71. Osborn's Flunkies
NEW YORK CITY, 616TH EARTH
Natasha's words seemed to increase the weight of the very air in the situation room. At last, Clint asked, "So, are you here to arrest us?"
"No," Natasha answered. "I would never…I'm going against Osborn's orders here. You have a lot of sympathizers among H.A.M.M.E.R. The thing is, Osborn's picked out some kind of special squad that can take you down. As many friends as you have in his regime, he's picked out enemies for you. I came to warn you."
"This can't be happening," Twilight said. "There has to be a way we can – "
"I'm not sure you understand," Natasha reiterated. "Osborn will have people come to COLLECT you. He'll have them patrolling the city to FIND you. The Bugle will run a story in the morning about how you've all become public enemies and need to be handed over to the authorities immediately. There will be rewards for whoever can turn you in or offer information. Osborn is not going to rest until you're all taken into custody and thrown into a prison we once reserved for supervillains."
"We won't let him take us," Steve asserted.
"We. Are. The. AVENGERS," Tony added. "You think we can't take him?"
"I don't know what Osborn has in his corner," Natasha said, "but he wouldn't make a declaration like this unless he was sure he could take you on. All of you." She looked directly at Pinkie Pie.
"What?" Pinkie asked. "What did I do?"
Jan sighed. "You're our friend," she explained. "So you're going down with us. I'm sorry. This shouldn't have been your problem. It should have been ours."
"It was always supposed to be our problem," Twilight stated. "Otherwise, we wouldn't be here. Even if we just ended up here by chance, we couldn't just stand by and NOT try to stop evil!"
"'Sides," Applejack said, "bein' y'all's friend is worth it."
Steve smiled, visibly touched. "Well…thank you. Frankly, I'm glad we got the chance to know you. That's why I wish you didn't have to deal with this."
"Are you kidding?" Rainbow Dash laughed. "I've gone up against the mother of all monsters! I think we can handle whatever Norman Os-boring has to throw at us."
"Even if you fight off whoever he has lined up to arrest you now," Natasha said, "he won't stop. The entire nation will be your enemy until something comes along to change Osborn's mind…or he stops being dictator."
"Then there's only one course of action," Tony resolved. "We storm H.A.M.M.E.R. and take him down by force."
"I can't help but feel that will only make things worse," Rarity said. "Mostly for our public image. But I also imagine Osborn has some VERY powerful weapons waiting in the wings for us."
"Well, does anyone have any better ideas?" Tony asked, looking around the room.
"Team Strategist Twilight?" Pinkie Pie asked, looking at Twilight.
Twilight shook her head. "I don't know…"
T'Challa suddenly spoke up: "I may have a solution."
Six stared at five. Amora, Zemo, Daken, Bullseye, the Red Hulk, and Venom were lined up against one wall. Five strange men were lined up against the other. The foremost thought in each mind was how ridiculous the people across the room looked.
Osborn strode up and down the lines. "My Avengers," he said. "You know what we have to do. If we want the Avengers to fall, if we want to take the power we've all worked so hard for, we have to take them down here. However, as much as I hate to admit it, we have the disadvantage. That's why I called in my personal hit squad. I'll admit, it was difficult to track some of them down…but as you can see, I've managed to round them up. Gentlemen and Amora, may I present to you…a little group that I like to nickname the 'Sinister Six.'"
He strode toward the first man, well built, features completely covered by a suit that let only his eyes show: yellow with a black criss-cross pattern from the waist up and red from the waist down. He donned a silver belt, but more prominently, large silver gauntlet-like devices, patterned with red and yellow, strapped to his wrists. His eyes were even hidden behind a thin set of frameless goggles. "If I may introduce Montana," Osborn said. "Otherwise known as Shocker."
"Okay, now let's get one thing clear," Shocker interrupted. "You mighta FOUND us, but it's 'cause of ME that you pulled this little group together. Vulture didn't want a dang thing to do with anything you touched 'till I talked him into it. And the others were all suspicious about you before I pointed out how this was gonna work for us. So lemme say that first of all, this might be your squad as far as your payroll goes, but you don't start givin' credit where it's due, you're runnin' the risk of a mutiny. Oh, and you better deliver on EVERYTHING you promised."
"I assure you, Montana, I have no intent to cheat any of you," Osborn stated calmly. "You'll all get double the payment you requested. And as for you…"
Osborn approached a bald, thin, pale man with a long, beaklike nose. He was clad in a red and black suit that sported a pair of black wings tipped in red protruding from the arms. "Adrian Toomes," Osborn said. "Known as the Vulture. In addition to your compensation, you'll be receiving credit for your flight technology and a license to sell the patent."
"You know what else I want," Vulture hissed. "I want you to APOLOGIZE FOR – "
"Vulture," Shocker broke in, "we done talked about this. You ain't gettin' any apologies outta that one, so you either gotta take this or nothin' at all."
Vulture was at a loss for counter-arguments, so he stayed silent.
"Alexander O'Hirn," Osborn continued, moving to the next and largest man in the lineup. He barely looked human at all; his body had been transformed, the thick skin and muscular build of a gray rhinoceros covering a bipedal frame, and an enormous horn protruded from his forehead. Below that, his pale face was twisted into a deranged smirk. "Also known as the Rhino."
"Hey, I'm not waitin' on any apologies," Rhino said. "I'm just in it for the cash. And if I get to beat up on some Avengers, that just makes it better!"
"YEAH!" the man adjacent to Rhino said, holding out a fist; Rhino's own fist bumped against it. This man looked rather average compared to the appearance of the others in the lineup. Caucasian and brunette, with hair cut quite short and a fairly strong muscular build, he wore a shirt patterned in stripes of alternating dark and light green as well as khaki pants.
"Flint Marko," Osborn introduced, unable to suppress a smile. "Otherwise known as the Sandman."
"He seems fairly unimpressive," Zemo said under his breath; Amora nodded.
"HEY!" Sandman barked. He stretched out an arm; it morphed, turning into a mass of sand, and stretched across the room to reach Zemo, shaking an enlarged fist in his face. "You wanna say that to my face next time, you – "
He was cut off, literally, when Zemo slashed through his sandy wrist with his sword.
"DON'T!" Amora and the Red Hulk barked at Zemo.
"Okay, okay, fine," Sandman grumbled, rejoining the disembodied sand to himself and transforming his arm back to flesh consistency. "I get the point. Don't tick off the purple one."
"As for you," Osborn said, turning to the last man, clothed completely in a dark green suit of rubber that obscured any feature he had; his head was enveloped in what looked like a gas mask. Two tubes, each running from the deltoid area in front to the corresponding shoulder area in back, glowed bright with a surging electric light. "Max Dillon – " Osborn began.
"Don't CALL me that," the man seethed. "I'm ELECTRO now."
Osborn nodded, but otherwise didn't acknowledge the request. "My team will find the science you've been looking for as part of your compensation. You can trust me on that."
Osborn turned back to the Dark Avengers. "This is who you'll be working with."
"You called them the 'Sinister Six,'" Daken brought up.
"It's as official of a name as 'Dark Avengers' to the public," Osborn explained. "Almost an inside joke."
"Yes," Daken continued, "but I count five."
Shocker groaned. "He was waitin' on somebody to say that."
"Who was – "
With a loud BOOM, lime green smoke exploded in the center of the room. A deep voice boomed from the cloud: "INTROITUS DRAMATICUS!"
As the smoke cleared, it revealed a man in a most interesting ensemble. His bodysuit was lime green as the smoke he'd appeared in, though a purple cape draped over most of it. A purple collar surrounded the man's neck, and his head was encased in an opaque glass helmet – presumably he could see out of it, but no one could see through it to his face.
