Hey everyone! Welcome back to the Multiversal Adventures of the Astonishing Kitty Pryde and her friends and counterparts! In the last chapter, the team managed to recruit the youngest incarnation of the team, the Kitty Pryde of Earth-18119 (a.k.a. the Renew Your Vows Universe), now known as Soulsword Kitty (since she carries her girlfriend's weapon) and now, they're heading to a world that, it'll be unique, yet it'll be somewhat familiar. I'll explain in further detail in the notes after the story. But before we go down that road, let's check the reviews!
Timeless Writer: Glad you liked it, it was fun to create this relationship between them given how the "Katyana" ship still has a solid following, and yes, this Xavier is like the classic one, the best one in my opinion
CydrikSpider: There's still a few stops before we reach the Ultimate Universe, but I hope that in the meantime, you enjoy this one (especially the cameos of a couple of youngsters, LOL!)
daunthan: Sorry, but no. I have been requested about that one before, but no. Maybe in the far future, who knows?
Sergio Kirelli: Well, as you're about to see over here, not quite but a bit closer
Wilcard Sparda: I can't blame Shadow-Pryde; she really hates her ex-husband for almost killing her. As for the adult versions of Kitty (Veteran and Director), yes, I have the belief that while they went through those particular moments, they consider it as an experimentation, tops. This version of Xavier would surely give 616 Xavier a good berating about giving up his dream changing it for survival
cornholio4: Really? I liked it; it was a fun take on the Parker Family dynamic
UnknownPlay123: Well, in order to make a story about them, I'd need a solid idea about what to do with them and what they should face. If anything comes up, I'll announce it (I'm open to ideas, though)
Epiphany616: I'm really glad you're enjoying the story and I hope that this chapter doesn't disappoint you
CRUDEN: Really? If you ask me, it's the best part. I've always shipped Wolvie and Jean (If there's one woman in this world that Logan should settle down with, that's Jean Grey. Any other woman it's just either doomed to failure because of his past or just a simple hook up)
alphaknight99: Seguro también tendrás unas risas cuando veas este capítulo JAJAJJAJA
Ka1zen: I can guarantee you that the last remaining recruits aren't dating either one of them and yes, I think you'll find out how she'll feel about facing her Pirate counterpart. As for Terri May's powers, she'll only have the dual powerset (the spider powers and the phasing powers)
And with that done, let's take care of business
Enjoy the reading!
SHADOWCAT: INTO THE KITTY-VERSE
Chapter 8: Hello, Sailor!
"Sir, I'm bringing you the results of our latest survey" Major Domo approaches Mojo as he watches the multiple TV screens "According to 25% of our viewers, they feel that your program, and I quote verbatim, 'sucks'…" he then flips the page "27% want to see either more violence or at least intimate scenes" then he flips another page "and a 38% are actually rooting for the Army of Kitty Prydes to succeed on their journey" he then looks at his boss.
"So in other words, my viewers are just one touch of flipping the channel and replace me for some TV show about a crazy mummy soldier with multiple personalities" Mojo complains to his producer.
"Sir, I think you just described one of the Earth's Avengers" Major Domo points it out to him.
"I don't care!" Mojo exclaims, spraying his drool to Domo's face and then looks at his group of recruited villains "What I care about is the season finale, because mark my words, my finale will leave my fans begging for more, so I expect that every one of you act on your best behavior"
"Excuse me but are you aware of the type of people you just gathered here?" Earth-13116 Viper steps forward to face Mojo "Don't expect us to be in our 'best' behavior because we're not your toys"
"The fact that you brought us here in this place doesn't mean we have to obey every word you say" Earth-14850 Gorgon adds to Viper's words as he unsheathes his katana.
"We know you said that you'd send us back when our job is done but patience is running very thin right now" Earth-295 Colossus intervenes.
"Either you deliver on your promise…" Earth-13729 N1MR0D begins to threaten him "Or I will tear you down limb by limb"
"And while we're on it… what's the point of this group of ragtags?" Earth-18119Emma Frost throws another question at Mojo, who looks back at them and after a few seconds in silence, he begins to chuckle.
"Just to be clear of what just happened… Did all of you just threaten me?" Mojo points at them with a vicious grin on his face "Do you know where you're standing, right? You're not in the Rasputinverse or the Viperverse or the Frostverse, you're in the MO-JO-VERSE-AH, which means that just as I brought you, I can get rid of you" he then focuses his attentions on N1MR0D "Let's take for instance your robotic partner here, he's a mutant-killing machine and yet here he is, blending in with three known mutants"
"Putting aside the mocking tone, that statement is true" N1MR0D replies to his comment.
"So how could I get rid of him, Hmmmm?" Mojo once again taunts him and then activates a button from his panel, teleporting him out of the room and into another one full of screens.
"You really believe this will imprison me?" N1MR0D defies him, but right then a pair of tentacles holds him by his arms and legs and a pair of wires emerge from the floor behind him, plugging in behind his neck "What? What is this?" right then the wires sends data that begin to broadcast images of infantilized versions of the X-Men akin to an educational television program teaching tolerance "Wait… No… Don't torture me with this… NO! NOOO!" he begs as the screens show the same images while the rest of the improvised crew watches in awe.
"And that's what happens when any of you would defy me" Mojo replies to the group "Don't worry, I'll bring him back, but I'll keep him in there for a few hours" he adds and then turns his back to leave "And if you think that's bad, I have a one-hour loop of a Baby Shark song waiting for the next one who dares to challenge me" he leaves the room and rejoins with Major Domo "That oughta teach them to think about it the next time they try to pull a mutiny"
"Speaking of mutiny, sir" Domo then shows him another tablet "We have pinpointed the location of Pryde and her Army of Counterparts"
"Let me see that!" Mojo grabs the tablet and then begins to laugh once he notices the location "Oh well, I can bet the Krakoans will moan and whine but hey, they deserve a little bit of early nostalgia, I mean, she was playing that role, right? Let's give her a chance to take a reminder before we wipe her out" he gives the tablet back to Domo and returns to his seat, eager to see if this time, Kitty Pryde and her team meets their downfall.
