answers to reviewers questions or statements:
rmarcano321: What do you mean by monster?
Gamelover41529: Yeah, through this story, Peter and Lara will be having a sort of competition of who will have more baggage by the end of this story. Right now, Peter is in the lead.
Tom2011: It will be.
Spawn Hades: It's possible, but you should know by now that with my stories, I'm one for the slow burn and don't reveal the cool stuff so early on...
Guest: Yes, Uncle Ben is dead. It was neither women, it was just some attractive woman that happened to be an archeologist that Peter developed a crush on. Curt is pretty involved with Trinity, he and a few others ate the guys that Trinity has that tires to find ways to harness the artifacts that Trinity discovers. No Curt isn't the Lizard... yet.
GreatSaiyaman54: No, it'll be something that Peter will come to realize on his own as time goes on.
KasugaRomio: We'll be on the ship for another three or so chapters before the events on Yamatai go down. All great power comes at a price.
chimera629: No, he's still pretty self centered, he's using his powers to gain fame and fortune after all.
Dr. Sugarcakes: We'll be seeing Sable soon and the full extent of her and Peter's relationship.
Esquire-man: Yes, Trinity has had in the past tried to replicate Peter's powers in others. We'll see the full extent of that as the story goes on. Yeah, you can also say that despite her father's fall from grace, the name Croft does still carry quite a bit of weight in some rather influencial circles, not alot but enough. Their ages will be broached but not a lot or much. Sam knows enough from Lara's past explanations of the man and why she admires him so, granted she tuned a lot of it out, but she trust Lara's judegment and taste in men. Peter not so much given that ata the drop of the hat Trinity might call and say 'Ice them all' but Lara, despite her intelligence, is still young and perhaps a bit shortsighted as to the possible ramifications of attempting and failing to strike up any more than professional relationship with Peter.
coki13566: It'd more or less kill off the nerves and such in the exttra arms, after that it's a matter of amputation and Peter's helaing to fix the rest.
gunman: What are you talking about? Peter knows who sent him to Yamatai, it was Trinity's top brass.
hellfire45: The bad side of the curse is as each year passes and Peter grows more powerful, he comes ever closer to turning into a mindless killing machine.
Disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel or Tomb Raider characters seen, mentioned or used.
"You ever do this kind of thing before?" Peter asked as he watched several crewmen set up a table along with a few other items on the deck of the Endurance several days after his little... helath scare.
Sam, who was helping set up the camera, lighting and sound equipment turned towards the manw ith a sheepish expression "Sorta..."
Peeter blinked at her response before he shrugged "Eh, good enough for me. Besides, how hard is it really to hold a camera and record something?"
"You'd be surprised" Sam commented as she fiddled wih the camera's focus a little "It's not just about holding the camera, it's about getting the right angles, the lighting, capturing the environment"
Peter hummed at that "I take it you studied film in college?"
"Yep" Sam said with a wide grin "Most people find it kinda dumb, but I like it"
"always a good thing to follow your passion" Peter said with a nod as he noticed Jonah come on deck with several boxes with fish in them "Ooh, you making a cooking show?"
"Just making some filler scenes for the documentry" Sam said as she looked through the camera to make sure the angle was good "Give the show some substance outside of anceint ruins"
"Food is usually a good way to hook people's attention" Peter said with a thoughtful expression before he pointed to Jonah "Especially with this man's cooking"
Jonah chuckled at this "I'm glad you enjoy my coocking so much"
"I'm tempted to hire you as my personal cheif" Peter said as he watched Jonah set a few other items, spices and herbs, on the table and pulled out some knives and carving boards.
"Solong as the pay is good" Jonah laughed.
"Deal!" Peter said with equal amusement before he saw Whitman had finally arrived "Oh look, the fun killer is here"
"Parker" Whitman said with narrowed eyes towards the man.
"You know saying my last name in a way that sounds like 'Fuck you' dosent really have the same kind of effect when that person can't stop stairing at the catipillar on your lip there" Peter said with a smirk.
Whitman grited his teeth at Peter and was about to respond before Sam spoke up to curb any potential fight that might break out between the two men.
"Doctor Whitman, are you ready to start?"
Whitman gave Peter one last dirty look before he turned towards Sam and nodded pleasently "Yes, I beleive I am"
Sam nodded as she gestued for the man to follow her to where the tables were set up with Jonah placing two fish on their surface in preperation for the scene. Peter watched him go for a second before he snorted as he rolled his eyes and was about to head back down below when he heard his satellite phone begin to read.
Peter forwned at this and pulled it out to see who was calling and sighed at the number he saw "Of freaking course..."
Peter releuctantly hit the answer button and held the phone up to his ear just in time to hear a woman's voice, with a light Eastern European accent to it, speak through the speaker.