"I AM MMMMYYYYYSTEEEEERIOOOOOOO!" the newcomer bellowed. "Master of the arcane arts! Connoisseur of sorcery! Enchanter extraordin – "
Extremely offended, Amora broke in: "You're nothing but a CHARLATAN. You didn't think I, an ACTUAL enchantress gifted with the true power of magic, wouldn't see through your cheap illusions? Holograms and a trap door? You're nothing but a MOCKERY of magic!"
"I AM NO MOCKERY!" Mysterio yelled, pointing at Amora dramatically. "I am an ARTIST!"
"Quentin Beck," Osborn explained, "or Mysterio, as he prefers, is actually interesting to me because of his talent with illusion. His skills allow him to confuse potential opponents by making them question what is real and what is not."
"It is still a disgrace to true magic," Amora growled.
"IIIIINGRAAAAAATE!" Mysterio yelled.
"You can turn down the volume about five notches," Shocker groaned.
"Now that we're all gathered here," Osborn said, making sure to shoot a quick glance at Mysterio due to his insistence upon being late to the party, "I want to discuss our plan of action. No doubt the Avengers already know about the arrest order. They have friends within these walls, and I'm not so stupid that I don't know I'll have at least one traitor who takes it into her…or his…hands to alert them. They may already be out in the city. I've mapped out a patrol system. We'll each keep a close watch on our assigned areas. They won't be able to get past us without a fight. Take as many as you can…alive." Upon that word, Osborn shot a glare at Zemo.
"After all this time, you still do not trust me?" Zemo asked.
"Only a fool would," Amora pointed out.
"If that is the case," Zemo countered, "why is it that you so readily followed me into battle so many times?"
"I LED you into battle!" Amora insisted.
"Sooooo…whaddaya think?" Sandman whispered to Rhino. "Those two: dating or already married?"
Amora shook her head in frustration. "It is useless to argue. The sooner we can divide and conquer and the sooner I no longer have to share space with that sham of a sorcerer, the better."
Mysterio raised a hand flowingly into the air. "YOU SHALL REGRET HAVING INCURRED THE WRATH OF – "
Shocker clapped a hand on Mysterio's shoulder. "CAN IT."
"Stultus es," Mysterio hissed at Amora.
"There's one more point I want to discuss before I deal out patrol assignments," Osborn stated. "You already know about the six women that are currently living with the Avengers. No matter what happens, if it comes down to taking one of them or taking an Avenger…take the woman. At least ONE of them needs to be within our captivity by the end of this night."
"And why's that so important?" Shocker asked.
Amora laughed, already knowing the answer. "The six of them share a power," she stated. "Remove one, and the other five no longer have that power."
"And you figured this out on your own?" Shocker posed to Osborn.
"I don't think any of that matters," Osborn said defensively. Splitting the Elements had been an order directly from Loki, and whomever was taken was to be delivered to Loki himself. But he wasn't about to talk about the liesmith in front of the Six. The less said about him, the better. "Just bring at least one of them back here. Is that understood?"
T'Challa stood before everyone in the situation room. "Osborn's arrest order is binding by American law," he stated. "However, Wakandan law does not affect you."
"So you're saying all we have to do is get to goddamn Wakanda overnight," Tony grumbled.
Not catching Tony's sarcasm, Pinkie Pie screamed, "ROAD TRIP!"
"We do not need to go that far," T'Challa said. "We may take refuge in the Wakandan embassy. No authority, not even H.A.M.M.E.R., will be able to cross without risking war with Wakanda."
"I like it," Tony mused. "After all, Doom's always pulling diplomatic immunity on us. If he's still involved with this, I just wish I could see the look on his face when we give him a taste of his own medicine. Y'know. If it weren't for the fact that he wears that mask so no one can ever see the look on his face."
"But T'Challa," Twilight brought up, "that's a big risk for the reputation AND the safety of your country."
"As for reputation, this is a cause I find worthy," T'Challa stated. "After all, I assume we are all under the impression that we need only find a refuge long enough that we truly can begin to put a plan in place to put Osborn out of power or otherwise dispel our arrest orders. As for the safety of my country, many an attacker has learned the hard way that Wakanda is not to be trifled with. We may not have sophisticated nuclear weaponry, but we have learned to manipulate Vibranium in very practical ways."
"You sure you wanna do this?" Applejack asked him.
"I did admittedly have to think about it," T'Challa said. "The solution came to me immediately, but I was not sure it was worth it. However, I am convinced that it is. Despite what we have done, we do not deserve to be taken into custody. This is merely Osborn's hunger for power – "
"Or a scheme by Loki," Thor brought up.
"Or a scheme by Doom," Natasha added.
"There's no way this wasn't planned to lead up to this," Carol said. "The opponents we fought were too convenient. This was setting up a smear campaign against us to get us into custody. And once they have us out of the way, something worse will happen that we can't stop."
"Except we WILL be able to stop it," Steve said, "because we're NOT going down."
"If we each take different routes to the embassy, stagger the times we leave, and travel in pairs," T'Challa suggested, "we will stand a greater chance."
"We should draw up an official plan," Twilight suggested. "I think we should go in two waves. Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Applejack, what do you think about partnering with two people, one per wave? I think we stand the best chance if each group has one Avenger with powers from this world and one of us with our own special powers."
"I'm down with that," Rainbow Dash confirmed.
"It sounds like good logic," Steve agreed.
"I'll need a map so we can look at routes," said Twilight.
"In the meantime," Tony said, "I'm going to put in a couple phone calls."
"Who are you calling at this time of night?" Rarity asked.
"You BETTER not be getting us in trouble, Tony," Jan stated, arms folded.
"I'm just getting us a little insurance in case we run into trouble along the way," Tony replied before leaving the room.
"WHO is he talking to?" Twilight barked. "And WHERE is he going?"
"There are times we must simply trust him," Thor said. "He does seem to know what he is doing more often than not."
Twilight sighed as J.A.R.V.I.S. projected a large map of the city for her. "All right. I'm going to need everypony's help getting familiar with these streets…"
"I should go," Natasha said. "I don't want to raise any more suspicion than I probably already have."
"If you need any help from us," Applejack said, "you know where to find us."
"Thank you." Natasha nodded before turning to leave. "Oh, and Clint? Don't get shot."
"Thanks," Clint yelled at Natasha's retreating back.
The Dark Avengers and Sinister Six regarded a map projected on the wall on which patrol routes were drawn.
"Looks like ya got two extra routes," Shocker pointed out to Osborn.
"Hey, no problem!" Sandman laughed. "O'Hirn and I will just take – "
"Actually, no, you won't," Shocker argued.
"What?" Sandman was aghast. "C'mon, man! We're partners in crime!"
"Why can't we fight together?" Rhino asked.
"Because I don't know if you noticed," Shocker pointed out, "but every time the Six divides into teams, you two always pair off, and YOU ALWAYS GET YOUR ASSES WHOOPED. Same reason I ain't lettin' Electro and Vulture pair off either."
"I wouldn't want to work wih HIM anyway," Vulture growled. "I always end up electrocuted or worse!"
"Well…fine," Sandman said, thinking it over. "I'll take Max, then."
Electro wasn't expecting that. "…What?"
"I can't have O'Hirn," Sandman argued, "I want the powerful guy on my team."
Shocker thought for a moment about arguing that he felt he was, in fact, the most powerful on the team, but was overcome with the desire not to be teamed up with Sandman and only Sandman, so he kept his mouth shut.
"And that means the lovebirds don't have to be split up," Sandman went on.
"…Lovebirds?" Daken asked.
"Yeah," Sandman continued. "The blonde and the purple one."