THEN, AT ANOTHER EARTH
In a wide open marketplace, right in the center of one of the squares, the portal opens revealing the arrival of Kitty Pryde and her crew of counterparts, landing on their feet to the awe of some of the gatherers.
"Well, we sure got a lot of attention" Shadow-Pryde makes the first comments as the portal closes.
"It feels very familiar, almost like home" Kung-Fu Kitty comments, noting how similar it feels to the marketplace from her Earth.
"Where are we?" Soulsword Kitty asks her elder counterpart as she checks her Webware.
"Very well, this one is… Earth-102319, Huh, must be a new one" Kitty murmurs that last part and then takes a look at the surroundings "Alright, we better start moving and find my counterpart before the crowd becomes too anxious" she comments, but as the group begins to walk, they hear noises in the distance.
"What the Hell is that?" Director Pryde poses the question, but right then, two men rush towards them, jumping to avoid the crates lying on their way and even avoiding the people.
"Move along! Coming through!" one of the men, a blondeguy wearing a white sleeveless shirt and light blue pants with brown boots and a blue bandana, exclaims as he passes the group of women.
"We have to reach the shore!" the other man, another blonde guy but this one wearing brown pants with black boots, a yellow shirt with a red vest and an orange bandana, exclaims as they get away.
"As one of the older Kitty Prydes asked, What the Hell was that?" Sofia poses the question but then a couple of black haired youngsters in black uniforms run in the same path the previous men took down "WHOA! HEY!" she exclaims as she dodges them but then she notices something about them.
"Sofia? You OK?" Magik asks her while Sofia keeps looking at the way they took.
"I-I think I recognized one of them" Sofia replies, still wondering in her mind about what she just saw.
"Should we follow them?" Kung-Fu Kitty poses the question to the group.
"They could lead us to my counterpart, so… yeah" Kitty replies and right then she begins to run down that path to follow them with the rest of the group right behind her.
DURING THE CHASE
The two rascals run through the market, jumping crates, dodging people and even stealing a couple of apples they grab on the run, all the while the two youngsters in black uniforms run behind them.
"I'm getting tired of this" the male one, a young man in short black hair, comments with a hint of annoyance in his voice as he extends his hand forward.
"Julian! Don't!" his partner, a young woman in long black hair, replies to his comment with a mix of seriousness and concern "The Constable told us that we can't use our powers until we graduate to the next level" she warns him.
"I'm making this my graduation" Julian replies, using his telekinesis to throw a barrage of vegetables at the running men to distract them. One of them turns and fails to notice a large crate in front of him, inevitably crashing against it.
"What the?" the other man stops and turns his head to notice his fallen comrade "Hey!" he then lifts his hands towards them "You guys need to chill out!" he then creates a wall of ice that halts Julian, but Laura jumps over his shoulders to boost and leap over the wall, unsheathing her bone claws as she flies, much to the shock of her opponent "Oh #$%&!" he exclaims as he tries to run away but Laura lands over him, showing her right claws right to his face.
"One move and you're dead" Laura mutters while Julian tries to deal with the other guy who quickly stands up.
"Oi, relax mate" the man talks to Julian with a calm tone, looking a small fire lamp from the corner of his eye "Let's just be at peace before things heat up!" he then quickly extends his hand and pulls the fire from the lamp to attract it towards him, creating a fireball that he throws at him. Julian uses his telekinesis to pull a metal plate and block the ball "Oh crap…" he mutters, only to be hit with the metal plate after Julian throws it at him.
"That puts them down for the count" Julian mutters as he approaches the startled man but once he gets closer to him, he fires a small fireball at his face, having kept a sliver to himself "AAAGH!"
"Julian?" the scream reaches the other side of the ice wall, distracting Laura long enough for her rival to jump and attack her with a kick to her chest that pushes her through the ice wall, breaking it down.
"John, don't" the man warns his friend, who was ready to strike down Julian with a fist covered in a flame.
"Awwww! You're a party pooper, Bobby!" John complains as he lowers his guard.
"We don't want to fight you" Bobby calmly talks to their chasers "But we're not letting you catch us and send us to prison"
"Piracy is a crime in Westchester County" Laura replies as she manages to stand up.
"The only reason you and your Captain are not imprisoned is because you are getting rid of any other pirates out there" Julian adds with an angry tone.
"Is that so?" another voice interjects the encounter and then the people around the market begin to flee as a group of blue skinned humanoid creatures with water masks begin to surround them, all clad in black and grey attires, ripped off sleeves, black bandanas and all armed with cutlass swords and blades. Seven of them surrounding the group while an eight one slowly walks towards them "Do you think we care about your laws around here?" he poses the question just as John and Bobby realize who is the man, a tall man wearing an all-black attire, a ripped open shirt revealing his abs and a breaded beard with a long mane under his black hat with the symbol of a golden shell, the same symbol he carries on his belt.
"Oh #$%&…" John mutters as his eyes widen.
"Hey, look man, we're not on your territories" Bobby intervenes, sounding a bit nervous "We're respecting the Treat…"
"Do not speak until Captain Namor says so!" one of the creatures exclaims, pointing his cutlass at him.