"I'm told your time table has shortened by a full month"
'Nice to see Curt honoring the famed doctor pateinet confidentiality' Peter thought with a eye roll as he spoke "Nice to hear from you to Silver"
"Do you have enough serum to last until Connors makes a new stronger batch?" she asked, forgoing any formalities and hitting the issue head on, just like always.
"Yeeeesss" Peter said with a heavy sigh "And before you ask, I modified the formula in a few syringies to make it more potent"
"Why didn't you tell me this?" she demanded with anger lacing her tone.
"Well between you, an ex that's made it pretty clear that I was 'childish', 'never takes anything important', 'cheap', and an all around pain in the ass to be around, and my official doctor, I thought it was best to go with the option that would actually know what to make of my incident" Peter said as he stepped away from the film crew and headed to the other end of the deck where it was more private.
"Where are you now?" Silver asked as the faint sound of gunfire could be heard on her end, something that caused Peter to stop midstride with wide eyes.
"Are you..." he began as he casted a quick glance around to make sure he was as alone as it could get on the ship before he spoke in a lower tone "Are you actually calling me while your out on assignment?!"
"Your evading the question" Silver said, followed by a loud gunshot that Peter recongnized as one of Sabvle's trademarrked pistols.
"Oh my god, you are!" Peter groaned before Sable's words registered "Wait a minute, your evading my questions too!"
"Where are you?" she asked a little more forciflly "Are you in Egypt or heading back to America to meet with Connors?"
"Why do you care?" Peter asked with a frown.
"Just because I can't stand being around you dosent mean I havent stopped cairing for your wellbeing" Silver responded over the muffled sounds of pain and yelling.
"That made no sense what so ever" Peter said with a deadpanned expression.
"Peter" Silver said with a almost exasperated sigh.
"I'm... I'm on a ship in the Pacific that's looking for the fabled kingdom of Yamatai" Peter said as he leaned agnst the railing and looked out over the sea as he faintly heard the documentry begin to film "Trinity sent me to keep an eye on a girl here-"
"Who?" Silver asked with ice in her tone.
"Aww, jealous?" Peter teased before he heard the sound of a man's startled yelp followed by the sound of bone breaking and a body falling tot eh ground. Peter blinked at this "Did you just break a man's neck?"
"Yes" Silver said as if she was being asked if she baked cookies rather then end a man's life, multiple men's lives if the gunshots were anythign to go by.
"I'm starting to see why I never introduced you to my Aunt" Peter said with a shake of his head.
"You didn't introduce me because for some reason you think your Aunt seeing you with an attractive, sexually active forigner would somehow give her a heart attack" Silver said in a deadpanned tone.
"I never once thought that" Peter said with a scowl "I just thought you wouldn't like her or she wouldnt like you"
"Do I seem like a woman that cares what your Aunt thinks?" Silver asked in a clipped tone.
"Well no-"
"And are you saying that you would have ended what we had if your Aunt told you to or because she didn't like me enough?" Silver asked, her voice dark and threatening.
Peter paled a little at this "Ummm, no..."
"Then I don't see the reason why you never introduced me other than as a vain attempt to keep the other half of your life from her" Silver stated as the sounds of her reloading her weapons echoed through the speaker "She's stronger than you think Peter... smarter too"
"Yeah... so I've noticed" Peter said with a sigh as he ran a hand over his face "So where are you anyways?"
"Kazakhstan" Sable replied dryly "Apparently a shard of the famed 'Excalibur' was found and Trinity has sent me to retrieve it"
"Do the people your shooting and beating know what they have?" Peter asked dryly.
"I don't think so, but even so, Trinity would very much like to add a second shard of the sword to their collection" Silver said.
"What's it do?" Peter asked as he watched the rolling waves of the Pacific.
"Supposedly it can open a gate to the Underworld" Silver said with a snort.
"That's... pretty cool actually" Peter said with wide eyes.
"So I'm told" Silver said before she muttered something in her native tongue under her breath "I'm going to have to go, more guards are showing up and it'll require me to use both hands to deal with them"
"Stay safe" Peter said almost automatically, before quickly remembering that if anyone needs to stay safe, it's the soon to be dead guards closing in on Silver.
"You stay safe" she replied with amusement before she ended the call just as gunfire erupted over the speaker.
Peter shook his head at this "That woman..."
Peter placed his phone back in his pocket and returned to watching the first scene being filmed for the Yamatai documentary. Peter found a spot with a good view on a medium sixed crate with a smaller crate on top of it. The famed archeologist sat down, resting his back against the smaller wooden crate and watched as Sam handed her camera off to a crewmen before she cleared her throat as Jonah and Whitman took their positions and Alex took his position behind the main camera and began to film.