"Ah - !" Amora's anger was stoked. "You - ! I am not…my heart does NOT belong to…."
"I believe the Enchantress is trying to say she finds the idea of being my girlfriend repulsive," Zemo finished for her. "Which is no insult to me. After all, I deserve better than the likes of her."
"HOW CAN YOU - !" Amora sputtered.
"Then I'LL take a partner to solve this," Shocker interrupted. "Mysterio. You're with me."
"THE GRRRREAT MYSTERIO does not generally SHARE the spotlight with common criminals," Mysterio replied. "However, I suppose I can make an exception in your case."
"I got some plans for those illusions of yours," Shocker told him. "Work with me on this, and I promise you won't get your spotlight dulled one little bit."
"You have your assignments," Osborn stated, leaving the room. "Now go."
Walking briskly down the helicarrier hall after the dismissal, Sandman addressed his new partner in crime: "So, Max – "
"It's Electro," Electro corrected angrily.
"What's WITH that, anyway?" Sandman asked. "That whole 'I'm Electro now' deal?"
"The night of that accident, my life was changed for what looks like forever," Electro stated. "Being Max Dillon feels like it was a long time ago. Now…I'm this."
"Well, whatever you call it, you're always on the ball in the field," Sandman pointed out. "Seriously, Shocker couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, and do you really buy that VULTURE can carry a fight on his own? You've always got the skills and a lot of the guts."
"…Thank you," Electro said quietly. "But if this goes well, I might be able to get something like a normal life back."
"Whaddaya mean?"
"Osborn's going to start looking for a cure for…my condition…as payment for this job. He has access to more resources and knowledge than Dr. Octavius ever did."
"You still WANT to go back? After what you can do NOW?" Sandman couldn't comprehend it.
"Just because I can control it doesn't make this a normal life!" Electro growled. "I can't touch anything anymore without wearing…this! If I slip up, I destroy things, I hurt people! And even if I wasn't a 'criminal,' they'd still look at me like I was a monster. Of course I still want to go back."
"Y'know…" Sandman replied tentatively. "Osborn's a tricky guy. You remember that whole Green Goblin deal. If he's lyin' about this cure thing…what I'm sayin' is that he'll say a lot of stuff to get what he wants, and I don't want you to get shafted."
"I appreciate your concern," Electro replied, "but what other choice do I have? I don't expect you to understand. Your powers are actually useful. They made your life BETTER. If anyone's the best in the field, it's you, not me."
Sandman wasn't sure how to reply to that.
Iron Man, Rainbow Dash in the Spectrum armor, Captain America, Applejack, Thor, Twilight, Banner, Fluttershy, Hawkeye, Rarity, Wasp, and Pinkie Pie stood behind the gates while the others waited inside the mansion.
"Remember the plan?" Twilight asked.
There was a collective nod.
"Then let's GO," Twilight commanded.
She threw open the gates with a burst of magic. The group dispersed into the night.
Iron Man and Rainbow Dash flew above the skyscraper tops. "From this high up," Iron Man pointed out, "we should be able to see anyone before they see us."
"Who did you call, anyway?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Just a few friends," Iron Man answered. "That's all you need to know."
"I'm starting to think Twilight was overreacting," Rainbow Dash stated. "Like anypony would REALLY be out looking for us at this time of night. And like they'd really be able to find exactly where we are – "
"Okay, I'm gonna stop you right now. We kinda have this saying. NEVER say how easy something was or how well something's going. Because that's EXACTLY when the shitstorm is gonna hit."
"Pinkie Pie would probably say the same thing," Rainbow Dash realized.
The two flew on in silence for a while before Rainbow Dash said, "I know we're going to be able to take on Osborn. So I'm not asking IF you think we can take him on. But when do you think we'll be able to make a move?"
"After Twilight, Panther, and Cap have come up with a foolproof plan of action," Iron Man answered. "So basically, in about five years."
A blast of white-hot energy slammed into him, knocking him off his flight path and sending him tumbling downward. "TONY!" Rainbow Dash screamed without thinking.
"You were right about one thing." The Iron Patriot descended before Rainbow Dash. "You won't be 'taking me down' anytime soon."
Rainbow Dash turned downward in a panic, careening toward Iron Man, but the latter had already caught himself, stabilizing his flight and floating upward. "You okay?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Yeah," Iron Man replied. "But in about two seconds, Osborn isn't gonna be."
"After all this," Osborn called down to the pair, "you're STILL threatening me?"
"It's called HAVING NOTHING TO LOSE," Iron Man insisted before he and Rainbow Dash shot straight upward. Parting ways, Iron Man flew to the left and Rainbow Dash to the right; they charged Osborn from opposite sides.
Osborn thrust out his hands, firing energy charges at both of them. Rainbow Dash swerved; Iron Man ducked. Neither blast connected. Iron Man sent a blast of his own at Osborn, who avoided it by flipping upward, head over heels. Rainbow Dash's sword materialized in her hands, and she flung it upward to the sky, calling small lightning bolts to strike down at Osborn; Osborn weaved through all of them. Hoping to catch Osborn off guard, Iron Man slammed into him, grabbing him around the waist, rushing him straight down with the attempt to ram him into the pavement of the street below. Midflight, Osborn kicked Iron Man away from him, aiming another boot at his opponent's head to daze him; Osborn sailed upward to greet Rainbow Dash and her poised blade. Rainbow Dash hoisted the blade to strike; Osborn ducked the blow at the last possible second, gripping Rainbow Dash by the feet and flinging her against a nearby wall. As Rainbow Dash collided, she was momentarily stunned; the sword dematerialized. Osborn turned both palms upon Rainbow Dash, only to be tackled again by Iron Man. Both Osborn's charged palms turned to Iron Man's head, slamming him with full force. Iron Man dropped like a stone. Rainbow Dash shook herself out of her stupor, speeding down to catch him, knowing this time, he wouldn't be able to right his course on his own. A rainbow trail took shape behind Rainbow Dash, brightening, as she flew faster and faster. To her relief, the distance between her and Iron Man closed enough for her to grab his wrist; his full weight almost dragged her down further, but she steeled herself, putting all energy into blasting upward, until she held their position steady.
"Okay," Iron Man grunted, "so he's going to be more annoying than I thought."
Osborn hovered over the two of them. They were vulnerable. He knew Iron Man would soon be airborne again and Rainbow Dash wouldn't have to support him, but if he took this one window of opportunity, he could prevent that from happening. He put his palms outward.
Dual energy beams struck the back of his neck. Osborn was sent reeling. A familiar gray-toned suit of armor hovered above his vantage point. From it, a voice coldly demanded, "LEAVE. THEM. ALONE."
"Geez," Iron Man remarked, regaining his flight; Rainbow Dash could safely let go of his wrist, and did so. "Took him long enough. No, he should've come five minutes later. We'd've been fiiiiiiiine."
"Is that…" Rainbow Dash recognized the suit. "War Machine?" Realization dawned. "RHODEY?"
"He's the only one I even allow to pilot that suit," Iron Man stated.
"Aaaaand now I know who you called," Rainbow Dash concluded.
"One of them, anyway," Iron Man muttered.
"You NEVER deserved to wear that," Rhodes growled at Osborn.
"I seem to recall an infamous incident in which you told Mr. Stark the same thing," Osborn replied.
"He can be a real insensitive jerk sometimes," Rhodes agreed.
"Yeah, thanks for backing me up, buddy," Iron Man sighed.
"But he's ten times the man you'll ever be," Rhodes concluded. "Now cut off your power trip and leave them alone, or I'll have to MAKE you."
"This goes beyond a mere power trip," Osborn said. "They have to be taken into custody. And if you insist on being stubborn, you will too."