"What do we have here?" Namor poses the question as he walks around the group "The Fire and Ice duo from the Wench's crew" he speaks with disdain at the sight of the pirates and then looks at Julian and Laura "And two Hellion Cadets who are way over their heads"
"Is that so, you #$%&+*$& scumbag!?" Julian angrily exclaims as he uses his telekinesis to try and fire a blast towards Namor but he quickly deflects it with his own cutlass, then he pulls a couple of balls from his waist and throws them towards the group, exploding at impact to reveal vines that envelop them.
"Don't bother to wiggle or fold, they can withstand the strength of twenty men and they nullify your powers" Namor explains as he approaches Julian, pointing his cutlass at him "Maybe I should kill you first to set the example that for as long as I rule the seas, the law is always below me" he then lifts his cutlass ready to cut his head off but right then he is pulled away by a gust of wind that sends him into the distance.
"Stay the Hell away from my Ex!" Sofia exclaims, revealing her presence as she arrives alongside Kitty and the rest of her team, prompting Namor's crew to raise their blades and prepare to fight.
"Alright ladies, let's make some sushi!" Kitty exclaims as she leads the charge and the rest of her crew follows.
Shadow-Pryde make the first strike blocking the attack from one of Namor's crewmen and then she slashes his chest, kicking him down and then cutting off his hand "There, now you can put a hook on it" she quips at him as she puts her foot over his chest.
Kung-Fu Kitty dodges the slashes from her opponent and then connects a kick that disarms him and right then connects a barrage of punches and kicks, ending with a kickflip that sends him crashing through a table "Dinner is served!" she quips and then makes a bow after her fight.
The Veteran Kitty dodges her enemy's knife and then connects a couple of punches, phasing her hand through his chest to grab a crowbar and then hit the back of his head as she phases it back, swinging it to his forehead for another strike that knocks him down "Well, that was fun…" she quips as she looks down at her rival.
Director Pryde simply stands still as her enemy swings his cutlass through her, looking at him with a condescending look and shaking her head in denial until he finally tires of swinging "You done?" she asks him but then she stands in a fighting stance "My turn" she then connects a barrage of punches, ending with a swift kick to the head that leaves him down and out.
Soulsword Kitty uses her own sword to block the attacks from her enemy, yet she is having difficulty to move, stepping back until she reaches the wall. Her enemy prepares to pierce her but she manages to jump back through the wall, making him stick his blade on the wall, leaving him stuck. Right then she phases from underneath and kicks his groin as she stands behind him, sending him down to the ground writhing in pain "HA! You deserve it!"
Sofia, Magik and Kitty stand between Namor and his remaining allies and the still tied group of young adults. Magik turns and uses her Soulsword to cut off the vines while Sofia, pushes the remnants away.
"Thank you!" Bobby happily exclaims once he is set free.
"Who are you?" Julian asks Sofia, looking at her a bit mesmerized.
"I'm Sofia, we used to date" Sofia quickly replies "Well, your version from my world and I used to date, then you dumped me"
"Why would I do that?" Julian asks with a flirty tone but then he gets slapped to the back of his head by Laura.
"I'm still standing here, you moron!" Laura angrily snaps at him and then grabs his arm "Let's get out of here" she begins to pull him away from the fight.
"Laura, wait; why are we leaving?" Julian asks her as he walks with her.
"We're heavily outnumbered, we're in a clear disadvantage and you're obviously drooling over that woman!" Laura replies, still sounding upset "We have to report this to the Constable" she adds as they finally leave while Bobby and John join the ladies.
"Aren't you leaving?" Magik asks the pair, who simply smirk at her.
"And missing out this beating?" John poses the rhetorical question at her.
"No way we're leaving this place without a fight!" Bobby replies as he cracks his knuckles but then he notices something from Kitty and he approaches his partner to whisper at him "Is it me or she kinda looks like…?"
"I thought I was the only one who thought so…" John replies while Kitty faces Namor.
"You may dress differently but I recognize you anywhere, Wench!" Namor angrily spats at her while unsheathing both of his blades.
"UGH! You're as disgusting as the Namor from my world" Kitty comments as she prepares to fight until the three men jump to attack the group.
One of the attackers goes directly towards Sofia, who jumps overhead with a gust of wind to boost herself up and then Bobby joins her launching a blast that freezes his feet.
"Your wind and my ice; how about we give him a blizzard?" Bobby asks her, to which Sofia smiles and nods in response.
"Sounds like a cool idea" Sofia replies and then releases a rush of wind that Bobby combines his power to create a blizzard of ice that envelops him in a thick layer of ice that keeps him alive but immobile. The other humanoid pirate is dealing with Magik and John, both avoiding his attacks swiftly.
"If only I had a little fire" John comments after jumping away to avoid another slash.
"Here, have some" Magik replies, creating a small flame that John absorbs with a smirk on his face, using the fire to burst larger flames towards his opponent.
"HA! Anyone ordered fried fish?" John quips as he bathes his opponent on fire and then Magik uses her Soulsword to stab him, hurting his soul and then pushes him against his frozen partner, breaking the ice as they both stumble to the ground. Meanwhile, Kitty tries to play at the defensive against Namor, fighting and avoiding the boxes and dangling pieces from the market as they move from side from side.
"Could you hold still?" Namor angrily throws the question, prompting Kitty to jump back and then stare at him.
"You know what? Go ahead, take your best shot" Kitty mocks him, angering Namor to the point where he tries to stab her but once the blade makes contact to her body, it begins to fold much to his shock "What the…!?"
"It's called Hyper-Density, you schmuck" Kitty quips at him, revealing that this time she went for the hyper-density to block his attack, kicking away his other blade and rolling to the side to catch it "Yoink! What are you gonna do now?"
"You will not leave this place alive, Wench!" Namor angrily exclaims as he stands up but after he takes a couple of steps forward, he is suddenly stopped by something grabbing him from behind, then he turns his head to look behind him from the corner of his eye and discovers who it is "Wait… what kind of sorcery is this!?"
