himself tumbling over it. Silvana winced as a crash was heard. Silvana looked out before an angry Nightclaw flew back in.


The bovinetaur meanwhile was trotting after Chloe. "The lady wants to meet you. Running's just gonna delay it," he called.

"What are you?" asked Chloe, "A Minotaur-taur?"

"I am Taurus!" snapped the mutate.

"Oh, well, a lot simpler to say," said Chloe.

She paused briefly to kick an extinguisher, one of the heavy ones, which came off its housing just as Taurus ran past it and pinned his tail. "Hah! Catch me now, lunkhead!" Chloe called.

"I'm not Lunkhead!" roared Taurus, the bricks around him trembling.

"Really? Coulda fooled meeee!" taunted Chloe before yelping as Taurus made a brick fly at her head, missing.

"I'm not just muscle and horns," said Taurus before stomping one hoof.

Chloe ran into a doorframe and grabbed it. "But did you know this building's not rated for earthquakes?"

Taurus going "What?" before he vanished through the floor...and the others below, a faint "Ow…" heard.

"Stupid beefhead," muttered Chloe.

She turned to leave in time for a shadow portal to open, Sara's voice heard, "Please...help..."

"Sara?" asked Chloe with concern.

She paused, before walking forward and through, emerging in an empty warehouse, a cloaked figure on a chair, sobbing. "Chloe...you came?" it said in Sara's voice.

"I'm here, Sara. What's going on? Where are we?" asked Chloe.

"Please...help..." said the figure.

"Don't worry, Sara. We're gonna get out of here," said Chloe, walking over to the figure.

A taloned hand shot out at that, grabbing her arm, the figure standing up to reveal a smirking osprey head, her eyes glowing red. "Nice...the lady will be so happy," she said.


Falcore ran as fast as he could. With his wings not working, he wanted to get as clear from the mutagen as he could. He didn't want to get double-dosed.

A plasma blast shot down in front of him, causing Falcore to stagger to a halt, Lazard landing. "Enough. Your left arm...wing thing's broke in 2 places. You're going nowhere. Surrender so we can help you," he said before trying, "There is no dishonor in surrendering to an impossible fight..."

"I will not desert my mistress. That would be a dishonor not worth living with," said Falcore. "You aren't that extreme about honor," said Lazard, "Your code is chivalry, not bushido."

Falcore glared, looking around. There were too many watchers for clumsy air blades. "You speak truth, Lazard. Fine...for now..." he said, bowing his head.

"Trust me, you're gonna get better care with us than with her," said Lazard.

"When I am healed, our fight will resume," said Falcore darkly as a SHIELD dropship came into view. "No...no, it won't," said Lazard.


Chloe opened her eyes to see she was strapped to a chair, the avian mutate with her friend's voice standing a little further away. "Sara...what did they do to you?" she said, getting the osprey hippogriff's attention.

"Well, Falcore convinced Lady NegaMorph to upgrade me. I mean, a is cool, but I think an osprey fits me better. But I'm more relieved I'm not running on instincts right now," said the hippogriff.

"Sara, let me loose. That drug did something to you. I'm sorry I ignored you. I was...upset about my brother. Please..." said Chloe, struggling some more.

"You ignored a lot of things," said the hippogriff, "Things that could have saved you from this."

"Please, I tried everything. I called everyone I could. I even tried to call SHIELD and the Avengers..." said Chloe desperately, adding, "I know I never liked you and Matt going out, but I'd never have sent him home like the cops thought."

Sara smirked, "Oh, he never went home..."

"Sara, please. You can't do this. You had to have known before you were transformed. Didn't you feel outraged?" asked Chloe pleadingly.

"I'm fine like this. Now I know where Matt is," said Sara smugly.

Chloe said, "He wouldn't want you to work with a villain..." Sara frowned at that, suddenly looking unsure. "She hasn't brainwashed you yet," said Chloe with realization, "We can still get away."

Sara paused, before walking forward, before a black hand slapped her forehead, a glowing yellow triangle appearing there for a second and Sara going rigid, Lady Nega walking around. "So, in this world, you're the talky one and your brother's the sensible one," she said as Sara shook, gripping her head.

"How could you do this?" snapped Chloe, "What did we ever do to you?"

"Well, I need to be sure. In almost every world, you and your brother end up being some sort of hero. So I can't trust you two not to get in my way," said Lady NegaMorph, Sara shrieking before going limp.

"Aquilla...be so good as to guard the door," Lady Nega said. Sara didn't respond. Lady NegaMorph sighed before picking her up and placing her in front of the door. "You're not going to be able to leave anyways," said Lady Nega as she walked back to Chloe.

"What did you do to her?" snapped Chloe, struggling.

"Oh, I had an associate perform some mental spring cleaning," said Lady Nega casually, adding, "Sara as you know her is toast. But don't worry. You won't really remember her in a little bit." Lady NegaMorph pulled out a syringe, "Now, I've been getting enough practice from your friends that I know you'll turn out exactly as I intended."

"What are you gonna do to me?" said Chloe worried as Lady Nega pulled an injector gun out of a shadow.

"I'm going to give you a little cocktail: essence of scorpion and lion. I can't want to see how it turns out..." she said, walking forward. The last thing Chloe heard before she felt a pain in her arm was Lady Nega laughing "Science is so much fun..."


In the Triskelion's prison, Falcore was in a cell, his arm/wing in a cast. While he may have surrendered and was more a victim than a villain, he couldn't be trusted to be free.

He had however managed to keep his communicator, hidden in his free arm's plumage. "My lady...please answer," he whispered once the guards were gone.

However, the voice that answered was not Lady NegaMorph's. "What do you want?" asked Nightclaw's voice.

"Nightclaw, you cur. Tell the lady the SHIELD lackies caught me after her enemy injured me. She needs to send a shadow portal," said Falcore.

"If you're injured, then SHIELD would be a better place for you to stay," said Nightclaw's voice.

Falcore's eye narrowed. "Her control spell has worn off again, hasn't it?" he asked.

"Don't speak so loud," hissed Gary, "Just trust me. Stay there until you're healed. Try to learn some SHIELD secrets while you're there. Otherwise, she'll... Well, I don't think you want to think about it."

"You liar...MY LADY!" Falcore yelled.

Gary's eyes narrowed. "You and Megan will be safer if you're locked up," before the line went dead, Falcore's expression falling.

Just then, a guard walked over and asked, "What's all the yelling about?"

Falcore just hung his head, his avian eyes turning a human green for a second before he said quietly, "It's...nothing."


There's another chapter, though this one is a bit unlike the others. Not much of Spider-Man here, for instance, but he will be in the next one. We get to have a look at Lady NegaMorph's operations. And of course, we feature a brief reappearance of Deadpool. He'll be having his own chapter later, though that will be a while.

Since Spidey didn't appear much in this chapter, the next one will be coming sooner. It'll be up on Saturday. Keep an eye out for it and please review.