Rhodes and Osborn charged each other at the same time; Rhodes' fist connected with Osborn, knocking him downward. Osborn was caught on a rainbow shockwave from Rainbow Dash's sword, carried like a baseball on the momentum of a bat. Iron Man flew toward Rhodes, telling him, "Now would be a good time to do the thing." He then yelled down at Rainbow Dash, "KEEP HIM THERE!"
Osborn had managed to put Rainbow Dash into a headlock, but with a flip over in the air, Rainbow Dash shook him. She then began to fly in circles around Osborn, faster and faster, leaving a rainbow cyclone that surrounded him.
Iron Man and Rhodes put their hands out toward each other, activating blasts of energy that collided and built up.
Osborn blasted at Rainbow Dash several times. The first twenty blasts missed. The twenty-first hit its mark. With a sharp cry, Rainbow Dash was halted. Osborn turned his attention to Iron Man and Rhodes.
"Now might be a good time," Rhodes muttered.
"Just a bit longer," Iron Man retorted.
"Are you KIDDING me?"
Osborn clenched a fist as he approached his targets. Rainbow Dash grabbed aggressively onto his ankles, pulling him back as hard as she could. Osborn turned a laser upon her; she swerved, taking the angle of his body with her. Osborn kicked at her; she lost grip.
"NOW?" Rhodes yelled in a panic.
"Now," Iron Man agreed.
Osborn reached them as they gave the lasers one final charge.
The collision of the two energies caused an explosion. Rainbow Dash automatically put an arm up to shield her face, then remembering that she was masked anyway. When the lights faded, she saw Iron Man and Rhodes looking down to the street, where Osborn lay sprawled out.
"Is he…?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Probably not," Iron Man complained.
"No time for that," Rhodes insisted. "We need to keep moving. NOW."
The three armored warriors took off for the sanctuary that awaited them.
Applejack and Captain America slunk to the edge of an alley. Applejack peered around the edge of it, to the street. A few cars traveled up and down the side road, but there was no foot traffic to be seen, and the cars all seemed to be headed for respective destinations.
"Clear," she said.
They moved across the street, about to turn the corner to another. Captain America looked out this time, noticing a few more cars but no pedestrians.
"Clear," he stated.
The pair darted to the entrance of a dark alley, one that connected to a larger street. They each looked down the long, dark passage, with only a dumpster to be seen.
"Clear," they said in unison without thinking too much about what they saw before them.
They charged down the alley together. A figure rose from the dark, stepping out from behind the dumpster where he had lain in wait. Light gleamed off his blade fleetingly.
With a chuckle, Baron Zemo announced, "Not clear."
Applejack took a quick step backward; the whip materialized in her hand, and she clutched it tightly. Captain America gasped, almost inaudibly.
"What's wrong?" Zemo asked. "Surprised to see me? Frightened? The great Captain America and his powerful little friend?"
"We ain't SCARED," Applejack replied, teeth gritted. Lies.
"I'm…I'm giving you one chance," Captain America stated. "Step aside."
"Now, why would I do that?" Zemo taunted. "Especially when someone ASKED me to bring you down. Alive, unfortunately, but I will take what I can get." He then broke into a run toward his targets, shield out, sword at the ready.
Applejack cracked the rope whip at Zemo. He raised the sword blade to meet it; the rope wrapped around the sword. Zemo paused only to get a balanced stance as he sliced through the whip in one swift motion, letting Applejack's weapon fall to the ground in pieces and dissolve in sparks of light. Left clutching the grip, Applejack stared in horror.
Captain America drew his shield back, then let it fly. Zemo parried, deflecting the edge of the shield with the flat of his own. The shield ricocheted, and Applejack caught the red, white, and blue disc mid-spin, twirling in a circle to launch it right back where it came from. It flew low; Zemo's foot slammed down onto the shield, pinning it to the ground.
A bright light shone; Applejack was stunned to find the whip had rematerialized. She cracked it again. The rope wound around Zemo's forearms, locking them to his sides; he was only momentarily surprised. Then he flipped Captain America's fallen shield over with his foot, stomping one end to send it flying; he twisted so that the shield's spinning edge severed the rope. He dropped his own shield to grab onto what remained of the rope.
Captain America could tell what Zemo was about to do a split second before it happened. Zemo held the sword, point out, directly at Applejack. He jerked the whip roughly. Applejack was knocked off balance, flung forward toward the blade.
"NO!" Captain America slammed into her, pushing her out of the way. She let go of the whip handle, fell to the ground, rolled.
Blood splattered on the ground.
"STEVE!" Applejack screamed.
The blade had cut into the side of Captain America's stomach; he gripped the wound in pain.
"I could have told you that your constant need for martyrdom would be the death of you," Zemo stated, picking up his shield and repositioning the sword. Captain America's shield was replanted firmly under his boot. "Of course, I cannot actually bring you back to Osborn dead…but under the laws of self-defense, I can bring you back sufficiently maimed. After all, you made a monster out of me. I have every right to do the same to you."
Zemo saw the bright flash out of the corner of his eye. He ducked it, letting the jinx pass over him. Rising, he stared at Applejack, whose wand was drawn. "Come to think of it," he said, "I have a better idea. I shall return Captain America to Osborn completely unharmed but for one small wound…should you both comply. But for every attempt you make to attack me, I leave another mark on him."
"It's all right," Captain America panted, speaking to Applejack but not taking his eyes off Zemo. "I can still take him."
"Oh, that I doubt," Zemo replied.
He had seen many a battle. Had trained for every situation he could imagine. He very easily heard the subtle click of the rifle.
Zemo hit the ground and rolled as a hail of laser-esque bullets sailed over him; they would have pierced him many times over had he stayed still. From the shadows, a new figure appeared, holding twin pistols, the source of the bullets. A husky voice hissed, "They weren't exaggerating about you after all."
Applejack pointed her wand at the newcomer. He was a well built man, dressed in clinging black, including a black mask over the lower half of his face. His left arm was made of a gleaming, silvery metal. Dark brown hair flowed almost to his shoulders. His eyes seemed to burn with intensity.
"B…Bucky?" Captain America gasped.
"We already got one psycho on our hands," Applejack said sternly. "An' we can take another one."
"Applejack, no," Captain America interrupted. "He's a friend!"
"That true…Bucky?" Applejack asked.
"Steve and I go back," the newcomer said. "Since the war. I lost myself since then, but thanks to him, I've been finding myself. Though I prefer 'Winter Soldier' over 'Bucky.'"
"Uh…sorry, Winter Soldier," Applejack said sheepishly, lowering her wand.
"How did you even know we'd be here?" Captain America asked.
"I didn't," Winter Soldier answered. "I got a tip from Stark saying there would be trouble in the streets tonight. It's just sheer luck I found you."
"How touching," Zemo mocked, standing at the opposite end of the alley. "Captain America and young Bucky Barnes, reunited again. But not for long. After all, I have orders to bring in the Captain…and no orders to leave the Winter Soldier alive."
Zemo and Winter Soldier moved at the same time, Zemo drawing his sword and Winter Soldier holstering his pistols. Winter Soldier grasped Zemo's blade with his metal hand, drawing back his right fist to aim at Zemo's face. Zemo turned his head, letting the blow pass him by a hair's breadth, before planting a boot squarely in Winter Soldier's stomach. Winded, the Winter Soldier sidestepped left, avoiding another strike from Zemo, before landing a chop from his metal arm across the small of his opponent's back. Zemo lost balance, hit the ground, rolled, grasped the purple shield, stood back up. The Winter Soldier had drawn both pistols and fired again and again; the shots ricocheted off the purple shield. The Winter Soldier advanced slowly, still shooting. Zemo backed up a step for every step the Soldier took toward him; the shield still repelled every shot.