"It's not sorcery, you idiot" the woman behind him replies as she has her hand phasing through his back "It's my power of ghosting which I'm using to grab your spine" she replies "One false move and I'm literally degutting you like the fish#$%& you are"
"They were trespassing my territories! It's a violation to our treaty!" Namor exclaims as the excuse for his attack.
"These aren't your territories, Namor" the woman replies "So just for this time, I'll let it slide, but the next time to threaten my boys, I won't be so merciful" she then releases her hold, pulls her hand out and then pushes him away.
"That oughta teach him" Kitty comments as she looks at him escape with his crewmen joining him in a humiliating retreat "Thanks for the heeeeeell no!" she then exclaims as she sees the woman in front of her wearing a way too familiar attire: A red coat, a white buttoned shirt, tight black leather pants and high brown boots, the attire she used to wear as the Red Queen in Krakoa and here is worn by her counterpart.
"What?" the local Pryde stares at her a bit quizzically and then approaches her, keeping her eyes on her face and then she grabs her cheeks to squeeze her face.
"What are you doing?" Kitty asks while her counterpart then gives her small slaps to her face.
"Just making sure I'm not drunk…" the local Pryde replies "Or more drunk than usual" she adds and then looks at the rest of Kitty's group who are approaching them, with Magik and Sofia looking at the scene with wide open eyes, prompting Magik to chuckle out loud.
"BWAAAHAHAHAHAHA! Bozhe Moi! This is priceless!" Magik exclaims in-between laughs.
"Did she really have dressed like that? I mean, I heard the stories but I didn't know that she actually dressed like a Jack Sparrow Wannabe" Sofia joins on the laughter much to Kitty's chagrin.
"Wait, she actually wore that?" Shadow-Pryde skeptically asks Magik, who nods in response.
"Da, Emma gave her that to act as the Red Queen of the Hellfire Trading Company" Magik replies, leaving the Veteran and Director Pryde astonished at that commentary.
"Wait, you were the Queen of the Hellfire Club!?" the Veteran Kitty asks, still in shock.
"You worked with that #$%&+ of the White Queen!?" Director Pryde follows suit, prompting Kitty to groan in frustration.
"It's a long and complicated story, but yes, I did, and she's not the evil witch you guys think she is" Kitty replies, still feeling embarrassed.
"You have a problem with what I wear?" the local Pryde asks her counterpart, glaring at her face.
"No, it's just that you remind me of a lifestyle I used to have not too long ago which didn't end that well" Kitty replies with a hint of annoyance.
"Well anyways, thank you for helping out my boys" the local Pryde comments and then looks at her aforementioned boys with a scowl on her face "As for you two… You were trespassing Namor's territory" she scolds them revealing the reason they were running.
"We know Captain" Bobby intervenes "But it was for a good reason!"
"We heard stories of a Gold Tower that emerged out of nowhere!" John exclaims, prompting their Captain to step towards them with eyes wide open.
"A gold Tower!? Where!?" the local Pryde asks them, grabbing them by the collar of their shirts, yet the comment did not go unnoticed by the rest of the group.
"That's not a Gold Tower" Kitty interjects their talk "It's a spire from the Mojoverse"
"A Spire?" the local Pryde looks quizzically at her counterpart "You know what it is… and you'll be guiding us to that place!" she then grabs her counterpart's arm and pulls her so they can go to their ship, while Bobby and John follow them eagerly and the rest of the crew look at each other shrugging their shoulders and then follow the same path alongside them.
TWO HOURS LATER
Kitty was not amused by the scene she is living right now, her counterpart –wearing her old Red Queen attire- practically dragged her to the port so they can go to the Spire –which the Pirate crew believes it is a gold tower- and keep on their mission. She could have gotten free but she decided to play along to ensure they could go to the Port. All the while Magik looks at them with amusement, Sofia tries to hold her laughter and the other counterparts just follow through, yet Bobby and John have their eyes fixated on the blonde women behind their Captain and the counterpart.
"The blonde one in leather looks ravishing, mate" John whispers to his friend, who laughs in response.
"Well, you can go for it pal, the other blondie looks gorgeous if you ask me" Bobby replies as he keeps looking at Sofia "We clicked the second we froze that fish#$%%"
"Oh and you think Miss Leather and I didn't? Mate, we are a burning match!" John giddily comments, both of them turning their eyes at the blonde women of their desires.
Once they reach the port, they all look in awe at the galleons decked, majestic pieces of naval architecture that resemble the ones they have seen in paintings, historical records and movies, truly a sight to enjoy. They then walk right next to a galleon named 'ARACHNE' with a crew dangling from the mast, one of them decked in a red-and-blue attire with a black spider on the chest, white pants and black boots, descending upside down to intercept the local Pryde.
"Ahoy!" the man salutes his fellow Pirate, startling her a bit.
"GAH!" the local Pryde complains "Dammit! I told you that I don't like it when you come down like that, Spider!" she voices her anger while Kitty stifles a laugh at the sight of her boyfriend's counterpart.
"Huh, must've missed him during the War against Verna, then again, there are a lot of unexplored worlds that must have a living version of Peter" Kitty muses in her mind while the Pirates keep talking.
"I heard the rumors about the Gold Tower over the Pacific" the Pirate Spider comments to her "But I should warn you, I heard that the Richards Expedition barely made it back, so I'd thread carefully and if you and your boys go there, bring back the story for our amusement"
"Yeah, yeah, sure, whatever" the Pirate Pryde dismisses him and walks away.
"Hey! I'm not getting a kiss as a thank you for the warning?" the Pirate Spider asks her, prompting the other Pirate to turn and look at him.