"Doctor James Whitman, filler fifteen, take three" Sam said as she folded her arms across her chest and watched the scene unfold.
Jonah nodded as he turned towards Whitman as he held his fish in one hand and a knife in the other "Now, take a firm grip and slice it right down the belly, like this"
The large man placed the blade of the knife into the fish and began to slice it down the middle, opening up. Whitman began to mimic Jonah's actions. or try to as he started a little below where Jonah started on his fish. Peter watched as Whitman's hand began to shake as he cut down the fish, Peter half expected the man to slip and slice himself open instead of the fish.
Jonah nodded as he watched Whitman's progression "Good, but be sure-"
He was cut off as Whitman lost his grip on the fish and it fell on to the table along with the knife. The man's face contorted into rage as he slammed his hand on to the table "Grrr c-cut, cut, cut!"
He slammed his hands on the table again and backed away from the discarded fish and took several deep breaths as he tired to calm himself down. Peter shook his head at this as he watched the man with an unimpressed expression on his face.
'Something tells me he's never had to actually prepare a fish on his own' Peter thought as Whitman let out a long frustrated sigh.
"This... dammed reality tv business" Whitman said with a shake of his head "I'm, I'm meant to be bringing culture to the people Sam, not, not dinner. N-No offense Jonah"
Peter scoffed at this "Really, you actually think people watch these 'Search for the lost something, something' for culture? Please, they watch these kinds of shows for the exotic food and pretty landscapes"
Whitman scowled at Peter and was abotu to respond before he took a deep breath, turned on his heel and stomped away from the table. Jonah watched the man go with a confused expression on his face as he kept the holding the fish and knife.
"Uhh, is he coming back?"
"I'll get him" Sam said with a sigh as she ran after Whitman.
Peter watched her go before he shook his head "And he wonders why his third season was canceled"
"You ever thought of getting into this kinda thing?" Alex asked as he fiddled with a few settings on the camera "Making documentires?"
"The thought has crossed my mind a few times" Peter said with a shurg as he settled in his seat "Wouldn't be against it if I was offered a contract but I doubt anything good will come out of it. Besides, there's like a hundred documentires on Egpyt, not much left to show by this point"
"Aw come on, I'm sure there's a few things left to be uncovered there" Alex said.
"Maybe" Peter chuckled at this before he muttered under his breath "Too bad Trinity will make sure all the good stuff get edited out..."
It was than that Sam resturned, with Whitman in tow. Peter was tempted to make a comment about the man finishing with his temper tantrum before he settled for keeping silent. Much as he disliked the man, he wasn't going to make everyone elses day miserable just so he could get a few more digs at the man's ego. The rest of the scene went much better, with Whitman actually being able to cut into the fish and followed Jonah's instructions on how to prepare the meal. Peter would pay attention for a few minutes before his mind began to wander, mainly on how his Aunt was doing and whether or not he should let her set up this blind date she's pushing him to go on with her friend's niece.
'I'd be a lot less hesitant if I saw a picture of her' Peter thought as he watched the scene begin to wrap up with Jonah explaining how to let the fish sit for a few hours and cook 'I mean, yeah my Aunt says she's a model, but what kind of model? Like the ones that you see on the cover of Maximum?'
Not that Peter would complain if she was...
"So how'd the filming go?" Lara's voice spoke up behind Peter before it's owner sat down beside Peter on the crate.
Peter casted a quick glance at the English woman before he nodded to where Whitman was going "Fine... until he threw a temper tantrum because the man can't hold a fish"
"Really?" Lara said with a quirked brow.
"Yep" Peter said with a nod.
Lara was perplexed by this "He never struck me as a man that's easily crossed"
"Well you never had the misfortune of meeting the man before" Peter said with a sigh "Whitman's one of those archeologists that's more interested in showing masses of people old ruins that anyone with time to kill and a smart phone could read up on"
"Oh, and what kind of archeologist are you then?" Lara asked with a smirk.
"The kind that actually goes out and finds stuff, even if it doesn't make the news, which most of it usually doesn't" Peter said with a shrug.
"Your last several discoveries say differently" Lara countered.
Peter nodded, he'd give her that, before he continued "Yeah, but in all honesty, it was a slow news day and a news crew just happened to be passing buy when I made some of those finds"
"Be you ever so humble" Lara giggled.
"Humble, more like annoyed that my finds didn't at least trend on Twitter for at least a minute" Peter scoffed as he leaned back against the small crate behind him "I mean really, Stark going missing is somehow bigger than finding the oldest and possibly first temple dedicated to Set?"