"You are accomplishing nothing!" Zemo taunted.
"That's what you think," the Winter Soldier said as his foot landed atop Captain America's fallen shield. He kicked it quickly toward its owner. Captain America reacted quickly, grabbing the shield. Winter Soldier's toe nudged under the hilt of the rope whip, then kicked it toward Applejack.
Applejack caught the whip, but immediately dismissed it. Out of pure anger, she charged at Zemo, fist drawn back. Trying to focus his attention on three opponents, Zemo found his reaction time rather delayed.
The punch landed. He staggered. Applejack drew back her other fist, ready to deal him another one; Zemo caught her fist in his hand, dropping his sword. Captain America let his shield fly; it rammed directly into Zemo's other wrist, and he let the shield fall. The Winter Soldier took the opportunity to send a kick directly into Zemo's chest, knocking him down. Before the Baron could make a response, the Winter Soldier's foot slammed into his head, and he lost consciousness.
The Winter Soldier drew a single pistol, aiming it at the head of the unconscious Zemo. His finger wrapped around the trigger.
"DON'T!" Applejack cried in desperation.
The Soldier didn't fire. Without looking at Applejack, he asked, "Why should I not?"
"It…it ain't right," Applejack stated plaintively.
"He would have killed you in the time it took you to blink," the Winter Soldier pointed out.
"Bucky," Captain America begged. "Please…don't. Please just listen to her. She doesn't want any harm to come to ANYONE."
"I could pull the trigger now," the Winter Soldier stated. "Save the both of you from more hardship, whether you liked it or not." He lowered the gun slowly, then holstered it. "I don't know if this is for the best or the worst." He turned to face Captain America. "But I have to take you at your word, Steve."
"Thank you," Captain America said, smiling. "I – "
He suddenly staggered, clutching at the wound in his side.
"We gotta get you to the embassy," Applejack insisted.
"I'll guard you on the way there," the Winter Soldier promised. "After that, don't expect any more help from me."
"I already appreciate everything you've done," Captain America said sincerely.
Applejack walked to Captain America's wounded side, letting him put an arm over her shoulder, supporting him as the trio walked. "So, uh…Winter Soldier," she said. "You said you knew Cap way back in the war. What was that like?"
"A long story," the Winter Soldier stated. "Some parts of it aren't pretty."
"Oh. Well, uh, okay, then – "
"But some parts of it, I can tell. If you want to hear it."
"I'd love to," Applejack said in earnest.
Twilight ran as quickly as she could after Thor through the darkened streets. Thor noticed she was falling behind, and slowed his pace. "Are you all right, Twilight Sparkle?"
"I'm fine," Twilight panted. "I'm just worried we won't get there fast enough. I keep expecting somepony to jump out of an alley at any moment."
"If you should want it, I could carry you there in the sky," Thor offered.
"I wouldn't wanna put you through that trouble," Twilight stated.
"'Tis no trouble. I am strong, and you are light."
"Well…that would be faster. If you don't mind."
Thor moved toward Twilight, gently placing one arm behind her back and bending to place the other behind her knees. She let him lift her, and he launched into the sky, soaring at a brisk pace toward the embassy.
"Y'know, sometimes I wonder what it's like to be able to just…fly," Twilight admitted.
"Is it not possible with your magic?" Thor asked.
"Not long-term," Twilight said, "and the spells are complicated for that kind of thing. Sometimes I wish…actually, I wish I had wings like Rainbow Dash. But those are just daydreams. I'm glad to be a unicorn, and the only way to have it both ways was if I was somehow an alicorn. But THAT would just be silly, wouldn't it?"
"If it is your wish," Thor pointed out, "it is not silly."
"Like I said, it's just a daydream I have sometimes. Kind of a 'what if.' It would be nice, but I appreciate what I have."
"And remember that you do have friends who will help you fly, such as myself. Gwendolyn would fly for you as well. You do not know Gwendolyn yet, do you?"
"No," Twilight admitted.
"I look forward to the day you meet her, for your sake," Thor said with a smile. "I have already seen you meet her, and I know how happy she made you and your friends."
"Who is she?"
"As you must know, my father, King Odin, had many children," Thor explained. "More than myself and Loki."
"That seems to be the pattern with god kings. But go on."
Thor began: "Gwendolyn is one of my sis – "
A shock of green-colored plasma burst upward from the ground, slamming into Thor and Twilight, causing both to cry out in pain. Thor felt himself begin to fall; he corrected his path, turned it into a slow glide. He landed rather hard on a rooftop, dropping Twilight.
Twilight immediately stood, looking around to see who had fired the blast. "SHOW YOURSELF!" she cried out.
"Gladly." Amora materialized from the darkness, hands radiating green energy.
"Amora," Twilight growled.
"Is this enough evidence to convince you that I am not on your side yet, Twilight Sparkle?" Amora asked.
"I'm starting to believe," Twilight answered, her staff materializing in her hands as Thor stood to full height behind her.
"I've been ordered by Osborn to take you into custody," Amora stated. "But I am not sure I feel like obeying his command. If I wanted, it would be easy for me to leave him and all of H.A.M.M.E.R. behind. To begin a new life. Do you think that would be difficult for you, Thor?"
"Are you asking whether I would abandon my friends and allies to run away with you and begin a new life?" Thor asked angrily.
"Think of it, Thor," Amora said. "We leave all of this behind, all this suffering, all this complication. We can reach paradise, just you and I."
"I have told you. My heart belongs to Jane Foster."
"What can she give you that I cannot?"
"True love," Thor answered. "Your love is toxic. It burns."
Amora's brow furrowed. "The witch has been influencing your mind, I see."
"Twilight has done no such thing!" Thor retorted.
"How would you know?" Amora asked. "You saw how easily she commandeered the mind of Attuma. Perhaps this whole time, she has been convincing you that she and these Avengers are your friends and that you must remain tied down to that mortal woman, and you're none the wiser."
"WHAT?" Twilight yelled. "Thor, don't listen to her!"
"I do not believe her for a second," Thor stated.
"She has been manipulating you for years!" Amora argued. "Ever since she met you and your brother and sisters thousands of years ago!"
"I would trust Twilight Sparkle with my life," Thor argued. "It is you who has never stopped manipulating me since the day you fell in your so-called LOVE!"
"Then you reject me," Amora said, her hands glowing brighter. "I gave you your chance. You brought this fate upon yourself!"
She raised her hands high, gathering a ball of green energy. She launched it.
Twilight thrust out her staff, sending a wall of pink energy out in front of her; Amora's projectile shattered against it in a shower of green. Twilight retaliated with a knockback jinx; when it hit, Amora slid backward across the roof, but didn't lose her balance.
"GET IN THE AIR!" Twilight yelled to Thor, who immediately obeyed. Twilight slammed her staff into the ground; from the base of it, a film of ice spread over the roof. Amora slipped on the ice, landing front side down, hard. Twilight, however, hadn't factored herself in when she cast the spell; she also slid, landing hard on her rear.
Amora maneuvered into a kneeling position, firing a great beam of green. Twilight put up her staff, and a spherical purple forcefield of energy appeared around her; the green beam was deflected. Twilight summoned a cyclone of air to spin towards Amora; it enveloped the Enchantress, who merely put her arms out and twirled with the cyclone. When she stopped, the cyclone's direction had reversed, moving toward Twilight. Twilight turned and ran, but not fast enough; the cyclone picked her up and spun her round and round.
Thor raised Mjolnir to the sky as this struggle continued below him. Clouds gathered. Thunder rumbled. With a yell, Thor aimed Mjolnir at the rooftop, releasing a forked branch of lightning at Amora.