"I told you before and I tell you again, the only way that would ever happen is if gold coins rain down from the skies!" the Pirate Pryde rejects him and turns to walk away "Dumbass" she mutters, further annoying her counterpart.
"Hey! What was that for? It was so uncalled for" Kitty scolds her counterpart, who scoffs in response.
"He always does that" the Pirate Pryde replies with disdain "He may be a nice fellow but always says stupid jokes and is constantly annoying everyone at the bar" she comments.
"Hey, some people find that endearing" Kitty complains about her counterpart's behavior until they reach her ship. A massive galleon painted in red and gold with a few details in white and decked in black sails with the pirate skull.
"Well, I gotta say, this sure beats the Black Pearl" the Veteran Pryde quips, making the comparison to Jack Sparrow's ship. Right then, a cloud of blue and purple smoke appears nearby, revealing a blue-skinned man wearing black pants and a red sleeveless vest with a red bandana and black boots, then two bulky men come down from the ramp; one is a humanoid ogre wearing a yellow and black vest with a white shirt underneath and blue pants with brown boots, the other is a bald man with metallic skin, yellow pants and red boots.
"I assume this is your crew" Magik points it out while Pirate Pryde steps forward to join her crew.
"Damn right, they are" the Pirate Pryde proudly replies "You've already met the 'Fire and Ice' duo of John and Bobby" she points towards the two men who wink their eyes at the ladies who caught their eyes earlier in the day, prompting Magik to roll her eyes while Sofia giggles at her reaction; then, the Pirate gestures towards the blue-skinned man "Now, meet my first mate, Wagner the Swashbuckler Elf"
"Guten Tag" Wagner salutes, although he looks in awe at the resemblance of some of the women to their Captain.
"And these two are my big burly boys, Logan the Ogre and Peter the Bolshevik" the Pirate Pryde then introduces to her fellow crewmates, with Peter nodding while Logan simply grunts.
"Welcome aboard" Peter greets them while the Pirate Kitty approaches her Prime Counterpart.
"Logan doesn't talk normal, he just grunts and growls but he understands what we say… I think" the Pirate Pryde whispers at her and then steps back to conclude her presentation "And I am Kate Pryde the Red, proud Captain of…"
"Please don't say it, please don't say it, please don't say it, please don't say it…" Kitty keeps repeating it in her mind, fearing that it would just like on her Earth.
"The Marauders!" the Pirate Pryde concludes, prompting Kitty to groan in response while Magik laughs at the scene.
"This must be so embarrassing to you, Katya" Magik pats her friend's shoulder "I must say, this Earth is fun!"
"Now would be a good time for you to make your introduction" the Pirate Pryde looks at her Prime Counterpart, who sighs in response.
"Very well" Kitty then looks at her counterpart "My name's Kitty Pryde" then she gestures to her friends "These are my friends Yana, a.k.a. Magik and Sofia, a.k.a. Wind Dancer" and then she gestures to her counterparts "And these, like you, are my interdimensional counterparts from other universes" then she looks at her Pirate counterpart again "We're here because a disgusting creature called Mojo is threatening the Multiverse and we're gathering a crew of Kitty Prydes to strike back at him" she ends her argument, leaving the Pirate Kitty pondering in her mind.
"Sooo… what do I gain?" the Pirate Kitty asks her "You're here to recruit me, you certainly won't expect me to do it for free" she laughs at her counterpart but before any arguing can happen, Wagner approaches his Captain.
"Kapitaner, she is coming" Wagner mutters, pointing at the distance where a female figure is seen walking down the port.
"Oh crap…" the Pirate Pryde mutters "We'll discuss the terms of payment later, right now I'll need you to go on board, Wagner, Logan, Pete, help them out" she gives them the order and then look at the Fire and Ice duo "You two are staying here, since this was your fault to begin with"
"What's going on? Who's coming?" Kitty asks the men as she and her team are boarding the ship.
"Just one pain in our behinds that Captain always deals with" Peter replies "Lady Emmeline Frost"
"Constable Emmeline Frost" Wagner corrects her friend, leaving Kitty –and her Veteran and Director counterparts as well- in awe at that revelation, all the while the Pirate Pryde prepares to face the Law Enforcer of these shores, the blonde woman dressed in a white corset, tight leather pants, boots and a long sleeveless trenchcoat with fingerless gloves and a wide hat
"Ahoy Constable!" the Pirate Pryde greets the Constable, who looks far from pleased.
"Pryde…" Constable Frost looks at her with a stern face "I've been informed by two of my Hellion Cadets that two pirates were causing disturbances in the MacTaggert Market and the description they gave me matches the ones from your boys" she points at Bobby and John who feign ignorance of what went down.
"Oh come on, Frost" Pryde replies as she rolls her eyes "My boys told me what happened, they bumped into Namor's crew and a brawl ensued, I had to be there to save their lives, isn't that what happened, boys?"
"Of course" Bobby replies, quickly nodding his head.
"We weren't looking for trouble, trouble found us" John quickly replies.
"If anything, you should be grateful that, once again, your rookies are alive to tell the tale" Pirate Pryde pokes at her shoulder, prompting the Constable to grab her hand.
"Regardless of that, you are aware that piracy remains illegal" the Constable replies with her serious tone "The sole reason you remain free is because of the lack of evidence that points at them, but mark my words Pryde… the next time you land on my territory, you won't escape"
"Dear Constable, you better than anyone should know that your shackles won't hold me" the Pirate Pryde replies, phasing her hand out of Constable Frost's grab and then walks to the ramp "Focus on catching the real criminals, I'll focus on finding treasures" she then turns to walk up the ramp with Bobby and John following her while the Constable frowns at her.