"Well it is Tony Stark" Lara said with a snort "When a man that rich goes missing, it's gonna end up on the news one way or another"
Peter hummed at that "You ever meet the man?"
Lara frowned at this "No, why?"
"Well it's just given your name and everything, I thought you guys ran in the same circles" Peter said as he rubbed the back of his head "I mean, the Crofts are like Europe's version of the Kennedy's"
"I wouldn't go that far" Lara said with a chuckle.
"Hey, it's more than what mine has... or had" Peter said with a snort "I think I'm the first Parker to ever get any sort of fame without dying..."
"Oh... I'm glad?" Lara said, unsure of what to say with that little piece of information.
"Thank you" Peter said with a grim chuckle as he glanced up at the sky.
The two settled into silence as they watched the crew begin to pack up the camera equipment and relocate it back inside while Sam took her small personal camera and was going around interviewing a few of the crew men. After a few minutes, Peter decided to break the silence.
"So, what's the back up plan?"
"I'm sorry?" Lara said with confusion.
"Back up plan, if this whole expedition doesn't pan out the way you hoped" Peter said with a slight shrug "I mean, you have planed for the possibility that you won't find Yamatai… right?"
"Uhh…" Lara sounded as she tired to think of an adequate answer.
While she has ran over the possible ramifications of not discovering Yamatai in her head over and over again, and hearing some of the crew mutter about how they better get paid for this job, Yamatai or no Yamatai, it never really struck her on just what she was going to do if she failed to find the lost kingdom. Her reputation, or what little she has been able to gather would be gone, obviously, and her name might be dragged through the mud like her late father's and her future might very well end up with her waiting tables for the rest of her life.
"Ah, I'm guessing you didn't think that far ahead, huh?" Peter said with a knowing grin "It's fine, I didn't when I went on my first expedition"
"Guess I just got caught up in the moment" Lara admitted with a sigh "But I'm certain we'll find it"
"Gut feeling?" Peter asked.
"And a few dozen hours of intensive research over the course of a month" Lara said with a humorless laugh.
"Well, your dedicated, so that's good" Peter said with a smile before it fell "But you should really plan for any possible fallout from this thing. Don't think for a second hat Whitman won't throw you to the sharks and ruin your rep, if you have any, to save his own"
"And what about you?" Lara said as she looked at Peter with an unreadable expression on her face "Would you, if it meant saving face?"
At this, Peter quirked a brow as a small grin started to form "Ahh, so your learning... but no to answer your question, I wouldn't"
"That's a relief" Lara said with breathless chuckle "Hate to find out that one of my idols would leave me out to dry if it meant keeping his credibility intact"
"Actually, it'd be a good thing that you don't trust me entirely. Despite evidence to the contrary, this business that you and I are in, it's very cut throat" Peter said with a frown "There are people that will drag your name through the dirt, ruin your reputation or just flat out discredit you and all of your discoveries if it saves their asses or they have it out for you"
"Talking from experience?" Lara asked a little nervously.
"No, but I've seen it happen on more than one occasion" Peter said with a sigh "You'd be surprised on how quick this community will tear apart one of it's own, accomplishments and influence be dammed. Heck, if you have both of those in abundance, that'll make your fall from grace all the quicker... and more brutal"
"So I've noticed" Lara said with a saddened expression on her face "It happened to my father after he began to go on and on about those crazy theories of his, about immortality and other ridiculous legends and myths"
Peter hummed at that 'You'd be surprised by how many of those turned out to be real... I got the scars to prove it'
Peter settled into a calm silence as they watched Sam go about the deck, interviewing the various men as they went about their day. Peter chuckled as she asked them some rather outlandish questions and even what they would do if they did find Yamatai.
"Your friend, how'd you two meet?" Peter asked as he nodded towards Sam.
"At college" Lara said with a fond smile.
"Must have been fun" Peter said as the two watched Sam.
"It was" Lara said with a laugh "If it wasn't for her, I'd be locked away in museums and libraries every weekend"
"Oh, so she brought out your inner party girl, huh?" Peter teased at the blushing Lara "Anything your willing to share? Or do I have to go ask Sam over there what the esteemed Lara Croft is like a few shots in?"
Lara blushes a little more as she adverts her gaze and toys with her hair a little "Maybe we can talk about it over a drink?"
At this, Peter snorted as he stood up and nodded towards Lara "Alright then, it's a date. I'll bring the drinks"
Lara laughed at Peter's response as she watched the man go to help Jonah with preparing the rest of the meal to go with the fish before his words registered in her mind and her eyes widened farther than what a person thought possible.
'...Wait what did he say!?'
...
And done.
Next chapter, Lara gets to expreince her dream of going on a sort of date with the Peter Parker... and watches it become a nightmare.