Dozens of tongues of lightning licked the rooftop; she dexterously sidestepped each one in a complex dance.
Frustrated, Thor simply threw Mjolnir at Amora; she stopped it in a field of green energy. "I thought you had learned," she told Thor. "I have stopped your hammer before."
Twilight burst from the cyclone, readying her staff. Amora looked at her and merely laughed.
Before she was hit in the stomach by seemingly nothing.
"Wha - !" Amora gasped as she reeled from several blows dealt to her out of thin air: to the stomach, to the face.
Twilight pointed her staff, ready to fire at Amora in her moment of weakness, but Thor slammed a hand on the weapon, forcing it downward. "NO!" he yelled. "You will hurt our ally!"
As Amora hit the ground, another woman seemed to materialize out of thin air. With long blonde hair and pale skin, she was clothed in a navy blue jumpsuit with a stylized black "4" enclosed in a circle emblazoned upon her chest. She turned to face Thor and Twilight.
"Run," she said.
She put out her hands, and Twilight was horrified to see both her and Thor disappear. As Amora struggled to her feet, an invisible hand, large and strong, encircled Twilight's wrist and pulled her arm. "We must GO!" Thor's voice boomed from seemingly nowhere.
Twilight ran in the direction the hand pulled her…right off the skyscraper. The hand let go. Twilight screamed.
A pair of arms caught her, a familiar position, one arm behind her back and the other under her knees. Put in this position, Twilight realized that she could not see her own body; she screamed again.
"Quiet!" the woman's voice sounded from somewhere nearby as Twilight felt herself descend. "She'll hear you!"
"Thor?" Twilight whispered.
"I am here," the one carrying her replied, equally softly. "We have been cloaked so Amora will not see in which direction we have run."
Thor landed on the street; he let Twilight down, but took her wrist again. Twilight felt her other wrist taken by a smaller hand; obviously the woman. As the two holding her wrists broke into a run, Twilight had no choice but to go with them.
"Who are you?" Twilight asked.
"My name's Sue Storm," the woman answered. "But they call me the Invisible Woman. Reed got a call from Tony Stark saying there'd be trouble tonight."
"Who's Reed?" Twilight asked.
"The leader of the Fantastic Four," Thor clarified. "Another team of heroes that is closely allied to the Avengers. Lady Storm is the beloved of Reed Richards."
"Thank you so much for helping us," Twilight told Sue.
"Don't thank me yet," Sue replied. "The cloaking will work for a while, but Amora's pretty powerful. She'll probably be able to figure out where we are anyway if we don't keep moving fast. Where are we going?"
"To the Wakandan embassy," Thor explained.
"Then let's get there before she gets onto us," Sue suggested, and the trio ran on.
Banner and Fluttershy kept to the shadows, remaining silent. They communicated only through glances. Partway through the journey, they became adept at reading each other's signals:
Is it clear?
Yes.
Go carefully.
I know.
Across a busy street, through an alley, onto another street.
The Red Hulk leapt down from a rooftop, landing hard on the pavement and sending shards of it flying up. A car swerved to avoid crashing into him, slamming into a fire hydrant instead; a geyser of water burst upward.
"I'm taking you in to Osborn," the Red Hulk announced.
"I can handle this!" Fluttershy told Banner, stepping out in front of him and summoning her katana. She leapt at the Red Hulk, blade drawn.
One blow landed, and John felt it affect his very core. As he tried to dodge the katana, repeatedly failing, he felt it rock his inner foundations. Felt the power of the Red Hulk destabilizing.
In desperation, he reached out, caught hold of Fluttershy's ankle. He spun her round once, then let go. With a scream, she flew through a nearby window. John took a moment to recollect.
He didn't have long. Banner had transformed. The Hulk leapt upon his red counterpart, pinning him to the ground. The Red Hulk was temporarily able to flip them over, pinning the Hulk down, before the Hulk threw the Red Hulk off himself, getting up. The Hulk charged with a fist drawn, slamming it into the Red Hulk, who hit and dented a nearby wall. The Red Hulk responded by leaping out and shoving the Hulk into a wall on the opposite side of the street.
Fluttershy lay sprawled out across an office space; she leapt up immediately, rushing to the window through which she'd been thrown. She looked out to see the two Hulks clashing, running at each other and locking hands, each hoping to push the other down and get the upper hand first. Fluttershy at first couldn't think of anything to do but watch in horror; how could she attack one without hitting the other?
John felt his strength slowly coming back, recovering from Fluttershy's early blows. Conversely, the Hulk was beginning to slip, and this only angered him more.
Fluttershy knew she would have to draw upon her amulet all the more, but still, there needed to be an opening.
Then she noticed the one man who ran toward the conflict instead of away from it. Most had exited their cars and made a run for it, but a large man dressed in a red shirt and black pants, with a thick silver belt, his pale skin offset by his almost electric green hair, was making his way directly toward the two battling Hulks. To Fluttershy's surprise, he leapt at the Red Hulk's back, wrapping his arms around John's neck.
The Hulk was pushed aside; the Red Hulk staggered, trying to get the green-haired man to let go. Fluttershy could only deduce that this man was quite strong indeed in order to be able to pull off such a feat.
She leapt out of the window; her wings sprang out, allowing her to glide to the ground. She landed before the Red Hulk, transforming into her Mahou Shoujo state. "I've got him!" she told the newcomer.
The green-haired man nodded before letting go of the Red Hulk, pushing him slightly toward Fluttershy.
The flowers sprouted up from the ground, lifted into the air, unfolded into shuriken. They unleashed all at once, pouring their energy into the Red Hulk.
He was destabilized; the latest dose was wearing off with the new fatigue that washed over him. He grew ever smaller, the crimson fading from his skin until Fluttershy, the Hulk, and the green-haired man were looking at John Jameson, who staggered, placing a hand against a wall to steady himself.
"Who ARE you?" Fluttershy asked in genuine curiosity.
"I…NO!" John screamed before turning away and running – not angry, it seemed, but incredibly anxious instead.
"I…I hope he's all right," Fluttershy murmured.
"He'd be the last thing I worry about," the green-haired man pointed out. He turned to the Hulk. "Enemy of yours? I didn't recognize him."
"Never seen him," the Hulk grunted. "At least not Ross this time."
"Oh, pardon me," Fluttershy interrupted, facing the green-haired man, "but I must thank you for helping save us. What's your name?"
"They call me Doc Samson," the green-haired man stated. "Let's just say this isn't the first time I've had problems with the red one."
"Let me guess," the Hulk said. "Tony called."
"It's that obvious?" Samson replied. "You two better get back to where you were going before another one of Osborn's shows up."
"How can we ever repay you?" Fluttershy asked Samson.
"By getting yourselves SAFE," Samson asserted.
"Let's go," the Hulk commanded, turning to make his way down the planned route. After one last look back and smile at Samson, Fluttershy spread her wings and followed by air.
Hawkeye and Rarity hadn't taken directly to running the streets. Hawkeye had insisted they double back around back of the mansion to get something. Rarity decided to trust his lead.
The purple sky cycle burst into the air, Hawkeye at the handlebars and Rarity clutching onto his waist from behind, screaming as the cycle increased in velocity.
"With any luck," Hawkeye said, "this'll get us to the embassy before anybody – "
A THUD sounded, followed by a THUD-THUD. Hawkeye looked to the front of the Sky Cycle to notice that three arrows had stuck to the surface; their nocks glowed brightly in a way that was horrifyingly familiar.