"I will get you Pryde… I will get you" the Constable mutters, turning back to walk away while the rest of the crew set the ship.
"Raise the flag!" the Pirate Pryde gives the order and her crew begins to move, setting the ship to sail away "How long will it take to reach the Gold Tower?" she asks Bobby and John, the ones who gave her the information about it.
"According to the map…" Bobby pulls out the map off his vest.
"Around a day, tops" John finishes his friend's sentence, yet Kitty approaches them to voice her concern about the time.
"I don't think we have that much time" Kitty comments with concern in her voice.
"I can help speeding up the process" Sofia interjects, volunteering to help by using her wind powers, floating to reach the highest point and releasing a gust of wind that pushes the ship, thus sailing away from the port.
A FEW HOURS LATER, AT THE OPEN SEA
The Marauders' ship sails the seas gracefully thanks to the efforts of Wind Dancer, who used her powers to release gusts of wind strong enough to reduce the time in half, and as the trek goes on, the groups are scattered around the ship. On one point, Shadow-Pryde, the Veteran and Director Pryde just look at Logan who just lies sleeping on top of a crate.
"Never thought I'd see a Wolverine just lying asleep… the one of my world is kinda like that, more time asleep than awake" the Veteran Kitty comments, reminiscing about her Earth's Logan who still runs the Jean Grey School.
"At least you have one… Mine was a good friend before, well, you know since it happened in your world as well, I heard" Director Pryde comments, remembering her Earth's Logan before he became the weapon that HYDRA turned him into "But can he really understand what we say?"
"Who cares? He's a grunt and as long as he has three meals and a bed, he'll do whatever they tell him to do" Shadow-Pryde comments nonchalantly, then she sighs in frustration "My kingdom for a cigarette…" she mutters, annoying her counterparts at the thought that one of them actually smokes. Meanwhile, Kung-Fu Kitty accompanies Soulsword Kitty, who is feeling a bit queasy due to the back-and-forth motions of the ship.
"Do you feel well, young one?" Kung-Fu Kitty asks her, showing a bit of concern.
"Well, just… I'm not accustomed to sailing, and the smell of the sea is not helping" Soulsword Kitty replies, sounding a bit ill due to the nausea, then they both notice a man in green skin wearing goggles, a torn grey shirt, brown short pants, barefoot and carrying a mop and a bucket.
"If you're gonna throw up, don't do it on the deck" the man warns them sternly, prompting both girls to frown at him.
"Who are you?" Soulsword Kitty asks him.
"The name's Toad, I'm the one who cleans this ship and you better keep it clean" Toad points at them with the mop and then carries on with his duties, leaving the girls flabbergasted. In another part of the ship, Magik is looking at the sea, but her moment is interrupted by John, who approaches from the side.
"Oi!" John leans on the wall, looking at her with a smirk on his face "You know, you were great battling it out against those fishes" he talks to her with a flirty tone "A pretty girl like you surely has every man on your feet"
"As a matter of fact, I do… you wanna know how?" Magik replies with the same tone, prompting John to approach her, but once he gets close enough, Magik summons her Soulsword and points it at his neck "By breaking their knees and making them beg for mercy" she changes her tone to a more threatening one, yet shows a vicious smile on her face.
"OK…umm, I think the Captain is calling me so…" John nervously replies, slowly stepping back and turning around, now looking scared at her attitude, prompting Magik to laugh once he gets away while Peter the Bolshevik walks by.
"What happened? Did you do something to her?" Peter asks him, but he shakes his head in denial.
"N-N-N-No! Nothing! Nothing! Just run away mate!" John replies, quickly leaving the scene.
At the highest point, Sofia slowly descends to take a small break after using her powers to boost a bit the ship and shorten their time so Kitty can make her recruitment, and as soon as she lands, she receives a welcoming gift from Bobby with a wooden cup filled with a refreshing drink.
"Probably you don't want to drink booze, so I took a bit of Peter's fruit juices, I'm sure it'll refresh you" Bobby comments as he gives her the drink with a smile on his face.
"Thanks, I really needed it" Sofia replies, smiling in kind and taking a sip of the juice.
"You know? You were awesome back when we were beating the crap out of those idiots, it was a cool combination" Bobby comments, playing it smooth "Nothing against my bro Johnny and his Fire but Ice can do a lot of things with other factors" he compliments her.
"Hey, thanks! I'll take it as a compliment" Sofia smiles in gratitude, taking a good look at him.
"So… you have a boyfriend where you come from?" Bobby asks to her, prompting her to spit her drink and laugh "Sorry… Was it something I said?"
"Oh no, no, it's just that…" Sofia replies, trying to calm down "Where I come from, you or actually your version of my world, is into guys" she explains to him "Honestly, I thought you were flirting at me"
"Oh, well, you know… you're pretty and stuff but…" Bobby replies a bit nervously, lying about that last part "Sorry, I think the Captain is calling me" he then leaves abruptly, making Sofia look quizzically at him until she realizes that he was flirting at her.
"Oh my God, he was flirting!" Sofia whispers and then finishes her drink "Bobby, wait!" she follows him.
AT THE HELM
The Pirate Captain Pryde keeps her hands on the helm of the ship, focused on the spire that must be spotted in the distance anytime soon, but she still has to deal with her Prime Earth counterpart, who is standing behind her.
"You know? I remembered something from a while ago" the Pirate Kitty comments as she turns to face her counterpart "You said that you used to be like me, right? A Pirate sailing the seven seas spoiling for a fight"
"Yes" Kitty replies with a sigh "I was Captain Kate Pryde of, believe it or not, the Marauders" she replies, yet not as enthusiastically as one would expect "I sailed to smuggles mutants out of hostile countries and send them home while also delivering medicine from the mutant nation to friendly nations"
"Sounds boring" the Pirate Kitty replies "But you had to fight people, gain lovers and drunk your ass off, right?" she asks, prompting Kitty to scoff at her.
"Dear God, I really was a Jack Sparrow wannabe" Kitty thinks in her mind before she responds "Well, the priority was helping people and yes, there were 'funny' moments" she uses the air quotes to mention the funny part "But then… it's all fun and games until someone decides to ambush you and drown you" she adds with a mix of sarcasm and anger, recalling the moment when Sebastian Shaw ambushed her and drowned her, leading to the downward spiral that led to her leaving Krakoa, yet she found a much better life afterwards "Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate what I had as the Red Queen and I'm truly glad and grateful for the life I have now, which I have to say, I'm happier than I was before but hey, if this lifestyle fits you, then by all means, go ahead and sail away, kicking asses and taking names" she replies now a bit more calmer, prompting her pirate counterpart to smile "Just one piece of advice… don't get any knuckle tattoos, they're ugly as #$%&"
"What's wrong with having knuckle tattoos?" the Pirate Kitty replies, raising an eyebrow "They're…"
"Captain!" Wagner's voice interrupts the conversation "We found it!" he calls her, prompting her to release the helm and head to the outside, finding the spire.
"There it is!" the Pirate Kitty exclaims "It was true!" she then looks at Kitty "But then how can we not destroy it now?"
"Because it's too powerful to bring it down" Kitty explains "We have to shut it down from the source, a combined power can do that"
"Well, in that case…" the Pirate Kitty replies but before she can confirm whether she joins or not, the ship begins to shake and the sound of cannons blasting in the distance is heard "Wagner! What is it!?"
"It seems that we're not the only ones after the tower, Captain!" Wagner exclaims, prompting both crews to look to the side, finding a black ship, fully decked on black sails and the Hellfire Club insignia painted on them approaching.
"That son of a #$%&+…" the Pirate Kitty mutters in anger as she unsheathes her cutlass.
"Who is it?" Kitty asks her counterpart.
"The biggest #$%&+* who ever sailed the seven seas after Namor…" the Pirate Kitty replies "Blackbeard Shaw" the mention of his name just boils Kitty's blood as the memories rush to her mind once again.
"SHAW!? THAT BASTARD!" Kitty angrily exclaims and looks at her counterpart's crew "GIVE ME A CUTLASS!" she screams just as Blackbeard Shaw's crew faces the Marauders.
"Ahoy Marauders!" Blackbeard Shaw speaks as his face is revealed, resembling the Sebastian Shaw Kitty and her crew knows, but now dressed in an entirely black attire, adding a more prominent beard and an eye patch "Keep in mind that since we are far from land, the treaties do not apply here" he speaks to them but then notices the larger amount of people on deck "Have you raised your numbers, Pryde?"
"They're just visiting" the Pirate Kitty replies as she points her Cutlass at him "That thing isn't holding a treasure Shaw, so I suggest that you back off"
"And you expect me to believe you?" Shaw taunts her as he unsheathes two blades "Once I get rid of you, that tower shall be mine!" then he raises one of his blades "ATTACK!"
"REPEL BOARDERS!" Pirate Kitty screams as both crews clash in-between both ships.
Blackbeard Shaw's crew, all being men wearing black attires, jump to the ship and aim at everyone in sight, prompting Toad to drop his mop and run to the first barrel he can find and hide inside until the dust settles. The Marauders step in front with fierce attacks but once Kitty Pryde's crew joins, the tide turns to their favor.
Piotr and the Veteran Kitty deal with their batch with relative ease; Logan and Shadow-Pryde unleash a furious barrage against their prey; Wagner mix and matches his combat prowess alongside the Director Pryde and Kung-Fu Kitty.
John manages to take another loan of fire from Magik, this time getting an assist from Soulsword Kitty, looking a tad impressed at how she manages to fight with the blade. Meanwhile Bobby and Sofia work together again as a team, sending a cold breeze that pushes Shaw's crew members overboard and freezing. Yet the main focus lies on the fight between the Captains, with Shaw trying to make as much damage as possible.
"Once I cut off your head, I'll put it on display over my home's entrance!" Shaw exclaims while the Pirate Kitty keeps blocking his attacks, stepping back until she dodges the last swing and manages to kick the sword off his hand.
"First of all, does people ever visit your home?" the Pirate Kitty mocks him to rile him up "And second of all, even if they do, I might end up haunting them as soon as they set foot on front of the door" she attacks him, only to be blocked by him, but right then he is struck from his right side with a slash that cuts through.
"AAAARGH!" Shaw screams in pain and anger "WHO DARES!?"
"Over here, you mother#$%&+*!" Kitty exclaims, holding the blade that Shaw had dropped earlier "And you have no idea of how therapeutic this feels" she adds, launching to connect another slash, allowing her Pirate counterpart to cut off his hand to fully disarm him and then both Kitty Prydes jump to kick him overboard.
"That should do the trick" the Pirate Kitty comments and then looks at Shaw's ship "As for that thing… we have to wreck it down, Wagner!" she calls for her first mate "Prepare the cannons!"
"There's no need to" Kitty interjects and then looks at Magik "Hey, Yana! Could use a bit of Limbo magic to wreck that ship" she asks for her help, prompting Magik to smile in response
"My pleasure" Magik replies and then looks at Soulsword Kitty "Hey Little Katya! How about we make it double?" right then both girls use their Soulswords to project a massive charge of fire, big enough to hurl it at Blackbeard Shaw's ship to blow it up, now having one concern off their list.