Cursing, Hawkeye leapt over the handlebars to pluck the arrows off and throw them downward into the street; they exploded on the pavement. When the smoke cleared, he could see the motorcycle down below keeping pace with the Sky Cycle. When Bullseye noticed Hawkeye catching sight of his vehicle, he sent Hawkeye up a cheeky grin.
"That's it," Hawkeye muttered, taking out his own bow. "I gotta deal with this jerk. You drive."
"ME?" Rarity screeched.
"Yeah, you! You wanna crash and burn into the side of a building?"
"The fastest thing I've ever driven was a ship!"
"An airship, or the kind with sails? Never mind, I think I can guess. Just switch out with me!"
With a few awkward maneuvers, the two had switched places; Rarity gripped the handlebars of the Sky Cycle while Hawkeye loaded his bow and shot downward at Bullseye. Hawkeye's aim was true, but the arrows missed their mark all the same; Bullseye's motorcycle steered out of the way of every shot. Bullseye swung one leg upward, setting it on the motorcycle handlebars and steering, while he devoted both hands to loading his own bow.
"INCOMING!" Hawkeye yelled. "UP, NOW!"
Rarity pulled the Sky Cycle into a direct path upward. Bullseye's arrows sailed right past it, crashing into a nearby building.
"I'm going to try and lose him!" Rarity announced, taking the Sky Cycle down a sharp swerve.
"HEY!" Hawkeye argued. "If we lose him, I can't take him down!"
"What's more important to you right now: beating your rival or SURVIVING?"
"…You probably don't want to know my honest answer to that question."
"I KNOW that feeling, Hawkeye, but right now, there are more important things!" Rarity jerked the Sky Cycle down another alley, then left, then left again, then right. Up over a building, then back down to hover at a mid-height. "Did we lose him?" Rarity asked.
Hawkeye glanced downward, unable to find a motorcycle anywhere. "He's gone."
"YES!" Rarity cheered.
The motorcycle careened back into view. "Oh, COME ON!" Hawkeye screamed.
An arrow nearly clipped the side of his face; he launched one back and missed. Another arrow shot through Rarity's hair, and she could feel it as a few locks were ripped away.
"MY MANE!" she wailed. "Now. It's. PERSONAL!"
Hawkeye shot several explosive arrows down on the street in front of Bullseye; they exploded. "That oughta slow him down at least – "
The motorcycle roared, jumping over the arrows and the cloud of smoke they produced. "This guy is NOT for real," Hawkeye sighed.
Down below, Bullseye loaded up his bow one last time, sure of his shot. "Gotcha," he muttered.
He felt a rush of heat heading toward him. Before he could fully comprehend what had happened, the motorcycle was knocked out from under him. He hit the asphalt and rolled; several cars swerved to avoid hitting him. He turned his head to see his bike in flames…no, that wasn't right. A humanoid figure covered in flames stood over the bike, which was itself merely dented up after having been tackled out from under its rider. The fiery person gave Bullseye a salute before leaping into the air to fly alongside the Sky Cycle.
"That guy's TOAST!" he laughed. "Just sayin'!"
"Nice timing, Johnny!" Hawkeye complimented.
"Who's your new girlfriend?" Johnny replied. "Whoo! I can see why you picked her over Natasha! Natasha's no slouch, but she's HOT!"
"EXCUSE me!" Rarity huffed, getting a better look at the one Hawkeye had called "Johnny." He was of a slender build, burning so that his body was completely orange as flames radiated from him.
"Hey, you know Tasha's still my number one girl," Hawkeye replied. "This is Rarity. Just a friend. Damn good pilot, too. Rarity, this is Johnny Storm, otherwise known as the Human Torch. Good to have around in a pinch, but an AWFUL egomaniac."
"So, Rarity!" Johnny asked. "Does this mean you're single?"
"Not interested," Rarity grumbled, "and if you hadn't noticed, I kind of have BIGGER PRIORITIES AT THE MOMENT!"
"Better throw in a few more twists and turns in case Bullseye gets back up on his bike and decides to track us down," Hawkeye suggested.
"You've got it!" Rarity swerved hard; Johnny kept pace.
"Might as well keep up with you in case I need to bail you out again," Johnny remarked. "Besides, I'm enjoying the view."
"Euurrgh…" Rarity groaned.
Iron Man, Rhodes, and Rainbow Dash were the first to land on embassy ground. "Officially," Iron Man announced, "we are out of Osborn's jurisdiction as of crossing THAT line." He pointed at the edge of the lawn.
"YYYYYYES!" Rainbow Dash leapt up into the air. "We MADE it!"
"If you're safe," Rhodes said, "I'm gonna head home and get some sleep."
"You should stay!" Rainbow Dash suggested. "Osborn knows you helped us. It's only a matter of time before he comes after you too!"
"I'll remember this place," Rhodes said, "but I think I'll take my chances. Pepper needs all the help she can get back at the Industries…and I get the feeling I'm not the only one you called, Tony."
Iron Man shrugged.
"He can't take ALL of us," Rhodes said.
"He can try," Iron Man reminded him.
"He may have made you look bad enough that he could take you without the public caring," Rhodes stated, "but there's no way he can try to take me without there being an outcry."
"Just stay safe out there, will ya?" Iron Man replied.
"I will," Rhodes promised.
"You ROCK, Rhodey," Rainbow Dash said.
This seemed to catch Rhodes off guard. "Well…thanks!" Neither Rainbow Dash nor Iron Man could see him looking sheepishly flattered beneath the mask of War Machine, but they knew he was all the same. "Now stay safe." He blasted away, soaring toward the skyline.
The Hulk and Fluttershy were next to appear; Fluttershy touched down on the lawn as the Hulk stormed onto the grass.
"Judging by the fact that you're the green guy," Iron Man observed, "I take it you ran into trouble."
"The red one," the Hulk growled.
"We saw who he really was," Fluttershy said, "but none of us recognized him. We ran into your friend Samson, and he helped us a lot, but he didn't know who it was either."
"So Osborn just picked up some nobody?" Iron Man was confused. "There has to be more to THIS story."
The Sky Cycle careened onto the lawn, landing; as Johnny Storm landed beside it, his flames doused. "You would not BELIEVE what we had to go through to get here!" Rarity grumped, dismounting. "LOOK at what that MONSTER Bullseye did to my mane! LOOK AT IT!" She grasped her hair and shook it angrily.
"Hey, little brother," Sue's voice said from seemingly nowhere before she, Thor, and Twilight materialized from practically nowhere.
"Sis!" Johnny ran to Sue, and the two hugged tightly.
"How many calls did you PLACE?" Twilight asked Iron Man.
"You don't wanna know," Iron Man said teasingly. "Trouble?"
"Amora," Twilight said angrily. "She's definitely NOT on our side. You?"
"Osborn himself. Bit of a pushover, actually."
"HEY!" Applejack called out as she, Captain America, and the Winter Soldier strode onto the lawn. "We could use a little help over here."
Iron Man took one look at Captain America limping and clutching his side. "Oh my God – STEVE!" He flew across the lawn, lightly pushing Applejack aside to take her place at Steve's side. "Come on. Let's get you inside and put a bandage on that."
"I'll be fine," Captain America said, mustering a smile as he let Iron Man lead him. "Just got a little…banged up when we ran into Zemo in a dark alley."
"You should have let me kill him," the Winter Soldier reiterated. "If that's all you need me for…"
"You're free to go, soldier," Iron Man told him before he and Steve disappeared into the building.
With only a glance back at the crowd that stared at him, the Winter Soldier turned and walked away.
"What's with him?" Twilight asked.
"He's been through a lot," Applejack answered. "He ain't as bad as he seems. Trust me."
"We should get going too," Sue stated. "After all, Reed and Ben are still out there."
"That's right…there were four of you!" Twilight realized. "Maybe we'll run into you again. Thanks for the help."
"Anytime," Sue said before she and Johnny took off running into the city.
"Well, it looks like almost all of the first wave is here…" Twilight looked around nervously. "Except Pinkie Pie and Wasp."
"You don't suppose something…happened, do you?" Rarity asked worriedly.
Twilight refused to let herself entertain the notion; she knew it would just dig into her subconscious and bother her on the deepest level. "They're probably fine. Pinkie Pie's just going to turn up here in the most random way possible, as usual. I think we should focus on getting back to the mansion to pick up the second wave and go."
"Hey, good luck!" Hawkeye called out as Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash lined up at the edge of the lawn.
"We'll be back before you know it!" Applejack promised.
Then the five stepped over the borderline and ran.
Hawkeye, the Hulk, and Thor watched them for a while before turning to move inside the embassy.
Atop a skyscraper, Sandman and Electro kept a lookout over their assigned patrol.
"I still don't know why you picked me," Electro pointed out. "I thought you were afraid of me."
"Well, yeah, at first," Sandman admitted. "That's before I figured out not even an exploding oil tanker could kill me! I'm invincible, baby!"
"I don't understand that, either," Electro admitted. "You sacrificed yourself to save them. You were a hero that day. You could have kept on being a hero. Why are you here, doing Osborn's dirty work?"
"Eh, I'm still a bad boy at heart, I guess," Sandman replied. "Never could resist the call of the dollar. Besides. Not like we're just goin' around hurting people willy-nilly. The Avengers've ALWAYS annoyed me. Kinda thought they were out of my league. This is sorta a dream come true, to see if I can knock the crap out of 'em!"
"And if Osborn HAD asked you to attack innocents?"
"Well, then I s'pose I'd rethink it."
Electro sat at the edge of the roof, letting his feet dangle over the street below. "Every time I think I understand you. I always figure out something…better."
"Whaddaya mean with that?"
"Always a better fighter…you can't die. And maybe you're a better person than any of us that ever worked as part of the Six."
"Not better than Doc Ock. You know what he did to save the city."
"I know." Electro stared across the skyline.
"You ever miss him?"
"I try not to think about it too much. Maybe that makes me the worse person. I try not to care."
"Ya see, that's where your advantage is." Sandman sat down next to him. "You don't let your emotions get in the way of gettin' the job done."
"My emotions are always in the way. Especially…anger. I thought you could tell."
"Nah. Why do you care so much anyway? About what I think, about whether I'm better?" A slow grin spread over his face. "Y'know what I think?"
"What?"
"I think you got a little crush on me."
"Wha – NO!" Electro growled defensively.
"I think you like me!"
"I DO NOT! NOT LIKE THAT!"
"Whaaat, not like there'd be any shame in it!"
"Yes, there would! I mean…I…I couldn't just…we have a job to do, all right? Even if I did have feelings for you, I wouldn't just bring it up!"
"If you're worried you ain't good enough for me…"
"Shut up."
"I mean, I don't think you're half bad…but if you insist…"
"The Wasp is down there."
"NOW you're just tryin' to change the subject!"
"NO. THE WASP IS DOWN THERE!"
Electro pointed, and Sandman's eyes followed. They saw Pinkie Pie and Wasp hurriedly enter the square below.
Both men stood. "Showtime?" Sandman asked, grinning.
He could practically feel the energy crackling off Electro before Electro said, "Let's do it."
Wasp halted a moment to look around. "Okaaaay…I think we're officially lost."
"No problem!" Pinkie Pie said cheerily. "As long as we walk somewhere, we're going to get somewhere, and then we can figure out where we are!"
"Unless we run into any of Osborn's flunkies."
"Don't worry!" Pinkie Pie tried to reassure her. "It's like we're playing a game of tag, and they're it! But I'm REALLY REALLY REALLY good at tag! So if we stick together, they won't be able to catch us at all!"
"So which way do we go?" Wasp asked.
"How 'bout over here?" Sandman's voice called from across the square.
"Oh no," Wasp said in horror before she and Pinkie turned to look.
Sandman and Electro advanced toward them. As they did so, Electro removed his mask. There was a great burst of blinding white light before the sight of the energy gelled into the shape of a human head, one completely saturated with electricity and light. It almost hurt to look at.
"We're in trouble," Wasp murmured.
"Eep!" Pinkie Pie squeaked.
"We've got you right where we want you," Electro stated.
"And boy, is Osborn gonna be happy when we bring you two in!" Sandman added.
Wasp and Pinkie Pie looked to each other. They nodded. Pinkie's guns materialized in her hands as Wasp shrank down to combat size.
"BRING IT ON!" the two women yelled.
Chapter 71:
· I have been VERY excited to introduce the Sinister Six, as SSM made them faves of mine. (I'm pretty sure that the new live action film reboot is going to botch them all in comparison to the SSM versions, but I want to see how they're pulled off anyway, ESPECIALLY on the off chance Mysterio puts in an appearance. He's my favorite.)
· The roster I went with here is not one that was actually used in this particular combo in SSM, but I don't really find Kraven that memorable and I keep on hammering in that I want Doc Ock here to the the Raimi version that became an hero for Manhattan. Besides, I need Shocker and Mysterio on the same team for…reasons.
· Shocker kind of…stole the group from me. Rewatching their scenes, he always seemed the most leader-esque (he does the same thing to Ox and Ricochet). So I gave him a leading role here commanding the Six.
· Sandman and Mysterio are TOO GODDAMN FUN to write. Now, I'd expected this for Mysterio, but Sandman kinda surprised me with how fun he is to write for. And I do hope you went and translated the couple Latin phrases I had Mysterio throw out…
· A LOT is riding here on the assumption that NOBODY wants war with Wakanda. If I have grossly misunderstood how politics and treatment of refugees works, I apologize.
· Let's play a game called "Find my Spectacular Spider-Man OTP." It should be obvious. Very obvious. I realize that Sandman and Rhino have more chemistry onscreen, but to me…Electro is the guy who needs a hug (figuratively…and I guess literally). Sandman is the guy with the soft side. I love getting the chance to write for them.
· So we begin CAMEOS CAMEOS CAMEOS! I sort of dictated who got to be a cameo based on the "Code White" at the end of AEMH (minus anyone in S.H.I.E.L.D.). So you might be able to guess by process of elimination who you'll be seeing in the second wave…
· I have been informed by someone who is knowledgeable on the subject that Baron Zemo and the Winter Soldier have never met. In anything. To me, this is a complete shame because WHY WOULDN'T YOU WANT THESE TWO BADASSES TO FIGHT EACH OTHER? IT WOULD BE THE MOST HARDCORE THING EVER!
· Gwendolyn is a character from Odin Sphere. I bring her up because I wanted to allude to the fact that Odin Sphere will become an important part of this story relatively soon. Hint. Hint. Odin Sphere.
· Sue's powers feel VERY godlike to me in terms of what she can cloak, so I hope I didn't overstep her limitations.
· Man, Rarity has to drive a lot of stuff. It's almost like I'm setting her up to be shipped with a pilot or something
· You'll notice that I didn't give a physical description of Johnny Storm. This is because while Sue, Reed, and Ben are constant in their designs in EVERYTHING, the new reboot Fantastic Four film coming out will have Johnny looking DRASTICALLY different (black as opposed to white and blonde), and we ALL have yet to see if that's going to be the best or worst version of him on the market, so I'm leaving the description of him untouched just in case.
· Why cliffhang on Pinkie and Wasp vs. Sandman and Electro? Because it's going to be slightly more plot important than just pushing my ship…