"Alright… I'm convinced" the Pirate Kitty comments and then looks at her counterpart "I'll join your crew for this crazy thing" she approaches her to put a hand on her shoulder "Also, thank you for the help, but…" right then she applies a little bit of pressure and swings her other hand to give Kitty a punch to her gut.
"OW!" Kitty complains, feeling the pain of the punch "Hey! What was that for!?"
"Rule number 10 of the Pirates, Never interfere in a fight between Captains" the Pirate Kitty replies with an oddly serious tone of voice "But hey, I like you, and because of that, I'll let you hit me back" she stands in front of her and closes her eyes as she points at her face "Go ahead, do it, I know you want to" she almost dared her, and given the bottled up anger she already had, Kitty clenches her fist and swings for an uppercut that actually manages to break her nose and takes her down.
"That was for making fun of my boyfriend's counterpart" Kitty mutters just as the rest of the group approaches them.
"Everyone alright?" Magik poses the question while Kitty nods in response.
"We definitively showed a lesson to Shaw, KapitanaaaAAAAGH!" Wagner's words turn into a scream when they see the bloodied face of their Captain, with everyone else cringing and groaning in disgust at the sight.
"Is it bad?" the Pirate Kitty asks them and then turns to look at her counterpart, who checks on her face.
"Been there, done that" Kitty replies and then looks at Wagner "Hey Elf, you guys have a First Aid Kit on this ship?" she asks him, to which he quickly nods in response "Good, bring some bandages for her nose" then she grabs a piece of wood and gives it to her counterpart "Here, bite it, because what I'm about to do is gonna hurt as #$%&" she warns her just as the Pirate Kitty bites the piece of wood "OK then, on three…" right then she grabs her nose "One… Two… Three!" she holds her nose and snaps it back into place, with the sound of the cracking bone being echoed by the muffled scream from the Pirate, followed by more groans from the gathered group, with Soulsword Kitty reaching her breaking point and inevitably vomiting on the deck.
"I think I speak on behalf of everyone when I say that we have to leave immediately" the Veteran Pryde comments, with everyone else nodding in agreement.
A FEW MOMENTS LATER
With the dust settled, the Marauders are set, having tied up every member of Shaw's crew, even though Blackbeard Shaw himself has somehow vanished, but that is not their current concern. Kitty's group is ready to leave, with the Pirate Kitty, now sporting a black eye and a bandage on her nose, now joining the journey.
"Marauders, I'll be gone for a while, but I'll come back" the Pirate Kitty talks to Wagner, Logan and Peter "Wagner, you're in charge until I return, if anyone approaches that thing, warn them and once that thing behind us is gone, you know what to do"
"Aye aye, Kapitaner!" Wagner replies with a mock salute while the Fire and Ice duo approaches Magik and Sofia respectively.
"So… you're leaving, Huh?" John talks to Magik "It was so great to work together, I think that maybe you should have something to remember me by and…" his words are cut off when he once again has Magik's Soulsword pointing at his neck, prompting him to back off.
"It was great to work together, I really mean it" Sofia talks to Bobby, smiling at him "Are you gonna try and give me something as well?"
"Well, how about a farewell hug?" Bobby asks her back, to which she nods in response and then approaches him for the hug, but just as she gets close, he pulls her into him to give her a kiss.
"Hhmmph! Hhmmph!" Sofia groans in amazement but as she begins to taste him, she starts to give in, closing her eyes as she hugs him to deepen the kiss and even moan into it "Mmmmm…"
"Show off…" John complains at the sight of his friend succeeding where he failed while Kitty's group finally notices the scene, much to their chagrin.
"Sofia! SOFIA!" Kitty calls her, managing to startle her "We're leaving now!"
"Ehhh… I'm… Ahh… I'm gonna… go and…" Sofia barely mumbles and giggles with a goofy smile on her face as she rejoins her friends before they leave to their next destination.
"You must have a very long drought, don't you?" Magik comments with a deadpan tone while Kitty activates her Webware to open the portal.
"Let's get the Hell out of here..." Kitty mutters as the portal opens underneath them and they jump down, searching for the next recruit for their mission to bring down Mojo.
THEN, AT THE MOJOVERSE
A flash of light emerges, bringing the body of Blackbeard Shaw into an empty room, writhing and moaning in pain for his severed arm "AAAARGH! I'LL MAKE YOU… PAY FOR THIS… PRYDE!" he complains as he holds the stump of his arm, just as a door opens, revealing a group of robots that approach him "No! What are these things!? Get away! GET AWAY FROM ME!" he tries to fight them but the robots grab him and drag him out of the rom while Mojo and Major Domo watch in another room.
"Domo, make sure his arm is healed before you send him to the rest of the group" Mojo tells his producer.
"Should I fit him with a hook, sir?" Domo asks him, but Mojo reacts with a facepalm.
"A hook? Seriously Domo? Could you be more stereotypical!?" Mojo complains to him "Give him a prosthetic arm, maybe one with a minicannon or something" he tells him and then leaves the room "Right now, all I care about is ending that little pest of Pryde before the ratings beat me" he comments, starting to feel that Kitty Pryde is making dangerous moves to defeat him and now more than eve he has to make a good plan before she makes a dent to his empire.
WOOOO! This one was a LONG one! But I really enjoyed working on this one.
Alright, let's meet this new member: I'm aware that there's already a Pirate version of Kitty, but I wanted to create a new one heavily inspired in the Red Queen version. The Earth designation, 102319, is actually the release date of Marauders #1 (October 23rd, 2019), and of course I played a bit with the crew and a few cameos, I hope you guys enjoy them.
As for the next stop, Kitty's crew will bump with another young counterpart, one that was thought dead but, you know how things go with Life and Death and Mutants. See you on the next one!
NEXT CHAPTER: A CAT OUT OF EXILE!